Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for adaptive subcarrier spacing configuration

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for adaptive subcarrier spacing in wireless communication networks are described. For example, described aspects include transmitting, from a UE to a network entity, a first PRACH transmission employing a first subcarrier spacing, determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity was unsuccessful, and transmitting, from the UE, a second PRACH transmission employing a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission was unsuccessful, where the first subcarrier spacing is different than the second subcarrier spacing.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application patent with application date of January 26, 2018, application number 201880006510.6, and the title of "METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM FOR ADAPTIVE SUBCARRIER SPACING CONFIGURATION".

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This Patent Application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 15 / 880,218, filed January 25, 2018, entitled "ADAPTIVE SUBCARRIER SPACING CONFIGURATION" and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 451,425, filed January 27, 2017, entitled "ADAPTIVE SUBCARRIER SPACING CONFIGURATION," which are assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to wireless communication networks, and more particularly, to subcarrier spacing in wireless communication networks. BACKGROUND

[0005] Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems can be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems.

[0006] These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. For example, a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication technology (which can be referred to as New Radio (NR)) is envisaged to expand and support diverse usage scenarios and applications falling under the umbrella of

[0007] For example, current subcarrier spacing configurations can not provide a desired level of speed or customization for efficient operation for NR communication technology and beyond. Thus, improvements in wireless communication network operation can be desired. SUMMARY

[0008] The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0009] According to one aspect, a method includes transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) from a user equipment (UE) in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include transmitting a first PRACH transmission from the UE to a network entity with a first subcarrier spacing. The described aspects further include determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity is unsuccessful. The described aspects further include transmitting a second PRACH transmission from the UE with a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission is unsuccessful, where the first subcarrier spacing is different than the second subcarrier spacing.

[0010] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting a PRACH from a UE in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to transmit a first PRACH transmission from the UE to a network entity with a first subcarrier spacing. The described aspects further include determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity is unsuccessful. The described aspects further include transmitting a second PRACH transmission from the UE with a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission is unsuccessful, where the first subcarrier spacing is different than the second subcarrier spacing.

[0011] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium is described that can store computer executable code for transmitting a PRACH from a UE in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include code for transmitting a first PRACH transmission from the UE to a network entity with a first subcarrier spacing. The described aspects further include code for determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity is unsuccessful. The described aspects further include code for transmitting a second PRACH transmission from the UE with a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission is unsuccessful, where the first subcarrier spacing is different than the second subcarrier spacing.

[0012] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting a PRACH from a UE in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for transmitting, by a UE, a first PRACH transmission to a network entity using a first subcarrier spacing. The described aspects further include means for determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity is unsuccessful. The described aspects further include means for transmitting, by the UE, a second PRACH transmission using a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission is unsuccessful, wherein the first subcarrier spacing is different from the second subcarrier spacing.

[0013] According to another aspect, a method includes performing, at a UE in a new radio communication system, a random access channel (RACH) procedure. The described aspects include receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure. The described aspects further include performing, by the UE, the one or more steps in the four-step RACH procedure using one or more respective subcarrier spacings received in the subcarrier spacing configuration from the network entity.

[0014] In one aspect, an apparatus for performing a RACH procedure at a UE in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure. The described aspects further include performing, by the UE, the one or more steps in the four-step RACH procedure using one or more respective subcarrier spacings received in the subcarrier spacing configuration from the network entity.

[0015] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium that can store computer executable code for performing a RACH procedure at a UE in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include code for receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure. The described aspects further include code for performing, by the UE, the one or more steps in the four-step RACH procedure using one or more respective subcarrier spacings received in the subcarrier spacing configuration from the network entity.

[0016] In one aspect, an apparatus for performing a RACH procedure at a UE in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure. The described aspects further include means for performing, by the UE, the one or more steps in the four-step RACH procedure using one or more respective subcarrier spacings received in the subcarrier spacing configuration from the network entity.

[0017] According to another aspect, a method includes transmitting from a UE with semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS radio network temporary identifier (SPS-RNTI) and a periodicity. The described aspects further include receiving, at the UE, allocation information for the UE based at least on the SPS-RNTI, where the allocation information includes a subcarrier spacing configuration. The described aspects further include transmitting from the UE based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0018] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI and a periodicity. The described aspects further receive, at the UE, allocation information for the UE based at least on the SPS-RNTI, where the allocation information includes a subcarrier spacing configuration. The described aspects further transmit from the UE based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0019] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium is described that can store computer executable code for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include code for receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI and a periodicity. The described aspects further include code for receiving, at the UE, allocation information for the UE based at least on the SPS-RNTI, where the allocation information includes a subcarrier spacing configuration. The described aspects further include code for transmitting from the UE based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0020] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI and a periodicity. The described aspects further include means for receiving, at the UE, allocation information for the UE based at least on the SPS-RNTI, where the allocation information includes a subcarrier spacing configuration. The described aspects further include means for transmitting from the UE based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0021] According to another aspect, a method includes transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI, a periodicity, and a subcarrier spacing configuration, and where the subcarrier spacing configuration includes a plurality of subcarrier spacings. The described aspects further include transmitting from the UE with a subcarrier spacing of the plurality of subcarrier spacings based at least on an indication received via a downlink control information (DCI) on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from the network entity.

[0022] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI, a periodicity, and a subcarrier spacing configuration, and where the subcarrier spacing configuration includes a plurality of subcarrier spacings. The described aspects further include transmit from the UE with a subcarrier spacing of the plurality of subcarrier spacings based at least on an indication received via a DCI on a PDCCH from the network entity.

[0023] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include code for receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI, a periodicity, and a subcarrier spacing configuration, and where the subcarrier spacing configuration includes a plurality of subcarrier spacings. The described aspects further include code for transmitting from the UE with a subcarrier spacing of the plurality of subcarrier spacings based at least on an indication received via a DCI on a PDCCH from the network entity.

[0024] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting from a UE with SPS in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for receiving, by a UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, where the SPS configuration includes an SPS-RNTI, a periodicity, and a subcarrier spacing configuration, and where the subcarrier spacing configuration includes a plurality of subcarrier spacings. The described aspects further include means for transmitting from the UE with a subcarrier spacing of the plurality of subcarrier spacings based at least on an indication received via a DCI on a PDCCH from the network entity.

[0025] According to another aspect, a method includes transmitting subframes from a UE with adaptive subcarrier spacing in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include transmitting, from the UE, the one or more subframes with the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes.

[0026] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting subframes from a UE with adaptive subcarrier spacing in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include transmitting, from the UE, the one or more subframes with the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes.

[0027] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for transmitting subframes from a UE with adaptive subcarrier spacing in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include code for receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include code for transmitting, from the UE, the one or more subframes with the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes.

[0028] In one aspect, an apparatus for transmitting subframes from a UE with adaptive subcarrier spacing in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for receiving, by the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include means for transmitting, from the UE, the one or more subframes with the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes.

[0029] According to another aspect, a method includes adapting subcarrier spacing of subframes at a network entity in a new radio communication system. The described aspects include determining, at the network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include transmitting, from the network entity to a UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0030] In one aspect, an apparatus for adapting a subcarrier spacing of a subframe at a network entity in a new radio communication system can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to determine, at the network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further transmit, from the network entity to a UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0031] In one aspect, a computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for adapting a subcarrier spacing of a subframe at a network entity in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include code for determining, at the network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include code for transmitting, from the network entity to a UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0032] In one aspect, an apparatus for adapting a subcarrier spacing of a subframe at a network entity in a new radio communication system is described. The described aspects include means for determining, at the network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. The described aspects further include means for transmitting, from the network entity to a UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0033] Various aspects and features of the disclosure are described in greater detail below with reference to various examples thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation, embodiments, or example, one example implementation of the disclosure is described below with reference to a new radio (NR) communication system. Although the following teachings are described with reference to a 5G NR system, it should be understood that the teachings are applicable to other communication systems as well. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout and wherein:

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication network including at least one base station having a subcarrier spacing configuration component and at least one UE for transmitting with an adaptive subcarrier spacing component configured according to the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 2is a flow diagram illustrating an example RACH procedure in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an example NR RACH procedure in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method of transmitting a PRACH from a UE in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method of performing a RACH procedure at a UE in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method of transmitting from a UE with SPS in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating another example of a method of transmitting from a UE with SPS in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 8 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method of transmitting from a UE in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method of transmitting from a network entity in a wireless communication system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 10 isa schematic diagram of example components of a UE of Figure 1

[0045] Figure 11 isa schematic diagram of example components of a base station of Figure 1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known components are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the concepts described herein. In one aspect, the term "component" as used herein can be one of the parts that make up a system, can be hardware or software, and can be divided into other components.

[0047] The present disclosure relates generally to adaptive or configurable subcarrier spacing at a UE with system information transmitted from an eNB. In addition, configurable subcarrier spacing at a base station is also described.

[0048] The following description relates to wireless communication, and is particularly related to adaptive or configurable subcarrier spacing at a user equipment (UE) with system information transmitted from an evolved Node B (eNB). Figures 1-11 Additional features of the various aspects are described in more detail below.

[0049] It should be noted that the techniques described herein can be used for various wireless communication networks such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA, and other systems. The terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably. A CDMA system can implement a radio technology such as CDMA2000, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), etc. CDMA2000 covers IS-2000, IS-95 and IS-856 standards. IS-2000 Versions 0 and A are commonly referred to as CDMA2000 IX, IX, etc. IS-856 (TIA-856) is commonly referred to as CDMA2000 lxEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), etc. UTRA includes Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and other variants of CDMA. A TDMA system can implement a radio technology such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). An OFDMA system can implement a radio technology such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, etc. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a release of UMTS that uses E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE and GSM are described in documents from an organization named "3rd Generation Partnership Project" (3GPP). CDMA2000 IX, IX, UMB, HRPD, and GSM are described in documents from an organization named "3rd Generation Partnership Project 2" (3GPP2). The techniques described herein can be used for the wireless networks and radio technologies mentioned above, as well as other wireless networks and radio technologies. For clarity, while the foregoing description sets forth embodiments of the use of cellular technologies, the concepts described herein can be applied to TMThe teachings herein can be implemented in / used with 3GPP LTE, 3GPP LTE- A, 5G, and other such next generation communication systems. However, the teachings herein can be applied to other wireless communication systems as well. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), are new releases of UMTS that use E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, and GSM are described in documents from an organization named “3rd Generation Partnership Project” (3GPP). CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from an organization named “3rd Generation Partnership Project 2” (3GPP2). The techniques described herein can be used for the systems and radio technologies mentioned above as well as other systems and radio technologies, including cellular (e.g., LTE) communications over a shared radio frequency spectrum band. The following description describes LTE / LTE-A systems for purposes of example, and LTE terminology is used in much of the description, but the techniques can be applied to LTE / LTE-A applications beyond what is described, examples include 5G networks or other next generation communication systems.

[0050] The following description provides examples, and is not limiting of the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims. Changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various examples can omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, the methods described can be performed in an order different than that described, and other steps can be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to some examples can be combined in other examples.

[0051] Reference Figure 1 According to various aspects of the disclosure, the example wireless communication network 100 includes at least one UE 110 in communication with a base station 105 having a modem 140 that manages a new radio (NR) random access channel (RACH) procedure 152, a semi-persistent scheduling configuration 156, and / or a subframe subcarrier spacing 158.

[0052] For example, the base station 105, the subcarrier spacing component 170, and / or the RACH configuration component 172 can configure (e.g., set) the NR RACH procedure 152 using different subcarrier spacings for different steps (or messages / Msgs) in the four-step RACH procedure (e.g., a subcarrier spacing configuration that can include different subcarrier spacings). In one implementation, the base station 105 can employ subcarrier spacings si, s2, s3, and / or s4 for Msgs 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, of the NR RACH procedure 152. In further implementations, the UE 110 can employ different subcarrier spacings for transmitting Msg 1, which can be a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission, such as the PRACH transmission 154, from one transmission attempt to another (re)transmission attempt. For example, the UE 110 can transmit an initial transmission of the PRACH transmission 154 employing a subcarrier spacing si i, and retransmit successive PRACH transmissions (when an earlier transmission of the PRACH transmission is unsuccessful) employing subcarrier spacings s12, s13, s14, and so on, until a PRACH retransmission limit is reached. That is, the UE 110 retransmits the PRACH transmission until a retransmission attempt limit of the PRACH transmission is reached or the UE 110 determines that the transmission of the PRACH transmission 154 is successful.

[0053] The base station 105 includes a modem 160 and / or a subcarrier spacing component 170 for configuring subcarrier spacings for the UE 110 and / or the base station 105. That is, the base station 105 and / or the subcarrier spacing component 170 can configure subcarrier spacings for downlink transmissions from the base station 105 to the UE 110 and / or uplink transmissions from the UE 110 to the base station 105.

[0054] Furthermore, base station 105, subcarrier spacing component 170, and / or semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) component 174 can configure SPS configuration 156 during SPS activation. SPS configuration 156 can include subcarrier spacing configuration, which further includes multiple subcarrier spacings that are different from each other. Additionally, base station 105 can transmit radio resource control (RRC) configurations for several subcarrier spacings to UE 110 during SPS configuration and, during SPS allocation, indicate to UE 110 via downlink control information (DCI) on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) which subframe spacing the UE should use for PDSCH / PUSCH transmission. It should also be noted that SPS can be applied to the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), or both. This improves the efficiency of wireless communication over LTE because LTE only allows the same subcarrier spacing for PUSCH and PDSCH transmissions. In this disclosure, different subcarrier spacings can be configured for PUSCH and PDSCH transmissions.

[0055] Additionally, base station 105, subcarrier spacing component 170, and / or subframe component 176 can employ different subcarrier spacing configurations in different subframes, as per subframe configuration 158 at UE 110. For example, base station 105 can employ subcarrier spacing s f0 Configure subframe 0, using subcarrier spacing s f1 Configure subframe 1, using subcarrier spacing s f2 Configure subframe 2, etc. Base station 105 can configure different subcarrier intervals in different subframes for all physical channels at UE 110 or a subset of physical channels at UE 110.

[0056] Therefore, according to this disclosure, the subcarrier spacing component 170 can configure the subcarrier spacing at UE110 in a manner that improves wireless communication.

[0057] Wireless communication network 100 may include one or more base stations 105, one or more UEs 110, and a core network 115. Core network 115 may provide user authentication, access authorization, tracking, Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, and other access, routing, or mobility functions. Base station 105 may be connected to core network 115 via backhaul link 120 (e.g., S1, etc.). Base station 105 may perform radio configuration and scheduling for communication with UE 110, or may operate under the control of a base station controller (not shown). In various examples, base stations 105 may communicate with each other directly or indirectly (e.g., via core network 115) via backhaul link 125 (e.g., X1, etc.) (which may be a wired or wireless communication link).

[0058] The base stations 105 can wirelessly communicate with the UEs 110 via one or more base station antennas. Each of the base stations 105 can provide communication coverage for a respective geographic coverage area 130 of a network. In some examples, a base station 105 can be referred to as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, an access node, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, eNodeB (eNB), gNB, Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, a relay, or some other suitable terminology. The geographic coverage area 130 for a base station 105 can be divided into sectors or cells making up only a portion of the coverage area (not shown). The wireless communication network 100 can include base stations 105 of different types (e.g., macro or small cell base stations), described below. In addition, the base stations 105 can operate according to different

[0059] In some examples, the wireless communication network 100 can be or include one or any combination of the communication technologies, including NR or 5G technology, Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) or MuLTEfire technology, Wi-Fi technology, Bluetooth technology, or any other long or short range wireless communication technology. In LTE / LTE-A / MuLTEfire networks, the term evolved node B (eNB) can be generally used for the base stations 105 and the term UE can be generally used for the UEs 110. The wireless communication network 100 can be a heterogeneous technology network that includes base stations 105 of different types, e.g., macro or small cell base stations. The UEs 110 can be dispersed

[0060] Macrocells can generally cover relatively large geographic areas (e.g., a radius of several kilometers) and can allow unrestricted access by UEs 110 with service subscriptions with the network provider.

[0061] Compared to macro cells, small cells can include lower-power base stations, which can operate in the same or different (e.g., licensed, unlicensed, etc.) frequency bands as macro cells. According to various examples, small cells can include pico, femto, and micro cells. A pico cell can cover a small geographic area, and can allow unrestricted access to UEs 110 with service subscriptions with the network provider. A femto cell can also cover a small geographic area (e.g., a home), and can provide restricted or no access to UEs 110 not associated with the femto cell (e.g., UEs 110 in a closed subscriber group (CSG) of the femto cell, which can include UEs 110 for users in the home, etc.). An eNB for a macro cell can be referred to as a macro eNB. An eNB for a small cell can be referred to as a small cell eNB, a pico eNB, a femto eNB, or a home eNB. An eNB can support one or multiple (e.g., two, three, four, etc.) cells (e.g., component carriers).

[0062] A communication network that can accommodate some of the various disclosed examples can be a packet-based network that operates according to a layered protocol stack, and data in the user plane can be based on the IP. A user plane protocol stack (e.g., packet data convergence protocol (PDCP), radio link control (RLC), MAC, etc.) can perform packet segmentation and reassembly to communicate over logical channels. For example, a MAC layer can perform priority handling and multiplexing of logical channels into transport channels. The MAC layer can also use a hybrid automatic repeat / request (HARQ) to provide retransmission at the MAC layer to improve link efficiency. In the control plane, an RRC protocol layer can provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 110 and a base station 105. The RRC protocol layer can also be used for core network 115 support of radio bearers of the user plane data. At the physical (PHY) layer, the transport channels can be mapped to physical channels.

[0063] The UEs 110 can be dispersed throughout the wireless communication network 100, and each UE 110 can be stationary or mobile. A UE 110 can also include or be referred to by those skilled in the art as a mobile station, a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other terminology. A UE 110 is a cellular phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a smart watch, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, an entertainment device, a vehicle component, a customer premises equipment (CPE), or any device that can communicate in a wireless communication network 100. Further, a UE 110 can be an Internet of Things (IoT) and / or a machine-to-machine (M2M) type of device, e.g., a low power, low data rate (relative to, e.g., wireless phones) type of device that can communicate infrequently, in some aspects, with the wireless communication network 100 or other UEs 110. A UE 110 can be able to communicate with various types of base stations 105 and network equipment including macro e Bs, small cell e Bs, macro g Bs, small cell g Bs, relay base stations, and the like.

[0064] The UEs 110 can be configured to establish one or more wireless communication links 135 with one or more base stations 105. The wireless communication links 135 shown in wireless communication network 100 can carry uplink (UL) transmissions from a UE 110 to a base station 105, or downlink (DL) transmissions, from a base station 105 to a UE 110. The downlink transmissions can also be called forward link transmissions, while the uplink transmissions can also be called reverse link transmissions. Each wireless communication link 135 can include one or more carriers, where each carrier can be a signal made up of multiple sub-carriers (e.g., waveform signals of different frequencies) modulated according to the various radio technologies described above. Each modulated signal can be sent on a different sub-carrier, and can carry control information (e.g., reference signals, control channels, etc.), overhead information, user data, etc. In one aspect, the wireless communication links 135 can transmit bidirectional communications using frequency division duplex (FDD) (e.g., using paired spectrum resources) or time division duplex (TDD) operation (e.g., using unpaired spectrum resources). Frame structures can be defined for FDD (e.g., frame structure type 1) and for TDD (e.g., frame structure type 2). Moreover, in some aspects, the wireless communication links 135 can represent one or more broadcast channels.

[0065] In some aspects of the wireless communication network 100, base stations 105 or UEs 110 can include multiple antennas for use in employing antenna diversity schemes to improve communication quality and reliability between base stations 105 and UEs 110. Additionally or alternatively, base stations 105 or UEs 110 can employ multiple input multiple output (MIMO) techniques that can take advantage of multi-path environments to transmit multiple spatial layers carrying the same or different coded data.

[0066] Wireless communication network 100 can support operation on multiple cells or carriers, a feature which can be referred to as carrier aggregation (CA) or multi-carrier operation. A carrier can also be referred to as a component carrier (CC), a layer, a channel, etc. The terms “carrier,” “component carrier,” “cell,” and “channel” can be used interchangeably herein. A UE 110 can be configured with multiple downlink CCs and one or more uplink CCs for carrier aggregation. Carrier aggregation can be used with FDD and TDD component carriers. Base stations 105 and UEs 110 can use spectrum up to Y MHz (e.g., Y = 5, 10, 15, or 20 MHz) bandwidth per carrier allocated in carrier aggregation up to a total of Yx MHz (x = number of component carriers) for transmission in each direction. The carriers can or can not be adjacent to each other. Allocation of carriers can be asymmetric with respect to

[0067] Wireless communication network 100 can also include base stations 105 operating according to Wi-Fi technology, e.g., Wi-Fi access points, in communication with UEs 110 operating according to Wi-Fi technology, e.g., Wi-Fi stations (STAs), via communication links in an unlicensed frequency spectrum (e.g., 5 GHz). When communicating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, STAs and APs can perform a clear channel assessment (CCA) or listen before talk (LBT) procedure prior to communicating in order to determine whether the channel is available.

[0068] Additionally, one or more of base stations 105 and / or UEs 110 can operate according to NR or 5G technology, which can be referred to as millimeter wave (mmW) technology. For example, mmW technology includes transmissions in and / or around the mmW frequencies. Extremely high frequency (EHF) is part of the radio frequency (RF) in the electromagnetic spectrum. EHF has a range from 30 GHz to 300 GHz and a wavelength between 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters. Radio waves in this band can be referred to as a millimeter wave. Near mmW can extend down to a frequency of 3 GHz with a wavelength of 100 millimeters. For example, the super high frequency (SHF) band extends from 3 GHz to 30 GHz, and can also be referred to as centimeter wave. Communications using the mmW and / or near mmW radio frequency band has extremely high path loss and a short range. As such, base stations 105 and / or UEs 110 operating according to mmW technology can utilize beamforming for their transmissions in order to compensate for the extremely high path loss and short range.

[0069] Reference Figure 2 A four-step RACH procedure 200 is described below in which a UE 110 exchanges messages with one or more base stations 105 to gain access to a wireless network and establish a connection.

[0070] At 210, for example, a UE 110 can transmit a first message (Msg 1) 210 to one or more base stations 105, which can be referred to as a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission. Msg 1 (210) can include a RACH preamble and a cyclic prefix (CP). The UE 110 also provides an identity of the UE, such as a random access-radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI), to the one or more base stations 105. The RA-RNTI is typically determined according to a time slot number in which the RACH preamble is sent.

[0071] At 220, one or more of the base stations 105 can respond to Msg 1 by transmitting a second message (Msg 2) 220 on a physical downlink control channel (e.g., PDCCH) and / or a physical downlink shared channel (e.g., PDSCH), which can be referred to as a random access response (RAR) message. For example, Msg 2 can include one or more of: a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) for further communication between the UE 110 and the base station 105, a timing advance value to compensate for a round-trip delay caused by a distance between the UE 110 and the base station 105, and / or an uplink grant resource including initial resources allocated to the UE 110 so that the UE 110 can use an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH).

[0072] At 230, in response to receiving Msg 2, UE 110 transmits a third message (Msg 3) 230 to base station 105 via the UL-SCH / PUSCH, which can be an RRC connection request message. In one aspect, Msg 3 can include a UE identity (TMSI or random value) and / or a connection establishment cause indicating a reason why UE 110 needs to connect to the network.

[0073] At 240, in response to receiving Msg 3, base station 105 can transmit a fourth message (Msg 4) 240 to UE 110 when Msg 3 (230) is successfully received at 330, which can be referred to as a contention resolution message. UE 110 can receive Msg 4 (240) via a physical downlink control channel (e.g., PDCCH) and / or a physical downlink shared channel (e.g., PDSCH). For example, Msg 4 can include a new cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) for UE 110 to use in subsequent communications.

[0074] In some cases, the transmission of Msg 1 (210) from UE 110 can not be successful. For example, UE 110 can not receive Msg 2 220 (response) from base station 105; UE 110 can fail to decode Msg 2 (220); UE 110 can have successfully decoded Msg 2 (220) but can fail to decode Msg 4 (240); or UE 110 can have decoded Msg 4 (240) but the decoded message indicates a collision. In such cases, the RACH establishment can not be considered successful. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a NR RACH procedure 300 for improved, enhanced, and / or efficient RACH procedures in NR.

[0075] Reference Figure 3 In accordance with the present disclosure, UE 110 can perform one implementation of the NR RACH procedure 152 of the present disclosure. The performance of the NR RACH procedure 152 is described below.

[0076] In current RACH procedures, the subcarrier spacing for RACH messages (e.g., Msg 1, Msg 2, Msg 3, and Msg 4) is fixed. For example, Msg 1 can have a subcarrier spacing of 1.25 KHz or 7.5 KHz (depending on cell coverage), and / or Msg 2, Msg 3, and / or Msg 4 can have a subcarrier spacing of 15 KHz. In some implementations, base stations 105, subcarrier spacing component 170, and / or RACH configuration component 172 can employ different subcarrier spacings to configure different messages of NR RACH procedure 152. For example, Msg 1 310 of NR RACH procedure 152 can be configured with subcarrier spacing si 1, Msg 2 320 can be configured with subcarrier spacing s2, Msg 3 330 can be configured with subcarrier spacing s3, and / or Msg 4 340 can be configured with subcarrier spacing s4. This provides flexibility that can further improve the efficiency and / or reliability of NR RACH procedure 152.

[0077] At 310, UE 110 can transmit a first message (Msg 1) to one or more base stations 105 via a physical channel (such as a physical random access channel (PRACH)), which can be referred to as a random access request message. Msg 1 310 can also be referred to as a PRACH transmission 154 and can include a RACH preamble and a cyclic prefix (CP). However, as noted above, transmission of Msg 1 310 can not always be successful.

[0078] In some implementations, UE 110 can retransmit Msg 1 as Msg 1 312 with a different subcarrier spacing than the previously transmitted Msg 1 310. For example, UE 110 can transmit (or retransmit) Msg 1 312 with a different subcarrier spacing s2 than the subcarrier spacing si used to transmit Msg 1 210. In one aspect, base stations 105, subcarrier spacing component 170, and / or RACH configuration component 172 can configure subcarrier spacings si, s2, etc. to UE 110 via system information (e.g., a master information block (MIB), a minimum system information block (MSIB), etc.).

[0079] Retransmitting Msg 1 (e.g., Msg 1 312) with a subcarrier spacing s2 that is lower than a subcarrier spacing sl of Msg 1 310 allows for transmitting signals related to Msg 1 over a longer duration (e.g., in time domain). UE 110 can retransmit Msg 1 with one or more reduced subcarrier spacings until Msg 1 is successfully transmitted to base station 105 or until a PRACH retransmission attempt limit is reached. For example, UE 110 can retransmit Msg 1 as Msg 1 314 with a subcarrier spacing s3. UE 110 can continue to retransmit Msg 1 with lower subcarrier spacings in successive retransmission attempts until the retransmission attempt limit is reached. However, if the transmission of Msg 1 is not successful and UE 110 reaches the retransmission attempt limit, UE 110 can increase the transmit power (e.g., in power domain) of Msg 1. That is, retransmit Msg 1 with a high transmit power level such that the transmission (retransmission) of Msg 1 to base station 105 is successful. For example, UE 110 can retransmit Msg 1 as Msg 1 316 by transmitting Msg 1 316 with increased transmit power (in time domain). That is, Msg 1 316 can be transmitted with a higher power level p2 than the power pi used to transmit messages 314 and 312. Further, it should be noted that if the transmission of a previous Msg 1 is not successful, the retransmission of Msg 1 can be performed with increased power (in power domain) or by reducing / decreasing subcarrier spacing in any order based on system information received from base station 105.

[0080] At 320, one or more of base stations 105 can respond to Msg 1 by transmitting a second message (Msg 2), which can be referred to as a random access response (RAR) message, on a physical downlink control channel (e.g., PDCCH) and / or a physical downlink shared channel (e.g., PDSCH). For example, Msg 2 can include one or more of the following: a detected preamble identifier (ID), a timing advance (TA) value, a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (TC-RNTI), a backoff indicator, an UL grant, and a DL grant.

[0081] At 330, in response to receiving Msg 2, UE 110 transmits a third message (Msg 3) via a physical uplink channel (e.g., PUSCH) based on the UL grant provided in Msg 2, which can be an RRC connection request or a scheduling request. In one aspect, Msg 3 can include a tracking area update (TAU), such as periodically including a TAU or including a TAU when UE 110 moves outside of one or more tracking areas (TAs) initially provided to UE 110 in a list of tracking area identifiers (TAIs). Also, in some cases, Msg 3 can include a connection establishment cause indicator that identifies a reason for UE 110 requesting a connection to the network.

[0082] At 340, in response to receiving Msg 3, base station 105 can transmit a fourth message (Msg 4) to UE 110 via a physical downlink control channel (e.g., PDCCH) and / or a physical downlink shared channel (e.g., PDSCH), which can be referred to as a contention resolution message. For example, Msg 4 can include a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) for UE 110 to use in subsequent communications.

[0083] Referring to Figure 4 , a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method 400 related to transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) from a UE, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, is described. Although the operations described below are presented in a particular order and / or as being performed by an example component, another aspect can perform the operations in a different order and / or by a different component. Moreover, the illustrated component can be separated or integrated in a different manner than illustrated, and / or can be implemented in a different manner than illustrated. Furthermore, although the following description can be made in the context of a UE 110 and / or an adaptive subcarrier component 150, another aspect can perform the operations in the context of a different component, such as a network entity 100 and / or a network component 150.

[0084] In one aspect, at block 410, method 400 includes transmitting a first PRACH transmission from the UE to the network entity employing a first subcarrier spacing. For example, in one aspect, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can perform NR RACH procedure 152 to transmit a first PRACH transmission via transmitter 210 employing a subcarrier spacing si, as described herein. In one aspect, the first PRACH transmission can be transmitted in accordance with a first PRACH configuration, such as a first PRACH configuration 154, as described herein. Figure 10Msg 1 210. In one example, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can receive a first subcarrier spacing and a second subcarrier spacing from a base station 105 via system information. Further, the system information can include a random access channel (RACH) configuration indicating a link between the first subcarrier spacing and the second subcarrier spacing.

[0085] In one aspect, at block 420, method 400 includes determining, by the UE, that the first PRACH transmission to the network entity is unsuccessful. For example, in one aspect, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can perform NR RACH procedure 152 to determine that the first PRACH transmission (Msg 1 210) is unsuccessful, as described herein.

[0086] In one aspect, at block 430, method 400 includes transmitting, from the UE, a second PRACH transmission employing a second subcarrier spacing in response to determining that the first PRACH transmission is unsuccessful. For example, in one aspect, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can perform NR RACH procedure 152 to retransmit Msg 1 312 via transmitter (e.g., transmitter 1008) of the UE 110 employing a subcarrier spacing s2, as described herein. In one implementation, subcarrier spacing s2 (e.g., 7.5 KHz) can be less than subcarrier spacing si (15 KHz). Retransmitting Msg 1 312 at a lower subcarrier spacing allows for transmission of signals associated with Msg 1 312 over a longer duration (in time domain). Figure 10

[0087] In one aspect, at block 440, method 400 can optionally include transmitting one or more additional PRACH transmissions until the UE determines that a PRACH transmission is successful or a PRACH retransmission attempt limit is reached, wherein the one or more additional PRACH transmissions are transmitted at a different subcarrier spacing than the first and second subcarrier spacing. For example, in one aspect, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can perform NR RACH procedure 152 to transmit one or more additional PRACH transmissions, e.g., Msg 1 314, via transmitter (e.g., transmitter 1008) of the UE 110, as described herein. UE 110 can transmit Msg 1 314 when a prior transmission of Msg 1 312 is unsuccessful. In one implementation, Msg 1 314 can be transmitted with a subcarrier spacing s3 that is lower than s2, for example. For example, s3 can be 3.75 KHz. UE 110 can continue to retransmit Msg 1 at lower subcarrier spacing until transmission of Msg 1 is successful (as described above) or until a retransmission attempt limit is reached. Figure 10

[0088] ​​Reference Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating an example of a method 500 related to performing an adaptive random access channel (RACH) procedure at a UE, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, is described. Although the operations described below are presented in a particular order and / or as being performed by an example component, another implementation can perform the operations in a different order and / or at a different component, depending on the implementation. Moreover, not all of the operations described below can be required, and one or more operations described below can be performed in the alternative, in series, or in parallel to other operations. Also, while the adaptive subcarrier component 150 is shown to have multiple subcomponents, one or more of the illustrated subcomponents can be separate and / or isolated from the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or from each other, but in communication with the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or with each other. Moreover, any of the actions or components described below in relation to the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or any subcomponent can be executed by a specially-programmed processor, a processor executing specially-programmed software or computer-readable media, or by any other combination of hardware components and / or software components specifically configured to perform the described actions or components.

[0089] In one aspect, at block 510, the method 500 includes receiving, at the UE from a network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for an adaptive RACH procedure. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can receive, via a receiver (e.g., receiver 1002 of the base station 105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure. For example, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can receive a subcarrier spacing configuration that can include a subcarrier spacing for Msg 1 and / or Msg 3, which can be sll and / or s41, respectively. The base station 105 can configure subcarrier spacings s21 and / or s31 for Msg 2 and / or Msg 4, respectively. This provides the UE 110 and / or the base station with the flexibility to employ different subcarrier spacings to communicate different messages of a four-step RACH procedure (e.g., the NR RACH procedure 152) to improve the efficiency of wireless communications. It should also be noted that the above-described subcarrier configurations (e.g., sll, s21, s31, and s41) are non-limiting examples. In other example aspects, the base station 105 can configure different subcarrier spacings as determined by the base station. Figure 10

[0090] In one aspect, at block 520, the method 500 includes performing, by the UE, the adaptive RACH procedure employing one or more respective subcarrier spacings received in the subcarrier spacing configuration from the network entity. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can perform one or more steps in a four-step RACH procedure, e.g., Msg 1 and Msg 3, employing respective subcarrier spacings received in a subcarrier spacing configuration received from the eNB, as described herein. ​

[0091] In one example, the adaptive RACH procedure corresponds to a four-step procedure that conveys a plurality of messages between the UE and the network entity, each of the plurality of messages including a different one of the one or more respective subcarrier spacings. For example, the plurality of messages includes a first message sent from the UE to at least the network entity, the first message corresponding to a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission employing a first one of the one or more respective subcarrier spacings. In another example, the plurality of messages includes a second message sent from the network entity to the UE, the second message corresponding to at least one of a PDCCH or PDSCH transmission employing a second one of the one or more respective subcarrier spacings. In another example, the plurality of messages includes a third message sent from the UE to the network entity, the third message corresponding to a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission employing a third one of the one or more respective subcarrier spacings. In another example, the plurality of messages includes a fourth message sent from the network entity to the UE, the fourth message corresponding to at least one of a PDCCH or PDSCH transmission employing a fourth one of the one or more respective subcarrier spacings.

[0092] Referring to Figure 6 , a flow diagram illustrating an example of a method 600 related to transmitting from a UE using SPS in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure is described. Although the operations described below are presented in a particular order and / or as being performed by an example component, no inference should be drawn that various embodiments cannot have other sequences of operations or components that perform the described operations in an order different than those described or that the described components must perform the described operations at the particular times described. Moreover, while the adaptive subcarrier component 150 is illustrated as having multiple subcomponents, one or more of the illustrated subcomponents can be separate from and / or independent of the adaptive subcarrier component 150, but in communication with the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or with each other. Also, any actions or components described below with respect to the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or any subcomponent can be performed by a specially-programmed processor, a processor executing specially- programmed software or computer-readable media, or by any other combination of hardware components and / or software components specially configured for performing the described actions or components.

[0093] In one aspect, at block 610, the method 600 includes receiving, at the UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, wherein the SPS configuration includes an SPS radio network temporary identifier (SPS-RNTI) and a periodicity. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 receives the SPS configuration via a transmitter (e.g., transmitter 1008 of the network entity 1002), as described herein. Figure 10

[0094] ​In one aspect, at block 620, the method 600 includes receiving, at the UE, allocation information for the UE based at least on the SPS-RNTI, wherein the allocation information includes a subcarrier spacing configuration. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 receives the allocation information via a transmitter (e.g., the transmitter 1008) as described herein. In one example, the allocation information is received via DCI in a PDCCH. Figure 10

[0095] In one aspect, at block 630, the method 600 includes transmitting, by the UE, based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can transmit based at least on the subcarrier spacing configuration as described herein.

[0096] Referring to Figure 7 , a flow chart illustrating an example of a method 700 related to transmitting from a UE using SPS in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure is described. Although the operations described below are presented in a particular order and / or as being performed by an example component, no inference should be drawn that various embodiments cannot have other sequences of operations or components that perform the described operations in an order different than those described or that the described components must perform the described operations to perform the techniques. Moreover, although the example adaptive subcarrier component 150 is illustrated as having multiple sub-components, one or more of the illustrated sub-components can be separate from the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or each other but communicatively coupled to the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or each other. Also, any operations described herein as being performed by the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or any of its sub-components can be performed by a specially-programmed processor, a processor executing specially- programmed software or computer-readable media, or by any other combination of hardware and / or software configured for performing the described actions or components.

[0097] In one aspect, at block 710, the method 700 includes receiving, at the UE from a network entity, an SPS configuration for the UE, wherein the SPS configuration includes a SPS radio network temporary identifier (SPS-RNTI), a periodicity, and a subcarrier spacing configuration, and wherein the subcarrier spacing configuration includes a plurality of subcarrier spacings. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can receive the SPS configuration via a transmitter (e.g., the transmitter 1008) as described herein. In one example, the SPS configuration includes an RRC configuration of the plurality of subcarrier spacings. Figure 10

[0098] ​​In one aspect, at block 720, method 700 includes the UE transmitting using a subcarrier interval from the plurality of subcarrier intervals based at least on an indication received by the UE via a DCI on the PDCCH from the eNB. For example, in one aspect, as described herein, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 may configure the subcarrier intervals.

[0099] refer to Figure 8 The following describes a flowchart illustrating an example of a method 800 relating to transmission from a UE using SPS, according to various aspects of this disclosure. Although the operations described below are presented in a specific order and / or as performed by exemplary components, the order of actions and the components performing the actions may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, while the adaptive subcarrier component 150 is shown as having multiple sub-components, one or more of the shown sub-components may be separate from and / or separate from each other, but may communicate with and / or with each other. Moreover, any action or component described below with respect to the adaptive subcarrier component 150 and / or any sub-component may be performed by a specially programmed processor, a processor executing specially programmed software or a computer-readable medium, or by any other combination of hardware and / or software components specifically configured to perform the described action or component.

[0100] In one aspect, at block 810, method 800 includes receiving, at the UE, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes from a network entity, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a corresponding subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. For example, in one aspect, as described herein, UE 110 and / or adaptive subcarrier component 150 can be transmitted via a transmitter (e.g., Figure 10 The transmitter 1008) receives the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0101] In one example, the corresponding subcarrier spacing of each subframe in the one or more subframes is applied to all physical channels at the UE. In yet another example, the corresponding subcarrier spacing of each subframe in the one or more subframes is applied to a subset of the physical channels at the UE. Furthermore, the corresponding subcarrier spacing of each subframe in the one or more subframes is not applied to the primary synchronization signal (PSS) or secondary synchronization signal (SSS). The one or more subframes correspond to one or more subframes of the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

[0102] In one aspect, at block 820, the method 800 includes transmitting, by the UE, one or more subframes with a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. For example, in one aspect, the UE 110 and / or the adaptive subcarrier component 150 can transmit a subframe with a subcarrier spacing for each subframe based on a subcarrier spacing configuration received from the eNB, as described herein. In one example, the UE 110 transmits on a per subframe basis. This is different from a regular LTE network, in which the subcarrier spacing is fixed for all subframes. Additionally, based on the subframe configuration received from the base station 105 through the PDCCH, the UE 110 can also allow time division multiplexing (TDM) of different technologies (e.g., NR and LTE); or TDM of several applications / use cases, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), enhanced massive machine type communications (eMMTC), critical MTC, etc.

[0103] In one implementation, the UE 110 can transmit on a per subframe basis for all physical channels transmitted from the UE 110 or a subset of all physical channels transmitted from the UE 110. This provides flexibility to transmit physical channels at the UE 110 with different subcarrier spacing as needed, thereby improving efficiency in wireless communications.

[0104] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method 900 related to adapting a subcarrier spacing for a subframe at a network entity, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Although the operations of the following described method are presented in a particular order and / or as being performed by an example component, the ordering and / or the component performing the operations can be varied, depending on the implementation. Moreover, although the subcarrier spacing component 170 is shown to have a number of subcomponents, one or more of the subcomponents shown can be separate and / or located from the subcarrier spacing component 170 and / or from each other, but can communicate with the subcarrier spacing component 170 and / or with each other. Moreover, any of the actions or components described below with respect to the subcarrier spacing component 170 and / or any of the subcomponents can be executed by a specially-programmed processor, a processor executing specially-programmed software or computer-readable media, or by any other combination of hardware and / or software configured for performing the described actions or components.

[0105] In one aspect, at block 910, the method 900 includes determining, at the network entity, a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes. For example, in one aspect, the network entity 105 and / or the subcarrier spacing component 170 can determine a subcarrier spacing configuration for one or more subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes.

[0106] In one example, the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes applies to all physical channels at the UE. In a further example, the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes applies to a subset of physical channels at the UE. Further, the respective subcarrier spacing for each of the one or more subframes does not apply to a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS). The one or more subframes correspond to one or more subframes of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

[0107] In one aspect, at block 920, the method 900 includes transmitting, from the network entity to the UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration. For example, in one aspect, the network entity 105 and / or the subcarrier spacing component 170 can transmit, to the UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

[0108] Reference Figure 10 One example 1000 of an implementation of the UE 110 can include a variety of components, some of which have already been described above. The example 1000 includes components such as one or more processors 1012 and memory 1016 and transceiver 1002 that can communicate via one or more buses 1044, which can work in conjunction with the modem 140. Additionally, the one or more processors 1012, the modem 140, the memory 1016, the transceiver 1002, the RF front end 1088, and the one or more antennas 1065 can be configured to support voice and / or data calls (simultaneously or non-simultaneously) in one or more radio access technologies.

[0109] In one aspect, the one or more processors 1012 can include a modem 140 that uses one or more processors. Various functions related to subcarrier spacing configuration can be included in the modem 140 and / or the processors 1012 and, in one aspect, can be performed by a single processor, while in other aspects, different functions can be performed by a combination of two or more different processors. For example, in one aspect, the one or more processors 1012 can include any one or any combination of a modem processor, a baseband processor, or a digital signal processor, or a transmit processor, or a receiver processor, or a transceiver processor associated with the transceiver 1002. In other aspects, some features of the one or more processors 1012 and / or modem 140 associated with subcarrier spacing configuration can be performed by the transceiver 1002.

[0110] Further, the memory 1016 can be configured to store data used by at least one of the processors 1012 or by an application 1075 executing on the at least one processor 1012. The memory 1016 can include any type of computer-readable medium usable by a computer or the at least one processor 1012, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), tapes, magnetic discs, optical discs, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and any combination thereof. In one aspect, for example, the memory 1016 can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores one or more computer-executable codes and / or data associated with the adaptive subcarrier component 150, including the NR RACH procedure 152, the SPS configuration 156, and / or the subframe subcarrier spacing 158, when the UE 110 operates the at least one processor 1012 to execute the adaptive subcarrier component 150.

[0111] The transceiver 1002 can include at least one receiver 1006 and at least one transmitter 1008. The receiver 1006 can include hardware, firmware, and / or software code executable by a processor for receiving data, the code including instructions for receiving and being stored in memory (e.g., computer-readable medium). The receiver 1006 can be, for example, a radio frequency (RF) receiver. In one aspect, the receiver 1006 can receive signals transmitted by at least one base station 105. Additionally, the receiver 1006 can process such received signals, and can also obtain measurements, such as but not limited to Ec / Io, SNR, RSRP, RSSI, etc. The transmitter 1008 can include hardware, firmware, and / or software code executable by a processor for transmitting data, the code including instructions for transmission and being stored in memory (e.g., computer-readable medium). A suitable example of the transmitter 1008 can include, but is not limited to, an RF transmitter.

[0112] Moreover, in an aspect, UE 110 can include RF front end 1088, which can operate in communication with one or more antennas 1065 and transceiver 1002 for receiving and transmitting radio transmissions, such as wireless communications transmitted by at least one base station 105 or wireless transmissions transmitted by UE 110. RF front end 1088 can be connected to one or more antennas 1065 and can include one or more low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) 1090, one or more switches 1092, one or more power amplifiers (PAs) 1098, and one or more filters 1096 for transmitting and receiving RF signals.

[0113] In an aspect, LNA 1090 can amplify a received signal at a desired output level. In an aspect, each LNA 1090 can have specified minimum and maximum gain values. In an aspect, RF front end 1088 can use one or more switches 1092 to select a particular LNA 1090 and its specified gain value based on a desired gain value for a particular application.

[0114] Moreover, for example, RF front end 1088 can use one or more PA 1098 to amplify a signal for an RF output at a desired output power level. In an aspect, each PA 1098 can have specified minimum and maximum gain values. In an aspect, RF front end 1088 can use one or more switches 1092 to select a particular PA 1098 and its specified gain value based on a desired gain value for a particular application.

[0115] Also, for example, RF front end 1088 can use one or more filters 1096 to filter a received signal to obtain an input RF signal. Similarly, in an aspect, for example, a respective filter 1096 can be used to filter an output from a respective PA 1098 to produce an output signal for transmission. In an aspect, each filter 1096 can be connected to a particular LNA 1090 and / or PA 1098. In an aspect, RF front end 1088 can use one or more switches 1092 to select a transmit or receive path using a specified filter 1096, LNA 1090, and / or PA 1098 based on a configuration specified by transceiver 1002 and / or processor 1012.

[0116] As such, the transceiver 1002 can be configured to transmit and receive wireless signals through one or more antennas 1065 via the RF front end 1088. In an aspect, the transceiver can be tuned to operate at specified frequencies such that the UE 110 can communicate with, for example, one or more base stations 105 or one or more cells associated with one or more base stations 105. In an aspect, for example, the modem 140 can configure the transceiver 1002 to operate at a specified frequency and power level based on the UE configuration of the UE 110 and the communication protocol used by the modem 140.

[0117] In an aspect, the modem 140 can be a multi-band, multi-mode modem that can process digital data and communicate with the transceiver 1002 such that the digital data is transmitted and received using the transceiver 1002. In an aspect, the modem 140 can be multi-band and configured to support multiple frequency bands for a particular communication protocol. In an aspect, the modem 140 can be multi-mode and configured to support multiple operating networks and communication protocols. In an aspect, the modem 140 can control one or more components of the UE 110 (e.g., the RF front end 1088, the transceiver 1002) based on a specified modem configuration to enable transmission and / or reception of signals from a network. In an aspect, the modem configuration can be based on the mode of the modem and the frequency band being used. In another aspect, the modem configuration can be based on UE configuration information associated with the UE 110 provided by the network during cell selection and / or cell reselection.

[0118] With reference to Figure 11 One example of an implementation of the base station 105 can include a variety of components, some of which have already been described above, but including, for example, one or more processors 1111, memory 1116, and transceiver 1102 in communication via one or more buses 1144, which can work in conjunction with the modem 160 and subcarrier spacing component 170.

[0119] The transceiver 1102, receiver 1106, transmitter 1108, one or more processors 1111, memory 1116, applications 1175, buses 1144, RF front end 1188, LNAs 1190, switches 1192, filters 1196, PAs 1198, and one or more antennas 1165 can be the same as or similar to corresponding components of UE 110, as described above, but configured or otherwise programmed for base station operations rather than UE operations.

[0120] The above detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings describes examples and does not represent the only examples that can be implemented in the scope of the claims. The term "example," as used throughout this description, means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration," and not "preferred" or "superior." The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. These techniques, however, can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0121] Information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that can be referenced throughout the above description can be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, computer-executable code or instructions stored on computer-readable medium, or any combination thereof.

[0122] The various illustrative blocks and components described in connection with the disclosure herein can be implemented or performed with specially-programmed apparatuses such as, for example, a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A specially-programmed processor can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor can be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A specially-programmed processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0123] The functions described herein can be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions can be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope and spirit of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described above can be implemented using software executed by a specially programmed processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implemented in special- ly-programmed processors can also be implemented in microprocessors, or by other means. Moreover, the techniques are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software. Features implemented in special- ly-programmed processors that can equivalently be implemented in microprocessors, or by other means, are deemed to be within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, the described features can be implemented as part of a cloud-computing service that provides computational resources over a network. Such a service often provides a variety of services to users including, for example, application development and deployment, test and simulation, high performance computing, analytics and big data processing, data storage, etc. As used herein, the term "cloud" refers to a collection of computing devices that are in communication with each other over a network. The cloud can include one or more servers, one or more databases, and one or more network devices. The cloud can also include a combination of these and / or other devices. The cloud can be operated by a single entity or by multiple entities.

[0124] Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. Storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray® disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0125] The above description of the disclosure has been presented to enable any person skilled in the art to practice or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein can be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and / or embodiments can be described or claimed in singular form, the plural can also be presumed unless explicitly disclaimed. In addition, all or a portion of any aspect and / or embodiment can be utilized with all or a portion of any other aspect and / or embodiment, unless otherwise clea rly indicated otherwise. Thus, the disclosure should not be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be given the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method (800) performed by a user equipment, UE (110), comprising: receiving (810), by the UE from a network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis; and transmitting (820), from the UE to the network entity, the plurality of subframes with the different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal, PSS, or a secondary synchronization signal, SSS.

2. The method (800) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH.

3. The method (800) of claim 1, wherein the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information, DCI.

4. A method (900) performed by a network entity (105), comprising: determining (910), at the network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal, PSS, or a secondary synchronization signal, SSS; and transmitting (920), from the network entity to a user equipment, UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

5. The method (900) of claim 4, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH.

6. The method (900) of claim 4, wherein the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information, DCI.

7. An apparatus at a user equipment, UE (110), comprising: means for receiving, by the UE from a network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis; and means for transmitting, from the UE to the network entity, the plurality of subframes with the different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal, PSS, or a secondary synchronization signal, SSS.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information, DCI.

10. An apparatus at a network entity (105), comprising: means for determining, at the network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal, PSS, or a secondary synchronization signal, SSS; and means for transmitting, from the network entity to a user equipment, UE, the subcarrier spacing configuration.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information, DCI.

13. An apparatus at a user equipment, UE (110), comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: receive, by the UE from a network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis; and transmit, from the UE to the network entity, the plurality of subframes with the different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS).

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information (DCI).

16. An apparatus at a network entity (105) comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to: determine, at the network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis, wherein the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS); and transmit, from the network entity to a user equipment (UE), the subcarrier spacing configuration.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information (DCI).

19. A computer program storing computer code executable by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE) to perform the following operations: receive, by the UE from a network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis; and transmitting the plurality of subframes from the UE to the network entity using the different subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes, wherein, the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS).

20. The computer program of claim 19, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

21. The computer program of claim 19, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information (DCI).

22. A computer program storing computer code executable by one or more processors of a network entity (105) to perform the following operations: determining, at the network entity (105), a subcarrier spacing configuration for a plurality of subframes, the subcarrier spacing configuration indicating a different subcarrier spacing for each subframe of the plurality of subframes on a per-subframe basis, wherein, the subcarrier spacing for each of the plurality of subframes is not to be used for a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS); and transmit, from the network entity to a user equipment (UE), the subcarrier spacing configuration.

23. The computer program of claim 22, wherein, the plurality of subframes correspond to subframes of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

24. The computer program of claim 22, wherein, the subcarrier spacing configuration is included in downlink control information (DCI).

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