Resource Management of Wireless Backhaul Networks

Abstract

The present invention discloses an IAB node, comprising a receiver circuit and a processor circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots. The processor circuit is configured to determine both a slot format indicator and a time resource indicator based on the information. The slot format indicator is configured to indicate, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether a symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol. The time resource indicator (TRI) is configured to indicate, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by the IAB node. The processor circuit is further configured to control utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot based, at least in part, on corresponding symbol allocations according to the time resource indicator and the slot format indicator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology of this disclosure relates to wireless communications, and in particular to radio configuration and usage on wireless backhaul links of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network. Background Art

[0002] The radio access network typically resides between a wireless device (such as a user equipment (UE), mobile phone, mobile station, or any other device with a wireless terminal) and the core network. Examples of radio access network types include: GRAN, which is the GSM radio access network; GERAN, which includes EDGE packet radio service; UTRAN, which is the UMTS radio access network; E-UTRAN, which includes long term evolution; and g-UTRAN, which is new radio (NR).

[0003] The radio access network may include one or more access nodes, such as base station nodes, that facilitate wireless communications or otherwise provide an interface between wireless terminals and the telecommunications system. Non-limiting examples of base stations may include Node B ("NB"), enhanced Node B ("eNB"), Home eNB ("HeNB"), gNB (for New Radio ["NR"] technology systems), or some other similar terminology, depending on the radio access technology type.

[0004] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP") is a group that develops collaborative agreements, such as 3GPP standards, that aim to establish globally applicable technical specifications and technical reports for wireless communication systems. Various 3GPP documents may describe certain aspects of radio access networks. The overall architecture of fifth-generation systems (e.g., 5G systems, also referred to as "NR" or "New Radio," and "NG" or "Next Generation") is described in [the original text]. Figure 22 As shown in Figure 1 and also described in 3GPP TS 38.300, the 5G NR network consists of the NGRAN (Next Generation Radio Access Network) and the 5GC (5G Core Network). As shown in the figure, the NGRAN consists of gNBs (e.g., 5G base stations) and ng-eNBs (i.e., LTE base stations). Xn interfaces exist between gNBs, between (gNB) and (ng-eNB), and between (ng-eNB) and (ng-eNB). Xn is the network interface between NG-RAN nodes. Xn-U represents the Xn user plane interface, and Xn-C represents the Xn control plane interface. The NG interface exists between the 5GC and the base station (i.e., gNB and ng-eNB). The gNB node provides NR user plane and control plane protocol terminations to the UE and is connected to the 5GC via the NG interface. The 5G NR (New Radio) gNB is connected to the AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) and UPF (User Plane Function) in the 5GC (5G Core Network).

[0005] In some cellular mobile communication systems and networks such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and New Radio (NR), a service area is covered by one or more base stations, each of which can be connected to a core network via a fixed-line backhaul link (e.g., a fiber optic cable). In some cases, due to weak signals from base stations at the edge of the service area, users often experience performance issues such as reduced data rates and high probability of link failures. The concept of relay nodes has been introduced to extend the coverage area and improve signal quality. As implemented, relay nodes can be connected to base stations using wireless backhaul links.

[0006] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has discussed and standardized the concept of relay nodes for fifth-generation (5G) cellular systems, where relay nodes can simultaneously provide services to user equipment (UE) (access link) and connect to the core network (backhaul link) using the same 5G radio access technology (e.g., New Radio (NR)). These radio links can be multiplexed in time, frequency, and / or space. This system is referred to as integrated access and backhaul (IAB).

[0007] Some such cellular mobile communication systems and networks may include an IAB bearer and an IAB node, wherein the IAB bearer may provide an interface to the core network for the UE and provide wireless backhaul functionality for the IAB node; and in addition, the IAB node may provide IAB functionality combined with wireless self-backhaul capabilities.

[0008] What are needed are methods, apparatus, and / or techniques to flexibly and efficiently configure radio resources for integrated access and backhaul (IAB) operations. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In one example, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a receiver circuit configured to receive first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; a processor circuit configured to: determine: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0010] In one example, a method in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: receiving first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; determining: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), these CRC bits are used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), these CRC bits are used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0011] In one example, a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a transmitter circuit configured to transmit first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots to the IAB node; a processor circuit configured to: include in the transmitted information: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0012] In one example, a method in a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: transmitting first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots to the IAB node; the information including: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the technology disclosed herein will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the technology disclosed herein.

[0014] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a mobile network infrastructure using 5G signals and 5G base stations, and the figure specifically shows a carrier IAB node including an IAB resource configuration controller and multiple IAB nodes each including an IAB resource configuration manager.

[0015] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 It depicts Figure 1 A diagrammatic view of an example of a carrier IAB node and a functional block diagram of a representative IAB node.

[0016] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 is based on Figure 1 FIG2 shows an exemplary embodiment and mode of the present invention, showing in more detail a diagrammatic view of various functional units and components of a representative carrier IAB node, a representative IAB node, and a representative user equipment (UE).

[0017] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing uplink-downlink timing relationships.

[0018] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5is a diagrammatic view illustrating in greater detail portions of exemplary embodiments and modes of a telecommunications system including a representative carrier IAB node including a resource configuration scheme indicator generator and a representative IAB node including a resource configuration scheme indicator handler.

[0019] [ Figure 6A ] Figure 6A is a diagrammatic view of different exemplary grid schemes for IAB resource configuration.

[0020] [ Figure 6B ] Figure 6B is a diagrammatic view of different exemplary grid schemes for IAB resource configuration.

[0021] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A diagrammatic view of a resource configuration scheme indicator generator that selects and transmits a scheme indicator signal.

[0022] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 It shows that Figure 5 A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by a carrier IAB node of an exemplary embodiment and mode.

[0023] [ Figure 9 ] Figure 9 It shows that Figure 5 A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by an IAB node in accordance with exemplary embodiments and modes of the present invention.

[0024] [ Figure 10 ] Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in more detail portions of exemplary embodiments and modes of a telecommunications system including a representative carrier IAB node including an IAB resource MT utilization override signal generator and a representative IAB node including an IAB resource MT utilization override signal handler.

[0025] [ Figure 11 ] Figure 11 It shows that Figure 10 A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by a carrier IAB node of an exemplary embodiment and mode.

[0026] [ Figure 12 ] Figure 12 It shows that Figure 10A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by an IAB node in accordance with exemplary embodiments and modes of the present invention.

[0027] [ Figure 13 ] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of an overwrite signal generated by the carrier IAB node 22 and utilized by the IAB node 24 using the IAB resource MT. Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in greater detail portions of exemplary embodiments and modes of a telecommunications system including a representative carrier IAB node including an IAB resource configuration handover signal generator and a representative IAB node including an IAB resource configuration handover signal handler.

[0028] [ Figure 14 ] Figure 14 It is shown to facilitate understanding Figure 15 Diagrammatic views of exemplary framework structures of exemplary embodiments and modes.

[0029] [ Figure 15 ] Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in greater detail portions of an exemplary embodiment and mode of a telecommunications system including a representative carrier IAB node that includes a time resource indication generator that enables the representative IAB node to determine whether resources for symbols of a time slot are hard resources or soft resources, thereby facilitating symbol / resource utilization.

[0030] [ Figure 16 ] Figure 16 It shows that Figure 15 A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by a carrier IAB node of an exemplary embodiment and mode.

[0031] [ Figure 17 ] Figure 17 It shows that Figure 15 A flowchart of exemplary, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by an IAB node in accordance with exemplary embodiments and modes of the present invention.

[0032] [ Figure 18 ] Figure 18 is a diagrammatic view showing an exemplary slot format indicator SFI and time resource indicator TRI of an exemplary time slot.

[0033] [ Figure 19A ] Figure 19A are diagrammatic views showing the transmission of a time resource indicator TRI as system information and as dedicated signaling, respectively.

[0034] [ Figure 19B] Figure 19B are diagrammatic views showing the transmission of a time resource indicator TRI as system information and as dedicated signaling, respectively.

[0035] [ Figure 20 ] Figure 20 is a diagrammatic view of including a time resource indicator TRI in the DCI of the PDCCH of the IAB specific search space.

[0036] [ Figure 21 ] Figure 21 is a diagrammatic view illustrating exemplary elements comprising electronic machinery that may include a wireless terminal, a radio access node, and a core network node according to exemplary embodiments and modes.

[0037] [ Figure 22 ] Figure 22 It is a diagrammatic view of the overall architecture of the 5G New Radio system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In one exemplary, non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, the technology disclosed herein relates to a parent IAB node, such as a carrier IAB node, and a method of operating the same. The node includes a transmitter circuit and a processor circuit. The transmitter circuit is configured to transmit information regarding resource allocation for OFDM symbols within one or more time slots. The processor circuit is configured to include in the transmitted information: a slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by the parent node or by the IAB node.

[0039] In another exemplary, non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, the technology disclosed herein relates to an IAB node that is not a carrier IAB node and a method of operating the same. The IAB node includes a receiver circuit and a processor circuit. The receiver circuit is configured to receive information about resource allocation for OFDM symbols within one or more time slots. The processor circuit is configured to determine both a slot format indicator and a time resource indication based on the information. The slot format indicator is configured to indicate, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol. The time resource indicator TRI is configured to indicate, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node. The processor circuit is further configured to control utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot based, at least in part, on the corresponding symbol allocation according to the time resource indication and the slot format indicator.

[0040] For ease of illustration and not limitation, specific details such as specific architectures, interfaces, technologies, etc. are provided in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the technology disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the technology disclosed herein may also be implemented in other embodiments that are different from these specific details. That is, those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, still embody the principles of the technology disclosed herein and are included within its spirit and scope. In some cases, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so that the description of the technology disclosed herein is not obscure due to non-essential details. All statements describing the principles, aspects, and embodiments of the technology disclosed herein and their specific examples are intended to cover their structural and functional equivalents. In addition, it is intended that such equivalents include currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any element developed to perform the same function, regardless of structure.

[0041] Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the block diagrams herein can represent conceptual views of exemplary circuits or other functional units that embody the principles of the technology. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, state transition diagrams, pseudocodes, etc. represent various processes that can be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and thus executed by a computer or processor, regardless of whether such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0042] As used herein, the term "core network" may refer to a device, a group of devices, or a subsystem within a telecommunications network that provides services to users of the telecommunications network. Examples of services provided by the core network include aggregation, authentication, call switching, service invocation, and serving as a gateway to other networks.

[0043] As used herein, the term "wireless terminal" may refer to any electronic device used to transmit voice and / or data via a telecommunications system, such as, but not limited to, a cellular network. Other terms used to refer to a wireless terminal and non-limiting examples of such devices may include user equipment terminal, UE, mobile station, mobile device, access terminal, subscriber station, mobile terminal, remote station, user terminal, terminal, subscriber unit, cellular phone, smart phone, personal digital assistant ("PDA"), laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook, e-reader, wireless modem, etc.

[0044] As used herein, the term "access node," "node," or "base station" may refer to any device or group of devices that facilitates wireless communication or otherwise provides an interface between a wireless terminal and a telecommunications system. In the 3GPP specifications, non-limiting examples of a base station may include Node B ("NB"), enhanced Node B ("eNB"), Home eNB ("HeNB"), gNB (for New Radio ["NR"] technology systems), or some other similar terminology.

[0045] As used herein, the term "telecommunication system" or "communication system" may refer to any network of devices used to transmit information. Non-limiting examples of telecommunication systems are cellular networks or other wireless communication systems. Furthermore, a "node" may include a portion of the gNB architecture, specifically the gNB-DU (gNB Distributed Unit), which will be a logical node hosting the RLC, MAC, and PHY layers of the gNB, controlled by the gNB-CU (gNB Centralized Unit), which will reside in a "carrier node" and host the RRC, SDAP, and PDCP protocols for the gNB, or the RRC and PDCP protocols for an en-gNB that controls the operation of one or more gNB-DUs.

[0046] As used herein, the term "cellular network" or "cellular radio access network" may refer to a network distributed over cells, each cell being served by at least one fixed-location transceiver, such as a base station. It should also be noted that, as used herein, a "cell" may be any communication channel specified by a standardization or regulatory body for use with International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced) and all or a subset thereof, adopted by 3GPP as an authorized frequency band (e.g., a frequency band) for communication between an eNB and a UE. It should also be noted that, in the general description of E-UTRA and E-UTRAN, as used herein, a "cell" may be defined as a "combination of downlink resources and, optionally, uplink resources." The linking of the carrier frequencies of the downlink resources with the carrier frequencies of the uplink resources may be indicated in system information transmitted on the downlink resources.

[0047] A cellular network using a licensed frequency band may include configured cells. Configured cells may include cells that a UE terminal is aware of and has been permitted by a base station to transmit or receive information. Examples of cellular radio access networks include E-UTRAN and any successor networks thereof (e.g., NUTRAN).

[0048] "Configured cells" are those cells that the UE is aware of and has been permitted by the eNB to transmit or receive information. "Configured cells" may be serving cells. The UE may receive system information and perform the required measurements on all configured cells. The "configured cells" used for a radio connection may include a primary cell and / or zero, one or more secondary cells. "Activated cells" are those configured cells on which the UE is transmitting and receiving. That is, activated cells are those cells whose physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) the UE monitors, and in the case of downlink transmissions, those cells whose physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) the UE decodes. "Deactivated cells" are those configured cells for which the UE does not monitor the transmission PDCCH. It should be noted that "cells" can be described in different dimensions. For example, a "cell" may have time, space (e.g., geographic) and frequency characteristics.

[0049] Any reference to "resources" herein refers to "radio resources" unless it is clear from the context that another meaning is intended. Generally speaking, as used herein, radio resources ("resources") are time-frequency units that can transmit information (e.g., signal information or data information) over a radio interface. An example of a radio resource occurs in the context of a "frame" of information that is typically formatted and composed, for example, by a node. In Long Term Evolution (LTE), frames that may have one or more downlink portions and one or more uplink portions are transmitted between a base station and a wireless terminal. Each LTE frame may include multiple subframes. For example, in the time domain, a 10ms frame consists of ten one-millisecond subframes. An LTE subframe is divided into two time slots (thus resulting in 20 time slots in a frame). The signal transmitted in each time slot is described by a resource grid consisting of resource elements (REs). Each column of the two-dimensional grid represents a symbol (e.g., an OFDM symbol on a downlink (DL) from a node to a wireless terminal; an SC-FDMA symbol in an uplink (UL) frame from a wireless terminal to a node). Each row of the grid represents a subcarrier. A resource element (RE) is the minimum time-frequency unit used for downlink transmission in a subframe. That is, one symbol on one subcarrier in a subframe includes a resource element (RE) uniquely defined by an index pair (k, l) in the time slot (where k and l are indices in the frequency domain and time domain, respectively). In other words, one symbol on one subcarrier is a resource element (RE). Each symbol includes multiple subcarriers in the frequency domain, the specific number of which depends on the channel bandwidth and configuration. The minimum time-frequency resource supported by today's standards is a collection of multiple subcarriers and multiple symbols (e.g., multiple resource elements (RE)), and is referred to as a resource block (RB). In the case of a canonical cyclic prefix, a resource block may include, for example, 84 resource elements, i.e., 12 subcarriers and 7 symbols.

[0050] In mobile networks used in wireless networks, sources and destinations can be interconnected through multiple nodes. In such networks, the source and destination may not be able to communicate directly with each other because the distance between them is greater than the transmission range of the nodes. In other words, intermediate nodes are required to relay communications and provide information transmission. Therefore, in a relay network with a network topology, intermediate nodes can be used to relay information signals, in which the source and destination are interconnected through such intermediate nodes. In a layered telecommunications network, the backhaul portion of the network may include intermediate links between the core network and smaller subnetworks of the overall layered network. The Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) next-generation NodeB uses 5G New Radio communications, such as transmitting and receiving NR user plane (U-plane) data traffic and NR control plane (C-plane) data. Both the UE and the gNB may include addressable memory in electronic communication with a processor. In one embodiment, instructions may be stored in the memory and executable to process received packets and / or transmit packets according to different protocols (e.g., the Media Access Control (MAC) protocol and / or the Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol).

[0051] A. General Architecture Description

[0052] Figure 1 An exemplary telecommunications system 20 is shown that includes a core network 21; a plurality of wireless access nodes including a carrier or parent IAB node 22 and other IAB nodes 24 that are not carrier or parent IAB nodes; and a plurality of user equipment (UE) 30 that is served by one or more of the access nodes. Figure 1 It is also shown that the carrier IAB node 22 may be connected to the core network 21 , for example, via a wired 31 or other suitable connection; and a wireless access link may connect the carrier IAB node 22 , the IAB node 24 and a user equipment (UE) 30 . Figure 1 Specifically shown is, for example, a carrier IAB node 22 connected to one or more IAB nodes 24 via a downlink parent backhaul link 32 and an uplink parent backhaul link 33 . Figure 1 It is also shown that the IAB node 24 can be connected to one or more child nodes, such as a user equipment (UE) 30 or another IAB node 24, via a downlink sub-backhaul link 34 and an uplink sub-backhaul link 35. It should be understood that in the present invention, some portions of the operations and behaviors performed by the carrier IAB node may be capable of being performed by a parent IAB node.

[0053] refer to Figure 1, this embodiment includes a mobile network infrastructure using 5G signals and 5G base stations (or cell sites). A system diagram of a radio access network utilizing an IAB node is depicted, wherein the radio access network may include, for example, one IAB carrier and multiple IAB nodes. Different embodiments may include different numbers of IAB carriers to IAB node ratios. In this document, an IAB node may be referred to as an IAB relay node. An IAB node may be a radio access network (RAN) node that supports wireless access to a UE and wireless backhaul for access traffic. An IAB carrier may be a RAN node that may provide an interface to a core network connection to the UE and provide wireless backhaul functionality to the IAB node. The IAB node / carrier may serve one or more IAB nodes using a wireless backhaul link and simultaneously serve the UE using a wireless access link. Therefore, a network backhaul traffic state may be achieved based on a wireless communication system connected to multiple IAB nodes and UEs.

[0054] Further references Figure 1 , multiple UEs 30 are depicted as communicating with IAB nodes (e.g., IAB node 24 and IAB carrier node 22) via wireless access links. In addition, IAB nodes (child nodes) can communicate with other IAB nodes and / or IAB carriers (all of which can be considered IAB parent nodes) via wireless backhaul links. For example, a UE can connect to an IAB node, which itself can connect to a parent IAB node in communication with an IAB carrier, thereby expanding backhaul resources to allow backhaul traffic to be transmitted within the network and between parent and child for integrated access. Embodiments of the system provide the capabilities required to use broadcast channels (on physical channels) to carry information bits and provide access to the core network.

[0055] Figure 1 Also shown is that the carrier IAB node 22 includes an IAB resource configuration controller 36, and the IAB nodes 24 each include an IAB resource configuration manager 38. In certain exemplary aspects of the technology disclosed herein, and as explained below in various exemplary embodiments and modes, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 of the carrier IAB node 22 generally works together with the IAB resource configuration manager 38 of the IAB node 24, which facilitates enhanced and more efficient operation of the telecommunications system 20.

[0056] Figure 2 The carrier IAB node 22 and the IAB node 24 are shown (see Figure 1). The carrier IAB node 22 may include at least one centralized unit (CU) 40 and at least one distributed unit (DU) 42. The centralized unit (CU) 40 is a logical entity that manages the DUs collocated in the carrier IAB node 22 and the remote DUs residing in the IAB node. The centralized unit (CU) 40 may also be an interface connected to the core network 21 and may be represented as a RAN base station (e.g., an eNB or gNB).

[0057] In some embodiments, the distributed unit (DU) 42 is a logical entity that hosts the radio interface (backhaul / access) for other child IAB nodes and / or UEs. In one configuration, under the control of the centralized unit (CU) 40, the distributed unit (DU) 42 can provide physical layer and layer 2 (L2) protocols (e.g., media access control (MAC), radio link control (RLC), etc.), while the centralized unit (CU) 40 can manage upper layer protocols (such as packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), radio resource control (RRC), etc.). Figure 2 As shown, a centralized unit (CU) 40 may host or include an IAB resource configuration controller 36, as described below.

[0058] Likewise Figure 2 As shown, the IAB node 24 may include a mobile terminal (MT) 50 and a distributed unit (DU) 52. In some exemplary embodiments, the distributed unit (DU) 52 may have the same functionality as the distributed unit (DU) 42 in the IAB bearer, while the mobile terminal (MT) 50 may be a UE-like function that terminates the radio interface layer. For example, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 may be configured to perform at least one of the following: radio transmission and reception, encoding and decoding, error detection and correction, signaling, and access to the SIM card. Either or both of the mobile terminal (MT) 50 and the distributed unit (DU) 52 may include or host the IAB resource configuration manager 38.

[0059] DU can have Figure 1 All or part of the functions of the base station 160, and the MT may have Figure 1 In other words, the base station 160 may be rephrased as a CU and a DU, and the UE may be rephrased as an MT.

[0060] The embodiments include a mobile network infrastructure in which multiple UEs are connected to a set of IAB nodes, and the IAB nodes communicate with each other for relaying and / or communicating with the IAB bearer using different aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the UE may communicate with the CU of the IAB bearer on the C-plane using the RRC protocol; and in other embodiments, the UE may use the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) and / or Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) radio protocol architecture for data transmission (U-plane) through the NR gNB. In some embodiments, the DU of the IAB node may communicate with the CU of the IAB bearer using the 5G radio network layer signaling protocol: F1 Application Protocol (F1-AP*), which is a wireless backhaul protocol that provides signaling services between the DU of the IAB node and the CU of the IAB bearer. That is, the protocol stack configuration may be interchangeable and different mechanisms may be used.

[0061] Figure 3 The general exemplary embodiments and modes of arrangement and composition of certain functions and components of the carrier IAB node 22, the exemplary representative IAB node 24 and the exemplary representative user equipment (UE) 30 are shown in more detail. It should be understood that Figure 3 Each of the nodes includes additional components and functionalities known to those skilled in the art, and for simplicity, primarily those components and functionalities relevant to the technology disclosed herein are shown.

[0062] From the foregoing, it can be understood that Figure 3 The carrier IAB node 22 is shown to include a centralized unit (CU) 40 and a distributed unit (DU) 42. The centralized unit (CU) 40 and the distributed unit (DU) 42 may be implemented (e.g., composed of) or include one or more processor circuits (e.g., carrier node processor 46). The centralized unit (CU) 40 and the distributed unit (DU) 42 may share one or more node processors 46, or each of the centralized unit (CU) 40 and the distributed unit (DU) 42 may include one or more node processors 46. Furthermore, the centralized unit (CU) 40 and the distributed unit (DU) 42 may be co-located at the same node site, or alternatively, one or more distributed units may be located at a site remote from the centralized unit (CU) 40 and connected thereto via a packet network. The distributed unit (DU) 42 of the carrier IAB node 22 may include transceiver circuitry 47, which in turn may include transmitter circuitry 48 and receiver circuitry 49. The transceiver circuitry 47 includes an antenna for wireless transmission. Transmitter circuitry 48 includes, for example, amplifiers, modulation circuitry, and other conventional transmission devices. Receiver circuitry 49 includes, for example, amplifiers, demodulation circuitry, and other conventional receiver devices.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment and mode, the IAB node 24 (also referred to as a wireless relay node 24) includes an IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and an IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52. The IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may be implemented (e.g., composed of) or include one or more processor circuits (e.g., IAB node processors 54), for example. The IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may share one or more IAB node processors 54, or each of the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may include one or more IAB node processors 54. The IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may include an IAB node transceiver circuit 57, which in turn may include an IAB node transmitter circuit 58 and an IAB node receiver circuit 59. The IAB node transceiver circuit 57 includes an antenna for wireless transmission. The IAB node transmitter circuit 58 may include, for example, amplifiers, modulation circuits, and other conventional transmission devices. The IAB node receiver circuit 59 may include, for example, amplifiers, demodulation circuits, and other conventional receiver devices.

[0064] Figure 3 The child node 30 is shown as a user equipment (UE) 30, which, in an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment and mode, includes a transceiver circuit 60. The transceiver circuit 60 may in turn include a transmitter circuit 62 and a receiver circuit 64. The transceiver circuit 60 includes an antenna for wireless transmission. The transmitter circuit 62 may include, for example, an amplifier, a modulation circuit, and other conventional transmission equipment. The receiver circuit 64 may include, for example, an amplifier, a demodulation circuit, and other conventional receiver equipment. Figure 3 Also shown is a subnode 30, which (as previously indicated) may be a user device or an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and further includes node processor circuitry, such as one or more node processors 66, and interfaces 68, including one or more user interfaces. Such user interfaces may be used for user input and output operations, and may include, for example, a screen such as a touch screen that may display information to a user and receive user input. User interface 68 may also include other types of devices, such as a speaker, a microphone, or a tactile feedback device, for example.

[0065] exist Figure 3In the exemplary, non-limiting embodiment and mode shown, the child node 30 may include a frame / message generator / processor 69. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in some telecommunications systems, messages, signals, and / or data are transmitted over a radio or air interface using one or more "resources" (e.g., "radio resources"). The frame / message generator / processor 69 is used to process messages, signals, and data received from other nodes.

[0066] Various aspects of the IAB network and nodes, and in some cases the virtualization of such networks and nodes, are described in one or more of the following U.S. patent applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference:

[0067] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 780,068, titled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CELL BARRING INWIRELESS RELAY NETWORKS,” filed December 14, 2018.

[0068] U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 753,699, entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING CONDITIONAL HANDOVERS FOR WIRELESS,” filed on October 31, 2018;

[0069] U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 758,020, entitled “NETWORK AND METHODS TO SUPPORT INTERDOMAINMOBILITY IN VIRTUALIZED RADIO ACCESS NETWORK,” filed on November 8, 2018;

[0070] U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 748,359, filed October 19, 2018, entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CAPABILITYSIGNALING IN RADIO ACCESS NETWORK”;

[0071] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 748,015, titled “RADIO ACCESS NETWORK AND METHODS FOR EXPEDITED NETWORK ACCESS,” filed October 19, 2018.

[0072] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 790,922, filed January 10, 2019, and titled “RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR WIRELESS BACKHAULNETWORKS.”

[0073] B. General Description of Radio Resources

[0074] B.1 General description of radio resources: frequency range

[0075] Two types of frequency ranges are defined in 3GPP. The sub-6GHz range is called FR1, and the millimeter wave range is called FR2. The exact frequency ranges of FR1 (sub-6GHz) and FR2 (millimeter wave or above 6GHz) can be defined as shown in Table 1.

[0076] Table 1 Frequency range

[0077] Frequency range naming Corresponding frequency range FR1 450MHz-6000MHz FR2 24,250MHz-52,600MHz

[0078] B.2 General description of radio resources: channels

[0079] The UE and gNB can communicate with each other using one or more channels. For example, the UE can use one or more uplink channels to transmit information or data to the gNB. Examples of uplink channels include the PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel), the PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel), and the PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel). For example, an uplink channel (e.g., the PUSCH) can be used to transmit UL data (i.e., transport blocks), MAC PDUs, and / or the UL-SCH (Uplink Shared Channel).

[0080] The UL data may include URLLC data. The URLLC data may be UL-SCH data. A URLLC-PUSCH (i.e., a different physical uplink shared channel from PUSCH) may be defined to transmit URLLC data. For simplicity of description, the term "PUSCH" may mean any of the following: (1) only PUSCH (e.g., conventional PUSCH, non-URLLC-PUSCH, etc.), (2) PUSCH or URLLC-PUSCH, (3) PUSCH and URLLC-PUSCH, or (4) only URLLC-PUSCH (e.g., not conventional PUSCH).

[0081] In addition, for example, the uplink channel can be used to transmit hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), channel state information (CSI) and / or scheduling request (SR). HARQ-ACK may include information indicating positive acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK) of DL data (i.e., transport block), medium access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU) and / or DL-SCH (downlink shared channel).

[0082] CSI may include information indicating the channel quality of the downlink. SR may be used to request UL-SCH (Uplink Shared Channel) resources for new transmission and / or retransmission. That is, SR may be used to request UL resources for transmitting UL data.

[0083] For example, one or more gNBs may also use one or more downlink channels to transmit information or data to one or more UEs. Examples of downlink channels include the PDCCH, PDSCH, etc. Other types of channels may be used. The PDCCH may be used to transmit downlink control information (DCI).

[0084] For the wireless link between the base station (gNB) and the first UE or the second UE, the following physical channels may be used (downlink is the transmission direction from the gNB to the UE, and uplink is the transmission direction from the UE to the gNB): Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH); Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH); Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH); and / or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).

[0085] The PBCH can be used to broadcast basic system information. The PBCH may include a master information block (MIB) and some other information. The PDCCH may be used to transmit control information in the downlink, and the PDCCH may include downlink control information (DCI). The PDSCH may be used to transmit remaining minimum system information (RMSI), other system information (OSI), paging, and downlink data (DL-SCH (downlink shared channel)). The PUCCH may be used to transmit uplink control information (UCI). The PUSCH may be used to transmit uplink data (UL-SCH (uplink shared channel)), and the PUSCH may be used to transmit UCI.

[0086] B.3 General description of radio resources: synchronization

[0087] For the radio link between the base station (gNB) and the first UE or the second UE, the following physical signals may be used: primary synchronization signal (PSS); secondary synchronization signal (SSS); tracking reference signal (TRS); channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS); demodulation reference signal (DMRS); phase tracking reference signal (PTRS); and / or sounding reference signal (SRS).

[0088] PSS and SSS can be used for time / frequency synchronization and determination / detection of physical cell identity (PCID). PSS, SSS and PBCH can be multiplexed into SS / PBCH blocks, and one or more SS / PBCH blocks can be transmitted in the serving cell. TRS can be used for channel tracking on the UE side and transmitted in the downlink, and TRS can be a configuration of CSI-RS resources. CSI-RS can be used to measure channel state information (CSI) and transmitted in the downlink, and CSI-RS includes non-zero power CSI-RS for channel measurement or interference measurement, zero power CSI-RS (ZP CSI-RS) for interference measurement. DMRS can be used for demodulation of physical channels, and DMRS can be defined for each channel. PTRS can be used for phase tracking to compensate for phase noise, and is transmitted using DMRS and PDSCH / PUSCH. PTRS can be configured in FR2. SRS can be used for channel sounding in the uplink.

[0089] DCI may include scheduling information for PDSCH or PUSCH, timing of HARQ-ACK (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgement) bits, modulation and coding scheme (MCS), DMRS port information, etc. UCI may include HARQ-ACK bits and CSI. CSI may include one or more of CQI (Channel Quality Indicator), PMI (Precoding Matrix Indicator), RI (Rank Indicator), LI (Layer Indicator), and CRI (CSI-RS Index).

[0090] B.4 General description of radio resources: parameters

[0091] Parameters, frame and slot structures, resource blocks (RBs), bandwidth parts (BWPs) are also described herein. In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the sizes of various fields in the time domain are expressed in time units T. c =l / (Δf max ·N f ), where Δf max =480·10 3 Hz and N f =4096. Constant K = T s / T c =64, where T s =1 / (Δf ref·N f,ref ), Δf ref =15·10 3 Hz and N f,ref =2048.

[0092] As given in Table 2, multiple OFDM parameters are supported, where μ and the cyclic prefix of the bandwidth part are obtained from the higher-layer parameters subcarrierSpacing and cyclicPrefix respectively.

[0093] Table 2 Multiple OFDM parameters

[0094] μ <![CDATA[Δf=2 μ -15[kHz]]]> cyclic prefix 0 15 normal 1 30 normal 2 60 Normal, Extended 3 120 normal 4 240 normal

[0095] This document describes the uplink-downlink timing relationship and the transition times between transmit to receive and receive to transmit. Downlink and uplink transmissions can be organized into durations of T f =(Δf max N f / 1000)·T c = 10ms frames, each frame consists of a duration of T sf =(Δf max N f / 1000)·T c =10 subframes of 1ms. The number of consecutive OFDM symbols in each subframe can be

[0096] Each frame may be divided into two equally sized halves of five subframes, with each frame having half-frame 0 comprising subframes 0-4 and half-frame 1 comprising subframes 5-9. There may be one frame in the uplink on a carrier and a set of frames in the downlink. Figure 4 Table 3 shows the switching time (N) between transmission and reception for FR1 and FR2. TX_RX ) and the switching time between receiving and transmitting (N RX_TX ).

[0097] Table 3 Transition time between transmission and reception (N TX_RX ) and the switching time between receiving and transmitting (N RX_TX )

[0098] Conversion time FR1 FR2 <![CDATA[N TX_RX ]]> 25600 13792 <![CDATA[N RX_TX ]]> 25600 13792

[0099] The uplink frame number i for transmission from the UE may be N before the start of the corresponding downlink frame at the UE. TA =(N TA +N TA,offset )T c Start. TA,offset Given in Table 3.

[0100] For the subcarrier spacing configuration μ, the time slots can be numbered in increasing order within the subframe as and are numbered in increasing order within the frame as Exist in the time slot consecutive OFDM symbols, where Depends on the cyclic prefix given in Tables 4 and 5 respectively. Time slots in a subframe The start time of the OFDM symbol in the same subframe Table 3 shows the number of OFDM symbols per slot, the number of slots per frame, and the number of slots per subframe for the normal cyclic prefix. Table 4 shows the number of OFDM symbols per slot, the number of slots per frame, and the number of slots per subframe for the extended cyclic prefix.

[0101] Table 4 Number of OFDM symbols per time slot, number of time slots per frame and number of time slots per subframe for normal cyclic prefix

[0102]

[0103] Table 5: Number of OFDM symbols per time slot, number of time slots per frame, and number of time slots per subframe for extended cyclic prefix

[0104]

[0105] OFDM symbols in a time slot can be classified as "downlink," "flexible," or "uplink." In a time slot in a downlink frame, the UE can assume that downlink transmissions occur only in "downlink" or "flexible" symbols. In a time slot in an uplink frame, the UE can transmit only in "uplink" or "flexible" symbols.

[0106] It is not expected that a UE that does not support full-duplex communication will receive a signal earlier than N after the end of the last received downlink symbol in the same cell. Rx-Tx T C Transmitted in the uplink, where N Rx-Tx As given in Table 3. It is not expected that a UE that does not support full-duplex communication will transmit the signal earlier than N after the end of the last transmitted uplink symbol in the same cell. TX-RX T C In downlink reception, N TX-RX Given in Table 3.

[0107] An antenna port can be defined such that the channel on which a symbol on an antenna port is transmitted can be inferred from the channel on which another symbol on the same antenna port is transmitted. For DMRS associated with PDSCH, the channel on which a PDSCH symbol on one antenna port is transmitted can be inferred from the channel on which a DMRS symbol on the same antenna port is transmitted only if both symbols are within the same resources as the scheduled PDSCH, in the same time slot, and in the same physical resource block group (PRG).

[0108] Two antenna ports are said to be quasi-co-located if the large-scale properties of the channel over which symbols are transmitted on one antenna port can be inferred from the channel over which symbols are transmitted on the other antenna port. The large-scale properties include one or more of delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain, average delay, and / or spatial Rx parameters.

[0109] B.5 General Description of Radio Resources: Resource Grid

[0110] For each parameter and carrier, the common resource blocks indicated by the higher layer signaling can be Start defining subcarriers and OFDM symbols. There can be a set of resource grids per transmission direction (uplink or downlink), where the subscript x is set to DL and UL for downlink and uplink, respectively. The subscript x can be dropped when there is no risk of confusion. There can be one resource grid for a given antenna port p, subcarrier spacing configuration μ, and transmission direction (downlink or uplink).

[0111] Carrier bandwidth with subcarrier spacing μ The starting position of the subcarrier spacing configuration μ can be given by the higher-layer parameter carrierBandwidth in the SCS-SpecificCarrier IE (information element). It can be given by the higher-level parameter offsetToCarrier in the SCS-SpecificCarrier IE.

[0112] The frequency location of a subcarrier refers to the center frequency of that subcarrier. For the downlink, the higher-layer parameter DirectCurrentLocation in the SCS-SpecificCarrier IE can indicate the location of the transmitter DC subcarrier in the downlink for each parameter configured in the downlink. Values in the range 0-3299 indicate the number of DC subcarriers, and a value of 3300 indicates that the DC subcarrier is located outside the resource grid.

[0113] For the uplink, the DirectCurrentLocation in the higher-layer parameter UplinkTxDirectCurrentBWP IE indicates the location of the transmitter DC subcarrier in the uplink for each of the configured bandwidth parts, including whether the DC subcarrier position is offset by 7.5kHz relative to the center of the indicated subcarrier. Values in the range 0-3299 indicate the number of DC subcarriers, a value of 3300 indicates that the DC subcarrier is located outside the resource grid, and a value of 3301 indicates that the location of the DC subcarrier in the uplink is not determined.

[0114] Each element in the resource grid for antenna port p and subcarrier spacing configuration μ is called a resource element and is represented by (k, l) p,μ Uniquely identifies a resource element (k, l), where k is an index in the frequency domain and l refers to the symbol position in the time domain relative to a reference point. p,μ Corresponding to physical resources and complex values When there is no risk of aliasing or no specific antenna port or subcarrier spacing is specified, the indices p and μ can be dropped, resulting in or a k,l .

[0115] In the downlink, an OFDM access scheme with a cyclic prefix (CP) may be adopted, which may also be referred to as CP-OFDM. A downlink radio frame may include multiple pairs of downlink resource blocks (RBs), which are also referred to as physical resource blocks (PRBs). A downlink RB pair is a unit for allocating downlink radio resources defined by a predetermined bandwidth (RB bandwidth) and a time slot. A downlink RB pair may include two downlink RBs that are consecutive in the time domain. Additionally or alternatively, a downlink RB may include twelve subcarriers in the frequency domain and seven (for normal CP) or six (for extended CP) OFDM symbols in the time domain. The area defined by one subcarrier in the frequency domain and one OFDM symbol in the time domain may be referred to as a resource element (RE) and may be uniquely identified by an index pair (k, l), where k and l are indices in the frequency domain and the time domain, respectively.

[0116] In the uplink, in addition to CP-OFDM, a single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) access scheme can also be adopted, which is also called discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). An uplink radio frame may include multiple pairs of uplink resource blocks. An uplink RB pair is a unit for allocating uplink radio resources defined by a predetermined bandwidth (RB bandwidth) and a time slot. An uplink RB pair may include two uplink RBs that are consecutive in the time domain. An uplink RB may include twelve subcarriers in the frequency domain and seven (for normal CP) or six (for extended CP) OFDM / DFT-S-OFDM symbols in the time domain. The area defined by one subcarrier in the frequency domain and one OFDM / DFT-S-OFDM symbol in the time domain may be called a resource element (RE) and may be uniquely identified by an index pair (k, l) in the time slot, where k and l are indices in the frequency domain and time domain, respectively. CP-OFDM may be defined as a case where transform precoding is not enabled / disabled. DFT-S-OFDM can be defined as the case where transform precoding is enabled.

[0117] This paper also describes point A. Resource blocks are defined as consecutive subcarriers. Point A is used as a common reference point for the resource block grid and can be obtained from the following. Assuming a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz for FR1 and 60 kHz for FR2, offsetToPointA for the PCell downlink represents the frequency offset between point A and the lowest subcarrier of the lowest resource block that overlaps with the SS / PBCH block used by the UE for initial cell selection, expressed in resource blocks.

[0118] absoluteFrequencyPointA, for all other cases, where absoluteFrequencyPointA represents the frequency position of point A, as expressed in ARFCN.

[0119] For subcarrier spacing configuration μ, the common resource blocks in the frequency domain are numbered from 0 upwards. The center of subcarrier 0 of common resource block 0 for subcarrier spacing configuration μ may coincide with point A. Common resource block numbering in the frequency domain The resource elements (k, l) used for subcarrier spacing configuration μ can be obtained by Given, where k is defined relative to point A, such that k=0 corresponds to a subcarrier centered at point A.

[0120] Physical resource blocks may be defined within a carrier bandwidth part (BWP) and are numbered from 0 to Where i is the number of carrier bandwidth parts. Physical resource blocks n in bandwidth part i PRB With public resource block n CRB The relationship between Given, where is the common resource block where the bandwidth portion starts relative to common resource block 0.

[0121] Virtual resource blocks may be defined within a bandwidth portion and numbered from 0 to In this case, i is the number of bandwidth parts.

[0122] The bandwidth part is a given parameter μ in the bandwidth part i on a given carrier i A subset of contiguous common resource blocks. The starting position in the bandwidth portion and the number of resource blocks Can satisfy and

[0123] A UE may be configured with up to four bandwidth parts in the downlink, and only a single downlink bandwidth part may be active at a given time. A UE is not expected to receive PDSCH, PDCCH, or CSI-RS (except RRM) outside of the active bandwidth part.

[0124] A UE can be configured with up to four bandwidth parts in the uplink, with only a single uplink bandwidth part active at any given time. If a UE is configured with a supplemental uplink, the UE can also be configured with up to four bandwidth parts in the supplemental uplink, with a single supplemental uplink bandwidth part active at any given time. The UE must not transmit PUSCH or PUCCH outside the active bandwidth part. For an active cell, the UE must not transmit SRS outside the active bandwidth part. Unless otherwise specified, the description in this disclosure applies to each of the bandwidth parts.

[0125] The configuration of BWPs is also described herein. A UE configured to operate in a bandwidth part (BWP) of a serving cell may be configured by higher layers for the serving cell with a set of up to four bandwidth parts (BWPs) for the UE to receive in the DL bandwidth (DL BWP Set) using the parameter BWP-Downlink, and a set of up to four BWPs for the UE to transmit in the UL bandwidth using the parameter BWP-Uplink.

[0126] If the higher-layer parameter initialDownlinkBWP is not provided to the UE, the initial active DL BWP may be defined by the location and number of consecutive PRBs, starting with the PRB with the lowest index in the control resource set used for the Type 0 PDCCH common search space and the subcarrier spacing in the control resource set used for the Type 0 PDCCH common search space and the PRBs used for the cyclic prefix for PDCCH reception, and ending at the PRB with the highest index. Otherwise, the initial active DL BWP may be provided by the higher-layer parameter initialDownlinkBWP. For operation on a primary or secondary cell, the initial active UL BWP may be provided to the UE by the higher-layer parameter initialuplinkBWP. If the UE is configured with a supplementary UL carrier, the initial UL BWP on the supplementary UL carrier may be provided to the UE by the higher-layer parameter initialUplinkBWP in the supplementaryUplink field.

[0127] If the UE has a dedicated BWP configuration, the first active DL BWP for reception may be provided to the UE by a higher layer parameter firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id, and the first active UL BWP for transmission on the primary cell may be provided by a higher layer parameter firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id.

[0128] For each DL BWP or UL BWP in a set of DL BWPs or UL BWPs, respectively, the following parameters for the serving cell may be provided to the UE. The subcarrier spacing may be provided by the higher-layer parameter subcarrierSpacing. The cyclic prefix may be provided by the higher-layer parameter cyclicPreflx. The first PRB and a number of consecutive PRBs may be provided by the higher-layer parameter locationAndBandwidth interpreted as RIV, setting The first PRB is a PRB offset relative to the PRB indicated by the higher-layer parameters offsetToCarrier and subcarrierSpacing. The index in the set of DL BWPs or UL BWPs may be provided by the corresponding higher-layer parameter bwp-Id. A set of BWP common parameters and a set of BWP dedicated parameters may be provided by the higher-layer parameters bwp-Common and bwp-Dedicated.

[0129] For unpaired spectrum operation, when the DL BWP index and the UL BWP index are the same, a DL BWP from a set of configured DL BWPs with an index provided by the higher layer parameter bwp-Id can be linked with a UL BWP from a set of configured UL BWPs with an index provided by the higher layer parameter bwp-Id. For unpaired spectrum operation, when the bwp-Id of the DL BWP is the same as the bwp-Id of the ULBWP, the UE does not expect to receive a configuration in which the center frequency of the DL BWP is different from the center frequency of the UL BWP.

[0130] For each DL BWP in a set of DL BWPs on the primary cell, the UE may be configured with a set of control resources for each type of common search space and for a UE-specific search space. A UE is not expected to be configured with a common search space on a PCell or PSCell without an MCG in the active DL BWP.

[0131] For each UL BWP in a set of UL BWPs for a PCell or PUCCH-SCell, the UE may be provided with a configured resource set for PUCCH transmission. The UE may receive the PDCCH and PDSCH in the DL BWP according to the configured subcarrier spacing and CP length for the DL BWP. The UE may transmit the PUCCH and PUSCH in the UL BWP according to the configured subcarrier spacing and CP length for the UL BWP.

[0132] If the bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCI format 1_1, the bandwidth part indicator field value indicates the active DL BWP from the configured DL BWP set. If the bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCI format 0_1, the bandwidth part indicator field value indicates the active UL BWP from the configured UL BWP set.

[0133] If the bandwidth part indicator field is configured in DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 and indicates a UL BWP or DL BWP that is different from the active UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, the UE may perform the following operations for each information field of the received DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1. If the size of the information field is smaller than the size required for DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 interpretation of the UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, indicated by the bandwidth part indicator, the UE may prepend zeros to the information field before interpreting the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 information field until its size reaches the size required for interpretation of the information field of the UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively. If the size of the information field is larger than the size required for DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 interpretation of the UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, indicated by the bandwidth part indicator, the UE may use a number of least significant bits of DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 equal to the number required for the UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, indicated by the bandwidth part indicator, before interpreting the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1 information field, respectively. The UE may also set the active UL BWP or DL BWP to the UL BWP or DL BWP, respectively, indicated by the bandwidth part indicator in DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 1_1.

[0134] The UE does not expect to detect DCI format 1_1 or DCI format 0_1 indicating an active DL BWP or active UL BWP change, respectively, where the corresponding time domain resource allocation field provides a time slot offset value for PDSCH reception or PUSCH transmission that is smaller than the value (e.g., delay) required by the UE for the active DL BWP change or UL BWP change.

[0135] If the UE detects DCI format 1_1 indicating a change in the active DL BWP of a cell, the UE does not need to receive or transmit in the cell during the time period starting from the end of the third symbol of the time slot in which the UE receives the PDCCH including DCI format 1_1 in the scheduling cell until the start of the time slot indicated by the time slot offset value of the time domain resource allocation field of DCI format 1_1.

[0136] If the UE detects DCI format 0_1 indicating a change in the active UL BWP of a cell, the UE does not need to receive or transmit in the cell during the time period starting from the end of the third symbol of the time slot in which the UE receives the PDCCH including DCI format 0_1 in the scheduling cell until the start of the time slot indicated by the time slot offset value of the time domain resource allocation field of DCI format 0_1.

[0137] The UE can expect to detect DCI format 0_1 indicating a change in active UL BWP, or DCI format 1_1 indicating a change in active DL BWP, only if the corresponding PDCCH is received within the first 3 symbols of a slot.

[0138] For the primary cell, the default DL BWP in the configured DL BWP may be provided to the UE by the higher layer parameter defaultDownlinkBWP-Id. If no default DL BWP is provided to the UE by the higher layer parameter defaultDownlinkBWP-Id, the default DL BWP is the initial active DL BWP.

[0139] If the UE is configured for a secondary cell with a higher layer parameter defaultDownlinkBWP-Id indicating a default DL BWP among the configured DL BWPs, and the UE is configured with a higher layer parameter bwp-InactivityTimer indicating a timer value, the UE procedure on the secondary cell may be the same as the UE procedure on the primary cell using the timer value of the secondary cell and the default DL BWP of the secondary cell.

[0140] If the UE is configured by the higher layer parameter bwp-InactivityTimer with a timer value for the primary cell and the timer is running, the UE may increment the timer every 1 millisecond for frequency range 1 or every 0.5 millisecond for frequency range 2 if the restart condition is met during the interval.

[0141] If the UE is configured by the higher-layer parameter bwp-InactivityTimer with a timer value for the secondary cell and the timer is running, the UE may increase the timer every 1 millisecond for frequency range 1 or every 0.5 millisecond for frequency range 2 if the restart condition is not met during the interval.

[0142] For cells in which the UE changes its active DL BWP due to expiration of the BWP Inactivity Timer and the delay in accommodating the active DLBWP change or active UL BWP change required by the UE, the UE does not need to receive or transmit in the cell during the duration starting from the start of a subframe in frequency range 1 or half of a subframe in frequency range 2 (i.e., during the period immediately after the expiration of the BWP Inactivity Timer until the start of the timeslot in which the UE can receive or transmit).

[0143] If the UE is configured with a first active DL BWP by the higher-layer parameter firstActiveDownlinkBWP-Id and a first active UL BWP on a secondary cell or supplementary UL carrier by the higher-layer parameter firstActiveUplinkBWP-Id, the UE may use the indicated DL BWP and the indicated UL BWP as the first active DL BWP on the secondary cell and the first active UL BWP on the secondary cell or supplementary UL carrier, respectively.

[0144] For paired spectrum operation, if the UE changes its active UL BWP on the PCell between the time DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 is detected and the time of the corresponding PUCCH transmission with HARQ-ACK information, the UE may not desire to transmit a PUCCH with HARQ-ACK information for the PUCCH resources indicated by DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1. When the UE performs RRM measurements on a bandwidth that is not within the active DL BWP for the UE, the UE may not desire to monitor the PDCCH.

[0145] B.6 General description of radio resources: timeslot format determination

[0146] The UE can be configured with a slot format that includes downlink symbols, uplink symbols, and flexible symbols. If the UE is provided with the TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon IE by SIB1 (System Information Block 1) or dedicated RRC signaling, the UE sets the slot format of each slot over multiple slots as indicated by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon. The high-level parameter TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon provides the reference subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration μ through referenceSubcarrierSpacingIE and pattern1. ref Pattern 1 provides a slot configuration period of P milliseconds through dl-UL-TransmissionPeriodicity and the number of slots with downlink-only symbols through nrofDownlinkSlots. slot , the number of downlink symbols d is provided by nrofDownlinkSymbols sym , the number of time slots with uplink-only symbols is provided by nrofUplinkSlots slot , and the number of uplink symbols u is provided by nrofUpIinkSymbols sym The value P = 0.625 milliseconds is only for μ ref= 3 is valid. Value P = 1.25 milliseconds is only valid for μ ref =2 or μ ref = 3 is valid. Value P = 2.5 milliseconds is only valid for μ ref =1 or μ ref =2 or μ ref =3 is valid.

[0147] The time slot configuration period P milliseconds includes Time slots μ with SCS configuration ref In S time slots, the first d slot The time slots contain only downlink symbols, and the last u slot The first d time slots contain only uplink symbols. slot d after time slots sym symbols are downlink symbols. sLot u time slots ago sym symbols are uplink symbols. The remaining The first symbol of each 20 / P period is the first symbol in an even frame.

[0148] If TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon provides both pattern1 and pattern2, the UE sets the slot format of each slot on the first plurality of slots as indicated by pattern1, and the UE sets the slot format of each slot on the second plurality of slots as indicated by pattern2. pattern1 provides a slot configuration period of P2 milliseconds via dl-UL-TransmissionPeriodicity and the number of slots with only downlink symbols d via nrofDovmlinkSlots slot,2 , the number of downlink symbols d is provided by nrofDownlinkSymbols sym,2 , the number of time slots with uplink-only symbols is provided by nrofUplinkSlots slot,2 , and the number of uplink symbols u is provided by nrofUpIinkSymbols sym,2 The applicable values for P2 are the same as those for P.

[0149] The time slot configuration period P+P2 milliseconds includes the first time slot and the second In the S2 time slots, the first d slot,2 The time slots contain only downlink symbols, and the last u slot,2 The first d slots contain only uplink symbols. slot,2 d after time slots sym,2The symbols are downlink symbols. The last Usiot, u before 2 time slots sym,2 symbols are uplink symbols. The remaining The first symbol of each 20 / (P+P2) period is the first symbol in an even frame.

[0150] UE may expect to configure μ with reference to SCS ref Less than or equal to the SCS configuration μ for any configured DL BWP or UL BWP. Each time slot provided by pattern1 or pattern2 is applicable to the active DL BWP or active UL BWP. consecutive time slots, where the first time slot is aligned with the reference SCS configuration μ ref The first time slot of starts at the same time, and the reference SCS configuration μ ref Each downlink symbol or flexible symbol or uplink symbol corresponds to the SCS configuration μ consecutive downlink symbols or flexible symbols or uplink symbols.

[0151] If the UE is additionally provided with the TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated IE by a dedicated RRC message (Dedicated RRC signaling), the parameter TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated may override the flexible symbols per slot only across multiple slots as provided by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon. TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated provides a set of slot configurations via slotSpecificConfigurationsToAddModList, with the parameter slotIndex providing the slot index for each slot from the set, and the parameter symbols providing the set of symbols for the slot.

[0152] If the parameter symbol indicates (is set to) allDownlink, then all symbols in the slot are downlink. If the parameter symbol indicates (is set to) allUplink, then all symbols in the slot are uplink. If the parameter symbol indicates (is set to) explicit, then nrofDownlinkSymbols provides the number of first downlink symbols in the slot, and nrofUplinkSymbols provides the number of last uplink symbols in the slot. If nrofDownlinkSymbols is not provided, then there is no first downlink symbol in the slot, and if nrofUplinkSymbols is not provided, then there is no last uplink symbol in the slot. The remaining symbols in the slot can be flexible.

[0153] For each slot with the corresponding index provided by slotIndex, the UE may apply the format provided by the corresponding symbol. The UE does not expect symbols indicated as downlink symbols or uplink symbols, respectively, by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon to be indicated as uplink symbols or downlink symbols by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated. For each slot configuration provided by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, the reference SCS configuration is the reference SCS configuration μ provided by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon. ref The number of downlink symbols, uplink symbols, and flexible symbols in a slot configuration period and each slot of the slot configuration period may be determined according to TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommonTDD and TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated and may be common to each configured BWP.

[0154] The UE may consider the symbols indicated by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated in the time slot as downlink symbols available for reception, and consider the symbols indicated by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated in the time slot as uplink symbols available for transmission.

[0155] If the UE is not configured to monitor the PDCCH of DCI format 2_0, for a set of symbols of a time slot indicated as flexible by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, or when TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon and TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated are not provided to the UE, if the UE receives a corresponding indication through DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1 or DCI format 0_1, the UE may receive the PDSCH or CSI-RS in the set of symbols of the time slot.

[0156] If the UE is not configured to monitor the PDCCH of DCI format 2_0, for a set of symbols of a time slot indicated as flexible by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, or when TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon and TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated are not provided to the UE, if the UE receives a corresponding indication through DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1 or DCI format 2_3, the UE may transmit PUSCH, PUCCH, PRACH or SRS in the set of symbols of the time slot.

[0157] For a set of symbols of a time slot indicated to the UE as uplink through TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, the UE may not receive the PDCCH, PDSCH or CSI-RS in the set of symbols of the time slot.

[0158] For a set of symbols of a timeslot indicated to the UE as downlink by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, the UE may not transmit PUSCH, PUCCH, PRACH or SRS in the set of symbols of the timeslot.

[0159] For a set of symbols of a timeslot that is indicated to the UE as flexible by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, the UE may not expect to receive both the dedicated configuration transmitted from the UE in a set of symbols of the timeslot and the dedicated configuration received by the UE in a set of symbols of the timeslot.

[0160] For a set of symbols of a timeslot indicated to the UE by ssb-PositionsInBurst in SystemInformationBlockType1 or ssb-PositionsInBurst in ServingCellConfigCommon for reception of an SS / PBCH block, the UE may not transmit PUSCH, PUCCH, PRACH in the timeslot if the transmission would overlap with any symbol in the set of symbols and the UE does not transmit SRS in the set of symbols of the timeslot. When a set of symbols of a timeslot is provided to the UE, the UE does not expect the set of symbols to be indicated as uplink by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated.

[0161] For a set of symbols of a slot corresponding to a valid PRACH opportunity and symbols preceding the valid PRACH opportunity, the UE may not receive PDCCH of Type 1-PDCCH CSS set, PDSCH, or CSI-RS in the slot if reception would overlap with any symbol in the set of symbols. The UE may not expect this set of symbols of the slot to be downlink indicated by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated.

[0162] For the CORESET (Control Resource Set) of Type0-PDCCH CSS set, for a set of symbols of a timeslot indicated to the UE by pdcch-ConfigSIB1 in the MIB, the UE may not expect the set of symbols to be indicated as uplink by TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated.

[0163] If a UE is scheduled by DCI format 1_1 to receive PDSCH on multiple time slots, and if TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated indicates that, for a time slot from the multiple time slots, at least one symbol in the time slot from the set of symbols for which the UE is scheduled for PDSCH reception is an uplink symbol, the UE may not receive PDSCH in the time slot.

[0164] If a UE is scheduled by DCI format 0_1 to transmit PUSCH on multiple time slots, and if TDD-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon or TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated indicates that, for a time slot from the multiple time slots, at least one symbol in the time slot from the set of symbols on which the UE is scheduled for PUSCH transmission is a downlink symbol, the UE may not transmit PUSCH in the time slot.

[0165] DCI format 2_0 is used to determine the slot format. If the UE is configured by the higher layer using the parameter SlotFormatIndicator, the UE may provide the SFI-RNTI by sfi-RNTI and the payload size of DCI format 2_0 by dci-PayloadSize. The configuration of the search space set s and the corresponding CORESETp is also provided to the UE for monitoring DCI format 2_0 in one or more serving cells. PDCCH candidates, where the CCE (control channel element) aggregation level is LSFI CCEs. PDCCH candidates are CCE aggregation level L in search space set s in CORESETp SFI The CRC bits of DCI format 2 0 may be scrambled by the SFI-RNTI.

[0166] For each serving cell in the group of serving cells, the identity of the serving cell may be provided by servingCellId, the position of the SFI index field in the DCI format 2_0 may be provided by positionInDCI, and a set of slot format combinations may be provided by slotFormatCombinations, wherein each slot format combination in the group of slot format combinations includes: one or more slot formats indicated by the corresponding slotFormats for the slot format combination, and a mapping of the slot format combination provided by slotFormats to the corresponding SFI index field value in the DCI format 2_0 provided by slotFormatCombinationId.

[0167] For unpaired spectrum operation, the reference SCS configuration μ is provided by subcarrierSpacing SFI , and when a supplementary UL carrier is configured for the serving cell, a reference SCS configuration μ for the supplementary UL carrier is provided by subcarrierSpacing2 SFI,SUL For paired spectrum operation, the reference SCS configuration μ for DL BWP is provided by subcarrierSpacing SFI,DL , and provides a reference SCS configuration μ for UL BWP through subcarrierSpacing2 SFI,UL .

[0168] In mobile networks used in wireless networks, sources and destinations can be interconnected through multiple nodes. In such networks, the source and destination may not be able to communicate directly with each other because the distance between them is greater than the transmission range of the nodes. In other words, intermediate nodes are required to relay communications and provide information transmission. Therefore, in a relay network with a network topology, intermediate nodes can be used to relay information signals, in which the source and destination are interconnected through such intermediate nodes. In a layered telecommunications network, the backhaul portion of the network may include intermediate links between the core network and smaller subnetworks of the overall layered network. The Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) next-generation NodeB uses 5G New Radio communications, such as transmitting and receiving NR user plane (U-plane) data traffic and NR control plane (C-plane) data. Both the UE and the gNB may include addressable memory in electronic communication with a processor. In one embodiment, instructions may be stored in the memory and executable to process received packets and / or transmit packets according to different protocols (e.g., the Media Access Control (MAC) protocol and / or the Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol).

[0169] C. IAB Resource Allocation: Overview

[0170] The IAB resource configuration controller 36 of the carrier IAB node 22 performs various functions related to the configuration and utilization of resources of the carrier IAB node 22 and the IAB node 24. Figures 5 to 9 In one exemplary embodiment and mode, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 generates, transmits, and / or utilizes one or more resource configuration scheme indicators that conveniently and compactly inform an IAB node about which of a plurality of possible resource configuration schemes a plurality of radio resources available to the IAB node will be configured and / or operated for. The resource configuration scheme indicators can collectively configure the radio resources of the IAB node 24 and thereby avoid the need for the carrier IAB node 22 to independently configure separate radio resources for the IAB node 24.

[0171] References in this article Figures 10 to 13In another exemplary embodiment and mode, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 may configure certain radio resources as potentially available to the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 when the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 is in a "soft configuration," but the IAB resource configuration controller may override such potential availability by generating and sending a mobile terminal (MT) resource utilization override signal. Although the mobile terminal (MT) resource utilization override signal is potentially available to the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50, the mobile terminal (MT) resource utilization override signal may be generated when the carrier IAB node 22 determines that the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 should not transmit or react to a transmission received by the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 for one or more reasons.

[0172] References in this article Figures 14 to 20 In another exemplary embodiment and mode described, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 advantageously uses a time resource indicator TRI to inform the IAB node 24 which resources / symbols of a time slot may be considered "hard" resources and which resources / symbols may be considered "soft" resources.

[0173] It should be understood that unless otherwise indicated or apparent from the context, Figures 5 to 9 、 Figures 10 to 13 and Figures 14 to 20 One or more of the features of the exemplary embodiments and modes may be used in combination with other one or more features from such exemplary embodiments and modes.

[0174] C.1. IAB Resource Allocation: Resource Allocation Plan Indicator

[0175] As described above, the radio resources utilized by nodes of a radio access network are configured and utilized, or at least expressed, with respect to a multi-dimensional resource grid. The dimensions of the grid may be described in terms of two or more of time, frequency, and space. Figure 5 1 shows a portion of a telecommunications system 20 in which an IAB resource configuration controller 36 of a carrier IAB node 22 uses a resource configuration scheme indicator to express to nodes of the telecommunications system 20 (eg, to the IAB node 24) how the radio resources of the mesh are to be configured for the IAB node 24. Figure 5In an exemplary embodiment and mode, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 may include a resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70. As described below, the resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70 generates one or more resource configuration scheme indicators that are transmitted by the transmitter circuit 48 of the distributed unit (DU) 42 to the IAB node 24. At the IAB node 24, the one or more resource configuration scheme indicators are received by the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and processed by a resource configuration scheme indicator handler 72 of the IAB node 24. The resource configuration scheme handler 72 may include or be implemented by the IAB node processor 54. In an exemplary embodiment and mode, the one or more resource configuration scheme indicators are transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the resource configuration scheme, signaling the resource configuration scheme on the physical layer (or alternatively, if the resource configuration scheme is transmitted via RRC configuration signaling, these indicators are transmitted via a physical downlink shared channel), which is used to signal the resource configuration scheme. Figure 5 Shown in FIG. 7 is a scheme indicator signal 74 .

[0176] Figure 6A An example of a first grid solution for IAB resource configuration is shown. Figure 6A The grid illustrations, as depicted in other comparable illustrations described herein, are simplified with respect to the number of dimensions utilized and the number of columns and rows comprising the grid. It should be understood that any number of columns and rows may be used, and generally a greater number of columns and rows than the illustrated grid may be used. As described above, the dimensions of the grid may be any of time, frequency, and space. For simplicity, a two-dimensional grid is shown, with the horizontal dimension or axis being time and the vertical dimension or axis being frequency. The grid can also be conceptualized as a frame. A frame may be divided into subframes, for example, on the horizontal axis, and the subframes, in turn, may be divided into time slots. Each square of the grid may represent a resource block (RB). In the time / frequency grid, each resource block may include a plurality of time slots, such as a plurality of symbols, on the horizontal axis, and a plurality of subcarriers, such as 12 subcarriers, along the vertical axis.

[0177] For an IAB network, radio resources may be configured for an IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 of an IAB node 24 as any of downlink hard resources (DL-H), downlink soft resources (DL-S), uplink hard resources (UL-H), uplink soft resources (DL-S), flexible hard resources (FH), flexible soft resources (FS), and unavailable resources (NA). The configuration of an IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 of an IAB node 24 depends on the configuration of the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52.

[0178] Each of the downlink, uplink and flexible time resource types of a DU can belong to one of two categories: hard resources: the corresponding time resources are always available for the DU sub-link; soft resources: the availability of the corresponding time resources for the DU sub-link is explicitly and / or implicitly controlled by the parent node.

[0179] Certain combinations of resource configuration / behavior for the combination of the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 and the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 have been agreed upon in 3GPP as reflected in Tables 6 and 7 below. Tables 6 and 7 are taken from (1) R1-1814190, 38.874 TP on PHY Enhancements for NR IAB, AT&T, RAN1#95 and (2) Chairman's Note, RAN1#95. Table 6 applies to the case of time division multiplexing (TDM) operation, where there may not be simultaneous transmissions in the DU and MT, and there may not be any simultaneous receptions in the DU and MT. How is Vinnie doing? Give him my regards. Warren Charlie: Thank you for your email and your loyalty to our customers. I paid my Geico auto insurance bill today with my debit card and sent the check to Verizon and these storage facilities this morning. Both are conveniently located in Virginia. Table 7 applies to the case of space division multiplexing (SDM) operation, where there may be simultaneous transmissions in the DU and MT, or simultaneous receptions in the DU and MT. The definitions / nomenclature / assumptions in Table 8 apply to Tables 6 and 7.

[0180] Table 6 TDM operation (half-duplex)

[0181]

[0182]

[0183] Table 7 SDM, assuming full duplex is possible

[0184]

[0185]

[0186] Table 8: Definitions / Nomenclature / Assumptions

[0187] MT:Tx" means that the MT should transmit when scheduled "DU:Tx" means DU can transmit "MT:Rx" means that the MT should be able to receive (if there is anything to receive) "DU:Rx" means that DU can schedule uplink transmission from a child node or UE "MT: Tx / Rx" means that the MT shall transmit when scheduled and shall be able to receive, but not simultaneously "DU: Tx / Rx" means that the DU can transmit and schedule uplink transmissions from the child node and the UE, but not simultaneously. "IA" means that the DU resource is explicitly or implicitly indicated as available "INA" means that the DU resource is explicitly or implicitly indicated as unavailable "MT:NULL" means that the MT does not transmit and may not be able to receive "DU: NULL" means that DU is not transmitted and no uplink transmission from the child node and UE is scheduled "NA" means the resource is "not available". Tables 1 and 2 assume that IAB is not capable of full-duplex operation.

[0188] Tables 6 and 7 are for a single IAB node. For IAB to work, a series of connected nodes is required, from the RAN "edge" to the backhaul carrier node (e.g., a node that can directly connect to a wired (or proprietary wireless) backhaul). Because this connection of nodes adheres to the properties of Tables 6 and 7, a well-functioning IAB network will operate within certain constraints.

[0189] Thus, for example, based on Tables 6 and 7, if the DU configuration is set to "NA" (Not Available), the MT (if configured for DL) is in "Rx" receive mode; if the DU configuration is set for UL, the MT (if configured for DL) is in "Tx" transmit mode, and if the DU configuration is "Flexible," the MT can operate in either receive or transmit mode based on L1 signaling. Such L1 signaling may include specific grants for resources or (more useful due to its reduced signaling overhead) resource grants. Resource grants may use a mechanism similar to semi-persistent scheduling or Class 2 configuration grants. That is, L1 signaling may be "activation" (or "deactivation" or "release") signaling using potential variations of DCI formats 0_0 and 0_1 for uplink (deactivation) activation, and DCI formats 1_0 and 1_1 for downlink (deactivation) activation, with specific resources indicated. (Note that, according to NR, deactivation or release will most certainly use "fallback" formats 0_0 and 1_0.)

[0190] Unless otherwise indicated or apparent from the context, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 of the carrier IAB node 22 and the IAB resource configuration manager 38 of the IAB node 24 operate according to Tables 6 and 7. Similarly, based on Tables 6 and 7, the resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70 can generate multiple resource configuration schemes. Each resource configuration scheme generally indicates which radio resources are to be configured for the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 of the IAB node 24, and which radio resources are to be configured for the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52. Therefore, a resource configuration scheme can be constructed or configured based on the node entity as a resource configuration scheme factor. In addition, one or more other scheme factors can be used to represent each resource configuration scheme.

[0191] For example, a resource configuration scheme may indicate which of the scheme's radio resources are to be configured as "uplink" resources and which of the scheme's radio resources are to be configured as "downlink" resources.

[0192] For another example, a resource configuration scheme may indicate which of the scheme's radio resources will be configured as "hard" resources and which of the scheme's radio resources will be configured as "soft" resources. Allocating hard or soft resources to UL or DL means that these resources are not available for other purposes. Thus, for example, in full-duplex mode, when the DU is configured as "UL-H" (uplink "hard" resources), the corresponding DU configuration "Rx" means that the DU can schedule uplink transmissions from child nodes or UEs, thereby allowing the DU to receive them when such resources are scheduled, and the MT part of the IAB node is "NULL", indicating that the MT does not transmit and is not necessarily able to (or anthropomorphically, should not "expect") to receive anything from these resources.

[0193] Table 9: Supported TDM scenarios

[0194]

[0195]

[0196] IAB supports TDM, FDM, and SDM between access and backhaul links at IAB nodes subject to half-duplex constraints. This disclosure describes a mechanism for efficiently multiplexing access / backhaul traffic across multiple hops using TDM / FDM / SDM, taking into account the half-duplex constraints of IAB nodes. For TDM, the supported scenarios are listed in Table 9.

[0197] For example, in case 1, for a given IAB node, link 1 "L P,DL ” is the backhaul downlink from the parent node to the IAB, and link 2 “L C,DL " is the backhaul downlink from the IAB node to the child node. In Table 9

[0198] ·L P,DL It is the backhaul link between the parent node and the IAB node, and the parent node transmits downlink signals and / or channels to the IAB node.

[0199] ·L P,UL It is the backhaul link between the parent node and the IAB node, and the IAB node transmits uplink signals and / or channels to the parent node.

[0200] ·L C,DL It is the backhaul link between the IAB node and the child node, and the IAB node transmits downlink signals and / or channels to the child node.

[0201] ·L C,UL It is the backhaul link between the IAB node and the sub-node, and the sub-node transmits downlink signals and / or channels to the IAB node.

[0202] ·L A,DL It is the access link between the IAB node and the UE, and the IAB node transmits downlink signals and / or channels to the UE.

[0203] ·L A,UL It is the access link between the IAB node and the UE, and the UE transmits uplink signals and / or channels to the IAB node.

[0204] In the case of transmitter-side SDM / FDM, the IAB node simultaneously transmits in the DL (to the access UE and / or child IAB node) and transmits in the UL (to the parent IAB node). In the case of receiver-side SDM / FDM, the IAB node simultaneously receives in the DL (from the parent node) and receives in the UL (from the access UE and / or child IAB node).

[0205] In addition, the IAB node may support multiplexing of DL transmissions to access UEs and child IAB nodes and multiplexing of UL transmissions from access UEs and child IAB nodes using existing MU-MIMO or sectorization mechanisms.

[0206] Figure 6A A first exemplary resource allocation scheme for IAB radio resources is shown. Figure 6A In the resource configuration scheme of , a group of resources whose names include 6A-DU will be configured for the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52, and a group of resources whose names include 6A-MT will be configured for the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50. Therefore, Figure 6A The resource configuration scheme is characterized by physical factors. In fact, both MT resources and DU resources can be described by a grid, where MT resources are constrained according to DU configuration, so Figure 6A Essentially depicting the links of the grid.

[0207] also, Figure 6A The resource configuration scheme is also characterized by a link direction factor. In this regard, among a set of resources 6A-DU to be configured for the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52, a resource subset whose name includes 6A-DU-UL will be configured for the uplink of the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52, and a resource subset whose name includes 6A-DU-DL will be configured for the downlink of the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52.

[0208] also, Figure 6A The resource configuration scheme is further characterized by a resource indicator factor, such as "hard" or "soft" or "flexible". In this regard, a "hard" subset of radio resources has a name including a final suffix "-H", a "soft" subset of radio resources has a name including a final suffix "-S", and a "flexible" subset of radio resources has a final suffix "-F". Figure 6A The collections and subsets of and other similar figures are not intended to be drawn to scale or depict certain quantities of resources, but are provided for illustration purposes only.

[0209] Figure 6B A second exemplary resource configuration scheme of IAB radio resources is shown, wherein the resource names follow the same Figure 6ASimilar convention, except that each identifier is prefixed with 6B instead of 6A. Figure 6B The second exemplary resource allocation scheme may have different combinations of grid factor types and different amounts of radio resources allocated to each set or subset. Figure 7 As shown, resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70 may have several resource configuration schemes to choose from, such as resource configuration schemes 6A, 6B, 6C, ..., 6J.

[0210] Figure 7 Also shown is resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70 having selected resource configuration scheme 6B for use by IAB node 24, and also depicted is transmission of a message or signal 74 to IAB node 24 with a scheme indicator pointing to resource configuration scheme 6B.

[0211] Figure 8 Shows that it can be Figure 4 Example, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by a carrier IAB node in accordance with an exemplary embodiment and mode of the present invention. Action 8-1 comprises generating an IAB resource configuration scheme indicator that provides an encoded description of how a plurality of IAB radio resources are configured at the at least one other IAB node of the network. As used herein, an "encoded" description is intended to be an abbreviated shorthand notation for the set of radio resources covered by the selected resource configuration scheme, rather than a detailed catalog or enumeration of radio resources to be similarly configured. The encoding may take any suitable form, such as a map or a pointer to a predetermined portion of the grid, which is generally understood by both carrier IAB node 22 and IAB node 24 to reference. The configuration for each resource configuration scheme may be pre-configured at each of carrier IAB node 22 and IAB node 24, or may be downloaded over a network, for example, to IAB node 24. Action 8-2 comprises carrier IAB node 22 transmitting the IAB resource configuration scheme indicator to the at least one other IAB node via a radio interface.

[0212] Upon receiving the scheme indicator signal 74, the resource configuration scheme indicator handler 72 processes the scheme indicator signal 74 and determines that the resource configuration scheme 6B is to be utilized, and may configure and use the plurality of resources covered by the resource configuration scheme indicator in accordance with the received indication. Thus, using a coded, abbreviated, or abbreviated notation including the resource configuration scheme indicator, the carrier IAB node 22 avoids the need to describe each of the plurality of resources to be configured at the IAB node 24 in more detail, such as by row and column / resource block designators.

[0213] Figure 9 Shows that it can be Figure 4Example, non-limiting, basic actions or steps performed by an IAB node of an exemplary embodiment and mode of the present invention. Action 9-1 includes receiving an IAB resource configuration scheme indicator, the IAB resource configuration scheme indicator being configured to provide an encoded description of how multiple IAB radio resources are configured at the IAB node. Action 9-2 includes configuring the radio resources of the IAB node in accordance with the indication. Resource configuration in accordance with the indication may be performed by the node processor 66. The node processor 66 may be configured to interpret the IAB resource configuration scheme indicator in accordance with multiple alternative IAB resource configuration schemes configured at the IAB node, as described above. In addition, the one or more schemes may be characterized by factors including IAB node entity factors, whereby the IAB resource configuration scheme indicator provides instructions on how to configure radio resources relative to the IAB node distributed unit (DU) of the IAB node and how to configure radio resources relative to the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit of the IAB node. Preferably, the same resource configuration scheme generator 70 is used for all IAB nodes 24.

[0214] The resource configuration scheme indicator generator 70 may make the selection based on various factors or constraints when selecting the resource configuration scheme indicator to send to the IAB node 24. Such factors or inputs for selecting the resource configuration scheme indicator 70 may include one or more of the following: the total ratio of backhaul to access node traffic, the uplink / downlink traffic ratio, site planning considerations (i.e., to avoid inter-IAB node interference), etc.

[0215] Thus, the resource configuration scheme indicator (also referred to as the IAB slot format indicator (IAB-SFI) may indicate, for example, a pattern of DU UL / DL configurations within a given (configured) period, where the configuration of the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 complies with Tables 6 and 7. The resource configuration scheme indicator may be particularly applicable to flexible resources. As described below, the resource configuration scheme indicator may be used not only for configuration and / or activation signaling, but also for state transitions or handovers in conjunction with other exemplary embodiments and modes described herein.

[0216] C.2. IAB Resource Configuration: Mobile Terminal (MT) Resource Utilization Override

[0217] Based on Tables 6 and 7 above, and in accordance with the nomenclature of Table 8, it can be seen that when the mode of the distributed unit (DU) 52 of the IAB node 24 is "soft" and the DU resources are explicitly or implicitly indicated as unavailable, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 of the IAB node 24 may be allowed to use the DU resources for reception or transmission. For example, referring to the second row of Table 6, which relates to the soft downlink configuration of the DU, if the DU resources are indicated as unavailable, the DU does not transmit these radio resources and does not use these radio resources to schedule uplink transmissions from child nodes and UEs. Because specific DL-S resources are unavailable for the DU of the IAB node 24, when the mobile terminal (MT) 50 is configured for downlink, Table 6 provides the mobile terminal (MT) 50 of the IAB node 24 with the opportunity to use the DL-S resources that would otherwise be configured for the distributed unit (DU) 52 for reception on the downlink (see row 2, column 2 of Table 6). Alternatively, when the mobile terminal (MT) 50 is configured for uplink, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 has the opportunity to transmit on the downlink using the DU resources that would otherwise be configured for the distributed unit (DU) 52 in soft mode [see the second row, third column of Table 6]. Alternatively, if the mobile terminal (MT) 50 is flexibly configured, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 has the opportunity to transmit or receive on the downlink using the resources that would otherwise be configured for the distributed unit (DU) 52 [see the second row, fourth column of Table 6]. Similarly, when the DU is configured for UL-S but the DU radio resources are unavailable, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 has the opportunity to receive and / or transmit using the resources that would otherwise be configured for the DU, see the fourth row of Table 6. Similarly, Table 7 provides the mobile terminal (MT) 50 with the opportunity to use certain soft, DU-unavailable resources, as shown in the second and fourth rows of Table 7. Thus, it can be seen from Tables 6 and 7 that, for example, certain types of radio resources that are configured as "soft" for the distributed unit (DU) 52 but are unavailable to the distributed unit (DU) 52 are potentially available for use by the mobile terminal (MT) 50. Thus, the mobile terminal (MT) 50 can advantageously utilize such radio resources that would not otherwise be used by the IAB node 24, which are nominally configured for the distributed unit (DU) 52 but are now unavailable to the DU.

[0218] References in this article Figures 10 to 12 In the exemplary embodiment and mode described, although the IAB resource configuration controller 36 has configured certain radio resources as potentially available to the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 when the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 is in "soft configuration", the IAB resource configuration controller overrides such potential availability. To this end, Figure 10The bearer IAB node 22, and in particular the IAB resource configuration controller 36, is shown including an IAB resource MT utilization override signal generator 80. The IAB resource MT utilization override signal generator 80 generates an IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82 that signals to the mobile terminal (MT) 50 that the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 should not transmit based on certain radio resources or react based on transmissions received by the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 over those radio resources, even though those resources may otherwise be potentially available according to, for example, Table 6 or Table 7.

[0219] The IAB resource configuration controller 36 may choose to override the availability of radio resources associated with the soft-mode DU configuration to the mobile terminal (MT) 50 for any of several reasons. For example, the centralized unit (CU) 40 of the carrier IAB node 22 may determine or be notified that an interference condition exists or may exist in the network, and for this reason, may decide to attempt to reduce transmissions that may cause or exacerbate interference by curtailing potential activity, such as potential transmissions from the mobile terminal (MT) 50, on potentially available DU radio resources. Alternatively, the centralized unit (CU) 40 of the carrier IAB node 22 may determine or be notified that a certain measurement or series of measurements needs to be performed, and that reducing traffic from the mobile terminal (MT) 50 or ceasing at least some other activity from the mobile terminal (MT) 50 may facilitate the measurement. Thus, for these or other reasons, the centralized unit (CU) 40 of the carrier IAB node 22 may direct the IAB resource MT utilization override signal generator 80 to generate the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82.

[0220] Thus, a processor circuit, such as the node processor 46 of the centralized unit (CU) 40, may determine a network condition or receive an indication of the determination, for example, from another node or network. In response to the determination or indication, the IAB resource MT utilization override signal generator 80 may generate an IAB resource utilization override signal 82. The IAB resource utilization override signal is configured to prevent a mobile terminal (MT) of the IAB node from using a class of IAB radio resources when the distributed unit (DU) of the IAB node is configured for soft uplink or soft downlink. The class of IAB radio resources is a radio resource that is indicated as unavailable to the distributed unit (DU) of the soft-configured DU.

[0221] In other words, despite the potential availability of a certain type of radio resource to the mobile terminal (MT) 50, when the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82 is issued, Figure 10The IAB node 24 cannot seize the opportunity to use such radio resources. Such radio resources include radio resources that are configured to be used by the DU in soft mode but are indicated as unavailable to the DU.

[0222] Figure 11 Shown by Figure 10 Example, non-limiting, representative actions performed by a carrier IAB node 22. Action 11-1 includes generating an IAB resource utilization override signal. As described above, the IAB resource utilization override signal is configured to prevent a mobile terminal (MT) of the IAB node from using a class of IAB radio resources indicated as unavailable to the distributed unit (DU) when the distributed unit (DU) of the IAB node is configured for soft uplink or soft downlink. Action 11-2 includes transmitting the IAB resource utilization override signal to the IAB node.

[0223] Figure 10 Also shown is the IAB node processor 54 of the IAB node 24, and specifically, in the exemplary embodiment and mode, the IAB resource configuration manager 38, which includes an IAB resource MT utilization override signal handler 84. The IAB resource MT utilization override signal handler 84 is configured to determine, based on the IAB resource utilization override signal 82, that a mobile terminal (MT) is prevented from using a class of IAB radio resources when the distributed unit (DU) is configured for soft uplink or soft downlink. As described above, the class of IAB radio resources includes radio resources that are indicated as unavailable to the distributed unit (DU) when the distributed unit (DU) is configured for soft. Based on this interpretation, the IAB resource configuration manager 38 manages the mobile terminal (MT) 50 so that the mobile terminal (MT) 50 neither transmits on the class of IAB radio resources nor reacts to any transmissions received on the class of radio resources.

[0224] Figure 12 Shown by Figure 10 Example, non-limiting, representative actions performed by an IAB node 24 of a carrier IAB node. Action 12-1 includes receiving an IAB resource utilization override signal from a carrier IAB node. Action 12-2 includes determining, based on the IAB resource utilization override signal, to prevent a mobile terminal (MT) from using a class of IAB radio resources when the distributed unit (DU) is configured for soft uplink or soft downlink, the class of IAB radio resources being radio resources indicated as unavailable to the distributed unit (DU). Action 12-3 includes managing the mobile terminal (MT) such that the mobile terminal (MT) neither transmits on the class of IAB radio resources nor reacts to any transmissions received on the class of radio resources.

[0225] Figure 13Depicted is an overwrite signal 84 generated by the carrier IAB node 22 and utilized by the IAB node 24 using the IAB resource MT. Figure 13 The resource pool 85 is shown simply as being configured for the IAB node 24, with the portion of the resource pool 85 configured for the distributed unit (DU) 52 being the same as Figure 13 The distributed unit (DU) 52 in the resource pool 85 overlaps and the portion of the resource pool 85 configured for the mobile terminal (MT) 50 overlaps with the mobile terminal (MT) 50. The "class" of radio resources that are configured for use by the DU in soft mode but are indicated as unavailable to the DU are in Figure 13 8. In FIG. 8, the resource subset 86 is shown as “class”. Figure 13 6 and 7, for example, resources of the "class" resource subset 86 may potentially become available to the mobile terminal (MT) 50. However, arrow 88 indicates that upon receipt of the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82, the "class" resource subset 86 now becomes unavailable to the mobile terminal (MT) 50, as indicated by the crossed or X-shaped arrow 87. Receipt of the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82 has the following consequence: the mobile terminal (MT) neither transmits on the class IAB radio resources nor reacts to any transmissions received on the class radio resources.

[0226] therefore, Figures 10 to 13 The exemplary embodiment and mode introduces and includes the "NA" state and appropriate state transitions of the MT configuration and the "Connected" state to the IAB node on the network. The IAB resource MT described in this exemplary embodiment and mode utilizes the override signal 82 for relative Figure 12 The class of resources depicted as the "class" resource subset 86 in FIG. 1 places the MT (e.g., mobile terminal (MT) 50) in an unavailable state. Although the "class" resource subset 86 may be indicated as unavailable to the distributed unit (DU) 52, according to Figures 10 to 13 In the exemplary embodiments and modes, such unavailability of the DU should not necessarily result in the Tx or Rx configuration of the mobile terminal (MT) 50, and thus the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82 may be generated. As described above, the exemplary reasons for the IAB resource MT utilization override signal 82 may be used for cross-link interference management, including reducing cross-link interference and having a cross-node suppression mode for measurement. Therefore, Figures 10 to 13The exemplary embodiment and mode of the present invention provides the ability for the centralized unit (CU) 40 to prevent the mobile terminal (MT) 50 from using the "class" resource subset 86, rather than enabling the specific implementation to retain the existence of the "NA" state of the MT configuration. The IAB resource MT utilizes the override signal 82 without affecting any radio resources required to maintain the connection. Therefore, in the NA state of the MT resources, except for those used for maintaining the connection mode, the corresponding behavior of the MT will be NULL, meaning that the MT does not transmit and is not necessarily able to receive any communications. This state will be the default state for resources not associated with receiving SSB or (at least for multiple) RACH resources.

[0227] Therefore, in the IAB node 24 including at least a distributed unit (DU) (which behaves in the manner of a gNB to another IAB node) and a mobile terminal (MT) (which behaves in the manner of a user equipment "mobile terminal"), there is a series of "unallocatable" time / frequency / space resources for the mobile terminal that can be assigned (by the CU via the DU connected to the MT), which can be assigned by the CU to minimize cross-link interference and / or provide measurement opportunities, etc.

[0228] C.3. IAB Resource Allocation: Hard Resource Indicators and Soft Resource Indicators

[0229] Radio resources and frame structures were discussed in some detail above in the section entitled "General Description of Radio Resources." The foregoing discussion of radio resources included Subsection B.5, which dealt with an exemplary resource grid. We will now summarize some aspects of the previous discussion of radio resources and resource grids in preparation for introducing another exemplary aspect of the technology disclosed herein. For the purposes of brevity and illustration, the following sections have been simplified, including Figure 14 The present invention is depicted in the frame of the present invention, and the present invention should be interpreted as consistent with the aforementioned discussion cited above.

[0230] Figure 14 An exemplary frame depicted as a two-dimensional resource grid is shown, having a time or symbol dimension (along the horizontal axis) and a frequency / carrier dimension (along the vertical axis). Figure 14 The frame is divided into two half frames. Figure 14 In the specific non-limiting example of FIG, each half-frame is shown as including six subframes. Each subframe is then shown as including a plurality of time slots. Furthermore, each time slot includes a plurality of symbols. For example, for the non-limiting exemplary embodiment shown, each time slot has fourteen OFDM symbols, such as symbols 0-13. It should be understood that the number of subframes, the number of time slots per subframe, and the number of symbols per time slot may vary in different exemplary embodiments and are not critical to the techniques disclosed herein.

[0231] exist Figure 15In the exemplary embodiment and mode shown, the IAB resource configuration controller 36 of the carrier IAB node 22 provides time resource indicator information to the IAB node 24. The IAB node 24 can use this time resource indicator information to determine which OFDM symbols of a time slot, for example, which resources of the time slot are "hard" resources and which are "soft" resources. Knowing which resources of a time slot are "hard" resources and which are "soft" resources, the IAB node 24 can determine how the time slot / resource can be used or not used. For example, if the time slot or resource is "hard," the IAB node 24 can allocate symbols indicated as hard resources to child IAB nodes and / or user equipment. On the other hand, if the time slot or resource is "soft," the IAB node 24 knows that the symbols are allocated by the parent IAB node.

[0232] Unless otherwise described herein, Figure 15 The carrier IAB node 22 and Figure 15 The IAB node 24 is substantially similar to those of the aforementioned exemplary embodiments and modes. For simplicity, in the exemplary embodiments and modes, the carrier IAB node 22 may include a centralized unit (CU) 40 and a distributed unit (DU) 42, which may be implemented by a carrier node processor 46. The distributed unit (DU) 42 of the carrier IAB node 22 may include a transceiver circuit 47, which in turn may include a transmitter circuit 48 and a receiver circuit 49, as described above. In the exemplary embodiments and modes, the IAB node 24 (which may also be referred to as a wireless relay node 24) may include an IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and an IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52. The IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and the IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may be implemented by an IAB node processor 54. The IAB node distributed unit (DU) 52 may include an IAB node transceiver circuit 57, which in turn may include an IAB node transmitter circuit 58 and an IAB node receiver circuit 59. In one exemplary non-limiting embodiment and mode, the sub-node 30 , shown by way of example as a user equipment (UE) 30 , may include transceiver circuitry 60 , which in turn may include transmitter circuitry 62 and receiver circuitry 64 . Figure 15 Also shown is a child node 30, which (as previously noted) may be user equipment or an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node and further includes node processor circuitry such as one or more node processors 66 and interfaces 68, including one or more user interfaces. The child node 30 may include a frame / message generator / handler 69 for processing messages, signals, and data received from other nodes.

[0233] Figure 15Portions of the telecommunications system 20 and specific portions of the IAB resource configuration controller 36 of the carrier IAB node 22 are shown for generating information referred to herein as a time resource indicator TRI, which the IAB node 24 can use to determine whether a resource of a time slot is a hard resource or a soft resource, and thus how the resource has been or can be allocated. Specifically, Figure 15 The IAB resource configuration controller 36 is shown as including both a slot format indicator generator 120 and a time resource indication generator 122 . Figure 15 The IAB resource configuration manager 38 of the IAB node 24 is also shown to include a symbol utilization controller 130 that controls utilization of symbols / resources in a time slot using both a received slot format indicator SFI 132 and a received time resource indicator TRI 134. As used herein, "controlling utilization" of symbols / resources includes allocating or not allocating the corresponding symbols / resources.

[0234] The nature and operation of the slot format indicator generator 120 and the time resource indication generator 122 of the bearer IAB node 22 and the symbol utilization controller 130 of the IAB node 24 are described below after further explanatory material is presented.

[0235] The concept of the slot format indicator SFI generated by the slot format indicator generator 120 is known. In addition, it should be understood that resources for the backhaul link and the access link can be multiplexed in a TDM manner. Table 10 shows the slot formats defined in NR. In Table 10, the values in the "Format" column correspond to the slot format indicator SFI generated by the slot format indicator generator 120 of the carrier IAB node 22. In Table 10, the letter in each symbol numbered row (e.g., Format) indicates whether the slot is downlink "D", uplink "U", or flexible "F".

[0236] Table 10: Slot format for normal cyclic prefix

[0237]

[0238]

[0239] For unpaired spectrum operation of a UE on a serving cell, the UE is provided with a reference SCS configuration μ via subcarrierSpacing for each slot format in the slot format combination indicated by the SFI index field value in DCI format 2_0. SFI UE expects to configure μ for reference SCS SFI and for an active DL BWP or active UL BWP with SCS configuration μ, μ ≥ μ SFIEach slot format in the slot format combination indicated by the SFI index field value in DCI format 2_0 is applicable to the active DL BWP or active UL BWP. consecutive time slots, where the first time slot is aligned with the reference SCS configuration μ SFI The first time slot of starts at the same time, and the reference SCS configuration μ SFI Each downlink symbol or flexible symbol or uplink symbol corresponds to the SCS configuration μ consecutive downlink symbols or flexible symbols or uplink symbols.

[0240] For paired spectrum operation of a UE on a serving cell, the SFI index field in DCI format 2_0 indicates a slot format combination that includes a slot format combination of a reference DL BWP and a slot format combination of a reference UL BWP for the serving cell. For the slot format combination of the reference DL BWP of the serving cell indicated by the SFI index field value in DCI format 2_0, a reference SCS configuration μ is provided to the UE via subcarrierSpacing. SFI，UL For the slot format combination of the reference UL BWP of the serving cell indicated by the SFI index field value in DCI format 2_0, the reference SCS configuration μ is provided to the UE through subcarrierSpacing2. SFI，UL If μ SFI，DL ≥μ SFI，UL And for the values provided by slotFormats The value of slotFormats is determined by the value of slotFormatCombinationId in slotFormatCombination, and the value of slotFormatCombinationId is set by the value of the SFI index field in DCI format 2_0. The first slot format combination The first value applies to the reference DL BWP, and the next value applies to the reference UL BWP. SFI，DL <μ SFI，UL And for each slotFormats provided The first value of the slot format combination applies to the reference DL BWP, and the following These values apply to the reference UL BWP.

[0241] exist Figure 15In an exemplary embodiment and mode of the invention, the carrier IAB node 22 includes a transmitter circuit 48 that transmits information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots. The carrier IAB node 22 also includes a carrier node processor 46, and specifically an IAB resource configuration controller 36, which includes in the transmitted information (1) a slot format indicator SFI generated by a slot format indicator generator 120 and (2) a time resource indicator TRI generated by a time resource indication generator 122. The slot format indicator SFI and the time resource indicator TRI can be but not necessarily transmitted in the same message or signal. The slot format indicator SFI indicates for each OFDM symbol of the time slot whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol or a flexible symbol. The time resource indicator TRI indicates, for example, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot whether the symbol is a hard resource or a soft resource, for example, whether the resource / symbol can be allocated by the parent node (in the case of soft resources) or can be allocated by the IAB node (in the case of hard resources).

[0242] Figure 16 In exemplary embodiments and modes, Figure 15 The basic, representative actions or steps performed by the carrier IAB node 22 of the carrier IAB node 22 are as follows. Action 16-1 includes including both the slot format indicator (SFI) generated by the slot format indicator generator 120 and the time resource indicator (TRI) generated by the time resource indicator generator 122 in the information to be transmitted. Action 16-2 includes transmitting information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots, the transmitted information including the information mentioned in action 16-1.

[0243] exist Figure 15 In the exemplary embodiment and mode of the present invention, the IAB node 24 includes a receiver circuit in an IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50 and an IAB node processor 54. Figure 17 Shown by Figure 15

[0046] The basic, representative actions or steps performed by the IAB node 24 of the embodiment of the present invention are as follows. Action 17-1 includes the IAB node 24 (e.g., the IAB node mobile terminal (MT) unit 50) receiving information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots. Action 17-2 includes the IAB node processor 54, and specifically the symbol utilization controller 130, determining a time slot format indicator SFI and a time resource indicator TRI based on the information received in action 17-1. Action 17-3 includes the IAB node processor 54 (e.g., the symbol utilization controller 130) controlling utilization, e.g., allocation, of one or more symbols of the time slot, at least in part, according to the corresponding symbol allocation based on the time resource indication and the time slot format indicator.

[0244] Now describe in more detail and specifically Figure 15 Exemplary embodiments and modes and Figure 16 and Figure 17 For example, for a given IAB node 24 subject to half-duplex constraints, a parent node such as a carrier IAB node 22 may indicate a time resource constraint to the MT 50 of the IAB node 24. The parent node may indicate a slot format indicator SFI through a higher layer (e.g., a system information block or dedicated RRC signaling) or through DCI format 2_0. The slot format indicator SFI may be generated by the slot format indicator generator 120 and may have one of the values and its meaning shown in Table 10. In addition to generating and / or transmitting the slot format indicator SFI, the carrier IAB node 22 also generates a time resource indicator TRI. That is, in order to indicate or determine whether each time slot is a soft resource or a hard resource for the DU of the IAB node, the parent node may transmit information about time domain resources (e.g., a bitmap), such as a time resource indicator TRI.

[0245] Figure 18 An exemplary slot format indicator SFI and time resource indicator TRI for an exemplary slot are shown. For each symbol position in the slot, for example OFDM symbol 0 to OFDM symbol 13, Figure 18 Both corresponding values of an exemplary slot format indicator SFI and corresponding values of an exemplary illustrative time resource indicator TRI are shown. Figure 18 The exemplary slot format indicator SFI shown has exactly the content SFI=32 of Table 10. For this specific non-limiting example, the time resource indicator TRI has the content string 10010010010010, where "1" indicates a "soft" resource and "0" indicates a "hard" resource. Alternatively, "0" may indicate a "soft" resource and "1" may indicate a "hard" resource. As described below, resource utilization has different meanings and consequences depending on whether a resource is considered "soft" or "hard" by the IAB node 24.

[0246] As described above, the symbol utilization controller 130 controls the utilization, e.g., allocation, of one or more symbols of a time slot, at least in part, according to the corresponding symbol allocation according to the time resource indicator and the time slot format indicator. The phrase "at least in part" means that the symbol utilization controller 130 uses at least the time resource indicator TRI to control symbol / resource utilization, and may also use other factors, such as the time slot format indicator SFI and / or other information or factors. Those skilled in the art understand how the time slot format indicator SFI and other factors can influence resource utilization decisions and actual resource utilization, for example, through various 3GPP standardization teachings. The following provides an example of how the symbol utilization controller 130 uses the time resource indicator TRI to control symbol / resource utilization. As used herein, "utilization" includes allocation or non-allocation of resources by the IAB node 24.

[0247] for Figure 18 For example, when the slot format indicator from the parent node is "DDDDDDDDDDFFUU" for each OFDM symbol in a given slot and the time resource indication is "10010010010010" for each OFDM symbol in the slot, resources corresponding to the OFDM symbols with a "1" bit in the time resource indication indicated by the slot format can be allocated by the parent node. Therefore, the IAB node can consider the "1" bit to correspond to a "soft resource."

[0248] On the other hand, the resources of the OFDM symbol corresponding to the bit "0" of the time resource indicator indicated by the slot format indicator are considered by the IAB node 24 to be "hard" resources that can be allocated by the IAB node 24. The IAB node can allocate the "hard" resources to another child IAB node and / or UE. However, the IAB node 24 may not monitor the PDCCH on the OFDM symbol corresponding to the bit "0" of the time resource indicator. For example, the TRI may not monitor the PDCCH on the hard resources.

[0249] The time resource indicator TRI may be transmitted by the carrier IAB node 22 or any parent node to the IAB node 24 in any of several alternative ways. For example, Figure 19A A time resource indicator TRI is shown, for example, transmitted by the bearer IAB node 22 to the IAB node 24 in a system information block (SIB), such as SIB1. Figure 19B FIG. 1 shows a time resource indicator TRI transmitted by the carrier IAB node 22 to the IAB node 24 in dedicated signaling (eg, radio resource control RRC signaling). Figure 19A and Figure 19B As can be seen, the time resource indication can be configured or indicated by SIB1 or dedicated RRC signaling. Additionally or alternatively, a DCI format, such as DCI format 2_0, DCI format 1_0, or DCI format 1_1, can be used to indicate the time resource indication. As another example, the MT of the IAB node 24 can monitor the new common search space CSS and / or the new UE-specific search space USS, which is referred to herein as the IAB-specific search space and is described in more detail below after presenting illustrative information.

[0250] The PDCCH candidate set to be monitored by the UE is defined according to the PDCCH search space set. The search space set can be a common search space CSS set or a UE-specific search space USS set. In the prior art, the UE can monitor PDCCH candidates in one or more of the following search space sets.

[0251] Type 0 - PDCCH CSS set, configured by pdcch-ConfigSIB 1 in the MIB or by searchSpaceSIBl in PDCCH-ConfigCommon or by searchSpaceZero in PDCCH-ConfigCommon as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by the SI-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG (primary cell group).

[0252] Type0A-PDCCH CSS set, configured by searchSpaceOtherSystemInformation in PDCCH-ConfigCommon as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by the SI-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG.

[0253] Type 1-PDCCH CSS set, configured by ra-SearchSpace in PDCCH-ConfigCommon as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by the RA-RNTI or TC-RNTI on the primary cell.

[0254] Type2-PDCCH CSS set, configured by pagingSearchSpace in PDCCH-ConfigCommon as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by the P-RNTI on the primary cell of the MCG.

[0255] Type 3 - PDCCH CSS set, configured by SearchSpace in PDCCH-Config as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by INT-RNTI, SFI-RNTI, TPC-PUSCH-RNTI, TPC-PUCCH-RNTI, or TPC-SRS-RNTI (and for primary cell only, with C-RNTI, MCS-C-RNTI, or CS-RNTI), where searchSpaceType = common.

[0256] USS set, configured by SearchSpace in PDCCH-Config as a DCI format with a CRC scrambled by C-RNTI, MCS-C-RNTI, SP-CSI-RNTI, or CS-RNTI, where searchSpaceType=ue-Specific.

[0257] When monitoring the search space for PDCCH, the searcher essentially attempts to determine the CCE index corresponding to the PDCCH candidate, which is given by the expression "L" described herein. That is, for the search space set s associated with CORESET p, the CCE index corresponding to the carrier indicator field value n for the serving cell CI The active DL BWP corresponds to the PDCCH candidates in the search space set in the time slot The CCE index of aggregation level L is given by For any CSS, And for USS, For pmod 3=0, A p =39827, for p mod 3 = 1, A p =39829, for p mod 3 = 2, A p =39839, and D = 65537. N CCE,P is the number of CCEs in CORESET p, numbered from 0 to N CCE,P -1, and if the UE is configured by CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig with the carrier indicator field of the serving cell on which to monitor PDCCH, then n CI is the Carrier Indicator field value; otherwise, including for any CSS, n CI = 0. For any CSS, For USS, The maximum value among all configured values of CCE aggregation level L in the search space set. RNTI The RNTI value is C-RNTI.

[0258] Figure 20 Various prior art search spaces, such as Type 0, Type 0A, Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 described above, are shown by way of simplified examples. Figure 20 This is understood to be simplified because, for example, the amount of grid resources utilized by the search space is exaggerated for visibility, and the grid resources need not be close to each other, nor in the locations shown, nor necessarily all included in a given grid / frame.

[0259] The techniques disclosed herein advantageously provide a new search space for MTs of IAB nodes, such as a new common search space (eg, Type4-PDCCH CSS), which is also referred to herein as an IAB-specific search space and is Figure 204 140. The Type-4 PDCCH CSS may be configured, for example, according to a set of parameters including: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring slot, number of consecutive slots used to monitor the search space, number of PDCCH candidates (or aggregation level), and monitoring period. In this case, searchSpaceType may be set to "common".

[0260] The set of parameters for the Type 4 IAB-specific search space, namely, the search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring slot, the number of consecutive slots used to monitor the search space, the number of PDCCH candidates (or aggregation level), and the monitoring period, is a completely different set of parameters from those used by the prior art search spaces (e.g., Type 0-PDCCH, Type 0A-PDCCH CSS, Type 1-PDCCH CSS, Type 2-PDCCH CSS, and Type 3-PDCCH CSS). Some of the parameters used for the prior art search spaces can be utilized by the new Type 4 IAB-specific search space, but the set of parameters used for the new Type 4 IAB-specific search space is not the same as any prior art search space parameter set.

[0261] The CCE index of the new Type 4 IAB specific search space may be found or determined using the method described above for determining “L”.

[0262] Figure 20 It is also shown that within the new Type 4 IAB-specific search space, the IAB node 24 finds a physical downlink control channel, which in turn includes or contains a downlink control indicator (DCI), which in turn may include a time resource indicator TRI. Therefore, including the time resource indicator TRI in the PDCCH located in the new IAB-specific search space is another way for the IAB node 24 to obtain the time resource indicator TRI. In addition, the slot format indicator SFI can be similarly indicated.

[0263] Information of one or more of a transmission slot format indicator (SFI) and a time resource indicator (TRI) sent to an IAB node, for example, information that can be used to locate a search space associated with an integrated access and backhaul (IAB), may be at least partially encoded with an identifier of the IAB node to which the information is directed. For example, a check bit or CRC of the transmitted information may be enclosed with an identifier of the IAB node, such as an IAB-specific identifier (e.g., an IAB Radio Network Temporary Identifier), which may be referred to as an IAB-RNTI.

[0264] An IAB node, such as IAB node 24, may operate in two modes substantially concurrently or simultaneously. For example, IAB node 24 may receive both Type 4 IAB-specific search space information, which may be encoded with an IAB-RNTI, and prior art search space information, which may be encoded differently, such as the SFI-RNTI. The DCI format for the Type 4-PDCCH may include a slot format indicator and / or a time resource indicator, but the prior art type search space does not include a time resource indicator, TRI. When a new RNTI, such as the IAB-RNTI, is configured to an IAB node (or a mobile station in an IAB node), the IAB node may monitor the Type 4-PDCCH CSS using the IAB-RNTI and the Type 3-PDCCH CSS using the SFI-RNTI. A DCI format DU of an IAB node may transmit a PDCCH with DCI format 2_0 to a child node or UE using the SFI-RNTI. The SFI-RNTI is an RNTI configured for a UE camped on an IAB node. The mobile station of the IAB node may be configured with the SFI-RNTI to receive the slot format indicator from the parent node.

[0265] As an example of dual-mode usage, an IAB node may transmit a PDCCH to another IAB node using a Type 4 PDCCH and transmit a PDCCH using a Type 3 PDCCH (SFI indication) using a Type 3 PDCCH search space.

[0266] The time resource indication is included in the DCI format only when the MT or UE monitors the PDCCH with Type 4-PDCCH. The IAB node may have two separate SFI-RNTIs for the DU and the MT. The DU's SFI-RNTI may be used to receive a slot format indicator from the parent node, and the SFI-RNTI may be used to indicate the slot format to another IAB node (e.g., a child node or UE).

[0267] For the USS case, one or more MT-specific search spaces can also be defined, and the MT can monitor the DCI format using a new RNTI (e.g., IAB-RNTI). An IAB group-common search space and / or an IAB-specific search space can also be defined. The IAB-RNTI can be used for blind decoding of PDCCH reception and / or DCI decoding.

[0268] As one aspect of the various aspects of the present disclosure, the techniques disclosed herein encompass an IAB node 24 that determines when to monitor an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space. In one exemplary implementation, the IAB node 24 may make a monitoring determination upon receiving an explicit notification from the carrier IAB node 22 of the existence of an IAB-specific search space. Such explicit notification may include, for example, addressing the information to the IAB node 24 using an encoding of an identifier of the IAB node 24. In an alternative or additional implementation, the IAB node 24 may make a determination to monitor the IAB-specific search space upon receiving a set of specific parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space. That is, upon recognizing that an IAB-specific search space indicating a set of parameters has been received, the IAB node 24 recognizes that the IAB node 24 can operate in a mode utilizing a time resource indicator (TRI).

[0269] Certain units and functions of system 20 may be implemented by electronic machinery. For example, electronic machinery may refer to processor circuits described herein, such as node processor 46, IAB node processor 54, and node processor 66. Furthermore, the term "processor circuit" is not limited to meaning one processor, but may include multiple processors, where multiple processors operate at one or more sites. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "server" is not limited to one server unit, but may encompass multiple servers and / or other electronic devices, and may be located at one site or distributed to different sites. With these understandings, Figure 21 An example of an electronic machine, such as a processor circuit, is shown, which includes one or more processors 290, a program instruction memory 292; other memory 294 (e.g., RAM, cache, etc.); input / output interfaces 296 and 297, a peripheral device interface 298; support circuits 299; and a bus 300 for communication between the aforementioned units. Processor 290 may include the processor circuits described herein, such as node processor 46, IAB node processor 54, and node processor 66.

[0270] The memory or registers described herein may be depicted as memory 294 or any computer-readable medium, which may be one or more of readily available memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), floppy disk, hard disk, flash memory, or any other form of digital storage (local or remote), and preferably has non-volatile properties, and thus may include memory. Support circuits 299 are coupled to processor 290 to support the processor in a conventional manner. These circuits include caches, power supplies, clock circuits, input / output circuits and subsystems, etc.

[0271] Although the processes and methods of the disclosed embodiments may be discussed as being implemented as software routines, some of the method steps disclosed therein may be performed in hardware and by a processor running the software. Thus, the embodiments may be implemented in software executed on a computer system, in hardware such as an application specific integrated circuit or other type of hardware, or in a combination of software and hardware. The software routines of the disclosed embodiments can be executed on any computer operating system and can be executed using any CPU architecture.

[0272] The functions of the various elements, including functional blocks, including but not limited to those labeled or described as "computers," "processors," or "controllers," may be provided through the use of hardware such as circuit hardware and / or hardware capable of executing software in the form of programming instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, such functions and illustrated functional blocks should be understood to be hardware-implemented and / or computer-implemented, and therefore machine-implemented.

[0273] In terms of hardware implementation, a functional block may include or encompass, but is not limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, a reduced instruction set processor, hardware (e.g., digital or analog) circuitry, including but not limited to one or more application specific integrated circuits [ASICs] and / or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and (where appropriate) a state machine capable of performing such functionality.

[0274] In terms of computer implementation, a computer is generally understood to include one or more processors or one or more controllers, and the terms computer, processor, and controller are used interchangeably herein. When provided by a computer or processor or controller, these functions may be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor or controller, by a single shared computer or processor or controller, or by multiple separate computers or processors or controllers (some of which may be shared or distributed). In addition, the use of the term "processor" or "controller" may also be interpreted to refer to other hardware capable of performing such functions and / or executing software, such as the exemplary hardware described above.

[0275] Nodes that communicate using the air interface also have appropriate radio communication circuitry. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein may additionally be considered to be fully embodied within any form of computer-readable storage, such as a solid-state memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk containing an appropriate set of computer instructions that will cause a processor to perform the technology described herein.

[0276] In addition, each functional block or various features of the wireless terminal 30 and the radio access network 24 used in each of the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented or executed by a circuit (typically an integrated circuit or multiple integrated circuits). The circuit designed to perform the functions described in this specification may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a dedicated or general-purpose integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, or a combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or alternatively, the processor may be a conventional processor, a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine. The general-purpose processor or each of the above-mentioned circuits may be configured by a digital circuit, or may be configured by an analog circuit. In addition, when technology for making integrated circuits that replace current integrated circuits emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology, integrated circuits produced by this technology can also be used.

[0277] It should be understood that the technology disclosed herein is intended to solve problems centered around radio communications and is inherently rooted in computer technology and overcomes problems that arise specifically in radio communications. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein improves the basic functionality of IAB networks, such as methods and processes for handling problematic situations associated with resource configuration and resource switching.

[0278] The technology disclosed herein encompasses a node comprising: a mobile terminal circuit configured to receive a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and a distributed unit circuit configured to transmit a downlink signal / channel, wherein the mobile terminal monitors the PDCCH of a common search space using a first RNTI, and the distributed terminal transmits the PDCCH of a second common search space using a second RNTI.

[0279] The technology disclosed herein encompasses one or more of the following non-limiting, non-exclusive exemplary embodiments and modes:

[0280] Example embodiment 1: An integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node comprising:

[0281] A receiver circuit configured to receive information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; and a processor circuit configured to:

[0282] Based on this information, determine:

[0283] a slot format indicator that indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0284] A time resource indication, where the time resource indication indicates, for each OFDM symbol in a time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node;

[0285] Utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot is controlled based at least in part on the time resource indication and the time slot format indicator.

[0286] Example embodiment 2: The node of example embodiment 1, wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the slot format indicator from one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0287] Example embodiment 3: A node according to example embodiment 1, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol in the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0288] Example embodiment 4: The node of example embodiment 3, wherein the processor circuit is configured to not monitor the physical downlink control channel on symbols indicated as soft resources.

[0289] Example embodiment 5: The node of example embodiment 3, wherein the processor circuit is configured to allocate symbols indicated as hard resources to child IAB nodes and / or user equipment.

[0290] Example embodiment 6: The node of example embodiment 1, wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the time resource indication from system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0291] Example embodiment 7: The node of example embodiment 1, wherein the processor circuit is configured to determine the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) specific search space and obtain the time resource indication from the IAB specific search space.

[0292] Example embodiment 8: The node of example embodiment 7, wherein the processor circuit is configured to determine that the IAB node will utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space when the information indicating the IAB-specific search space is encoded with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0293] Example embodiment 9: The node of example embodiment 7, wherein the processor circuit is configured to monitor an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) associated search space when explicitly notified of the presence of an IAB specific search space.

[0294] Example embodiment 10: The node of example embodiment 7, wherein the processor circuit is configured to monitor an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by inferring the presence of an IAB-specific search space upon receiving a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0295] Example embodiment 11: The node of example embodiment 10, wherein the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB-specific search space includes: a search space ID, a CORESET ID, a monitoring time slot, a number of consecutive time slots for monitoring the IAB-specific search space, a number of PDCCH candidates or an aggregation level, and a monitoring period.

[0296] Example embodiment 12: The node of example embodiment 7, wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the time resource indication from downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0297] Example Embodiment 13: The node of Example Embodiment 1, further comprising a transmitter circuit, and wherein the transmitter circuit is configured to transmit one or both of the following:

[0298] IAB-specific search space information to another IAB node;

[0299] Non-IAB specific search space information to non-IAB nodes.

[0300] Example embodiment 14: A method in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, comprising:

[0301] receiving information regarding resource allocation for OFDM symbols within one or more time slots, and determining based on the information:

[0302] a slot format indicator that indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0303] A time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol of a time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node; and controlling utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot at least in part according to corresponding symbol allocations according to the time resource indication and the time slot format indicator.

[0304] Example embodiment 15: The method of example embodiment 14 further comprising obtaining the slot format indicator from one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0305] Example embodiment 16: A method according to example embodiment 14, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol of the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0306] Example Embodiment 17: The method of Example Embodiment 16, further comprising not monitoring a physical downlink control channel on symbols indicated as soft resources.

[0307] Example embodiment 18: The method of example embodiment 16 further comprising allocating symbols indicated as hard resources to child IAB nodes and / or user equipment.

[0308] Example embodiment 19: The method of example embodiment 14 further comprising obtaining a time resource indication from system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0309] Example embodiment 20: The method of example embodiment 14 further comprising determining the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) specific search space and obtaining a time resource indication from the IAB specific search space.

[0310] Example embodiment 21: The method of example embodiment 20 further comprising determining that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space when the information indicating the IAB-specific search space is encoded with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0311] Example embodiment 22: The method of example embodiment 20 further comprising monitoring an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space upon explicit notification of the presence of an IAB-specific search space.

[0312] Example embodiment 23: The method of example embodiment 20 further includes monitoring an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by inferring the existence of an IAB-specific search space upon receiving a set of parameters collectively associated with an IAB-specific search space.

[0313] Example embodiment 24: A method according to example embodiment 23, wherein the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0314] Example embodiment 25: The method of example embodiment 20 further comprising obtaining the time resource indication from downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0315] Example 26: The method of Example 14, further comprising transmitting one or both of the following:

[0316] IAB-specific search space information to another IAB node;

[0317] Non-IAB specific search space information to non-IAB nodes.

[0318] Example embodiment 27: A carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node comprising:

[0319] a transmitter circuit configured to transmit information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots,

[0320] A processor circuit configured to include in the transmitted information:

[0321] a slot format indicator that indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0322] A time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol of a time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node.

[0323] Example Embodiment 28: The node of Example Embodiment 27, wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the slot format indicator in one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0324] Example embodiment 29: A node according to example embodiment 27, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol in the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0325] Example embodiment 30: The node of example embodiment 27, wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the time resource indication in system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0326] Example embodiment 31: The node of example embodiment 27, wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space and include a time resource indication in the IAB-specific search space.

[0327] Example embodiment 32: The node of example embodiment 31, wherein the processor circuit is configured to indicate that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by encoding information describing the IAB-specific search space with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0328] Example embodiment 33: The node of example embodiment 31, wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by explicitly signaling the presence of an IAB-specific search space.

[0329] Example embodiment 34: The node of example embodiment 31, wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of the integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by transmitting a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0330] Example embodiment 35: The node of example embodiment 34, wherein the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB-specific search space includes: a search space ID, a CORESET ID, a monitoring time slot, a number of consecutive time slots for monitoring the IAB-specific search space, a number of PDCCH candidates or an aggregation level, and a monitoring period.

[0331] Example embodiment 36: The node of example embodiment 31, wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the time resource indication in downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0332] Example embodiment 37: A method in a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, comprising:

[0333] Transmitting information about resource allocation for OFDM symbols within one or more time slots, including:

[0334] a slot format indicator that indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0335] A time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol of a time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node.

[0336] Example Embodiment 38: The method of Example Embodiment 37 further comprising including the slot format indicator in one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0337] Example embodiment 39: A method according to example embodiment 37, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol in the time slot, and wherein in the case where the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0338] Example embodiment 40: The method of example embodiment 37 further comprising including the time resource indication in system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0339] Example embodiment 41: The method of example embodiment 37 further comprising signaling the existence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space and including a time resource indication in the IAB-specific search space.

[0340] Example embodiment 42: The method of example embodiment 41 further comprising indicating that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by encoding information describing the IAB-specific search space with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0341] Example embodiment 43: The method of example embodiment 41 further comprising notifying the existence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by explicitly notifying the existence of an IAB-specific search space.

[0342] Example embodiment 44: The method of example embodiment 41 further comprising notifying the existence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by transmitting a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0343] Example embodiment 45: A method according to example embodiment 44, wherein the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0344] Example embodiment 46: The method of example embodiment 41 further comprising including a time resource indication in downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0345] Example embodiment 47: An integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node comprising:

[0346] a receiver circuit configured to receive information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots,

[0347] A processor circuit configured to

[0348] Determine a time resource indication based on the information, the time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node;

[0349] Utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot is controlled based at least in part on the time resource indication.

[0350] Although the above description contains many specific instructions, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the technology disclosed herein, but only as providing illustrations of some currently preferred embodiments of the technology disclosed herein. Therefore, the scope of the technology disclosed herein should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it should be understood that the scope of the technology disclosed herein fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and therefore the scope of the technology disclosed herein is limited only by the appended claims, where a reference to an element in the singular does not mean "only one" (unless explicitly stated as such), but rather "one or more". The above embodiments may be combined with each other. All structural, chemical and functional equivalents of the elements of the above preferred embodiments known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the present claims. In addition, a device or method does not necessarily solve every problem that the technology disclosed herein seeks to solve, as it will be covered by the present claims. In addition, no element, component or method step of the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public, regardless of whether the element, component or method step is explicitly stated in the claims. Summary of the Invention

[0352] In one example, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a receiver circuit configured to receive information regarding resource allocations for OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; a processor circuit configured to: determine, based on the information: a slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0353] A time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or an IAB node; and controlling utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot based at least in part on the time resource indication and the time slot format indicator.

[0354] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the slot format indicator from one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0355] The node in one example, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol of the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0356] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to not monitor a physical downlink control channel on symbols indicated as soft resources.

[0357] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to allocate symbols indicated as hard resources to the child IAB nodes and / or user equipment.

[0358] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the time resource indication from system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0359] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to determine the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) specific search space and obtain the time resource indication from the IAB specific search space.

[0360] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to determine that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space when information indicating the IAB-specific search space is encoded with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0361] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to monitor an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) associated search space upon explicit notification of the presence of an IAB specific search space.

[0362] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to monitor an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by inferring the presence of the IAB-specific search space upon receiving a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0363] In an example node, the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0364] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to obtain the time resource indication from downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in an IAB specific search space.

[0365] In one example, the node further includes a transmitter circuit, and wherein the transmitter circuit is configured to transmit one or both of: IAB-specific search space information to another IAB node; non-IAB-specific search space information to a non-IAB node.

[0366] In one example, a method in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: receiving information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots, determining based on the information: a time slot format indicator, which indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a time resource indication, which indicates, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node; and controlling utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot at least in part according to corresponding symbol allocations based on the time resource indication and the time slot format indicator.

[0367] In one example, the method further includes obtaining the slot format indicator from one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0368] In one example, the method wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol of the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node may allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0369] In one example, the method further includes not monitoring a physical downlink control channel on symbols indicated as soft resources.

[0370] In one example, the method further includes allocating symbols indicated as hard resources to the child IAB node and / or the user equipment.

[0371] In one example, the method further includes obtaining the time resource indication from system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0372] In one example, the method further includes determining the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) specific search space, and obtaining a time resource indication from the IAB specific search space.

[0373] In one example, the method further includes determining that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space when the information indicating the IAB-specific search space is encoded with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0374] In one example, the method further includes monitoring an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) associated search space upon explicit notification of the presence of an IAB specific search space.

[0375] In one example, the method further includes monitoring an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space upon receiving a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space and inferring the existence of the IAB-specific search space.

[0376] In one example method, the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0377] In one example, the method further includes obtaining the time resource indication from downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0378] In one example, the method further includes transmitting one or both of: IAB specific search space information to another IAB node; and non-IAB specific search space information to a non-IAB node.

[0379] In one example, a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a transmitter circuit configured to transmit information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; a processor circuit configured to include in the transmitted information: a time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by the IAB node.

[0380] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the slot format indicator in one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0381] The node in one example, wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol of the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node can allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0382] In one example the node, wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the time resource indication in system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0383] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space and include a time resource indication in the IAB-specific search space.

[0384] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to indicate to the IAB node that it is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by encoding information describing the IAB-specific search space with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0385] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) associated search space by explicitly signaling the presence of an IAB specific search space.

[0386] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to signal the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by transmitting a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0387] In an example node, the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0388] In one example, the node wherein the processor circuit is configured to include the time resource indication in downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0389] In one example, a method in a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: transmitting information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots, the information including: a time slot format indicator, which indicates, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a time resource indication, which indicates, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by the IAB node.

[0390] In one example, the method further includes including the slot format indicator in one of system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0391] In one example, the method wherein the time resource indication indicates whether hard resources or soft resources are allocated to each OFDM symbol of the time slot, and wherein if the OFDM symbol is indicated as a soft resource, the IAB node may allocate the resource for the symbol.

[0392] In one example, the method further includes including the time resource indication in system information or dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

[0393] In one example, the method further includes notifying the existence of an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB)-associated search space and including the time resource indication in the IAB-specific search space.

[0394] In one example, the method further includes indicating that the IAB node is to utilize an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by encoding information describing the IAB-specific search space with an identifier of the IAB node.

[0395] In one example, the method further includes notifying the existence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) associated search space by explicitly notifying the existence of an IAB specific search space.

[0396] In one example, the method further includes signaling the presence of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB)-associated search space by transmitting a set of parameters collectively associated with the IAB-specific search space.

[0397] In one example method, the set of parameters commonly associated with the IAB specific search space includes: search space ID, CORESET ID, monitoring time slot, number of consecutive time slots used to monitor the IAB specific search space, number of PDCCH candidates or aggregation level and monitoring period.

[0398] In one example, the method further includes including the time resource indication in downlink control information (DCI) included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) located in the IAB specific search space.

[0399] In one example, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a receiver circuit configured to receive information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; a processor circuit configured to determine, based on the information, a time resource indication, the time resource indication indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by a parent node or by an IAB node; and controlling utilization of one or more symbols of the time slot based at least in part on the time resource indication.

[0400] In one example, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a receiver circuit configured to receive first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots; a processor circuit configured to: determine: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and

[0401] A resource indication of soft resources, the resource indication of the soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of the soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0402] In one example, the node includes an IAB node comprising: the receiver circuit receives downlink control information (DCI) to indicate a resource indication of soft resources on an IAB node-specific search space.

[0403] In one example, a method in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: receiving first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots; determining: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), these CRC bits are used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), these CRC bits are used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0404] In one example, the method includes receiving downlink control information (DCI) to indicate a resource indication of soft resources on an IAB node-specific search space.

[0405] In one example, a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: a transmitter circuit configured to transmit first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots to the IAB node; a processor circuit configured to: include in the transmitted information: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0406] In one example, a method in a carrier integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes: transmitting first information and second information for resource allocation of OFDM symbols in one or more time slots to the IAB node; the information including: a time slot format indicator from the first information, the time slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and a resource indication of soft resources from the second information, the resource indication of soft resources indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the time slot, whether the symbol can be allocated by the IAB node; and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the time slot format indicator is scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and CRC bits of downlink control information (DCI), the CRC bits being used to indicate that the resource indication of soft resources is scrambled by a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI).

[0407] <Cross Reference>

[0408] This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to provisional application 62 / 825,636, filed on March 28, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. An integrated access and backhaul IAB node, comprising: a receiver configured to receive first information about resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots and second information, a processor configured to determine: a slot format indicator from the first information, the slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and A time resource indication from the second information, the time resource indication indicating for each OFDM symbol whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node, wherein CRC bits of downlink control information DCI indicating the slot format indicator are scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier RNTI, and The CRC bits of the DCI indicating the time resource indication are scrambled by the second RNTI, wherein The receiver receives the DCI indicating the time resource indication regarding the IAB node specific search space, and The first RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the slot format indicator, and the second RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the time resource indication.

2. An integrated access and backhaul IAB node, comprising: A transmitter configured to transmit first information and second information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots to another IAB node, wherein The first information transmitted includes a slot format indicator, the slot format indicator indicating, for each OFDM symbol of the slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; and The second information transmitted includes a time resource indication, wherein the time resource indication indicates, for each OFDM symbol, whether the symbol can be utilized by the other IAB node. CRC bits of downlink control information DCI indicating the slot format indicator are scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier RNTI, and The CRC bits of the DCI indicating the time resource indication are scrambled by the second RNTI, wherein The transmitter transmits the DCI indicating the time resource indication regarding the IAB node specific search space, and The first RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the slot format indicator, and the second RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the time resource indication.

3. A base station, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit first information and second information regarding resource allocation of OFDM symbols within one or more time slots to an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node; A processor configured to: The first information transmitted includes a slot format indicator, wherein the slot format indicator indicates, for each OFDM symbol in the time slot, whether the symbol is an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, or a flexible symbol; as well as The second information transmitted includes a time resource indication, wherein the time resource indication indicates for each OFDM symbol whether the symbol can be utilized by the IAB node, CRC bits of downlink control information DCI indicating the slot format indicator are scrambled by a first radio network temporary identifier RNTI, and The CRC bits of the DCI indicating the time resource indication are scrambled by the second RNTI, wherein: The transmitter transmits the DCI indicating the time resource indication regarding the IAB node specific search space, and The first RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the slot format indicator, and the second RNTI is used to monitor the DCI indicating the time resource indication.

Images