PUCCH RELIABILITY ENHANCEMENTS WITH MULTIPLE TRPs

Abstract

Methods for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability. In embodiments disclosed herein, a base station provides, and a wireless device receives, an instruction for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on two Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resource sets. Accordingly, the wireless device transmits, and the base station receives, the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the instruction. In a non-limiting example, the wireless device can be configured to transmit the multiple PUSCH repetitions in accordance with codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. As a result, it is possible to efficiently use multiple SRS resource sets for transmission and/or reception of PUSCH repetitions, especially in Frequency Range 2 (FR2) in which an uplink transmit beam may be formed with a narrower beam-width.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technology of the disclosure relates generally to enhancing reliability of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmissions.

BACKGROUND

New Radio (NR) Frame Structure and Resource Grid

NR uses CP-OFDM (Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) in both Downlink (DL) (e.g., from a network node, a gNB, or a base station to a User Equipment (UE)) and Uplink (UL) (e.g., from a UE to a gNB). Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is also supported in the uplink. In the time domain, NR downlink and uplink are organized into equal-sized subframes each having a 1ms duration. A subframe is further divided into multiple slots of equal duration, which may depend on specific subcarrier spacing. For subcarrier spacing of Δf=15 kHz, there is only one slot per subframe, and each slot consists of 14 OFDM symbols.

Data is typically scheduled in NR based on slots. An example is shown in FIG. 1 with a 14-symbol slot, where the first two symbols contain Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and the rest contains physical shared data channel, either PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) or PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel). NR can be configured to support different subcarrier spacing values. The supported subcarrier spacing values (also referred to as different numerologies) are given by Δf=(15×2^μ) kHz where ∈{0,1,2,3,4}. Δf=15kHz is the basic subcarrier spacing. The slot durations at different subcarrier spacings is given by

$\frac{1}{2^{\mu }}\mathrm{ms}.$

In the frequency domain, a system bandwidth is divided into Resource Blocks (RBs), each corresponding to 12 contiguous subcarriers. The RBs are numbered starting with 0 from one end of the system bandwidth. The basic NR physical time-frequency resource grid is illustrated in FIG. 2, where only one RB within a 14-symbol slot is shown. One OFDM subcarrier during one OFDM symbol interval forms one Resource Element (RE).

In NR Rel-15, uplink data transmission can be dynamically scheduled using PDCCH. A UE first decodes uplink grants in PDCCH and then transmits data over PUSCH based on the decoded control information in the uplink grant such as modulation order, coding rate, uplink resource allocation, etc.

In dynamic scheduling of PUSCH, there is also a possibility to configure semi-persistent transmission of PUSCH using Configured Grants (CG). There are two types of CG based PUSCH defined in NR Rel-15. In CG type 1, a periodicity of PUSCH transmission and a time domain offset are configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC). In CG type 2, a periodicity of PUSCH transmission is configured by RRC and then the activation and release of the PUSCH transmission is controlled by Downlink Control Information (DCI), for example, with a PDCCH.

In NR, it is possible to schedule a PUSCH with time repetition, by the RRC parameter pusch-AggregationFactor (for dynamically scheduled PUSCH) and repK (for PUSCH with UL configured grant). In this case, the PUSCH is scheduled but transmitted in multiple adjacent slots (if the slots are available for UL) up until the number of repetitions as determined by the configured RRC parameter.

In the case of PUSCH with UL configured grant, the Redundancy Version (RV) sequence to be used is configured by the repK-RV field when repetitions are used. If repetitions are not used for PUSCH with UL configured grant, then the repK-RV field is absent.

In NR Release-15, there are two mapping types, Type A and Type B, applicable to PDSCH and PUSCH transmissions. Type A is usually referred to as slot-based while Type B transmissions may be referred to as non-slot-based or mini-slot-based.

Mini-slot transmissions can be dynamically scheduled and for NR Rel-15:

• • Can be of length 7, 4, or 2 symbols for downlink, while it can be of any length for uplink
  • Can start and end in any symbol within a slot.

Note that mini-slot transmissions in NR Rel-15 may not cross a slot-boundary.

One of the 2 frequency hopping modes, inter-slot and intra-slot frequency hopping, can be configured by higher layer for PUSCH transmission in NR Rel-15 in IE PUSCH-Config for dynamic transmission or IE configuredGrantConfig for type1 and type2 CGs.

Spatial Relation Definition

Spatial relation is used in NR to refer to a relationship between an UL Reference Signal (RS) to be transmitted such as PUCCH/PUSCH DMRS (Demodulation Reference Signal) and another previously transmitted or received RS, which can be either a DL RS (CSI-RS (Channel State Information RS) or SSB (Synchronization Signal Block)) or an UL RS (SRS (Sounding Reference Signal)). This is defined from a UE perspective.

If an UL transmitted RS is spatially related to a DL RS, it means that the UE should transmit the UL RS in the opposite (reciprocal) direction from which it received the DL RS previously. More precisely, the UE should apply the “same” Transmit (Tx) spatial filtering configuration for the transmission of the UL RS as the Rx spatial filtering configuration the UE used to receive the spatially related DL RS previously. Herein, the terminology ‘spatial filtering configuration’ may refer to the antenna weights that are applied at either the transmitter or the receiver for data/control transmission/reception. Another way to describe this is that the same “beam” should be used to transmit the signal from the UE as was used to receive the previous DL RS signal. The DL RS is also referred as the spatial filter reference signal.

On the other hand, if a first UL RS is spatially related to a second UL RS, then the UE should apply the same Tx spatial filtering configuration for the transmission for the first UL RS as the Tx spatial filtering configuration used to transmit the second UL RS previously. In other words, same beam is used to transmit the first and second UL RSs, respectively.

Since the UL RS is associated with a layer of PUSCH or PUCCH transmission, it is understood that the PUSCH/PUCCH is also transmitted with the same TX spatial filter as the associated UL RS.

PUSCH Transmission Schemes

In NR, there are two transmission schemes specified for PUSCH.

1. Codebook Based PUSCH

The Codebook based UL transmission is used in both NR and LTE for non-calibrated UEs and/or UL FDD (Frequency Division Duplex). Codebook based PUSCH is enabled in NR if higher layer parameter txConfig=codebook. For dynamically scheduled PUSCH and configured grant PUSCH type 2, the Codebook based PUSCH transmission scheme can be summarized as follows:

• • the UE transmits one or two SRS resources (e.g., one or two SRS resources configured in the SRS resource set associated with the higher layer parameter usage of value ‘CodeBook’). Note that in NR Rel-15/16, the number of SRS resource sets with higher layer parameter usage set to ‘CodeBook’ is limited to one (e.g., only one SRS resource set is allowed to be configured for the purposes of Codebook based PUSCH transmission).
  • the gNB determines a preferred Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmit precoder for PUSCH (e.g., Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicator (TPMI)) from a codebook and the associated number of layers corresponding to the one or two SRS resources.
  • the gNB indicates a selected SRS resource via a 1-bit ‘SRS resource indicator’ field if two SRS resources are configured in the SRS resource set. The ‘SRS resource indicator’ field is not indicated in DCI if only one SRS resource is configured in the SRS resource set.
  • The gNB indicates a TPMI and the associated number of layers corresponding to the indicated SRS resource (in case 2 SRS resources are used) or the configured SRS resource (in case of 1 SRS resource is used). TPMI and the number of PUSCH layers is indicated by the ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ field in DCI formats 0_1 and 0_2. The number of bits in the ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ for Codebook based PUSCH is determined as follows:
    • 0 bits if 1 antenna port is used for PUSCH transmission.
    • 4, 5, or 6 bits according to Table 1 for 4 antenna ports, according to whether transform precoder is enabled or disabled, and the values of higher layer parameters maxRank, and codebookSubset. That is, ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ field size takes values of 6, 5, and 4 bits if codebookSubset is set to ‘fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent’, ‘PartialAndNonCoherent’, and ‘NonCoherent’, respectively.

TABLE 1
Preceding information and number of layers, for 4 antenna ports, if
transform precoder is disabled and maxRank = 2 or 3 or 4 (Reproduced from
Table 7.3.1.1.2-2 of 3GPP TS 38.212)
Bit field		Bit field		Bit field
mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =
index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent	index	partialAndNonCoherent	index	partialAndNonCoherent
0	1 layer:	0	1 layer:	0	1 layer:
	TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0
1	1 layer:	1	1 layer:	1	1 layer:
	TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
3	1 layer:	3	1 layer:	3	1 layer:
	TPMI = 3		TPMI = 3		TPMI = 3
4	2 layers:	4	2 layers:	4	2 layers:
	TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
9	2 layers:	9	2 layers:	9	2 layers:
	TPMI = 5		TPMI = 5		TPMI = 5
10	3 layers:	10	3 layers:	10	3 layers:
	TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0
11	4 layers:	11	4 layers:	11	4 layers:
	TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0
12	1 layer:	12	1 layer:	12-15	reserved
	TPMI = 4		TPMI = 4
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
19	1 layer:	19	1 layer:
	TPMI = ll		TPMI = ll
20	2 layers:	20	2 layers:
	TPMI = 6		TPMI = 6
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
27	2 layers:	27	2 layers:
	TPMI = 13		TPMI = 13
28	3 layers:	28	3 layers:
	TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1
29	3 layers:	29	3 layers:
	TPMI = 2		TPMI = 2
30	4 layers:	30	4 layers:
	TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1
31	4 layers:	31	4 layers:
	TPMI = 2		TPMI = 2
32	1 layers:
	TPMI = 12
. . .	. . .
47	1 layers:
	TPMI = 27
48	2 layers:
	TPMI = 14
. . .	. . .
55	2 layers:
	TPMI = 21
56	3 layers:
	TPMI = 3
. . .	. . .
59	3 layers:
	TPMI = 6
60	4 layers:
	TPMI = 3
61	4 layers:
	TPMI = 4
62-63	reserved

• • 2, 4, or 5 bits according to Table 2 for 4 antenna ports, according to whether transform precoder is enabled or disabled, and the values of higher layer parameters maxRank, and codebookSubset. That is, ‘Precoding information and number of layers ’ field size takes values of 5, 4, and 2 bits if codebookSubset is set to ‘fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent’, ‘PartialAndNonCoherent’, and ‘NonCoherent’, respectively.

TABLE 2
Preceding information and number of layers for 4 antenna ports, if
transform precoder is enabled, or if transform precoder is disabled and
maxRank = 1 (Reproduced from Table 7.3.1.1.2-3 of 3GPP TS 38.212)
Bit field		Bit field		Bit field
mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =
index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent	index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent	index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent
0	1 layer:	0	1 layer:	0	1 layer:
	TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0		TPMI = 0
1	1 layer:	1	1 layer:	1	1 layer:
	TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1		TPMI = 1
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
3	1 layer:	3	1 layer:	3	1 layer:
	TPMI = 3		TPMI = 3		TPMI = 3
4	1 layer:	4	1 layer:
	TPMI = 4		TPMI = 4
. . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
11	1 layer:	11	1 layer:
	TPMI = ll		TPMI = 11
12	1 layers:	12-15	reserved
	TPMI = 12
. . .	. . .
27	1 layers:
	TPMI = 27
28-31	reserved

• • 2 or 4 bits according to Table 3 for 2 antenna ports, according to whether transform precoder is enabled or disabled, and the values of higher layer parameters maxRank and codebookSubset. That is, ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ field size takes on values of 4 and 2 bits if codebookSubset is set to ‘fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent’ and ‘NonCoherent’, respectively.

TABLE 3
Preceding information and number of layers, for 2 antenna ports, if
transform precoder is disabled and maxRank = 2 (Reproduced from Table
7.3.1.1.2-4 of3GPP TS 38.212)
Bit field		Bit field
mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =
index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent	index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent
0	1 layer: TPMI = 0	0	1 layer: TPMI = 0
1	1 layer: TPMI = 1	1	1 layer: TPMI = 1
2	2 layers: TPMI = 0	2	2 layers: TPMI = 0
3	1 layer: TPMI = 2	3	reserved
4	1 layer: TPMI = 3
5	1 layer: TPMI = 4
6	1 layer: TPMI = 5
7	2 layers: TPMI = 1
8	2 layers: TPMI = 2
9-15	reserved

• • 1 or 3 bits according to Table 4 for 2 antenna ports, if txConfig=codebook, and according to whether transform precoder is enabled or disabled, and the values of higher layer parameters maxRank and codebookSubset. That is, ‘Precoding information and number of layers ’ field size takes on values of 3 and 1 bits if codebookSubset is set to ‘fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent’ and ‘NonCoherent’, respectively.

TABLE 4
Preceding information and number of layers, for 2 antenna ports, if
transform precoder is enabled, or if transform precoder is disabled and
maxRank = 1 (Reproduced from Table 7.3,1.1.2-5 of 3GPP TS 38.212)
Bit field		Bit field
mapped to	codebookSubset =	mapped to	codebookSubset =
index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent	index	fullyAndPartialAndNonCoherent
0	1 layer: TPMI = 0	0	1 layer: TPMI = 0
1	1 layer: TPMI = 1	1	1 layer: TPMI = 1
2	1 layer: TPMI = 2
3	1 layer: TPMI = 3
4	1 layer: TPMI = 4
5	1 layer: TPMI = 5
6-7	reserved

• • the UE performs PUSCH transmission using the TPMI and number of layers indicated. If one SRS resource is configured in the SRS resource set associated with the higher layer parameter usage of value ‘CodeBook’, then the PUSCH DMRS is spatially related to the most recent SRS transmission in this SRS resource. If two SRS resources are configured in the SRS resource set associated with the higher layer parameter usage of value ‘CodeBook’, then the PUSCH DMRS is spatially related to the most recent SRS transmission in the SRS resource indicated by the ‘SRS resource indicator’ field.

The TPMI is used to indicate the precoder to be applied over the layers {0 . . . v-1} and that corresponds to the SRS resource selected by the SRI when multiple SRS resources are configured, or if a single SRS resource is configured TPMI is used to indicate the precoder to be applied over the layers {0 . . . v-1} and that corresponds to the SRS resource. The transmission precoder is selected from the uplink codebook that has a number of antenna ports equal to higher layer parameter nrofSRS-Ports in SRS-Config.

2. Non-Codebook Based PUSCH

Non-Codebook based UL transmission is available in NR, enabling reciprocity-based UL transmission. By assigning a DL CSI-RS to the UE, the UE can measure and deduce suitable precoder weights for PUSCH transmission of up to four spatial layers. The candidate precoder weights are transmitted using up to four single-port SRS resources corresponding to the spatial layers. Subsequently, the gNB indicates the transmission rank and multiple SRS resource indicators, jointly encoded using

$\lceil {\log }_2\left({\sum }_{k=1}^{\min \left\{L_{\max },N_{\mathrm{SRS}}\right\}}\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ k\end{array}\right)\right)\rceil \mathrm{bits},$

where N_“SRS” indicates the number of configured

SRS resources, and L_max is the maximum number of supported layers for PUSCH. Non-Codebook based PUSCH in NR is enabled if higher layer parameter txConfig=noncodebook. Table 5 shows the mapping of codepoints of the SRI field to SRI(s) for different number of N_“SRS” when L_max=4.

Note that in NR Rel-15/16, the number of SRS resource sets with higher layer parameter usage set to ‘nonCodeBook’ is limited to one (e.g., only one SRS resource set is allowed to be configured for the purposes of non-Codebook based PUSCH transmission). The maximum number of SRS resource sets that can be configured for non-codebook based uplink transmission is 4.

In NR, for non-codebook based PUSCH, the UE performs a one-to-one mapping from the indicated SRI(s) to the indicated DM-RS port(s) and their corresponding PUSCH layers {0 . . . v-1} in increasing order. The UE shall transmit

PUSCH using the same antenna ports as the SRS port(s) in the SRS resource(s) indicated by SRI(s), where the SRS port in (i+1)-th SRS resource in the SRS resource set is indexed as p_i=1000+i.

NR Release 16 PUSCH Enhancements

In NR Release 16, PUSCH repetition enhancements were made for both PUSCH type A and type B for the purposes of further latency reduction (e.g., for Rel-16 Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC)).

1. PUSCH Repetition Type A (Slot Based) Enhancements

In NR Rel-15, the number of aggregated slots for both dynamic grant and configured grant Type 2 are RRC configured. In NR Rel-16, this was enhanced so that the number of repetitions can be dynamically indicated (e.g., change from one PUSCH scheduling occasion to next PUSCH scheduling occasion). That is, in addition to the starting symbol S, and the length of the PUSCH L, a number of nominal repetitions K are signaled as part of Time-Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA). Furthermore, the maximum number of aggregated slots was increased to K=16 to account for DL heavy Time Division Duplex (TDD) patterns. Inter-slot and intra-slot hopping can be applied for Type A repetition. The number of repetitions K is nominal since some slots may be DL slots and are then skipped for PUSCH transmissions. So, K is the maximal number of repetitions possible.

2. PUSCH Repetition Type B (Mini-Slot Based) Enhancements

PUSCH repetition Type B applies both to dynamic and configured grants. Type B PUSCH repetition can cross the slot boundary in Rel-16. When scheduling a transmission with PUSCH repetition Type B, in addition to the starting symbol S, and the length of the PUSCH L, a number of nominal repetitions K are signaled as part of TDRA in NR Rel-16. Inter-slot frequency hopping and inter-repetition frequency hopping can be configured for Type B repetition. To determine the actual time domain allocation of Type B PUSCH repetitions, a two-step process is used:

1) Allocate K nominal repetitions of length L back-to-back (adjacent in time), ignoring slot boundaries and TDD pattern.

2) If a nominal repetition that crosses a slot boundary or occupies symbols not usable for UL transmission (e.g., UL/DL switching points due to TDD pattern), the offending nominal repetition may be split into two or more shorter actual repetitions. If the number of potentially valid symbols for PUSCH repetition type B transmission is greater than zero for a nominal repetition, the nominal repetition consists of one or more actual repetitions, where each actual repetition consists of a consecutive set of potentially valid symbols that can be used for PUSCH repetition Type B transmission within a slot.

Although the term ‘PUSCH repetition’ is used in the disclosure, it can be interchangeably used with other terms such as ‘PUSCH transmission occasion’.

In NR Rel-15/16, when PUSCH is repeated according to PUSCH repetition Type A or Type B, the PUSCH is limited to a single transmission layer.

3. Redundancy Version

The channel encoder can be controlled by the RV. In NR, an information payload can be encoded with four different RVs, to allow for incremental redundancy decoding. The redundancy version to be applied on the nth transmission occasion of the TB, where n=0, 1, . . . K-1, is determined according to table below.

TABLE 5
Redundancy version for PUSCH transmission
rvid indicated by	rvid to be applied to nth transmission occasion
the DCI	(repetition Type A) or nth actual repetition (repetition
scheduling the	Type B)
PUSCH	n mod 4 = 0	n mod 4 = 1	n mod 4 = 2	n mod 4 = 3
0	0	2	3	1
2	2	3	1	0
3	3	1	0	2
1	1	0	2	3

SUMMARY

Embodiments disclosed herein include methods for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability. In embodiments disclosed herein, a base station provides, and a wireless device receives, an instruction for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on two Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resource sets.

Accordingly, the wireless device transmits, and the base station receives, the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the instruction. In a non-limiting example, the wireless device can be configured to transmit the multiple PUSCH repetitions in accordance with codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. As a result, it is possible to efficiently use multiple SRS resource sets for transmission and/or reception of PUSCH repetitions, especially in Frequency Range 2 (FR2) in which an uplink transmit beam may be formed with a narrower beam-width.

In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability is provided. The method includes receiving a configuration of two SRS resource sets comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set. The method also includes receiving an instruction from a network node for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set based on the received instruction.

In another embodiment, the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises a first group of PUSCH repetitions and a second group of PUSCH repetitions, the second group being complementary to the first group, and the first group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, each of the two SRS resource sets comprises one or more SRS resources.

In another embodiment, the two SRS resource sets are configured for codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, receiving the instruction further comprises receiving the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via codebook based

PUSCH transmission; and transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises transmitting the first group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the second SRS resource set comprises transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes based on the codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises: a first SRS

Resource Indicator, SRI, indicating a first SRS resource from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating a second SRS resource from the second SRS resource set; and a first Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicator, TPMI, associated with the first SRS resource, and a second TPMI associated with the second SRS resource.

In another embodiment, the two TPMIs are independently indicated in two ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ fields in Downlink Control Information, DCI.

In another embodiment, multiple TPMIs corresponding to multiple SRS resources; and multiple SRS Resource Indicators, indicating a preferred TPMI for each of the multiple SRS wherein the two TPMIs are each associated with an identical number of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, at least one Phase Tracking Reference Signal, PTRS, port is associated with the spatial layers in each of the two TPMIs.

In another embodiment, the two SRS resource sets are configured for non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, receiving the instruction comprises receiving the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via non-codebook based PUSCH transmission; and transmitting the plurality of PUSCH transmissions comprises transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises a first SRI indicating one or more SRS resources from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating one or more SRS resources from the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based transmission further comprises a plurality of spatial layers jointly encoded with each of the first SRI and the second SRI.

In another embodiment, transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises transmitting each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on a single spatial layer among the plurality of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises transmitting each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on multiple spatial layers among the plurality of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, the multiple SRIs are provided in different SRI fields of DCI.

In another embodiment, receiving the instruction comprises receiving multiple spatial relations each associated with one of the multiple SRS resources in a respective one of the two SRS resource sets; and transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on a first spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the first SRS resource set and a second spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions further comprises transmitting the first group of PUSCH repetitions on even numbered PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions and the second group of

PUSCH repetitions on odd numbered PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions further comprises transmitting the first group of PUSCH repetitions on a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions, and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, the method also includes applying Redundancy Version, RV, sequence to each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, the method also includes receiving the instructions for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to one of the two SRS resource sets. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the one of the two SRS resource sets based on the received instruction.

In another embodiment, the method also includes dynamically switching between transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set and transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to one of the two SRS resource sets.

In another embodiment, each of the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set corresponds to a transmission reception point, TRP.

In another embodiment, a wireless device is provided. The wireless device includes processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless device to: receive a configuration of two SRS resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set; receive an instruction from a base station for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes; and transmit the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes based on the received instruction. The wireless device also includes power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.

In another embodiment, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless device to perform any of the steps of any of embodiments performed by the wireless device.

In another embodiment, a method performed by a base station for enhancing USCH reliability is provided. The method includes transmitting, to a wireless device, a configuration of two SRS resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set. The method also includes providing an instruction to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes. The method also includes receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple network nodes based on the instruction provided to the wireless device.

In another embodiment, the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises a first group of PUSCH repetitions and a second group of PUSCH repetitions, the second group being complementary to the first group, and the first group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, each of the two SRS resource sets comprises one or more SRS resources.

In another embodiment, the two SRS resource sets are configured for codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, providing the instruction further comprises providing the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via codebook based PUSCH transmission; and receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises receiving the first group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the second SRS resource set based on the codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises: a first SRI indicating a first SRS resource from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating a second SRS resource from the second SRS resource set; and a first TPMI associated with the first SRS resource, and a second TPMI associated with the second SRS resource.

In another embodiment, the two TPMIs are independently indicated in two ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ fields in DCI.

In another embodiment, the two TPMIs are each associated with an identical number of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, at least one PTRS port is associated with the spatial layers in each of the two TPMIs.

In another embodiment, the two SRS resources are configured for non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, providing the instruction comprises providing the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via non-codebook based

PUSCH transmission; and receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource set based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises a first

SRI indicating one or more SRS resources from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating one or more SRS resources from the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based transmission further comprises a plurality of spatial layers jointly encoded with each of the first SRI and the second SRI.

In another embodiment, receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises receiving each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on a single spatial layer among the plurality of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises receiving each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on multiple spatial layers among the plurality of spatial layers.

In another embodiment, the multiple SRIs are provided in different SRI fields of DCI.

In another embodiment, providing the instruction comprises providing multiple spatial relations each associated with one of the multiple SRS resources in a respective one of the two SRS resource set; and receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on a first spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the first SRS resource set and a second spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the second SRS resource set.

In another embodiment, receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions further comprises receiving the first group of PUSCH repetitions on even numbered PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on odd numbered PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions further comprises receiving the first group of PUSCH repetitions on a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, the method also includes applying RV sequence to each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions.

In another embodiment, the method also includes providing the instructions for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to one of the two SRS resource sets. The method also includes receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the one of the two SRS resource sets.

In another embodiment, the method also includes dynamically switching between receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set and receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the one of the two SRS resource sets.

In another embodiment, each of the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set corresponds to a TRP.

In another embodiment, a base station is provided. The base station includes processing circuitry configured to cause the base station to: transmit, to a wireless device, a configuration of two SRS resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set; provide an instruction to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes; and receive the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple network nodes based on the instruction provided to the wireless device. The base station also includes power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

In another embodiment, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the base station to perform any of the steps of any of embodiments performed by the base station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a 14-symbol slot, wherein a first two of the 14-symbols includes Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and the rest of the 14-symbols include Physical Shared Data Channel, such as Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH);

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary Resource Block (RB) that includes the 14-symbol slot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram providing an exemplary illustration of existing New-Radio (NR) rel-15/16 codebook based PUSCH configured for single Transmission/Reception Point (TRP) based reception;

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a cellular communications system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by the wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by the base station for enhancing PUSCH reliability;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by a wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability according to two Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resource sets and based on codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by a base station for enhancing PUSCH reliability based on codebook according to two SRS resource sets and based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an example that two Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources are configured in an SRS resource set;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an example, wherein a most significant bit S_L-1 of the ‘SRS resource indicator’ field is used to dynamically switch between a first mode and a second mode;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an example, wherein the SRS resources in the SRS resource set of FIG. 9 are grouped into two different SRS resource groups;

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram that illustrates a virtualized embodiment of the radio access node according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of the radio access node according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of the wireless communication device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a communication system configured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary communication system;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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 a Access and Mobility Function (AMF), a 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 radio access network or the core network of a cellular communications network/system. 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, a SRS resource set or a TCI state in some embodiments. In some embodiments, a TRP may a part of the gNB transmitting and receiving radio signals to/from UE according to physical layer properties and parameters inherent to that element.

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.

There currently exist certain challenge(s). For dynamically scheduled Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) and configured grant PUSCH type 2, existing NR rel-15/16 codebook based PUSCH only allows a single Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resource to define the spatial relation for PUSCH Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS). As a result, it may not be efficient to use multiple Transmission/Reception Points (TRPs) for reception, especially in a Frequency Range (FR) above 6 GHz (FR2), wherein the UL Transmit (TX) beams can be narrow in beam-width.

As shown in the example of FIG. 3, existing NR rel-15/16 codebook based PUSCH is suitable for single TRP based reception, where the PUSCH transmission is targeted towards a single TRP. That is, the PUSCH DMRS is spatially related to the latest SRS transmission in the SRS resource indicated by a single SRI. When a number of PUSCH repetitions are either configured (e.g., via pusch-AggregationFactor for dynamically scheduled PUSCH or via repK for PUSCH with UL configured grant) or dynamically indicated (e.g., as part of TDRA), the same spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS is assumed for all the PUSCH repetitions. Since the same spatial relation only targets a single TRP, it unsuitable for multi-TRP reception, whereby a better reliability may be achieved as a result of spatial diversity.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. Embodiments disclosed herein are related to PUSCH transmission with a plurality of repetitions, wherein multiple sets of spatial relations are assumed for PUSCH DMRS in different subsets of the plurality of repetitions. For PUSCH transmission with multiple repetitions, signaling/indication methods are disclosed to allow more than one spatial relation to be used in different subset of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions. For codebook based PUSCH transmission, signaling/configuration aspects related to how to indicate multiple SRS Resource Indicators (SRIs) and how to indicate multiple Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicators (TPMIs) are disclosed. For non-codebook based PUSCH transmission, signaling/configuration aspects related to how to indicate multiple SRIs with different spatial relations being used in different subset of repetitions with single or multiple PUSCH layer(s) per repetition for PUSCH are disclosed.

There are, proposed herein, various embodiments which may address one or more of the issues disclosed herein. Embodiments disclosed herein include methods for enhancing PUSCH reliability by transmitting from a wireless device (e.g., a UE) a number of PUSCH repetitions to multiple TRPs in a network node (e.g., a base station) and receiving by the network node via the multiple TRPs the number of PUSCH repetitions.

In one aspect, a method performed by the wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability is provided. The method includes receiving an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) from the network node for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple TRPs. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple TRPs in accordance to the instruction(s) received from the network node.

In another aspect, a method performed by the base station for enhancing PUSCH reliability is provided. The method includes providing an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple TRPs in the base station via codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. The method also includes receiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple TRPs based on the instruction(s) provided to the wireless device.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s).

• • Providing signaling support whereby more than one spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS may be assumed for different PUSCH repetitions.
  • Enabling switching between multi-TRP based PUSCH reception and single-TRP based PUSCH reception based on traffic being served to a UE.
  • Enabling dynamic switching between multi-TRP based PUSCH reception and single-TRP based PUSCH reception.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a cellular communications system 400 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. In the embodiments described herein, the cellular communications system 400 is a 5G system (5GS) including a NR RAN. In this example, the RAN includes base stations 402-1 and 402-2, which in 5G NR are referred to as gNBs (e.g., LTE RAN nodes connected to 5GC, which are referred to as gn-eNBs), controlling corresponding (macro) cells 404-1 and 404-2. The base stations 402-1 and 402-2 are generally referred to herein collectively as base stations 402 and individually as base station 402. Likewise, the (macro) cells 404-1 and 404-2 are generally referred to herein collectively as (macro) cells 404 and individually as (macro) cell 404. The RAN may also include a number of low power nodes 406-1 through 406-4 controlling corresponding small cells 408-1 through 408-4. The low power nodes 406-1 through 406-4 can be small base stations (such as pico or femto base stations) or Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), or the like. Notably, while not illustrated, one or more of the small cells 408-1 through 408-4 may alternatively be provided by the base stations 402. The low power nodes 406-1 through 406-4 are generally referred to herein collectively as low power nodes 406 and individually as low power node 406. Likewise, the small cells 408-1 through 408-4 are generally referred to herein collectively as small cells 408 and individually as small cell 408. The cellular communications system 400 also includes a core network 410, which in the 5GS is referred to as the 5G core (5GC). The base stations 402 (and optionally the low power nodes 406) are connected to the core network 410.

The base stations 402 and the low power nodes 406 provide service to wireless communication devices 412-1 through 412-5 in the corresponding cells 404 and 408. The wireless communication devices 412-1 through 412-5 are generally referred to herein collectively as wireless communication devices 412 and individually as wireless communication device 412. In the following description, the wireless communication devices 412 are oftentimes UEs, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

As previously mentioned, for dynamically scheduled PUSCH and configured grant PUSCH type 2, existing NR rel-15/16 codebook based PUSCH only allows a single SRS resource to define the spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS. As a result, it may not be efficient to use multiple TRPs for reception, especially in a frequency range (FR) above 6 GHz (FR2), wherein the UL TX beams can be narrow in beam-width. In this regard, to enhance PUSCH reliability, methods for enhancing PUSCH reliability are disclosed herein.

In one aspect, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by the wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability. The method includes one or more of the following: receiving (500) an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) from the network node for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple TRPs, and transmitting (502) the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple TRPs in accordance to the instruction(s) received from the network node.

In another aspect, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by the base station for enhancing PUSCH reliability. The method includes one or more of the following: providing (600) an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple TRPs in the base station via codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission, and receiving (602) the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple TRPs based on the instruction(s) provided to the wireless device.

Specific embodiments of the present disclosure can enhance PUSCH reliability in accordance with codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. In this regard, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by a wireless device for enhancing PUSCH reliability according to two SRS resource sets and based on codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. Note that the various aspects of the process of FIG. 7 are illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11, which are described below.

According to FIG. 7, the wireless device receives a configuration of two SRS resource sets that includes a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set (step 700). The wireless device also receives an instruction for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets (step 702). In a non-limiting example, the wireless device can receive the instruction to transmit the PUSCH repetitions based on codebook based PUSCH transmission (step 702-1) or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission (step 702-2). The wireless device may also receive multiple spatial relations each associated with one of multiple SRS resources in a respective one of the two SRS resource sets (step 702-3).

Accordingly, the wireless device transmits the PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes based on the received instruction (step 704). In one aspect, the wireless device may transmit a first group of the PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and a second group of the PUSCH repetitions according to the second SRS resource set (step 704-1). Alternatively, the wireless device may transmit the PUSCH repetitions according the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource set (step 704-2). Specifically, the wireless device may transmit each of the PUSCH transmissions based on a single spatial layer (step 704-2a) or multiple spatial layers (step 704-2b). The wireless device may transmit the PUSCH repetitions based on a first spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the first SRS resource set and a second spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the second

SRS resource set (step 704-3). In a non-limiting example, the wireless device can transmit the first group of the PUSCH repetitions on even numbered PUSCH repetitions and the second group of the PUSCH repetitions on odd numbered PUSCH repetitions (step 704-4). Alternatively, the wireless device may transmit the first group of PUSCH repetitions on a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions (step 704-5).

The wireless device may also apply an RV sequence to each of the PUSCH repetitions (step 706). The wireless device may also receive the instruction for transmitting the PUSCH repetitions according to one of the two SRS resource sets (step 708) and transmit the PUSCH repetitions according to the one of the two SRS resource sets (step 710). In this regard, the wireless device may switch between transmitting the PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets and according to the one of the two SRS resource sets (step 712).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by a base station for enhancing PUSCH reliability according to two SRS resource sets and based on codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission. Note that the various aspects of the process of FIG. 8 are illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11, which are described below.

According to FIG. 8, the base station transmits, to a wireless device, a configuration of two SRS resource sets that includes a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set (step 800). The base station provides an instruction to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets (step 802). In a non-limiting example, the base station can provide the instruction to transmit the PUSCH repetitions based on codebook based PUSCH transmission (step 802-1) or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission (step 802-2). The base station may also provide multiple spatial relations each associated with one of multiple SRS resources in a respective one of the two SRS resource sets (step 802-3).

Accordingly, the base station receives the PUSCH repetitions based on the instruction provided to the wireless device (step 804). In one aspect, the base station may receive a first group of the PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and a second group of the PUSCH repetitions according to the second SRS resource set (step 804-1). Alternatively, the base station may receive the PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource set (step 804-2). Specifically, the base station may receive each of the PUSCH transmissions based on a single spatial layer (step 804-2a) or multiple spatial layers (step 804-2b). The base station may receive the PUSCH repetitions based on a first spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the first SRS resource set and a second spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the second SRS resource set (step 804-3). In a non-limiting example, the base station can receive the first group of PUSCH repetitions on even numbered PUSCH repetitions and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on odd numbered PUSCH repetitions (step 804-4). Alternatively, the base station may receive the first group of PUSCH repetitions on a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions and the second group of PUSCH repetitions on a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions (step 804-5).

The base station may also apply an RV sequence to each of the PUSCH repetitions (step 806). The base station may also provide the instruction for transmitting the PUSCH repetitions according to one of the two SRS resource sets (step 808) and receive the PUSCH repetitions according to the one of the two SRS resource sets (step 810). In this regard, the base station may dynamically switch between receiving the PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets and according to the one of the two SRS resource sets (step 812).

Specific embodiments for enhancing PUSCH reliability between the wireless device and the network node are now described in detail below.

Embodiment 1 (e.g., 702, 702-1, 704-1, 802, 802-1, 804-1): Dynamically Indicating Multiple SRIs for Codebook based PUSCH

In one embodiment, a higher layer configuration (e.g., via Radio Resource Control (RRC)) from a network node (e.g., base station) to a UE can be used to configure the following mode of operations:

• • a first mode following Rel-15/16 UE behavior (also referred to as “standard behavior” hereinafter), wherein the same spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS is assumed for all the PUSCH repetitions
  • a second mode (also referred to as “enhanced behavior” hereinafter), wherein more than one spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS is assumed for different PUSCH repetitions.

The second mode enables PUSCH transmission towards multiple TRPs. FIG. 9 shows an example (e.g., 708, 710, 808, 810) where two SRS resources are configured in an SRS resource set . Since there are two TRPs in this example, the network will determine the preferred TPMI corresponding to each SRS resource. The network then indicates the two TPMIs (TPMI1 and TPMI2) corresponding to the two SRS resources.

In this case the UE can have two different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be used across different repetitions:

(1) PUSCH DMRS spatially related to latest SRS transmission in SRS resource 1(2) PUSCH DMRS spatially related to latest SRS transmission in SRS resource 2

These two spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS can be used to direct PUSCH transmission towards TRPs 1 and 2 in different PUSCH repetition instances. As shown in the example of FIG. 9, the first spatial relation can be used in even numbered PUSCH repetitions while the second spatial relation can be used in odd numbered PUSCH repetitions (e.g., 704-4, 804-4). Alternatively (e.g., 704-5, 804-5), the first spatial relation can be applied to the first two repetitions and the second spatial relations can be applied to the next two repetitions and this sequence may be repeated until the last repetition is reached. Note that the PUSCH repetitions as illustrated in FIG. 9 can be either nominal PUSCH repetitions or actual PUSCH repetitions.

It should be noted that when the number of SRS resources configured per SRS resource set is equal to the number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions, SRI does not need to be indicated in Downlink Control Information (DCI). For instance, in the example of FIG. 9, there are two different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS, which are alternated across different PUSCH repetitions and there are two SRS resources configured per SRS resource set. Hence, in some embodiments, when this condition is met, then SRI does not need to be indicated to the UE and ‘SRS resource indicator’ field can be absent from DCI.

In the more general case, the number of SRS resources configured per SRS resource set can be N_SRS and the number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions can be Q, where N_SRS>Q. In this case, QSRS resources need to be selected out of the N_SRS SRS resources, and there are

$\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ Q\end{array}\right)$

such combinations possible. Hence, in one embodiment, the field size of ‘SRS resource indicator’ field is given by

$\lceil {\log }_2\left(\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ Q\end{array}\right)\right)\rceil$

for Codebook based PUSCH. Table 7 shows an example with N_SRS=4 and Q=2, where the ‘SRS resource indicator’ field consists of 3 bits and each codepoint in the bit field indicates two SRIs which are used to provide two different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions.

TABLE 6
An example indication of SRI combinations for codebook based
PUSCH transmission with NSRS = 4 and Q = 2
Bit field
mapped
to
index SRI Combinations
0     SRI = 0, SRI = 1
1     SRI = 0, SRI = 2
2     SRI = 0, SRI = 3
3     SRI = 1, SRI = 2
4     SRI = 1, SRI = 3
5     SRI = 2, SRI = 3
6-7   reserved

In another embodiment, a different number of SRIs may be indicated by different codepoints in the SRI field, which is used to determine the number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions. For instance, if a codepoint in the SRI field indicates a single SRS resource, then a single spatial relation associated with the single SRS resource is used for PUSCH DMRS across all the PUSCH repetitions. On the other hand, if a codepoint in the SRI field indicates multiple SRS resources, then multiple spatial relations associated with the multiple SRS resources are used for PUSCH DMRS across different PUSCH repetitions.

In some scenarios, the UE may be served with different types of traffic (e.g., URLLC traffic vs eMBB traffic). In these scenarios, it may be beneficial to dynamically switch between multi-TRP based PUSCH reception and single-TRP based PUSCH reception. That is, switching between the following modes may be supported dynamically via information in DCI:

• • a first mode following Rel-15/16 UE behavior (standard behavior), wherein the same spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS is assumed for all the PUSCH repetitions
  • a second mode (enhanced behavior), wherein more than one spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS is assumed for different PUSCH repetitions.

In one embodiment, a single bit in the ‘SRS resource indicator’ field in DCI is used to dynamically switch between the first mode (e.g., single-TRP mode) and the second mode (e.g., multi-TRP mode). FIG. 10 shows an example, wherein the most significant bit S_L-1 of the ‘SRS resource indicator’ field is used to dynamically switch between the first mode and the second mode. In the example, the first mode and the second mode are indicated to the UE when the most significant bit is set to values of S_L-1=0 and S_L-1=1, respectively. If the first mode is indicated to the UE, the remaining bits S_L-2, S_L-3, . . . , S₁, S₀ are used to indicate a single SRI to be used to determine spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS. If the second mode is indicated to the UE, the remaining bits S_L-2, S_L-3, . . . , S₁, S₀ are used to indicate a combination of multiple SRIs to be used to determine spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS.

In an alternative embodiment, an indication of whether the first mode (e.g., single-TRP based PUSCH repetition) or second mode (e.g., multi-TRP based PUSCH repetition) should be used by the UE can be indicated as part of a row in the TDRA table. This is advantageous as whether to use single-TRP or multi-TRP based repetitions can be indicated along with the number of nominal repetitions K in a particular row of the TDRA table. For instance, two rows in the TDRA table can be configured with K=8 with one row being configured for single-TRP based PUSCH repetition while the other row being configured for multi-TRP based PUSCH repetition. Thus, by dynamically indicating these two different rows in the TDRA table via the TDRA field in DCI, one can switch between single-TRP based PUSCH repetition and multi-TRP based PUSCH repetition.

In another alternative embodiment, a number X of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be used across different PUSCH repetitions is higher layer configured to the UE (e.g., via RRC signaling). The DCI then contains X different ‘SRS resource indicator’ fields with each such field corresponding to PUSCH transmission towards a different TRP. The X different ‘SRS resource indicator’ fields can be used to independently indicate X different SRS resources to be used by the UE to derive the spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS corresponding to X different TRPs.

In an alternative embodiment, a single SRI field in DCI is split into X different subfield with each subfield indicating an SRI for each TRP. In some embodiments, the number of subfields in the SRI field can be dependent on a higher layer parameter or another field in DCI. For example, depending on a higher layer parameter configuration (e.g., RRC configuration), the single SRI field in DCI may consist of a single subfield (e.g., X=1) or multiple subfields (e.g., X>1).

In yet another embodiment, two spatial relations may be configured for an SRS resource. Each of the two spatial relations is associated with one TRP. When the SRS resource is selected by the SRI field in a DCI scheduling a PUSCH, and PUSCH repetition is also indicated, PUSCH repetition would be performed over the two TRPs associated with the two spatial relations. The SRI may also point to two sets of PUSCH power control parameters, one for each of the two spatial relations.

In another embodiment (e.g., 706, 806), the Redundancy Version (RV) sequence defined in Rel-15/16 (shown in Table 5) may be applied in a per TRP (e.g., per SRS resource or per SRS spatial relation) basis. A RV offset between two TRPs may be configured by RRC.

In yet another embodiment, multiple SRS resource sets may be configured by RRC for a UE for Codebook based PUSCH transmission. Each SRS resource set may contain one or more SRS resource each with one SRS port. One or more SRS resource sets may be dynamically indicated in DCI together with one or more SRS resources in the SRS resource set to a UE. For example, if two SRS resource sets are configured, either the first SRS resource set, the second SRS resource set, or both the first and the second SRS resource sets may be indicated to the UE. When both SRS resource sets are indicated, the UE would transmit the PUSCH according to the first SRS resource set (e.g., according to the spatial relation associated with the first SRS resource set) in the first PUSCH transmission occasion and according to the second SRS resource set (e.g., according to the spatial relation associated with the second SRS resource set) in the second PUSCH transmission occasion.

Embodiment 2 (e.g., 702-1, 802-1): Dynamically Indicating Multiple TPMIs for Codebook Based PUSCH

As shown in FIG. 9, for multi-TRP based PUSCH repetition, multiple TPMIs need to be indicated. It is assumed that the number of SRS ports in different SRS resources is the same.

In one embodiment, the multiple TPMIs that need to be indicated to the UE are jointly encoded using the same ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ field. An example is shown in Table 8 below where two TPMIs are jointly indicated. In one variant of the embodiment, the same number of spatial layers is associated with each TPMI (e.g., both TPMI1 and TPMI2 have a single spatial layer). In an alternative embodiment, different number of spatial layers can be associated with each TPMI (e.g., TPMI1 has 2 spatial layers while TPMI2 has a single spatial layer).

TABLE 7
An example of joint indication of multiple TPMIs in ‘Precoding
information and number of layers’ field
Bit field
mapped Combinations of
to     TPMIs and number
index  of layers indicated
0      1 layer: TPMIi = 0,
       TPMI2 = 0
1      1 layer: TPMIi = l,
       TPMI2 = 2
2      2 layers: TPMIi = 0,
       TPMI2 = 1
3      1 layer: TPML = 2,
       TPMI2 = 4
4      1 layer: TPML = 3,
       TPMI2 = 5
5      1 layer: TPML = 4,
       TPMI2 = 4
6      1 layer: TPMIi = 5,
       TPMI2 = 5
7      2 layers: TPMIi = l,
       TPMI2 = 2
8      2 layers: TPML = 2,
       TPMI2 = 0
9-15   reserved

In an alternate embodiment, additional ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ fields are added to the DCI to independently indicate the TPMIs corresponding to different TRPs. If a number X of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be used across different PUSCH repetitions is higher layer configured to the UE (e.g., via RRC signaling), then DCI then contains X different ‘Precoding information and number of layers’ fields with each such field corresponding to PUSCH transmission towards a different TRP. In some variants of this embodiment, the number of layers indicated by each of these fields needs to be identical while the TPMIs indicated can be different.

In another embodiment, at least one Phase Tracking Reference Signal (PTRS) port is associated with a DMRS layer(s) corresponding to each of the multiple TPMIs indicated to the UE. For example, if two TPMIs are indicated to the UE, the UE will transmit two PTRS ports. Specifically, the UE may transmit a first of the two PTRS port corresponds to the DMRS layer corresponding to the first TPMI and a second of the two PTRS port corresponds to the DMRS layer corresponding to the second TPMI.

Embodiment 3 (e.g., 702, 702-2, 704-2, 802, 802-2, 804-2): Dynamically Indicating Multiple SRIs for Non-Codebook Based PUSCH

In case of non-codebook based transmission, an L-layer transmission with repetition over Q TRPs needs to have Q subsets of L out of N_SRS SRS resources. In one embodiment, when multi-TRP transmission is indicated, the SRS resource indicator is extended from

$\lceil {\log }_2\left({\sum }_{k=1}^{\min \left\{L_{\max },N_{\mathrm{SRS}}\right\}}\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ k\end{array}\right)\right)\rceil \mathrm{bits}$

in the single-TRP case (i.e., from what is currently supported in NR) to Q times

$\lceil {\log }_2\left({\sum }_{k=1}^{\min \left\{L_{\max },N_{\mathrm{SRS}}\right\}}\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ k\end{array}\right)\right)\rceil \mathrm{bits}$

in the multi-TRP case. However, this may lead to ambiguity since the number of layers is jointly encoded with the SRS resource subset for each TRP. Since a repetition should have the same number of spatial layers, a better option is to jointly encode the number of spatial layers with multiple SRS resource sets. In another embodiment, this is done by joint encoding using

$\lceil {\log }_2\left({\sum }_{k=1}^{\min \left\{L_{\max },N_{\mathrm{SRS}}\right\}}\frac{1}{Q!}{\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ k\end{array}\right)}^Q\right)\rceil \mathrm{bits}.$

This assumes a pre-defined rule of transmission of the different sets (e.g., a lexicographic order). Alternatively, if desired to also signal an explicit order of transmission to the different TRPs, the joint encoding can take the order into account using

$\lceil {\log }_2\left({\sum }_{k=1}^{\min \left\{L_{\max },N_{\mathrm{SRS}}\right\}}{\left(\begin{array}{c}{N}_{\mathrm{SRS}}\\ k\end{array}\right)}^Q\right)\rceil \mathrm{bits}.$

In some embodiments (e.g., 702-2a, 704-2a, 802-2a, 804-2a), the maximum number of spatial layers per PUSCH repetition is limited to 1 spatial layer. Assume that the number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions is denoted by Q. Then, all PUSCH repetitions using the Q alternating spatial relations is limited to a single PUSCH layer. In this embodiment, the UE maps the indicated SRI(s) the same DM-RS port and its corresponding PUSCH layer 0 in all the repetitions. That is, the SRS port in the multiple SRS resources in the SRS resource set indicated via the SRI field is in indexed as p_i=1000 irrespective of i. This embodiment applies to non-codebook based PUSCH transmissions with repetition.

In another embodiment (e.g., 702-2b, 704-2b, 802-2b, 804-2b), the maximum number of layers per PUSCH repetition is limited to L layers, wherein the value of L may represent a UE capability (e.g., whether a UE supports two PUSCH layers (e.g., L=2) per repetition is reported as part of UE capability). In this embodiment, the SRS resources in an SRS resource set are grouped into two different SRS resource groups. An example is shown in FIG. 11. The SRS resources 1 and 2 in SRS resource group 1, which are indicated via the SRI field and corresponding spatial relations, are used for transmitting up to L=2 layers in the 1st PUSCH transmission occasion. Similarly, the SRS resources 3 and 4 in SRS group 2, which are indicated via the SRI field and corresponding spatial relations, are used for transmitting up to L=2 layers in the 2nd PUSCH transmission occasion. In some embodiments, the number of SRS resources in each SRS resource group indicated via SRI field should be identical in order to support the same number of layers transmitted in each repetition. For example, if an SRI indicates 4 SRS resources, then there must be 2 SRS resources belonging to each SRS resource group. Similarly, if SRI indicates 2 SRS resources, then there must be 1

SRS resource belonging to each SRS resource group. If SRI indicates only a single SRS resource, it may correspond to a single layer PUSCH transmission using the spatial relation of indicated SRS resource in all the repetitions. In some embodiments, the SRS group is configured to a SRS resource by including an SRS group ID per SRS resource configuration.

Although the example in FIG. 11 shows the 1st group of SRS resources and 2nd group of SRS resources being used for PUSCH transmission in 1st and 2nd transmission occasions respectively, other patterns may also be possible. For instance, the 1st group of SRS resources may be used for PUSCH transmission in the 1st and 2nd transmission occasions, while the 2nd group of SRS resources may be used for PUSCH transmission in the 3rd and 4th transmission occasions. The same pattern may be repeated if more than 4 transmission occasions are configured or indicated for PUSCH. In the example embodiment in FIG. 11, even though two SRS resource groups are presented, the idea can be equally presented with two SRS resource sets in place of two SRS resource groups (e.g., 704-4, 804-4).

In another embodiment, one PTRS port is associated with each SRS resource group. For example, if the UE selects a first set of layers of PUSCH on SRS resources in a first SRS group for transmitting a first PUSCH, but transmits a second PUSCH or a second set of layers of a PUSCH on SRS resources in a second SRS group, the UE will transmit two PTRS ports, one per SRS resource group. If the UE selects layers from a single SRS group, the UE transmits only a single PTRS port.

In some further embodiments, for codebook based PUSCH transmission, a single SRS resource set with two SRS resources, each associated with a TRP, may be configured for a UE. For non-codebook based PUSCH transmission, two SRS resource sets (e.g., 700, 800), each associated with a TRP, may be configured for a UE. To support dynamic switching between PUSCH transmission over a single TRP and two TRPs, a bit filed in DCI may be used for the purpose. In case of codebook based PUSCH transmission, two SRS resources may be indicated for PUSCH transmission to two TRPs. For non-codebook based transmission, two SRS resource sets may be indicated for PUSCH transmission to two TRPs (e.g., 700, 800).

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node 1200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Optional features are represented by dashed boxes. The radio access node 1200 may be, for example, a base station 402 or 406 or a network node that implements all or part of the functionality of the base station 402 or gNB described herein. As illustrated, the radio access node 1200 includes a control system 1202 that includes one or more processors 1204 (e.g., Central Processing Units (CPUs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and/or the like), memory 1206, and a network interface 1208. The one or more processors 1204 are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. In addition, the radio access node 1200 may include one or more radio units 1210 that each includes one or more transmitters 1212 and one or more receivers 1214 coupled to one or more antennas 1216. The radio units 1210 may be referred to or be part of radio interface circuitry. In some embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1210 is external to the control system 1202 and connected to the control system 1202 via, e.g., a wired connection (e.g., an optical cable). However, in some other embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1210 and potentially the antenna(s) 1216 are integrated together with the control system 1202. The one or more processors 1204 operate to provide one or more functions of a radio access node 1200 as described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9). In some embodiments, the function(s) are implemented in software that is stored, e.g., in the memory 1206 and executed by the one or more processors 1204.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram that illustrates a virtualized embodiment of the radio access node 1200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is equally applicable to other types of network nodes. Further, other types of network nodes may have similar virtualized architectures. Again, optional features are represented by dashed boxes.

As used herein, a “virtualized” radio access node is an implementation of the radio access node 1200 in which at least a portion of the functionality of the radio access node 1200 is implemented as a virtual component(s) (e.g., via a virtual machine(s) executing on a physical processing node(s) in a network(s)). As illustrated, in this example, the radio access node 1200 may include the control system 1202 and/or the one or more radio units 1210, as described above. The control system 1202 may be connected to the radio unit(s) 1210 via, for example, an optical cable or the like. The radio access node 1200 includes one or more processing nodes 1300 coupled to or included as part of a network(s) 1302. If present, the control system 1202 or the radio unit(s) are connected to the processing node(s) 1300 via the network 1302. Each processing node 1300 includes one or more processors 1304 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1306, and a network interface 1308.

In this example, functions 1310 of the radio access node 1200 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9) are implemented at the one or more processing nodes 1300 or distributed across the one or more processing nodes 1300 and the control system 1202 and/or the radio unit(s) 1210 in any desired manner. In some particular embodiments, some or all of the functions 1312 of the radio access node 1200 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) 1300. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, additional signaling or communication between the processing node(s) 1300 and the control system 1202 is used in order to carry out at least some of the desired functions 1310. Notably, in some embodiments, the control system 1202 may not be included, in which case the radio unit(s) 1210 communicate directly with the processing node(s) 1300 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 radio access node 1000 or a node (e.g., a processing node 1300) implementing one or more of the functions 1312 of the radio access node 1200 in a virtual environment according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9). 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).

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of the radio access node 1200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The radio access node 1200 includes one or more modules 1400, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s) 1400 provide the functionality of the radio access node 1200 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9). This discussion is equally applicable to the processing node 1300 of FIG. 13 where the modules 1400 may be implemented at one of the processing nodes 1300 or distributed across multiple processing nodes 1300 and/or distributed across the processing node(s) 1300 and the control system 1202.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device 1500 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the wireless communication device 1500 includes one or more processors 1502 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1504, and one or more transceivers 1506 each including one or more transmitters 1508 and one or more receivers 1510 coupled to one or more antennas 1512. The transceiver(s) 1506 includes radio-front end circuitry connected to the antenna(s) 1512 that is configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna(s) 1512 and the processor(s) 1502, as will be appreciated by on of ordinary skill in the art. The processors 1502 are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. The transceivers 1506 are also referred to herein as radio circuitry. In some embodiments, the functionality of the wireless communication device 1500 described above (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9) may be fully or partially implemented in software that is, e.g., stored in the memory 1504 and executed by the processor(s) 1502. Note that the wireless communication device 1500 may include additional components not illustrated in FIG. 15 such as, e.g., one or more user interface components (e.g., an input/output interface including a display, buttons, a touch screen, a microphone, a speaker(s), and/or the like and/or any other components for allowing input of information into the wireless communication device 1500 and/or allowing output of information from the wireless communication device 1500), a power supply (e.g., a battery and associated power circuitry), etc.

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 wireless communication device 1500 according to any of the embodiments described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9) 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).

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of the wireless communication device 1500 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device 1500 includes one or more modules 1600, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s) 1600 provide the functionality of the wireless communication device 1500 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a network node as described above, for example, with reference to FIG. 9).

With reference to FIG. 17, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network 1700, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network 1702, such as a RAN, and a core network 1704. The access network 1702 comprises a plurality of base stations 1706A, 1706B, 1706C, such as Node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, or other types of wireless Access Points (APs), each defining a corresponding coverage area 1708A, 1708B, 1708C. Each base station 1706A, 1706B, 1706C is connectable to the core network 1704 over a wired or wireless connection 1710. A first UE 1712 located in coverage area 1708C is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1706C. A second UE 1714 in coverage area 1708A is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1706A. While a plurality of UEs 1712, 1714 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1706.

The telecommunication network 1700 is itself connected to a host computer 1716, 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 1716 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 1718 and 1720 between the telecommunication network 1700 and the host computer 1716 may extend directly from the core network 1704 to the host computer 1716 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1722. The intermediate network 1722 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network 1722, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1722 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of FIG. 17 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1712, 1714 and the host computer 1716. The connectivity may be described as an Over-the-Top (OTT) connection 1724. The host computer 1716 and the connected UEs 1712, 1714 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection 1724, using the access network 1702, the core network 1704, any intermediate network 1722, and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1724 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1724 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station 1706 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from the host computer 1716 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1712. Similarly, the base station 1706 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1712 towards the host computer 1716.

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 FIG. 18. In a communication system 1800, a host computer 1802 comprises hardware 1804 including a communication interface 1806 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1800. The host computer 1802 further comprises processing circuitry 1808, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry 1808 may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer 1802 further comprises software 1810, which is stored in or accessible by the host computer 1802 and executable by the processing circuitry 1808. The software 1810 includes a host application 1812. The host application 1812 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a UE 1814 connecting via an OTT connection 1816 terminating at the UE 1814 and the host computer 1802. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application 1812 may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1816.

The communication system 1800 further includes a base station 1818 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1820 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 1802 and with the UE 1814. The hardware 1820 may include a communication interface 1822 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1800, as well as a radio interface 1824 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 1826 with the UE 1814 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIG. 18) served by the base station 1818. The communication interface 1822 may be configured to facilitate a connection 1828 to the host computer 1802. The connection 1828 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIG. 18) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, the hardware 1820 of the base station 1818 further includes processing circuitry 1830, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The base station 1818 further has software 1832 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

The communication system 1800 further includes the UE 1814 already referred to. The UE's 1814 hardware 1834 may include a radio interface 1836 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 1826 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 1814 is currently located. The hardware 1834 of the UE 1814 further includes processing circuitry 1838, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 1814 further comprises software 1840, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 1814 and executable by the processing circuitry 1838. The software 1840 includes a client application 1842. The client application 1842 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 1814, with the support of the host computer 1802. In the host computer 1802, the executing host application 1812 may communicate with the executing client application 1842 via the OTT connection 1816 terminating at the UE 1814 and the host computer 1802. In providing the service to the user, the client application 1842 may receive request data from the host application 1812 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1816 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 1842 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that the host computer 1802, the base station 1818, and the UE 1814 illustrated in FIG. 18 may be similar or identical to the host computer 1716, one of the base stations 1706A, 1706B, 1706C, and one of the UEs 1712, 1714 of FIG. 17, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIG. 18 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 17.

In FIG. 18, the OTT connection 1816 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer 1802 and the UE 1814 via the base station 1818 without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, which may be configured to hide from the UE 1814 or from the service provider operating the host computer 1802, or both. While the OTT connection 1816 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

The wireless connection 1826 between the UE 1814 and the base station 1818 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 1814 using the OTT connection 1816, in which the wireless connection 1826 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the PUSCH reliability and flexible switching between the ‘standard mode’ and the ‘enhanced mode’ and thereby provide benefits such as enabling multi-TRP codebook based transmission and multi-TRP non-codebook based transmission.

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 1816 between the host computer 1802 and the UE 1814, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1816 may be implemented in the software 1810 and the hardware 1804 of the host computer 1802 or in the software 1840 and the hardware 1834 of the UE 1814, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 1816 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 1810, 1840 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1816 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 1818, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1818. 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 1802's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 1810 and 1840 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1816 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 19 will be included in this section. In step 1900, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 1902 (which may be optional) of step 1900, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1904, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1906 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1908 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 20 will be included in this section. In step 2000 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2002, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE.

The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2004 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 21 will be included in this section. In step 2100 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2102, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 2104 (which may be optional) of step 2100, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 2106 (which may be optional) of step 2102, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in sub-step 2108 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 2110 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 22 will be included in this section. In step 2200 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 2202 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2204 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

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,

Some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows.

Embodiment 1: A method performed by a wireless device for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability. The method includes one or more of the following steps:

receiving (500) an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) from a network node (e.g., a base station) for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes (e.g., Transmission/Reception Points (TRPs)) (a.k.a. “enhanced mode”) via codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission; andtransmitting (502) the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes in accordance to the instruction(s) received from the network node.

Embodiment 2: The method also includes receiving the instruction(s) comprising multiple spatial relations each corresponding to a subset of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes based on the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 3: wherein multiple spatial relations comprise a first subset of spatial relations corresponding to a first network node of the multiple network nodes and a second subset of spatial relations corresponding to a second network node of the multiple network nodes, wherein the first subset of spatial relations does not overlap with the second subset of spatial relations.

Embodiment 4: wherein the instruction(s) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the codebook based PUSCH transmission further comprises one or more of the following:

multiple Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicators (TPMIs) corresponding to multiple Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources (e.g., network nodes); andmultiple SRS Resource Indicators (SRIs) (e.g., in DCI) indicating a preferred TPMI for each of the multiple SRS resources.

Embodiment 5: The method also includes one or more of the following:

receiving multiple SRS resource sets (e.g., via RRC) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions in multiple PUSCH transmit occasions based on the multiple SRS resource sets.

Embodiment 6: The method also includes one or more of the following:

receiving multiple SRS resource groups within a single SRS resource set (e.g., via RRC) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions in multiple PUSCH transmit occasions based on the multiple SRS resource groups.

Embodiment 7: The method also includes transmitting even numbered PUSCH repetitions (e.g., to a first network node) among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions and odd numbered PUSCH repetitions (e.g., to a second network node) among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on different spatial relations among the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 8: The method also includes transmitting a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions (e.g., to a first network node) and a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions (e.g., to a second network node) based on different spatial relations among the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 9: The method also includes receiving indications of a number of different SRIs, which is used to determine a number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions, in different codepoints in an SRI field in DCI.

Embodiment 10: The method also includes splitting the SRI field into a number of subfields each indicating an SRI among the multiple SRIs for a respective network node among the multiple network nodes.

Embodiment 11: The method also includes receiving indications of a number of different SRIs, which is used to determine a number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions, in different SRI fields in DCI.

Embodiment 12: The method also includes applying redundancy version (RV) sequence to each of the multiple network nodes.

Embodiment 13: The method also includes not receiving indications of the multiple SRIs (e.g., in DCI) when the multiple SRS resources configured per SRS resource set equals the multiple spatial relations to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions.

Embodiment 14: The method also includes one or more of the following:

receiving the instructions(s) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to a single network node (a.k.a. “standard mode”) based on an identical spatial relation; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the single network node in accordance to the instruction(s) received from the network node.

Embodiment 15: The method also includes dynamically switching between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 16: The method also includes receiving a single bit indication in the SRI field to dynamically switch between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 17: The method also includes receiving an indication as part of a row in a Time Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA) table to dynamically switch between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 18: The method also includes receiving the multiple TPMIs jointly encoded using an identical ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ field.

Embodiment 19: The method also includes receiving the multiple TPMIs each associated with an identical number of spatial layers.

Embodiment 20: The method also includes receiving the multiple TPMIs each associated with different number of spatial layers.

Embodiment 21: The method also includes receiving the DCI comprising additional ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ fields that independently indicate the multiple TPMIs corresponding to the multiple network nodes.

Embodiment 22: The method also includes receiving the multiple TPMIs each corresponding to a DMRS port(s) associated with at least one PTRS port.

Embodiment 23: The method also includes receiving a number of spatial layers jointly encoded with multiple SRS resource sets for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

Embodiment 24: The method also includes transmitting each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on a single spatial layer.

Embodiment 25: The method also includes transmitting each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on multiple spatial layers (e.g., SRS resources).

Embodiment 26: The method also includes grouping SRS resources in an SRS resource set into different SRS resource groups identified by a respective SRS group ID.

Embodiment 27: The method also includes associating at least one PTRS port with each of the different SRS groups.

Embodiment 28: The method also includes having identical number of SRS resources in each of the different SRS resource groups.

Embodiment 29: The method also includes one or more of the following:

receiving an SRS resource set associated with multiple SRS resources (e.g., network nodes) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the codebook based transmission; andreceiving multiple SRS resource sets each associated with a single SRS resource (e.g., network node) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the non-codebook based transmission.

Embodiment 30: A method performed by a wireless device for transmitting PUSCH. The method comprising at least one of the following steps:

a. transmitting a first SRS in a first SRS resource according to a first spatial relation and a second SRS in a second SRS resource according to a second spatial relation out of a plurality of spatial relations;b. receiving a DCI that schedules PUSCH transmission with a plurality of repetitions wherein the DCI indicates at least one of the following:

i. at least one of the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource; and

ii. at least one of a first TPMI corresponding to the first SRS resource and a second TPMI corresponding to the second SRS resource;

c. transmitting, if the DCI indicates the first SRS resource, the PUSCH in a first sub-set of repetitions among the plurality of repetitions using the first spatial relation associated with the first SRS resource; andd. transmitting, if the DCI additionally indicates the second SRS resource, the PUSCH in a second sub-set of repetitions among the plurality of repetitions using the second spatial relation associated with the second SRS resource.

Embodiment 31: where the source reference signal(s) in the plurality of spatial relations is one of an SRS, CSI-RS, or SSB.

Embodiment 32: wherein the at least one of the first resource and the second SRS resource are indicated by either a single SRI field in DCI or two different SRI fields in DCI.

Embodiment 33: wherein the at least one of the first TPMI and the second TPMI are indicated by either a single TPMI field in DCI or two different TPMI fields in DCI when PUSCH transmission is configured to be ‘codebook’ based.

Embodiment 34: wherein whether the DCI indicates only the first SRS resource, or it indicates both the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource is higher layer configured via RRC signaling.

Embodiment 35: wherein whether the DCI indicates only the first SRS resource, or it indicates both the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource is given via one of the fields in DCI.

Embodiment 36: wherein one or more bits in SRI field in DCI indicates whether DCI indicates only the first SRS resource, or it indicates both the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource.

Embodiment 37: wherein the TDRA field in DCI indicates whether DCI indicates only the first SRS resource, or it indicates both the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource.

Embodiment 38: wherein the first sub-set of repetitions corresponds to all the plurality repetitions if the SRI field indicates only the first SRS resource.

Embodiment 39: A method in a UE for switching between a first type and a second type of PUSCH transmission with a plurality of repetitions, wherein:

a. a first transmission type involves PUSCH DMRS being spatially related to a single source reference signal being applied for the plurality of repetitions, andb. a second transmission type involves PUSCH DMRS being spatially related to a plurality of source reference signals where each of the source reference signals is used as a spatial relation for PUSCH DMRS in different subsets of the plurality of repetitions;wherein the method comprises one or more of the following:

the UE receiving an indication of one among the first and second transmission types; and

the UE transmitting PUSCH according to the indicated transmission type among the first and second transmission modes.

Embodiment 40: wherein the source reference signal is one of an SRS, CSI-RS, or SSB.

Embodiment 41: wherein the indication is a higher layer configuration parameter that chooses between the first transmission type or the second transmission type.

Embodiment 42: wherein the indication is in a DCI field where the DCI field can be one among the following:

a. ‘SRS resource indicator’ field; andb. ‘Time Domain Resource allocation’ field.

Embodiment 43: The method also includes providing user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.

Embodiment 44: A method performed by a base station for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, the method comprising one or more of the following steps:

providing (600) an instruction(s) (e.g., via RRC) to a wireless device (e.g., a UE) for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes (e.g. Transmission/Reception Points (TRPs)) (a.k.a. “enhanced mode”) in the base station via codebook based PUSCH transmission or non-codebook based PUSCH transmission; andreceiving (602) the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple network nodes based on the instruction(s) provided to the wireless device.

Embodiment 45: The method also includes one or more of the following:

providing the instruction(s) comprising multiple spatial relations each corresponding to a subset of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions; andreceiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions from the wireless device based on the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 46: wherein multiple spatial relations comprise a first subset of spatial relations corresponding to a first network node of the multiple network nodes and a second subset of spatial relations corresponding to a second network node of the multiple network nodes, wherein the first subset of spatial relations does not overlap with the second subset of spatial relations.

Embodiment 47: wherein the instruction(s) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the codebook based PUSCH transmission further comprises one or more of the following:

multiple Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicators (TPMIs) corresponding to multiple Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources (e.g., network nodes); andmultiple SRS Resource Indicators (SRIs) (e.g., in DCI) indicating a preferred TPMI for each of the multiple SRS resources.

Embodiment 48: The method also includes one or more of the following:

providing multiple SRS resource sets (e.g., via RRC) to the wireless device for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes; andreceiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions in multiple PUSCH transmit occasions based on the multiple SRS resource sets.

Embodiment 49: The method also includes one or more of the following:

providing multiple SRS resource groups within a single SRS resource set (e.g., via RRC) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes; andreceiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions in multiple PUSCH transmit occasions based on the multiple SRS resource groups.

Embodiment 50: The method also includes receiving even numbered PUSCH repetitions (e.g., via a first network node) among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions and odd numbered PUSCH repetitions (e.g., via a second network node) among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on different spatial relations among the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 51: The method also includes receiving a first number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions (e.g., via a first network node) and a second number of consecutive PUSCH repetitions subsequent to the first number of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions (e.g., via a second network node) based on different spatial relations among the multiple spatial relations.

Embodiment 52: The method also includes providing to the wireless device indications of a number of different SRIs, which is used to determine a number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions, in different codepoints in an SRI field in DCI.

Embodiment 53: The method also includes splitting the SRI field into a number of subfields each indicating an SRI among the multiple SRIs for a respective network node among the multiple network nodeS.

Embodiment 54: The method also includes providing to the wireless device indications of a number of different SRIs, which is used to determine a number of different spatial relations for PUSCH DMRS to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions, in different SRI fields in DCI.

Embodiment 55: The method also includes applying redundancy version (RV) sequence to each of the multiple network nodes.

Embodiment 56: The method also includes not providing to the wireless device indications of the multiple SRIs (e.g., in DCI) when the multiple SRS resources configured per SRS resource set equal the multiple spatial relations to be alternated across different PUSCH repetitions.

Embodiment 57: The method also includes one or more of the following:

providing the instructions(s) to the wireless device for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to a single network node (a.k.a. “standard mode”) based on an identical spatial relation; andreceiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the single network node in accordance to the instruction(s) provided to the wireless device.

Embodiment 58: The method also includes dynamically switching between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 59: The method also includes providing to the wireless device a single bit indication in the SRI field to dynamically switch between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 60: The method also includes providing to the wireless device an indication as part of a row in a Time Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA) table to dynamically switch between the enhanced mode and the standard mode.

Embodiment 61: The method also includes jointly encoding the multiple TPMIs using an identical ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ field.

Embodiment 62: The method also includes associating each of the multiple TPMIs with an identical number of spatial layers.

Embodiment 63: The method also includes associating each of the multiple TPMIs with different number of spatial layers.

Embodiment 64: The method also includes independently indicating the multiple TPMIs corresponding to the multiple network nodes in additional ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ fields.

Embodiment 65: The method also includes providing the multiple TPMIs each corresponding to a DMRS port(s) associated with at least one PTRS port.

Embodiment 66: The method also includes jointly encoding a number of spatial layers with multiple SRS resource sets for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes from the wireless device via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

Embodiment 67: The method also includes receiving from the wireless device each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on a single spatial layer.

Embodiment 68: The method also includes receiving from the wireless device each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on multiple spatial layers (e.g., SRS resources).

Embodiment 69: The method also includes grouping SRS resources in an SRS resource set into different SRS resource groups identified by a respective SRS group ID.

Embodiment 70: The method also includes associating at least one PTRS port with each of the different SRS groups.

Embodiment 71: The method also includes having identical number of SRS resources in each of the different SRS resource groups.

Embodiment 72: The method also includes one or more of the following:

providing to the wireless device an SRS resource set associated with multiple SRS resources (e.g., network nodes) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the codebook based transmission; andproviding to the wireless device multiple SRS resource sets each associated with a single SRS resource (e.g., network node) for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes via the non-codebook based transmission.

Embodiment 73: The method also includes obtaining user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless device.

Embodiment 74: A wireless device for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, the wireless device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device; andpower supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.

Embodiment 75: A base station for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, the base station comprising:

processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the base station; andpower supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

Embodiment 76: A User Equipment, UE, for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, the UE comprising:

an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals;radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry;the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments;an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry;an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; anda battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

Embodiment 77: A communication system including a host computer comprising:

processing circuitry configured to provide user data; anda communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE;wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the base station.

Embodiment 78: The communication system further including the base station.

Embodiment 79: The communication system further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

Embodiment 80: The communication system, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; andthe UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiment 81: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:

at the host computer, providing user data; andat the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the base station.

Embodiment 82: The method further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

Embodiment 83: 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 84: A User Equipment, UE, configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the method of the previous 3 embodiments.

Embodiment 85: A communication system including a host computer comprising:

processing circuitry configured to provide user data; anda communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE;wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's components configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device.

Embodiment 86: The communication system, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

Embodiment 87: The communications system, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; andthe UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiment 88: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:

at the host computer, providing user data; andat the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device.

Embodiment 89: The method also includes further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

Embodiment 90: A communication system including a host computer comprising:

communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User Equipment, UE, to a base station;wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device.

Embodiment 91: The communication system further including the UE.

Embodiment 92: The communication system further including the base station, wherein the base station 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 base station.

Embodiment 93: The communication system, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; andthe UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

Embodiment 94: The communication system, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; andthe UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

Embodiment 95: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device.

Embodiment 96: The method further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

Embodiment 97: The method further comprising:

at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; andat the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

Embodiment 98: The method further comprising:

at the UE, executing a client application; andat the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application;wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

Embodiment 99: 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 base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the base station.

Embodiment 100: The communication system further including the base station.

Embodiment 101: The communication system further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

Embodiment 102: The communication system, wherein:

the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; andthe UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

Embodiment 103: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the embodiments performed by the wireless device.

Embodiment 104: The method further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

Embodiment 105: The method further comprising at the base station, 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).

• 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project
• 5G Fifth Generation
• 5GC Fifth Generation Core
• 5GS Fifth Generation System
• AF Application Function
• AMF Access and Mobility Function
• AN Access Network
• AP Access Point
• ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
• AUSF Authentication Server Function
• CG Configured Grants
• CP-OFDM Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
• CPU Central Processing Unit
• CSI-RS Channel State Information Reference Signal
• DCI Downlink Control Information
• DFT Discrete Fourier Transform
• DL Down Link
• DMRS Demodulation Reference Signal
• DN Data Network
• DSP Digital Signal Processor
• eNB Enhanced or Evolved Node B
• EPS Evolved Packet System
• E-UTRA Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access
• FDD Frequency Division Duplex
• FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array
• gNB New Radio Base Station
• gNB-DU New Radio Base Station Distributed Unit
• HSS Home Subscriber Server
• IoT Internet of Things
• IP Internet Protocol
• LTE Long Term Evolution
• MIMO Multiple-Input Multiple-Output
• MME Mobility Management Entity
• MTC Machine Type Communication
• NEF Network Exposure Function
• NF Network Function
• NR New Radio
• NRF Network Function Repository Function
• NSSF Network Slice Selection Function
• OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
• OTT Over-the-Top
• PC Personal Computer
• PCF Policy Control Function
• PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel
• PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel
• P-GW Packet Data Network Gateway
• PTRS Phase Tracking Reference Signal
• PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel
• QoS Quality of Service
• RAM Random Access Memory
• RAN Radio Access Network
• RB Resource Blocks
• RE Resource Element
• ROM Read Only Memory
• RRC Radio Resource Control
• RRH Remote Radio Head
• RS Reference Signal
• RTT Round Trip Time
• SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function
• SMF Session Management Function
• SRI SRS Resource Indicators
• SRS Sounding Reference Signal
• SSB Synchronization Signal Block
• TDD Time Division Duplex
• TDRA Time-Domain Resource Allocation
• TPMI Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicator
• TRP Transmission/Reception Points
• UDM Unified Data Management
• UE User Equipment
• UL Uplink
• UPF User Plane Function

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.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless device for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, comprising: receiving a configuration of two Sounding Reference Signal, SRS, resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set;receiving an instruction from a network node for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set based on the received instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises a first group of PUSCH repetitions and a second group of PUSCH repetitions, the second group being complementary to the first group, and the first group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions is transmitted according to the second SRS resource set.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the two SRS resource sets comprises one or more SRS resources.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the two SRS resource sets are configured for codebook based PUSCH transmission.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: receiving the instruction further comprises receiving the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via codebook based PUSCH transmission; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises transmitting the first group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second group of PUSCH repetitions among the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the second SRS resource set based on the codebook based PUSCH transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises: a first SRS Resource Indicator, SRI, indicating a first SRS resource from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating a second SRS resource from the second SRS resource set; anda first Transmit Precoding Matrix Indicator, TPMI, associated with the first SRS resource, and a second TPMI associated with the second SRS resource.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the two TPMIs are independently indicated in two ‘Precoding Information and Number of Layers’ fields in Downlink Control Information, DCI.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the two TPMIs are each associated with an identical number of spatial layers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one Phase Tracking Reference Signal, PTRS, port is associated with the spatial layers in each of the two TPMIs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the two SRS resource sets are configured for non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein: receiving the instruction comprises receiving the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via non-codebook based PUSCH transmission; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH transmissions comprises transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises a first SRS Resource Indicator, SRI, indicating one or more SRS resources from the first SRS resource set, and a second SRI indicating one or more SRS resources from the second SRS resource set.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the instruction for transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based transmission further comprises a plurality of spatial layers jointly encoded with each of the first SRI and the second SRI.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises transmitting each of plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on a single spatial layer among the plurality of spatial layers.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission comprises transmitting each of the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the non-codebook based PUSCH transmission based on multiple spatial layers among the plurality of spatial layers.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the multiple SRIs are provided in different SRI fields of Downlink Control Information, DCI.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein: receiving the instruction comprises receiving multiple spatial relations each associated with one of the multiple SRS resources in a respective one of the two SRS resource sets; andtransmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions comprises transmitting the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on a first spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the first SRS resource set and a second spatial relation associated with one of the SRS resources in the second SRS resource set.

18-23. (canceled)

24. A wireless device, comprising: processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless device to: receive a configuration of two Sounding Reference Signal, SRS, resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set;receive an instruction from a base station for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes; andtransmit the plurality of PUSCH repetitions to the multiple network nodes based on the received instruction; andpower supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless device.

25. (canceled)

26. A method performed by a base station for enhancing Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) reliability, comprising: transmitting, to a wireless device, a configuration of two Sounding Reference Signal, SRS, resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set;providing an instruction to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions according to the two SRS resource sets; andreceiving the plurality of PUSCH repetitions based on the instruction provided to the wireless device.

27-48. (canceled)

49. A base station, comprising: processing circuitry configured to cause the base station to: transmit, to a wireless device, a configuration of two Sounding Reference Signal, SRS, resource sets, comprising a first SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set;provide an instruction to the wireless device for transmitting a plurality of PUSCH repetitions to multiple network nodes; andreceive the plurality of PUSCH repetitions via the multiple network nodes based on the instruction provided to the wireless device; andpower supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

50. (canceled)