U.S. patent application number 17/153768 was filed with the patent office on 2021-07-22 for wireless device and wireless network processes for access control.
The applicant listed for this patent is Alireza Babaei. Invention is credited to Alireza Babaei.
Application Number | 20210227451 17/153768 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005390894 |
Filed Date | 2021-07-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210227451 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Babaei; Alireza |
July 22, 2021 |
Wireless Device and Wireless Network Processes for Access
Control
Abstract
A wireless device receives, from a base station, one or more
broadcast messages comprising system information. The system
information may indicate that a first type of wireless device is
barred from accessing or camping on a first cell. The wireless
device may determine, based on the system information and based on
the wireless device not being of the first type, that the wireless
device is not barred from accessing or camping on the first cell.
The wireless device may transmit, to the base station, a random
access preamble for accessing or camping on the first cell.
Inventors: |
Babaei; Alireza; (Fairfax,
VA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Babaei; Alireza |
Fairfax |
VA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005390894 |
Appl. No.: |
17/153768 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62963484 |
Jan 20, 2020 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 76/27 20180201;
H04W 74/0833 20130101; H04W 48/10 20130101; H04W 48/02
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 48/10 20060101
H04W048/10; H04W 74/08 20060101 H04W074/08; H04W 48/02 20060101
H04W048/02; H04W 76/27 20060101 H04W076/27 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device from a
base station, one or more broadcast messages comprising system
information indicating that a wireless device of a reduced
capability type is barred from accessing or camping on a first
cell; wherein the reduced capability type is associated with
reduced capabilities compared to a non-reduced capability type;
determining, based on the system information and based on the
wireless device not being of the reduced capability type, that the
wireless device is not barred from accessing or camping on the
first cell; and transmitting, by the wireless device to the base
station, a random access preamble, via the first cell, for
accessing or camping on the first cell.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the reduced capabilities
comprise one or more of: a reduced bandwidth; a reduced number of
antennas; a half-duplex operation; a relaxed processing time; and a
relaxed processing capability.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more broadcast
messages comprise at least one of a master information block and a
system information block.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein: the wireless device is in a
radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state;
and the transmitting the random access preamble is for
transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state to
an RRC connected state.
25. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining random
access resources based on the system information, wherein the
transmitting the random access preamble is via a first random
access resource of the random access resources.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the system information
comprises random access configuration parameters indicating the
random access resources.
27. The method of claim 21, wherein the system information
comprises a parameter with a first value, the first value of the
parameter indicating that a wireless device of the reduced
capability type is barred from accessing or camping on a first
cell.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein a second value of the parameter
indicates that a wireless device of the reduced capability type is
not barred from accessing or camping on the first cell.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein a third value of the parameter
indicates that a wireless device is barred from accessing or
camping on the first cell irrespective of a wireless device
type.
30. A method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, one or
more broadcast messages comprising system information indicating
that a wireless device of a reduced capability type: is barred from
accessing or camping on a first cell; and is not barred from
accessing or camping on a second cell; wherein the reduced
capability type is associated with reduced capabilities compared to
a non-reduced capability type; determining, based on the system
information and based on the wireless device being of the reduced
capability type: not to access or camp on the first cell; and to
access or camp on the second cell; and transmitting, by the
wireless device, a random access preamble, via the second cell, for
accessing or camping on the second cell.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the reduced capabilities
comprise one or more of: a reduced bandwidth; a reduced number of
antennas; a half-duplex operation; a relaxed processing time; and a
relaxed processing capability.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the one or more broadcast
messages comprise at least one of a master information block and a
system information block.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein: the wireless device is in a
radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state;
and the transmitting the random access preamble is for
transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state to
an RRC connected state.
34. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining random
access resources based on the system information, wherein the
transmitting the random access preamble is via a first random
access resource of the random access resources.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the system information
comprises random access configuration parameters indicating the
random access resources.
36. The method of claim 30, wherein the system information
comprises a parameter with a first value, the first value of the
parameter indicating that a wireless device of the reduced
capability type is barred from accessing or camping on a first
cell.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein a second value of the parameter
indicates that a wireless device of the reduced capability type is
not barred from accessing or camping on the first cell.
38. The method of claim 36, wherein a third value of the parameter
indicates that a wireless device is barred from accessing or
camping on the first cell irrespective of a wireless device
type.
39. The method of claim 30, wherein the first cell and the second
cell are provided by a first base station.
40. The method of claim 30, wherein: the first cell is provided by
a first base station; and the second cell is provided by a second
base station.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/963,484, filed Jan. 20, 2020, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show examples of mobile communications
systems in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0003] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B show examples of user plane and control
plane protocol layers in accordance with several of various
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0004] FIG. 3 shows example functions and services offered by
protocol layers in a user plane protocol stack in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0005] FIG. 4 shows example flow of packets through the protocol
layers in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 5A shows example mapping of channels between layers of
the protocol stack and different physical signals in downlink in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 5B shows example mapping of channels between layers of
the protocol stack and different physical signals in uplink in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 6 shows example physical layer processes for signal
transmission in accordance with several of various embodiments of
the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 7 shows examples of RRC states and RRC state
transitions in accordance with several of various embodiments of
the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 8 shows an example time domain transmission structure
in NR by grouping OFDM symbols into slots, subframes and frames in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 9 shows an example of time-frequency resource grid in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 10 shows example adaptation and switching of bandwidth
parts in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 11A shows example arrangements of carriers in carrier
aggregation in accordance with several of various embodiments of
the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 11B shows examples of uplink control channel groups in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B and FIG. 12C show example random access
processes in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 13A shows example time and frequency structure of SSBs
and their associations with beams in accordance with several of
various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 13B shows example time and frequency structure of
CSI-RSs and their association with beams in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 14A, FIG. 14B and FIG. 14C show example beam management
processes in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 15 shows example components of a wireless device and a
base station that are in communication via an air interface in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 16 shows example system information provisioning in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 17 shows example access identities in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 18 shows example access categories in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 19 shows an example wireless device contention
resolution MAC CE in accordance with several of various embodiments
of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 20A shows example system information transmission in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 20B shows example system information transmission in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 21 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 22 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 23 shows an example Master Information Block (MIB) in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 24 shows example information elements in System
Information Block 1 (SIB1) in accordance with several of various
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 25 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 26 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 27 shows an example MIB in accordance with several of
various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 28 shows example information elements in SIB1 in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 29 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 30 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 31 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 32 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 33 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0039] FIG. 34 shows an example process in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0040] FIG. 35 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0041] FIG. 36 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0042] FIG. 37 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0043] FIG. 38 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0044] The exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology enable
operation of a wireless device, including a wireless device with
reduced capability, and/or one or more base stations. The exemplary
disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the technical field of
wireless communication systems. More particularly, the embodiment
of the disclosed technology may enable access control for a
wireless device.
[0045] The devices and/or nodes of the mobile communications system
disclosed herein may be implemented based on various technologies
and/or various releases/versions/amendments of a technology. The
various technologies include various releases of long-term
evolution (LTE) technologies, various releases of 5G new radio (NR)
technologies, various wireless local area networks technologies
and/or a combination thereof and/or alike. For example, a base
station may support a given technology and may communicate with
wireless devices with different characteristics. The wireless
devices may have different categories that define their
capabilities in terms of supporting various features. The wireless
device with the same category may have different capabilities. The
wireless devices may support various technologies such as various
releases of LTE technologies, various releases of 5G NR
technologies and/or a combination thereof and/or alike. At least
some of the wireless devices in the mobile communications system of
the present disclosure may be stationary or almost stationary. In
this disclosure, the terms "mobile communications system" and
"wireless communications system" may be used interchangeably.
[0046] FIG. 1A shows an example of a mobile communications system
100 in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure. The mobile communications system 100 may be,
for example, run by a mobile network operator (MNO) or a mobile
virtual network operator (MVNO). The mobile communications system
100 may be a public land mobile network (PLMN) run by a network
operator providing a variety of service including voice, data,
short messaging service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS),
emergency calls, etc. The mobile communications system 100 includes
a core network (CN) 106, a radio access network (RAN) 104 and at
least one wireless device 102.
[0047] The CN 106 connects the RAN 104 to one or more external
networks (e.g., one or more data networks such as the Internet) and
is responsible for functions such as authentication, charging and
end-to-end connection establishment. Several radio access
technologies (RATs) may be served by the same CN 106.
[0048] The RAN 104 may implement a RAT and may operate between the
at least one wireless device 102 and the CN 106. The RAN 104 may
handle radio related functionalities such as scheduling, radio
resource control, modulation and coding, multi-antenna
transmissions and retransmission protocols. The wireless device and
the RAN may share a portion of the radio spectrum by separating
transmissions from the wireless device to the RAN and the
transmissions from the RAN to the wireless device. The direction of
the transmissions from the wireless device to the RAN is known as
the uplink and the direction of the transmissions from the RAN to
the wireless device is known as the downlink. The separation of
uplink and downlink transmissions may be achieved by employing a
duplexing technique. Example duplexing techniques include frequency
division duplexing (FDD), time division duplexing (TDD) or a
combination of FDD and TDD.
[0049] In this disclosure, the term wireless device may refer to a
device that communicates with a network entity or another device
using wireless communication techniques. The wireless device may be
a mobile device or a non-mobile (e.g., fixed) device. Examples of
the wireless device include cellular phone, smart phone, tablet,
laptop computer, wearable device (e.g., smart watch, smart shoe,
fitness trackers, smart clothing, etc.), wireless sensor, wireless
meter, extended reality (XR) devices including augmented reality
(AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices, Internet of Things (IoT)
device, vehicle to vehicle communications device, road-side units
(RSU), automobile, relay node or any combination thereof. In some
examples, the wireless device (e.g., a smart phone, tablet, etc.)
may have an interface (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)) for
configuration by an end user. In some examples, the wireless device
(e.g., a wireless sensor device, etc.) may not have an interface
for configuration by an end user. The wireless device may be
referred to as a user equipment (UE), a mobile station (MS), a
subscriber unit, a handset, an access terminal, a user terminal, a
wireless transmit and receive unit (WTRU) and/or other
terminology.
[0050] The at least one wireless device may communicate with at
least one base station in the RAN 104. In this disclosure, the term
base station may encompass terminologies associated with various
RATs. For example, a base station may be referred to as a Node B in
a 3G cellular system such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication
Systems (UMTS), an evolved Node B (eNB) in a 4G cellular system
such as evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA), a next
generation eNB (ng-eNB), a Next Generation Node B (gNB) in NR
and/or a 5G system, an access point (AP) in Wi-Fi and/or other
wireless local area networks. A base station may be referred to as
a remote radio head (RRH), a baseband unit (BBU) in connection with
one or more RRHs, a repeater or relay for coverage extension and/or
any combination thereof. In some examples, all protocol layers of a
base station may be implemented in one unit. In some example, some
of the protocol layers (e.g., upper layers) of the base station may
be implemented in a first unit (e.g., a central unit (CU)) and some
other protocol layer (e.g., lower layers) may be implemented in one
or more second units (e.g., distributed units (DUs)).
[0051] A base station in the RAN 104 includes one or more antennas
to communicate with the at least one wireless device. The base
station may communicate with the at least one wireless device using
radio frequency (RF) transmissions and receptions via RF
transceivers. The base station antennas may control one or more
cells (or sectors). The size and/or radio coverage area of a cell
may depend on the range that transmissions by a wireless device can
be successfully received by the base station when the wireless
device transmits using the RF frequency of the cell. The base
station may be associated with cells of various sizes. At a given
location, the wireless device may be in coverage area of a first
cell of the base station and may not be in coverage area of a
second cell of the base station depending on the sizes of the first
cell and the second cell.
[0052] A base station in the RAN 104 may have various
implementations. For example, a base station may be implemented by
connecting a BBU (or a BBU pool) coupled to one or more RRHs and/or
one or more relay nodes to extend the cell coverage. The BBU pool
may be located at a centralized site like a cloud or data center.
The BBU pool may be connected to a plurality of RRHs that control a
plurality of cells. The combination of BBU with the one or more
RRHs may be referred to as a centralized or cloud RAN (C-RAN)
architecture. In some implementations, the BBU functions may be
implemented on virtual machines (VMs) on servers at a centralized
location. This architecture may be referred to as virtual RAN
(vRAN). All, most or a portion of the protocol layer functions
(e.g., all or portions of physical layer, medium access control
(MAC) layer and/or higher layers) may be implemented at the BBU
pool and the processed data may be transmitted to the RRHs for
further processing and/or RF transmission. The links between the
BBU pool and the RRHs may be referred to as fronthaul.
[0053] In some deployment scenarios, the RAN 104 may include
macrocell base stations with high transmission power levels and
large coverage areas. In other deployment scenarios, the RAN 104
may include base stations that employ different transmission power
levels and/or have cells with different coverage areas. For
example, some base station may be macrocell base stations with high
transmission powers and/or large coverage areas and other base
station may be small cell base stations with comparatively smaller
transmission powers and/or coverage areas. In some deployment
scenarios, a small cell base station may have coverage that is
within or has overlap with coverage area of a macrocell base
station. A wireless device may communicate with the macrocell base
station while within the coverage area of the macrocell base
station. For additional capacity, the wireless device may
communicate with both the macrocell base station and the small cell
base station while in the overlapped coverage area of the macrocell
base station and the small cell base station. Depending on their
coverage areas, a small cell base station may be referred to as a
microcell base station, a picocell base station, a femtocell base
station or a home base station.
[0054] Different standard development organizations (SDOs) have
specified, or may specify in future, mobile communications systems
that have similar characteristics as the mobile communications
system 100 of FIG. 1A. For example, the Third-Generation
Partnership Project (3GPP) is a group of SDOs that provides
specifications that define 3GPP technologies for mobile
communications systems that are akin to the mobile communications
system 100. The 3GPP has developed specifications for third
generation (3G) mobile networks, fourth generation (4G) mobile
networks and fifth generation (5G) mobile networks. The 3G, 4G and
5G networks are also known as Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G system (5GS),
respectively. In this disclosure, embodiments are described with
respect to the RAN implemented in a 3GPP 5G mobile network that is
also referred to as next generation RAN (NG-RAN). The embodiments
may also be implemented in other mobile communications systems such
as 3G or 4G mobile networks or mobile networks that may be
standardized in future such as sixth generation (6G) mobile
networks or mobile networks that are implemented by standards
bodies other than 3GPP. The NG-RAN may be based on a new RAT known
as new radio (NR) and/or other radio access technologies such as
LTE and/or non-3GPP RATs.
[0055] FIG. 1B shows an example of a mobile communications system
110 in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure. The mobile communications system 110 of FIG. 1B
is an example of a 5G mobile network and includes a 5G CN (5G-CN)
130, an NG-RAN 120 and UEs (collectively 112 and individually UE
112A and UE 112B). The 5G-CN 130, the NG-RAN 120 and the UEs 112 of
FIG. 1B operate substantially alike the CN 106, the RAN 104 and the
at least one wireless device 102, respectively, as described for
FIG. 1A.
[0056] The 5G-CN 130 of FIG. 1B connects the NG-RAN 120 to one or
more external networks (e.g., one or more data networks such as the
Internet) and is responsible for functions such as authentication,
charging and end-to-end connection establishment. The 5G-CN has new
enhancements compared to previous generations of CNs (e.g., evolved
packet core (EPC) in the 4G networks) including service-based
architecture, support for network slicing and control plane/user
plane split. The service-based architecture of the 5G-CN provides a
modular framework based on service and functionalities provided by
the core network wherein a set of network functions are connected
via service-based interfaces. The network slicing enables
multiplexing of independent logical networks (e.g., network slices)
on the same physical network infrastructure. For example, a network
slice may be for mobile broadband applications with full mobility
support and a different network slice may be for non-mobile
latency-critical applications such as industry automation. The
control plane/user plane split enables independent scaling of the
control plane and the user plane. For example, the control plane
capacity may be increased without affecting the user plane of the
network.
[0057] The 5G-CN 130 of FIG. 1B includes an access and mobility
management function (AMF) 132 and a user plane function (UPF) 134.
The AMF 132 may support termination of non-access stratum (NAS)
signaling, NAS signaling security such as ciphering and integrity
protection, inter-3GPP access network mobility, registration
management, connection management, mobility management, access
authentication and authorization and security context management.
The NAS is a functional layer between a UE and the CN and the
access stratum (AS) is a functional layer between the UE and the
RAN. The UPF 134 may serve as an interconnect point between the
NG-RAN and an external data network. The UPF may support packet
routing and forwarding, packet inspection and Quality of Service
(QoS) handling and packet filtering. The UPF may further act as a
Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session anchor point for mobility within
and between RATs.
[0058] The 5G-CN 130 may include additional network functions (not
shown in FIG. 1B) such as one or more Session Management Functions
(SMFs), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Network Exposure
Function (NEF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), an Application
Function (AF), and/or an Authentication Server Function (AUSF).
These network functions along with the AMF 132 and UPF 134 enable a
service-based architecture for the 5G-CN.
[0059] The NG-RAN 120 may operate between the UEs 112 and the 5G-CN
130 and may implement one or more RATs. The NG-RAN 120 may include
one or more gNBs (e.g., gNB 122A or gNB 122B or collectively gNBs
122) and/or one or more ng-eNBs (e.g., ng-eNB 124A or ng-eNB 124B
or collectively ng-eNBs 124). The general terminology for gNBs 122
and/or an ng-eNBs 124 is a base station and may be used
interchangeably in this disclosure. The gNBs 122 and the ng-eNBs
124 may include one or more antennas to communicate with the UEs
112. The one or more antennas of the gNBs 122 or ng-eNBs 124 may
control one or more cells (or sectors) that provide radio coverage
for the UEs 112.
[0060] A gNB and/or an ng-eNB of FIG. 1B may be connected to the
5G-CN 130 using an NG interface. A gNB and/or an ng-eNB may be
connected with other gNBs and/or ng-eNBs using an Xn interface. The
NG or the Xn interfaces are logical connections that may be
established using an underlying transport network. The interface
between a UE and a gNB or between a UE and an ng-eNBs may be
referred to as the Uu interface. An interface (e.g., Uu, NG or Xn)
may be established by using a protocol stack that enables data and
control signaling exchange between entities in the mobile
communications system of FIG. 1B. When a protocol stack is used for
transmission of user data, the protocol stack may be referred to as
user plane protocol stack. When a protocol stack is used for
transmission of control signaling, the protocol stack may be
referred to as control plane protocol stack. Some protocol layer
may be used in both of the user plane protocol stack and the
control plane protocol stack while other protocol layers may be
specific to the user plane or control plane.
[0061] The NG interface of FIG. 1B may include an NG-User plane
(NG-U) interface between a gNB and the UPF 134 (or an ng-eNB and
the UPF 134) and an NG-Control plane (NG-C) interface between a gNB
and the AMF 132 (or an ng-eNB and the AMF 132). The NG-U interface
may provide non-guaranteed delivery of user plane PDUs between a
gNB and the UPF or an ng-eNB and the UPF. The NG-C interface may
provide services such as NG interface management, UE context
management, UE mobility management, transport of NAS messages,
paging, PDU session management, configuration transfer and/or
warning message transmission.
[0062] The UEs 112 and a gNB may be connected using the Uu
interface and using the NR user plane and control plane protocol
stack. The UEs 112 and an ng-eNB may be connected using the Uu
interface using the LTE user plane and control plane protocol
stack.
[0063] In the example mobile communications system of FIG. 1B, a
5G-CN is connected to a RAN comprised of 4G LTE and/or 5G NR RATs.
In other example mobile communications systems, a RAN based on the
5G NR RAT may be connected to a 4G CN (e.g., EPC). For example,
earlier releases of 5G standards may support a non-standalone mode
of operation where a NR based RAN is connected to the 4G EPC. In an
example non-standalone mode, a UE may be connected to both a 5G NR
gNB and a 4G LTE eNB (e.g., a ng-eNB) and the control plane
functionalities (such as initial access, paging and mobility) may
be provided through the 4G LTE eNB. In a standalone of operation,
the 5G NR gNB is connected to a 5G-CN and the user plane and the
control plane functionalities are provided by the 5G NR gNB.
[0064] FIG. 2A shows an example of the protocol stack for the user
plan of an NR Uu interface in accordance with several of various
embodiments of the present disclosure. The user plane protocol
stack comprises five protocol layers that terminate at the UE 200
and the gNB 210. The five protocol layers, as shown in FIG. 2A,
include physical (PHY) layer referred to as PHY 201 at the UE 200
and PHY 211 at the gNB 210, medium access control (MAC) layer
referred to as MAC 202 at the UE 200 and MAC 212 at the gNB 210,
radio link control (RLC) layer referred to as RLC 203 at the UE 200
and RLC 213 at the gNB 210, packet data convergence protocol (PDCP)
layer referred to as PDCP 204 at the UE 200 and PDCP 214 at the gNB
210, and service data application protocol (SDAP) layer referred to
as SDAP 205 at the UE 200 and SDAP 215 at the gNB 210. The PHY
layer, also known as layer 1 (L1), offers transport services to
higher layers. The other four layers of the protocol stack (MAC,
RLC, PDCP and SDAP) are collectively known as layer 2 (L2).
[0065] FIG. 2B shows an example of the protocol stack for the
control plan of an NR Uu interface in accordance with several of
various embodiments of the present disclosure. Some of the protocol
layers (PHY, MAC, RLC and PDCP) are common between the user plane
protocol stack shown in FIG. 2A and the control plan protocol
stack. The control plane protocol stack also includes the RRC
layer, referred to RRC 206 at the UE 200 and RRC 216 at the gNB
210, that also terminates at the UE 200 and the gNB 210. In
addition, the control plane protocol stack includes the NAS layer
that terminates at the UE 200 and the AMF 220. In FIG. 2B, the NAS
layer is referred to as NAS 207 at the UE 200 and NAS 227 at the
AMF 220.
[0066] FIG. 3 shows example functions and services offered to other
layers by a layer in the NR user plane protocol stack of FIG. 2A in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure. For example, the SDAP layer of FIG. 3 (shown in FIG. 2A
as SDAP 205 at the UE side and SDAP 215 at the gNB side) may
perform mapping and de-mapping of QoS flows to data radio bearers.
The mapping and de-mapping may be based on QoS (e.g., delay,
throughput, jitter, error rate, etc.) associated with a QoS flow. A
QoS flow may be a QoS differentiation granularity for a PDU session
which is a logical connection between a UE 200 and a data network.
A PDU session may contain one or more QoS flows. The functions and
services of the SDAP layer include mapping and de-mapping between
one or more QoS flows and one or more data radio bearers. The SDAP
layer may also mark the uplink and/or downlink packets with a QoS
flow ID (QFI).
[0067] The PDCP layer of FIG. 3 (shown in FIG. 2A as PDCP 204 at
the UE side and PDCP 214 at the gNB side) may perform header
compression and decompression (e.g., using Robust Header
Compression (ROHC) protocol) to reduce the protocol header
overhead, ciphering and deciphering and integrity protection and
verification to enhance the security over the air interface,
reordering and in-order delivery of packets and discarding of
duplicate packets. A UE may be configured with one PDCP entity per
bearer.
[0068] In an example scenario not shown in FIG. 3, a UE may be
configured with dual connectivity and may connect to two different
cell groups provided by two different base stations. For example, a
base station of the two base stations may be referred to as a
master base station and a cell group provided by the master base
station may be referred to as a master cell group (MCG). The other
base station of the two base stations may be referred to as a
secondary base station and the cell group provided by the secondary
base station may be referred to as a secondary cell group (SCG). A
bearer may be configured for the UE as a split bearer that may be
handled by the two different cell groups. The PDCP layer may
perform routing of packets corresponding to a split bearer to
and/or from RLC channels associated with the cell groups.
[0069] In an example scenario not shown in FIG. 3, a bearer of the
UE may be configured (e.g., with control signaling) with PDCP
packet duplication. A bearer configured with PDCP duplication may
be mapped to a plurality of RLC channels each corresponding to
different one or more cells. The PDCP layer may duplicate packets
of the bearer configured with PDCP duplication and the duplicated
packets may be mapped to the different RLC channels. With PDCP
packet duplication, the likelihood of correct reception of packets
increases thereby enabling higher reliability.
[0070] The RLC layer of FIG. 3 (shown in FIG. 2A as RLC 203 at the
UE side and RLC 213 at the gNB side) provides service to upper
layers in the form of RLC channels. The RLC layer may include three
transmission modes: transparent mode (TM), Unacknowledged mode (UM)
and Acknowledged mode (AM). The RLC layer may perform error
correction through automatic repeat request (ARQ) for the AM
transmission mode, segmentation of RLC service data units (SDUs)
for the AM and UM transmission modes and re-segmentation of RLC
SDUs for AM transmission mode, duplicate detection for the AM
transmission mode, RLC SDU discard for the AM and UM transmission
modes, etc. The UE may be configured with one RLC entity per RLC
channel.
[0071] The MAC layer of FIG. 3 (shown in FIG. 2A as MAC 202 at the
UE side and MAC 212 at the gNB side) provides services to the RLC
layer in form of logical channels. The MAC layer may perform
mapping between logical channels and transport channels,
multiplexing/demultiplexing of MAC SDUs belonging to one or more
logical channels into/from transport blocks (TBs) delivered to/from
the physical layer on transport channels, reporting of scheduling
information, error correction through hybrid automatic repeat
request (HARQ), priority handling between UEs by means of dynamic
scheduling, priority handling between logical channels of one UE by
means of logical channel prioritization and/or padding. In case of
carrier aggregation, a MAC entity may comprise one HARQ entity per
cell. A MAC entity may support multiple numerologies, transmission
timings and cells. The control signaling may configure logical
channels with mapping restrictions. The mapping restrictions in
logical channel prioritization may control the numerology(ies),
cell(s), and/or transmission timing(s)/duration(s) that a logical
channel may use.
[0072] The PHY layer of FIG. 3 (shown in FIG. 2A as PHY 201 at the
UE side and PHY 211 at the gNB side) provides transport services to
the MAC layer in form of transport channels. The physical layer may
handle coding/decoding, HARQ soft combining, rate matching of a
coded transport channel to physical channels, mapping of coded
transport channels to physical channels, modulation and
demodulation of physical channels, frequency and time
synchronization, radio characteristics measurements and indication
to higher layers, RF processing, and mapping to antennas and radio
resources.
[0073] FIG. 4 shows example processing of packets at different
protocol layers in accordance with several of various embodiments
of the present disclosure. In this example, three Internet Protocol
(IP) packets that are processed by the different layers of the NR
protocol stack. The term SDU shown in FIG. 4 is the data unit that
is entered from/to a higher layer. In contrast, a protocol data
unit (PDU) is the data unit that is entered to/from a lower layer.
The flow of packets in FIG. 4 is for downlink. An uplink data flow
through layers of the NR protocol stack is similar to FIG. 4. In
this example, the two leftmost IP packets are mapped by the SDAP
layer (shown as SDAP 205 and SDAP 215 in FIG. 2A) to radio bearer
402 and the rightmost packet is mapped by the SDAP layer to the
radio bearer 404. The SDAP layer adds SDAP headers to the IP
packets which are entered into the PDCP layer as PDCP SDUs. The
PDCP layer is shown as PDCP 204 and PDCP 214 in FIG. 2A. The PDCP
layer adds the PDCP headers to the PDCP SDUs which are entered into
the RLC layer as RLC SDUs. The RLC layer is shown as RLC 203 and
RLC 213 in FIG. 2A. An RLC SDU may be segmented at the RLC layer.
The RLC layer adds RLC headers to the RLC SDUs after segmentation
(if segmented) which are entered into the MAC layer as MAC SDUs.
The MAC layer adds the MAC headers to the MAC SDUs and multiplexes
one or more MAC SDUs to form a PHY SDU (also referred to as a
transport block (TB) or a MAC PDU).
[0074] In FIG. 4, the MAC SDUs are multiplexed to form a transport
block. The MAC layer may multiplex one or more MAC control elements
(MAC CEs) with zero or more MAC SDUs to form a transport block. The
MAC CEs may also be referred to as MAC commands or MAC layer
control signaling and may be used for in-band control signaling.
The MAC CEs may be transmitted by a base station to a UE (e.g.,
downlink MAC CEs) or by a UE to a base station (e.g., uplink MAC
CEs). The MAC CEs may be used for transmission of information
useful by a gNB for scheduling (e.g., buffer status report (BSR) or
power headroom report (PHR)), activation/deactivation of one or
more cells, activation/deactivation of configured radio resources
for or one or more processes, activation/deactivation of one or
more processes, indication of parameters used in one or more
processes, etc.
[0075] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show example mapping between logical
channels, transport channels and physical channels for downlink and
uplink, respectively in accordance with several of various
embodiments of the present disclosure. As discussed before, the MAC
layer provides services to higher layer in the form of logical
channels. A logical channel may be classified as a control channel,
if used for transmission of control and/or configuration
information, or a traffic channel if used for transmission of user
data. Example logical channels in NR include Broadcast Control
Channel (BCCH) used for transmission of broadcast system control
information, Paging Control Channel (PCCH) used for carrying paging
messages for wireless devices with unknown locations, Common
Control Channel (CCCH) used for transmission of control information
between UEs and network and for UEs that have no RRC connection
with the network, Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) which is a
point-to-point bi-directional channel for transmission of dedicated
control information between a UE that has an RRC connection and the
network and Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) which is
point-to-point channel, dedicated to one UE, for the transfer of
user information and may exist in both uplink and downlink.
[0076] As discussed before, the PHY layer provides services to the
MAC layer and higher layers in the form of transport channels.
Example transport channels in NR include Broadcast Channel (BCH)
used for transmission of part of the BCCH referred to as master
information block (MIB), Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) used for
transmission of data (e.g., from DTCH in downlink) and various
control information (e.g., from DCCH and CCCH in downlink and part
of the BCCH that is not mapped to the BCH), Uplink Shared Channel
(UL-SCH) used for transmission of uplink data (e.g., from DTCH in
uplink) and control information (e.g., from CCCH and DCCH in
uplink) and Paging Channel (PCH) used for transmission of paging
information from the PCCH. In addition, Random Access Channel
(RACH) is a transport channel used for transmission of random
access preambles. The RACH does not carry a transport block. Data
on a transport channel (except RACH) may be organized in transport
blocks, wherein One or more transport blocks may be transmitted in
a transmission time interval (TTI).
[0077] The PHY layer may map the transport channels to physical
channels. A physical channel may correspond to time-frequency
resources that are used for transmission of information from one or
more transport channels. In addition to mapping transport channels
to physical channels, the physical layer may generate control
information (e.g., downlink control information (DCI) or uplink
control information (UCI)) that may be carried by the physical
channels. Example DCI include scheduling information (e.g.,
downlink assignments and uplink grants), request for channel state
information report, power control command, etc. Example UCI include
HARQ feedback indicating correct or incorrect reception of downlink
transport blocks, channel state information report, scheduling
request, etc. Example physical channels in NR include a Physical
Broadcast Channel (PBCH) for carrying information from the BCH, a
Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for carrying information
form the PCH and the DL-SCH, a Physical Downlink Control Channel
(PDCCH) for carrying DCI, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)
for carrying information from the UL-SCH and/or UCI, a Physical
Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) for carrying UCI and Physical Random
Access Channel (PRACH) for transmission of RACH (e.g., random
access preamble).
[0078] The PHY layer may also generate physical signals that are
not originated from higher layers. As shown in FIG. 5A, example
downlink physical signals include Demodulation Reference Signal
(DM-RS), Phase Tracking Reference Signal (PT-RS), Channel State
Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS), Primary Synchronization
Signal (PSS) and Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS). As shown
in FIG. 5B, example uplink physical signals include DM-RS, PT-RS
and sounding reference signal (SRS).
[0079] As indicated earlier, some of the protocol layers (PHY, MAC,
RLC and PDCP) of the control plane of an NR Uu interface, are
common between the user plane protocol stack (as shown in FIG. 2A)
and the control plane protocol stack (as shown in FIG. 2B). In
addition to PHY, MAC, RLC and PDCP, the control plane protocol
stack includes the RRC protocol layer and the NAS protocol
layer.
[0080] The NAS layer, as shown in FIG. 2B, terminates at the UE 200
and the AMF 220 entity of the 5G-C 130. The NAS layer is used for
core network related functions and signaling including
registration, authentication, location update and session
management. The NAS layer uses services from the AS of the Uu
interface to transmit the NAS messages.
[0081] The RRC layer, as shown in FIG. 2B, operates between the UE
200 and the gNB 210 (more generally NG-RAN 120) and may provide
services and functions such as broadcast of system information (SI)
related to AS and NAS as well as paging initiated by the 5G-C 130
or NG-RAN 120. In addition, the RRC layer is responsible for
establishment, maintenance and release of an RRC connection between
the UE 200 and the NG-RAN 120, carrier aggregation configuration
(e.g., addition, modification and release), dual connectivity
configuration (e.g., addition, modification and release), security
related functions, radio bearer configuration/maintenance and
release, mobility management (e.g., maintenance and context
transfer), UE cell selection and reselection, inter-RAT mobility,
QoS management functions, UE measurement reporting and control,
radio link failure (RLF) detection and NAS message transfer. The
RRC layer uses services from PHY, MAC, RLC and PDCP layers to
transmit RRC messages using signaling radio bearers (SRBs). The
SRBs are mapped to CCCH logical channel during connection
establishment and to DCCH logical channel after connection
establishment.
[0082] FIG. 6 shows example physical layer processes for signal
transmission in accordance with several of various embodiments of
the present disclosure. Data and/or control streams from MAC layer
may be encoded/decoded to offer transport and control services over
the radio transmission link. For example, one or more (e.g., two as
shown in FIG. 6) transport blocks may be received from the MAC
layer for transmission via a physical channel (e.g., a physical
downlink shared channel or a physical uplink shared channel). A
cyclic redundancy check (CRC) may be calculated and attached to a
transport block in the physical layer. The CRC calculation may be
based on one or more cyclic generator polynomials. The CRC may be
used by the receiver for error detection. Following the transport
block CRC attachment, a low-density parity check (LDPC) base graph
selection may be performed. In example embodiments, two LDPC base
graphs may be used wherein a first LDPC base graph may be optimized
for small transport blocks and a second LDPC base graph may be
optimized for comparatively larger transport blocks.
[0083] The transport block may be segmented into code blocks and
code block CRC may be calculated and attached to a code block. A
code block may be LDPC coded and the LDPC coded blocks may be
individually rate matched. The code blocks may be concatenated to
create one or more codewords. The contents of a codeword may be
scrambled and modulated to generate a block of complex-valued
modulation symbols. The modulation symbols may be mapped to a
plurality of transmission layers (e.g., multiple-input
multiple-output (MIMO) layers) and the transmission layers may be
subject to transform precoding and/or precoding. The precoded
complex-valued symbols may be mapped to radio resources (e.g.,
resource elements). The signal generator block may create a
baseband signal and up-convert the baseband signal to a carrier
frequency for transmission via antenna ports. The signal generator
block may employ mixers, filters and/or other radio frequency (RF)
components prior to transmission via the antennas. The functions
and blocks in FIG. 6 are illustrated as examples and other
mechanisms may be implemented in various embodiments.
[0084] FIG. 7 shows examples of RRC states and RRC state
transitions at a UE in accordance with several of various
embodiments of the present disclosure. A UE may be in one of three
RRC states: RRC_IDLE 702, RRC INACTIVE 704 and RRC_CONNECTED 706.
In RRC_IDLE 702 state, no RRC context (e.g., parameters needed for
communications between the UE and the network) may be established
for the UE in the RAN. In RRC_IDLE 702 state, no data transfer
between the UE and the network may take place and uplink
synchronization is not maintained. The wireless device may sleep
most of the time and may wake up periodically to receive paging
messages. The uplink transmission of the UE may be based on a
random access process and to enable transition to the RRC_CONNECTED
706 state. The mobility in RRC_IDLE 702 state is through a cell
reselection procedure where the UE camps on a cell based on one or
more criteria including signal strength that is determined based on
the UE measurements.
[0085] In RRC_CONNECTED 706 state, the RRC context is established
and both the UE and the RAN have necessary parameters to enable
communications between the UE and the network. In the RRC_CONNECTED
706 state, the UE is configured with an identity known as a Cell
Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) that is used for
signaling purposes (e.g., uplink and downlink scheduling, etc.)
between the UE and the RAN. The wireless device mobility in the
RRC_CONNECTED 706 state is managed by the RAN. The wireless device
provides neighboring cells and/or current serving cell measurements
to the network and the network may make hand over decisions. Based
on the wireless device measurements, the current serving base
station may send a handover request message to a neighboring base
station and may send a handover command to the wireless device to
handover to a cell of the neighboring base station. The transition
of the wireless device from the RRC_IDLE 702 state to the
RRC_CONNECTED 706 state or from the RRC_CONNECTED 706 state to the
RRC_IDLE 702 state may be based on connection establishment and
connection release procedures (shown collectively as connection
establishment/release 710 in FIG. 7).
[0086] To enable a faster transition to the RRC_CONNECTED 706 state
(e.g., compared to transition from RRC_IDLE 702 state to
RRC_CONNECTED 706 state), an RRC_INACTIVE 704 state is used for an
NR UE wherein, the RRC context is kept at the UE and the RAN. The
transition from the RRC_INACTIVE 704 state to the RRC_CONNECTED 706
state is handled by RAN without CN signaling. Similar to the
RRC_IDLE 702 state, the mobility in RRC_INACTIVE 704 state is based
on a cell reselection procedure without involvement from the
network. The transition of the wireless device from the
RRC_INACTIVE 704 state to the RRC_CONNECTED 706 state or from the
RRC_CONNECTED 706 state to the RRC_INACTIVE 704 state may be based
on connection resume and connection inactivation procedures (shown
collectively as connection resume/inactivation 712 in FIG. 7). The
transition of the wireless device from the RRC_INACTIVE 704 state
to the RRC_IDLE 702 state may be based on a connection release 714
procedure as shown in FIG. 7.
[0087] In NR, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM),
also called cyclic prefix OFDM (CP-OFDM), is the baseline
transmission scheme in both downlink and uplink of NR and the
Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) is a
complementary uplink transmission in addition to the baseline OFDM
scheme. OFDM is multi-carrier transmission scheme wherein the
transmission bandwidth may be composed of several narrowband
sub-carriers. The subcarriers are modulated by the complex valued
OFDM modulation symbols resulting in an OFDM signal. The complex
valued OFDM modulation symbols are obtained by mapping, by a
modulation mapper, the input data (e.g., binary digits) to
different points of a modulation constellation diagram. The
modulation constellation diagram depends on the modulation scheme.
NR may use different types of modulation schemes including Binary
Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), .pi./2-BPSK, Quadrature Phase Shift
Keying (QPSK), 16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16QAM), 64QAM
and 256QAM. Different and/or higher order modulation schemes (e.g.,
M-QAM in general) may be used. An OFDM signal with N subcarriers
may be generated by processing N subcarriers in parallel for
example by using Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processing.
The OFDM receiver may use FFT processing to recover the transmitted
OFDM modulation symbols. The subcarrier spacing of subcarriers in
an OFDM signal is inversely proportional to an OFDM modulation
symbol duration. For example, for a 15 KHz subcarrier spacing,
duration of an OFDM signal is nearly 66.7 .mu.s. To enhance the
robustness of OFDM transmission in time dispersive channels, a
cyclic prefix (CP) may be inserted at the beginning of an OFDM
symbol. For example, the last part of an OFDM symbol may be copied
and inserted at the beginning of an OFDM symbol. The CP insertion
enhanced the OFDM transmission scheme by preserving subcarrier
orthogonality in time dispersive channels.
[0088] In NR, different numerologies may be used for OFDM
transmission. A numerology of OFDM transmission may indicate a
subcarrier spacing and a CP duration for the OFDM transmission. For
example, a subcarrier spacing in NR may generally be a multiple of
15 KHz and expressed as .DELTA.f=2.sup..mu.15 KHz (.mu.=0, 1, 2, .
. . ). Example subcarrier spacings used in NR include 15 KHz
(.mu.=0), 30 KHz (.mu.=1), 60 KHz (.mu.=2), 120 KHz (.mu.=3) and
240 KHz (.mu.=4). As discussed before, a duration of OFDM symbol is
inversely proportional to the subcarrier spacing and therefor OFDM
symbol duration may depend on the numerology (e.g. the .mu.
value).
[0089] FIG. 8 shows an example time domain transmission structure
in NR wherein OFDM symbols are grouped into slots, subframes and
frames in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure. A slot is a group of N.sub.symb.sup.slot OFDM
symbols, wherein the N.sub.symb.sup.slot may have a constant value
(e.g., 14). Since different numerologies results in different OFDM
symbol durations, duration of a slot may also depend on the
numerology and may be variable. A subframe may have a duration of 1
ms and may be composed of one or more slots, the number of which
may depend on the slot duration. The number of slots per subframe
is therefore a function of p and may generally expressed as
N.sub.symb.sup.subframe,.mu. and the number of symbols per subframe
may be expressed as
N.sub.symb.sup.subframe,.mu.=N.sub.symb.sup.slotN.sub.symb.sup.subframe,.-
mu.. A frame may have a duration of 10 ms and may consist of 10
subframes. The number of slots per frame may depend on the
numerology and therefore may be variable. The number of slots per
frame may generally be expressed as N.sub.slot.sup.frame,.mu..
[0090] An antenna port may be defined as a logical entity such that
channel characteristics over which a symbol on the antenna port is
conveyed may be inferred from the channel characteristics over
which another symbol on the same antenna port is conveyed. For
example, for DM-RS associated with a PDSCH, the channel over which
a PDSCH symbol on an antenna port is conveyed may be inferred from
the channel over which a DM-RS symbol on the same antenna port is
conveyed, for example, if the two symbols are within the same
resource as the scheduled PDSCH and/or in the same slot and/or in
the same precoding resource block group (PRG). For example, for
DM-RS associated with a PDCCH, the channel over which a PDCCH
symbol on an antenna port is conveyed may be inferred from the
channel over which a DM-RS symbol on the same antenna port is
conveyed if, for example, the two symbols are within resources for
which the UE may assume the same precoding being used. For example,
for DM-RS associated with a PBCH, the channel over which a PBCH
symbol on one antenna port is conveyed may be inferred from the
channel over which a DM-RS symbol on the same antenna port is
conveyed if, for example, the two symbols are within a SS/PBCH
block transmitted within the same slot, and with the same block
index. The antenna port may be different from a physical antenna.
An antenna port may be associated with an antenna port number and
different physical channels may correspond to different ranges of
antenna port numbers.
[0091] FIG. 9 shows an example of time-frequency resource grid in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure. The number of subcarriers in a carrier bandwidth may be
based on the numerology of OFDM transmissions in the carrier. A
resource element, corresponding to one symbol duration and one
subcarrier, may be the smallest physical resource in the
time-frequency grid. A resource element (RE) for antenna port p and
subcarrier spacing configuration p may be uniquely identified by
(k, l).sub.p,.mu., where k is the index of a subcarrier in the
frequency domain and l may refer to the symbol position in the time
domain relative to some reference point. A resource block may be
defined as N.sub.SC.sup.RB=12 subcarriers. Since subcarrier spacing
depends on the numerology of OFDM transmission, the frequency
domain span of a resource block may be variable and may depend on
the numerology. For example, for a subcarrier spacing of 15 KHz
(e.g., .mu.=0), a resource block may be 180 KHz and for a
subcarrier spacing of 30 KHz (e.g., .mu.=1), a resource block may
be 360 KHz.
[0092] With large carrier bandwidths defined in NR and due to
limited capabilities for some UEs (e.g., due to hardware
limitations), a UE may not support an entire carrier bandwidth.
Receiving on the full carrier bandwidth may imply high energy
consumption. For example, transmitting downlink control channels on
the full downlink carrier bandwidth may result in high power
consumption for wide carrier bandwidths. NR may use a bandwidth
adaptation procedure to dynamically adapt the transmit and receive
bandwidths. The transmit and receive bandwidth of a UE on a cell
may be smaller than the bandwidth of the cell and may be adjusted.
For example, the width of the transmit and/or receive bandwidth may
change (e.g., shrink during period of low activity to save power);
the location of the transmit and/or receive bandwidth may move in
the frequency domain (e.g., to increase scheduling flexibility);
and the subcarrier spacing of the transmit or receive bandwidth may
change (e.g., to allow different services). A subset of the cell
bandwidth may be referred to as a Bandwidth Part (BWP) and
bandwidth adaptation may be achieved by configuring the UE with one
or more BWPs. The base station may configure a UE with a set of
downlink BWPs and a set of uplink BWPs. A BWP may be characterized
by a numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing and cyclic prefix) and a
set of consecutive resource blocks in the numerology of the BWP.
One or more first BWPs of the one or more BWPs of the cell may be
active at a time. An active BWP may be an active downlink BWP or an
active uplink BWP.
[0093] FIG. 10 shows an example of bandwidth part adaptation and
switching. In this example, three BWPs (BWP.sub.1 1004, BWP.sub.2
1006 and BWP.sub.3 1008) are configured for a UE on a carrier
bandwidth. The BWP.sub.1 is configured with a bandwidth of 40 MHz
and a numerology with subcarrier spacing of 15 KHz, the BWP.sub.2
is configured with a bandwidth of 10 MHz and a numerology with
subcarrier spacing of 15 KHz and the BWP.sub.3 is configured with a
bandwidth of 20 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 60 KHz. The
wireless device may switch from a first BWP (e.g., BWP.sub.1) to a
second BWP (e.g., BWP.sub.2). An active BWP of the cell may change
from the first BWP to the second BWP in response to the BWP
switching.
[0094] The BWP switching (e.g., BWP switching 1010, BWP switching
1012, BWP switching 1014, or BWP switching 1016 in FIG. 10) may be
based on a command from the base station. The command may be a DCI
comprising scheduling information for the UE in the second BWP. In
case of uplink BWP switching, the first BWP and the second BWP may
be uplink BWPs and the scheduling information may be an uplink
grant for uplink transmission via the second BWP. In case of
downlink BWP switching, the first BWP and the second BWP may be
downlink BWPs and the scheduling information may be a downlink
assignment for downlink reception via the second BWP.
[0095] The BWP switching (e.g., BWP switching 1010, BWP switching
1012, BWP switching 1014, or BWP switching 1016 in FIG. 10) may be
based on an expiry of a timer. The base station may configure a
wireless device with a BWP inactivity timer and the wireless device
may switch to a default BWP (e.g., default downlink BWP) based on
the expiry of the BWP inactivity timer. The expiry of the BWP
inactivity timer may be an indication of low activity on the
current active downlink BWP. The base station may configure the
wireless device with the default downlink BWP. If the base station
does not configure the wireless device with the default BWP, the
default BWP may be an initial downlink BWP. The initial active BWP
may be the BWP that the wireless device receives scheduling
information for remaining system information upon transition to an
RRC_CONNECTED state.
[0096] A wireless device may monitor a downlink control channel of
a downlink BWP. For example, the UE may monitor a set of PDCCH
candidates in configured monitoring occasions in one or more
configured COntrol REsource SETs (CORESETs) according to the
corresponding search space configurations. A search space
configuration may define how/where to search for PDCCH candidates.
For example, the search space configuration parameters may comprise
a monitoring periodicity and offset parameter indicating the slots
for monitoring the PDCCH candidates. The search space configuration
parameters may further comprise a parameter indicating a first
symbol with a slot within the slots determined for monitoring PDCCH
candidates. A search space may be associated with one or more
CORESETs and the search space configuration may indicate one or
more identifiers of the one or more CORESETs. The search space
configuration parameters may further indicate that whether the
search space is a common search space or a UE-specific search
space. A common search space may be monitored by a plurality of
wireless devices and a UE-specific search space may be dedicated to
a specific UE.
[0097] FIG. 11A shows example arrangements of carriers in carrier
aggregation in accordance with several of various embodiments of
the present disclosure. With carrier aggregation, multiple NR
component carriers (CCs) may be aggregated. Downlink transmissions
to a wireless device may take place simultaneously on the
aggregated downlink CCs resulting in higher downlink data rates.
Uplink transmissions from a wireless device may take place
simultaneously on the aggregated uplink CCs resulting in higher
uplink data rates. The component carriers in carrier aggregation
may be on the same frequency band (e.g., intra-band carrier
aggregation) or on different frequency bands (e.g., inter-band
carrier aggregation). The component carriers may also be contiguous
or non-contiguous. This results in three possible carrier
aggregation scenarios, intra-band contiguous CA 1102, intra-band
non-contiguous CA 1104 and inter-band CA 1106 as shown in FIG. 11A.
Depending on the UE capability for carrier aggregation, a UE may
transmit and/or receive on multiple carriers or for a UE that is
not capable of carrier aggregation, the UE may transmit and/or
receive on one component carrier at a time. In this disclosure, the
carrier aggregation is described using the term cell and a carrier
aggregation capable UE may transmit and/or receive via multiple
cells.
[0098] In carrier aggregation, a UE may be configured with multiple
cells. A cell of the multiple cells configured for the UE may be
referred to as a Primary Cell (PCell). The PCell may be the first
cell that the UE is initially connected to. One or more other cells
configured for the UE may be referred to as Secondary Cells
(SCells). The base station may configure a UE with multiple SCells.
The configured SCells may be deactivated upon configuration and the
base station may dynamically activate or deactivate one or more of
the configured SCells based on traffic and/or channel conditions.
The base station may activate or deactivate configured SCells using
a SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC CE. The SCell
Activation/Deactivation MAC CE may comprise a bitmap, wherein each
bit in the bitmap may correspond to a SCell and the value of the
bit indicates an activation status or deactivation status of the
SCell.
[0099] An SCell may also be deactivated in response to expiry of a
SCell deactivation timer of the SCell. The expiry of an SCell
deactivation timer of an SCell may be an indication of low activity
(e.g., low transmission or reception activity) on the SCell. The
base station may configure the SCell with an SCell deactivation
timer. The base station may not configure an SCell deactivation
timer for an SCell that is configured with PUCCH (also referred to
as a PUCCH SCell). The configuration of the SCell deactivation
timer may be per configured SCell and different SCells may be
configured with different SCell deactivation timer values. The
SCell deactivation timer may be restarted based on one or more
criteria including reception of downlink control information on the
SCell indicating uplink grant or downlink assignment for the SCell
or reception of downlink control information on a scheduling cell
indicating uplink grant or downlink assignment for the SCell or
transmission of a MAC PDU based on a configured uplink grant or
reception of a configured downlink assignment.
[0100] A PCell for a UE may be an SCell for another UE and a SCell
for a UE may be PCell for another UE. The configuration of PCell
may be UE-specific. One or more SCells of the multiple SCells
configured for a UE may be configured as downlink-only SCells,
e.g., may only be used for downlink reception and may not be used
for uplink transmission. In case of self-scheduling, the base
station may transmit signaling for uplink grants and/or downlink
assignments on the same cell that the corresponding uplink or
downlink transmission takes place. In case of cross-carrier
scheduling, the base station may transmit signaling for uplink
grants and/or downlink assignments on a cell different from the
cell that the corresponding uplink or downlink transmission takes
place.
[0101] FIG. 11B shows examples of uplink control channel groups in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure. A base station may configure a UE with multiple PUCCH
groups wherein a PUCCH group comprises one or more cells. For
example, as shown in FIG. 11B, the base station may configure a UE
with a primary PUCCH group 1114 and a secondary PUCCH group 1116.
The primary PUCCH group may comprise the PCell 1110 and one or more
first SCells. First UCI corresponding to the PCell and the one or
more first SCells of the primary PUCCH group may be transmitted by
the PUCCH of the PCell. The first UCI may be, for example, HARQ
feedback for downlink transmissions via downlink CCs of the PCell
and the one or more first SCells. The secondary PUCCH group may
comprise a PUCCH SCell and one or more second SCells. Second UCI
corresponding to the PUCCH SCell and the one or more second SCells
of the secondary PUCCH group may be transmitted by the PUCCH of the
PUCCH SCell. The second UCI may be, for example, HARQ feedback for
downlink transmissions via downlink CCs of the PUCCH SCell and the
one or more second SCells.
[0102] FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B and FIG. 12C show example random access
processes in accordance with several of various embodiments of the
present disclosure. FIG. 12A shows an example of four step
contention-based random access (CBRA) procedure. The four-step CBRA
procedure includes exchanging four messages between a UE and a base
station. Msg1 may be for transmission (or retransmission) of a
random access preamble by the wireless device to the base station.
Msg2 may be the random access response (RAR) by the base station to
the wireless device. Msg3 is the scheduled transmission based on an
uplink grant indicated in Msg2 and Msg4 may be for contention
resolution.
[0103] The base station may transmit one or more RRC messages
comprising configuration parameters of the random access
parameters. The random access parameters may indicate radio
resources (e.g., time-frequency resources) for transmission of the
random access preamble (e.g., Msg1), configuration index, one or
more parameters for determining the power of the random access
preamble (e.g., a power ramping parameter, a preamble received
target power, etc.), a parameter indicating maximum number of
preamble transmission, RAR window for monitoring RAR, cell-specific
random access parameters and UE specific random access parameters.
The UE-specific random access parameters may indicate one or more
PRACH occasions for random access preamble (e.g., Msg1)
transmissions. The random access parameters may indicate
association between the PRACH occasions and one or more reference
signals (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS). The random access parameters may
further indicate association between the random access preambles
and one or more reference signals (e.g., SBB or CSI-RS). The UE may
use one or more reference signals (e.g., SSB(s) or CSI-RS(s)) and
may determine a random access preamble to use for Msg1 transmission
based on the association between the random access preambles and
the one or more reference signals. The UE may use one or more
reference signals (e.g., SSB(s) or CSI-RS(s)) and may determine the
PRACH occasion to use for Msg1 transmission based on the
association between the PRACH occasions and the reference signals.
The UE may perform a retransmission of the random access preamble
if no response is received with the RAR window following the
transmission of the preamble. UE may use a higher transmission
power for retransmission of the preamble. UE may determine the
higher transmission power of the preamble based on the power
ramping parameter.
[0104] Msg2 is for transmission of RAR by the base station. Msg2
may comprise a plurality of RARs corresponding to a plurality of
random access preambles transmitted by a plurality of UEs. Msg2 may
be associated with a random access temporary radio identifier
(RA-RNTI) and may be received in a common search space of the UE.
The RA-RNTI may be based on the PRACH occasion (e.g., time and
frequency resources of a PRACH) in which a random access preamble
is transmitted. RAR may comprise a timing advance command for
uplink timing adjustment at the UE, an uplink grant for
transmission of Msg3 and a temporary C-RNTI. In response to the
successful reception of Msg2, the UE may transmit the Msg3. Msg3
and Msg4 may enable contention resolution in case of CBRA. In a
CBRA, a plurality of UEs may transmit the same random access
preamble and may consider the same RAR as being corresponding to
them. UE may include a device identifier in Msg3 (e.g., a C-RNTI,
temporary C-RNTI or other UE identity). Base station may transmit
the Msg4 with a PDSCH and UE may assume that the contention
resolution is successful in response to the PDSCH used for
transmission of Msg4 being associated with the UE identifier
included in Msg3.
[0105] FIG. 12B shows an example of a contention-free random access
(CFRA) process. Msg 1 (random access preamble) and Msg 2 (random
access response) in FIG. 12B for CFRA may be analogous to Msg 1 and
Msg 2 in FIG. 12A for CBRA. In an example, the CFRA procedure may
be initiated in response to a PDCCH order from a base station. The
PDCCH order for initiating the CFRA procedure by the wireless
device may be based on a DCI having a first format (e.g., format
1_0). The DCI for the PDCCH order may comprise a random access
preamble index, an UL/SUL indicator indicating an uplink carrier of
a cell (e.g., normal uplink carrier or supplementary uplink
carrier) for transmission of the random access preamble, a SS/PBCH
index indicating the SS/PBCH that may be used to determine a RACH
occasion for PRACH transmission, a PRACH mask index indicating the
RACH occasion associated with the SS/PBCH indicated by the SS/PBCH
index for PRACH transmission, etc. In an example, the CFRA process
may be started in response to a beam failure recovery process. The
wireless device may start the CFRA for the beam failure recovery
without a command (e.g., PDCCH order) from the base station and by
using the wireless device dedicated resources.
[0106] FIG. 12C shows an example of a two-step random access
process comprising two messages exchanged between a wireless device
and a base station. Msg A may be transmitted by the wireless device
to the base station and may comprise one or more transmissions of a
preamble and/or one or more transmissions of a transport block. The
transport block in Msg A and Msg 3 in FIG. 12A may have similar
and/or equivalent contents. The transport block of Msg A may
comprise data and control information (e.g., SR, HARQ feedback,
etc.). In response to the transmission of Msg A, the wireless
device may receive Msg B from the base station. Msg B in FIG. 12C
and Msg 2 (e.g., RAR) illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B may have
similar and/or equivalent content.
[0107] The base station may periodically transmit synchronization
signals (SSs), e.g., primary SS (PSS) and secondary SS (SSS) along
with PBCH on each NR cell. The PSS/SSS together with PBCH is
jointly referred to as a SS/PBCH block. The SS/PBCH block enables a
wireless device to find a cell when entering to the mobile
communications network or find new cells when moving within the
network. The SS/PBCH block spans four OFDM symbols in time domain.
The PSS is transmitted in the first symbol and occupies 127
subcarriers in frequency domain. The SSS is transmitted in the
third OFDM symbol and occupies the same 127 subcarriers as the PSS.
There are eight and nine empty subcarriers on each side of the SSS.
The PBCH is transmitted on the second OFDM symbol occupying 240
subcarriers, the third OFDM symbol occupying 48 subcarriers on each
side of the SSS, and on the fourth OFDM symbol occupying 240
subcarriers. Some of the PBCH resources indicated above may be used
for transmission of the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for
coherent demodulation of the PBCH. The SS/PBCH block is transmitted
periodically with a period ranging from 5 ms to 160 ms. For initial
cell search or for cell search during inactive/idle state, a
wireless device may assume that that the SS/PBCH block is repeated
at least every 20 ms.
[0108] In NR, transmissions using of antenna arrays, with many
antenna elements, and beamforming plays an important role specially
in higher frequency bands. Beamforming enables higher capacity by
increasing the signal strength (e.g., by focusing the signal energy
in a specific direction) and by lowering the amount interference
received at the wireless devices. The beamforming techniques may
generally be divided to analog beamforming and digital beamforming
techniques. With digital beamforming, signal processing for
beamforming is carried out in the digital domain before
digital-to-analog conversion and detailed control of both amplitude
and phase of different antenna elements may be possible. With
analog beamforming, the signal processing for beamforming is
carried out in the analog domain and after the digital to analog
conversion. The beamformed transmissions may be in one direction at
a time. For example, the wireless devices that are in different
directions relative to the base station may receive their downlink
transmissions at different times. For analog receiver-side
beamforming, the receiver may focus its receiver beam in one
direction at a time.
[0109] In NR, the base station may use beam sweeping for
transmission of SS/PBCH blocks. The SS/PBCH blocks may be
transmitted in different beams using time multiplexing. The set of
SS/PBCH blocks that are transmitted in one beam sweep may be
referred to as a SS/PBCH block set. The period of PBCH/SSB block
transmission may be a time duration between a SS/PBCH block
transmission in a beam and the next SS/PBCH block transmission in
the same beam. The period of SS/PBCH block is, therefore, also the
period of the SS/PBCH block set.
[0110] FIG. 13A shows example time and frequency structure of
SS/PBCH blocks and their associations with beams in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this
example, a SS/PBCH block (also referred to as SSB) set comprise L
SSBs wherein an SSB in the SSB set is associated with (e.g.,
transmitted in) one of L beams of a cell. The transmission of SBBs
of an SSB set may be confined within a 5 ms interval, either in a
first half-frame or a second half-frame of a 10 ms frame. The
number of SSBs in an SSB set may depend on the frequency band of
operation. For example, the number of SSBs in a SSB set may be up
to four SSBs in frequency bands below 3 GHz enabling beam sweeping
of up to four beams, up to eight SSBs in frequency bands between 3
GHz and 6 GHz enabling beam sweeping of up to eight beams, and up
to sixty four SSBs in higher frequency bands enabling beam sweeping
of up to sixty four beams. The SSs of an SSB may depend on a
physical cell identity (PCI) of the cell and may be independent of
which beam of the cell is used for transmission of the SSB. The
PBCH of an SSB may indicate a time index parameter and the wireless
device may determine the relative position of the SSB within the
SSB set using the time index parameter. The wireless device may use
the relative position of the SSB within an SSB set for determining
the frame timing and/or determining RACH occasions for a random
access process.
[0111] A wireless device entering the mobile communications network
may first search for the PSS. After detecting the PSS, the wireless
device may determine the synchronization up to the periodicity of
the PSS. By detecting the PSS, the wireless device may determine
the transmission timing of the SSS. The wireless device may
determine the PCI of the cell after detecting the SSS. The PBCH of
a SS/PBCH block is a downlink physical channel that carries the
MIB. The MIB may be used by the wireless device to obtain remaining
system information (RMSI) that is broadcast by the network. The
RMSI may include System Information Block 1 (SIB1) that contains
information required for the wireless device to access the
cell.
[0112] As discussed earlier, the wireless device may determine a
time index parameter from the SSB. The PBCH comprises a half-frame
parameter indicating whether the SSB is in the first 5 ms half or
the second 5 ms half of a 10 ms frame. The wireless device may
determine the frame boundary using the time index parameter and the
half-frame parameter. In addition, the PBCH may comprise a
parameter indicating the system frame number (SFN) of the cell.
[0113] The base station may transmit CSI-RS and a UE may measure
the CSI-RS to obtain channel state information (CSI). The base
station may configure the CSI-RS in a UE-specific manner. In some
scenarios, same set of CSI-RS resources may be configured for
multiple UEs and one or more resource elements of a CSI-RS resource
may be shared among multiple UEs. A CSI-RS resource may be
configured such that it does not collide with a CORESET configured
for the wireless device and/or with a DMRS of a PDSCH scheduled for
the wireless device and/or transmitted SSBs. The UE may measure one
or more CSI-RSs configured for the UE and may generate a CSI report
based on the CSI-RS measurements and may transmit the CSI report to
the base station for scheduling, link adaptation and/or other
purposes.
[0114] NR supports flexible CSI-RS configurations. A CSI-RS
resource may be configured with single or multiple antenna ports
and with configurable density. Based on the number of configured
antenna ports, a CSI-RS resource may span different number of OFDM
symbols (e.g., 1, 2, and 4 symbols). The CSI-RS may be configured
for a downlink BWP and may use the numerology of the downlink BWP.
The CSI-RS may be configured to cover the full bandwidth of the
downlink BWP or a portion of the downlink BWP. In some case, the
CSI-RS may be repeated in every resource block of the CSI-RS
bandwidth, referred to as CSI-RS with density equal to one. In some
cases, the CSI-RS may be configured to be repeated in every other
resource block of the CSI-RS bandwidth. CSI-RS may be non-zero
power (NZP) CSI-RS or zero-power (ZP) CSI-RS.
[0115] The base station may configure a wireless device with one or
more sets of NZP CSI-RS resources. The base station may configure
the wireless device with a NZP CSI-RS resource set using an RRC
information element (IE) NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet indicating a NZP
CSI-RS resource set identifier (ID) and parameters specific to the
NZP CSI-RS resource set. An NZP CSI-RS resource set may comprise
one or more CSI-RS resources. An NZP CSI-RS resource set may be
configured as part of the CSI measurement configuration.
[0116] The CSI-RS may be configured for periodic, semi-persistent
or aperiodic transmission. In case of the periodic and
semi-persistent CSI-RS configurations, the wireless device may be
configured with a CSI resource periodicity and offset parameter
that indicate a periodicity and corresponding offset in terms of
number of slots. The wireless device may determine the slots that
the CSI-RSs are transmitted. For semi-persistent CSI-RS, the CSI-RS
resources for CSI-RS transmissions may be activated and deactivated
by using a semi-persistent (SP) CSI-CSI Resource Set
Activation/Deactivation MAC CE. In response to receiving a MAC CE
indicating activation of semi-persistent CSI-RS resources, the
wireless device may assume that the CSI-RS transmissions will
continue until the CSI-RS resources for CSI-RS transmissions are
activated.
[0117] As discussed before, CSI-RS may be configured for a wireless
device as NZP CSI-RS or ZP CSI-RS. The configuration of the ZP
CSI-RS may be similar to the NZP CSI-RS with the difference that
the wireless device may not carry out measurements for the ZP
CSI-RS. By configuring ZP CSI-RS, the wireless device may assume
that a scheduled PDSCH that includes resource elements from the ZP
CSI-RS is rate matched around those ZP CSI-RS resources. For
example, a ZP CSI-RS resource configured for a wireless device may
be an NZP CSI-RS resource for another wireless device. For example,
by configuring ZP CSI-RS resources for the wireless device, the
base station may indicate to the wireless device that the PDSCH
scheduled for the wireless device is rate matched around the ZP
CSI-RS resources.
[0118] A base station may configure a wireless device with channel
state information interference measurement (CSI-IM) resources.
Similar to the CSI-RS configuration, configuration of locations and
density of CSI-IM resources may be flexible. The CSI-IM resources
may be periodic (configured with a periodicity), semi-persistent
(configured with a periodicity and activated and deactivated by MAC
CE) or aperiodic (triggered by a DCI).
[0119] Tracking reference signals (TRSs) may be configured for a
wireless device as a set of sparse reference signals to assist the
wireless in time and frequency tracking and compensating time and
frequency variations in its local oscillator. The wireless device
may further use the TRSs for estimating channel characteristics
such as delay spread or doppler frequency. The base station may use
a CSI-RS configuration for configuring TRS for the wireless device.
The TRS may be configured as a resource set comprising multiple
periodic NZP CSI-RS resources.
[0120] A base station may configure a UE and the UE may transmit
sounding reference signals (SRSs) to enable uplink channel
sounding/estimation at the base station. The SRS may support up to
four antenna ports and may be designed with low cubic metric
enabling efficient operation of the wireless device amplifier. The
SRS may span one or more (e.g., one, two or four) consecutive OFDM
symbols in time domain and may be located within the last n (e.g.,
six) symbols of a slot. In the frequency domain, the SRS may have a
structure that is referred to as a comb structure and may be
transmitted on every Nth subcarrier. Different SRS transmissions
from different wireless devices may have different comb structures
and may be multiplexed in frequency domain.
[0121] A base station may configure a wireless device with one or
more SRS resource sets and an SRS resource set may comprise one or
more SRS resources. The SRS resources in an SRS resources set may
be configured for periodic, semi-persistent or aperiodic
transmission. The periodic SRS and the semi-persistent SRS
resources may be configured with periodicity and offset parameters.
The Semi-persistent SRS resources of a configured semi-persistent
SRS resource set may be activated or deactivated by a
semi-persistent (SP) SRS Activation/Deactivation MAC CE. The set of
SRS resources included in an aperiodic SRS resource set may be
activated by a DCI. A value of a field (e.g., an SRS request field)
in the DCI may indicate activation of resources in an aperiodic SRS
resource set from a plurality of SRS resource sets configured for
the wireless device.
[0122] An antenna port may be associated with one or more reference
signals. The receiver may assume that the one or more reference
signals, associated with the antenna port, may be used for
estimating channel corresponding to the antenna port. The reference
signals may be used to derive channel state information related to
the antenna port. Two antenna ports may be referred to as quasi
co-located if characteristics (e.g., large-scale properties) of the
channel over which a symbol is conveyed on one antenna port may be
inferred from the channel over which a symbol is conveyed from
another antenna port. For example, a UE may assume that radio
channels corresponding to two different antenna ports have the same
large-scale properties if the antenna ports are specified as quasi
co-located. In some cases, the UE may assume that two antenna ports
are quasi co-located based on signaling received from the base
station. Spatial quasi-colocation (QCL) between two signals may be,
for example, due to the two signals being transmitted from the same
location and in the same beam. If a receive beam is good for a
signal in a group of signals that are spatially quasi co-located,
it may be assumed also be good for the other signals in the group
of signals.
[0123] The CSI-RS in the downlink and the SRS in uplink may serve
as quasi-location (QCL) reference for other physical downlink
channels and physical uplink channels, respectively. For example, a
downlink physical channel (e.g., PDSCH or PDCCH) may be spatially
quasi co-located with a downlink reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS or
SSB). The wireless device may determine a receive beam based on
measurement on the downlink reference signal and may assume that
the determined received beam is also good for reception of the
physical channels (e.g., PDSCH or PDCCH) that are spatially quasi
co-located with the downlink reference signal. Similarly, an uplink
physical channel (e.g., PUSCH or PUCCH) may be spatially quasi
co-located with an uplink reference signal (e.g., SRS). The base
station may determine a receive beam based on measurement on the
uplink reference signal and may assume that the determined received
beam is also good for reception of the physical channels (e.g.,
PUSCH or PUCCH) that are spatially quasi co-located with the uplink
reference signal.
[0124] The Demodulation Reference Signals (DM-RSs) enables channel
estimation for coherent demodulation of downlink physical channels
(e.g., PDSCH, PDCCH and PBH) and uplink physical channels (e.g.,
PUSCH and PUCCH). The DM-RS may be located early in the
transmission (e.g., front-loaded DM-RS) and may enable the receiver
to obtain the channel estimate early and reduce the latency. The
time-domain structure of the DM-RS (e.g., symbols wherein the DM-RS
are located in a slot) may be based on different mapping types.
[0125] The Phase Tracking Reference Signals (PT-RSs) enables
tracking and compensation of phase variations across the
transmission duration. The phase variations may be, for example,
due to oscillator phase noise. The oscillator phase noise may
become more sever in higher frequencies (e.g., mmWave frequency
bands). The base station may configure the PT-RS for uplink and/or
downlink. The PT-RS configuration parameters may indicate frequency
and time density of PT-RS, maximum number of ports (e.g., uplink
ports), resource element offset, configuration of uplink PT-RS
without transform precoder (e.g., CP-OFDM) or with transform
precoder (e.g., DFT-s-OFDM), etc. The subcarrier number and/or
resource blocks used for PT-RS transmission may be based on the
C-RNTI of the wireless device to reduce risk of collisions between
PT-RSs of wireless devices scheduled on overlapping frequency
domain resources.
[0126] FIG. 13B shows example time and frequency structure of
CSI-RSs and their association with beams in accordance with several
of various embodiments of the present disclosure. A beam of the L
beams shown in FIG. 13B may be associated with a corresponding
CSI-RS resource. The base station may transmit the CSI-RSs using
the configured CSI-RS resources and a UE may measure the CSI-RSs
(e.g., received signal received power (RSRP) of the CSI-RSs) and
report the CSI-RS measurements to the base station based on a
reporting configuration. For example, the base station may
determine one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI)
states and may indicate the one or more TCI states to the UE (e.g.,
using RRC signaling, a MAC CE and/or a DCI). Based on the one or
more TCI states indicated to the UE, the UE may determine a
downlink receive beam and receive downlink transmissions using the
receive beam. In case of a beam correspondence, the UE may
determine a spatial domain filter of a transmit beam based on
spatial domain filter of a corresponding receive beam. Otherwise,
the UE may perform an uplink beam selection procedure to determine
the spatial domain filter of the transmit beam. The UE may transmit
one or more SRSs using the SRS resources configured for the UE and
the base station may measure the SRSs and determine/select the
transmit beam for the UE based the SRS measurements. The base
station may indicate the selected beam to the UE. The CSI-RS
resources shown in FIG. 13B may be for one UE. The base station may
configure different CSI-RS resources associated with a given beam
for different UEs by using frequency division multiplexing.
[0127] A base station and a wireless device may perform beam
management procedures to establish beam pairs (e.g., transmit and
receive beams) that jointly provide good connectivity. For example,
in the downlink direction, the UE may perform measurements for a
beam pair and estimate channel quality for a transmit beam by the
base station (or a transmission reception point (TRP) more
generally) and the receive beam by the UE. The UE may transmit a
report indicating beam pair quality parameters. The report may
comprise one or more parameters indicating one or more beams (e.g.,
a beam index, an identifier of reference signal associated with a
beam, etc.), one or more measurement parameters (e.g., RSRP), a
precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a channel quality indicator
(CQI), and/or a rank indicator (RI).
[0128] FIG. 14A, FIG. 14B and FIG. 14C show example beam management
processes (referred to as P1, P2 and P3, respectively) in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure. The P1 process shown in FIG. 14A may enable, based on
UE measurements, selection of a base station (or TRP more
generally) transmit beam and/or a wireless device receive beam. The
TRP may perform a beam sweeping procedure where the TRP may
sequentially transmit reference signals (e.g., SSB and/or CSI-RS)
on a set of beams and the UE may select a beam from the set of
beams and may report the selected beam to the TRP. The P2 procedure
as shown in FIG. 14B may be a beam refinement procedure. The
selection of the TRP transmit beam and the UE receive beam may be
regularly reevaluated due to movements and/or rotations of the UE
or movement of other objects. In an example, the base station may
perform the beam sweeping procedure over a smaller set of beams and
the UE may select the best beam over the smaller set. In an
example, the beam shape may be narrower compared to beam selected
based on the P1 procedure. Using the P3 procedure as shown in FIG.
14C, the TRP may fix its transmit beam and the UE may refine its
receive beam.
[0129] A wireless device may receive one or more messages from a
base station. The one or more messages may comprise one or more RRC
messages. The one or more messages may comprise configuration
parameters of a plurality of cells for the wireless device. The
plurality of cells may comprise a primary cell and one or more
secondary cells. For example, the plurality of cells may be
provided by a base station and the wireless device may communicate
with the base station using the plurality of cells. For example,
the plurality of cells may be provided by multiple base station
(e.g., in case of dual and/or multi-connectivity). The wireless
device may communicate with a first base station, of the multiple
base stations, using one or more first cells of the plurality of
cells. The wireless device may communicate with a second base
station of the multiple base stations using one or more second
cells of the plurality of cells.
[0130] The one or more messages may comprise configuration
parameters used for processes in physical, MAC, RLC, PCDP, SDAP,
and/or RRC layers of the wireless device. For example, the
configuration parameters may include values of timers used in
physical, MAC, RLC, PCDP, SDAP, and/or RRC layers. For example, the
configuration parameters may include parameters for configurating
different channels (e.g., physical layer channel, logical channels,
RLC channels, etc.) and/or signals (e.g., CSI-RS, SRS, etc.).
[0131] Upon starting a timer, the timer may start running until the
timer is stopped or until the timer expires. A timer may be
restarted if it is running. A timer may be started if it is not
running (e.g., after the timer is stopped or after the timer
expires). A timer may be configured with or may be associated with
a value (e.g., an initial value). The timer may be started or
restarted with the value of the timer. The value of the timer may
indicate a time duration that the timer may be running upon being
started or restarted and until the timer expires. The duration of a
timer may not be updated until the timer is stopped or expires
(e.g., due to BWP switching). This specification may disclose a
process that includes one or more timers. The one or more timers
may be implemented in multiple ways. For example, a timer may be
used by the wireless device and/or base station to determine a time
window [t1, t2], wherein the timer is started at time t1 and
expires at time t2 and the wireless device and/or the base station
may be interested in and/or monitor the time window [t1, t2], for
example to receive a specific signaling. Other examples of
implementation of a timer may be provided.
[0132] FIG. 15 shows example components of a wireless device and a
base station that are in communication via an air interface in
accordance with several of various embodiments of the present
disclosure. The wireless device 1502 may communicate with the base
station 1542 over the air interface 1532. The wireless device 1502
may include a plurality of antennas. The base station 1542 may
include a plurality of antennas. The plurality of antennas at the
wireless device 1502 and/or the base station 1542 enables different
types of multiple antenna techniques such as beamforming,
single-user and/or multi-user MIMO, etc.
[0133] The wireless device 1502 and the base station 1542 may have
one or more of a plurality of modules/blocks, for example RF front
end (e.g., RF front end 1530 at the wireless device 1502 and RF
front end 1570 at the base station 1542), Data Processing System
(e.g., Data Processing System 1524 at the wireless device 1502 and
Data Processing System 1564 at the base station 1542), Memory
(e.g., Memory 1512 at the wireless device 1502 and Memory 1542 at
the base station 1542). Additionally, the wireless device 1502 and
the base station 1542 may have other modules/blocks such as GPS
(e.g., GPS 1514 at the wireless device 1502 and GPS 1554 at the
base station 1542).
[0134] An RF front end module/block may include circuitry between
antennas and a Data Processing System for proper conversion of
signals between these two modules/blocks. An RF front end may
include one or more filters (e.g., Filter(s) 1526 at RF front end
1530 or Filter(s) 1566 at the RF front end 1570), one or more
amplifiers (e.g., Amplifier(s) 1528 at the RF front end 1530 and
Amplifier(s) 1568 at the RF front end 1570). The Amplifier(s) may
comprise power amplifier(s) for transmission and low-noise
amplifier(s) (LNA(s)) for reception.
[0135] The Data Processing System 1524 and the Data Processing
System 1564 may process the data to be transmitted or the received
signals by implementing functions at different layers of the
protocol stack such as PHY, MAC, RLC, etc. Example PHY layer
functions that may be implemented by the Data Processing System
1524 and/or 1564 may include forward error correction,
interleaving, rate matching, modulation, precoding, resource
mapping, MIMO processing, etc. Similarly, one or more functions of
the MAC layer, RLC layer and/or other layers may be implemented by
the Data Processing System 1524 and/or the Data Processing System
1564. One or more processes described in the present disclosure may
be implemented by the Data Processing System 1524 and/or the Data
Processing System 1564. A Data Processing System may include an RF
module (RF module 1516 at the Data Processing System 1524 and RF
module 1556 at the Data Processing System 1564) and/or a TX/RX
processor (e.g., TX/RX processor 1518 at the Data Processing System
1524 and TX/RX processor 1558 at the Data Processing System 1566)
and/or a central processing unit (CPU) (e.g., CPU 1520 at the Data
Processing System 1524 and CPU 1560 at the Data Processing System
1564) and/or a graphical processing unit (GPU) (e.g., GPU 1522 at
the Data Processing System 1524 and GPU 1562 at the Data Processing
System 1564).
[0136] The Memory 1512 may have interfaces with the Data Processing
System 1524 and the Memory 1552 may have interfaces with Data
Processing System 1564, respectively. The Memory 1512 or the Memory
1552 may include non-transitory computer readable mediums (e.g.,
Storage Medium 1510 at the Memory 1512 and Storage Medium 1550 at
the Memory 1552) that may store software code or instructions that
may be executed by the Data Processing System 1524 and Data
Processing System 1564, respectively, to implement the processes
described in the present disclosure. The Memory 1512 or the Memory
1552 may include random-access memory (RAM) (e.g., RAM 1506 at the
Memory 1512 or RAM 1546 at the Memory 1552) or read-only memory
(ROM) (e.g., ROM 1508 at the Memory 1512 or ROM 1548 at the Memory
1552) to store data and/or software codes.
[0137] The Data Processing System 1524 and/or the Data Processing
System 1564 may be connected to other components such as a GPS
module 1514 and a GPS module 1554, respectively, wherein the GPS
module 1514 and a GPS module 1554 may enable delivery of location
information of the wireless device 1502 to the Data Processing
System 1524 and location information of the base station 1542 to
the Data Processing System 1564. One or more other peripheral
components (e.g., Peripheral Component(s) 1504 or Peripheral
Component(s) 1544) may be configured and connected to the data
Processing System 1524 and data Processing System 1564,
respectively.
[0138] In example embodiments, a wireless device may be configured
with parameters and/or configuration arrangements. For example, the
configuration of the wireless device with parameters and/or
configuration arrangements may be based on one or more control
messages that may be used to configure the wireless device to
implement processes and/or actions. The wireless device may be
configured with the parameters and/or the configuration
arrangements regardless of the wireless device being in operation
or not in operation. For example, software, firmware, memory,
hardware and/or a combination thereof and/or alike may be
configured in a wireless device regardless of the wireless device
being in operation or not operation. The configured parameters
and/or settings may influence the actions and/or processes
performed by the wireless device when in operation.
[0139] In example embodiments, a wireless device may receive one or
more message comprising configuration parameters. For example, the
one or more messages may comprise radio resource control (RRC)
messages. A parameter of the configuration parameters may be in at
least one of the one or more messages. The one or more messages may
comprise information element (IEs). An information element may be a
structural element that includes single or multiple fields. The
fields in an IE may be individual contents of the IE. The terms
configuration parameter, IE and field may be used equally in this
disclosure. The IEs may be implemented using a nested structure,
wherein an IE may include one or more other IEs and an IE of the
one or more other IEs may include one or more additional IEs. With
this structure, a parent IE contains all the offspring IEs as well.
For example, a first IE containing a second IE, the second IE
containing a third IE, and the third IE containing a fourth IE may
imply that the first IE contains the third IE and the fourth
IE.
[0140] The usage scenarios for 5G may include enhanced mobile
broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communication (mMTC), and
Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency communication (URLLC). A usage
scenario that is located at the boundary between mMTC and URLLC may
be time sensitive communication (TSC). The mMTC, URLLC and TSC may
be associated with IoT use cases. In an example, eMBB, mMTC, URLLC
and TSC use cases may be supported in the same network.
[0141] In an example, reduced capability wireless devices may
support reduced number of UE RX/TX antennas, reduced UE Bandwidth,
half-Duplex-FDD, relaxed UE processing time, and relaxed UE
processing capability.
[0142] In an example, to enable UE power saving and battery
lifetime enhancement for reduced capability UEs, the reduced
capability UE may support reduced PDCCH monitoring by smaller
numbers of blind decodes and CCE limits, extended DRX for RRC
Inactive and/or Idle, and RRM relaxation for stationary
devices.
[0143] In an example, the reduced capability UEs may support
coverage recovery to compensate for potential coverage reduction
due to the device complexity reduction.
[0144] Example embodiments may enable functionality that may allow
devices with reduced capabilities to be explicitly identifiable to
networks and network operators, and allow operators to restrict
their access, if desired.
[0145] In an example, System Information (SI) may comprise a MIB
and a number of SIBs, which may be divided into Minimum system
information (SI) and Other SI.
[0146] In an example, minimum SI may comprise basic information
required for initial access and information for acquiring any other
SI. Minimum SI may comprise MIB and SIB 1. MIB may comprise cell
barred status information and essential physical layer information
of the cell required to receive further system information, e.g.,
CORESET #0 configuration. MIB may be periodically broadcast on BCH.
SIB1 may define the scheduling of other system information blocks
and may comprise information required for initial access. SIB1 may
be referred to as Remaining Minimum SI (RMSI) and may be
periodically broadcast on DL-SCH or sent in a dedicated manner on
DL-SCH to UEs in RRC_CONNECTED.
[0147] In an example, other SI may comprise SIBs not broadcast in
the Minimum SI. Those SIBs may be periodically broadcast on DL-SCH,
may be broadcast on-demand on DL-SCH (e.g., upon request from UEs
in RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE), or may be sent in a dedicated manner
on DL-SCH to UEs in RRC_CONNECTED. Other SI may comprise SIB2,
SIB3, SIB4, SIB5, SIB6, SIB7, SIB8 and SIB9. SIB2 may comprise cell
re-selection information, mainly related to the serving cell; SIB3
may comprise information about the serving frequency and
intra-frequency neighboring cells relevant for cell re-selection
(including cell re-selection parameters common for a frequency as
well as cell specific re-selection parameters); SIB4 may comprise
information about other NR frequencies and inter-frequency
neighboring cells relevant for cell re-selection (including cell
re-selection parameters common for a frequency as well as cell
specific re-selection parameters); SIB5 may comprise information
about E-UTRA frequencies and E-UTRA neighboring cells relevant for
cell re-selection (including cell re-selection parameters common
for a frequency as well as cell specific re-selection parameters);
SIB6 may comprise an Earthquake and Tsunami Earning System (ETWS)
primary notification; SIB7 may comprise an ETWS secondary
notification; SIB8 may comprise a Commercial Mobile Alerting System
(CMAS) warning notification; and SIB9 may comprise information
related to GPS time and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Example
system information provisioning is shown in FIG. 16.
[0148] In an example, if the UE cannot determine the full contents
of the minimum SI of a cell by receiving from that cell, the UE may
consider that cell as barred.
[0149] In an example, the master information block (MIB) message
may include the system information transmitted on BCH. Example
embodiments may enhance the MIB message and/or one or more
parameters in the MIB message. A parameter cellBarred may have
comprise a plurality of values comprising a first value Barred and
a second value notBarred. The value Barred may indicate the cell is
barred (e.g., from accessing or camping on). A parameter
dmrs-TypeA-Position may indicate position of (first) DM-RS for
downlink. A parameter pdcch-ConfigSIB1 may indicate a common
ControlResourceSet (CORESET), a common search space and necessary
PDCCH parameters. If the field ssb-SubcarrierOffset indicates that
SIB1 is absent, the field pdcch-ConfigSIB1 may indicate the
frequency positions where the UE may find SS/PBCH block with SIB1
or the frequency range where the network does not provide SS/PBCH
block with SIB1. In an example, a parameter ssb-SubcarrierOffset
may indicate a frequency domain offset between SSB and the overall
resource block grid in number of subcarriers. This field may
indicate that this cell does not provide SIB1 and that there is
hence no CORESET #0 configured in MIB. In this case, the field
pdcch-ConfigSIB1 may indicate the frequency positions where the UE
may (not) find a SS/PBCH with a control resource set and search
space for SIB1. In an example, a parameter subCarrierSpacingCommon
may indicate subcarrier spacing for SIB1, Msg.2/4 for initial
access, paging and broadcast SI-messages. In an example, a
parameter systemFrameNumber may indicate 6 most significant bits
(MSB) of the 10-bit System Frame Number (SFN). The 4 LSB of the SFN
may be conveyed in the PBCH transport block as part of channel
coding (e.g., outside the MIB encoding).
[0150] In an example, a message SIB1 may contain information
relevant when evaluating if a UE is allowed to access a cell and
may define the scheduling of other system information. Example
embodiments may enhance the SIB1 message and/or one or more
parameters in the SIB1 message. It may contain radio resource
configuration information that is common for all UEs and barring
information applied to a unified access control. In an example, a
parameter/IE cellSelectionInfo may comprise parameter for cell
selection related to the serving cell. In an example, a parameter
servingCellConfigCommon may comprise configuration parameters of
the serving cell. In an example, a parameter uac-AccessCategory
1-SelectionAssistanceInfo may indicate information used to
determine whether Access Category 1 applies to the UE. In an
example, a parameter uac-BarringForCommon may indicate common
access control parameters for each access category. Common values
may be used for all PLMNs, unless overwritten by the PLMN specific
configuration provided in uac-BarringPerPLMN-List. The parameters
may be specified by providing an index to the set of configurations
(uac-BarringInfoSetList).
[0151] In an example, an IE UAC-BarringInfoSetIndex may provide the
index of the entry in uac-BarringInfoSetList. Value 1 may
correspond to the first entry in uac-BarringInfoSetList, value 2
may correspond to the second entry in this list and so on. An index
value referring to an entry not included in uac-BarringInfoSetList
may indicates no barring.
[0152] In an example, an IE UAC-BarringInfoSetList may provide a
list of access control parameter sets. An access category can be
configured with access parameters according to one of the sets. In
an example, a parameter uac-BarringInfoSetList may indicate list of
access control parameter sets. An access category may be configured
with access parameters corresponding to a particular set by
uac-barringInfoSetIndex. Association of an access category with an
index that has no corresponding entry in the uac-BarringInfoSetList
may be valid configuration and may indicate no barring. In an
example, a parameter uac-BarringForAccessIdentity may indicate
whether access attempt is allowed for an Access Identity. The
leftmost bit, bit 0 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 1, bit 1 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 2, bit 2 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 11, bit 3 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 12, bit 4 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 13, bit 5 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 14, and bit 6 in the bit string may correspond to Access
Identity 15. Value 0 may mean that access attempt is allowed for
the corresponding access identity. In an example, a parameter
uac-BarringFactor may represent the probability that access attempt
would be allowed during access barring check. In an example, a
parameter uac-BarringTime may indicate the minimum time in seconds
before a new access attempt is to be performed after an access
attempt was barred at access barring check for the same access
category.
[0153] In an example, an IE UAC-BarringPerCatList may provide
access control parameters for a list of access categories. A
parameter accessCategory may indicate an Access Category.
[0154] In an example, an IE UAC-BarringPerPLMN-List may provide
access category specific access control parameters, which may be
configured per PLMN. In an example, a parameter
uac-ACBarringListType may indicate access control parameters for an
access category valid for a specific PLMN. In an example, a
parameter plmn-IdentityIndex may indicate index of the PLMN across
the plmn-IdentityList fields included in SIB1.
[0155] In an example, an IE ServingCellConfigCommonSIB may be used
to configure cell specific parameters of a UE's serving cell in
SIB1. In an example, a parameter groupPresence may be present when
maximum number of SS/PBCH blocks per half frame equals to 64. The
first/leftmost bit may correspond to the SS/PBCH index 0-7, the
second bit may correspond to SS/PBCH block 8-15, and so on. Value 0
in the bitmap may indicate that the SSBs according to inOneGroup
are absent. Value 1 may indicate that the SS/PBCH blocks are
transmitted in accordance with inOneGroup. In an example, a
parameter ssb-PositionsInBurst may indicate time domain positions
of the transmitted SS-blocks in an SS-burst.
[0156] In an example, an IE UplinkConfigCommonSIB may provide
common uplink parameters of a cell. A parameter InitialUplinkBWP
may indicate the initial uplink BWP configuration for a SpCell
(PCell of MCG or SCG).
[0157] In an example, an IE BWP-UplinkCommon may be used to
configure the common parameters of an uplink BWP. In an example, a
parameter pucch-ConfigCommon may indicate cell--specific parameters
for the PUCCH of this BWP. In an example, a parameter
pusch-ConfigCommon may indicate cell-specific parameters of the
PUSCH of this BWP. In an example, a parameter rach-ConfigCommon may
indicate configuration of cell specific random access parameters
which the UE may use for contention based and contention free
random access as well as for contention based beam failure recovery
in this BWP. The NW may configure SSB-based RA (and hence
RACH-ConfigCommon) for UL BWPs if the linked DL BWPs (same bwp-Id
as UL-BWP) are the initial DL BWPs or DL BWPs containing the SSB
associated to the initial DL BWP. The network may configure
rach-ConfigCommon, when it configures contention free random access
(for reconfiguration with sync or for beam failure recovery).
[0158] In an example, upon receiving a MIB, a wireless device may
store the acquired MIB. The wireless device may be in RRC_IDLE or
in RRC_INACTIVE, or the wireless device may be in RRC_CONNECTED
while a T311 is running. If the cellBarred in the acquired MIB is
set to barred: the wireless device may consider the cell as barred
in accordance. If intraFreqReselection is set to notAllowed, the
wireless device may consider cell re-selection to other cells on
the same frequency as the barred cell as not allowed. Otherwise, if
intraFreqReselection is set to Allowed, the wireless device may
consider cell re-selection to other cells on the same frequency as
the barred cell as allowed.
[0159] In an example, a barred Cell may be a cell that a wireless
device is not allowed to camp on.
[0160] In an example, cell status and cell reservations may be
indicated in the MIB or SIB1 message by means of three fields:
cellBarred (IE type: "barred" or "not barred"): Indicated in MIB
message. In case of multiple PLMNs indicated in SIB1, this field
may be common for all PLMNs; cellReservedForOperatorUse (IE type:
"reserved" or "not reserved"): Indicated in SIB1 message. In case
of multiple PLMNs indicated in SIB1, this field may be specified
per PLMN; cellReservedForOtherUse (IE type: "true"): Indicated in
SIB1 message. In case of multiple PLMNs indicated in SIB1, this
field may be common for all PLMNs.
[0161] In an example, depending on operator's policies, deployment
scenarios, subscriber profiles, and available services, different
criterion may be used in determining which access attempt should be
allowed or blocked when congestion occurs in the 5G System. These
different criteria for access control may be associated with Access
Identities and Access Categories. The 5G system may provide a
single unified access control where operators control accesses
based on these two.
[0162] In an example, in unified access control, an access attempt
may be categorized into one or more of the Access Identities and
one of the Access Categories. Based on the access control
information applicable for the corresponding Access Identity and
Access Category of the access attempt, the UE may perform a test
whether the actual access attempt may be made or not.
[0163] In an example, the unified access control may support
extensibility to allow inclusion of additional standardized Access
Identities and Access Categories and may support flexibility to
allow operators to define operator-defined Access Categories using
their own criterion (e.g. network slicing, application, and
application server).
[0164] In an example, based on operator's policy, the 5G system may
be able to prevent UEs from accessing the network using relevant
barring parameters that may vary depending on Access Identity and
Access Category. Access Identities may be configured at the UE as
shown in FIG. 17. Access Categories may be defined by the
combination of conditions related to UE and the type of access
attempt as shown in FIG. 18. One or more Access Identities and one
Access Category may be selected and tested for an access
attempt.
[0165] In an example, the 5G network may broadcast barring control
information (e.g., a list of barring parameters associated with an
Access Identity and an Access Category) in one or more areas of the
RAN.
[0166] In an example, a UE may determine whether or not a
particular new access attempt is allowed based on barring
parameters that the UE receives from the broadcast barring control
information and the configuration in the UE.
[0167] In an example, in the case of multiple core networks sharing
the same RAN, the RAN may apply access control for the different
core networks individually.
[0168] In an example, the unified access control framework may be
applicable to UEs accessing the 5G CN using E-UTRA and to UEs
accessing the 5G CN using NR.
[0169] In an example, the unified access control framework may be
applicable to UEs in RRC Idle, RRC Inactive, and RRC Connected at
the time of initiating a new access attempt (e.g., new session
request).
[0170] In an example, the 5G system may support means by which the
operator can define operator-defined Access Categories to be
mutually exclusive.
[0171] In an example, the unified access control framework may be
applicable to inbound roamers to a PLMN.
[0172] In an example, the serving PLMN may provide the definition
of operator-defined Access Categories to the UE.
[0173] In an example, Access Category 0 may not be barred,
irrespective of Access Identities.
[0174] In an example, unified access control procedure may be used
to perform access barring check for an access attempt associated
with a given Access Category and one or more Access Identities.
[0175] In an example, after a PCell change in RRC_CONNECTED the UE
may defer access barring checks until it has obtained SIB1 from the
target cell.
[0176] In an example, an RRCSetupRequest message may be used to
request the establishment of an RRC connection. In an example, a
parameter establishmentCause may provide the establishment cause
for the RRCSetupRequest in accordance with the information received
from upper layers. The gNB may not be expected to reject an
RRCSetupRequest due to unknown cause value being used by the UE. In
an example, a ue-Identity may indicate UE identity included to
facilitate contention resolution by lower layers.
[0177] In an example, once Msg3 is transmitted, the MAC entity may:
start the ra-ContentionResolutionTimer and restart the
ra-ContentionResolutionTimer at each HARQ retransmission in the
first symbol after the end of the Msg3 transmission; monitor the
PDCCH while the ra-ContentionResolutionTimer is running regardless
of the possible occurrence of a measurement gap.
[0178] In an example, once Msg3 is transmitted, if notification of
a reception of a PDCCH transmission of the SpCell is received from
lower layers: if the C-RNTI MAC CE was included in Msg3: if the
Random Access procedure was initiated for beam failure recovery and
the PDCCH transmission is addressed to the C-RNTI; or if the Random
Access procedure was initiated by a PDCCH order and the PDCCH
transmission is addressed to the C-RNTI; or if the Random Access
procedure was initiated by the MAC sublayer itself or by the RRC
sublayer and the PDCCH transmission is addressed to the C-RNTI and
contains a UL grant for a new transmission: the MAC entity may
consider this Contention Resolution successful; may stop
ra-ContentionResolutionTimer; may discard the TEMPORARY_C-RNTI; and
may consider this Random Access procedure successfully
completed.
[0179] In an example, once Msg3 is transmitted, if notification of
a reception of a PDCCH transmission of the SpCell is received from
lower layers: if the CCCH SDU was included in Msg3 and the PDCCH
transmission is addressed to its TEMPORARY_C-RNTI: if the MAC PDU
is successfully decoded: the MAC entity may stop
ra-ContentionResolutionTimer; if the MAC PDU contains a UE
Contention Resolution Identity MAC CE; and if the UE Contention
Resolution Identity in the MAC CE matches the CCCH SDU transmitted
in Msg3: the MAC entity may consider this Contention Resolution
successful and finish the disassembly and demultiplexing of the MAC
PDU; if this Random Access procedure was initiated for SI request:
the MAC entity may indicate the reception of an acknowledgement for
SI request to upper layers. Otherwise, the MAC entity may set the
C-RNTI to the value of the TEMPORARY_C-RNTI; the MAC entity may
discard the TEMPORARY_C-RNTI; the MAC entity may consider this
Random Access procedure successfully completed. Otherwise, the MAC
entity may discard the TEMPORARY_C-RNTI; the MAC entity may
consider this Contention Resolution not successful and discard the
successfully decoded MAC PDU.
[0180] In an example, if ra-ContentionResolutionTimer expires: the
MAC entity may discard the TEMPORARY_C-RNTI; the MAC entity may
consider the Contention Resolution not successful.
[0181] In an example, if the Contention Resolution is considered
not successful: the MAC entity may flush the HARQ buffer used for
transmission of the MAC PDU in the Msg3 buffer; the MAC entity may
increment PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER by 1; if
PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER=preambleTransMax+1: the MAC entity
may indicate a Random Access problem to upper layers. If this
Random Access procedure was triggered for SI request: the MAC
entity may consider the Random Access procedure unsuccessfully
completed.
[0182] In an example, if the Contention Resolution is considered
not successful: if the Random Access procedure is not completed:
the MAC entity may select a random backoff time according to a
uniform distribution between 0 and the PREAMBLE_BACKOFF; if the
criteria to select contention-free Random Access Resources is met
during the backoff time: the MAC entity may perform the Random
Access Resource selection procedure; otherwise the MAC entity may
perform the Random Access Resource selection procedure after the
backoff time.
[0183] In an example, upon completion of the Random Access
procedure, the MAC entity may: discard explicitly signaled
contention-free Random Access Resources except contention-free
Random Access Resources for beam failure recovery request, if any;
flush the HARQ buffer used for transmission of the MAC PDU in the
Msg3 buffer.
[0184] In an example, a UE Contention Resolution Identity MAC CE
may be identified by MAC subheader with an LCID associated with the
UE Contention Resolution MAC CE. In an example, as shown in FIG.
19, the UE Contention Resolution MAC CE may have a fixed 48-bit
size and may comprise a single field. The field may be for a UE
Contention Resolution Identity. This field may contain the UL CCCH
SDU. If the UL CCCH SDU is longer than 48 bits, this field may
contain the first 48 bits of the UL CCCH SDU.
[0185] Reduced capability wireless devices may have lower
complexity such as reduced number of TX/RX antennas, reduced UE
Bandwidth, half-Duplex-FDD, relaxed UE processing time, and relaxed
UE processing capability. Operation of reduced capability wireless
devices in a wireless network may degrade the performance (e.g., in
terms of throughput, latency, etc.) of normal (e.g., non-reduced
capability) wireless devices. There is a need to enhance existing
solutions for wireless devices to access/camp on cells in a
wireless network. Example embodiments enhance existing processes
for wireless devices to access/camp on cells in a wireless
network.
[0186] In an example, a wireless device may be in an RRC_IDLE
state. The wireless device may perform cell search procedures to
find one or more cells, camp on the one or more cells and/or access
the one or more cells. The wireless device may achieve
synchronization and decode PBCH by detecting and decoding SS/PBCH
blocks. The PBCH may carry master information block (MIB) that
includes part of the minimum system information and the MIB may
include search space/CORESET for receiving scheduling information
of SIB1 that includes the remining minimum system information
(RMSI).
[0187] In an example, a first type of the wireless devices may be
associated with the wireless device capabilities (e.g., hardware
capabilities). In an example, the first type wireless devices may
be reduced capability wireless devices. In an example, the first
type wireless device may be wireless devices with reduced
complexity features including reduced number of RX/TX antennas
and/or reduced bandwidth and/or half-duplex FDD duplexing method
and/or relaxed UE processing time and/or relaxed UE processing
capability. The reduced capability wireless devices may coexist
with non-reduced capability (e.g., wireless devices that are not
with reduced capability, e.g., normal wireless devices).
[0188] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 20A, FIG. 20B and
FIG. 21, a wireless device may receive/detect first system
information of a first cell. The first system information may be
broadcast system information. In an example, the first system
information may be minimum system information (e.g., MIB and/or
SIB1). The first system information may indicate that wireless
devices of a first type (e.g., reduced capability wireless devices)
are barred from (e.g., not allowed) accessing the first cell and/or
camping on the first cell and/or attaching to the network via the
first cell. For example, the first system information may comprise
a parameter/IE indicating that the first type wireless devices are
barred from the first cell. The first system information, by
indicating that the wireless devices of the first type are barred
from the first cell, may enable the network to reject and/or not
admit the wireless devices of the first type on the first cell. The
wireless device may be of the first type (e.g., may be a wireless
device with reduced capability). Based on the receiving the first
system information indicating that the wireless devices of the
first type are barred from (e.g., not allowed) accessing and/or
camping on the first cell, the wireless device may determine that
the wireless device is barred from (e.g., not allowed) to access
and/or camp on the first cell.
[0189] The wireless device may initiate a cell search on a second
carrier frequency based on the determining that the wireless device
is barred from the first cell. The wireless device may
receive/detect second system information of a second cell based on
the cell search. The second system information may be broadcast
system information. In an example, the second system information
may be minimum system information (e.g., MIB and/or SIB1). In an
example, as shown in FIG. 20A, the first cell and the second cell
may be provided by the same base station. In an example, as shown
in FIG. 20B, the first cell and the second cell may be provided by
different base stations. The second system information may indicate
that the first type wireless devices (e.g., reduced capability
wireless devices) are allowed to access/camp on (e.g., are not
barred from accessing/camping on) the second cell. For example, the
second system information may comprise a parameter indicating that
the first type wireless devices are allowed to access (not barred
from) the second cell. For example, the second system information
may indicate that the first type wireless devices are allowed to
access (not barred from) the second cell based on the second system
information not comprising a parameter indicating that the first
type wireless devices are barred from the second cell. Based on the
receiving the second system information, the wireless device may
determine that the wireless device is allowed to access and/or camp
on (e.g., is not barred from accessing and/or camping on) the
second cell.
[0190] The wireless device may transmit a random access preamble on
the second cell based on the determining that the wireless device
is allow to access (not barred from) the second cell. In an
example, the second system information may indicate a plurality of
random access occasions/PRACH resources and the wireless device may
transmit the random access preamble via a random access
occasion/PRACH resource of the plurality of random access
occasions/PRACH resources. In an example, the wireless device may
start a random access process and transmit the random access
preamble to transition from an RRC IDLE state to an RRC CONNECTED
state or from an RRC INACTIVE state to an RRC CONNECTED state.
[0191] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 22, a wireless
device may receive/detect system information of a cell. The first
system information may be broadcast system information. In an
example, the system information may be minimum system information
(e.g., MIB and/or SIB1). In an example, the system information may
be other system information (e.g., SIB2-SIB9). The system
information may indicate that the first type wireless devices
(e.g., reduced capability wireless devices) are barred from
accessing/camping on (e.g., are not allowed to access/camp on) the
cell. For example, the system information may comprise a first
parameter/IE, a first value of the first parameter/IE indicating
that the barring (not allowing) the first type wireless devices
(e.g., reduced capability wireless devices). A second value of the
first parameter/IE may indicate barring (e.g., not allowing)
wireless devices from accessing/camping on the cell irrespective of
the wireless device type (e.g., wireless devices with reduced
capability or wireless devices with non-reduced capability, e.g.,
normal wireless devices).
[0192] An example of an enhanced MIB is shown in FIG. 23, wherein a
first value (e.g., 1stTypeBarred) of a first parameter/IE (e.g.,
cellBarred) may indicate that the first type wireless devices
(e.g., reduced capability wireless devices) are barred from
accessing/camping on the cell. In an example a second value (e.g.,
a barred) of the first parameter/IE may indicate that wireless
devices, irrespective of their type (e.g., wireless devices with
reduced capability or wireless devices with non-reduced capability,
e.g., normal wireless devices), may be barred from
accessing/camping on (e.g., not allowed to access/camp on) on the
cell. In an example, a third value (e.g., notBarred) of the first
parameter/IE may indicate that the wireless devices are allowed to
access/camp on (e.g., not barred from accessing/camping on) the
cell irrespective of the wireless device type (e.g., wireless
devices with reduced capability or wireless devices with
non-reduced capability, e.g., normal wireless devices).
[0193] In an example, at least a portion of the system information
may be received via a physical downlink channel. In an example, the
at least a portion of the system information may be MIB. The
physical downlink channel may be associated with a scrambling
sequence, for example, may be scrambled using the scrambling
sequence. In an example, the scrambling sequence associated with
the physical downlink channel may indicate that the first type
wireless devices (e.g., reduced capability wireless devices) are
barred from accessing/camping on the cell. In an example, the
determining that the wireless device is barred form
accessing/camping on the cell may be based on the scrambling
sequence associated with the physical downlink channel. The
physical downlink channel may be a physical broadcast channel
(PBCH).
[0194] In an example, the system information may indicate barring
(e.g., not allowing) access attempts associated with a first access
category and/or one or first access identities and the first type
wireless devices (e.g., wireless devices with reduced capability)
may be associated with the first access category and the one or
more access identities. Example access identities and/or access
categories are shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18. Example embodiments
may enhance the access categories and/or access identities, wherein
at least an access category and/or at least an access identity is
associated with a first type wireless device. (e.g., reduced
capability wireless devices). In an example, one or more parameters
in SIB1 may indicate that an access category and/or an access
identity, associated with the first type wireless devices, e.g.,
the reduced capability wireless devices, are barred from accessing
the cell. Example parameters/IEs of SIB1 (e.g.,
uac-BarringForCommon and/or uac-BarringPerPLMN-List and/or
uac-BarringInfoList, etc.) are shown ion FIG. 24. The process for
barring an access category and/or an access identity, associated
with the first type wireless devices, e.g., reduced capability
wireless devices, may be based on a unified access control process
described earlier.
[0195] The wireless device may not be the first type wireless
device (e.g., the wireless device may not be a reduced capability
wireless device) and/or may be a second type wireless device (e.g.,
a normal wireless device that is not a reduced capability wireless
device). Based on the received system information, the wireless
device may determine that the wireless device is allowed to
access/camp on (e.g., is not barred from accessing/camping on) the
cell.
[0196] The wireless device may transmit a random access preamble
based on the determining that the wireless device is allowed (not
barred from) accessing/camping on the cell. In an example, the
system information may indicate a plurality of random access
occasions/PRACH resources. The wireless device may determine the
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources and the random
access preamble may be transmitted via a random access
occasion/PRACH resource of the plurality of random access
occasions/PRACH resources. In an example, the wireless device may
be in an RRC IDLE state and the transmitting the random access
preamble may be for transitioning from the RRC IDLE state to an RRC
CONNECTED state.
[0197] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26, a
wireless device may receive system information of a cell. In an
example, the system information may be minimum system information
(e.g., MIB and/or SIB1). The system information may indicate a
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources. For example,
a MIB may comprise parameters one or more parameters indicating
search space(s)/CORESET(s) (e.g., CORESET #0) for receiving
scheduling information of SIB1 and SIB1 may comprise serving cell
configuration parameters comprising RACH configuration parameters
for the cell. The serving cell configuration parameters may
indicate the plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources
on the cell.
[0198] In an example, the MIB may indicate a first CORESET for
receiving scheduling information of a first system information
block. The first system information block may comprise first system
information for first type wireless devices (e.g., reduced
capability wireless devices). The MIB may further indicate a second
CORESET for receiving scheduling information for wireless devices
that are not first type wireless devices (e.g., wireless devices
that are not reduced capability wireless devices, e.g., normal
wireless devices). In an example, as shown in FIG. 27, the MIB may
comprise a first IE (e.g., pdcch-configSIB1FirstType) indicating
the first CORESET and a second IE (e.g., pdcch-configSIB1)
indicating the second CORESET. In an example, the first CORESET and
the second CORESET may be indicated by the same IE in MIB (e.g.,
pdcch-configSIB1).
[0199] In an example, the system information may comprise SIB1
(e.g., remaining minimum system information), wherein the SIB1 may
comprise one or more first parameter for first type wireless
devices (e.g., reduced capability wireless devices) and one or more
second parameters for wireless devices that are not first type
wireless devices (e.g., wireless devices that are not reduced
capability wireless devices, e.g., normal wireless devices). An
example is shown in FIG. 28, wherein a first IE (e.g.,
ServingCellConfigCommon) may indicate the one or more first
parameters and a second IE (e.g., ServingCEllConfigCommonFirstType)
may indicate the one or more first parameters. For example, the one
or more first parameters may indicate one or more first random
access parameters and the one or more second parameters may
indicate one or more second random access parameters. For example,
the one or more first parameters may indicate one or more first
random access occasions/PRACH resources and the one or more second
parameters may indicate one or more second random access
occasions/PRACH resources. For example, the one or more first
parameters may indicate one or more first random access preamble
indexes and the one or more second parameters may indicate one or
more second random access preamble indexes.
[0200] The wireless device may be a first type wireless device
(e.g., a reduced capability wireless device). Based on the wireless
device being the first type wireless device, the wireless device
may determine a first random access occasion/PRACH resource, from
the plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources, and/or
the wireless device may determine a first random access preamble
index. In an example, the system information may indicate one or
more first random access occasions/PACH resources, of the plurality
of random access occasions/PRACH resources, associated with first
type wireless devices. The wireless device may determine the first
random access occasion/PRACH resource form the first plurality of
random access occasions/PRACH resources. In an example, the system
information may indicate one or more first random access preambles
associated with the first type wireless devices. The wireless
device may determine the first random access preamble form the one
or more first random access preambles. In an example, the first
random access occasion/PRACH resource and/or the first random
access preamble index may indicate that the wireless device is a
first type wireless device (e.g., a reduced capability wireless
device).
[0201] The wireless device may transmit a random access preamble
based on the determining. The wireless device may transmit the
random access preamble using the first random access preamble index
and/or the wireless device may transmit the random access preamble
via the first random access occasion/PRACH resource. Based on the
first random access occasion/PRACH resource and/or the first random
access preamble index indicating that the wireless device is a
first type wireless device, the base station may determine that the
wireless device is a first type wireless device. In an example, the
wireless device may be in an RRC IDLE state and the transmitting
the random access preamble may be for transitioning from the RRC
IDLE state to an RRC connected state.
[0202] In an example, the first type wireless devices may be
allowed on the cell. The wireless device may receive, from the base
station, a random access response based on the first type wireless
devices being allowed to access/camp on (not being barred from
accessing/camping on) the cell. The random access response may
comprise a temporary C-RNTI. In an example, a value of the
temporary C-RNTI may be based on the wireless device being the
first type wireless device.
[0203] In an example, the first type wireless devices may not be
allowed to access/camp on (e.g., may be barred from
accessing/camping on) the cell. Based on the first type wireless
devices not being allowed to access/camp on (e.g., being barred
from accessing/camping on) the cell, the base station may not
transmit a random access response to the wireless device. In an
example, based on the first type wireless devices not being allowed
to access/camp on (e.g., being barred from accessing/camping on)
the cell, the base station may transmit a first type of random
access response to the wireless device.
[0204] In an example, the first random access occasion/PRACH
resource and/or the first random access preamble index may indicate
that the wireless device is a first type wireless device (e.g., a
reduced capability wireless device) and may further indicate that
the wireless device is in a first group of a plurality of groups
associated with the first type wireless devices. In an example, the
first group may be associated with one or more parameters and/or
wireless device capabilities. The first group may indicate a first
level of wireless device capability (e.g., in terms of number of
RX/TX antennas and/or processing time and/or processing capability
and/or supported bandwidth and/or duplexing method, etc.) within
the reduced capability wireless devices. The base station may admit
or not admit the wireless device (e.g., transmit or not transmit
the random access response) based on the first group.
[0205] In an example, the first random access occasion/PRACH
resource and/or the first preamble index may further indicate that
the wireless device supports a first portion of bandwidth of the
cell and/or a first portion of an active bandwidth part of the cell
and/or a first bandwidth. For example, the first bandwidth may be a
maximum supported bandwidth.
[0206] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 29 and FIG. 30, a
wireless device may receive system information of a cell. In an
example, the system information may be minimum system information
(e.g., MIB and/or SIB1). The system information may indicate a
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources. For example,
a MIB may comprise one or more parameters indicating search
space(s)/CORESET(s) (e.g., CORESET #0) for receiving scheduling
information of SIB1 and SIB1 may comprise serving cell
configuration parameters comprising RACH configuration parameters
for the cell. The serving cell configuration parameters may
indicate the plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources
on the cell.
[0207] The wireless device may receive the system information and
may determine the plurality of the random access occasions/PRACH
resources. The wireless device may transmit a random access
preamble via a random access occasion/PRACH resource of the
plurality of random access occasions/PACH resources. For example,
the wireless device may be in an RRC IDLE state and may transmit
the random access preamble and start a random access process for
transitioning from the RRC IDLE state to an RRC connected
state.
[0208] The wireless device may receive a random access response.
The random access response may comprise an uplink grant for
transmission of a transport block (e.g., Msg3). The uplink grant
may comprise transmission parameters (e.g., radio resources, MCS,
etc.) of the transport block. In an example, the random access
response message may further comprise at least one of a timing
advance command and a temporary C-RNTI.
[0209] The wireless device may transmit the transport block
comprising a message. The message may indicate a wireless device
identity, wherein the wireless device identity may be based on a
wireless device type. The wireless device may determine/select a
wireless device identity to include in the message/transport block
based on the wireless device type. In an example, the message may
be an RRC setup request message. The RRC setup request message may
be associated with a common control channel (CCCH) service data
unit. In an example, the RRC setup request message may indicate an
establishment cause.
[0210] The wireless device may be a first type wireless device
(e.g., a reduced capability wireless device). The wireless device
may include a wireless device identity in the message (e.g., the
RRC setup request message) included in the transport block, the
wireless device identity corresponding to/indicating the first type
wireless device. In an example, the wireless device identity may
correspond to/indicate the first type wireless device based on the
wireless device identity being within a first range of values. In
an example, the first range of values may be a pre-determined
range. In an example, the first range of values may be indicated by
the system information.
[0211] In an example, the wireless device identity may correspond
to/indicate a first group of a plurality of group associated with
the first type wireless devices. The wireless device identity may
indicate that the wireless device is in the first group based on
the wireless device identity being in a second range within the
first range of values. The first range of values may be associated
with the first type wireless devices. The second range may be
associated with the first group. In an example, the first group may
be associated with one or more parameters and/or one or more
wireless device capabilities.
[0212] In an example, the wireless device identity (e.g., by
indicating the first group) may indicate that the wireless device
supports a first portion of the bandwidth of the cell and/or that
the wireless device supports a first portion of an active bandwidth
part of the cell and/or that the wireless device supports a first
bandwidth (e.g., a maximum bandwidth).
[0213] The wireless devices with the first type (e.g., the reduced
capability wireless devices) may be allowed to access/camp on
(e.g., not barred from accessing/camping on) the cell. The base
station may receive the transport block comprising the message
comprising the wireless identity. The base station may determine
that the wireless device is the first type wireless device based on
the wireless device identity included in the message. Based on the
wireless device type being the first type wireless device and the
first type wireless devices being allowed to access/camp on (e.g.,
not being barred from accessing/campong on) the cell, the wireless
device may receive a contention resolution MAC CE comprising the
wireless device identity. A C-RNTI of the wireless device may be
the temporary C-RNTI, indicated in the random access response,
based on the wireless device contention resolution MAC CE
comprising the wireless device identity. The wireless device may
receive scheduling information via downlink control information
that are associated with the C-RNTI (e.g., whose CRC is scrambled
with the C-RNTI).
[0214] In an example embodiment, a wireless device may
detect/receive first system information for a first cell, the first
system information indicating barring (not allowing) first type
wireless devices from accessing/camping on the first cell. In an
example, the first type wireless devices may be reduced capability
wireless device. The wireless device may determine, based on the
first system information and based on the wireless device being of
the first type, that the wireless device is barred (e.g., not
allowed) to access/camp on the first cell. The wireless device may
initiate a cell search on a second carrier frequency based on the
determining that the wireless device is barred to access/camp on
the first cell. The wireless device may detect/receive second
system information for a second cell, the second system information
indicating first type wireless devices are allowed to access/camp
on (e.g., not barred from accessing/camping on) the second cell.
The wireless device may determine, based on the second system
information, that the wireless device is allowed to access/camp on
(e.g., not barred from accessing/camping on) the second cell. The
wireless device may transmit a random access preamble on the second
cell based on the determining that the wireless device is allowed
to access/camp on the second cell. In an example, the first system
information is broadcast system information. In an example, the
second system information is broadcast system information.
[0215] In an example embodiment, a wireless device may
detect/receive system information for a cell, the system
information indicating barring (e.g., not allowing) first type
wireless devices from accessing/camping on the cell. The wireless
device may determine, based on the system information and based on
the wireless device not being of the first type (e.g., being of a
second type different from the first type) that the wireless device
is allowed to access/camp on the cell (e.g., not barred from
accessing/camping on the cell). The wireless device may transmit a
random access preamble on the cell based on the determining.
[0216] In an example, the first type may be a reduced capabilities
wireless device.
[0217] In an example, the second type may be a normal wireless
device and may not be a reduced capabilities wireless device.
[0218] In an example, the wireless device may be in a radio
resource control (RRC) idle state; and the transmitting the random
access preamble may be for transitioning from the RRC idle state to
RRC Connected state.
[0219] In an example, the system information may comprise minimum
system information.
[0220] In an example, the system information may be in a master
information block (MIB).
[0221] In an example, the system information may be in a system
information block (SIB).
[0222] In an example, the system information may be in a system
information block 1 (SIB1).
[0223] In an example, the wireless device may determine random
access occasions/PRACH resources based on the system information;
and the wireless device may transmit the random access preamble via
a first random access occasion/PRACH resource of the random access
occasions/PRACH resources.
[0224] In an example, the system information may comprise a first
parameter, a first value of the first parameter indicating the
barring the first type wireless devices from accessing/camping on
the cell (e.g., not allowing the first type wireless devices to
access/camp on the cell). In an example, a second value of the
first parameter may indicate barring wireless devices from
accessing/camping on the cell irrespective of the wireless device
type (not allowing wireless devices to access/camp on the cell
irrespective of the wireless device type).
[0225] In an example, a master information block (MIB) may comprise
a cellBarred parameter, a first value of the cellBarred parameter
indicating the barring the first type wireless devices from
accessing/camping on the cell (e.g., not allowing the first type
wireless devices to access/camp on the cell). In an example, a
second value of the cellBarred parameter may indicate barring
wireless devices from accessing/camping on the cell irrespective of
the wireless devices type (not allowing wireless devices to
access/camp on the cell irrespective of the wireless devices type).
In an example, a third value of the cellBarred parameter may
indicate that wireless devices are allowed to access/camp on the
cell irrespective of the wireless devices type.
[0226] In an example, at least a portion of the system information
may be transmitted via a downlink physical channel; and a
scrambling sequence associated with the downlink physical channel
may indicate the barring the first type wireless devices from
accessing/camping on the cell (e.g., not allowing the first type
wireless devices to access/camp on the cell). In an example, the
downlink physical channel may be a physical broadcast channel
(PBCH). In an example, the at least a portion of the system
information may be MIB.
[0227] In an example, the system information may indicate barring
(e.g., not allowing) access attempts associated with a first access
category and/or one or more first access identities; and the first
type wireless devices may be associated with the first access
category and/or the one or more first access identities. In an
example, one or more first parameters in SIB1 may indicate barring
(e.g., not allowing) access attempts associated with the first
access category and/or the one or more first access identities.
[0228] In an example embodiment, a wireless device may
detect/receive system information for a cell, the system
information indicating a plurality of random access occasions/PRACH
resources on the cell. Based on the wireless device being a first
type wireless device, the wireless device may determine a first
random access occasion/PRACH resource, from the plurality of random
access occasions/PRACH resources, and/or a first random access
preamble index. The wireless device may transmit a random access
preamble based on the determining.
[0229] In an example, the wireless device may be a reduced
capability wireless device.
[0230] In an example, the first preamble index and/or the first
random access occasion/PRACH resource may indicate that the
wireless device is a first type wireless device. In an example, the
wireless device may receive random access response based on the
first type wireless devices being allowed to access/camp on (e.g.,
not being barred from accessing/camping on) the cell. In an
example, the random access response may comprise a temporary
C-RNTI, wherein a value of the temporary C-RNTI may be based on the
wireless device being the first type wireless device.
[0231] In an example, the wireless device may not receive a random
access response based on the first type wireless device being
barred from accessing/camping on (not being allowed to access/camp
on) the cell. In an example, the first preamble index and/or the
first random access occasion/PRACH resource may indicate that the
wireless device is in a first group of plurality of groups
associated with the first type wireless devices. In an example, the
first group may be associated with one or more parameters and/or
wireless device capabilities. In an example, the first preamble
index and/or the first random access occasion/PRACH resource may
further indicate that the wireless device supports a first portion
of bandwidth of the cell. In an example, the first preamble index
and/or the first random access occasion/PRACH resource may further
indicate that the wireless device supports a first portion of an
active bandwidth part of the cell. In an example, the first
preamble index and/or the first random access occasion/PRACH
resource may further indicate that the wireless device supports a
first bandwidth. In an example, the first bandwidth may be a
maximum bandwidth.
[0232] In an example, the wireless device may be in a radio
resource control (RRC) idle state. The wireless device may transmit
the random access preamble for transitioning from the RRC idle
state to an RRC Connected state.
[0233] In an example, the system information may comprise minimum
system information.
[0234] In an example, the system information may be in a system
information block 1 (SIB1).
[0235] In an example, the system information may indicate first
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources, of the
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources, associated
with first type wireless devices. The first random access
occasion/PRACH resource may be from the first plurality of random
access occasions/PRACH resources.
[0236] In an example, the system information may indicates one or
more first random access preambles associated with first type
wireless devices. The first random access preamble index may be
from the one or more first random access preambles.
[0237] In an example, the system information may comprise a MIB.
The MIB may indicate: a first COREST for receiving scheduling
information of a first system information block comprising first
system information for first type wireless devices; and a second
CORESET for receiving scheduling information of a second system
information block comprising second information for wireless
devices that are not first type wireless devices. In an example,
the MIB may comprise: a first IE indicating the first CORESET; and
a second IE indicating the second CORESET. In an example, the MIB
may comprise an IE may indicate the first CORESET and the second
CORESET.
[0238] In an example, the system information may comprise a SIB.
The SIB1 may comprise one or more first parameters for first type
wireless devices; and the SIB1 may comprise one or more second
parameters for wireless devices that are not first type wireless
devices. In an example, the one or more first parameters indicate
first RACH parameters; and the one or more second parameters
indicate second RACH parameters.
[0239] In an example embodiment, a wireless device may
detect/receive system information for a cell, the system
information indicating a plurality of random access occasions/PRACH
resources on the cell. The wireless device may transmit a random
access preamble via a random access occasion/PRACH resource of the
plurality of random access occasions/PRACH resources. The wireless
device may receive a random access response indicating an uplink
grant for transmission of a transport block. The wireless device
may transmit the transport block comprising a message comprising a
wireless device identity, the wireless device identity indicating a
wireless device type. Based on the wireless device type being a
first wireless device type and the first wireless device type being
allowed on the cell (e.g., wireless devices with the first wireless
device type not being barred from accessing/camping on the cell),
the wireless device may receive a wireless contention resolution
MAC CE comprising the wireless device identifier.
[0240] In an example, the message may be a radio resource control
(RRC) setup request message. In an example, the RRC setup request
message may be based on a common control channel (CCCH) service
data unit.
[0241] In an example, the first wireless device type may be a
reduced capability wireless device.
[0242] In an example, the wireless device identity may indicate the
first wireless device type based on the wireless device identity
being within a first range of values.
[0243] In an example, the wireless device identity may indicate
that the wireless device is in a first group of plurality of groups
associated with the first type wireless devices. In an example, the
wireless device identity may indicate that the wireless device is
in the first group based on the wireless device identity being in a
second range within a first range of values. The first range of
values may be associated with the first type wireless devices. The
second range may be associated with the first group. In an example,
one or more parameters and/or wireless device capabilities may be
associated with the first group.
[0244] In an example, the wireless device identity may indicate
that the wireless device supports a first portion of bandwidth of
the cell. In an example, the wireless device identity may indicate
that the wireless device supports a first portion of an active
bandwidth part of the cell. In an example, the wireless device
identity may indicate that the wireless device supports a first
bandwidth. In an example, the first bandwidth may be a maximum
bandwidth.
[0245] In an example, the wireless device may be in an RRC idle
state. The transmitting the random access preamble may be for
transitioning from the RRC idle state to an RRC Connected
state.
[0246] In an example, the system information may comprise minimum
system information.
[0247] In an example, the system information may be in a system
information block 1 (SIB1).
[0248] In an example, the RRC setup request message may further
comprise an establishment cause.
[0249] In an example, the random access response further comprises
at least one of a timing advance command a temporary C-RNTI. In an
example, a C-RNTI of the wireless device is the wireless device
identity is the temporary C-RNTI based on the wireless device
contention resolution MAC CE comprising the wireless device
identity. In an example, the wireless device may receive scheduling
information via downlink control information, wherein the downlink
control information is associated with the C-RNTI.
[0250] Different types of wireless devices, for example wireless
devices with reduced capability and wireless devices that are not
of reduced capability, may operate in a wireless communications
network. An operator may desire to limit access and enforce access
control procedures based on the wireless device type including
based on whether a wireless device is with reduced capability or is
not with reduced capability. Existing solutions may not provide
efficient mechanisms for identification and/or indication of a
wireless device type (e.g., with reduced capability or not with
reduced capability) and enforcing access control mechanism. There
is a need to enhance the existing mechanisms for
identification/indication of wireless device types and/or access
control based on wireless device types. Example embodiments enhance
existing mechanisms for identification/indication of wireless
device types and/or access control based on wireless device
types.
[0251] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 31, a wireless
device may receive one or more broadcast messages (e.g., comprising
a master information block (MIB) and/or one or more system
information blocks (SIBs), e.g., a SIB1). The one or more broadcast
messages may comprise system information. The wireless device may
receive at least a portion/subset of the one or more broadcast
channels via a broadcast channel (e.g., via a physical broadcast
channel, PBCH). In an example, the wireless device may receive a
portion/subset of the one or more broadcast messages via a downlink
shared channel (e.g., a physical downlink shared channel
(PDSCH)).
[0252] The system information may indicate that a wireless device
of a first type (for example a wireless device with reduced
capabilities, e.g., a wireless device that supports reduced number
of UE RX/TX antennas and/or reduced UE Bandwidth and/or
half-Duplex-FDD and/or relaxed UE processing time and/or relaxed UE
processing capability and/or reduced PDCCH monitoring and/or with
radio resource management (RRM) relaxation, etc.) is barred from
accessing (e.g., is not allowed to access) or camping on a first
cell. The system information may indicate that a wireless device
that is not of the first type (e.g., is not a reduced capability
wireless device) is not barred from accessing or camping on the
first cell. In an example, the system information may comprise a
parameter indicating that a wireless device of a first type (e.g.,
wireless device with reduced capability) is barred from accessing
or camping on the first cell or that a wireless device that is not
of the first type (e.g., is not a wireless device with reduced
capability) is not barred from accessing or camping on the first
cell. In an example, a first value of the parameter may indicate
that a wireless device of the first type (e.g., wireless device
with reduced capability) is barred from accessing or camping on the
first cell or that a wireless device that is not of the first type
(e.g., is not a wireless device with reduced capability) is not
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell. In an example,
a second value of the parameter may indicate that a wireless device
of the first type (e.g., wireless device with reduced capability)
is not barred from accessing or camping on the first cell. In an
example, a third value of the parameter may indicate that a
wireless device (e.g., irrespective of the wireless device type) is
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell.
[0253] The wireless device may not be of the first type. For
example, the wireless device may not be a wireless device with
reduced capability. In response to receiving the system information
and the wireless device not being of the first type (e.g., the
wireless device not being a reduced capability wireless device),
the wireless device may determine that the wireless device is not
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell and is allowed
to access or camp on the first cell.
[0254] The wireless device may initiate a random access process for
accessing or camping on the first cell. The wireless device may
transmit a random access preamble for accessing or camping on the
first cell. The wireless device may transmit the random access
preamble via the first cell. The wireless device may transmit the
random access preamble via a first random access resource. In an
example, the system information may comprise random access
configuration parameters indicating random access resources
comprising the first random access resource used for transmission
of the random access preamble. In an example, the random access
configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of random access
preambles comprising the random access preamble. The wireless
device may determine the first random access resource and/or the
random access preamble based on the system information. In an
example, the wireless device may be in an RRC idle state or an RRC
inactive state and the transmission of the random access preamble
may be for transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC
inactive state to an RRC connected state.
[0255] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 32, a wireless
device may receive one or more broadcast messages (e.g., comprising
a master information block (MIB) and/or one or more system
information blocks (SIBs), e.g., a SIB1). The one or more broadcast
messages may comprise system information. The wireless device may
receive at least a portion/subset of the one or more broadcast
channels via a broadcast channel (e.g., via a physical broadcast
channel, PBCH). In an example, the wireless device may receive a
portion/subset of the one or more broadcast messages via a downlink
shared channel (e.g., a physical downlink shared channel
(PDSCH)).
[0256] The system information may indicate that a wireless device
of a first type (for example a wireless device with reduced
capabilities, e.g., a wireless device that supports reduced number
of UE RX/TX antennas and/or reduced UE Bandwidth and/or
half-Duplex-FDD and/or relaxed UE processing time and/or relaxed UE
processing capability and/or reduced PDCCH monitoring and/or with
radio resource management (RRM) relaxation, etc.) is barred from
accessing (e.g., is not allowed to access) or camping on a first
cell. The system information may indicate that a wireless device of
the first type (for example, a wireless device with reduced
capability) is not barred from accessing (e.g., is allowed to
access) or camping on a second cell. In an example, the system
information may comprise first system information, associated with
the first cell, and second system information associated with the
second cell. The first cell and the second cell may be provided by
one base station or may be provided by multiple base stations. For
example, the first cell may be provided by a first base station and
the second cell may be provided by a second base station.
[0257] In an example, the system information (e.g., the first
system information) may comprise a parameter indicating that a
wireless device of a first type (e.g., wireless device with reduced
capability) is barred from accessing or camping on the first cell
or that a wireless device that is not of the first type (e.g., is
not a wireless device with reduced capability) is not barred from
accessing or camping on the first cell. In an example, a first
value of the parameter may indicate that a wireless device of the
first type (e.g., wireless device with reduced capability) is
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell or that a
wireless device that is not of the first type (e.g., is not a
wireless device with reduced capability) is not barred from
accessing or camping on the first cell. In an example, a second
value of the parameter may indicate that a wireless device of the
first type (e.g., wireless device with reduced capability) is not
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell. In an example,
a third value of the parameter may indicate that a wireless device
(e.g., irrespective of the wireless device type) is barred from
accessing or camping on the first cell.
[0258] In an example, the system information (e.g., the second
system information) may comprise a parameter indicating that a
wireless device of a first type (e.g., wireless device with reduced
capability) is not barred from accessing or camping on the second
cell. In an example, a value of the parameter may indicate that a
wireless device of the first type (e.g., wireless device with
reduced capability) is not barred from accessing or camping on the
second cell.
[0259] The wireless device may be of the first type. For example,
the wireless device may be a wireless device with reduced
capability. In response to receiving the system information and the
wireless device being of the first type (e.g., the wireless device
being a reduced capability wireless device), the wireless device
may determine not to access or camp on the first cell and the
wireless device may determine to access or camp on the second
cell.
[0260] The wireless device may initiate a random access process for
accessing or camping on the second cell. The wireless device may
transmit a random access preamble for accessing or camping on the
second cell and based on the determining to access or camp on the
second cell. The wireless device may transmit the random access
preamble via the second cell. The wireless device may transmit the
random access preamble via a first random access resource. In an
example, the system information may comprise random access
configuration parameters indicating random access resources
comprising the first random access resource used for transmission
of the random access preamble. In an example, the random access
configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of random access
preambles comprising the random access preamble. The wireless
device may determine the first random access resource and/or the
random access preamble based on the system information. In an
example, the wireless device may be in an RRC idle state or an RRC
inactive state and the transmission of the random access preamble
may be for transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC
inactive state to an RRC connected state.
[0261] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 33, a wireless
device may receive one or more messages (e.g., one or more RRC
messages, one or more broadcast messages (e.g., a MIB and/or a SIB,
e.g., SIB1) comprising system information, etc.) comprising one or
more first access barring parameters. In an example, the wireless
device may be in an RRC connected state. In an example, the
wireless device may be in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive
state.
[0262] The one or more first access barring parameters may be
associated with at least one of a first access category and a first
access identity. In an example, a plurality of access identities,
comprising the first access identity, may be associated with the
first category. A first parameter of the one or more first access
barring parameters may comprise a plurality of bits, wherein a bit,
of the plurality of bits, may be associated with the first access
identity. A value of the first bit may indicate whether access
attempt is allowed for the first access identity. For example, a
value of 0 of the first bit may indicate that access attempt is not
allowed for the first access identity.
[0263] The one or more first access barring parameters may comprise
at least one of an access barring factor parameter and a barring
time parameter. The access barring factor parameter may indicate a
probability that an access attempt is allowed in an access attempt
procedure. For example, the wireless device may determine/generate
a random number (e.g., using a random number generator) and may
determine that an access attempt, in an access barring check, is
allowed or barred based on comparing the random number with the
probability indicated by the access barring parameter. The barring
time parameter may indicate a time duration (e.g., a minimum time
duration) between a first access attempt (e.g., via a first access
barring check) and a second access attempt (e.g., via a second
access barring check). In an example, the one or more first access
barring parameters may be specific to a PLMN. In an example, at
least a portion/subset of the one more first access barring
parameters may be shared among multiple PLMNs.
[0264] The at least one of the first access category and the first
access identity may be associated with a wireless device of a first
type, for example a wireless device with reduced capability (e.g.,
a wireless device that supports reduced number of UE RX/TX antennas
and/or reduced UE Bandwidth and/or half-Duplex-FDD and/or relaxed
UE processing time and/or relaxed UE processing capability and/or
reduced PDCCH monitoring and/or with radio resource management
(RRM) relaxation, etc.). The first access category and the first
access identity may be associated with and used in an access
control procedure (e.g., a unified access control (UAC) procedure).
The access control procedure (e.g., the UAC procedure) may be used
to perform access barring check for access attempts associated with
a given Access Category and one or more Access Identities. A
plurality of access categories, comprising the first access
category, and a plurality of access identities, comprising the
first access identity, may be associated with and used in the
access procedure. In an example, the one or more messages may
comprise a plurality access barring parameters, associated with a
plurality of access categories and/or access identities, wherein
the plurality of access barring parameters comprise the one or more
first access barring parameters associated with the at least one of
the first access category and the first access identity.
[0265] The wireless device may perform an access barring check. The
wireless device may perform the access barring check using the one
or more first access barring parameters and based on the access
control procedure (e.g., the UAC procedure). In an example, the
wireless device may the first type wireless device (e.g., the
reduced capability wireless device) and the wireless device may
perform the access barring check using the one or more first access
barring parameters based on the wireless device being of the first
type (e.g., of recued capability). The wireless device may
determine whether an access attempt is barred or allowed based on
the access barring check. The wireless device may attempt to access
a cell based on determining that the access attempt is allowed
based on the access barring check.
[0266] In an example embodiment as shown in FIG. 34, a wireless
device may initiate a random access process. The wireless device
may be of a first type (for example a wireless device with reduced
capabilities, e.g., a wireless device that supports reduced number
of UE RX/TX antennas and/or reduced UE Bandwidth and/or
half-Duplex-FDD and/or relaxed UE processing time and/or relaxed UE
processing capability and/or reduced PDCCH monitoring and/or with
radio resource management (RRM) relaxation, etc.). In an example,
the wireless device may initiate the random access process while
the wireless device is in an RRC connected state. In an example,
the wireless device may initiate the random access process while
the wireless device is in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive
state. In an example, the wireless device may initiate the random
access process for transitioning from an RRC idle state or an RRC
inactive state to an RRC connected state. In an example, the
wireless device may receive system information (e.g., via one or
more broadcast messages) indicating a plurality of random access
resources and/or a plurality of random access preambles. The random
access process may be initiated by transmitting a random access
preamble (e.g., from the plurality of random access resources) via
a random access resource (e.g., of the plurality of random access
resources).
[0267] The wireless device may transmit or receive one or more
random access messages for the random access process. The wireless
device may transmit a first random access message and may receive a
second random access message during the random access process. The
transmission of the first random access message may be before or
after the reception of the second message. The second random access
message may comprise scheduling information for transmission of a
transport block and the transport block may be scheduled by the
second random access message. At least one of the first random
access message and the transport block, scheduled by the second
random access message may indicate that the wireless device is of
the first type. The transmission of the transport block may be
during the random access process or after the random access process
is completed.
[0268] In an example, the first random access message may be a Msg1
in a four step random access process or a Msg A in a two-step
random access process. For example, a random access preamble or a
random access resource used for transmission of the random access
preamble may indicate that the wireless device is of a first type.
For example, the association/mapping between a random access
preamble or a random access resource used for transmission of the
random access preamble and the wireless device type (e.g., wireless
device with reduced capability or wireless device that is not with
reduced capability) may be indicated by one or more RRC messages
(e.g., based on one or more RRC parameters of the one or more RRC
messages) or one or more system information indicated by one or
more broadcast messages (e.g., a MIB or a SIB). The wireless device
may receive the one or more RRC messages or the one or more
broadcast messages and may determine the random access resources
and/or the random access preambles associated with and indicating
the wireless devices of the first type. The wireless device may use
a random access resource/preamble from the random access
resources/preambles associated with/indicating that the wireless
device is of the first type and may transmit the Msg1/MsgA based on
the random access resource/preamble.
[0269] In an example, the wireless device may receive system
information (e.g., via one or more broadcast messages) and/or
configuration parameters (e.g., via one or more RRC messages)
indicating a first plurality of random access resources and/or a
first plurality of random access preambles are associated with
wireless devices of a first type (e.g., reduced capability wireless
device). The wireless device may transmit a first random access
preamble (e.g., from the first plurality of random access
preambles) via a first random access resource (e.g., from the first
plurality of random access resources) indicating that the wireless
device is of the first type (e.g., reduced capability).
[0270] In an example, in response to transmitting the Msg1/MsgA
indicating that the wireless device is of the first type (e.g.,
reduced capability), the wireless device may receive a random
access response (RAR). The RAR may indicate that the wireless
device is allowed access or is not barred from accessing/camping on
a first cell. In an example, receiving the RAR may indicate that
the wireless device of the first type (e.g., reduced capability) is
allowed access or is not barred from accessing/camping on the first
cell. In an example example, a value of an RNTI (e.g., a temporary
C-RNTI) that is included in the RAR may be based on the wireless
device being of the first type (e.g., reduced capability).
[0271] In an example, the first random access message may be a Msg3
in a four step random access process. For example, the Msg3 may
comprise an identity of the wireless device indicating that the
wireless device is of the first type. The wireless device may
receive a contention resolution MAC CE comprising the identity of
the wireless device. The reception of the contention resolution MAC
CE comprising the wireless device identity may indicate that the
wireless devices of the first type is allowed access and/or is not
barred from accessing/camping on the first cell.
[0272] In an example, the second random access message may be the
RAR. The RAR may comprise scheduling information for transmission
of the transport block that comprises Msg3. The Msg 3 may comprise
an identity of the wireless device indicating that the wireless
device is of the first type. The wireless device may receive a
contention resolution MAC CE comprising the identity of the
wireless device. The reception of the contention resolution MAC CE
comprising the wireless device identity may indicate that the
wireless devices of the first type is allowed access and/or is not
barred from accessing/camping on the first cell.
[0273] In an example, the wireless device may receive system
information (e.g., via one or more broadcast messages, e.g., a MIB)
indicating parameters of a first CORESET and a second CORESET. The
first CORESET may be for receiving scheduling information for a
first system information block that comprises first system
information associated with wireless devices of the first type
(e.g., with reduced capability). The second CORESET may be for
receiving scheduling information for a second system information
block that comprises second system information associated with
wireless devices that are not of the first type. For example, one
or more first IEs in the system information (e.g., received via
MIB) may indicate the first CORESET and one or more second IEs in
the system information (e.g., received via MIB) may indicate the
second CORESET. For example, an IE in the system information may
indicate the first CORESET and the second CORESET.
[0274] In an example, the wireless device may receive system
information (e.g., via one or more broadcast messages, e.g., a MIB)
indicating parameters of a CORESET. The CORESET may be for
receiving scheduling information for a system information block
that comprises first system information associated with wireless
devices of the first type (e.g., with reduced capability) and
second system information block that comprises second system
information associated with wireless devices that are not of the
first type.
[0275] In an example, the wireless device may receive system
information (e.g., via one or more broadcast messages, e.g., a MIB)
comprising one or more first parameters for/associated with the
wireless devices of a first type (e.g., reduced capability wireless
devices) and one or more second parameters for/associated with the
wireless devices that are not of the first type. In an example, the
one or more first parameters may indicate first random access
parameters and the one or more second parameters may indicate
second random access parameters. In an example, the first random
access parameters may indicate one or more first random access
resources and/or preambles and the one or more second random access
parameters may indicate one or more second random access resources
and/or preambles.
[0276] In accordance with various exemplary embodiments in the
present disclosure, a device (e.g., a wireless device, a base
station and/or alike) may include one or more processors and may
include memory that may store instructions. The instructions, when
executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform
actions as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described
in the specification. The order of events or actions, as shown in a
flow chart of this disclosure, may occur and/or may be performed in
any logically coherent order. In some examples, at least two of the
events or actions shown may occur or may be performed at least in
part simultaneously and/or in parallel. In some examples, one or
more additional events or actions may occur or may be performed
prior to, after, or in between the events or actions shown in the
flow charts of the present disclosure.
[0277] FIG. 35 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure. At 3510,
a wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more
broadcast messages comprising system information indicating that a
first type of wireless device is barred from accessing or camping
on a first cell. At 3520, the wireless device may determine, based
on the system information and based on the wireless device not
being of the first type, that the wireless device is not barred
from accessing or camping on the first cell. At 3530, the wireless
device may transmit to the base station, a random access preamble,
via the first cell, for accessing or camping on the first cell.
[0278] In an example embodiment, the first type of the wireless
device may be a reduced capability wireless device.
[0279] In an example embodiment, the one or more broadcast
messages, received at 3510, may comprise at least one of a master
information block and a system information block.
[0280] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may be in a
radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state.
The transmitting the random access preamble, at 3530, may be for
transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state to
an RRC connected state.
[0281] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may determine
random access resources based on the system information received at
3510. The transmitting the random access preamble, at 3530, may be
via a first random access resource of the random access resources.
In an example embodiment, the system information, received at 3510,
may comprise random access configuration parameters indicating the
random access resources.
[0282] In an example embodiment, the system information, received
at 3510, may comprise a parameter with a first value. The first
value of the parameter may indicate that the first type of wireless
device is barred from accessing or camping on the first cell. In an
example embodiment, a second value of the parameter may indicate
that the first type of wireless device is not barred from accessing
or camping on the first cell. In an example embodiment, a third
value of the parameter may indicate that a wireless device is
barred from accessing or camping on the first cell irrespective of
a wireless device type.
[0283] FIG. 36 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure. At 3610,
a wireless device may receive one or more broadcast messages
comprising system information indicating that: a first type of
wireless device is barred from accessing or camping on a first
cell; and the first type of wireless device is not barred from
accessing or camping on a second cell. At 3620, the wireless may
determine, based on the system information and based on the
wireless device being of the first type: not to access or camp on
the first cell; and to access or camp on the second cell. At 3630,
the wireless device may transmit a random access preamble, via the
second cell, for accessing or camping on the second cell.
[0284] In an example embodiment, the first type of wireless device
may be a reduced capability wireless device.
[0285] In an example embodiment, the one or more broadcast
messages, received at 3610, may comprise at least one of a master
information block and a system information block.
[0286] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may be in a
radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state.
The transmitting the random access preamble, at 3630, may be for
transitioning from the RRC idle state or the RRC inactive state to
an RRC connected state.
[0287] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may determine
random access resources based on the system information received at
3610. The transmitting the random access preamble, at 3630, may be
via a first random access resource of the random access resources.
In an example, the system information, received at 3610, may
comprise random access configuration parameters indicating the
random access resources.
[0288] In an example embodiment, the system information, received
at 3610, may comprise a parameter with a first value, the first
value of the parameter indicating that the first type of wireless
device is barred from accessing or camping on the first cell. In an
example embodiment, a second value of the parameter may indicate
that the first type of wireless device is not barred from accessing
or camping on the first cell. In an example, a third value of the
parameter may indicate that a wireless device is barred from
accessing or camping on the first cell irrespective of a wireless
device type.
[0289] In an example embodiment, the first cell and the second cell
may be provided by a first base station.
[0290] In an example embodiment, the first cell may be provided by
a first base station; and the second cell may be provided by a
second base station.
[0291] FIG. 37 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure. At 3710,
a wireless device may receive one or more messages comprising one
or more first access barring parameters associated with at least
one of a first access category and a first access identity. The at
least one of the first access category and the first access
identity may be associated with a wireless device with reduced
capability. The one or more first access barring parameters may be
used in an access control procedure. At 3720, the wireless device
may perform a first access barring check based on the one or more
first access barring parameters and based on the access control
procedure. At 3730, the wireless device may determine whether an
access attempt is barred or allowed based on the access barring
check.
[0292] In an example embodiment, the one or more first access
barring parameters, received at 3710, may comprise at least one of:
an access barring factor parameter; and a barring time parameter.
In an example embodiment, the access barring factor parameter may
indicate a probability that the access attempt is allowed based on
the first access barring check. The barring time parameter may
indicate a time duration to a second access attempt after a first
access attempt, based on the first access barring check, being
barred.
[0293] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may be of a
reduced capability type. The performing the first access barring
check based on the one or more first access barring parameters, at
3720, may be based on the wireless device being of the reduced
capability type.
[0294] In an example embodiment, the one or more access barring
parameters, received at 3710, may be specific to a first public
land mobile network.
[0295] In an example embodiment, the one or more messages, received
at 3710, may comprise a plurality of access barring parameters,
comprising the one or more first access barring parameters,
associated with a plurality of access categories comprising the
first access category.
[0296] In an example embodiment, the one or more messages, received
at 3710, may comprise one or more broadcast messages. In an example
embodiment, the one or more broadcast messages may comprise at
least one of a master information block and a system information
block.
[0297] In an example embodiment, the first access identity may be
one of a plurality of access identities associated with the first
access category. The first parameter, of the one or more first
access barring parameters, may comprise a plurality of bits. A
first bit, of the plurality of bits, may be associated with the
first access identity. A value of the first bit may indicate
whether access attempt is allowed for the first access
identity.
[0298] FIG. 38 shows an example flow diagram in accordance with
several of various embodiments of the present disclosure. At 3810,
a wireless device may initiate a random access process. The
wireless device may be of a first type. At 3820, the wireless
device may transmit a first random access message, of the random
access process, and a uplink transport block scheduled by a second
random access message of the random access process. At least one of
the first random access message and the uplink transport block
scheduled by the second random access message may indicate that the
wireless device is of the first type.
[0299] In an example embodiment, the first type may be a reduced
capability wireless device.
[0300] In an example embodiment, the first random access message,
of the random access process initiated at 3810, may be a message
one (Msg1) in a four-step random access process. In an example
embodiment, at least one of a random access preamble and a random
access resource used for transmission of the random access
preamble, of the random access process initiated at 3810, may
indicate that the wireless device is of a the first type. In an
example embodiment, the wireless device may receive a random access
response based on the wireless device being allowed on a first
cell. In an example embodiment, the random access response may
comprise a radio network temporary identifier. A value of the radio
network temporary identifier may be based on the wireless device
being the first type wireless device.
[0301] In an example embodiment, the first random access message,
initiated at 3810, may be a message three (Msg3) in a four-step
random access process. In an example, the Msg3 may comprise an
identity of the wireless device. The identity may indicate that the
wireless device is of the first type. In an example embodiment, the
wireless device may receive a control element indicating whether
the wireless device is allowed or barred on a first cell. In an
example embodiment, the control element may be a contention
resolution control element. The contention resolution control
element may comprise an identity of the wireless device indicating
that the wireless device is allowed on the first cell.
[0302] In an example embodiment, the transport block, transmitted
at 3820, may be used for transmission of a Msg3 of the random
access process.
[0303] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may receive
system information indicating a plurality of random access
resources. The random access process, initiated at 3810, may
comprise transmitting a first random access preamble via a first
resource of the plurality of random access resources. In an example
embodiment, the system information may indicate that a first
plurality of random access resources, of the plurality of random
access resources, are associated with the first type of wireless
device. The first random access resource may be of the first
plurality of random access resources.
[0304] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may receive
system information indicating that a first plurality of random
access preambles are associated with the first type of wireless
device. The random access process, initiated at 3810, may comprise
transmitting a first random access preamble of the first plurality
of random access preambles.
[0305] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may receive
system information indicating: a first control resource set
(COREST) for receiving scheduling information of a first system
information block comprising first information for first type
wireless devices; and a second CORESET for receiving scheduling
information of a second system information block comprising second
information for wireless devices that are not first type wireless
devices. In an example embodiment, the system information may
comprise a first information element indicating the first CORESET;
and a second information element indicating the second CORESET. In
an example embodiment, the system information may comprise an
information element indicating the first CORESET and the second
CORESET.
[0306] In an example embodiment, the wireless device may receive
system information comprising: one or more first parameters for
wireless devices of the first type; and one or more second
parameters for wireless devices that are not of the first type. In
an example embodiment, the one or more first parameters may
indicate first random access parameters; and the one or more second
parameters indicate second random access parameters. In an example
embodiment, the first random access parameters indicate first
random access resources or first random access preambles; and the
second random access parameters indicate second random access
resources or second random access preambles.
[0307] Various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology
are presented as example implementations and/or practices of the
disclosed technology. The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein
are not intended to limit the scope. Persons of ordinary skill in
the art will appreciate that various changes can be made to the
disclosed embodiments without departure from the scope. After
studying the exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology,
alternative aspects, features and/or embodiments will become
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Without departing
from the scope, various elements or features from the exemplary
embodiments may be combined to create additional embodiments. The
exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the drawings.
The figures and the flowcharts that demonstrate the benefits and/or
functions of various aspects of the disclosed technology are
presented for illustration purposes only. The disclosed technology
can be flexibly configured and/or reconfigured such that one or
more elements of the disclosed embodiments may be employed in
alternative ways. For example, an element may be optionally used in
some embodiments or the order of actions listed in a flowchart may
be changed without departure from the scope.
[0308] An example embodiment of the disclosed technology may be
configured to be performed when deemed necessary, for example,
based on one or more conditions in a wireless device, a base
station, a radio and/or core network configuration, a combination
thereof and/or alike. For example, an example embodiment may be
performed when the one or more conditions are met. Example one or
more conditions may be one or more configurations of the wireless
device and/or base station, traffic load and/or type, service type,
battery power, a combination of thereof and/or alike. In some
scenarios and based on the one or more conditions, one or more
features of an example embodiment may be implemented
selectively.
[0309] In this disclosure, the articles "a" and "an" used before a
group of one or more words are to be understood as "at least one"
or "one or more" of what the group of the one or more words
indicate. The use of the term "may" before a phrase is to be
understood as indicating that the phrase is an example of one of a
plurality of useful alternatives that may be employed in an
embodiment in this disclosure.
[0310] In this disclosure, an element may be described using the
terms "comprises", "includes" or "consists of" in combination with
a list of one or more components. Using the terms "comprises" or
"includes" indicates that the one or more components are not an
exhaustive list for the description of the element and do not
exclude components other than the one or more components. Using the
term "consists of" indicates that the one or more components is a
complete list for description of the element. In this disclosure,
the term "based on" is intended to mean "based at least in part
on". The term "based on" is not intended to mean "based only on".
In this disclosure, the term "and/or" used in a list of elements
indicates any possible combination of the listed elements. For
example, "X, Y, and/or Z" indicates X; Y; Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y
and Z; or X, Y, and Z.
[0311] Some elements in this disclosure may be described by using
the term "may" in combination with a plurality of features. For
brevity and ease of description, this disclosure may not include
all possible permutations of the plurality of features. By using
the term "may" in combination with the plurality of features, it is
to be understood that all permutations of the plurality of features
are being disclosed. For example, by using the term "may" for
description of an element with four possible features, the element
is being described for all fifteen permutations of the four
possible features. The fifteen permutations include one permutation
with all four possible features, four permutations with any three
features of the four possible features, six permutations with any
two features of the four possible features and four permutations
with any one feature of the four possible features.
[0312] Although mathematically a set may be an empty set, the term
set used in this disclosure is a nonempty set. Set B is a subset of
set A if every element of set B is in set A. Although
mathematically a set has an empty subset, a subset of a set is to
be interpreted as a non-empty subset in this disclosure. For
example, for set A={subcarrier1, subcarrier2}, the subsets are
{subcarrier1}, {subcarrier2} and {subcarrier1, subcarrier2}.
[0313] In this disclosure, the phrase "based on" may be used
equally with "based at least on" and what follows "based on" or
"based at least on" indicates an example of one of plurality of
useful alternatives that may be used in an embodiment in this
disclosure. The phrase "in response to" may be used equally with
"in response at least to" and what follows "in response to" or "in
response at least to" indicates an example of one of plurality of
useful alternatives that may be used in an embodiment in this
disclosure. The phrase "depending on" may be used equally with
"depending at least on" and what follows "depending on" or
"depending at least on" indicates an example of one of plurality of
useful alternatives that may be used in an embodiment in this
disclosure. The phrases "employing" and "using" and "employing at
least" and "using at least" may be used equally in this in this
disclosure and what follows "employing" or "using" or "employing at
least" or "using at least" indicates an example of one of plurality
of useful alternatives that may be used in an embodiment in this
disclosure.
[0314] The example embodiments disclosed in this disclosure may be
implemented using a modular architecture comprising a plurality of
modules. A module may be defined in terms of one or more functions
and may be connected to one or more other elements and/or modules.
A module may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, one or
more biological elements (e.g., an organic computing device and/or
a neurocomputer) and/or a combination thereof and/or alike. Example
implementations of a module may be as software code configured to
be executed by hardware and/or a modeling and simulation program
that may be coupled with hardware. In an example, a module may be
implemented using general-purpose or special-purpose processors,
digital signal processors (DSPs), microprocessors,
microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs),
programmable logic devices (PLDs) and/or alike. The hardware may be
programmed using machine language, assembly language, high-level
language (e.g., Python, FORTRAN, C, C++ or the like) and/or alike.
In an example, the function of a module may be achieved by using a
combination of the mentioned implementation methods.
* * * * *