Patent Application
20240064770
The present disclosure relates to updating Transmission/Configuration Indicator states and, more specifically, utilization of Downlink Control Information (DCI) to update a list of activated DL TCI states and/or UL TCI states.
The Fifth Generation (5G) mobile wireless communication system or New Radio (NR) supports a diverse set of use cases and a diverse set of deployment scenarios.
NR uses Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), or CP-OFDM, in the downlink (i.e., from a network node, gNB, eNB, or base station, to a user equipment or UE) and both CP-OFDM and Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT)-spread OFDM, or DFT-S-OFDM, in the uplink (i.e., from UE to gNB). In the time domain, NR downlink and uplink physical resources are organized into equally-sized subframes of 1 millisecond (ms) each. A subframe is further divided into multiple slots of equal duration.
The slot length depends on subcarrier spacing. For subcarrier spacing of Δf=15 kHz, there is only one slot per subframe and each slot always consists of 14 OFDM symbols, irrespectively of the subcarrier spacing.
Typical data scheduling in NR are per slot basis. An example is shown in
Different subcarrier spacing values are supported in NR. The supported subcarrier spacing values (also referred to as different numerologies) are given by Δf=(15×2α) kHz where a is a non-negative integer. Δf=15 kHz is the basic subcarrier spacing that is also used in Long Term Evolution (LTE). The slot durations at different subcarrier spacings are shown in Table 1.
In the frequency-domain physical resource definition, a system bandwidth is divided into Resource Blocks (RBs), each corresponding to twelve contiguous subcarriers. The Common RBs (CRBs) are numbered starting with 0 from one end of the system bandwidth. The UE is configured with one or up to four bandwidth parts (BWPs), which may be a subset of the RBs supported on a carrier. Hence, a BWP may start at a CRB larger than zero. All configured BWPs have a common reference, which is the CRB 0. Hence, a UE can be configured a narrow BWP (e.g., 10 Megahertz (MHz)) and a wide BWP (e.g., 100 MHz), but only one BWP can be active for the UE at a given point in time. The Physical RBs (PRB) are numbered from 0 to N−1 within a BWP, but note that the 0:th PRB of a BWP may be the K:th CRB where K>0.
Downlink transmissions can be dynamically scheduled, i.e., in each slot the gNB transmits Downlink Control Information (DCI) over PDCCH about which UE data is to be transmitted to and which RBs in the current downlink slot the data is transmitted on. PDCCH is typically transmitted in the first one or two OFDM symbols in each slot in NR. The UE data is carried on PDSCH. A UE first detects and decodes PDCCH and, if the decoding is successful, it then decodes the corresponding PDSCH based on the decoded DCI in the PDCCH.
Uplink data transmission can also be dynamically scheduled using PDCCH. Similar to downlink, a UE first decodes uplink grants in PDCCH and then transmits data over PUSCH based the decoded control information in the uplink grant such as modulation order, coding rate, uplink resource allocation, etc.
In NR, several signals can be transmitted from different antenna ports of a same base station. These signals can have the same large-scale properties such as Doppler shift/spread, average delay spread, or average delay. These antenna ports are then said to be Quasi Co-Located (QCL).
If the UE knows that two antenna ports are QCL with respect to a certain parameter (e.g., Doppler spread), the UE can estimate that parameter based on one of the antenna ports and apply that estimate for receiving signal on the other antenna port.
For example, there may be a QCL relation between a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for Tracking RS (TRS) and the PDSCH Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS). When UE receives the PDSCH DMRS, the UE can use the measurements already made on the TRS to assist the DMRS reception.
Information about what assumptions can be made regarding QCL is signaled to the UE from the network. In NR, four types of QCL relations between a transmitted source RS and transmitted target RS were defined:
QCL type D was introduced to facilitate beam management with analog beamforming and is known as spatial QCL. There is currently no strict definition of spatial QCL, but the understanding is that if two transmitted antenna ports are spatially QCL, the UE can use the same receive (Rx) beam to receive them. This is helpful for a UE that uses analog beamforming to receive signals, since the UE needs to adjust its Rx beam in some direction prior to receiving a certain signal. If the UE knows that the signal is spatially QCL with some other signal it has received earlier, then it can safely use the same Rx beam to also receive this signal. Note that for beam management, the discussion mostly revolves around QCL Type D, but it is also necessary to convey a Type A QCL relation for the RSs to the UE, so that it can estimate all the relevant large-scale parameters.
Typically, this is achieved by configuring the UE with a CSI-RS for tracking (TRS) for time/frequency offset estimation. To be able to use any QCL reference, the UE would have to receive it with a sufficiently good Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR). In many cases, this means that the TRS must be transmitted in a suitable beam to a certain UE.
To introduce dynamics in beam and Transmission and Reception point (TRP) selection, the UE can be configured through Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling with up to 128 Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) states.
Each TCI state contains QCL information related to one or two RSs. For example, a TCI state may contain CSI-RS1 associated with QCL Type A and CSI-RS2 associated with QCL TypeD. If a third RS, e.g. the PDCCH DMRS, has this TCI state as QCL source, it means that the UE can derive Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread from CSI-RS1 and Spatial Rx parameter (i.e., the RX beam to use) from CSI-RS2 when performing the channel estimation for the PDCCH DMRS.
A first list of available TCI states is configured for PDSCH, and a second list of TCI states is configured for PDCCH. Each TCI state contains a pointer, known as TCI State ID, which points to the TCI state. The network then activates, via a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), one TCI state for PDCCH (i.e., provides a TCI for PDCCH) and up to eight TCI states for PDSCH. The number of active TCI states that the UE supports is a UE capability, but the maximum in the current NR specifications is eight.
Assume a UE has four activated TCI states (from a list of 64 configured TCI states). Hence, sixty TCI states are inactive for this particular UE, and the UE needs not be prepared to have large scale parameters estimated for those inactive TCI states. But the UE continuously tracks and updates the large-scale parameters for the RSs in the four active TCI states. When scheduling a PDSCH to a UE, the DCI contains a pointer to one activated TCI state. The UE then knows which large-scale parameter estimate to use when performing PDSCH DMRS channel estimation and thus PDSCH demodulation.
As long as the UE can use any of the currently activated TCI states, it is sufficient to use DCI signaling. However, at some point in time, none of the RSs in the currently activated TCI states can be received by the UE, i.e., when the UE moves out of the beams in which the RSs in the activated TCI states are transmitted. When this happens (or actually before this happens), the gNB would have to activate new TCI states. Typically, since the number of activated TCI states is fixed, the gNB would also have to deactivate one or more of the currently activated TCI states.
Now the details of the MAC CE signaling that is used to activate/deactivate TCI states for UE specific PDSCH are provided.
As shown in
Note that the TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE is identified by a MAC PDU subheader with Logical Channel ID (LCID) as specified in Table 6.2.1-1 of 3GPP TS 38.321, NR; MAC protocol specification, V16.0.0 (04-2020). The MAC CE for Activation/Deactivation of TCI States for UE-specific PDSCH has variable size.
The gNB can use DCI format 1_1 or 1_2 to indicate to the UE that it shall use one of the activated TCI states for the subsequent PDSCH reception. The field being used in the DCI is Transmission configuration indication, which is 3 bits if td-PresentInDCI is “enabled” or td-PresentForDCI-Format1-2-r16 is present respectively for DCI format 1_1 and DCI 1_2 by higher layer.
DCI code point 0 indicates the first TCI state index in the list of TCI states, DCI code point 1 indicates the second TCI state index in the list, and so on.
Explicitly activating one or a group of TCI states using DCI is known.
In NR Release 16, a multi-TRP (multiple-transmission reception point) operation was specified and it has two modes of operation, single DCI based multi-TRP and multiple DCI based multi-TRP.
In NR Release 16, multiple DCI scheduling is for multi-TRP in which a UE may receive two DCIs each scheduling a PDSCH/PUSCH. Each PDCCH and PDSCH are transmitted from the same TRP.
For multi-DCI multi-TRP operation, a UE needs to be configured with two CORESET pools, each associated with a TRP. Each CORESET pool is a collection of CORESETs that belongs to the same CORESET pool. A CORESET pool index can be configured in each CORESET with a value of 0 or 1. For the two DCIs in the above example, they are transmitted in two CORESETs belonging to different CORESET pools (i.e., with CORESETPoolIndex 0 and 1 respectively). For each CORESET Pool, the same TCI state operation method in terms of activation/deactivation/indication is used as is described above for single TRP operation.
The other multi-TRP mode, single DCI based multi-TRP, needs two DL TCI states to be associated to one DCI codepoint. That is, when a TCI field codepoint in DCI indicates two TCI states, each TCI state corresponding to a different beam or different TRP. The activation and mapping of 2 TCI states for a codepoint in the TCI field of DCI is done with the below MAC CE from 3GPP TS 38.321:
6.1.3.24 Enhanced TC1 States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE The Enhanced TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE is identified by a MAC PDU subheader with eLCID as specified in Table 6.2.1-1b. It has a variable size consisting of following fields:
In NR Rel-17, Inter-cell multi-TRP operation is to be specified. This is an extension of either single DCI based multi-TRP or multiple DCI based multi-TRP operation of Release 16. The intercell aspect of Rel-17 refers to the case when the two TRPs are associated to different SSBs associated with different PCIs (Physical Cell IDs). That is, the TCI state that refers to transmission from TRP 1 or TRP 2 is quasi-collocated to a reference signal that is either one of the SSB beams with the PCI belonging to that TRP, or another reference signal like CSI-RS or DMRS that has root quasi-collocation assumption to one of the SSB beams with PCI belonging to that TRP.
Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless communication device (WCD) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, from a network node, Downlink Control Information (DCI) that comprises information indicates one or more Transmission/Configuration Indicator (TCI) states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more Downlink (DL) TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more Uplink (UL) TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The method further comprises updating a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, based on the received DCI. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure may speed up and simplify TCI state selection for DL channels/signals and/or UL channels/signals, since MAC CE based signaling can be avoided.
In one embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are to be mapped to a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprises a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state, and the DCI includes a first field for indication of a DL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD and a second field for indication of an UL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD. In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state are to be mapped. In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates a first one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state is to be mapped and a fourth field that comprises information that indicates a second one of plurality of codepoints of the TCI field to which the UL TCI state is to be mapped.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states. In one embodiment, the two or more groups of TCI states are configured by the network.
In one embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states. In another embodiment, a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field. In another embodiment, the WCD maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools. In another embodiment, the WCD maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs) and/or Physical Cell IDs (PCIs).
Corresponding embodiments of a WCD are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a WCD is adapted to receive, from a network node, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The WCD is further adapted to update a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, based on the received DCI.
In another embodiment, the WCD comprises one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to cause the WCD to receive, from a network node, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the WCD to update a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, based on the received DCI.
Embodiments of a method performed by a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises sending, to a WCD, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD.
In some embodiments, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state. In some embodiments, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
In some embodiments, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are to be mapped to a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints.
In some embodiments, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD, the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped
In some embodiments, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprises a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state, and the DCI comprises a first field for indication of a DL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD and a second field for indication of an UL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the UL TCI state to be activated at the WCD.
In some embodiments, the DCI further comprises a third field that comprises information that indicates one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state are to be mapped.
In some embodiments, the DCI further comprises a third field that comprises information that indicates a first one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state is to be mapped and a fourth field that comprises information that indicates a second one of plurality of codepoints of the TCI field to which the UL TCI state is to be mapped.
In some embodiments, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD is one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states.
In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, from a network node, information that configures the two or more groups of TCI states
In some embodiments, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
In some embodiments, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
In some embodiments, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
In some embodiments, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
In some embodiments, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field.
In some embodiments, the WCD maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools.
In some embodiments, the WCD maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more SSBs and/or PCIs.
Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a network node is adapted to send, to a WCD, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD.
In another embodiment, a network node comprises one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to cause the network node to send, to a WCD, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure.
Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” is either a radio access node or a wireless communication device.
Radio Access Node: As used herein, a “radio access node” or “radio network node” or “radio access network node” is any node in a Radio Access Network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that operates to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signals. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., a New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) NR network or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a home eNB, or the like), a relay node, a network node that implements part of the functionality of a base station (e.g., a network node that implements a gNB Central Unit (gNB-CU) or a network node that implements a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU)) or a network node that implements part of the functionality of some other type of radio access node.
Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network or any node that implements a core network function. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or the like. Some other examples of a core network node include a node implementing an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a User Plane Function (UPF), a Session Management Function (SMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), a Network Exposure Function (NEF), a Network Function (NF) Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), or the like.
Communication Device: As used herein, a “communication device” is any type of device that has access to an access network. Some examples of a communication device include, but are not limited to: mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or Personal Computer (PC). The communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless or wireline connection.
Wireless Communication Device: One type of communication device is a wireless communication device, which may be any type of wireless device that has access to (i.e., is served by) a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network). Some examples of a wireless communication device include, but are not limited to: a User Equipment device (UE) in a 3GPP network, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, and an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Such wireless communication devices may be, or may be integrated into, a mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or PC. The wireless communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless connection.
Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the RAN or the core network of a cellular communications network/system.
Transmission/Reception Point (TRP): In some embodiments, a TRP may be either a network node, a radio head, a spatial relation, or a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state. A TRP may be represented by a spatial relation or a TCI state in some embodiments. In some embodiments, a TRP may be using multiple TCI states.
Note that the description given herein focuses on a 3GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is oftentimes used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system.
Note that, in the description herein, reference may be made to the term “cell”; however, particularly with respect to 5G NR concepts, beams may be used instead of cells and, as such, it is important to note that the concepts described herein are equally applicable to both cells and beams.
In 3GPP Rel-17, a new enhanced TCI state framework will be specified. Specifically, in 3GPP Technical Specification Group (TSG) RAN WG1 e-meeting RAN1 #103-e, it was agreed that the new TCI state framework should include a three stage TCI state indication (in a similar way as was described above for PDSCH) for all or a subset of all DL and/or UL channels/signals. In the first stage, RRC is used to configure a pool of TCI states. In the second stage, one or more of the RRC configured TCI states are activated via MAC-CE signaling. Finally, in the third stage, DCI signaling is used to select one of the TCI states that was activated via MAC-CE. The TCI states used for DL channels/signals and UL channels/signals, can either be taken from the same pool of TCI states or from separate respective pools of TCI states. It is also possible that two separate lists of activated TCI states are used, one for DL channels/signals and one for UL channels/signals.
Some agreements from the RAN1 #103-e meeting is copied below:
On beam indication signaling medium to support joint or separate DL/UL beam indication in Rel.17 unified TCI framework:
On Rel-17 unified TCI framework, to accommodate the case of separate beam indication for UL and DL:
There currently exist certain challenge(s). Frequently updating the list of activated TCI states with MAC-CE will increase the latency and overhead for high mobility UEs. In the Prior Application, a method describing how to update the list of activated TCI states using DCI was disclosed. However, the method in the Prior Application does not describe how to update the activated TCI when having two separate lists of activated TCI states, i.e., one with DL TCI states and one with UL TCI states. Hence, how to use DCI to update the list(s) of activated DL and UL TCI states is still an open issue that needs to be solved.
Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. Systems and methods are disclosed herein that provide a signaling framework for updating the list of activated TCI states using DCI, where the activated TCI states can be DL TCI states and/or UL TCI states. Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Embodiments of the present disclosure may speed up and simplify TCI state selection for DL channels/signals and/or UL channels/signals, since MAC CE based signaling can be avoided.
There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which address one or more of the issues disclosed herein. Embodiments of a method performed by a wireless communication device (WCD) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving, from a network node, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The method further comprises updating a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, based on the received DCI.
In one embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are to be mapped to (i.e., applied to) a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped (i.e., to be applied).
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 comprises a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state, and the DCI includes a first field for indication of a DL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD 712 and a second field for indication of an UL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD 712. In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state are to be applied (i.e., to be mapped). In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates a first one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state is to be applied (i.e., to be mapped) and a fourth field that comprises information that indicates a second one of plurality of codepoints of the TCI field to which the UL TCI state is to be applied (i.e., to be mapped).
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information (e.g., a group index) that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states. In one embodiment, the two or more groups of TCI states are configured by the network (e.g., by the WCD 712 receiving information that configures the two or more groups of TCI states, e.g., from the network node 1800).
In one embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states. In another embodiment, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field. In another embodiment, the WCD 712 maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools. In another embodiment, the WCD 712 maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more SSBs and/or PCIs.
The WCD 712 updates a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD 712, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD 712, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD 712 based on the received DCI (step 18006). In other words, the WCD 712 replaces the previously activated UL and/or DL TCI states for particular codepoint(s) of the TCI field with the UL and/or DL TCI states indicated by the DCI of step 18004.
The WCD 712 may also receive a DCI that includes the TCI field set to a particular codepoint (step 18008) and uses the UL and/or DL TCI state(s) mapped to that codepoint for UL transmission and/or DL reception (step 18010). Note that the indication of the activated UL and/or DL TCI state(s) to use may, rather than being received in a separate DCI of 18008, be included in the DCI of step 18004.
Corresponding embodiments of a WCD are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a WCD is adapted to receive, from a network node, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The WCD is further adapted to update a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD, based on the received DCI.
Embodiments of a method performed by a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises sending, to a WCD, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD.
Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a network node is adapted to send, to a WCD, DCI that comprises information indicates one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD. The one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD comprise one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD.
The base stations 702 and the low power nodes 706 provide service to wireless communication devices (WCDs) 712-1 through 712-5 in the corresponding cells 704 and 708. The WCDs 712-1 through 712-5 are generally referred to herein collectively as WCDs 712 and individually as WCD 712. In the following description, the WCDs 712 are oftentimes UEs, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Now, embodiments of a signaling framework for updating the list of activated TCI states using DCI, where the activated TCI states can be DL TCI states and/or UL TCI states, will be described.
There are two possible implementations when using DCI to select one activated DL TCI state and/or one activated UL TCI states. In one option, there is a joint list of activated DL TCI states and UL TCI states where both the activated DL TCI states and activated UL TCI states are associated to the same list of DCI codepoints. An example is provided in
Returning to
The embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the first option described in
Returning to
In one embodiment, for each signaled TCI state index to be activated, an additional bitfield indicates if the TCI state index is an DL TCI state index or an UL TCI state index, as schematically illustrated in the examples of
In one embodiment, the TCI state index indicated in DCI is used to update both the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state of a codepoint, as schematically illustrated in the example of
In one embodiment, the codepoint which the TCI state activation should be applied to is explicitly signaled in the DCI, as schematically illustrated in
In one embodiment, the DCI contains two bitfields for TCI state activation, one that contains the DL TCI state index to be activated and one that contains the UL TCI state index to be activated, as schematically illustrated in
In one embodiment, the DCI contains two bitfields for TCI state activation (one for DL TCI state and one for UL TCI states as described above) and an additional bitfield that explicitly indicate for which codepoint the TCI state activation should apply to, as schematically illustrated in
In one embodiment, the DCI contains two bitfields for TCI state activation (one for DL TCI state and one for UL TCI states as described above) and two additional bitfields that explicitly indicate for which codepoint the TCI state activation should apply to for respective DL TCI state and UL TCI state, as schematically illustrated in
In another set of embodiments, the DCI is used to activate a group of DL and/or UL TCI states. In one embodiment, an indicator in DCI points to a predefined group of DL and/or UL TCI states. When such a DCI indication is received by the WCD 712 (e.g., UE), all the DL and/or UL TCI states in the indicated group of DL and/or UL TCI states are activated, and all the previously activated DL and/or UL TCI states are deactivated.
In one embodiment, the group of DL and/or UL TCI states may be configured, e.g., in higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling). In one case, each TCI state may be configured with a DL and/or UL TCI state group index. The maximum number of groups may be configurable, defined in specifications, and/or be based on WCD capability. In another alternative case, the DL and/or UL TCI state groups may be configured as different lists, e.g., in higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling). Each group may consist of a first list of DL TCI state indices and a second list of UL TCI state indices.
Note that some of the above embodiments only contain a maximum of one activated DL TCI state and/or UL TCI state per DCI. However, these embodiments can easily be extended to include activation of multiple DL TCI states and/or multiple UL TCI states per DCI.
The DCI format used to update the list of activated TCI states can either be an old DCI format (e.g., DCI format 1_1 or 1_2) with new additional bitfield(s), or an old DCI format with a new RNTI or a new DCI format.
In one embodiment, it is pre-specified or configured (e.g., RRC configured) which DCI format(s) that are linked to activation of DL TCI states and UL TCI states. For example, DCI format 1_1 and 1_2 are always used to activate a DL TCI states, and DCI formats 0_1 and 0_2 are always used to activate an UL TCI states. In this way, there is no need for the extra bitfield indicating if the TCI state index refers to an activation of a DL TCI state/UL TCI state or both an DL TCI state and an UL TCI state (i.e., “DL and/or UL TCI state” in the above embodiments).
In one embodiment, different RNTIs of a specific DCI format is used to indicate if a TCI state activation should be applied for DL and/or UL TCI states. For example, a DCI format using RNTI_0 is used to activate a DL TCI state and the same DCI format using RNTI_1 is used to activate an UL TCI state.
Note that the DCI activating a DL and/or UL TCI state can also contain a bitfield selecting one of the activated DL and/or UL TCI states.
In another embodiment, there are more than one pairing of UL and DL TCI states in the serving cell configuration. Note that this pairing may refer to any of the above mentioned joint list (see
In another embodiment, if the UE is operating for single DCI based mTRP, one DCI can be used to update different TCI states for both TRPs. Here the options are as follows. There may be a pair of “pairings” which means that, in case of joint DL and UL TCI state list as presented in the very first embodiment above (see
In another embodiment, these TRPs may be associated with different SSB/PCI than the original or main SSB/PCI of the serving cell. This refers to the Release-17 intercell mTRP operation. Even if the WCD 712 is not configured with or does not operate with mTRP, the WCD 712 may have additional SSB/PCIs configured in its serving cell configuration. In either case, these SSB/PCI may have an index and the pairing of DL/UL TCI states may be associated to this index in a similar way as described for the CORESETPoolIndex.
The network node 1800 sends, to the WCD 712, (and the WCD 712 receives) DCI that includes information that indicates one or more TCI states (e.g., one or more of the TCI states configured in step 18000) to be activated at the WCD 712 (step 18004). The one or more TCI states to be activated that are indicated in the DCI include one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, or both one or more DL TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 and one or more UL TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712.
The DCI of step 18004 is in accordance with any of the embodiments described above. As such, the details regarding embodiments of the DCI for indicating DL and/or UL TCI states to be activated provided above are equally applicable here. In one embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further includes information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are to be mapped to (i.e., applied to) a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints. In another embodiment, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712, the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped (i.e., to be applied).
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 comprises a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state, and the DCI includes a first field for indication of a DL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD 712 and a second field for indication of an UL TCI state that comprises a TCI index of the DL TCI state to be activated at the WCD 712. In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state are to be applied (i.e., to be mapped). In one embodiment, the DCI further includes a third field that comprises information that indicates a first one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state is to be applied (i.e., to be mapped) and a fourth field that comprises information that indicates a second one of plurality of codepoints of the TCI field to which the UL TCI state is to be applied (i.e., to be mapped).
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information (e.g., a group index) that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states. In one embodiment, the two or more groups of TCI states are configured by the network (e.g., by the WCD 712 receiving information that configures the two or more groups of TCI states, e.g., from the network node 1800).
In one embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states. In another embodiment, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states. In another embodiment, an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
In one embodiment, the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD 712 comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field. In another embodiment, the WCD 712 maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools. In another embodiment, the WCD 712 maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more SSBs and/or PCIs.
The WCD 712 updates a list of activated DL TCI states at the WCD 712, a list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD 712, or both the list of activated DL TCI states and the list of activated UL TCI states at the WCD 712 based on the received DCI (step 18006). In other words, the WCD 712 replaces the previously activated UL and/or DL TCI states for particular codepoint(s) of the TCI field with the UL and/or DL TCI states indicated by the DCI of step 18004.
The WCD 712 may also receive a DCI that includes the TCI field set to a particular codepoint (step 18008) and uses the UL and/or DL TCI state(s) mapped to that codepoint for UL transmission and/or DL reception (step 18010). Note that the indication of the activated UL and/or DL TCI state(s) to use may, rather than being received in a separate DCI of 18008, be included in the DCI of step 18004.
In this example, functions 2010 of the network node 1800 described herein are implemented at the one or more processing nodes 2000 or distributed across the one or more processing nodes 2000 and the control system 1902 and/or the radio unit(s) 1910 in any desired manner. In some particular embodiments, some or all of the functions 2010 of the network node 1800 described herein are implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in a virtual environment(s) hosted by the processing node(s) 2000. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, additional signaling or communication between the processing node(s) 2000 and the control system 1902 is used in order to carry out at least some of the desired functions 2010. Notably, in some embodiments, the control system 1902 may not be included, in which case the radio unit(s) 1910 communicate directly with the processing node(s) 2000 via an appropriate network interface(s).
In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of the network node 1800 or a node (e.g., a processing node 2000) implementing one or more of the functions 2010 of the network node 1800 in a virtual environment according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).
In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of the WCD 712 according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).
With reference to
The telecommunication network 2400 is itself connected to a host computer 2416, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as processing resources in a server farm. The host computer 2416 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 2418 and 2420 between the telecommunication network 2400 and the host computer 2416 may extend directly from the core network 2404 to the host computer 2416 or may go via an optional intermediate network 2422. The intermediate network 2422 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network 2422, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 2422 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).
The communication system of
Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to
The communication system 2500 further includes a base station 2518 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 2520 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 2502 and with the UE 2514. The hardware 2520 may include a communication interface 2522 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 2500, as well as a radio interface 2524 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 2526 with the UE 2514 located in a coverage area (not shown in
The communication system 2500 further includes the UE 2514 already referred to. The UE's 2514 hardware 2534 may include a radio interface 2536 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 2526 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 2514 is currently located. The hardware 2534 of the UE 2514 further includes processing circuitry 2538, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 2514 further comprises software 2540, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 2514 and executable by the processing circuitry 2538. The software 2540 includes a client application 2542. The client application 2542 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 2514, with the support of the host computer 2502. In the host computer 2502, the executing host application 2512 may communicate with the executing client application 2542 via the OTT connection 2516 terminating at the UE 2514 and the host computer 2502. In providing the service to the user, the client application 2542 may receive request data from the host application 2512 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 2516 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 2542 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.
It is noted that the host computer 2502, the base station 2518, and the UE 2514 illustrated in
In
The wireless connection 2526 between the UE 2514 and the base station 2518 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 2514 using the OTT connection 2516, in which the wireless connection 2526 forms the last segment.
A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2516 between the host computer 2502 and the UE 2514, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2516 may be implemented in the software 2510 and the hardware 2504 of the host computer 2502 or in the software 2540 and the hardware 2534 of the UE 2514, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 2516 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which the software 2510, 2540 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 2516 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 2518, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 2518. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer 2502's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 2510 and 2540 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 2516 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.
Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include Digital Signal Processor (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
While processes in the figures may show a particular order of operations performed by certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that such order is exemplary (e.g., alternative embodiments may perform the operations in a different order, combine certain operations, overlap certain operations, etc.).
Embodiment 1: A method performed by a wireless communication device, WCD, (712), the method comprising one or more of the following:
Embodiment 2: The method of embodiment 1 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state.
Embodiment 3: The method of embodiment 1 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
Embodiment 4: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 3 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are to be mapped to (i.e., applied to) a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints.
Embodiment 5: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 3 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped (i.e., to be applied).
Embodiment 6: The method of embodiment 1 wherein:
Embodiment 7: The method of embodiment 6 wherein the DCI further comprises a third field that comprises information that indicates one of plurality of codepoints of a TCI field of a DCI to which the DL TCI state and the UL TCI state are to be applied (i.e., to be mapped).
Embodiment 8: The method of embodiment 6 wherein the DCI further comprises:
Embodiment 9: The method of embodiment 1 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information (e.g., a group index) that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states.
Embodiment 10: The method of embodiment 9 further comprising receiving, from a network node, information that configures the two or more groups of TCI states.
Embodiment 11: The method of any of embodiments 1, 9, and 10 wherein a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
Embodiment 12: The method of any of embodiments 1, 9, and 10 wherein a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
Embodiment 13: The method of any of embodiments 1, 9, and 10 wherein an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
Embodiment 14: The method of any of embodiments 1, 9, and 10 wherein an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
Embodiment 15: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 14 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field.
Embodiment 16: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 14 wherein the WCD (712) maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools.
Embodiment 17: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 14 wherein the WCD (712) maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more SSBs and/or PCIs.
Embodiment 18: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising:
Embodiment 19: A method performed by a network node (1800) (e.g., a base station 702), the method comprising:
Embodiment 20: The method of embodiment 19 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state or an UL TCI state.
Embodiment 21: The method of embodiment 19 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates whether the TCI state is an DL TCI state, an UL TCI state, or both a DL TCI state and an UL TCI state.
Embodiment 22: The method of any of embodiments 19 to 21 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are to be mapped to (i.e., applied to) a particular one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI, and the DCI further comprises information that indicates the particular one of the plurality of codepoints.
Embodiment 23: The method of any of embodiments 19 to 21 wherein, for each TCI state of the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712), the DCI further comprises information that indicates one of a plurality of codepoints of a TCI field in a DCI to which the TCI state is to be mapped (i.e., to be applied).
Embodiment 24: The method of embodiment 19 wherein:
Embodiment 25: The method of embodiment 24 wherein the DCI further comprises:
Embodiment 26: The method of embodiment 19 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) is one of two or more groups of TCI states, and the information comprised in the DCI that indicates the one or more TCI states is information (e.g., a group index) that indicates the one of the two or more groups of TCI states.
Embodiment 27: The method of embodiment 27 further comprising receiving, from a network node, information that configures the two or more groups of TCI states.
Embodiment 28: The method of any of embodiments 19, 27, and 28 wherein a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
Embodiment 29: The method of any of embodiments 19, 27, and 28 wherein a DCI format of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
Embodiment 30: The method of any of embodiments 1, 27, and 28 wherein an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states or one or more UL TCI states.
Embodiment 31: The method of any of embodiments 19, 27, and 28 wherein an RNTI of the received DCI indicates whether the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) are one or more DL TCI states, one or more UL TCI states, or both DL and UL TCI states.
Embodiment 32: The method of any of embodiments 19 to 32 wherein the one or more TCI states to be activated at the WCD (712) comprises two or more DL TCI states for a single codepoint of a TCI field of DCI, two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field, or both two or more DL TCI states and two or more UL TCI states for a single codepoint of the TCI field.
Embodiment 33: The method of any of embodiments 19 to 32 wherein the WCD (712) maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more TRPs or two or more CORESET pools.
Embodiment 34: The method of any of embodiments 19 to 32 wherein the WCD (712) maintains separate lists of activated DL and/or UL TCI states for two or more SSBs and/or PCIs.
Embodiment 35: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising:
Embodiment 36: A wireless communication device comprising:
Embodiment 37: A network node comprising:
Embodiment 38: A User Equipment, UE, comprising:
Embodiment 39: A communication system including a host computer comprising:
Embodiment 40: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the network node.
Embodiment 41: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the network node.
Embodiment 42: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:
Embodiment 43: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:
Embodiment 44: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the network node, transmitting the user data.
Embodiment 45: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.
Embodiment 46: A User Equipment, UE, configured to communicate with a network node, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the method of the previous 3 embodiments.
Embodiment 47: A communication system including a host computer comprising:
Embodiment 48: The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE.
Embodiment 49: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein:
Embodiment 50: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:
Embodiment 51: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the network node.
Embodiment 52: A communication system including a host computer comprising:
Embodiment 53: The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.
Embodiment 54: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the network node, wherein the network node comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the network node.
Embodiment 55: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:
Embodiment 56: The communication system of the previous 4 embodiments, wherein:
Embodiment 57: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:
Embodiment 58: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the network node.
Embodiment 59: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising:
Embodiment 60: The method of the previous 3 embodiments, further comprising:
Embodiment 61: A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User Equipment, UE, to a network node, wherein the network node comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the network node's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.
Embodiment 62: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the network node.
Embodiment 63: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the network node.
Embodiment 64: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein:
Embodiment 65: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:
Embodiment 66: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the network node, receiving the user data from the UE.
Embodiment 67: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising at the network node, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.
At least some of the following abbreviations may be used in this disclosure. If there is an inconsistency between abbreviations, preference should be given to how it is used above. If listed multiple times below, the first listing should be preferred over any subsequent listing(s).
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/132,122, filed Dec. 30, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2021/062483 | 12/30/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63132122 | Dec 2020 | US |
