Base Station (BS) RACH Procedure for Reducing Delay in High Propagation Delay Networks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to techniques for reducing delays in high propagation delay wireless communication systems. A base station may receive a random access initiation message from a user equipment device (UE), the random access initiation message having a characteristic configured to indicate to the base station a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant to be provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the UE. For example, the characteristic may include a predetermined preamble included in the random access initiation message, such that the requested grant size is indicated by a preamble selected by the UE from a plurality of possible preambles. As another example, the characteristic may include which RACH opportunity is selected by the UE to transmit the random access initiation message. In response, the base station may allocate resources for use by the UE based on the characteristic.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to wireless communications, and more particularly to systems, apparatus, and methods for reducing delay in high propagation delay wireless communication systems. Background Art

[0002] The use of wireless communication systems is growing rapidly. In recent years, wireless devices such as smartphones and tablets have become increasingly sophisticated. In addition to supporting phone calls, many mobile devices (i.e., user equipment devices or UEs) now also provide access to the Internet, email, text messaging and navigation using the Global Positioning System (GPS), and are capable of operating sophisticated applications that utilize these capabilities. In addition, there are many different wireless communication technologies and wireless communication standards. Some examples of wireless communication standards include GSM, UMTS (e.g., associated with WCDMA or TD-SCDMA air interfaces), LTE, Advanced LTE (LTE-A), NR, HSPA, 3GPP2 CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), IEEE 802.11 (WLAN or Wi-Fi), BLUETOOTH, and LTE-A. TM wait.

[0003] The introduction of an ever-increasing number of features and functionality into wireless communication devices also requires continuous improvements in wireless communications and wireless communication devices. In particular, as various network technologies integrate with more traditional cellular network technologies, new network characteristics may emerge. As an example, the introduction of new classes of cellular base stations or repeater stations may introduce significantly greater and more variable propagation delays than those associated with more traditional base stations. These characteristics may lead to a degraded user experience in such networks. Therefore, improvements in this area are highly desired. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of apparatus, systems, and methods are provided herein for reducing delay in high propagation delay wireless communication systems.

[0005] According to the techniques described herein, a base station may be configured to receive a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein a characteristic of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device. In response to the random access initiation message, the base station may allocate resources for transmission by the wireless device, wherein the amount of the allocated resources is based on the characteristic of the random access message. The base station may transmit an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device, and may receive an uplink data message from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

[0006] In some scenarios, the characteristic may be one or more of a random access preamble or a random access channel (RACH) opportunity.

[0007] In some scenarios, the characteristic of the random access initiation message may be a predefined preamble, and the random access initiation message may include one of a plurality of possible preambles. The base station may also be configured to determine the amount of resources allocated for transmission by the wireless device based on which of the possible preambles is included in the random access initiation message. In some such scenarios, each subset of at least a plurality of subsets of preambles may be configured to specify a corresponding different size of an uplink grant. In some such scenarios, a first preamble may indicate an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and a second preamble may indicate an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmitting a buffer status report but insufficient for transmitting uplink data.

[0008] In some scenarios, the random access initiation message may be characterized by a predefined RACH opportunity, and the random access initiation message may be configurable to use one of a plurality of possible RACH opportunities. The base station may also be configured to determine the amount of resources allocated for transmission by the wireless device based on which of the plurality of possible RACH opportunities is included in the random access initiation message. In some such scenarios, the first RACH opportunity may indicate an uplink grant of sufficient size for uplink data, and the second RACH opportunity may indicate an uplink grant of sufficient size for transmitting a buffer status report but insufficient for transmitting uplink data.

[0009] In some scenarios, the uplink data message received using the allocated resources may further include a buffer status report. The base station may be further configured to allocate additional resources for transmission by the wireless device, wherein an amount of the allocated additional resources is based on the buffer status report; and transmit a second uplink grant to the wireless device identifying the allocated additional resources.

[0010] Apparatus and methods having features similar to those outlined above are also disclosed.

[0011] Note that the techniques described herein may be implemented and / or used with a number of different types of devices, including but not limited to base stations, access points, mobile phones, portable media players, tablet computers, wearable devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned flight controllers, automobiles and / or motor vehicles, and various other computing devices.

[0012] This summary is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the subject matter described in this document. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed as narrowing the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description, accompanying drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] A better understanding of the present subject matter may be obtained when the following detailed description of various embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 An exemplary (and simplified) wireless communication system is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 2 An exemplary base station in communication with an exemplary wireless user equipment (UE) device is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 3 An exemplary block diagram of a UE according to some embodiments is shown.

[0017] Figure 4 An exemplary block diagram of a base station according to some embodiments is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 is a communication flow diagram showing an example of a typical UL traffic call flow.

[0019] Figure 6 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow according to some embodiments, wherein the 4-step RA procedure has been modified to reduce the delay between the initial grant request and the receipt of the uplink data UL grant.

[0020] Figure 7 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow according to some embodiments, wherein the 4-step RA procedure has been modified to provide an additional initial UL grant.

[0021] Figure 8 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow including a BSR update message according to some embodiments.

[0022] While the features described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereof are not intended to limit this disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Acronyms

[0024] Various acronyms are used throughout this disclosure. The definitions of the most prominent acronyms used that may appear throughout this disclosure are as follows:

[0025] BS: Base Station

[0026] BSR: Buffer Status Report

[0027] CQI: Channel Quality Indicator

[0028] CSI: Channel State Information

[0029] CSI-RS: Channel State Information Reference Signal

[0030] DL: Downlink

[0031] GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications

[0032] IE: Information Element

[0033] LI: Layer indicator

[0034] LTE: Long Term Evolution

[0035] MCS: Modulation and Coding Scheme

[0036] NR: New Radio

[0037] PDSCH: Physical Downlink Shared Channel

[0038] PMI: Precoding Matrix Indicator

[0039] PRACH: Physical Random Access Channel

[0040] RACH: Random Access Channel

[0041] RAT: Radio Access Technology

[0042] RF: Radio Frequency

[0043] RI: Rank Indicator

[0044] RO: RACH timing

[0045] RSRP: Reference Signal Received Power

[0046] RX: Receive

[0047] SINR: Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio

[0048] SR: Scheduling Request

[0049] SSB: Synchronous Signal Block

[0050] TX: Transmit

[0051] UE: User Equipment

[0052] UL: Uplink

[0053] UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

[0054] the term

[0055] The following is a glossary of terms that will appear in this disclosure:

[0056] Memory medium—any of various types of non-transitory memory devices or storage devices. The term "memory medium" is intended to include installation media, such as CD-ROMs, floppy disks, or tape devices; computer system memory or random access memory such as DRAM, DDR RAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, Rambus RAM, etc.; non-volatile memory such as flash memory, magnetic media, for example, hard drives or optical storage devices; registers or other similar types of memory elements, etc. The memory medium may also include other types of non-transitory memory or a combination thereof. In addition, the memory medium may be located in the first computer system executing the program, or may be located in a different second computer system connected to the first computer system via a network such as the Internet. In the latter example, the second computer system may provide program instructions to the first computer system for execution. The term "memory medium" may include two or more memory media that may reside in different locations in different computer systems connected, for example, via a network. The memory medium may store program instructions (e.g., represented as a computer program) that may be executed by one or more processors.

[0057] Carrier Media—storage media as described above, and physical transmission media such as a bus, network, and / or other physical transmission media that carry signals such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals.

[0058] Computer system (or computer)—any of various types of computing or processing systems, including a personal computer system (PC), a mainframe computer system, a workstation, a network appliance, an Internet appliance, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a television system, a grid computing system, or other devices or combinations of devices. In general, the term "computer system" can be broadly defined as any device (or combination of devices) that includes at least one processor that executes instructions from a memory medium.

[0059] User Equipment (UE) (or "UE device") - any of various types of computer systems or devices that are mobile or portable and that perform wireless communication. Examples of UE devices include mobile phones or smartphones (e.g., iPhones, TM , based on Android TM phones), tablet computers (e.g., iPad TM 、Samsung Galaxy TM ), portable gaming devices (e.g., Nintendo DS TM PlayStation Portable TM 、Gameboy Advance TM , iPhone TM ), wearable devices (e.g., smart watches, smart glasses), laptops, PDAs, portable Internet devices, music players, data storage devices, other handheld devices, cars and / or motor vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (e.g., drones), UAV controllers (UACs), etc. In general, the term "UE" or "UE device" can be broadly defined to cover any electronic device, computing device, and / or telecommunication device (or combination of these devices) that is easily transportable by a user and capable of wireless communication.

[0060] Wireless Device—Any of various types of computer systems or devices that perform wireless communications. A wireless device may be portable (or mobile), or may be stationary or fixed in place. A UE is an example of a wireless device.

[0061] Communication Device—Any of various types of computer systems or devices that perform communication, where the communication may be wired or wireless. A communication device may be portable (or mobile), or may be stationary or fixed in place. A wireless device is one example of a communication device. A UE is another example of a communication device.

[0062] Base Station (BS) - The term "base station" has the full breadth of its ordinary meaning and includes at least a wireless communication station installed at a fixed location and used to communicate as part of a wireless telephone system or radio system.

[0063] Processing element (or processor) – refers to any element or combination of elements capable of performing functions in a device, such as a user equipment device or a cellular network device. A processing element may include, for example, a processor and associated memory, portions or circuits of individual processor cores, entire processor cores, processor arrays, circuits such as ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits), programmable hardware elements such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and any combination thereof.

[0064] Wi-Fi—The term "Wi-Fi" has the full scope of its ordinary meaning and includes at least wireless communication networks, or RATs, that are served by wireless LAN (WLAN) access points and provide connectivity to the Internet through those access points. Most modern Wi-Fi networks (or WLAN networks) are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard and are marketed under the name "Wi-Fi." Wi-Fi (WLAN) networks are distinct from cellular networks.

[0065] Automatic—refers to an action or operation being performed by a computer system (e.g., software executed by the computer system) or a device (e.g., a circuit, a programmable hardware element, an ASIC, etc.) without requiring user input to directly specify or execute the action or operation. Thus, the term "automatic" is in contrast to manual execution or specification of an action by a user, where the user provides input to directly perform the action. An automatic process may be initiated by user-provided input, but subsequent actions performed "automatically" are not specified by the user, i.e., they are not performed "manually," where the user specifies each action to be performed. For example, a user filling out an electronic form by selecting each field and providing input specifying information (e.g., by typing information, selecting checkboxes, radio selections, etc.) is manually filling out the form, even though the computer system must update the form in response to the user's actions. The form can be automatically filled out by a computer system, where the computer system (e.g., software executing on the computer system) analyzes the fields of the form and fills it out without requiring any user input to specify the answers to the fields. As indicated above, a user can invoke automatic filling of a form without participating in the actual filling out of the form (e.g., the user does not manually specify the answers to the fields; they are automatically completed). This specification provides various examples of operations that are automatically performed in response to actions that a user has taken.

[0066] Configured to—Various components may be described as being “configured to” perform one or more tasks. In such contexts, “configured to” is a broad expression that generally means “having structure” to perform one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a component can be configured to perform a task even when the component is not currently performing the task (e.g., a set of electrical conductors can be configured to electrically connect a module to another module even when the two modules are not connected). In some contexts, “configured to” can be a broad expression that generally means “having circuitry” to perform one or more tasks during operation. Thus, a component can be configured to perform a task even when the component is not currently turned on. Generally, the circuitry that forms the structure corresponding to “configured to” may include hardware circuitry.

[0067] For ease of description, various components may be described as performing one or more tasks. Such descriptions should be interpreted as including the phrase "configured to." Representing a component as being configured to perform one or more tasks expressly does not invoke the sixth paragraph of section 112 of title 35 of the United States Code for that component.

[0068] Figure 1 and Figure 2 —Exemplary Communication System

[0069] Figure 1 An exemplary (and simplified) wireless communication system is shown in which various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented according to some embodiments. Figure 1 The system is only one example of a possible system, and the embodiment may be implemented in any of a variety of systems as desired.

[0070] As shown, the exemplary wireless communication system includes a base station 102 that communicates with one or more (e.g., any number) user devices 106A, 106B, and so on through 106N via a transmission medium. Each user device may be referred to herein as a "user equipment" (UE) or a UE device. Accordingly, user device 106 is referred to as a UE or a UE device.

[0071] Base station 102 may be a base transceiver station (BTS) or a cell site and may include hardware and / or software that enables wireless communications with UEs 106A to 106N. If base station 102 is implemented in the context of LTE, it may be referred to as an "eNodeB" or "eNB." If base station 102 is implemented in the context of 5G NR, it may alternatively be referred to as a "gNodeB" or "gNB." Base station 102 may also be equipped to communicate with network 100 (e.g., a cellular service provider's core network, a telecommunications network such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and / or the Internet, among various other possible networks). Thus, base station 102 may facilitate communications between user devices and / or between user devices and network 100. The communication area (or coverage area) of a base station may be referred to as a "cell." Also as used herein, with respect to a UE, a base station may sometimes be considered to represent the network, taking into account the UE's uplink and downlink communications. Thus, a UE communicating with one or more base stations in a network may also be understood as a UE communicating with the network.

[0072] The base station 102 and the user equipment may be configured to communicate over a transmission medium using any of a variety of radio access technologies (RATs), also known as wireless communication technologies or telecommunication standards, such as GSM, UMTS (WCDMA), LTE, Advanced LTE (LTE-A), LAA / LTE-U, 5G NR, 3GPP2, CDMA2000 (e.g., 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, HRPD, eHRPD), Wi-Fi, and the like.

[0073] Base station 102 and other similar base stations operating according to the same or different cellular communication standards may thus be provided as one or more cell networks that may provide continuous or nearly continuous overlapping service to UE 106 and similar devices over a geographic area via one or more cellular communication standards.

[0074] Note that the UE 106 is capable of communicating using multiple wireless communication standards. For example, the UE 106 may be configured to communicate using either or both of the 3GPP cellular communication standard or the 3GPP2 cellular communication standard. In some embodiments, the UE 106 may be configured to perform techniques for reducing latency in a multi-beam wireless communication system, such as according to the various methods described herein. The UE 106 may also or alternatively be configured to use WLAN, BLUETOOTH, or other similar wireless communication systems. TM , one or more global navigation satellite systems (GNSS, such as GPS or GLONASS), one and / or more mobile television broadcast standards (e.g., ATSC-M / H), etc. Other combinations of wireless communication standards (including more than two wireless communication standards) are also possible.

[0075] Figure 2An exemplary user equipment 106 (e.g., one of devices 106A to 106N) in communication with a base station 102 according to some embodiments is shown. UE 106 can be a device with wireless network connectivity, such as a mobile phone, handheld device, wearable device, computer or tablet, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned flight controller (UAC), car, or virtually any type of wireless device. UE 106 may include a processor (processing element) configured to execute program instructions stored in a memory. UE 106 can execute any of the method embodiments described herein by executing such stored instructions. Alternatively or in addition, UE 106 may include a programmable hardware element, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array), an integrated circuit, and / or any of various other possible hardware components configured to execute (e.g., individually or in combination) any one of the method embodiments described herein or any part of any one of the method embodiments described herein. UE 106 can be configured to communicate using any one of a plurality of wireless communication protocols. For example, UE 106 may be configured to communicate using two or more of CDMA2000, LTE, LTE-A, 5G NR, WLAN, or GNSS. Other combinations of wireless communication standards are also possible.

[0076] UE 106 may include one or more antennas for communicating using one or more wireless communication protocols according to one or more RAT standards. In some embodiments, UE 106 may share one or more portions of a receive chain and / or transmit chain between multiple wireless communication standards. The shared radio components may include a single antenna, or may include multiple antennas for performing wireless communication (e.g., for MIMO). Typically, the radio components may include any combination of a baseband processor, analog radio frequency (RF) signal processing circuits (e.g., including filters, mixers, oscillators, amplifiers, etc.), or digital processing circuits (e.g., for digital modulation and other digital processing). Similarly, the radio components may implement one or more receive chains and transmit chains using the aforementioned hardware.

[0077] In some embodiments, the UE 106 may include a separate transmit chain and / or receive chain (e.g., including separate antennas and other radio components) for each wireless communication protocol with which it is configured to communicate. As another possibility, the UE 106 may include one or more radio components shared between multiple wireless communication protocols, and one or more radio components used uniquely by a single wireless communication protocol. For example, the UE 106 may include shared radio components for communicating using any of LTE or CDMA2000 1xRTT (or LTE or NR, or LTE or GSM), and shared radio components for communicating using Wi-Fi and BLUETOOTH.TM Each of the radio components communicates independently. Other configurations are also possible.

[0078] Figure 3 —Block diagram of an exemplary UE device

[0079] Figure 3 A block diagram of an exemplary UE 106 according to some embodiments is shown. As shown, the UE 106 may include a system on a chip (SOC) 300, which may include components for various purposes. For example, as shown, the SOC 300 may include a processor 302 that can execute program instructions for the UE 106, and a display circuit 304 that can perform graphics processing and provide display signals to a display 360. The SOC 300 may also include sensor circuitry 370, which may include components for sensing or measuring any of various possible characteristics or parameters of the UE 106. For example, the sensor circuitry 370 may include motion sensing circuitry configured to detect the motion of the UE 106, for example, using a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and / or any of various other motion sensing components. As another possibility, the sensor circuitry 370 may include one or more temperature sensing components, for example, for measuring the temperature of each of one or more antenna panels and / or other components of the UE 106. Any of various other possible types of sensor circuitry may also or alternatively be included in the UE 106, as desired. Processor 302 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 340, which may be configured to receive addresses from processor 302 and translate those addresses into locations in memory (e.g., memory 306, read-only memory (ROM) 350, NAND flash memory 310) and / or other circuits or devices, such as display circuitry 304, radio 330, connector I / F 320, and / or display 360. MMU 340 may be configured to perform memory protection and page table translation or setup. In some embodiments, MMU 340 may be included as part of processor 302.

[0080] As shown, the SOC 300 may be coupled to various other circuits of the UE 106. For example, the UE 106 may include various types of memory (e.g., including NAND flash memory 310), a connector interface 320 (e.g., for coupling to a computer system, a docking station, a charging station, etc.), a display 360, and wireless communication circuitry 330 (e.g., for LTE, LTE-A, NR, CDMA2000, BLUETOOTH, etc.). TM, Wi-Fi, GPS, etc.). The UE device 106 may include at least one antenna (e.g., 335a), and may include multiple antennas (e.g., as shown by antennas 335a and 335b), for performing wireless communications with base stations and / or other devices. Antennas 335a and 335b are shown by way of example, and the UE device 106 may include fewer or more antennas. In general, the one or more antennas are collectively referred to as antennas 335. For example, the UE device 106 may use antennas 335 with the aid of radio circuitry 330 to perform wireless communications. As described above, in some embodiments, the UE may be configured to perform wireless communications using multiple wireless communication standards.

[0081] The UE 106 may include hardware and software components for implementing the method for the UE 106 to perform techniques for reducing latency in a multi-beam wireless communication system, such as those described further below. The processor 302 of the UE device 106 may be configured to implement part or all of the methods described herein, for example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium). In other embodiments, the processor 302 may be configured as a programmable hardware element, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). In addition, as Figure 3 As shown, processor 302 can be coupled to other components and / or can interoperate with other components to perform techniques for reducing latency in a multi-beam wireless communication system according to various embodiments disclosed herein. Processor 302 can also implement various other applications and / or end-user applications running on UE 106.

[0082] In some embodiments, radio 330 may include separate controllers dedicated to controlling communications for various corresponding RAT standards. Figure 3 As shown, the radio component 330 may include a Wi-Fi controller 352, a cellular controller (e.g., LTE-A and / or NR controller) 354, and a BLUETOOTH controller. TM Controller 356, and in at least some embodiments, one or more or all of these controllers may be implemented as respective integrated circuits (ICs or chips) that communicate with each other and with SOC 300 (more specifically, with processor 302). For example, Wi-Fi controller 352 may communicate with cellular controller 354 via a cell-ISM link or WCI interface, and / or BLUETOOTH controller 354 may communicate with the cellular controller 354 via a cell-ISM link or WCI interface. TMThe controller 356 may communicate with the cellular controller 354 via a cell-to-ISM link, etc. Although three separate controllers are shown within the radio section 330, other embodiments with fewer or more similar controllers for various different RATs may be implemented in the UE device 106. In some embodiments, the cellular controller 354 may include a baseband processor configured to implement or cause the UE 106 to implement one or more of the processes disclosed herein, or portions thereof.

[0083] Additionally, embodiments are contemplated in which the controller can implement functionality associated with multiple radio access technologies. For example, according to some embodiments, in addition to hardware and / or software components for performing cellular communications, the cellular controller 354 can also include hardware and / or software components for performing one or more activities associated with Wi-Fi, such as Wi-Fi preamble detection, and / or generation and transmission of Wi-Fi physical layer preamble signals.

[0084] Figure 4 —Block diagram of an exemplary base station

[0085] Figure 4 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary base station 102 according to some embodiments. Note that Figure 4 The base station 102 is only one example of a possible base station. As shown, the base station 102 may include a processor 404 that may execute program instructions for the base station 102. The processor 404 may also be coupled to a memory management unit (MMU) 440 or other circuit or device that may be configured to receive addresses from the processor 404 and translate those addresses into locations in memory (e.g., memory 460 and read-only memory (ROM) 450).

[0086] The base station 102 may include at least one network port 470. The network port 470 may be configured to couple to a telephone network and provide access to multiple devices, such as the UE device 106, as described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 . Network port 470 (or an additional network port) may also or alternatively be configured to couple to a cellular network, such as a core network of a cellular service provider. The core network may provide mobility-related services and / or other services to multiple devices, such as UE device 106. In some cases, network port 470 may be coupled to a telephone network via the core network, and / or the core network may provide the telephone network (e.g., in other UE devices served by the cellular service provider).

[0087] The base station 102 may include at least one antenna 434 and possibly multiple antennas. Antenna 434 may be configured to operate as a wireless transceiver and may be further configured to communicate with the UE device 106 via the radio component 430. Antenna 434 communicates with the radio component 430 via a communication chain 432. The communication chain 432 may be a receive chain, a transmit chain, or both. The radio component 430 may be designed to communicate via various wireless telecommunication standards, including but not limited to NR, LTE, LTE-A WCDMA, CDMA2000, etc. The processor 404 of the base station 102 may be configured to implement and / or support implementation of part or all of the methods described herein, for example, by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium). Alternatively, the processor 404 may be configured as a programmable hardware element such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array), or as an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), or a combination thereof. In the case of certain RATs (e.g., Wi-Fi), the base station 102 may be designed as an access point (AP), in which case the network port 470 may be implemented to provide access to a wide area network and / or a local area network, for example, it may include at least one Ethernet port, and the radio component 430 may be designed to communicate according to the Wi-Fi standard.

[0088] High propagation delay networks

[0089] As various network technologies integrate with more traditional cellular network technologies, new network characteristics may emerge. As an example, the introduction of new classes of cellular base stations or repeater stations may introduce significantly larger and more variable propagation delays than those associated with more traditional base stations.

[0090] For example, 3GPP has been involved in multiple research projects on integrating non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) into the 3GPP ecosystem. See, for example, 3GPP TR 38.811, 3GPP TR 22.822, and 3GPP Work Item 860046 (sNR_NTN_solutions). In such systems, the propagation delay between a UE, such as UE 106, and a non-terrestrial network can be significantly greater than the propagation delay between the UE and a traditional terrestrial base station. In addition, such systems may include cells covering larger geographic areas than traditional cells, which can result in a large difference in propagation delay between two points within the cell. In other words, in such systems, a UE located at one point in a cell can experience significantly greater propagation delay than a UE located at a second point in the same cell. Such delays and differences can be multiplied by the need for multiple round-trip communications.

[0091] Figure 5FIG. 1 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a typical UL traffic call flow. As shown, a UE such as UE 106 may communicate with a base station such as BS 102.

[0092] UE 106 may transmit an initial grant request 502 for a reporting authorization to BS 102. In some scenarios, initial grant request 502 may represent or include a scheduling request (SR) for requesting a BSR authorization, such as defined by the 3GPP standard. In other scenarios, initial grant request 502 may represent or include a random access (RA) initiation message configured to initiate a procedure for random access communications with BS 102. As an example, such an RA initiation message may include or consist of an RA preamble (sometimes referred to as MSG1), such as defined by the 3GPP standard. Such a message may initiate a RACH procedure, such as a 4-step or 2-step RACH procedure defined by the 3GPP standard. Regardless of the format used, initial grant request 502 may convey a simplified request for resource allocation, allowing for the transmission of a more detailed report or resource request. Because initial grant request 502 initiates a new communication exchange, it may consist of predefined values. For example, SR may consist of a single bit, while MSG1 may consist of a predefined preamble. These signals do not include uplink data payload. As used herein, the term "uplink data" refers to payload data of the UE 106, as distinguished from control signaling, etc. For example, a BSR is not considered uplink data.

[0093] In response to receiving the initial grant request 502, the BS 102 may transmit a limited UL grant 504 to the UE 106. The limited UL grant 504 may identify sufficient UL resources for the UE 106 to transmit a more detailed report or resource request. For example, the limited UL grant 504 may include a UL grant for the UE 106 to transmit a BSR or similar report. As another example, if the initial grant request 502 includes an RA preamble, the limited UL grant 504 may include or consist of an RA response (sometimes also referred to as MSG2), as defined by 3GPP standards, which may include a UL grant for the UE 106 to transmit a further authorization request, such as an RRC connection request. The limited UL grant 504 allocates resources sufficient for the UE 106 to transmit a more detailed report or resource request, but insufficient to transmit an uplink data payload. For example, in some scenarios, the limited UL grant 504 may allocate resources sufficient for the UE 106 to transmit approximately 60 bytes or some similar value (e.g., significantly less than one MB).

[0094] In response to receiving the limited UL grant 504, the UE 106 may transmit an extended UL grant request 506 to the BS 102. For example, the extended UL grant request 506 may include a buffer status report (BSR), which may report the amount of data buffered by the UE 106 for transmission to the BS 102. The BSR may represent a request to transmit a certain amount of data to the BS 102. In some scenarios, the BSR 506 may be formatted as defined by the 3GPP standards. As another example, if the limited UL grant 504 includes an RA response, the extended UL grant request 506 may include an RRC connection request (sometimes also referred to as MSG3), as defined by the 3GPP standards, which may include an UL grant for the UE 106 to transmit further communications.

[0095] In response to receiving the extended grant request 506, the BS 106 may transmit an UL grant 508 to the UE 106. The UL grant 508 may identify UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit uplink data. For example, the UL grant 508 may identify UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit at least a portion of the amount of data identified in the BSR included in the extended grant request 506. The UL grant 508 may be significantly larger than the limited UL grant 504. For example, in some scenarios, the UL grant 508 may allocate resources sufficient for the UE 106 to transmit many MB (e.g., up to 80 MB).

[0096] In response to receiving UL grant 508, UE 106 may transmit uplink data 510 to BS 102. As shown, uplink data 510 may represent one or more transmissions of uplink data and, in some scenarios, may also include one or more responses from BS 102, such as ACK / NACK messages.

[0097] On receiving Figure 5 Between any of the signals shown and the transmission of the next subsequent signal, the receiving device will introduce some processing delay due to processing the received signal. The duration of this delay is generally unaffected by the signal propagation time. Therefore, the processing delay can remain relatively constant across networks of different sizes. In contrast, the flight time required for each individual signal to travel from UE 106 to BS 102 (or vice versa) is defined as the propagation delay and will increase with the distance between UE 106 and BS 102. Therefore, compared to the delay experienced in geographically smaller cells, the processing delay in performing processes such as Figure 5, geographically larger cells may experience significantly longer delays when performing the process shown in FIG. 1 . Additionally, geographically larger cells may experience significant differential delays, meaning that BS 102 may experience significantly longer propagation delays when communicating with UE 102 at a first location within the cell than it would experience when communicating with a second UE at a second location within the cell. As an example, a cell supported by an NTN may be of sufficient geographical size that such propagation delays and differential delays may become so large that when performing the process shown in FIG. Figure 5 The BSR authorization process shown here has a negative impact on user experience.

[0098] Additionally, such long round-trip propagation delays can magnify the effects of burstiness in two-way communications, where, for example, a UE 106 transmits a large amount of data and must wait for acknowledgement of the entire data set before performing additional communications. Extended propagation delays exacerbate the effects of such latency.

[0099] Therefore, if Figure 5 It would be advantageous if the process shown could be adapted to high propagation delay networks to reduce the delay between the initial grant request and the receipt of an uplink data UL grant. It would also be advantageous if the process could be adapted to smooth the signal flow to reduce burstiness.

[0100] Figure 6 — Modified PRACH to achieve reduced latency

[0101] One way to reduce the delay between the initial grant request and the receipt of the uplink data UL grant in a high propagation delay network is to provide an initial uplink data UL grant immediately in response to the initial request (e.g., before the UE 106 transmits a BSR or similar report / request). This initial uplink data UL grant may allow the UE 106 to receive the data immediately after the initial request (e.g., before the UE 106 transmits a BSR or similar report / request). Figure 5 The process shown allows for earlier transmission of at least a portion of its uplink data.

[0102] Figure 6 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow according to some embodiments, wherein the 4-step RA procedure has been modified to reduce the delay between the initial grant request and the receipt of the uplink data UL grant.

[0103] As shown, the UE 106 may initiate a call flow by transmitting an RA initiation message 602 (such as an RA preamble or similar message) to the BS 102. The RA initiation message 602 may differ from the initial grant request 502 in that the RA initiation message 602 may be configured to indicate the type or size of the UL grant that should be granted (e.g., requested to be granted) in response to the RA initiation message 602. Thus, subsequent grants may not be limited to Figure 5Limited authorization provided in the process.

[0104] As an example, the RA initiation message 602 may be configured to indicate the type or size of the desired UL grant by including a specific preamble sequence. For example, the conventional RA initiation message currently defined by the 3GPP standard may consist of a preamble sequence randomly selected from a set of sequences available in the cell (e.g., based on cyclic shift and PRACH root sequence index). In contrast, in Figure 6 In a specific implementation, the UE 106 may intentionally select a particular preamble sequence (e.g., by intentionally selecting a PRACH root sequence index and cyclic shift). Specifically, the first preamble sequence may indicate that the RA initiation message 602 is requesting a limited UL grant, such as Figure 5 The second, different preamble sequence may indicate that the RA initiation message 602 is requesting an extended UL grant that includes an allocation of resources sufficient for UE 106 to transmit uplink data. In some implementations, the size of the grant requested by the second preamble sequence may be predetermined. In some implementations, other preamble sequences may be used to request UL grants of different sizes. In some scenarios, the association between available preambles and UL grant requests may be configured in a "PRACH-config" information element (IE).

[0105] As a second example, the RA initiation message 602 may be configured to indicate the type or size of the desired UL grant based on the RACH opportunity (RO) in which the RA initiation message 602 is transmitted. A RACH opportunity is an area specified in the time and frequency domains that can be used for the transmission of a RACH preamble. In LTE, there is only one RO specified by the RRC message (SIB2) for all possible RACH preambles. However, in NR, synchronization signals (SSBs) are associated with different beams, and the UE 106 may select a specific beam and use that beam to send PRACH. In order for the network to determine which beam the UE 106 has selected, 3GPP defines a specific mapping between SSBs and ROs. By detecting the RO on which the UE 106 transmits the PRACH, the BS 102 may determine which SSB beam the UE 106 has selected. In this example, the selected RO may additionally indicate the type or size of the desired UL grant. For example, transmitting the RA initiation message 602 on a first RO may indicate that the RA initiation message 602 is requesting a limited UL grant, such as with Figure 5106. The RA initiation message 602 is transmitted on a second, different RO, which may indicate that the RA initiation message 602 is requesting an extended UL grant that includes an allocation of resources sufficient for UE 106 to transmit uplink data. In some implementations, the size of the grant requested by the second RO may be predetermined. In some implementations, other ROs may be used to request UL grants of different sizes. In some scenarios, the association between available ROs and UL grant requests may be configured in the "PRACH-config" IE.

[0106] Other methods may also or alternatively be used to configure the RA initiation message 602 to indicate the type or size of the desired UL grant. A notable feature of the above examples is that the RA initiation message 602 continues to consist of a preamble sequence compatible with existing 3GPP standards. For example, an RA initiation message configured according to any of the above examples does not include additional bits, fields, or other information for conveying the type or size of the desired UL grant. Specifically, the RA initiation message 602 may not include a BSR and may not include a MAC header.

[0107] In some scenarios, UE 106 may determine the type or size of the UL grant to request based on one or more factors, such as the amount of data buffered for transmission to BS 102, the type of data, the quality of service (QoS), the propagation between UE 106 and BS 102, and / or the type of network, cell, or BS. For example, in some scenarios, UE 106 may request an extended UL grant in response to determining that BS 102 is an NTN BS and is therefore expected to exhibit high propagation delay. In contrast, UE 106 may request a limited UL grant in response to determining that BS 102 is a traditional terrestrial BS. UE 106 may configure RA initiation message 602 accordingly.

[0108] In response to receiving the RA initiation message 602, the BS 102 may transmit a UL grant 604 to the UE 102. The UL grant 604 may identify UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit data consistent with the request indicated by the RA initiation message 602. Figure 6 As shown, UL grant 604 is an extended UL grant that identifies UL resources that can be used by UE 106 to transmit uplink data.

[0109] exist Figure 6In the scenario of FIG. 6 , UE 102 may transmit an uplink data message 606 to BS 102 in response to receiving UL grant 604. Uplink data message 606 may include some or all of the data buffered by UE 106 for transmission to BS 102 using the resources identified in UL grant 604. Uplink data message 606 may also include a BSR that reports the amount of buffered data remaining for transmission to BS 102. For example, the BSR may include or consist of a MAC control element (CE) included in uplink data message 606.

[0110] In response to receiving the uplink data message 606 with the included BSR, the BS 102 may transmit an additional UL grant 608 identifying UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit at least a portion of the buffered data reported by the BSR.

[0111] In response to receiving the additional UL grant 608, UE 106 may transmit an uplink data message 610 to BS 102. As shown, uplink data message 610 may represent one or more transmissions of uplink data and, in some scenarios, may also include one or more responses from BS 102, such as ACK / NACK messages.

[0112] It should be understood that a similar process can be used to update the 2-step RA procedure. For example, in the 2-step RA procedure, the RA Initiation message can be configured to indicate the type or size of the requested UL grant, for example, using any of the methods described above. In some scenarios, such a method can be used to request a larger grant than would otherwise be requested in the RA Initiation message of the 2-step RA procedure.

[0113] Figure 7 — Modified PRACH for preliminary uplink data UL grant

[0114] Another way to reduce the delay between the initial grant request and the receipt of the uplink data UL grant and to reduce burstiness in high propagation delay networks is to provide an additional fixed initial UL grant immediately in response to the initial request (e.g., before the UE 106 transmits a BSR or similar report / request). This additional initial UL grant may allow the UE 106 to receive more data than according to the Figure 5 The process shown allows for earlier transmission of at least a portion of its uplink data.

[0115] Figure 7 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow according to some embodiments, wherein the 4-step RA procedure has been modified to provide an additional initial UL grant.

[0116] As shown, UE 106 may initiate a call flow by transmitting an RA initiation message 702 (such as an RA preamble or similar message) to BS 102. In some scenarios, the RA initiation message 702 may be sent to the BS 102 via the RA initiation message 702. Figure 5 The initial authorization request 502 is similar or identical to that of FIG.

[0117] In response to receiving the RA initiation message 702, the BS 102 may transmit a configured grant 704 to the UE 106. For example, the configured grant 704 may be included in the RA response or may be broadcast in a SIB. The configured grant 704 may identify UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit uplink data. In some scenarios, the size of the configured grant 704 may be fixed or predetermined.

[0118] The transmission of the configured grant 704 may be based on one or more factors. For example, if the BS 102 is of a particular type or is included in a particular type of network (such as an NTN), the BS 102 may transmit the configured grant 704 in response to receiving the RA initiation message 702. As another example, the BS 102 may transmit the configured grant 704 in response to receiving the RA initiation message 702 based on the cell size or the propagation delay observed within the cell.

[0119] In response to receiving the configured grant 704, UE 106 may transmit an uplink data message 708 to BS 102. As shown, uplink data message 708 may represent one or more transmissions of uplink data and, in some scenarios, may also include one or more responses, such as ACK / NACK messages, from BS 102. In some scenarios, uplink data message 708 may also include a BSR that reports the amount of buffered data remaining for transmission to BS 102. For example, the BSR may include or consist of a MAC control element (CE) included in uplink data message 708.

[0120] In some scenarios, the configured grant 704 may be configured such that the allocated resources (and therefore the uplink data message 708) occur shortly after the transmission of an RRC connection setup message (not shown) from the BS 102 to the UE 106. In the event that the RRC connection is not completed (e.g., due to failed contention resolution for the UE 106), the BS 102 may discard the configured grant 704.

[0121] In response to receiving the RA initiation message 702, the BS 102 may also transmit a limited UL grant 706, such as an RA response, to the UE 106. In some scenarios, the limited UL grant 706 may be sent in conjunction with the RA initiation message 702. Figure 5The limited UL grant 706 may be similar or identical to the limited UL grant 504. The limited UL grant 706 may identify sufficient UL resources for the UE 106 to transmit a more detailed report or resource request.

[0122] In response to receiving the limited UL grant 706, UE 106 may complete the RA procedure, for example, by exchanging RRC Connection Request and RRC Connection Setup messages with BS 102, substantially as described in conjunction with Figure 5 As outlined.

[0123] In response to receiving the uplink data message 708 including the BSR, the BS 102 may transmit an additional UL grant 710 to the UE 106 , which may identify UL resources that may be used by the UE 106 to transmit uplink data.

[0124] In response to receiving the additional UL grant 710, UE 106 may transmit an uplink data message 712 to BS 102. As shown, uplink data message 712 may represent one or more transmissions of uplink data and, in some scenarios, may also include one or more responses from BS 102, such as ACK / NACK messages.

[0125] Figure 7 The call flow shown can be used in Figure 5 The call flow shown earlier in the process provides an uplink data grant to the UE 106. This may allow the initial data transmission to begin sooner and may also reduce burstiness.

[0126] As Figure 7 As a possible variation of the illustrated call flow, BS 102 may send a configured grant, such as configured grant 704, in response to receiving an SR from UE 106. This would provide similar benefits of allowing initial data transmission to begin faster and reduce burstiness.

[0127] Figure 8 —Supplement BSR

[0128] Another way to reduce delay and smooth signal flow in high propagation delay networks is to provide a BSR update message before the BSR timer expires to signal additional data buffered at the UE. This BSR update message can allow for more real-time reporting of buffer status to compensate for the increased propagation delay.

[0129] Once an RRC connection is established between UE 106 and BS 102, a typical process involves UE 106 reporting periodic BSRs, which are performed by the network. This periodic reporting allows the UE to report buffered data at regular intervals, in order to receive uplink data grants as needed. However, this process is designed and optimized for legacy networks and can present problems if applied without modification to high propagation delay networks. For example, if the propagation delay is too high, the time between transmitting a BSR and receiving a grant can become excessively long, as a large amount of additional data can enter the buffer during this time. This can result in large and infrequent transmission windows.

[0130] Figure 8 is a communication flow diagram illustrating an example of a UL traffic call flow including a BSR update message according to some embodiments.

[0131] As shown, UE 106 may transmit a BSR 802 requesting an uplink data (UL) grant to BS 102. BSR 802 may convey the amount of data buffered at UE 106 for transmission to BS 102.

[0132] After the transmission of BSR 802, UE 106 may buffer additional data for transmission to BS 102. However, if the BSR timer has not expired, UE 106 may not be permitted to transmit another BSR. If BSR update messages are allowed and configured for use by UE 106, UE 106 may transmit a BSR update message 804 to BS 102, for example, in response to determining that the additional buffered data has reached a threshold amount. BSR update message 804 may be transmitted before the BSR timer expires and may indicate to BS 102 that additional data has been buffered by UE 106 after the transmission of BSR 802. For example, in some scenarios, BSR update message 804 may indicate that the additional data buffered by UE 106 has reached at least a threshold amount. In some scenarios, BSR update message 804 may explicitly indicate the amount of additional data buffered by UE 106 after the transmission of BSR 802, or may explicitly indicate the total amount of data currently buffered by UE 106. In some scenarios, the BSR update message 804 may be transmitted only if a UL grant has not been received in response to the BSR 802 and / or if a BSR timer has not expired since the transmission of the BSR 802. In some scenarios, the BSR update message 804 may include or consist of a MAC CE.

[0133] In some scenarios, UE 106 may transmit one or more additional BSR update messages (not shown) before the BSR timer expires, for example, when additional data is buffered.

[0134] In response to receiving both BSR 802 and BSR update message 804, BS 102 may transmit an UL grant 806 to UE 106, identifying resources allocated for transmission of at least a portion of the buffered data reported in BSR 802 and BSR update message 804. In some scenarios, BS 102 may treat the BSR update message as a long BSR. The size of the uplink grant (or, in other words, the amount of resources allocated by the uplink grant) may be based on BSR 802 and BSR update message 804. For example, the size of the uplink grant may be based on the amount of data buffered at UE 106 for transmission to BS 102, as indicated by BSR 802 and BSR update message 804.

[0135] In response to receiving UL grant 806, UE 106 may transmit an uplink data message 808 to BS 102. Uplink data message 808 may include some or all of the data buffered by UE 106 for transmission to BS 102 using the resources identified in UL grant 806. If UE 106 has buffered additional data, and if a BSR timer has expired, uplink data message 808 may also include a BSR reporting the amount of buffered data remaining for transmission to BS 102. For example, the BSR may include or consist of a MAC CE included in uplink data message 808.

[0136] Following transmission of uplink data message 808 with the BSR, UE 106 may again buffer additional data for transmission to BS 102. If the BSR timer has not expired, and if an UL grant has not been received in response to uplink data message 808, UE 106 may transmit a second BSR update message 810 to BS 102. Second BSR update message 810 may be similar to BSR update message 804.

[0137] In response to receiving the BSR included in the uplink data message 808 and the second BSR update message 810, BS 102 may transmit a second UL grant 812 to UE 106, which identifies resources allocated for transmitting at least a portion of the buffered data reported in the BSR included in the uplink data message 808 and the second BSR update message 810, for example, the grant size is based on the BSR included in the uplink data message 808 and the second BSR update message 810.

[0138] In response to receiving the second UL grant 812, UE 106 may transmit a second uplink data message 814 to BS 102. Figure 8As shown in the example of , the second uplink message 814 may include all data buffered by the UE 106 for transmission to the BS 102 using the resources identified in the second UL grant 812, so that the second uplink message 814 does not include an additional BSR. In other scenarios, additional BSRs may be included as needed.

[0139] In some scenarios, the network (e.g., BS 102 and / or other network components) may provide configuration information regarding the BSR update message used by UE 106 based on various factors, such as the base station type of BS 102, the network type, the propagation delay between BS 102 and UE 106 and / or one or more other UEs, and / or the capabilities of UE 106. For example, the network may configure the number of times or frequency at which UE 106 may transmit the BSR update message. In some scenarios, the network may approve / disapprove the use of the BSR update message by UE 106 and / or other UEs. In some scenarios, UE 106 may provide an indication to BS 102 of whether UE 106 supports functionality for transmitting the BSR update message, e.g., as a UE capability indication.

[0140] In some scenarios, configuration information related to the BSR update message may be transmitted to UEs in the cell (such as UE 106) before the transmission of BSR 802 or before the transmission of BSR update message 804. For example, BS 102 may broadcast configuration information about the BSR update message in a predefined system information block (SIB). This may allow the configuration information to be received by multiple UEs (e.g., all UEs) in the cell. As another example, BS 102 may provide the configuration information to UE 106 in an RRC connection establishment message (e.g., RA MSG4) or in an RRC reconfiguration message, for example, based on a traffic type indication sent by the UE. This may allow for more dynamic reconfiguration of the BSR update message for individual UEs.

[0141] Such a traffic type indication can help the network determine whether the uplink data traffic to be transmitted by UE 106 is of a type that is likely to quickly fill the data buffer at UE 106. The network can therefore provide configuration information for BSR update messages, or can choose not to configure such messages based on such a traffic type indication. For example, UE 106 can provide an indication of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) traffic type. In response, the network can determine not to configure BSR update messages for UE 106 because the traffic is of a type that is unlikely to generate a large amount of uplink data. As another example, UE 106 can provide an indication that its buffer is full. In response, the network can determine to provide an aggressive configuration for BSR update messages, such as one that allows for large and / or frequent BSR update messages. As yet another example, UE 106 can provide an indication of some intermediate data type. In response, the network can determine to provide a less aggressive configuration for BSR update messages, such as one that allows for less large and / or less frequent BSR update messages.

[0142] In some scenarios, such indications may be provided as IEs. Other formats are also contemplated.

[0143] In some scenarios, upon transitioning to a high propagation delay network, information regarding configuration information may be communicated to UE 106. For example, BS 102 may provide configuration information to UE 106 in an RRC resume message in response to UE 106 transitioning to BS 102's network, e.g., from a network that is not a high propagation delay network.

[0144] It should be understood that for all of the foregoing examples, BS 102 may allocate as much available resources as possible for use by UE 106 in response to receiving any type of grant request (e.g., a limited grant request, a full grant request, a BSR, a BSR update message, etc.). In some scenarios, BS 102 may not provide an uplink grant of the size requested by the grant request; e.g., BS 102 may not allocate sufficient resources to transmit all data buffered at UE 106 for transmission to BS 102. For example, in some scenarios, sufficient resources may not be available.

[0145] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly stated to users.

[0146] By interpreting each message / signal X received by a user equipment (UE) in the downlink as a message / signal X transmitted by the base station, and interpreting each message / signal Y transmitted by the UE in the uplink as a message / signal Y received by the base station, any of the methods for operating a UE described herein may become the basis for the corresponding method for operating a base station.

[0147] The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in any of a variety of forms. For example, in some embodiments, the subject matter may be implemented as a computer-implemented method, a computer-readable storage medium, or a computer system. In other embodiments, the subject matter may be implemented using one or more custom-designed hardware devices such as ASICs. In other embodiments, the subject matter may be implemented using one or more programmable hardware elements such as FPGAs.

[0148] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory memory element) may be configured such that it stores program instructions and / or data, wherein the program instructions, if executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method, such as any of the method embodiments described herein, or any combination of the method embodiments described herein, or any subset of any method embodiments described herein, or any combination of such subsets.

[0149] In some embodiments, a device (e.g., a UE) may be configured to include a processor (or a group of processors) and a memory medium (or a memory element), wherein the memory medium stores program instructions, wherein the processor is configured to read and execute the program instructions from the memory medium, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement any of the various method implementations described herein (or any combination of the method implementations described herein, or any subset of any method implementations described herein, or any combination of such subsets). The device may be implemented in any of various forms.

[0150] Although the above embodiments have been described in considerable detail, numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to encompass all such variations and modifications.

Claims

1. A base station, comprising: antenna; a radio operatively coupled to the antenna; and a processor operatively coupled to the radio; The base station is configured as follows: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein the random access initiation message is configurable to use one of a plurality of possible RACH opportunities, wherein a characteristic of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device, wherein the characteristic of the random access initiation message is a predefined RACH opportunity, wherein a first RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and a second RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmission of a buffer status report but insufficient for transmission of uplink data; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is based on which of the multiple possible RACH opportunities is included in the random access initiation message; as well as transmitting an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources. 2 . The base station of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic is one or more of a random access preamble or a random access channel (RACH) opportunity.

3. A base station, comprising: antenna; a radio operatively coupled to the antenna; and a processor operatively coupled to the radio; The base station is configured as follows: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein a predefined preamble of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device; wherein the random access initiation message includes one of a plurality of possible preambles; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is determined based on which of the possible preambles is included in the random access initiation message; sending an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

4. The base station of claim 3, wherein each of the at least a plurality of subsets of preambles is configured to specify a respective different size of uplink grant.

5. The base station of claim 4, wherein the first preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and the second preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmitting a buffer status report but insufficient for transmitting uplink data.

6. A base station, comprising: antenna; a radio operatively coupled to the antenna; and a processor operatively coupled to the radio; The base station is configured as follows: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein characteristics of the random access initiation message are configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is based on the characteristic of the random access initiation message; transmitting an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; receiving an uplink data message from the wireless device using the allocated resources, the uplink data message comprising a buffer status report; allocating additional resources for transmission by the wireless device, wherein an amount of the allocated additional resources is based on the buffer status report; as well as A second uplink grant identifying the allocated additional resources is transmitted to the wireless device.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium storing software instructions executable by a processor of a base station, the software instructions being configured to cause the base station to: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein the random access initiation message is configurable to use one of a plurality of possible RACH opportunities, wherein a characteristic of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device, wherein the characteristic of the random access initiation message is a predefined RACH opportunity, wherein a first RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and a second RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmission of a buffer status report but insufficient for transmission of uplink data; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is based on which of the multiple possible RACH opportunities is included in the random access initiation message; as well as transmitting an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium storing software instructions executable by a processor of a base station, the software instructions configured to cause the base station to: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein a predefined preamble of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device; wherein the random access initiation message includes one of a plurality of possible preambles; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of resources allocated for transmission by the wireless device is determined based on which of the possible preambles is included in the random access initiation message; sending an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 8, wherein each of the at least a plurality of subsets of the preambles is configured to specify a respective different size of an uplink grant.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 9, wherein the first preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and the second preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmitting a buffer status report but insufficient for transmitting uplink data.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium storing software instructions executable by a processor of a base station, the software instructions configured to cause the base station to: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein characteristics of the random access initiation message are configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is based on the characteristic of the random access initiation message; transmitting an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; receiving an uplink data message from the wireless device using the allocated resources, the uplink data message comprising a buffer status report; allocating additional resources for transmission by the wireless device, wherein an amount of the allocated additional resources is based on the buffer status report; as well as A second uplink grant identifying the allocated additional resources is transmitted to the wireless device.

12. A method for performing wireless communications within a high propagation delay network, the method comprising: From the base station: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein the random access initiation message is configurable to use one of a plurality of possible RACH opportunities, wherein a characteristic of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device, wherein the characteristic of the random access initiation message is a predefined RACH opportunity, wherein a first RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and a second RACH opportunity indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmission of a buffer status report but insufficient for transmission of uplink data; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of the allocated resources is based on which of the multiple possible RACH opportunities is included in the random access initiation message; as well as transmitting an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

13. A method for performing wireless communications within a high propagation delay network, the method comprising: From the base station: receiving a random access initiation message from a wireless device, wherein a predefined preamble of the random access initiation message is configured to indicate a requested size of a subsequent uplink grant provided by the base station for uplink data transmission by the wireless device; wherein the random access initiation message includes one of a plurality of possible preambles; allocating resources for transmission by the wireless device in response to the random access initiation message, wherein an amount of resources allocated for transmission by the wireless device is determined based on which of the possible preambles is included in the random access initiation message; sending an uplink grant identifying the allocated resources to the wireless device; and An uplink data message is received from the wireless device using the allocated resources.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the at least a plurality of subsets of preambles is configured to specify a respective different size of uplink grant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for uplink data, and the second preamble indicates an uplink grant having a size sufficient for transmitting a buffer status report but insufficient for transmitting uplink data.

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