Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to determining cluster-heads for a cluster and operating strategy and methods of the cluster-heads. A device selects candidate cluster-heads from a cluster of devices. Next, the device determines a primary cluster-head for serving the cluster of devices from the candidate cluster-heads. Based on the determined primary cluster-head, the device determines a secondary cluster-head from the candidate cluster-heads. The secondary cluster-head serves the cluster of devices as a supplementary of the primary cluster-head.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and devices for robustness enhancement in a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of network nodes and a wireless communication device which is configured to be connected to the plurality of network nodes including a first network node. Embodiments disclosed herein describe a first network node, a wireless communication device, a method in the first network node, a method in the wireless communication device, a wireless communication system and a non-transitory machine-readable medium. The method in the first network node comprises the operations of transmitting a data packet to the wireless communication device; generating assistance information indicating to the wireless communication device when to search for the same data packet from at least a second network node of the plurality of network nodes for soft combination; and transmitting the assistance information to the wireless communication device.

Abstract: A method in a terminal device for transmission to at least a first network device and a second network device over bundled Transmission Time Intervals (TTIs). The method comprises determining that a first TTI for transmission to the first network device overlaps a second TTI for transmission to the second network device based on a first Timing Advance (TA) value associated with the first network device and a second TA value associated with the second network device; and blanking a portion of the first TTI, such that the rest of the first TTI does not overlap the second TTI.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method at a communications device of a first type that is operable on both a licensed carrier and an unlicensed carrier. The method comprises performing channel sensing on the unlicensed carrier, at different sensing slots within a time duration, for respective links directed to at least two communications devices of a second type that are operable on both the licensed carrier and the unlicensed carrier. The time duration is specified as a portion of a subframe in a frame structure used on the licensed carrier. The method also comprise scheduling transmission on a channel that is determined to be available based on corresponding channel sensing. Correspondingly, there is also provided an apparatus embodied at or as at least part of a communications device of a first type, e.g. a base station that is operable on both a licensed carrier and an unlicensed carrier.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method in a wireless network for link adaptation. The method comprises transmitting a first grant message indicating grant resources for a first link path to a first user equipment, UE; monitoring the grant resources for the first link path to determine whether data is transmitted from the first UE on the first link path; and inhibiting link adaptation for the grant resources for the first link path if no data is transmitted from the first UE on the first link path. The disclosure also provides a network node and a user equipment for link adaptation.

Abstract: A scheme to perform beamforming in a wireless communication network. A method implemented by a first device in the wireless communication network provides for determining a target beam based on a plurality of predefined beams for data transmission to a second device performing discontinuous reception. The data is then transmitted over the target beam to the second device in an active duration of the second device. In this way, beam mismatching may be mitigated and transmission quality in the wireless communication network may be improved.

Abstract: A radio resource adaptation method between UL and DL for two-way communications between a first communication device and a second communication device, comprising: receiving, by the first communication device, fed-back information in an unused part of radio resource allocated to a second communication link (UL or DL) from the second communication device to the first communication device, the fed-back information enabling utilization efficiency enhancement of radio resource allocated to a first communication link (DL or UL) from the first communication device to the second communication device; and performing, by the first communication device, resource-efficient information transmission and/or retransmission on the radio resource of the first communication link, based on the received fed-back information. The radio resource adaptation is implemented with wireless communication devices.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method for scheduling radio resources in a radio communication network. The method comprises obtaining two or more MAC modes to be used for scheduling radio resources; and partitioning the radio resources into multiple resource blocks, each of which associates with one of the two or more MAC modes. Each of the two or more MAC modes is used to schedule associated resource block. Meanwhile, the embodiments also disclose a method for transmitting traffic in the radio communication network. The method comprises selecting a MAC mode from a list of active MAC modes for the traffic. Each MAC mode in the list of active MAC modes associates with respective resource blocks and is used to schedule the associated resource block. The traffic is transmitted over resource scheduled by the selected MAC mode.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method in a wireless network for link adaptation. The method comprises transmitting a first grant message indicating grant resources for a first link path to a first user equipment, UE; monitoring the grant resources for the first link path to determine whether data is transmitted from the first UE on the first link path; and inhibiting link adaptation for the grant resources for the first link path if no data is transmitted from the first UE on the first link path. The disclosure also provides a network node and a user equipment for link adaptation.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to managing a radio access node cluster (4) comprising a plurality of radio access nodes (2). By determining connectivity metrics and comparing to predefined thresholds, a decision is taken if a radio access node (2) of the radio access node cluster (4) is to be detached from radio access node cluster (4) or if a neighboring radio access node (6) is to be added to the radio access node cluster (4). All radio access nodes belonging to the radio access node cluster (4) share a common cell identifier.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and device (10) for enabling downlink (DL) coordinated multipoint (CoMP) communication. In particular it relates to a method of enabling CoMP in legacy user equipments, i.e. devices that only measures and reports the channel quality of the link to its primary serving point.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method performed in a network node with two or more transmission states for dynamically managing outer loop link adaptation instances for a wireless device. The method includes monitoring one or more variables, where each variable is either associated with an outer loop link adaptation instance or with a transmission state; and adapting the number of outer loop link adaptation instances based on the monitored one or more variables. The disclosure also relates to corresponding devices.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method and a base station (110) for interference management in a cellular network (100) employing Space-Division uplink (UL) downlink (DL) Duplexing (SDD). The base station (110) assigns a plurality of Remote Radio Units (RRU) as Tx RRUs operable to dedicatedly transmit downlink signals to a plurality of UEs and Rx RRUs operable to dedicatedly receive uplink signals from the plurality of UEs at the same frequency band and same time as the transmission of the Tx RRUs. The base station then suppresses the interference caused by simultaneous transmission on the same frequency band by using a Tx spatial beamforming weighting matrix and a Rx spatial beamforming weighting matrix. In addition, the base station may perform cross-talk cancellation on the residual interference contained in the received signals by using the knowledge of the downlink traffic data.

Abstract: A scheme to perform beamforming in a wireless communication network. A method implemented by a first device in the wireless communication network provides for determining a target beam based on a plurality of predefined beams for data transmission to a second device performing discontinuous reception. The data is then transmitted over the target beam to the second device in an active duration of the second device. In this way, beam mismatching may be mitigated and transmission quality in the wireless communication network may be improved.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method used in a network node and an associated network node. The method includes: determining sounding and sensing related parameters for a link, wherein the determined sounding and sensing related parameters include dedicated sounding and sensing related parameters for the link and common sounding and sensing related parameters for all links controlled by the network node, and wherein the common sounding and sensing related parameters include a sounding and sensing period and a sounding and sensing interval; and transmitting the determined sounding and sensing related parameters to a transmitting node and a receiving node of the link. The present disclosure also discloses a method used in a receiving node of a link and an associated receiving node. The present disclosure further discloses a method used in a transmitting node of a link and an associated transmitting node.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for adaptive beamforming scanning. A method is performed by a network device having a non-uniform directional network coverage. The method comprises obtaining a beam pattern indicating spatial directions in which reception of identification signals is to be scanned, wherein the beam pattern is defined by the non-uniform directional network coverage. The method comprises scanning with directional beams in the spatial directions according to the beam pattern for reception of the identification signals from wireless devices.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method used in a terminal device, and the associated terminal device. The method comprises: obtaining a pattern for UL transmission to a network device, the pattern being specific to the terminal device and specifying a plurality of time points for transmitting a UL signal to the network device; and transmitting the UL signal to the network device based on the pattern. The present disclosure further relates to a method used in a network device, and the associated network device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method implemented in an access point, AP, for maintaining synchronization among APs in a radio access network as well as the AP. The method comprises at least one of a transmission step and a reception step. At the transmission step, a first inter-AP synchronization signal is transmitted to a first neighboring AP, which synchronizes to the AP, at a transmission resource indicated by a first synchronization signal transmission/reception pattern associated with the AP, when the first neighboring AP receives the first inter-AP synchronization signal at a reception resource indicated by a second synchronization signal transmission/reception pattern associated with the first neighboring AP, wherein the reception resource indicated by the second synchronization signal transmission/reception pattern overlaps with the transmission resource indicated by the first synchronization signal transmission/reception pattern.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method in a first communication entity of a first radio communication network for communicating with a second communication entity of a second radio communication network. The method comprises selecting one or more communication nodes from the first radio communication network as one or more first delegates; for each of the delegates, triggering the delegate to perform handshaking with one or more second delegates in the second radio communication network so as to find one or more counterpart delegates in the second radio communication network and establishing bridging connections between the first delegate and the one or more counterpart delegates, the one or more second delegates are selected by the second communication entity; and communicating with the second communication entity via at least one of the bridging connections.

Abstract: A second communication device transmits information relating to a request for a first set of radio resources of a radio channel for a first data transmission to a third communication device. This information is received by a first communication device. In response thereto, the first communication device transmits an interference notification to the second communication device when the received information relating to a request for radio resources of the radio channel is determined to conflict with requested radio resources of the radio channel for a second data transmission to or from the first communication device. The second communication device receives an interference notification from the first communication device indicating that its transmitted information relating to a request for radio resources of the radio channel has been determined to conflict with requested radio resources of the radio channel for the second data transmission to or from the first communication device.