Abstract: Techniques for synchronization across transmitting nodes of a same public land mobile network (PLMN) operator using a shared radio frequency spectrum band may include initiating, at a first wireless node, a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure for access to the shared radio frequency spectrum band, and identifying that a second wireless node associated with a same PLMN operator as the first wireless node has won contention for the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The first wireless node may discontinue the LBT procedure and initiate an auxiliary transmission using the shared radio frequency spectrum band concurrently with a primary transmission of the second wireless node.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. User equipment (UE) and base stations may support frequency hopping with fast retuning for enhanced machine type communication (eMTC). For example, a UE may need to retune portions of its receive or transmit chain to support operation on various frequency bands, and it may perform the retune within a few symbols. Both base station and UE may anticipate or account for the retuning delay and communicate accordingly. A base station may refrain from transmitting for a certain period of time, for example. A base station may also account for frequency hopping delays for uplink communications. Systems may employ other techniques to support eMTC. For example, UEs may leverage reference signal patterns in certain control channels for demodulation. In some cases, base stations may alter control channel transmissions to account for various types of UEs with in the system.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for uplink (UL) data channel design. An example method is provided for operations which may be performed by a first apparatus. The example method generally comprises determining a number of pilot symbols to transmit for one or more slots of a first subframe based, at least in part, on a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and transmitting at least one uplink data channel having the determined number of pilot symbols in the one or more slots of the first subframe.

Abstract: Synchronous communications mode detection is disclosed for unlicensed spectrum communications. To detect synchronous mode communications, an observing node monitors on-off transitions of communication transmissions on a shared communication spectrum. The observing node detects the on-off transition spacing of the on-off transitions over a sliding window of a detection period duration. The node may determine the number of candidate synchronous on-off transition spacings of the detected on-off transition spacings that are equal to an integer multiple of a synchronization period. If the number of candidate synchronous on-off transition spacings exceeds a threshold value the observing node will declare detection of a synchronous operation mode of the shared communication spectrum.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for qualifying machine learning model-based channel state information (CSI) predictions. An example method generally includes receiving, from a network entity, a channel state information (CSI) prediction model for quantized CSI, calculating CSI based on downlink reference signal measurements, generating a quantized CSI difference value based a quantization of a difference between the calculated CSI and CSI predicted based on a CSI prediction model, and reporting, to the network entity, the calculated CSI and the quantized CSI difference value.

Abstract: Techniques providing opportunistic frequency switching for frame based equipment (FBE), such as may be configured to minimize opportunistic frequency switching delay in FBE new radio (NR) unlicensed (NR-U) networks and/or to provide frequency diversity FBE access based on offset sequences of medium sensing occasions for the carrier frequencies are disclosed. Within the FBE mode network, a base station may configure a pattern of sensing locations in each frame for each frequency transmission unit of the plurality of frequency transmission units, wherein an inter-unit delay of sensing locations between a first frequency transmission unit and a next adjacent frequency transmission unit and between a last frequency transmission unit and the first frequency transmission unit is a fixed duration.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A base station of a first network operator (OP) may determine a priority for the first OP for a transmission opportunity of a shared or unlicensed channel. The priority may be lower than a priority of a second OP for the transmission opportunity. Base station may transmit a tentative grant to a user equipment (UE) of the first OP scheduling transmissions over resources of the transmission opportunity. The transmitting device of the first OP may monitor a contention window for reservation signals communicated by devices of the second OP. Based on the monitoring and the tentative grant, the transmitting device of the first OP may perform the transmission over the resources of the shared or unlicensed channel.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques that may be used to help enable low latency communications between a user equipment (UE) and a base station (BS) using quick uplink channels that enable a reduced transmission time interval (TTI). Additionally, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for managing communications in a wireless communication system, for example, by using enhanced downlink control channels.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. Discontinuous reception (DRX) operation may be configured differently on enhanced component carriers (eCCs) than on other component carriers, including a primary cell (PCell). In some cases, a user equipment (UE) may be configured with several different eCC DRX modes. An eCC DRX configuration may, for example, be coordinated with downlink (DL) transmission time interval (TTI) scheduling so each DRX ON duration may correspond to a DL burst duration of the corresponding eCC. The eCC DRX ON durations may also be scheduled according to hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process scheduling. In some examples, eCC DRX ON durations may be based on listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures. In some cases, eCC DRX ON durations may be configured to contain an uplink (UL) burst to enable channel state information (CSI) reporting. The eCC DRX may also be configured to minimize interruption of the PCell.

Abstract: Coordination of listen before talk (LBT) structure in new radio (NR) unlicensed (NR-U) multi-channel access operations is disclosed. In one aspect, when a base station determines to access shared communication spectrum, it may transmit an LBT structure signal that identifies the current LBT structure. The base station would then attempt access to the shared spectrum according to the LBT structure. In another aspect, a coordination server is used to manage access to the shared spectrum. Each node desiring access registers with the coordination server, which provides access parameters for the accessing node to use that increases the likelihood of successful access. The accessing nodes will transmit the selected access configuration used to access the shared spectrum, wherein the access configuration is selected based on the access parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that provide for frame-based initiator device operations. A wireless device may be operating within a frame-based equipment communications system, where a frame may include a channel occupancy time period and a minimum idle period. An initiating device may be configured to initiate autonomous uplink communications during the channel occupancy time period of its frame, while the device may not initiate communications during an idle period of its frame. In some cases, a frame-based equipment communications system may include more than one initiating device, where the idle periods for different initiating devices may occur at different times. In some cases, the initiating device may be configured to initiate communications during the idle period for another initiating device. This may allow the wireless system to decrease system overhead associated with a minimum idle period per frame.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for managing uplink scheduling for one or more user equipment served by a network entity in a wireless communications system are presented. For instance, an example method is presented that includes generating, by the network entity, an uplink bandwidth allocation map, the uplink bandwidth allocation map defining an uplink bandwidth allocation for at least one of the one or more user equipment for at least one of a plurality of uplink transmission window lengths. In addition, the example method includes transmitting the uplink bandwidth allocation map to at least one of the one or more user equipment.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for configuring an adaptive frame structure for wireless communications systems using unlicensed radio frequency spectrum. A base station (BS) may determine whether another device is transmitting on a channel in the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum or one or more other network conditions pertaining to the channel, determine a frame structure from a plurality of frame structures used for data communications based at least in part on the one or more network conditions, wherein each of the plurality of frame structures has a different frame duration, and communicate with a user equipment (UE) using the determined frame structure. A UE may determine a frame structure from a plurality of frame structures used for data communications, wherein each of the plurality of frame structures has a different frame duration, and communicate with a BS using the determined frame structure.

Abstract: In an unlicensed band, different types of interference may be experienced by user equipments (UEs), and a serving evolved Node B (eNB) may not be aware of the interference types affecting a UE. Therefore, aspects presented herein provide UE assisted interference learning, in which the UE detects an interfering signal and reports information such as the interference level and properties of the interfering signal to a serving eNB. Another aspects presented herein provide for an eNB which receives, from one or more UEs, information indicating properties of each of at least one interfering signals experienced by the UEs, such as interference types affecting the UEs. The eNB further uses the information received from the UE, including the wireless technology type to determine the properties of its downlink transmission and the length of the contention window leading up to its downlink transmission.

Abstract: Wireless communications systems and methods related to channel access with variable energy detection thresholds in a shared radio frequency band are provided. A wireless communication device, performs a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure to contend for a maximum channel occupancy time (MCOT) in a first shared radio frequency band, the performing the LBT including performing, in the first shared radio frequency band, first channel sensing during a first portion of an LBT period based on a first energy detection threshold; and performing, in the first shared radio frequency band based on the first channel sensing, second channel sensing during a second portion of the LBT period based on a second energy detection threshold different from the first energy detection threshold; and communicating, in the first shared radio frequency band, a communication signal during the MCOT based on the LBT procedure.

Abstract: Wireless communications systems and methods related to providing frequency diversity for communications in an unlicensed spectrum are provided. A first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, an opportunistic frequency-switching configuration for a first frequency band and a second frequency band. The first frequency band and the second frequency band are shared by a first network operating entity and a second network operating entity. The first wireless communication device communicates, with the second wireless communication device, a first communication signal in a first frequency band based on the opportunistic frequency-switching configuration. The first wireless communication device switches from the first frequency band to a second frequency band based on the opportunistic frequency-switching configuration.

Abstract: The described aspects include methods and apparatus for activating a transmitter to communicate in a wireless network. A small cell can determine to activate the transmitter to serve user equipment (UE) in a wireless network. The small cell can then broadcast a portion of a set of broadcast signals in a radio frame and broadcast a remaining portion of the set of broadcast signals along with the portion of the set of broadcast signals in a subsequent radio frame. By refraining from immediately broadcasting all broadcast signals, the small cell can mitigate interference to other small cells. In addition, a UE can determine whether to generate random access channel (RACH) sequences for proximity determination or uplink timing synchronization based on parameters received in a RACH order. Moreover, a small cell with an active transmitter can decode discovery signals from a device to facilitate handover determination.

Abstract: Scheduling around frame based equipment (FBE) idle periods reduces the flexibility of scheduling and partitioning. This leads to a latency caused by waiting for the next downlink scheduling opportunity and skipping over unused uplink scheduling slots. According to certain aspects, to reduce overhead caused by idle time and ensure full downlink scheduling, a base station (BS) alternates between idle periods and channel occupancy time every fixed frame period with one or more other synchronized BSs, between components carriers of the BS, or both. Thus, a BS can always schedule downlink on a carrier during an idle period scheduled for a different BS and/or a different carrier.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for uplink (UL) data channel design. An example method is provided for operations which may be performed by a first apparatus. The example method generally comprises determining a number of pilot symbols to transmit for one or more slots of a first subframe based, at least in part, on a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and transmitting at least one uplink data channel having the determined number of pilot symbols in the one or more slots of the first subframe.

Abstract: Systems and methods facilitating feedback of robust channel state information (CSI), such as to provide full CSI feedback or otherwise providing CSI feedback, are described. CSI encoders and/or decoders used by network nodes may implement channel compression/reconstruction based upon neural-network (NN) training of collected channels. A structured payload having an interpretable payload portion and an uninterpretable payload portion may utilized with respect to CSI feedback. The channel compression provided according to some aspects of the disclosure supports feedback of robust CSI, in some instances including full CSI, as determined by a particular network node. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.