Abstract: A method of a base station to transmit information on an ancillary channel includes encoding a set of bits from input information as a codeword, selecting a subset of active antennas that map to the codeword, and transmitting at least one main channel payload on each antenna of the selected subset of active antennas with one of a plurality of different dedicated pilot signals associated with each respective one of the antennas of the selected subset of active antennas.

Abstract: A block coding method and system for improving the reliability of Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) and Antenna Weight Indicators (AWI) reporting, A user terminal first generates 8-bit CQI and 2-bit AWI. A codeword generator produces a codeword responsive to these 10 CQI/AWI bits using a codebook or a generator matrix of a (20,10,6) code. The (20,10,6) code has a minimum Hamming distance of 6. The encoded codeword is transmitted to a receiver for decoding utilizing an identical (20,10,6) codebook.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (14) (e.g., a user equipment) in a wireless communication system (10) is configured for transmitting a random access preamble signal (16). The wireless communication device (14) in particular is configured to generate a random access preamble signal (16) that comprises multiple symbol groups (18), with each symbol group (18) on a single tone during a different time resource, according to a frequency hopping pattern that hops the random access preamble signal (16) a fixed frequency distance at one or more symbol groups (18) and hops the random access preamble signal (16) a pseudo random frequency distance at one or more other symbol groups (18). Each symbol group (18) comprises one or more symbols. The wireless communication device (14) is also configured to transmit the random access preamble signal (16).

Abstract: A technique for transmitting system information for a time-division duplex, TDD, communication in a radio access network, RAN, is described. As to a method aspect of the technique, a master information block, MIB, is transmitted on an anchor carrier (602 1) of the TDD communication in the RAN. The MIB is indicative of a spectral resource (602-1; 602-2) allocated to a system information block, SIB, of the TDD communication in the RAN. The SIB is transmitted on the spectral resource (602-1; 602-2) indicated in the MIB.

Abstract: A user equipment is configured for operation in a narrowband wireless communication system. The user equipment is configured to detect receipt of a narrowband positioning reference signal that comprises a narrowband reference signal sequence. The narrowband reference signal sequence is a subsequence of a wideband reference signal sequence. The wideband reference signal sequence is configured for a wideband frequency bandwidth that is wider than a maximum frequency bandwidth defined for the narrowband wireless communication system. The user equipment is also configured to perform a positioning measurement using the narrowband positioning reference signal.

Abstract: Configuration of Additional System Information Block RepetitionsEmbodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for determining which 5 of a plurality of subframes are repetition subframes, wherein repetition subframes are subframes scheduled for use by abase station to transmit a repetition of a system information block. A method comprises receiving a first mapping comprising information designating a subset of the plurality of subframes as invalid subframes; and determining, based on the first mapping and a second mapping, which of the 0 subframes designated as invalid subframes are repetition subframes, wherein the second mapping comprises information designating at least one of the subset of the plurality of subframes as a repetition subframe.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining configurable timing relationships and operational parameters are provided. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device in a wireless system includes determining round-trip propagation delay information between the wireless device and a network node. This round-trip propagation delay information may be a round-trip propagation delay a quantized round-trip propagation delay, or any other value indicative of the round-trip propagation delay. The in method also includes determining a Hybrid Automatic Retransmission Request (HARQ) operational parameter based on the round-trip propagation delay information between the wireless device and the network node. In this way, HARQ is extended to work for deployments with large round-trip propagation delays, such as satellite systems. This may increase the throughput and reliability of data transmission.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to a narrowband Primary Synchronization Signal (NB-PSS) and a narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal (NB-SSS) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a base station in a wireless network comprises a processor and storage that stores instructions executable by the processor whereby the base station is operable to transmit a NB-PSS and a NB-SSS in a narrowband portion of a downlink system bandwidth. The NB-PSS and the NB-SSS are transmitted such that more than two occurrences of the NB-PSS and more than two occurrences of the NB-SSS are transmitted over a defined time interval, each occurrence of the NB-PSS is transmitted over multiple contiguous Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols and each occurrence of the NB-SSS is transmitted over multiple contiguous OFDM symbols, and each occurrence of the NB-SSS provides an indication of a location of the occurrence of the NB-SSS within the defined time interval.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (14) (e.g., a user equipment) in a wireless communication system (10) is configured for transmitting a random access preamble signal (16). The wireless communication device (14) in particular is configured to generate a random access preamble signal (16) that comprises multiple symbol groups (18), with each symbol group (18) on a single tone during a different time resource, according to a frequency hopping pattern that hops the random access preamble signal (16) a fixed frequency distance at one or more symbol groups (18) and hops the random access preamble signal (16) a pseudo random frequency distance at one or more other symbol groups (18). Each symbol group (18) comprises one or more symbols. The wireless communication device (14) is also configured to transmit the random access preamble signal (16).

Abstract: Provided are methods of estimating a time delay and/or a frequency shift of a reference signal. Such methods include receiving a first reference signal that is generated using a first Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequence, receiving a second reference signal that is generated using a second ZC sequence that is different than the first ZC sequence, and processing the first reference signal and the second reference signal to estimate at least one of the time delay and the frequency shift of the first reference signal and/or the second reference signal. The first ZC sequence is generated by a first root and the second ZC sequence is generated by a second root that is different than the first root.

Abstract: A user equipment (16) is configured for operation in a narrowband wireless communication system (10). The user equipment (16) is configured to detect receipt of a narrowband positioning reference signal (20) that comprises a narrowband reference signal sequence. The narrowband reference signal sequence is a subsequence of a wideband reference signal sequence. The wideband reference signal sequence is configured for a wideband frequency bandwidth that is wider than a maximum frequency bandwidth defined for the narrowband wireless communication system (10). The user equipment (16) is also configured to perform a positioning measurement using the narrowband positioning reference signal (20).

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for communicating to a wireless device (WD) a DL-to-UL frequency offset (or frequency shift) that may need to be applied. For example, a method implemented in a wireless device (WD) is provided. The method comprises: receiving, from the network node, an indication of a frequency offset; and applying the received frequency offset; wherein the WD is configured to operate on a narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) carrier in a New Radio (NR) carrier.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method (500) by a wireless device (110) includes receiving information relating to a Narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal (NSSS) transmit diversity scheme. The information indicates a number of NSSS occasions that use different NSSS transmit diversity configurations. Based on the NSSS transmit diversity scheme, at least one measurement is performed across NSSS occasions.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method performed by a network node comprises transmitting a transmission of system information. The transmission comprises coded bits obtained by reading from a circular buffer. The transmission is transmitted in a first set of subframes corresponding to subframes #4 of a plurality of radio frames. The method further comprises transmitting an additional transmission of the system information. The additional transmission comprises additional coded bits obtained by continuing reading from the circular buffer. The additional transmission is transmitted in a second set of subframes corresponding to subframes of the plurality of radio frames other than subframes #4.

Abstract: A user equipment is configured for use in a wireless communication system. The user equipment in particular is configured to receive from a base station one or more configuration messages that indicate a pattern of downlink transmission gaps in time. The user equipment is further configured to receive from the base station a scheduled downlink transmission that comprises a downlink data block and one or more repetitions of the downlink data block. The scheduled downlink transmission is received with downlink transmission gaps therein according to the indicated pattern. Alternatively or additionally, the user equipment is configured to transmit a scheduled uplink transmission that comprises an uplink data block and one or more repetitions of the uplink data block. In this case, the scheduled uplink transmission is transmitted with uplink transmission gaps therein according to an uplink transmission gap pattern that specifies a pattern of uplink transmission gaps in time.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to a narrowband Primary Synchronization Signal (NB-PSS) and a narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal (NB-SSS) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a base station in a wireless network comprises a processor and storage that stores instructions executable by the processor whereby the base station is operable to transmit a NB-PSS and a NB-SSS in a narrowband portion of a downlink system bandwidth. The NB-PSS and the NB-SSS are transmitted such that more than two occurrences of the NB-PSS and more than two occurrences of the NB-SSS are transmitted over a defined time interval, each occurrence of the NB-PSS is transmitted over multiple contiguous Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols and each occurrence of the NB-SSS is transmitted over multiple contiguous OFDM symbols, and each occurrence of the NB-SSS provides an indication of a location of the occurrence of the NB-SSS within the defined time interval.

Abstract: A communications network is being accessed by a wireless device associated with a coverage class selected from a set of coverage classes. The wireless device performs a method comprising initiating network access to the communications network by transmitting a preamble sequence for random access on a physical random access channel during a starting opportunity defined by the coverage class of the wireless device. Each coverage class may be associated with a unique number of repetitions of the preamble sequence transmission.

Abstract: The load on Random Access channels (N)PRACH (i.e., Msg1) is temporally distributed, to better handle synchronized access peaks from machine type devices. Access attempts by wireless devices are distributed in time, based on their identities (e.g., IMSI, which is used for the distribution of paging load) or random draw. The distribution restricts when 5 wireless devices can access the network, either based on System Frame Number or on random access occurrence. The method is implicit, i.e., after the initial System Information (SI) acquisition, wireless devices will automatically apply temporal network access load distribution according to the configuration provided in SI without any need for explicit signaling or re-acquisition of SI. Embodiments of the invention may be advantageously applied to any wireless 10 communication network supporting machine type communications, such as GPRS/EGPRS/ECGSM-IoT and UMTS/HSPA, as well as non-3GPP radio access technologies such as LoRa, Sigfox, and Ingenu.

Abstract: A method, wireless device and network node for supporting sub-physical resource block transmissions over a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes receiving an indication of a number of resource units to be used for performing sub-PRB transmissions over the PUSCH. The method further includes mapping the number of RUs to a number of physical resource blocks, PRBs and determining a transport block size, TBS, for a sub-PRB transmission over the PUSCH, based on the mapping of the number of RUs to the number of PRBs. The method also includes transmitting sub-PRB transmissions over the PUSCH according to the determined TBS on the number of RUs.

Abstract: Provided are methods (400) of estimating a time delay and/or a frequency shift of a reference signal. Such methods include receiving (405) a first reference signal that is generated using a first Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequence, receiving (410) a second reference signal that is generated using a second ZC sequence that is different than the first ZC sequence, and processing (415) the first reference signal and the second reference signal to estimate at least one of the time delay and the frequency shift of the first reference signal and/or the second reference signal.