Data transmission scheme

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for indicating whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission. A wireless communication device may receive a downlink control indicator (DCI) including a first indicator from a wireless communication node. The wireless communication node may transmit the DCI including the first indicator to the wireless communication device. The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0013] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for indicating whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission. Background Art

[0002] The third generation partnership project (3GPP), a standards organization, is currently specifying a new radio interface called 5G New Radio (5GNR) and the next generation packet core network (NG-CN or NGC). 5G NR will have three main components: 5G access network (5G-AN), 5G core network (5GC) and user equipment (UE). Summary of the invention

[0003] The example embodiments disclosed herein are intended to solve problems associated with one or more of the problems presented in the prior art, as well as to provide additional features that will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. According to various embodiments, example systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not restrictive, and it will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art who reads this disclosure that various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the scope of this disclosure.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A wireless communication device may receive a downlink control indicator (DCI) including a first indicator from a wireless communication node. The wireless communication node may transmit the DCI including the first indicator to the wireless communication device. The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first indicator may include at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a number of repetitions (RN), a new data indicator (NDI), or a redundancy version (RV). In some embodiments, the first indicator may include a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) or a number of repetitions (RN). The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission according to a change in the value of the MCS or RN. In some embodiments, the first indicator may include a new data indicator (NDI) or a redundancy version (RV). The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission according to the value of the NDI or RV.

[0006] In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may transmit a second indicator to the wireless communication device, the second indicator comprising or indicating a plurality of constraints. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may transmit the second indicator via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration or a medium access control control element (MAC-CE). In some embodiments, the second indicator may include at least one of a validity time interval (e.g., as a constraint), a retransmission threshold (e.g., as a constraint), or a retransmission interval (which may or may not be a constraint).

[0007] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may be caused to determine whether a plurality of constraints are satisfied. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication node may receive the scheduled transmission from the wireless communication device as a retransmission or a new transmission. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication node may receive the scheduled transmission from the wireless communication device as a new transmission.

[0008] In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication node may transmit the scheduled data transmission to the wireless communication device as a retransmission or a new transmission. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication node may transmit the scheduled data transmission to the wireless communication device as a new transmission.

[0009] In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission of the most recently transmitted data or a retransmission of the Nth previously transmitted data, where N is the retransmission interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine a valid time interval, and a time interval between a transmission time of the first data transmission and a transmission time of the second data transmission is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

[0010] In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine a valid time interval, and the time interval between the reception time of the first data transmission and the reception time of the second data transmission is less than or equal to the valid time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine a valid time interval, and the time interval between the transmission time of the first DCI and the transmission time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine a valid time interval, and the time interval between the reception time of the first DCI and the reception time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine that a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) has changed from a first scheme used for a recent data transmission to a second scheme used for a scheduled data transmission. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission in response to a maximum transmission block size of the second scheme being greater than or equal to an actual transmission block size corresponding to a recent data transmission of the first scheme. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may determine that a retransmission count associated with data for the scheduled data transmission is within a retransmission threshold.

[0012] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A wireless communication device may receive downlink control information (DCI) including a first indicator from a wireless communication node. The wireless communication device may determine whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on the first indicator.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first indicator may include at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a number of repetitions (RN), a new data indicator (NDI), or a redundancy version (RV). In some embodiments, the first indicator may include a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) or a number of repetitions (RN). The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission according to a change in the value of the MCS or RN. In some embodiments, the first indicator may include a new data indicator (NDI) or a redundancy version (RV). The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission according to the value of the NDI or RV.

[0014] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive a second indicator from the wireless communication node. The second indicator may include multiple constraints, or may indicate multiple constraints. The second indicator may include other information that does not correspond to the constraints. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive the second indicator via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration or a media access control control element (MAC-CE). In some embodiments, the second indicator may include at least one of a valid time interval, a retransmission threshold, or a retransmission interval.

[0015] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine whether a plurality of constraints are satisfied. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device may transmit the scheduled transmission to the wireless communication node as a retransmission or a new transmission. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication device may transmit the scheduled transmission to the wireless communication node as a new transmission.

[0016] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine whether a plurality of constraints are satisfied. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device may receive the scheduled data transmission from the wireless communication node as a retransmission or a new transmission. In some embodiments, when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication device may receive the scheduled data transmission from the wireless communication node as a new transmission.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission of the most recently transmitted data or a retransmission of the Nth previously transmitted data, where N is the retransmission interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive an effective time interval and determine that a time interval between a transmission time of a first data transmission and a transmission time of a second data transmission is less than or equal to the effective time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive an effective time interval and determine that a time interval between a reception time of a first data transmission and a reception time of a second data transmission is less than or equal to the effective time interval.

[0018] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive the valid time interval and determine that the time interval between the transmission time of the first DCI and the transmission time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive the valid time interval and determine that the time interval between the reception time of the first DCI and the reception time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

[0019] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine that a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) has changed from a first scheme used for a recent data transmission to a second scheme used for a scheduled data transmission. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission in response to a maximum transmission block size of the second scheme being greater than or equal to an actual transmission block size corresponding to a recent data transmission of the first scheme. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine that a retransmission count associated with data for the scheduled data transmission is within a retransmission threshold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described in detail below with reference to the following diagrams or drawings. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and only depict example embodiments of the present solution to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present solution. Therefore, the drawings should not be considered to limit the breadth, scope or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration, these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0021] Figure 1 An example cellular communication network is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented;

[0022] Figure 2 A block diagram showing example base station and user equipment devices according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 3A A block diagram of an example system for downlink data transmission and / or retransmission is shown;

[0024] Figure 3B A block diagram of an example system for uplink data transmission and / or retransmission is shown;

[0025] Figure 4 A block diagram of an example system is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the number of data or DCI transmissions is configured;

[0026] Figure 5 A block diagram illustrating an example system with multiple retransmission counters according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0027] Figure 6 A flow chart of an example method for indicating whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present solution. It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that, after reading this disclosure, various changes or modifications may be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of the present solution. Therefore, the present solution is not limited to the example embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. In addition, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein are merely example methods. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps of the disclosed methods or processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present solution. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or behaviors in a sample order, and unless otherwise expressly stated, the present solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0029] The following abbreviations are used throughout this disclosure:

[0030]

[0031]

[0032]

[0033]

[0034] 1. Mobile communication technology and environment

[0035] Figure 1 An example wireless communication network and / or system 100 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented. In the following discussion, the wireless communication network 100 may be any wireless network, such as a cellular network or a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, and is referred to herein as "network 100." Such an example network 100 includes a base station 102 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 102"; also referred to as a wireless communication node) and a user equipment device 104 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 104"; also referred to as a wireless communication device), which may communicate with each other via a communication link 110 (e.g., a wireless communication channel), and cell groups 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 covering a geographic area 101. In Figure 1 1, BS 102 and UE 104 are contained within the respective geographic boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station operating with its allocated bandwidth to provide adequate radio coverage to its intended users.

[0036] For example, BS 102 may operate under an allocated channel transmission bandwidth to provide sufficient coverage to UE 104. BS 102 and UE 104 may communicate via downlink radio frames 118 and uplink radio frames 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 may be further divided into subframes 120 / 127, which may include data symbols 122 / 128. In the present disclosure, BS 102 and UE 104 are described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes", which may generally implement the methods disclosed herein. According to various embodiments of the present solution, such communication nodes may be capable of wireless and / or wired communication.

[0037] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example wireless communication system 200 for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., OFDM / OFDMA signals) according to some embodiments of the present solution is shown. The system 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating features that need not be described in detail herein. In an illustrative embodiment, as described above, the system 200 may be used in applications such as Figure 1 Data symbols are communicated (eg, transmitted and received) in a wireless communication environment of wireless communication environment 100 .

[0038] The system 200 generally includes a base station 202 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 202") and a user equipment device 204 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 204"). The BS 202 includes a BS (base station) transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, each of which is coupled and interconnected to each other via a data communication bus 220 as needed. The UE 204 includes a UE (user equipment) transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, each of which is coupled and interconnected to each other via a data communication bus 240 as needed. The BS 202 communicates with the UE 204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for transmitting data as described herein.

[0039] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the system 200 may also include Figure 2 Any number of modules outside the modules shown. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the various illustrative blocks, modules, circuits, and processing logic described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, computer-readable software, firmware, or any actual combination thereof. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability and compatibility of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are generally described according to their functions. Whether such functions are implemented in hardware, firmware, or software depends on the application of specific applications and the design constraints on the entire system. People familiar with the concepts described herein can implement such functions in an appropriate manner for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0040] According to some embodiments, the UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as an "uplink" transceiver 230, which includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to an antenna 232. A duplex switch (not shown) may alternatively couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time duplex manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the BS transceiver 210 may be referred to herein as a "downlink" transceiver 210, which includes an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to a downlink antenna 212. The downlink duplex switch may alternatively couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to the downlink antenna 212 in a time duplex manner. The operation of the two transceiver modules 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time such that the uplink receiver circuit is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 to receive transmissions over the wireless transmission link 250 while the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212. Instead, the operation of the two transceivers 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time such that the downlink receiver is coupled with the downlink antenna 212 to receive transmissions over the wireless transmission link 250 at the same time as the uplink transmitter is coupled with the uplink antenna 232. In some embodiments, there is tight time synchronization with minimal guard times between changes in duplex direction.

[0041] The UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to communicate via a wireless data communication link 250 and cooperate with an appropriately configured RF antenna arrangement 212 / 232 that can support a specific wireless communication protocol and modulation scheme. In some illustrative embodiments, the UE transceiver 210 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the application of specific standards and related protocols. Instead, the UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 can be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols, including future standards or variants thereof.

[0042] According to various embodiments, BS 202 may be, for example, an evolved Node B (eNB), a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femtocell or a microcell. In some embodiments, UE 204 may be embodied in various types of user equipment, such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, etc. Processor modules 214 and 236 may be implemented or implemented by a general purpose processor, a content addressable memory, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof, in order to perform the functions described herein. In this manner, the processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors and a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration.

[0043] In addition, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be directly embodied in hardware, firmware, software modules executed by the processor modules 214 and 236, respectively, or in any practical combination thereof. The memory modules 216 and 234 may be implemented as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this regard, the memory modules 216 and 234 may be coupled to the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively, so that the processor modules 210 and 230 can read information from and write information to the memory modules 216 and 234, respectively. The memory modules 216 and 234 may also be integrated into the corresponding processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, the memory modules 216 and 234 may each include a cache for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 may also each include non-volatile memory for storing instructions to be executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively.

[0044] The network communication module 218 generally represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic and / or other components of the base station 202, which implements two-way communication between the base station transceiver 210 and other network components and communication nodes configured to communicate with the base station 202. For example, the network communication module 218 can be configured to support Internet or WiMAX services. In a typical deployment, without limitation, the network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet interface so that the base station transceiver 210 can communicate with a traditional Ethernet-based computer network. In this way, the network communication module 218 can include a physical interface for connecting to a computer network (e.g., a mobile switching center (MSC)). The terms "configured for", "configured to" and their conjunctions, as used herein with respect to a specified operation or function, refer to a device, component, circuit, structure, machine, signal, etc. that is physically constructed, programmed, formatted and / or arranged to perform a specified operation or function.

[0045] The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "Open Systems Interconnection Model") is a concept and logical layout that defines network communications used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) that are open to interconnection and communication with other systems. The model is divided into seven subcomponents or layers, each of which represents a conceptual set of services provided to the layers above and below it. The OSI model also defines a logical network and effectively describes computer data packet transmission by using different layer protocols. The OSI model may also be referred to as a seven-layer OSI model or a seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be a physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be a media access control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be a radio link control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be a radio resource control (RRC) layer. In some embodiments, the sixth layer may be a non-access layer (NAS) layer or an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and the seventh layer is other layers.

[0046] 2. System and method for communication retransmission indicator

[0047] In a wireless communication system, a receiving device (e.g., a wireless communication node or a wireless communication device, such as a UE or a base station) may receive and / or obtain data sent and / or transmitted by a transmitting device (e.g., a wireless communication node or a wireless communication device, such as a UE or a base station). The receiving device may send and / or transmit information describing the data transmission to the transmitting device (e.g., feedback on whether the transmission is successful and / or correct). The transmitting device may determine to retransmit data and / or send a new transmission based on the received information. When such information takes longer to reach the transmitting device, subsequent retransmissions or new transmissions may cause a 30% (or other percentage) increase in delay and / or a 30% (or other percentage) increase in cached or stored data. The systems and methods proposed herein may provide or achieve, for example, a 20% (or other percentage) reduction in transmission delay and a 20% (or other percentage) reduction in cache (e.g., memory, storage, and / or buffer) load.

[0048] In a wireless communication network (e.g., a non-terrestrial network (NTN)), a communication node (e.g., an airborne base station, a satellite, or an aerial platform) may be far away from another communication node or device (e.g., a ground terminal, UE, gNB, or eNB), which may result in an extended round-trip time (RTT) for transmitting data and receiving feedback / information about the transmission. Retaining traditional error correction coding techniques and / or error control mechanisms (e.g., hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), automatic repeat request (ARQ), or other mechanisms and / or techniques) and / or disabling these mechanisms and / or techniques may result in increased latency and / or resource (e.g., computing time, memory, bandwidth) overhead. The systems and methods proposed herein include novel data transmission and / or retransmission schemes that may utilize conditions for data transmission and / or indicators describing data transmission to determine whether to retransmit data. The first indicator may include at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a repetition number (RN), a new data indicator (NDI), a redundancy version (RV), or any other value or index. The second indicator may include at least one of a valid time interval, a retransmission threshold, or any other constraint or information. The second indicator may be transmitted and / or received via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration, a media access control control element (MAC CE), or any other configuration or message. The first indicator may be transmitted and / or received via downlink control information (DCI) or other mechanisms / messages (such as via MAC CE or RRC messages). The present solution may reduce transmission delay, increase system throughput (e.g., 20% or other percentage), reduce signaling overhead (e.g., 20% or other percentage), and may reduce load on data storage (e.g., on memory, cache, and / or buffer).

[0049] In the present solution, one or more wireless communication nodes (e.g., ground terminals, base stations, gNBs, or eNBs) may determine whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on a change in the value of one or more indicators (e.g., MCS, RN, or other indicators or parameters), the value of one or more indicators (e.g., NDI, RV, or other indicators or parameters), and / or a comparison of the current conditions of the scheduled data transmission with the conditions of the most recent data transmission. For example, the wireless communication node may send or provide a DCI including one or more indicators (e.g., MCS, RN, NDI, RV, or other indicators or parameters) to inform the wireless communication device (e.g., UE) of the scheduled downlink / uplink data and / or whether the data will be a retransmission of the most recent data transmission. The DCI is provided by way of non-limiting example, as any other type or form of message, configuration, or information may be used to communicate one or more indicators to the wireless communication device. If the data is a retransmission, soft combining (or any other method of combining or integrating data from multiple transmissions to minimize / avoid incomplete information and / or errors) may be performed at the wireless communication device to obtain a combining gain.

[0050] Furthermore, the proposed solution can limit the number of retransmissions by determining that the retransmission count is within a retransmission threshold. When the scheduled transmission is a new transmission, the retransmission count can be cleared (or reset, e.g., to 0), and the retransmission count can then be associated with the data for the scheduled transmission.

[0051] In the present solution, one or more wireless communication devices and / or one or more wireless communication nodes may determine whether a plurality of constraints are fully satisfied in order to determine whether a scheduled transmission should be a retransmission or a new transmission. If a plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not honored or satisfied), the scheduled transmission may be transmitted or received as a new transmission. The plurality of constraints may be transmitted, received, and / or communicated via an indicator (e.g., a second indicator) that indicates or includes (e.g., describes, defines, or includes) the plurality of constraints.

[0052] The plurality of constraints may include a constraint that only data included in a most recent data transmission may be retransmitted. Thus, when determining whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission, only the most recently transmitted data may be considered and / or retransmitted. At least one constraint may be that a time interval ΔT between a transmission or reception time of a first data transmission (e.g., a scheduled data transmission or a most recent data transmission) and a transmission or reception time of a second data transmission (e.g., a scheduled data transmission or a most recent data transmission) is less than or equal to a valid time interval ΔT≤T valid , where T valid The effective time interval T between the first and second data transmissions can be represented by validThe at least one constraint may be a time interval ΔT between a transmission or reception time of a first DCI (e.g., a scheduled downlink and / or uplink DCI, or a most recent downlink and / or uplink DCI) and a transmission or reception time of a second DCI (e.g., a scheduled downlink and / or uplink DCI, or a most recent downlink and / or uplink DCI). DCI Less than or equal to the effective time interval ΔT DCI ≤T valid , where T valid The valid time interval T between the first and second DCIs can be represented by valid It may be measured in seconds, frames, number of frames, subframes, number of subframes, number of time slots, and / or other units.

[0053] At least one constraint may include that, upon a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) change from a first scheme used for a most recent data transmission to a second scheme used for scheduled data transmission, a maximum transport block (TB) size of the second scheme is greater than or equal to an actual TB size corresponding to the most recent data transmission of the first scheme. This may ensure that the most recently transmitted data may be completely or successfully retransmitted under the second scheme after the change in the MCS. At least one constraint may include determining that a retransmission count (e.g., the number of times or repetitions that the same data has been transmitted) associated with data for the scheduled data transmission is within a retransmission threshold (e.g., the maximum number of times or repetitions that the same data may be transmitted, e.g., until retransmissions are no longer allowed or supported). This may limit the amount of system resources used to retransmit the same data, and / or may avoid blocking the transmission of new data.

[0054] Reference now Figure 3A , depicts a block diagram of an example system 300 for downlink transmission and / or retransmission of data. Downlink transmission and / or retransmission may refer to a scenario in which one or more wireless communication nodes 302 transmit and / or retransmit data 308 to one or more wireless communication devices 304. In an example embodiment, after measuring, considering, detecting, and / or determining a condition (e.g., a channel state and / or channel condition) of a data transmission and / or its transmission channel, a wireless communication device 304 (e.g., a UE) may send or transmit a report, such as a channel condition information (CSI) report 306A, to a wireless communication node 302. The CSI report 306A may include indicators (e.g., information and / or parameters) describing a condition, quality, and / or characteristic of a channel (e.g., information describing signal propagation, scattering, and / or fading). The CSI report 306A is referenced herein only as a non-limiting example of a report; any other type or form of report may be used to convey a condition, attribute, and / or quality of a channel and / or data transmission.

[0055] After receiving the CSI report 306A (or any other type of report), the wireless communication node 302 may schedule downlink data 308 transmission based on the information reported or included in the CSI report 306A. When the wireless communication node 302 schedules downlink data 308 for transmission, the wireless communication node 302 may compare the current conditions of the transmission 314A(2) (of the scheduled downlink data 308) with the conditions of the most recent transmission 314A(1). When conditions (e.g., conditions of the channel) have deteriorated since the most recent transmission 314A(1), the MCS (or other indicator) may be decreased from a first value to a second value (e.g., from a first MCS level or scheme to a second MCS level or scheme). For example, if the value of the MCS is decreased and the retransmission count is within a retransmission threshold, the wireless communication node 302 may determine to retransmit 309 the data 308(4)' rather than performing a new transmission of the new data. The wireless communication node 302 may utilize the DCI (or any other communication or information) to indicate or communicate that the scheduled data 308(4)' is a retransmission. For example, the wireless communication node 302 may incorporate a first indicator into the DCI that indicates whether the data 308 is scheduled as a retransmission or a new transmission. In response to determining that the scheduled data 308(4)' is a retransmission and / or transmitting the scheduled data 308(4)' as a retransmission, the wireless communication node 302 may increase a retransmission count (e.g., a first transmission count maintained / managed by the wireless communication node 302) by 1. In response to determining that the scheduled data 308(4)' is a retransmission and / or receiving the scheduled data 308(4)' as a retransmission, the wireless communication device 304 may increase a retransmission count (e.g., a second transmission count maintained / managed by the wireless communication device 304) by 1. In some embodiments, independent retransmission counts are maintained / managed at each of the wireless communication node and the wireless communication device. In some embodiments, a single retransmission count is maintained / managed / shared / accessed by the wireless communication node or the wireless communication device, or maintained / managed / shared / accessed by both the wireless communication node and the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device 304 may receive the retransmitted data 308(4)' and may perform and / or apply soft combining 318 (or any other method of combining, merging, error correction, and / or reconstruction) between versions of data received from multiple attempted transmissions of the same data (including one or more retransmissions).

[0056] For a scheduled data transmission, it may occur that multiple constraints including at least one of a retransmission threshold or a valid time interval are not fully satisfied. For example, the MCS may be reduced, but the retransmission count will reach or exceed (and therefore fail to meet) the retransmission threshold, or the CSI reporting period 316A may not have been reached to provide updated channel conditions for comparison. When multiple constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may (determine) send and / or transmit the data 308 as a new transmission 308 (1-4). The wireless communication node 302 may, in response to the determination and / or the new transmission, clear the retransmission count (e.g., a first transmission count maintained / managed by the wireless communication node 302) to zero. In response to receiving and / or determining the new transmission, the wireless communication device 304 may clear the retransmission count (e.g., a second transmission count maintained / managed by the wireless communication device 304) to zero. For example, the wireless communication node 302 may utilize a DCI (e.g., a first indicator in the DCI) to indicate or communicate that the data 308 is scheduled as a new transmission. When the constraints are not fully satisfied (eg, when a retransmission count maintained / managed at the wireless communication device has reached its maximum value), the wireless communication device may determine the received data as a new transmission regardless of the first indicator (value or change in value) in the DCI.

[0057] Regardless of whether the transmission of data 308 is a retransmission or a new transmission, the wireless communication node 302 and the wireless communication device 304 may store or maintain the data 308 in the transmission buffer 310 and / or the reception buffer 312. If the transmission of data 308 is a new transmission, only the most recently transmitted data 308 may be stored or maintained in the transmission buffer 310 and / or the reception buffer 312. If the transmission of data 308 is a retransmission, only the most recently transmitted data 308 may be stored or maintained in the transmission buffer 310. The soft combined data 308 may be stored or maintained in the reception buffer 312.

[0058] Reference now Figure 3B, a block diagram of an example system 320 for uplink transmission and / or retransmission of data is shown. Uplink transmission and / or retransmission may refer to a scenario in which a wireless communication device 304 transmits and / or retransmits data 308 to one or more wireless communication nodes 302. In an example embodiment, the wireless communication node 302 may measure, detect, or determine conditions (e.g., channel quality, state, and / or conditions) of a scheduled transmission and / or its channel. The wireless communication node 302 may determine uplink scheduling information (e.g., indicators and / or parameters describing the quality and / or characteristics of one or more channels) based on the conditions of the transmission. The wireless communication node 302 may communicate the uplink scheduling information (e.g., a first indicator) to the wireless communication device 304 using a DCI 326 (or any other message). The wireless communication device 304 may receive the DCI 326 sent and / or transmitted by the wireless communication node 302. The wireless communication device 304 may obtain or extract the uplink scheduling information (e.g., the first indicator) from the DCI 326. The uplink scheduling information may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission.

[0059] If the conditions for transmission deteriorate 327, the MCS may be decreased from the first value to the second value. For example, if the value of the MCS is decreased and the retransmission count is within the retransmission threshold, the wireless communication node 302 may indicate to the wireless communication device 304 the scheduled uplink data 308(4)' to be transmitted as a retransmission 309. The wireless communication node 302 may indicate the retransmission data 308(4)' to the wireless communication device 304 using (a first indicator in) the DCI 326(5). The wireless communication node 302 may increase the retransmission count by 1. The wireless communication node 302 may receive the retransmission data 308(4)' and may perform and / or apply soft combining 318 (or any other method of combining, merging, error correction, and / or reconstruction) between versions of the data received from multiple attempted transmissions of the same data (including one or more retransmissions).

[0060] During a transmission, it may occur that multiple constraints including at least one of a retransmission threshold or a valid time interval are not fully satisfied. For example, the MCS (or any other indicator) may increase or remain equal, and / or the MCS (or any other indicator) may decrease, but the retransmission count exceeds the retransmission threshold (and thus the constraint corresponding to the retransmission threshold is not satisfied). When multiple constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., at least one constraint is not honored or not satisfied), the wireless communication node 302 may indicate to the wireless communication device 304 to transmit uplink data 308 as a new transmission 308 (1-4). The wireless communication device 304 may send or transmit the uplink data 308 as a new transmission 308 (1-4) in accordance with the corresponding DCI 326 (e.g., via the first indicator) and / or the plurality of constraints (e.g., via the second indicator). The wireless communication node 302 may clear a retransmission count (e.g., a first retransmission count maintained / managed at the wireless communication node) of the uplink data 308 to zero, corresponding to the new transmission. The wireless communication device 304 may clear a retransmission count (e.g., a second retransmission count maintained / managed at the wireless communication device) of the uplink data 308 to zero, corresponding to the new transmission.

[0061] Regardless of whether the transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission, the wireless communication node 302 and the wireless communication device 302 may store or maintain the data 308 in the transmission buffer 310 and / or the receive buffer 312. If the data 308 transmission is a new transmission, only the most recently transmitted data 308 may be stored or maintained in the transmission buffer 310 and / or the receive buffer 312. If the data 308 transmission is a retransmission, only the most recently transmitted data 308 may be stored or maintained in the transmission buffer 310. The soft combined data 308 may be stored or maintained in the receive buffer 312.

[0062] In some embodiments, one or more specifications of wireless communication may describe and / or specify one or more formats and / or one or more structures of DCI. DCI (or other information or communication) may be used to schedule uplink and / or downlink data transmission. Currently, one or more DCI formats and / or one or more structures may include fields related to HARQ (or any other confirmation mechanism), such as a new data indicator (NDI), a redundancy version (RV), one or more HARQ process numbers and / or other fields. NDI may indicate and / or specify whether the current HARQ process is related to new data transmission. RV may indicate and / or specify the current redundancy version number. One or more HARQ process numbers may indicate and / or specify the current one or more HARQ process numbers. If the HARQ function is disabled and / or deactivated, the HARQ-related fields included in the DCI may be used to indicate and / or specify information that is not related to the HARQ function. For example, the NDI and / or RV fields in the DCI may be used or (re) configured as retransmission and / or redundancy version indicators of the present solution. The modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field in the DCI may be related to the conditions of the data transmission or its channel (e.g., channel quality, state, and / or condition). Therefore, a change in the value of the MCS (or other indicator) may be used to indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If the HARQ function is disabled or enabled, the MCS may be included in the DCI as an indicator to indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission of new data.

[0063] For Long Term Evolution (LTE), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and New Radio (NR), one or more formats and / or one or more structures of the DCI may be different. For example, in the case of LTE and NR, when the HARQ function is disabled, the DCI may exclude the HARQ process number field. When data transmission supports more than one codeword, the transport blocks (TBs) contained in different codewords may correspond to independent MCS, NDI, and / or RV values ​​in the corresponding DCI (for example, the DCI for data transmission may include multiple MCS values, each MCS value corresponding to a specific TB and codeword). The codeword may correspond to a separate data stream including information to be sent over a channel, and each data stream may be associated with a specific set of MCS, NDI, and / or RV values. Therefore, MCS, NDI, and / or RV values ​​(from the DCI) corresponding to / specific to a specific TB may be used to indicate whether to retransmit the specific TB.

[0064] For NB-IoT, when at least two HARQ processes are configured by higher layers (e.g., RRC), the DCI may include a HARQ process number field. If only one HARQ process is configured by the higher layers, the HARQ process number may be excluded from the DCI. After disabling and / or deactivating the HARQ function, the HARQ process number field may be excluded from the DCI (e.g., may no longer be present in the DCI).

[0065] The NB-IoT DCI format may include a repetition number (RN) field for the corresponding physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and / or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to include an RN value. RN (or RN value) may indicate that the resources occupied by the currently scheduled PDSCH and / or PUSCH are repeated at least a certain number of times in the time domain. RN may be dynamically configured and may reflect the conditions for data transmission (e.g., the quality of the corresponding channel). A larger RN may indicate that the conditions for data transmission have deteriorated. A smaller RN may indicate that the conditions for data transmission have improved. Therefore, a change in the RN value may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

[0066] As mentioned above, if the HARQ function is disabled and / or deactivated, some HARQ related fields included in the DCI may be reconfigured and / or utilized to specify information unrelated to the HARQ function. Due to disabling the HARQ function, one or more of the following situations may occur.

[0067] A. NDI and RV retransmission indicators included in DCI

[0068] For LTE, NR and / or NB IoT, if NDI and RV are included in the DCI, the value and / or change in value of NDI, RV and / or MCS may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. For NB-IoT, the RN included in the DCI may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If NDI and / or RV are used as one or more retransmission indicators and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a retransmission or a new transmission may be indicated according to any of the following methods:

[0069] • For NDI, a value of “0” (or “1”) may indicate a retransmission, and a value of “1” (or “0”) may indicate a new transmission.

[0070] For RV, a value of "0" may indicate a new transmission. Other values ​​may indicate a retransmission.

[0071] If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or not satisfied), the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value and / or change in value of the NDI, RV, and / or MCS indicator. If MCS is used as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, the change in the value of MCS may indicate a retransmission. If the MCS is reduced (e.g., reduced by one or more levels, or other values), the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission. If the MCS is increased (e.g., increased by one or more levels, or other values) or remains the same or unchanged, the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission. For LTE and / or NR, if at least one TB is transmitted simultaneously, the NDI, RV, and / or MCS values ​​corresponding to each TB in the DCI may be used or configured as one or more indicators of the retransmission of the corresponding TB.

[0072] For NB IoT, RN may be a retransmission indicator. If RN is used as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a change in the value of RN may indicate a retransmission. If RN increases (e.g., by 20% or other value), the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission. If RN decreases (e.g., by 20% or other value) or remains the same or unchanged, the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission. If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied, the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value of RN and / or the change in value.

[0073] B. Retransmission Indicator when NDI is included in DCI

[0074] For LTE, NR and / or NB-IoT, if NDI is included in the DCI, the value and / or change in value of NDI and / or MCS may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. For NB-IoT, the RN included in the DCI may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If NDI is used as a retransmission indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a retransmission or a new transmission may be indicated as follows:

[0075] For NDI, a value of "0" (or "1") may indicate a retransmission. And a value of "1" (or "0")) may indicate a new transmission.

[0076] If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or not satisfied), the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value and / or change in value of the NDI and / or MCS indicator. If MCS is utilized as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, the change in the value of the MCS may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If the MCS is decreased (e.g., decreased by one or more levels, or other values), the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission. If the MCS is increased (e.g., increased by one or more levels, or other values) or remains the same or unchanged, the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission. For LTE and / or NR, if at least one TB is transmitted simultaneously in a transmission, the corresponding NDI and / or MCS value of each TB (included in the DCI) may be used as one or more retransmission indicators for the corresponding TB.

[0077] For NB IoT, RN can be a retransmission indicator. If RN is used as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a change in the value of RN can indicate a retransmission. If RN increases (e.g., by 20% or other value), the scheduled data transmission can be a retransmission. If RN decreases (e.g., by 20% or other value) or remains the same or unchanged, the scheduled data transmission can be a new transmission. If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied, the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value of RN and / or the change in value.

[0078] C. Retransmission Indicator when RV is included in DCI

[0079] For LTE, NR and / or NB IoT, if RV is included in the DCI, the value and / or change in value of RV and / or MCS may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. For NB-IoT, the RN included in the DCI may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If RV is used as one or more retransmission indicators and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a retransmission or a new transmission may be indicated as follows:

[0080] For RV, a value of "0" may indicate a new transmission. Other values ​​may indicate a retransmission.

[0081] If the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or satisfied), the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value and / or change in value of the RV and / or MCS indicator. If the MCS is utilized as an indicator and the plurality of constraints are fully satisfied, the change in the value of the MCS may indicate a retransmission. If the MCS decreases (e.g., decreases by 20% or other value), the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission. If the MCS increases (e.g., increases by 20% or other value) or remains the same, the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission. For LTE and / or NR, if at least one TB is transmitted simultaneously, the RV included in the DCI (corresponding to each TB) may be a retransmission indicator for the corresponding TB. The MCS value included in the DCI (corresponding to each TB) may be a retransmission indicator for the corresponding TB.

[0082] For NB IoT, RN can be a retransmission indicator. If RN is used as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a change in the value of RN can indicate a retransmission. If RN increases (e.g., by 20% or other value), the scheduled data transmission can be a retransmission. If RN decreases (e.g., by 20% or other value) or remains the same, the scheduled data transmission can be a new transmission. If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied, the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value of RN and / or the change in value.

[0083] D. Retransmission indicator if NDI and RV are excluded from DCI

[0084] For LTE, NR and / or NB-IoT, for example, if NDI and RV are excluded from DCI, a change in the value of MCS may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. For NB-IoT, the RN included in the DCI may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

[0085] If the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or satisfied), the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of how the value of the MCS changes. If the MCS is utilized as an indicator and the plurality of constraints are fully satisfied, the change in the value of the MCS may indicate a retransmission. For example, if the MCS decreases (e.g., one or more levels, or other values), the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission. If the MCS increases (e.g., one or more levels, or other percentages) or remains the same, the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission. For LTE and / or NR, if at least one TB is transmitted simultaneously, the MCS value (corresponding to each TB) included in the DCI may be a retransmission indicator for the corresponding TB.

[0086] For NB IoT, the RN can be a retransmission indicator. If the RN is used as an indicator and multiple constraints are fully satisfied, a change in the value of the RN can indicate retransmission. If the RN increases (e.g., by 20% or some other value), the scheduled data transmission can be a retransmission. If the RN decreases (e.g., by 20% or some other value) or remains the same, the scheduled data transmission can be a new transmission. If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied, the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission regardless of the value of the RN and / or the change in the value.

[0087] E. Constraint: Time interval between transmitting or receiving data transmissions

[0088] The time interval, ΔT, between the transmission or reception time of a first data transmission (e.g., the most recent uplink or downlink data transmission, or a scheduled uplink or downlink data transmission) and the transmission or reception time of a second data transmission (e.g., a scheduled uplink or downlink data transmission, or the most recent uplink or downlink data transmission) can be defined and / or measured in various ways. In one example embodiment, ΔT can be the difference between the start time of the first subframe in the first data transmission and the start time of the first subframe in the second data transmission. In another example embodiment, ΔT can be the difference between the end time of the last subframe in the first data transmission and the end time of the last subframe in the second data transmission.

[0089] Effective time interval T valid Can be a retransmission indicator (e.g., MCS, NDI, RN, RV, or any one or more other indicators) can be the maximum allowed value of ΔT (e.g., a constraint to be fulfilled) before being considered when determining whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new data transmission. Effective time interval T valid Can be configured by a higher layer (e.g., RRC). The wireless communication node and the wireless communication device can share and / or access the effective time interval T valid . The wireless communication node can configure and / or determine the value of the effective time interval T valid In one embodiment, the wireless communication node can determine that the effective time interval T valid Should be less than the minimum value between the round-trip time (RTT) and / or the channel coherence time (τ) (e.g., T valid <min{RTT,τ}).

[0090] When ΔT is greater than the effective time interval T valid (e.g., ΔT>T valid , when the effective time interval constraint is not fulfilled), the scheduled data transmission can be sent and / or transmitted as a new transmission regardless of the value of the indicator included in the DCI and / or the change in the value. When ΔT is less than or equal to the effective time interval Tvalid When (e.g., ΔT ≤ T valid , when the valid time interval constraint is met), the scheduled data transmission can be sent and / or transmitted as a new transmission or retransmission according to the value and / or change of the indicator included in the DCI. For LTE and / or NR, if more than one TB is transmitted simultaneously, the valid time interval T valid corresponding to each TB can be shared and / or configured separately (e.g., between a wireless communication node and a wireless communication device).

[0091] F. Constraint: Time Interval between DCIs

[0092] The time interval, ΔT, between the transmission or reception time of a first DCI (e.g., the DCI corresponding to the most recent uplink or downlink data transmission, or the DCI corresponding to the scheduled uplink or downlink data transmission) and the transmission or reception time of a second DCI (e.g., the DCI corresponding to the scheduled uplink or downlink data transmission, or the DCI corresponding to the most recent uplink and / or downlink data transmission) DCI , can be defined and / or measured in various ways. In one example embodiment, ΔT DCI can be the difference between the start time of the first subframe in the first DCI and the start time of the first subframe in the second DCI. In another example embodiment, the time interval ΔT DCI can be the difference between the end time of the last subframe in the first DCI and the end time of the last subframe in the second DCI.

[0093] The valid time interval T valid can be the maximum allowed value of ΔT before a retransmission indicator (e.g., MCS, NDI, RN, RV, or any one or more other indicators) can be considered when determining whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission of previous data or a new transmission of new data. The valid time interval T DCI can be configured and / or determined by a higher layer (e.g., RRC). A wireless communication node and a wireless communication device can share and / or access the valid time interval T valid . A wireless communication node can configure and / or determine the value of the valid time interval T valid . In one embodiment, the wireless communication node can determine that the valid time interval T valid should be less than the minimum value between the round-trip time (RTT) and / or the channel coherence time (τ) (e.g., T valid < min{RTT,τ}). valid <min{RTT,τ})

[0094] When ΔT DCI is greater than the valid time interval Tvalid (For example, ΔT DCI >T valid , such that the valid time interval constraint is not honored), the scheduled data transmission may be sent and / or transmitted as a new transmission regardless of the value and / or change in value of the indicator included in the DCI. DCI Less than or equal to the effective time interval T valid When (for example, ΔT DCI ≤T valid , so that the valid time interval constraint is honored), according to the value and / or change of the value of the indicator included in the DCI, the scheduled data transmission can be sent and / or transmitted as a new transmission or a retransmission. For LTE and / or NR, if more than one TB is transmitted simultaneously, the valid time interval T corresponding to each TB valid Can be shared and / or configured separately (e.g., between wireless communication nodes and wireless communication devices).

[0095] G. Constraints: Resource Allocation Problem and MCS Variation

[0096] In some embodiments, the MCS may be changed from a first value and / or scheme to a second value and / or scheme. If the value / level of the MCS is reduced, the maximum transport block (TB) size corresponding to the second scheme should be greater than or equal to the actual TB size corresponding to the first scheme and not exceed the maximum code rate to ensure that the most recent data transmission can be completely or successfully retransmitted under the second scheme after the MCS changes. Otherwise, the retransmission may only carry a portion of the data transmitted according to the first scheme, rather than completely retransmitting the data. In the latter case, the first indicator (e.g., including MCS and / or TB information) should be interpreted as indicating that retransmission is not supported and that the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission.

[0097] The wireless communication device may receive MCS and / or TB information included in the DCI. In response to receiving the information (or the first indicator), the wireless communication device may, for example, determine that the maximum TB size of the scheduled uplink or downlink data is greater than or equal to the actual TB size of the most recent uplink or downlink data. In this case, if the constraints for retransmissions are also fully met, the wireless communication device may determine that the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. If the constraints for retransmissions are not fully met (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or not met), the wireless communication device may determine that the scheduled data transmission is a new transmission.

[0098] For LTE and / or NR, if more than one TB is transmitted simultaneously (e.g., in one transmission), the maximum data size of each TB in the scheduled data transmission may be compared with the actual data size of the corresponding TB in the most recent data transmission. The retransmission indicator corresponding to each TB (e.g., including the above-mentioned TB-related information) may be interpreted or evaluated separately when determining whether the transmission of the corresponding TB is a retransmission or a new transmission.

[0099] H. Constraint: Maximum number of retransmissions

[0100] At least one constraint may include determining a retransmission count (e.g., the number of times or repetitions that the same data has been transmitted) associated with data for a scheduled data transmission, within a retransmission threshold (e.g., the maximum number of times or repetitions that the same data can be transmitted, e.g., until retransmissions are no longer allowed or supported). This may limit the amount of system resources used to retransmit the same data, and / or may avoid blocking the transmission of new data. In some embodiments, the retransmission count may be configured by a higher layer (e.g., RRC). The wireless communication device and the wireless communication node may share, manage, maintain, update and / or access the retransmission count. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device and the wireless communication node may each maintain / maintain / manage independent or separate retransmission counts. If the scheduled (or current) data transmission is a retransmission of the most recent data transmission, the retransmission count may be increased by 1. If the scheduled (or current) data transmission is a new transmission, the retransmission count may be cleared (or reset, e.g., to 0). The retransmission count may be associated with the most recently transmitted data, and may be cleared (or reset, e.g., to 0) when the scheduled data is a new transmission, and then associated with the scheduled data.

[0101] If the retransmission count does not exceed the retransmission threshold (e.g., the retransmission threshold constraint is fulfilled), then the retransmission indicator (e.g., MCS, NDI, RV and / or RN) included in the DCI may be interpreted accordingly, and the scheduled data may be sent or transmitted as a retransmission or a new transmission. If the retransmission count exceeds the retransmission threshold (e.g., the retransmission threshold constraint is not fulfilled), the scheduled data may be sent as a new transmission regardless of the value and / or change in value of the retransmission indicator.

[0102] For LTE / NR, when the number of TBs transmitted simultaneously is greater than 1, the maximum number of retransmissions (e.g., retransmission threshold) corresponding to each TB can be shared or configured separately as a constraint on the retransmission of the corresponding TB. The number of retransmissions corresponding to each TB should be counted and / or maintained separately and can be compared with the retransmission threshold of the corresponding TB.

[0103] I. Constraints: References used to determine whether to retransmit data

[0104] In some embodiments, the wireless communication node may use the most recent (or another previously scheduled) data transmission as a reference (or a benchmark for comparison) to determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission. By default, the reference used by the wireless communication node to determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission is the last (or most recent) scheduled data transmission. The wireless communication node may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission by comparing the conditions (e.g., channel state and / or channel conditions) of the scheduled / current data transmission with the conditions of the most recent data transmission (e.g., the reference or most recent data transmission). For example, the wireless communication node determines whether it is a retransmission by comparing the current channel quality (of the scheduled data transmission) with the channel quality of the previously scheduled data transmission (e.g., as a reference). If multiple constraints are fully satisfied, the scheduled data transmission may be a retransmission or a new transmission (e.g., depending on the result of the condition comparison). If multiple constraints are not fully satisfied (e.g., if at least one constraint is not fulfilled or satisfied), the scheduled data transmission may be a new transmission (e.g., regardless of the result of the condition comparison).

[0105] Reference now Figure 4 , a block diagram of an example system in which a retransmission interval N may be configured. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 may configure a retransmission interval N, (e.g., N data transmissions from a data retransmission to an initial data transmission, and / or N DCI transmissions from a scheduled DCI transmission for a data retransmission to a scheduled DCI transmission for an initial data transmission), where N may be greater than 1 (e.g., N>1). The wireless communication node 302 may configure the retransmission interval N, to a specific number (N) of data / DCI transmissions (some of which may have a different time length than other transmissions). In some embodiments, if N>1, the "most recent data transmission" (or "previously scheduled data transmission") in the preceding text may be replaced, substituted, or exchanged with the "Nth most recent data transmission" (or "Nth previously / previously scheduled data transmission"). Prior to completion of a current data and / or DCI transmission, one or more wireless communication nodes 302 and / or devices 304 may store or maintain data and / or DCI from a previous (or N previous) data and / or one or more DCI transmissions in one or more transmit and / or receive buffers (e.g., N previous transmissions 412, up to the most recent transmission, may be stored in one or more buffers). In some embodiments, once a scheduled data transmission 416 is completed, one or more transmit and / or receive buffers may store or maintain scheduled / current data and / or DCI 416, and data and / or DCI from the Nth previous transmission 412 may be deleted or erased (e.g., the Nth transmission prior to the scheduled transmission may be deleted or erased from one or more buffers).

[0106] In some embodiments, the retransmission interval N may be a constraint. The wireless communication device / node may determine whether the number of data transmissions has exceeded N. If the number of data transmissions has not exceeded N, the wireless communication device / node may determine that any of these data transmissions will be a new transmission. If the number of data transmissions has exceeded N, the wireless communication device / node may determine whether the scheduled data transmission (after the first N transmissions) is a retransmission or a new transmission. For example, if N=4, then for each of the first 4 transmissions (the first to fourth transmissions), there is no Nth previous transmission, so the wireless communication device / node should determine that the first 4 transmissions are all new transmissions because the Nth most recent data transmission will not exist when these transmissions are scheduled. It is after / when the number of scheduled transmissions exceeds 4 that there may be an "Nth most recent data transmission", and accordingly, the wireless communication device / node may determine whether the scheduled data transmission (after the first 4 transmissions) is a retransmission.

[0107] Reference now Figure 4 , time interval ΔT or ΔT DCI The time interval 422 may be measured from the Nth data or DCI transmission to the (N+1)th data or DCI transmission. The time interval between transmissions may be measured in seconds, frames, number of frames, subframes, number of subframes, number of time slots, and / or other units. The start and / or end time of a frame and / or subframe may be utilized to measure and / or determine the time interval.

[0108] Reference now Figure 5 , a block diagram of an example system in which N retransmission counters are present. When N>1, there may be N retransmission counters 514 for scheduled data transmissions. The N retransmission counters 514 may correspond to N consecutive scheduled data transmissions. In some embodiments, the (N+1)th transmission and the first transmission may correspond to or utilize the same retransmission counter 514(1). In some embodiments, the (N+2)th transmission and the second transmission may correspond to or utilize the same retransmission counter 514(2). This pattern of corresponding retransmission counters may continue such that the (N+Y)th transmission and the Yth transmission may correspond to or utilize the same retransmission counter.

[0109] J. Method for transmitting data between wireless communication nodes and devices

[0110] Figure 6A flow chart of a method 650 for generating, transmitting, and / or utilizing an indicator indicating whether a scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission is shown. The method 650 may be used in conjunction with Figure 1 -5. In short, method 650 may include generating, by a wireless communication node, a DCI (652). Method 650 may include the wireless communication node transmitting an indicator (654). Method 650 may include determining whether a constraint is satisfied (656). Method 650 may include transmitting data as a new transmission (658). Method 650 may include determining whether the first indicator indicates a retransmission (660). Method 650 may include transmitting data as a retransmission (662).

[0111] Referring now to operation (652), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 may generate downlink control information (DCI) 326 including a first indicator. The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission or a new transmission. The first indicator may include one or more indicators (e.g., MCS, RN, NDI, RV, or other indicators or parameters) for notifying the wireless communication device (e.g., UE) that the downlink / uplink data is scheduled and / or that the data will be a retransmission of the most recent data transmission or a retransmission of the Nth previous data transmission, where N is the retransmission interval. As discussed herein, the use of DCI is provided by way of non-limiting example, as any other type or form of message, configuration, or information may be utilized to communicate one or more indicators to the wireless communication device.

[0112] Referring now to operation (654), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 may transmit a DCI 326 including a first indicator to the wireless communication device. The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission (e.g., a retransmission of previously scheduled / transmitted data) or a new transmission. Based on this determination, the wireless communication node 302 may, for example, set, incorporate and / or configure the first indicator in the DCI for transmission to the wireless communication device.

[0113] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 304 may receive a DCI including a first indicator. The wireless communication device 304 may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on the first indicator.

[0114] Referring now to operation (656), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine and / or cause to determine whether a plurality of constraints are satisfied. If the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may transmit the scheduled (downlink) data transmission to the wireless communication device 304 as a retransmission or a new transmission. If the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device may receive and / or process the scheduled (downlink) data transmission from the wireless communication device 304 as a retransmission or a new transmission. In some embodiments, if the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device may transmit the scheduled (uplink) data transmission to the wireless communication node as a retransmission or a new transmission. If the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may receive and / or process the scheduled (uplink) data transmission from the wireless communication device 304 as a retransmission or a new transmission.

[0115] In some embodiments, the plurality of constraints may be transmitted by the wireless communication node 302 to the wireless communication device 304 via a second indicator. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 304 may receive the plurality of constraints from the wireless communication node 302 via the second indicator. The second indicator may identify, describe, or otherwise indicate or include the plurality of constraints. The second indicator may identify, describe, or include information other than one or more constraints. The second indicator may include at least one of a validity time interval (e.g., as a constraint), a retransmission threshold (e.g., as a constraint), or a retransmission interval (e.g., which may or may not be a constraint). In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 may transmit the second indicator to the wireless communication device 304 via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration, a control element for media access control (MAC CE), or any other configuration, mechanism, or message (e.g., via DCI). The wireless communication device 304 may receive the second indicator from the wireless communication device 302 via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration, a control element for media access control (MAC CE), or any other configuration, mechanism, or message (e.g., via DCI).

[0116] To determine whether the plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine or consider at least a valid time interval, a time interval, a retransmission count, and / or a retransmission threshold. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine that the time interval between the transmission or reception time of the first data transmission and the transmission or reception time of the second data transmission is less than or equal to (or satisfies) the valid time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine that the time interval between the transmission or reception time of the first DCI and the transmission or reception time of the second DCI is less than or equal to (or satisfies) the valid time interval. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine that the retransmission count associated with the data for the scheduled data transmission is within (or satisfies) the retransmission threshold. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine whether the scheduled data transmission is (or should be) the latest data or a retransmission of the Nth previous data, where N is the retransmission interval.

[0117] Referring now to operation (658), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 or the wireless communication device 304 may transmit the scheduled data transmission as a new transmission when / if the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied. The wireless communication node 302 or the wireless communication device 304 may receive the scheduled data transmission as a new transmission when / if the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied. In some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may ignore (or bypass processing or consideration of) the first indicator responsive to the plurality of constraints not being fully satisfied.

[0118] In some embodiments, if the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may transmit the scheduled (downlink) data transmission to the wireless communication device 304 as a new transmission (e.g., a new transmission of new data that is different from previously transmitted data). If the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication device may receive and / or process the scheduled (downlink) data transmission from the wireless communication device 304 as a new transmission. In some embodiments, if the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication device may transmit the scheduled (uplink) data transmission to the wireless communication node as a new transmission. If the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may receive and / or process the scheduled (uplink) data transmission from the wireless communication device 304 as a new transmission.

[0119] Referring now to operation (660), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device 304 may determine that the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on the value or change in value of the first indicator. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 304 may determine, consider, or evaluate the first indicator (e.g., in the DCI provided by the wireless communication node) in response to multiple constraints being fully satisfied. The wireless communication device 304 may determine, consider, or evaluate the first indicator after determining (or in response to) the multiple constraints being fully satisfied. The first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled (uplink / downlink) data transmission is a retransmission. The first indicator may include at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a repetition number (RN), a new data indicator (NDI), a redundancy version (RV), or other indicators or parameters. In some embodiments, the first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on the value of the NDI or the RV. For example, when / if the multiple constraints are fully satisfied, the wireless communication node 302 may transmit the scheduled (downlink) data transmission (e.g., consistent with the first indicator, or in response to the first indicator) as a retransmission or a new transmission to the wireless communication device 304.

[0120] In some embodiments, the first indicator may indicate whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission based on a change in the value of the MCS or RN. For example, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device may determine that the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) has changed from a first scheme to a second scheme. The first scheme may correspond to a recent data transmission. The second scheme may correspond to a scheduled data transmission. If the MCS changes from the first scheme to the second scheme, this may result in a change in the transport block size. The wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device may determine that the maximum transport block size of the second scheme may be greater than or equal to the actual transport block size of the recent data transmission corresponding to the first scheme. If the maximum transport block size of the second scheme is greater than or equal to the transport block size of the first scheme, the wireless communication node 302 and / or the wireless communication device may determine that the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

[0121]

[00106] Referring now to operation (662), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication node 302 or the wireless communication device 304 may transmit the scheduled data as a retransmission. For example, the wireless communication device 304 may transmit the scheduled data as a retransmission in response to determining that the first indicator indicates that the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission, and / or determining that a plurality of constraints are satisfied. The wireless communication node 302 or the wireless communication device 304 may receive the scheduled data as a retransmission. For example, in response to determining that the first indicator indicates that the scheduled (downlink) data transmission is a retransmission, and / or determining that a plurality of constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device 304 may receive the scheduled (downlink) data as a retransmission.

[0122] If the plurality of constraints are fully satisfied and at least one of the first indicators (e.g., MCS, NDI, RV, RN, or any other indicator) indicates a retransmission, the scheduled (downlink) data transmission as a retransmission may be transmitted to the wireless communication device 306. If the plurality of constraints are fully satisfied and at least one of the first indicators (e.g., MCS, NDI, RV, RN, or any other indicator) indicates a retransmission, the wireless communication device 306 may receive the scheduled (downlink) data transmission as a retransmission. The plurality of constraints may include at least one of a valid time interval or a retransmission threshold. The plurality of constraints may be satisfied if the time interval or the retransmission count is less than or equal to the valid time interval or the retransmission threshold, respectively.

[0123] The wireless communication device or wireless communication node may receive and / or process the scheduled data as a retransmission. For example, in response to determining that the first indicator indicates that the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission, and / or determining that multiple constraints are satisfied, the wireless communication device or wireless communication node may receive and / or process the scheduled (downlink) data as a retransmission. If the multiple constraints are fully satisfied and at least one condition and / or indicator (e.g., MCS, NDI, RV, RN) indicates (or proves) a retransmission, the wireless communication device or wireless communication node may receive and / or process the scheduled data as a retransmission.

[0124] Although various embodiments of the present solution have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented only by way of example and not by way of limitation. Similarly, various figures may depict example architectures or configurations, and the example architectures or configurations provided enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the example features and functions of the present solution. However, these people will understand that the solution is not limited to the example architectures or configurations shown, but may be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. In addition, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, one or more features of an embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment described herein. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the illustrative embodiments described above.

[0125] It should also be understood that any reference to an element using names such as "first", "second", etc. herein does not generally limit the number or order of these elements. Instead, these names can be used herein as a convenient means of distinguishing two or more elements or element instances. Therefore, reference to a first element and a second element does not mean that only two elements can be used, or that the first element must be located before the second element in some way.

[0126] In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any of a variety of different technologies and techniques may be used to represent information and signals. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols that may be referenced in the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0127] Those of ordinary skill in the art will further understand that any of the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, means, circuits, methods, and functions described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of the two), firmware, various forms of programs or design codes incorporating instructions (which, for convenience, may be referred to herein as "software" or "software modules"), or any combination of these technologies. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been generally described above according to their functions. Whether such functions are implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these technologies, depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the entire system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functions in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions will not result in deviations from the scope of this disclosure.

[0128] In addition, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein may be implemented or performed within an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof. The logic blocks, modules, and circuits may further include antennas and / or transceivers to communicate with various components within a network or within a device. The general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other suitable configuration to perform the functions described herein.

[0129] If implemented in software, the functions can be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Accordingly, the steps of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be implemented in software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media and communication media, and communication media includes any medium that enables a computer program or code to be transferred from one place to another. Storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include 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 store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.

[0130] In this document, the term "module" as used herein refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements for performing the related functions described herein. Additionally, for purposes of facilitating discussion, the various modules are described as discrete modules; however, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that two or more modules can be combined to form a single module that performs the related functions according to an embodiment of the present solution.

[0131] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present solution, a memory or other memory and communication components can be employed. It should be understood that, for clarity, the above description has described embodiments of the present solution with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it is apparent that any suitable functional distribution between different functional units, processing logic elements, or domains can be used without affecting the present solution. For example, functions shown to be performed by different processing logic elements or controllers can be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Accordingly, the reference to a particular functional unit is only a reference to a suitable means for providing the described function, and not an indication of a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

[0132] Various modifications to the embodiments described in this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein, as recited in the claims.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method, comprising: generating, by a wireless communication node, downlink control information (DCI) including a first indicator, the first indicator including at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a repetition number (RN), or a redundancy version (RV); as well as A DCI including the first indicator is transmitted by the wireless communication node to the wireless communication device, the first indicator indicating whether a scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission of a most recent data transmission.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first indicator indicates whether the scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission according to a change in the value of MCS or RN.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first indicator indicates whether the scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission according to a value of RV in the first indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting, by the wireless communication node to the wireless communication device, a second indicator comprising a plurality of constraints.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising transmitting, by the wireless communication node, the second indicator via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration or a medium access control control element (MAC CE).

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The second indicator includes at least one of a valid time interval, a retransmission threshold, or a retransmission interval.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: causing the wireless communication device to determine whether the plurality of constraints are satisfied; as well as A scheduled transmission is received by the wireless communication node from the wireless communication device, the scheduled transmission is treated as a retransmission or a new transmission when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, and the scheduled transmission is treated as a new transmission when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied.

8. The method according to claim 4 also includes transmitting the scheduled data transmission by the wireless communication node to the wireless communication device, treating the scheduled data transmission as a retransmission or a new transmission when the multiple constraints are met, and treating the scheduled data transmission as a new transmission when the multiple constraints are not fully met.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission of most recently transmitted data or a retransmission of an Nth previously transmitted data.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, a valid time interval, and a time interval between a transmission time of a first data transmission and a transmission time of a second data transmission is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, a validity time interval, and a time interval between a reception time of a first data transmission and a reception time of a second data transmission is less than or equal to the validity time interval.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, a valid time interval, and a time interval between a transmission time of a first DCI and a transmission time of a second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, a valid time interval, and a time interval between a reception time of the first DCI and a reception time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising: determining, by the wireless communication node, that the MCS has changed from a first scheme used for the most recent data transmission to a second scheme used for the scheduled data transmission; as well as Responsive to the maximum transport block size of the second scheme being greater than or equal to an actual transport block size corresponding to a most recent data transmission of the first scheme, determining, by the wireless communication node, whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication node, that a retransmission count associated with data of the scheduled data transmission is within a retransmission threshold.

16. A wireless communication method, comprising: Receiving, by a wireless communication device, downlink control information (DCI) from a wireless communication node including a first indicator, the first indicator including at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a repetition number (RN), or a redundancy version (RV); as well as A determination is made by the wireless communication device based on the first indicator whether a scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission of a most recent data transmission.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The first indicator indicates whether the scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission according to a change in the value of MCS or RN.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The first indicator indicates whether the scheduled data transmission will be a retransmission according to a value of RV in the first indicator.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising receiving, by the wireless communication device from the wireless communication node, a second indicator comprising a plurality of constraints.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising receiving, by the wireless communication device, the second indicator via at least one of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration or a medium access control control element (MAC CE).

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein: The second indicator includes at least one of a valid time interval, a retransmission threshold, or a retransmission interval.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising: determining, by the wireless communication device, whether the plurality of constraints are satisfied; as well as The scheduled transmission is transmitted by the wireless communication device to the wireless communication node as a retransmission or a new transmission when the plurality of constraints are satisfied, and as a new transmission when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising: determining, by the wireless communication device, whether the plurality of constraints are satisfied; as well as The scheduled data transmission is received by the wireless communication device from the wireless communication node, the scheduled data transmission is treated as a retransmission or a new transmission when a plurality of constraints are satisfied, and the scheduled data transmission is treated as a new transmission when the plurality of constraints are not fully satisfied.

24. The method of claim 16, comprising determining, by the wireless communication device, whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission of most recently transmitted data or a retransmission of an Nth previously transmitted data.

25. The method of claim 16, comprising: receiving, by the wireless communication device, an effective time interval, and The wireless communication device determines that a time interval between a transmission time of the first data transmission and a transmission time of the second data transmission is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

26. The method of claim 16, comprising: receiving, by the wireless communication device, an effective time interval, and The wireless communication device determines that a time interval between a reception time of the first data transmission and a reception time of the second data transmission is less than or equal to the validity time interval.

27. The method of claim 16, comprising: receiving, by the wireless communication device, an effective time interval, and The wireless communication device determines that a time interval between a transmission time of the first DCI and a transmission time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

28. The method of claim 16, comprising: receiving, by the wireless communication device, an effective time interval, and The wireless communication device determines that a time interval between a reception time of the first DCI and a reception time of the second DCI is less than or equal to the valid time interval.

29. The method of claim 16, comprising: determining, by the wireless communication device, that the MCS has changed from a first scheme used for the most recent data transmission to a second scheme used for the scheduled data transmission; as well as Responsive to the maximum transport block size of the second scheme being greater than or equal to an actual transport block size corresponding to a most recent data transmission of the first scheme, determining, by the wireless communication device, whether the scheduled data transmission is a retransmission.

30. The method of claim 16, comprising determining, by the wireless communication device, that a retransmission count associated with data of the scheduled data transmission is within a retransmission threshold.

31. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, can cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 1-30.

32. A wireless communication device, comprising: one or more processors; as well as A memory storing executable instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 1-30.

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