Prioritization rules for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)-ordered physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission in lower layer mobility

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for prioritizing uplink transmissions to current serving network nodes or non-serving target candidate network nodes. In the context of a method, the method includes obtaining first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment and obtaining second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment. The method also includes determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second up-link transmission data. The method further includes performing a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision.

Description

PRIORITIZATION RULES FOR PHYSICAL DOWNLINK CONTROL CHANNEL (PDCCH)-ORDERED PHYSICAL RANDOM-ACCESS CHANNEL (PRACH) TRANSMISSION IN LOWER LAYER MOBILITYTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] An example embodiment relates generally to transmission prioritization techniques for use in instances of full or partial transmission overlap between an uplink transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node and an uplink transmission to a current serving network node.BACKGROUND

[0002] In legacy communication systems, user equipment (UE) mobility handover is managed at the network layer (layer 3 (L3)), which may result in undesirable handover interruption due to richness of cell switch procedures (e.g., uplink synchronization procedure at L3). More recent telecommunication approaches may transition mobility handover functionality to lower layers, such as physical layer (layer 1 (LI)) and data link layer (layer 2 (L2)). Such techniques may allow for uplink synchronization with candidate target cells (e.g., non-serving cells) before cell switch (e.g., UE mobility handover) occurs. While such approaches may reduce handover interruption, instances of uplink (UL) transmission overlap between UL transmissions to non-serving candidate target cells and UL transmissions to current serving cells may occur, and past and current solutions may fail to accommodate for these transmission collisions. For example, such approaches may be limited to configuring transmission and dropping rules for uplink transmissions to current serving cells.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in accordance with an example embodiment in order to determine instances of uplink transmission collision at user equipment and prioritize transmission of uplink transmissions to either current serving network nodes or non-serving candidate target network nodes. In various embodiments, the present method, apparatus, and computer program product provide improved solutions for (de)prioritizing transmissions to non-serving candidate target network nodes in instances of transmission collisionbetween an uplink transmission for a current serving network node and an uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node.

[0004] In some embodiments, in order to perform random access channel (RACH)-less handover for user equipment, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)-ordered RACH is supported to perform early timing advance acquisition (e.g., acquiring the timing advance of a candidate target network node before the node switch and while a connection with a current serving (source) network node is present). In some embodiments, for a PDCCH-ordered RACH-based solution, the user equipment transmits a physical random-access channel (PRACH) (e.g., according to a configuration given in a PDCCH order) to a non-serving candidate target network node (e.g., such as a non-serving layer one, layer two-triggered mobility (LTM) candidate target cell).

[0005] In some embodiments, because early timing advance acquisition procedure is potentially associated with an upcoming node switch command (e.g., the user equipment changes the serving network node, and moves to a candidate network node for which the PDCCH-ordered RACH was triggered), there exists a potential need to consider such uplink transmissions with a specific priority. For example, low latency and short interruption time of uplink transmissions and related processes may be key performance indicators for mobility handover. However, previous approaches may fail to account for such prioritization needs. For example, previous approaches may fail to provide prioritization rules for PRACH transmission towards a network node (e.g., cell) that is not a current serving network node (e.g., current serving network cell). In the same example, previous approaches may fail to provide prioritization rules for a PDCCH-ordered PRACH transmission for early timing advance acquisition for a non-serving LTM candidate target network node (e.g., which may include a candidate for a new primary cell (Pcell)). The present disclosure provides, in various embodiments, technical solutions for overcoming these challenges, including improved approaches for prioritizing a PDCCH-ordered PRACH transmission for early timing advance acquisition for a non-serving LTM candidate network node when the PDCCH- ordered PRACH transmission overlaps (e.g., fully or partly in time, and / or by a threshold number of symbols) with one or more uplink (UL) transmission(s) to current serving network nodes (e.g., in instances where the user equipment is able to perform only one transmission at any instant).

[0006] In some embodiments, in LTM, timing advance acquisition of non-serving candidate target network nodes (e.g., or cell thereof) is performed before node or cell switch is performed. In one or more embodiments, timing advance of the candidate node (or cell(s)) supports PDCCH-orderedRACH (e.g., where the PDCCH order is triggered by the current serving network node). In at least one embodiment, the PDCCH order from the current serving network node contains an indication of the non-serving candidate target network node (e.g., reserved bit(s) in downlink control information (DCI) are used for indication of node or cell identity). In various embodiments, for PDCCH ordered-RACH for non-serving target candidate network nodes (or cells), random access response (RAR) reception can be configured / indicated. In some embodiments, if reception of RAR is not configured / indicated (without RAR), timing advance value of the non-serving candidate target network node is indicated in the cell switch command. In at least one embodiment, if reception of RAR is configured / indicated, RAR contains at least timing advance of the non-serving target candidate network node (e.g., or candidate cell thereof). In some embodiments, a maximum number of timing advance values memorized by user equipment is a user equipment capability. In one or more embodiments, for PDCCH ordered-RACH, if reception of RAR is not configured, user equipment autonomous re-transmission of PRACH is not allowed (e.g., regardless of the configuration of PreambleTransMax, which indicates a maximum number of random access (RA) preamble transmission performed before declaring a failure). In various embodiments, when reception of RAR is configured, support RAR is received from the current serving network node (e.g., at least in intra-distributed unit cases). In at least one embodiment, when reception of RAR is configured, support RAR is received from the current serving network node in inter-distributed unit cases. In some embodiments, for PDCCH ordered-RACH, if reception of RAR is not configured, the determination of whether power ramping is performed or not is generated based on the PDCCH order. In one or more embodiments, if power ramping is performed, the PDCCH order explicitly indicates whether PRACH is an initial transmission or retransmission. In various embodiments, the power is determined by open-loop power control.

[0007] In some embodiments, PDCCH-order based PRACH, on a candidate target network node that is not a current serving network node (e.g., with PUCCH / PUSCH), the PRACH is prioritized if overlapping in time with uplink transmit on any interrupted current serving cell. In some embodiments, uplink transmit on any interrupted serving cell is dropped at least during the PRACH transmit plus required switching time before and after the PRACH transmit. In some embodiments, uplink synchronization for the non-serving candidate target network node is triggered by PDCCH order when the transmission quality of the current serving network node is lower than a threshold (e.g., PRACH transmission towards candidate target network nodes may be of higher priority). Insome embodiments, if user equipment is not capable of multiple transmits chains when PRACH is transmitted towards the candidate target network nodes (e.g., including any interruption due to radio frequency retuning time), the associated UE temporarily suspends the uplink transmission on current serving network nodes(s). As described herein, improved uplink prioritization techniques may be utilized to configure prioritization (e.g., transmittal or drop) of PDCCH-order based PRACH transmissions for a non-serving candidate target network node under various scenarios and conditions.

[0008] In at least one embodiment, a method is provided that includes (i) obtaining first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment, (ii) obtaining second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment, (iii) determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data, and (iv) performing a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision. In some embodiments, determining the transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission includes identifying at least one of (i) a threshold number of symbol overlaps between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data, or (ii) a threshold time gap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data. In various embodiments, the first uplink transmission for transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node includes a PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. In one or more embodiments, the non-serving candidate target network node is a non-serving candidate target cell and the current serving network node is a current serving cell.

[0009] In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes at least one of (i) a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), (ii) a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positivesynchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI), or (iii) a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission, and the response action includes dropping (e.g., not transmitting) the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing (e.g., transmitting) the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes at least one of (i) a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI, or (ii) a PRACH transmission, and the response action includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes at least one of (i) a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI, or (ii) a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK, and the response action includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI, and the response action includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes at least one of (i) a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI, (ii) a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, where the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi-persistent CSI includes at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR), or (iii) a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission, and the response action includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI, and the response action includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes at least one of a PUCCH transmission or a PUSCH transmission. In someembodiments, the method further includes determining at least one of (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the response action includes, in response to the determination, dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes determining the user equipment is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the nonserving candidate target network node, where the response action includes, in response to the determination, dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the method further includes determining presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the non-serving candidate target network node and the user equipment, where the response action includes, in response to the determination, dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order. In some embodiments, the method further includes determining that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a retransmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission, where the response action includes, in response to the determination, dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a SRS transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission to a primary cell of the current serving network node, the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the nonserving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a SRS transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission, and the method further includes determining at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery(e.g., as beam failure recovery may be prioritized to ensure the connection between the user equipment and current serving network node is timely recovered). In some embodiments, in response to determining at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery (e.g., and in performance of the response action), the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a SRS transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission to a secondary cell of the current serving network node, the method further includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving candidate target network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving network node. In some embodiments, the method further includes determining (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery. In some embodiments, in response to determining that at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery, the method further includes (e.g., in performance of the response action), dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments, the method further includes determining the user equipment has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the method also includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0013] In some embodiments, where the first uplink transmission includes a first PRACH transmission or a SRS transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission, the method further includes determining the second PRACH transmission includes a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission. In some embodiments, in response to determining the second PRACH transmission includes a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission (e.g., and in performance of theresponse action), the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the nonserving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, in response to determining the second PRACH transmission includes a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery, the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0014] In some embodiments, where the first uplink transmission includes a first PRACH transmission or a SRS transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission, the method further includes determining (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current serving network node includes at least one additional TRP with an available link. In some embodiments, in response to determining the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP) and the current serving network node includes at least one additional TRP with an available link (e.g., and in performance of the response action), the method includes dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node. In some embodiments the method further includes determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission, where the PHR reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic. In some embodiments, in response to determining the power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic (e.g., and in performance of the response action), the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further includes determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, the second uplink transmission includes a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) re-transmission. In some embodiments, in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) re-transmission (e.g., and in performance of the response action), the method further includes dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-servingcandidate target network node and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0016] As further described below, in some embodiments, one or more operations of the abovedescribed methods are performed by an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform the one or more operations. For example, an apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to (i) obtain first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment, (ii) obtain second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment, (iii) determine a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data, (iv) perform a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision. In the same example, the apparatus may also perform other operations and / or embody additional aspects of the above-described methods.

[0017] In various embodiments, as further described below, provided herein is a computer program product including at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions including program code instructions configured for performing one or more operations and / or embody additional aspects of the above-described methods. For example, a computer program product may include at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computerexecutable program code instructions including program code instructions configured to (i) obtain first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a nonserving candidate target network node via user equipment, (ii) obtain second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment, (iii) determine a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data, and (iv) perform a response actionrespective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision. In the same example, the program code instructions may also be configured to perform additional operations and / or embody additional aspects of the abovedescribed methods.

[0018] In various embodiments, as further described below, one or more operations of the abovedescribed methods are performed by an apparatus having means for performing the one or more operations. For example, an apparatus may include (i) means for obtaining first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment, (ii) means for obtaining second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment, (iii) means for determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data, and (iv) means for performing a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision. In the same example, the apparatus may embody additional aspects and / or include additional means for performing additional operations of the above-described methods.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Having thus described certain example embodiments of the present disclosure in general terms, reference will hereinafter be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a communication system in which an example embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus that may be configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate a signal diagram for layer one-, layer two-triggered mobility (LTM) handover in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 4 is an example flowchart of a transmission prioritization process in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0024] FIGS. 5-20 illustrate example transmission prioritization workflows implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Some embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments are shown. Indeed, various embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the terms “data,” “content,” “information,” and similar terms may be used interchangeably to refer to data capable of being transmitted, received and / or stored in accordance with the described embodiments. Thus, use of any such terms should not be taken to limit the spirit and scope of the embodiments.

[0026] Additionally, as used herein, the term ‘circuitry’ refers to (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (e.g., implementations in analog circuitry and / or digital circuitry); (b) combinations of circuits and computer program product(s) comprising software and / or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer readable memories that work together to cause an apparatus to perform one or more functions described herein; and (c) circuits, such as, for example, a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation even if the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of ‘circuitry’ applies to all uses of this term herein, including in any claims. As a further example, as used herein, the term ‘circuitry’ also includes an implementation comprising one or more processors and / or portion(s) thereof and accompanying software and / or firmware. As another example, the term ‘circuitry’ as used herein also includes, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, other network device (such as a core network apparatus), field programmable gate array, and / or other computing device.

[0027] The term “comprising” means including but not limited to and should be interpreted in the manner it is typically used in the patent context. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of,consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes” and “including,” and variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”

[0028] The phrases “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” “in various embodiments”, and the like generally refer to the fact that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, but not necessarily all embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in more than one embodiment of the present disclosure such that these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0029] As used herein, the terms “example,” “exemplary,” and the like are used to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation, aspect, or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations, aspects, or designs. Rather, use of the terms “example,” “exemplary,” and the like are intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.

[0030] If the specification states a component or feature “may,” “can,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “preferably,” “possibly,” “typically,” “optionally,” “for example,” “often,” or “might” (or other such language) be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or to have the characteristic. Such component or feature may be optionally included in some embodiments, or it may be excluded.

[0031] As used herein, the term “computer-readable medium” refers to signal, non-transitory computer-readable medium and the like. The term ‘non-transitory computer-readable medium’ refers to non-transitory storage hardware, non-transitory storage device or non-transitory computer system memory that may be accessed by a controller, a microcontroller, a computational system or a module of a computational system to encode thereon computer-executable instructions or software programs. A non-transitory “computer-readable medium” may be accessed by a computational system or a module of a computational system to retrieve and / or execute the computer-executable instructions or software programs encoded on the medium. Examples of non- transitory computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, one or more types of hardware memory, non-transitory tangible media (for example, one or more magnetic storagedisks, one or more optical disks, one or more USB flash drives), computer system memory or random-access memory (such as, DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM), and the like.

[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a communication network 100 is provided in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the communication network 100 is in communication with a plurality of user equipment (UE) 110. By way of example, the network 100 may be deployed within a radio access architecture based on long term evolution advanced (LTE Advanced, LTE-A) and / or new radio (NR, 5G). However, the system may be deployed in other network architectures including within other communication networks including, for example, other communication networks developed in the future, e.g., sixth generation (6G) networks, as well as any of a number of existing networks including a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) radio access network (UTRAN, E-UTRAN or NG- RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN or WiFi), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), Bluetooth®, personal communications services (PCS), ZigBee®, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), systems using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, sensor networks, mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) and Internet Protocol multimedia subsystems (IMS) or any combination thereof.

[0033] The UE 110 may be any type of user terminal, terminal device, etc. to which resources on the air interface are allocated and assigned. For example, the UE may be a portable computing device such as a wireless mobile communication device including, but not limited to, the following types of devices: a mobile station (mobile phone), smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), handset, device using a wireless modem (alarm or measurement device, etc.), laptop and / or touch screen computer, tablet, game console, notebook, and multimedia device. The user equipment may also be called a subscriber unit, mobile station, remote terminal, access terminal, user terminal or user equipment (UE) just to mention but a few names or apparatuses.

[0034] The network 100 may include a plurality of network devices, such as a variety of network nodes. In some embodiments, the network 100 includes one or more network nodes currently serving one or more UE 110 (e.g., referred to herein as a “current serving network node” 120). In some embodiments, the current serving network node 120 may include one or more current serving cells. The current serving network nodes shown in the figures and described herein may also be referred to as distributed units, serving distributed units, or source units. The current serving cells described herein may also be referred to as source cells. In some embodiments, the network 100includes one or more network nodes that are not currently serving one or more UE 110 and embody a candidate target for serving one or more UE 110 (e.g., referred to herein as a “non-serving candidate target network node” 130). In some embodiments, the non-serving candidate target network node 130 may include one or more non-serving candidate target cells. The non-serving candidate target network nodes shown in the figures and described herein may also be referred to as candidate nodes or target nodes. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides improved systems and techniques for prioritizing providing (e.g., transmitting) an uplink transmission to a current serving network node or providing an uplink transmission to a nonserving candidate target node in instances of full or partial overlap between the uplink transmissions.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an example apparatus 200 according to one embodiment. The apparatus 200 may be an embodiment of a network device or may be embodied by or otherwise associated with a network device. For example, the apparatus may be embodied by or otherwise associated with the application function (AF), the multicast and broadcast session management function (MB- SMF), and / or the multicast and broadcast user plane function (MB-UPF).

[0036] Regardless of the device that embodies the apparatus 200, the apparatus may include processor 202, memory 204, and network interface 206. The apparatus 200 may be configured to execute the operations described herein. Although these components are described with respect to the performance of various functions, it should be understood that the particular implementations necessarily include the use of particular hardware. It should also be understood that certain of these components may include similar or common hardware. For example, two sets of circuitries may both leverage use of the same processor, network interface, storage medium, or the like to perform their associated functions, such that duplicate hardware is not required for each set of circuitries.

[0037] In some embodiments, the processor 202 (and / or co-processor or any other processing circuitry assisting or otherwise associated with the processor) may be in communication with the memory 204 via a bus for passing information among components of the apparatus. The memory 204 is non-transitory and may include, for example, one or more volatile and / or non-volatile memories. In other words, for example, the memory 204 may be an electronic storage device (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium). The memory 204 may be configured to store information, data, content, applications, instructions, or the like for enabling the apparatus to carry out various functions in accordance with an example embodiment disclosed herein.

[0038] The processor 202 may be embodied in a number of different ways and may, for example, include one or more processing devices configured to perform independently. In some non-limiting embodiments, the processor 202 may include one or more processors configured in tandem via a bus to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and / or multithreading. The use of the term “processor” may be understood to include a single core processor, a multi-core processor, multiple processors internal to the apparatus, and / or remote or “cloud” processors.

[0039] In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 204 and / or circuitry otherwise accessible to the processor 202. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may be configured to execute hard-coded functionalities. As such, whether configured by hardware or software methods, or by a combination thereof, the processor 202 may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuitry) capable of performing operations according to an embodiment disclosed herein while configured accordingly. Alternatively, as another example, when the processor 202 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor 202 to perform the algorithms and / or operations described herein when the instructions are executed.

[0040] In some embodiments, the apparatus 200 may optionally include input / output circuitry that may, in turn, be in communication with processor 202 to provide output to a user and / or other entity and, in some embodiments, to receive an indication of an input. The input / output circuitry may comprise a user interface and may include a display, and may comprise a web user interface, a mobile application, a query-initiating computing device, a kiosk, or the like. In some embodiments, the input / output circuitry may also include a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a touch screen, touch areas, soft keys, a microphone, a speaker, or other input / output mechanisms. The processor and / or user interface circuitry comprising the processor may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more user interface elements through computer program instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on a memory accessible to the processor (e.g., memory 204, and / or the like).

[0041] The network interface 206 may be any means such as a device or circuitry embodied in either hardware or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to receive and / or transmit data from / to a network and / or any other device, circuitry, or module in communication with the apparatus 200. In this regard, the network interface 206 may include, for example, a network interface for enabling communications with a wired or wireless communication network,such as the application function (AF), multicast and broadcast service function (MBSF), multicast and broadcast user plane function (MB-UPF), and / or multicast and broadcast session management function (MB-SMF). For example, the network interface 206 may include one or more network interface cards, antennae, buses, switches, routers, modems, and supporting hardware and / or software, or any other device suitable for enabling communications via a network. Additionally, or alternatively, the network interface 206 may include the circuitry for interacting with the antenna / antennae to cause transmission of signals via the antenna / antennae or to handle receipt of signals received via the antenna / antennae.

[0042] FIGS. 3A-B show a signal diagram for layer one-, layer two-triggered mobility (LTM) handover in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3 A, the user equipment (UE) 110, current serving network node 120, non-serving candidate target network node 130, and a centralized unit 330 may perform a preparation sequence 300A for mobility handover. In some embodiments, the user equipment (UE) 110 provides layer three (L3) measurements to a serving cell 310 (also referred to, in some embodiments, as a source distributed unit (DU)) of the current serving network node 120 (signal 1). In some embodiments, the serving cell 310 forwards the L3 measurements to a centralized unit (CU) 330 (signal 2). In some embodiments, based on the L3 measurements, the CU 330 generates a handover (HO) decision respective to the cell preparation for mobility handover (block 3). In some embodiments, the CU 330 configures the user equipment context in the target distributed unit (signals 4-5). In some embodiments, the current serving network node 120 and CU 330 and the non-serving candidate target network node 130 and the CU 330 coordinate on the timing advance acquisition method during LTM preparation phase (e.g., signals 4-5). In some embodiments, the CU 330 communicates with the current serving network node 120 for the modification of the user equipment (UE) context if needed and the provision of the candidate target network node information (e.g., target cell RS configuration, TCI states, etc.) (e.g., signals 6-7).

[0044] In some embodiments, the CU 330 generates a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message of the cells of the non-serving candidate target network node 130 that are prepared for the mobility handover (e.g., block 8). In some embodiments, the CU 330 forwards the RRC reconfiguration message of the cells that are prepared for the handover to the current serving network node 120 using a downlink (DL) RRC message transfer (e.g., signal 9). In some embodiments, the current serving network node 120 forwards the RRC Reconfiguration messageto the UE 110 (e.g., signal 10). In some embodiments, the UE 110 responds with an RRC Reconfiguration Complete to the CU 330 (e.g., signals 11-12), which may include intermediary communication through the current serving network node 120.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3B, the user equipment (UE) 110, current serving network node 120, non-serving candidate target network node 130, and a centralized unit 330 may perform an execution sequence 300B for mobility handover, which may include an optional random access subsequent (e.g., signals 19-20) and a completion subsequence (e.g., signals 21-25).

[0046] In some embodiments, based on the user equipment configuration, the UE 110 provides periodic layer one (LI) reports to the current serving network node 120 (e.g., signal 13). In some embodiments, based on the received LI measurement report, the current serving network node 120 triggers the UE 110 such as by sending a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order, to acquire timing advance for the set of candidate cells for the non-serving candidate target network node 130 of the mobility handover (e.g., blocks 14-15). In some embodiments, various mechanisms may be used by the UE 110 to acquire timing advance of the candidate cells of the non-serving candidate target network node 130. For example, a random access channel (RACH)- based, PDCCH order-based mechanism may be used, such as a receive (Rx) timing differencebased, RACH-less mechanism (e.g., as in long term evolution (LTE)) or a sounding reference signal (SRS)-based timing advance acquisition mechanism.

[0047] In some embodiments, timing advance (TA) acquisition operations associated with block 8 of the preparation sequence, block 14 of the execution sequence, and / or block 15 of the execution sequence may include transmitting uplink transmissions to the non-serving candidate target network node 130 and / or the current serving network node 120. In some embodiments, a full or partial overlap of uplink transmissions (e.g., in time and / or number of symbols) to the non-serving candidate target network node 130 and the current serving network node 120, which may correspond to a transmission collision (e.g., conflict, overlap, etc.) requiring prioritization of transmitting the uplink transmission to the current serving network node 120 and dropping (e.g., not transmitting or delaying transmission of) the uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target node 130. In some embodiments, the preparation sequence 300A of FIG. 3 A and / or the execution sequence 300B of FIG. 3B includes the UE 110 performing an uplink transmission prioritization process, such as an uplink transmission prioritization process 400 as shown in FIG. 4 and described herein. In one example, the UE 110 automatically performs the transmissionprioritization process in response to determining an overlap of uplink transmissions. Further illustration and descriptions of examples of the transmission prioritization processes and workflows are shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5-20 and provided herein.

[0048] In some embodiments, the UE 110 continues LI measurement reporting. In some embodiments, once the current serving network node 120 determines that the UE 110 should be handed over to a cell (e.g., a target cell) of another network node (e.g., the non-serving candidate target network node 130), the current serving network node 120 triggers the network node and cell switch using a cell switch command (e.g., a media access control (MAC) control element (CE)) (e.g., signal 16, block 17, and signal 18). In some embodiments, the UE 110 applies the RRC configuration for a target cell of the non-serving candidate target network node 130 indicated by the cell switch command (e.g., via MAC CE) and switches to the non-serving candidate target network node 130. In some embodiments, the UE 110 is configured to perform random access (RA) to the target cell as shown in signals 19-20 of the execution sequence 300B. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the UE 110 may be configured to not perform the RA to the target cell as the non-serving candidate target network node 130 may have already acquired the timing advance of the target cell (e.g., RACH-less LTM). In some embodiments, to initiate the communication with the non-serving candidate target network node 130, the UE 110 transmits an RRC reconfiguration complete using already configured uplink (UL) resources to the target cell of the non-serving candidate target network node 130, which may be forwarded to the centralized unit control plane (CP) of the CU 330 (e.g., signals 21-22). In some embodiments, the CU 330 releases the user equipment context from the current serving network node 120 with a user equipment context release request and performs path switch to the non-serving candidate target network node 130 (e.g., signals 23-25).

[0049] Referring now to FIG 4., shown is an example flowchart of an uplink transmission prioritization process 400, which may be performed by an apparatus, such as the apparatus 200 of FIG. 2 (e.g., which may comprise the user equipment (UE) 110 shown in FIG. 1).

[0050] In some embodiments, at block 403, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for obtaining first uplink transmission data. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission data is indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via the apparatus. Non-limiting examples of the first uplink transmission include aPRACH transmission (e.g., PDCCH-ordered or DCI-triggered), an SRS transmission, and / or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission data is indicative of (e.g., or the second uplink transmission comprises) a priority index for the first uplink transmission indicating, for example, the priority of the first uplink transmission. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission data is indicative of whether the first uplink transmission indicates a re-transmission, an initial transmission, a new transmission, or otherwise. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a particular number of symbols which may be compared by the apparatus to a threshold number of symbols (e.g., N symbols). In some embodiments, the apparatus (e.g., user equipment) obtains the first uplink transmission data from a centralized unit, such as the centralized unit 330. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission data is indicative of one or more of (e.g., or the first uplink transmission includes) an interruption due to processing time to build the uplink transmission, carrier, and / or BWP switching time, an uplink or downlink radio frequency (RF) retuning time, and any additional preparation time associated with the first uplink transmission.

[0051] In some embodiments, at block 406, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for obtaining second uplink transmission data. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission data is indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to current serving network node via the apparatus. Non-limiting examples of the second uplink transmission include a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK, a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying HARQ-ACK re-transmission, a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, positive RI, positive CRI, and / or positive SSBRI, a PRACH transmission (e.g., such as a PDCCH-ordered PRACH transmission or DCI-triggered PRACH transmission), a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying periodic / semi-persistent CSI including CQI, PMI, Ll-RSRP, and / or LI -SINR, a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission (e.g., for TA advance acquisition in LTM), a CBRA based PRACH transmission, a PRACH CBRA-based beam failure recovery transmission, and / or a PRACH CFRA transmission. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission data is indicative of (e.g., and / or the second uplink transmission comprises) a priority index for the second uplink transmission indicating, for example, the priority of the second uplink transmission. In some embodiments, the second uplink transmission includes a second particular number of symbols. Insome embodiments, the apparatus (e.g., user equipment) obtains the second uplink transmission data from a centralized unit, such as the centralized unit 330.

[0052] In some embodiments, at block 409, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for identifying whether the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission demonstrate a threshold number of symbol overlaps and / or a threshold time gap therebetween. In some embodiments, the apparatus performs the operations of block 409 based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data. In various embodiments, as an overlap rule for single serving cell operation or for operation with carrier aggregation in a same frequency band, a user equipment does not transmit PRACH and PUSCH / PUCCH / SRS transmissions in a same slot or when a gap between the first or last symbol of a PRACH transmission in a first slot is separated by less than N symbols from the last or first symbol, respectively, of a PUSCH / PUCCH / SRS transmission in a second slot where N=2 for / r=0 or / z= l , N=4 for / J=2 or / r=3, N=16 for =5, N=32 for / J=6, and / J. is the sub carrier spacing (SCS) configuration for the active uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP). In some embodiments, for a PUSCH transmission with repetition Type B, this overlap rule applies to each actual repetition for the PUSCH transmission. In various embodiments, in repetition Type B for PUSCH transmission, (i) the demodulation reference signal (DMRS) location is fixed to the first symbol of the allocated PUSCH, (ii) the PUSCH starting symbol is 0-13 in case of normal cyclic prefix (CP) and 0-12 in case of extended CP, and PUSCH Length is 1-14 in case of normal CP and 1-12 in case of extended CP.

[0053] In some embodiments, the apparatus includes means for storing the threshold number of symbol overlaps and / or threshold time gap, such as the memory 204, and / or for receiving the threshold number of symbol overlaps and / or threshold time gap, such as the network interface 206. In some embodiments, the apparatus compares the first uplink transmission to the second uplink transmission and determines a number of symbol overlaps based on the comparison. In some embodiments, the apparatus identifies whether the determined number of symbol overlaps meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold number of overlaps (e.g., which may include 1, 2, 4, or any suitable number of overlaps). In some embodiments, the apparatus identifies whether the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission are within a threshold time gap by comparing the number of symbols of the first uplink transmission to the number of symbols of thesecond uplink transmission, or by comparing either number of symbols to a predetermined threshold number of symbols (e.g., N symbols).

[0054] In some embodiments, in response to identifying the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission demonstrate at least one of a threshold number of symbol overlaps or a threshold time gap, the process 400 proceeds to block 412. In some embodiments, in response to identifying that the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission do not demonstrate the threshold number of symbol overlaps or the threshold time gap, the process 400 proceeds to block 410, at which the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for transmitting the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0055] In some embodiments, at block 412, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission. In one example, the apparatus may determine a transmission collision in response to identifying at least one symbol overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission. In another example, the apparatus may determine a transmission collision in response to identifying a time gap below a predetermined threshold between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission.

[0056] In some embodiments, at block 415, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for determining one or more response actions for responding to the transmission collision. In some embodiments, the response action includes either (i) dropping (e.g., not transmitting or delaying transmission of) the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and providing (e.g., transmitting) the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node, or (ii) providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In various embodiments, the determination whether to transmit or drop transmissions to current serving network nodes and non-serving candidate target network nodes is referred to as uplink transmission prioritization. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines the response action based on one or more aspects of second uplink transmission and / or first uplink transmission, suchas type and / or contents. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus determines the response action based on one or more statuses or states of the current serving network node or non-serving target candidate network node.

[0057] In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in instance of a transmission collision (e.g., overlap in symbols and / or time) between the first uplink transmission and a second uplink transmission to the current serving network node. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes at least one of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), or a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource indicator (CRI), and / or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI), or a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes at least one of a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI, or a PRACH transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node only when the second uplink transmission includes a HARQ-ACK (e.g., as delaying in HARQ-ACK may incur re-transmissions).

[0058] In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes at least one of a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI, or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current servingnetwork node only when the second uplink transmission includes a PRACH transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node only when the second uplink transmission includes a PRACH transmission to a primary cell of the current serving network node.

[0059] In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes at least one of (i) a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI, (ii) a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, wherein the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi-persistent CSI comprises at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR), or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node only when the second transmission uplink includes a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI.

[0060] In some embodiments, where the second uplink transmission includes a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining at least one (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold. For example, a PRACH transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node may be dropped and a PUCH / PUSCH transmission may be provided to a current serving network node in an instance where the PRACH transmission and the PUCCH / PUSCH transmission overlap and the PUCCH / PUSCH is for ultra-reliable low latency communications(URLLC), expanded reality (XR) uplink traffic that includes a higher priority index. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining or confirming that the apparatus (e.g., or user equipment, if separate from the apparatus) is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the non-serving candidate target network node.

[0061] In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the non-serving candidate target network node and the apparatus (e.g., or user equipment, if separate from the apparatus). In some embodiments, where the first uplink transmission includes a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the nonserving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a re-transmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission includes a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission and the second uplink transmission includes a second PRACH transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the apparatus (e.g., or user equipment, if separate from the apparatus) has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplinktransmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission (e.g., second PRACH transmission) includes a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to provide the first uplink transmission to the nonserving target candidate network node and drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current serving network node includes at least one additional TRP with an available link.

[0063] In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic. In some embodiments, the apparatus determines to drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining the second uplink transmission includes a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) re-transmission.

[0064] In some embodiments, at block 418, the apparatus performing the process 400 includes means, such as the processor 202, the memory 204, the network interface 206, or the like, for performing the response action(s) determined at block 415. In some embodiments, based on one or more determinations described herein, the apparatus either (i) provides the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and drops the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node or (ii) drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving target candidate network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows an example prioritization workflow 500 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, the workflow 500 is performed by a user equipment (UE). In some embodiments, the UE, such as the apparatus and, more particularly, the processor performs the workflow 500 to prioritize (e.g., drop or provide) uplink transmissions to a current servingnetwork node or a non-serving candidate target network node in instances of uplink transmission overlap.

[0066] In some embodiments, the UE generates, or receives, a first uplink transmission and a second uplink transmission. In some embodiments, the UE determines that the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission overlap (e.g., fully or partially in time) based on the first and second uplink transmissions demonstrating a threshold number of symbol overlaps and / or a threshold time gap. In some embodiments, in response to determining the uplink transmission overlap, the UE identifies a collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission. In some embodiments, the UE determines to drop (e.g., not provide) the first uplink transmission from the overlapped uplink transmissions in response to determining the first uplink transmission is associated with a layer one-, layer two-triggered mobility (LTM) candidate target network node that is not a current serving network node (e.g., for which a timing advance is to be acquired). For example, in response to determining that the first uplink transmission is associated with a non-serving candidate target network node, the UE may drop the first uplink transmission (e.g., a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)-ordered physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission) to the non-serving candidate target network node and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows an example prioritization workflow 600 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, the workflow 600 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE drops (e.g., does not provide) the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is one at least one of (i) a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) / physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), (ii) a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying positive scheduling request (SR), positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI), or (iii) a PRACH transmission.

[0068] FIG. 7 shows an example prioritization workflow 700 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the workflow 700 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE provides the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and drops the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is one at least one of (i) a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying positive SR, positive RI, positive CRI, and / or positive SSBRI, or (ii) a PRACH transmission.

[0069] FIG. 8 shows an example prioritization workflow 800 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8, the workflow 800 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE provides the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and drops the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) the second uplink transmission is a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying positive SR, positive RI, positive CRI, and / or positive SSBRI.

[0070] FIG. 9 shows an example prioritization workflow 900 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the workflow 900 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE only drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is at least one of (i) a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying HARQ-ACK or HARQ-ACK re-transmission, or (ii) a PRACH transmission. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the UE only drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and thesecond uplink transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is a PUSCH / PUCCH transmission carrying HARQ-ACK or HARQ-ACK re-transmission. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the UE only drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is a PRACH transmission.

[0071] FIG. 10 shows an example prioritization workflow 1000 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10, the workflow 1000 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE provides the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and drops the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) that the second uplink transmission is at least one of (i) a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic channel state information (CSI), or (ii) a PUCCH / PUSCH transmission carrying periodic / semi-persistent CSI comprising only a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), and / or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR), or (iii) a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.

[0072] FIG. 11 shows an example prioritization workflow 1100 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11, the workflow 1100 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE drops (e.g., does not provide) the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) the second uplink transmission is a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI.

[0073] FIG. 12 shows an example prioritization workflow 1200 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12, the workflow 1200 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to theworkflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the UE drops (e.g., does not provide) the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that the second transmission is a PUCCH or / and PUSCH with a certain priority index (e.g., greater than a threshold value and / or greater than a priority index of the first uplink transmission). For example, a higher priority index may be configured for uplink transmissions associated with ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) traffic.

[0074] FIG. 13 shows an example prioritization workflow 1300 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 13, the workflow 1300 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node may be given higher priority (e.g., provided by the UE and the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node dropped by the UE) in response to the UE determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) State has been activated and / or indicated for the non-serving candidate target network node (e.g., or cell thereof) associated with the first uplink transmission.

[0075] FIG. 14 shows an example prioritization workflow 1400 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 14, the workflow 1400 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node may be given higher priority (e.g., provided by the UE and the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node dropped by the UE) in response to the UE determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that the downlink synchronization has been maintained for the non-serving candidate target network node (e.g., or cell thereof) associated with the first uplink transmission, which may be indicated in a PRACH preamble, where the first uplink transmission is a PRACH transmission.

[0076] FIG. 15 shows an example prioritization workflow 1500 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 15, the workflow 1500 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PDCCH-ordered PRACH transmission. In some embodiments, a PRACH transmission for the non-serving candidate target network node is prioritized (e.g., provided by the UE and the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node dropped by the UE) in response to the UE determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that the PDCCH order of the PRACH transmission indicates re-transmission, initial transmission, or new transmission.

[0077] FIG. 16 shows an example prioritization workflow 1600 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16, the workflow 1600 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PRACH or a SRS transmission. In some embodiments, the UE drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node in response to the UE determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that a beam failure recovery is recovering at least one primary cell of the current serving network node.

[0078] FIG. 17 shows an example prioritization workflow 1700 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the workflow 1700 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PRACH or a SRS transmission. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node is prioritized (e.g., provided by the UE and the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node dropped by the UE), in response to the UE determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and thesecond transmission, and b) that the beam failure recovery is recovering one or more secondary cells (e.g., and is not recovering a primary cell) of the current serving network node.

[0079] FIG. 18 shows an example prioritization workflow 1800 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 18, the workflow 1800 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PRACH or a SRS transmission. In some embodiments, the UE drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to a) the UE determining an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, and b) the UE having triggered MPE reporting, which may include the UE having triggered a RACH.

[0080] FIG. 19 shows an example prioritization workflow 1900 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 19, the workflow 1900 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PRACH or a SRS transmission, and the second uplink node is a second PRACH transmission. In some embodiments, the UE drops the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and provides the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that the PRACH transmission for the current serving network node is a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission.

[0081] FIG. 20 shows an example prioritization workflow 2000 that may be implemented by an apparatus in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 20, the workflow 2000 is performed by a user equipment (UE), which may be configured to perform operations similar to the UE described with respect to the workflow 500 shown in FIG. 5 and described herein. In some embodiments, the first uplink transmission is a PRACH or a SRS transmission. In some embodiments, the UE provides the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node and drops the second uplinktransmission to the current serving network node in response to determining a) an overlap between the first uplink transmission and the second transmission, and b) that beam failure recovery is recovering one transmission / response point (TRP) of the current serving network node (e.g., one failed TRP with at least one other TRP at the current serving network node for which is the link is still available).

[0082] In various embodiments, the method, apparatus and computer program product of the present disclosure are provided for prioritizing uplink transmissions to current serving network nodes or non-serving target candidate network nodes. The method, apparatus, and computer program product provide improved solutions for resolving uplink transmission collision at user equipment. In various embodiments, the method, apparatus, and computer program product provide prioritization rules and processes for determining whether to transmit (or drop) an uplink transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node or transmit (or drop) an uplink transmission to a current serving network node in instances of uplink transmission overlap. In various embodiments, the method, apparatus, and computer program product improve telecommunication services by overcoming technical challenges associated with uplink transmission overlap, including, but not limited to, avoiding incurring retransmissions, accounting for beam failure recoveries in prioritizing uplink transmissions, supporting priority-based transmission (or drop) of overlapping uplink transmissions, each of which may reduce delays and / or disruptions incurred in telecommunication services.

[0083] It will be understood that each block of the flowcharts and combination of blocks in the flowcharts show in the figures and described herein may be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, processor, circuitry, and / or communication devices associated with execution of software including one or more program instructions. For example, one or more of the procedures or operations described above may be embodied by computer program instructions. In this regard, the computer program instructions which embody the procedures or operations described above may be stored by a memory 204 of an apparatus (e.g., user equipment (UH)) employing a disclosed embodiment and executed by a processor 202. As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus (for example, hardware) to produce a machine, such that the resulting computer or other programmable apparatus implements the functions specified in the flowchart blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that may directa computer or other programmable apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture the execution of which implements the function specified the flowchart blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus to cause a series of operations to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide operations for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks.

[0084] Many modifications and other embodiments of the present disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these embodiments pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and / or functions can be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and / or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as can be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method comprising: obtaining first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment; obtaining second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment; determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; and performing a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission comprises identifying at least one of: a threshold number of symbol overlaps between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; or a threshold time gap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK); a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI- RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI); or a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission; andthe response action comprises: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PRACH transmission; and the response action comprises: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

5. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK; and the response action comprises: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

6. The method of claim 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; and the response action comprises: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; andproviding the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, wherein the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi- persistent CSI comprises at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR); or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; and the response action comprises: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

8. The method of claim 2 or 7, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; and the response action comprises: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of a PUCCH transmission or a PUSCH transmission; the method further comprises determining at least one of (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold; andthe response action comprises, in response to the determination: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining the user equipment is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the non-serving candidate target network node, wherein the response action comprises, in response to the determination: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the non-serving candidate target network node and the user equipment, wherein the response action comprises, in response to the determination: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

12. The method of claims 1-11, wherein the first uplink transmission for transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node comprises a PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order; the method further comprises determining that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a re-transmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission; and the response action comprises, in response to the determination: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; andproviding the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the method further comprises: determining at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the method further comprises: determining (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein:the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the method further comprises: determining the user equipment has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the method further comprises: determining the second PRACH transmission comprises a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein:The first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the method further comprisesdetermining (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current serving network node comprises at least one additional TRP with an available link; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

19. The method of 2, further comprising: determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission, wherein the PHR reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

20. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, the second uplink transmission comprises a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ- ACK) re-transmission; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

21. The method of claims 1-21, wherein (i) the non-serving candidate target network node is a non-serving candidate target cell, and (ii) the current serving network node is a current serving cell.

22. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: obtain first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment; obtain second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment; determine a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; and perform a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to determine the transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to identify at least one of: a threshold number of symbol overlaps between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; or a threshold time gap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK); a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI); or a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 or 24, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, 24, 25, or 26, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, wherein the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi- persistent CSI comprises at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR); or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 or 28, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to, in performance of the response action: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; andprovide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of a PUCCH transmission or a PUSCH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine at least one of (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine the user equipment is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the non-serving candidate target network node, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:determine presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the non-serving candidate target network node and the user equipment, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

33. The apparatus of claims 22-32, wherein the first uplink transmission for transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node comprises a PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a re-transmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

35. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:determine at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

36. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

37. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:determine the user equipment has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

38. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine the second PRACH transmission comprises a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

39. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current servingnetwork node comprises at least one additional TRP with an available link, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

40. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission, wherein the PHR reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic, wherein in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

41. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, the second uplink transmission comprises a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) retransmission, wherein in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

42. The apparatus of claims 22-41, wherein (i) the non-serving candidate target network node is a non-serving candidate target cell, and (ii) the current serving network node is a current serving cell.

43. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions configured to: obtain first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment; obtain second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment; determine a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; and perform a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein, to determine the transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission, the program code instructions are further configured to identify at least one of: a threshold number of symbol overlaps between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; or a threshold time gap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of:a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK); a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI- RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI); or a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

46. The computer program product of claim 44 or 45, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

47. The computer program product of claim 44 or 45, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK; andthe program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

48. The computer program product of claim 44, 45, 46, or 47, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; and the program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

49. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, wherein the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi- persistent CSI comprises at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR); or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

50. The computer program product of claim 44 or 49, wherein:the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; and the program code instructions are further configured to, in performance of the response action: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

51. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of a PUCCH transmission or a PUSCH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine at least one of (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the instructions cause the apparatus to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

52. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the program code instructions are further configured to: determine the user equipment is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the non-serving candidate target network node, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

53. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the program code instructions are further configured to: determine presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the non-serving candidate target network node and the user equipment, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

54. The computer program product of claims 43-52, wherein the first uplink transmission for transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node comprises a PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.

55. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a re-transmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

56. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission;the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

57. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

58. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to:determine the user equipment has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

59. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine the second PRACH transmission comprises a contention-based random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission, wherein, in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

60. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the program code instructions are further configured to: determine (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current serving network node comprises at least one additional TRP with an available link, wherein, inresponse to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and provide the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

61. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the program code instructions are further configured to: determine, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission, wherein the PHR reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic, wherein in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

62. The computer program product of claim 44, wherein the program code instructions are further configured to: determine, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, the second uplink transmission comprises a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) retransmission, wherein in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the program code instructions are further configured to: drop the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and provide the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

63. The computer program product of claims 43-62, wherein (i) the non-serving candidate target network node is a non-serving candidate target cell, and (ii) the current serving network node is a current serving cell.

64. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising: means for obtaining first uplink transmission data indicative of a first uplink transmission for transmission to a non-serving candidate target network node via user equipment; means for obtaining second uplink transmission data indicative of a second uplink transmission for transmission to a current serving network node via the user equipment; means for determining a transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; and means for performing a response action respective to the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the transmission collision.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein determining the transmission collision between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission comprises identifying at least one of: a threshold number of symbol overlaps between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data; or a threshold time gap between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission based at least in part on the first uplink transmission data and the second uplink transmission data.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission carrying a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK);a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive scheduling request (SR), a positive rank indicator (RI), a positive channel state information reference signal (CSI- RS) resource indicator (CRI), or a positive synchronization signal block rank indicator (SSBRI); or a physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission; and the means for performing a response action comprise: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 or 66, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PRACH transmission; and the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

68. The apparatus of claim 65 or 66, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; or a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a HARQ-ACK; and the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; andmeans for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

69. The apparatus of claim 65, 66, 67, or 68, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH or PUCCH transmission carrying a positive SR, a positive RI, a positive CRI, or a positive SSBRI; and the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

70. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of: a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission carrying at least one of periodic channel state information (CSI) or semi-CSI, wherein the at least one of the periodic CSI or the semi- persistent CSI comprises at least one of a channel quality indicator (CQI), a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), a layer one reference signal received power (Ll-RSRP), or a layer one signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (Ll-SINR); or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; and the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

71. The apparatus of claim 65 or 70, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises a PUSCH transmission carrying aperiodic CSI; and the means for performing the response action comprise:means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

72. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the second uplink transmission comprises at least one of a PUCCH transmission or a PUSCH transmission; the apparatus further comprises means for determining at least one of (i) that a priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a priority index of the first uplink transmission, or (ii) that the priority index of the second uplink transmission exceeds a predetermined threshold; and the means for performing the response action comprise, in response to the determination: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

73. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the apparatus further comprises: means for determining the user equipment is provided with an active or indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for the non-serving candidate target network node, wherein the means for performing the response action comprise, in response to the determination: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

74. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the apparatus further comprises:means for determining presence of a downlink timing synchronization between the nonserving candidate target network node and the user equipment, wherein the means for performing the response action comprise, in response to the determination: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

75. The apparatus of claims 64-74, wherein the first uplink transmission for transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node comprises a PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.

76. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a PRACH transmission triggered by a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order; the apparatus further comprises means for determining that the PDCCH order indicates at least one of a re-transmission, an initial transmission, or a new transmission; and the means for performing the response action comprise, in response to the determination: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

77. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first physical random-access channel (PRACH) transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the apparatus further comprises: means for determining at least one primary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery; andin response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

78. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the apparatus further comprises: means for determining (i) at least one secondary cell of the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery, and (ii) no primary cells of the current serving network node are undergoing beam failure recovery; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; and means for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

79. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the apparatus further comprises: means for determining the user equipment has triggered maximum permissible exposure (MPE) reporting; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise:means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

80. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the apparatus further comprises: means for determining the second PRACH transmission comprises a contentionbased random access (CBRA)-based beam failure recovery or a contention-free random access (CFRA) transmission; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

81. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein: the first uplink transmission comprises a first PRACH transmission or a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission; the second uplink transmission comprises a second PRACH transmission; and the apparatus further comprises: means for determining (i) the current serving network node is undergoing beam failure recovery for at least one transmission / response point (TRP), and (ii) the current serving network node comprises at least one additional TRP with an available link; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action: means for dropping the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node; andmeans for providing the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node.

82. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the apparatus further comprises: means for determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, a power headroom report (PHR) reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission, wherein the PHR reporting type associated with the second uplink transmission is aperiodic; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

83. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the apparatus further comprises: means for determining, based at least in part on the second uplink transmission data, the second uplink transmission comprises a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) re-transmission; and in response to the determination and in performance of the response action, the means for performing the response action comprise: means for dropping the first uplink transmission to the non-serving candidate target network node; and means for providing the second uplink transmission to the current serving network node.

84. The apparatus of claims 64-83, wherein (i) the non-serving candidate target network node is a non-serving candidate target cell, and (ii) the current serving network node is a current serving cell.

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