User Equipment and Scheduling Node

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a user equipment (UE) and a scheduling node, as well as a corresponding method, in particular, downlink control information (DCI) signaling carrying a TCI indicator specifying that two or more Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states are configured, and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each time domain resource being associated with one of the two or more TCI states, and a transceiver receiving or transmitting data, for each of the two or more TCI states, on the time domain resources associated with the respective TCI state during operation.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to transmitting and receiving signals in a communication system, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for such transmission and reception. [Background technology]

[0002] The 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) is working on technical specifications for next-generation cellular technology, also known as the fifth generation, including the New Radio (NR) radio access technology (RAT) operating in the frequency range up to 100 GHz. NR is the successor to the technologies represented by LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A).

[0003] For systems such as LTE, LTE-A, and NR, further improvements and options may be made to facilitate efficient operation of the communication system as well as particular devices associated with the system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment facilitates efficient utilization of resources including efficient signaling of time domain resources for multiple transmission / reception points (TRPs), i.e., multiple Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states.

[0005] In an embodiment, the technology disclosed herein features a user equipment (UE) including: a transceiver that receives downlink control information (DCI) signaling during operation; and a processor that obtains, from the DCI signaling during operation, a TCI indicator that specifies that two or more TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) states are set, and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and associations of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states, and wherein the transceiver receives or transmits data on the time domain resources associated with each of the two or more TCI states during operation.

[0006] It should be noted that the entire or specific embodiments may be realized as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, a storage medium, or any combination thereof.

[0007] Further benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Benefits and / or advantages may be obtained individually from various embodiments and features of the specification and drawings, which need not all be provided to obtain one or more of such benefits and / or advantages. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] In the following, exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example architecture of a 3GPP NR system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example user and control plane architecture for LTE eNB, gNB, and UE. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the division of functions between NG-RAN and 5GC. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram for an RRC connection setup / reconfiguration procedure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating usage scenarios of eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband), mMTC (massive Machine Type Communications) and URLLC (Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications). [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example 5G system architecture. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a user equipment (UE) and a scheduling node (base station) communicating over a channel. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a processing circuit portion of a user equipment (UE). [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a processing circuit portion of a base station. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a method performed in a UE. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fifth specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sixth specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a seventh specific example of time domain resources for multiple TRPs. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method performed in a UE and a base station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] 5G NR system architecture and protocol stack 3GPP has been working on the next release of fifth-generation cellular technology, simply called 5G, including the development of New Radio Access Technology (NR), which will operate in frequencies up to the 100 GHz range. The first version of the 5G standard was completed at the end of 2017, allowing for the advancement of trials and commercialization of smartphones compliant with the 5G NR standard.

[0010] In particular, the overall system architecture assumes a Next Generation-Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) including gNBs, which provide NG radio access user plane (SDAP / PDCP / RLC / MAC / PHY) and control plane (RRC) protocol termination for UEs. The gNBs are interconnected with each other by an Xn interface. The gNBs are also connected to a Next Generation Core (NGC) by a Next Generation (NG) interface, more specifically to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (e.g., a specific core entity that runs the AMF) by an NG-C interface, and to a User Plane Function (UPF) (e.g., a specific core entity that runs the UPF) by an NG-U interface. The NG-RAN architecture is shown in Figure 1 (see, e.g., 3GPP TS 38.300 v15.6.0, section 4).

[0011] Various different deployment scenarios can be supported (see, for example, 3GPP TR 38.801 v14.0.0, etc.). For example, a decentralized deployment scenario (see, for example, section 5.2 of TR 38.801; a centralized deployment is shown in section 5.4) is presented therein, in which base stations supporting 5G NR can be deployed. Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary decentralized deployment scenario (see, for example, Figure 5.2-1 of TR 38.801), further illustrating an LTE eNB and user equipment (UE) connected to both the gNB and the LTE eNB. The new eNB for NR 5G can illustratively be referred to as a gNB. The eLTE eNB is an evolved version of the eNB that supports connectivity with the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and Next Generation Core (NGC).

[0012] The user plane protocol stack for NR (see, for example, 3GPP TS 38.300, section 4.4.1) includes the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP, see section 6.4 of TS 38.300), Radio Link Control (RLC, see section 6.3 of TS 38.300), and Medium Access Control (MAC, see section 6.2 of TS 38.300) sublayers, which are terminated at the gNB on the network side. Furthermore, a new Access Stratum (AS) sublayer (Service Data Adaptation Protocol, SDAP) is introduced on top of PDCP (see, for example, sub-clause 6.5 of 3GPP TS 38.300). A control plane protocol stack is also defined for NR (see, for example, TS 38.300, section 4.4.2). An overview of Layer 2 functions is given in sub-clause 6 of TS 38.300. The functions of the PDCP, RLC and MAC sublayers are listed in sections 6.4, 6.3 and 6.2 of TS 38.300, respectively. The functions of the RRC layer are listed in sub-clause 7 of TS 38.300.

[0013] For example, the MAC layer handles logical channel multiplexing and scheduling and scheduling-related functions, including handling different numerologies.

[0014] The physical layer (PHY) is responsible for, for example, coding, PHY HARQ processing, modulation, multi-antenna processing, and mapping of signals to appropriate physical time-frequency resources. It also handles the mapping of transport channels to physical channels. The physical layer provides services to the MAC layer in the form of transport channels. A physical channel corresponds to a set of time-frequency resources used for the transmission of a particular transport channel, and each transport channel is mapped to a corresponding physical channel. For example, one physical channel is the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) used for random access.

[0015] Use cases / deployment scenarios for NR may include enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC), and massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), which have diverse requirements regarding data rates, latency, and coverage. For example, eMBB is expected to support peak data rates (20 Gbps in the downlink and 10 Gbps in the uplink) and user-experienced data rates on the order of three times those offered by IMT-Advanced. On the other hand, in the case of URLLC, tighter requirements are placed on ultra-low latency (0.5 ms for user plane latency on UL and DL, respectively) and high reliability (1-10 ms latency within 1 ms). -5 Finally, mMTC is preferably imposed on high connection densities (over 1,000,000 devices / km in urban environments). 2 ), large coverage in harsh environments, and extremely long battery life (15 years) for low-cost devices.

[0016] Therefore, OFDM numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing, OFDM symbol duration, cyclic prefix (CP) duration, number of symbols per scheduling interval, etc.) suitable for one use case may not work well for another use case. For example, low-latency services may preferably require a shorter symbol duration (and larger subcarrier spacing) and / or fewer symbols per scheduling interval (a.k.a., TTI) than mMTC services. Furthermore, deployment scenarios with large channel delay spreads may preferably require a longer CP duration than scenarios with short delay spreads. Subcarrier spacing should be optimized accordingly to maintain similar CP overhead. NR may support multiple values ​​of subcarrier spacing. Correspondingly, subcarrier spacings of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, etc. are currently being considered. The symbol duration Tu and subcarrier spacing Δf are directly related through the equation Δf = 1 / Tu. Similar to LTE systems, the term "resource element" can be used to denote the smallest resource unit consisting of one subcarrier for the length of one OFDM / SC-FDMA symbol.

[0017] In the new radio system 5G-NR for each numerology and carrier, a resource grid of subcarriers and OFDM symbols is defined for each uplink and downlink. Each element in the resource grid is called a resource element and is identified based on a frequency index in the frequency domain and a symbol position in the time domain (see 3GPP TS 38.211 v15.6.0).

[0018] 5G NR function split between NG-RAN and 5GC

[0019] Figure 3 shows the functional division between NG-RAN and 5GC. The NG-RAN logical node is the gNB or ng-eNB. The 5GC has logical nodes AMF, UPF, and SMF.

[0020] In particular, the gNB and ng-eNB provide the following key functions: Radio resource management functions, such as radio bearer control, radio admission control, connection mobility control, and dynamic resource allocation (scheduling) to UEs in both uplink and downlink. -IP header compression, encryption and integrity protection of data - AMF selection at UE attachment when routing to AMF cannot be determined from information provided by the UE - Routing of user plane data to UPF -Routing of control plane information to AMF -Connection setup and release - Scheduling and sending paging messages Scheduling and transmission of system broadcast information (originating from AMF or OAM) - Measurement and measurement report configuration for mobility and scheduling -Transport level packet marking in the uplink -Session management -Network slicing support -QoS flow management and mapping to data radio bearers Support for UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state -NAS message delivery function -Radio Access Network Sharing -Dual Connectivity - Close cooperation between NR and E-UTRA

[0021] AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) provides the following main functions: - NAS (Non-Access Stratum) signaling termination -NAS signaling security -AS (Access Stratum) security control - Core Network (CN) inter-node signaling for mobility between 3GPP access networks Idle mode UE reachability (including control and execution of paging retransmissions) -Registration area management - Support for intra-system and inter-system mobility -Access authentication -Access authentication, including roaming rights checks -Mobility management controls (subscriptions and policies) -Network slicing support -SMF (Session Management Function) selection Furthermore, the UPF (User Plane Function) provides the following main functions: -Anchor points for intra-RAT / inter-RAT mobility (when applicable) -External PDU session points for interconnection with data networks -Packet routing and forwarding -User plane part of packet inspection and policy rule enforcement -Traffic usage reports - an uplink classifier to support routing of traffic flows to the data network; - Branching points to support multi-homed PDU sessions - User plane QoS handling, including packet filtering, gating, and UL / DL rate enforcement -Uplink traffic validation (SDF to QoS flow mapping) -Downlink packet buffering and downlink data notification triggering Finally, the SMF (Session Management Function) provides the following main functions: -Session management -UE IP address allocation and management -UP function selection and control - Traffic steering configuration in the UPF (User Plane Function) to route traffic to the correct destination -Policy enforcement and QoS control parts -Downlink data notification

[0022] RRC connection establishment and re-establishment procedures

[0023] Figure 4 shows some interactions between the UE, gNB and AMF (5GC entities) in the context of the UE's transition from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED for the NAS part (see TS 38.300 v15.6.0).

[0024] RRC is a higher layer signaling (protocol) used to configure the UE and the gNB. In particular, this transition involves the AMF preparing UE context data (including, for example, PDU session context, security keys, UE radio capabilities, UE security capabilities, etc.) and sending it to the gNB via an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST. Next, the gNB activates AS security with the UE, which is performed by the gNB sending a SecurityModeCommand message to the UE, and the UE responding with a SecurityModeComplete message to the gNB. The gNB then performs reconfiguration to set up signaling radio bearer 2 (SRB2) and data radio bearer (DRB) by sending an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE, and the gNB receiving an RRCReconfigurationComplete from the UE in response. For a signaling-only connection, steps related to RRCReconfiguration are omitted because SRB2 and DRB are not configured. Finally, the gNB notifies the AMF by an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE that the configuration procedure is complete.

[0025] Thus, the present disclosure provides a 5th Generation Core (5GC) entity (e.g., AMF, SMF, etc.) that includes: a control circuit that, during operation, establishes a Next Generation (NG) connection with a gNodeB (or gNB); and a transmitter that, during operation, transmits an initial context setup message to the gNodeB via the NG connection, which causes a signaling radio bearer configuration between the gNodeB and a user equipment (UE). In particular, the gNodeB transmits Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, including a resource allocation configuration information element, to the UE via the signaling radio bearer. The UE then performs uplink transmission or downlink reception based on the resource allocation configuration.

[0026] IMT usage scenarios from 2020 onwards

[0027] Figure 5 shows some use cases for 5G NR. 3GPP NR (3rd Generation Partnership Project New Radio) is considering three use cases that are expected to support a wide range of services and applications with IMT-2020. Phase 1 specifications for eMBB have been finalized. In addition to further extending support for eMBB, current and future work involves standardizing URLLC and mMTC. Figure 5 shows some specific examples of envisioned ideal scenarios for IMT beyond 2020.

[0028] URLLC use cases have stringent requirements for capabilities such as throughput, latency, and availability, and are envisioned as one of the enablers for future vertical applications, such as wireless control of industrial manufacturing and production processes, remote medical surgery, power distribution automation in smart grids, and transportation safety. URLLC's ultra-high reliability is supported by identifying technologies to meet the requirements set by TR 38.913. Key requirements for NR URLLC in Release 15 include target user-plane delays of 0.5 ms for the uplink (UL) and 0.5 ms for the downlink (DL). The overall URLLC requirement for a single packet transmission is a block error rate (BLER) of 1E-5 for a 32-byte packet size with a 1-ms user-plane delay.

[0029] From the RAN1 perspective, reliability can be improved in several possible ways. Current scope for improving reliability relates to defining separate CQI tables for URLLC, more compact DCI formats, PDCCH repetition, etc. However, this scope can be expanded to achieve ultra-reliability as NR becomes more stable and developed (a key requirement for NR URLLC). Specific use cases for NR URLLC in Rel. 15 include Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR / VR), e-health, e-safety, and mission-critical applications.

[0030] Furthermore, technology enhancements targeted by NR URLLC target latency improvement and reliability enhancement. Technology enhancements for latency improvement include configurable numerology, non-slot-based scheduling with flexible mapping, grant-free (configured grant) uplink, slot-level repetition of data channels, and downlink preemption. Preemption means that a transmission for which resources have already been allocated is aborted and the already allocated resources are used for another transmission requested later but with lower latency / higher priority requirements. Thus, an already granted transmission is preempted by a subsequent transmission. Preemption is applicable regardless of the specific service type. For example, a transmission of service type A (URLLC) may be preempted by a transmission of service type B (e.g., eMBB). Technology enhancements for reliability improvement include dedicated CQI / MCS tables for a target BLER of 1E-5.

[0031] The mMTC use case is characterized by a very large number of connected devices transmitting relatively small amounts of data, which are typically latency sensitive. The devices are required to be low cost and have extremely long battery life. From an NR perspective, utilizing very narrow bandwidth portions is one possible solution to have power savings from the UE perspective and enable long battery life.

[0032] As mentioned above, it is expected that the reliability range in NR will be wider. One key requirement for all cases, especially for URLLC and mMTC, is high or ultra-high reliability. Several mechanisms can be considered to improve reliability from a radio perspective and a network perspective. In general, there are several key areas that may help improve reliability. Among these areas are compact control channel information, data channel / control channel repetition, and diversity in terms of frequency, time, and / or space domains. These areas are generally applicable to reliability, regardless of the specific communication scenario.

[0033] For NR URLLC, further use cases with more stringent requirements have been identified, such as factory automation, transportation industry, and power distribution, including power distribution. The more stringent requirements include higher reliability (10 -6 level), higher availability, packet sizes up to 256 bytes, and time synchronization down to the order of a few microseconds, which can be on the order of 1 or a few microseconds depending on the frequency range and low latency, on the order of 0.5-1 ms, with a target user plane latency of 0.5 ms depending on the use case in particular.

[0034] Furthermore, several technology enhancements from the RAN1 perspective are specified for NR URLLC. Among these are PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) enhancements related to compact DCI, PDCCH repetition, and increased PDCCH monitoring. Also, UCI (Uplink Control Information) enhancements are related to enhanced Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) and CSI feedback enhancements. Also, PUSCH enhancements related to minislot-level hopping and retransmission / repetition enhancements are specified. The term "minislot" refers to a transmission time interval (TTI) containing fewer symbols than a slot (a slot consisting of 14 or 12 symbols).

[0035] In slot-based scheduling or allocation, a slot corresponds to the timing granularity (TTI: Transmission Time Interval) for the scheduling assignment. Generally, the TTI determines the timing granularity for the scheduling assignment. One TTI is the time interval in which a given signal is mapped to the physical layer. For example, conventionally, the TTI length varies from 14 symbols (slot-based scheduling) to 2 symbols (non-slot-based scheduling). Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions are specified to be organized into frames (10 ms duration) consisting of 10 subframes (1 ms duration). In slot-based transmission, the subframes are further divided into slots, the number of slots being determined by the numerology / subcarrier spacing. Specified values ​​range between 10 slots per frame (1 slot per subframe) for a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz and 80 slots per frame (8 slots per subframe) for a subcarrier spacing of 120 kHz. The number of OFDM symbols per slot is 14 for the normal cyclic prefix and 12 for the extended cyclic prefix (see sections 4.1 (general frame structure), 4.2 (Numerologies), 4.3.1 (frames and subframes), and 4.3.2 (slots) of 3GPP TS 38.211 V15.3.0, Physical channels and modulation, 2018-09). However, the allocation of time resources for transmission may also be non-slot-based. In particular, the TTI in non-slot-based allocation may correspond to a minislot instead of a slot. That is, one or more minislots may be allocated to a requested transmission of data / control signaling. In non-slot-based allocation, the minimum length of a TTI may be, for example, one or two OFDM symbols.

[0036] [QoS Control] The 5G Quality of Service (QoS) model is based on QoS flows and supports both QoS flows that require a guaranteed flow bit rate (GBR QoS flows) and QoS flows that do not require a guaranteed flow bit rate (non-GBR QoS flows). Therefore, at the NAS level, QoS flows are the finest granularity of QoS differentiation in a PDU session. QoS flows are identified within a PDU session by a QoS Flow ID (QFI) carried in the encapsulation header over the NG-U interface.

[0037] For each UE, the 5GC establishes one or more PDU sessions. For each UE, the NG-RAN establishes at least one Data Radio Bearer (DRB) along with the PDU session, and additional DRBs for the QoS flows of that PDU session can be configured later (when this is up to the NG-RAN), e.g., as described above with reference to FIG. 4. The NG-RAN maps packets belonging to different PDU sessions to different DRBs. NAS-level packet filters in the UE and the 5GC associate UL and DL packets with QoS flows, and AS-level mapping rules in the UE and the NG-RAN associate UL and DL QoS flows with DRBs.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows the 5G NR non-roaming reference architecture (see TS 23.501 v16.1.1, section 4.23). Application functions (AFs), such as external application servers providing 5G services exemplarily described in FIG. 5, interact with the 3GPP core network to provide services, e.g., to support application influence on traffic routing, access to the Network Exposure Function (NEF), or interaction with policy control (e.g., QoS control) (see Policy Control Function (PCF)). Based on the operator's deployment, application functions deemed trusted by the operator may be allowed to interact directly with the relevant network functions. Application functions not permitted by the operator to directly access network functions interact with the relevant network functions using an external exposure framework via the NEF.

[0039] Figure 6 further shows the functional units of the 5G architecture, namely, NSSF (Network Slice Selection Function), NRF (Network Repository Function), UDM (Unified Data Management), AUSF (Authentication Server Function), AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function), SMF (Session Management Function) and DN (Data Network) such as operator services, internet access or third party services.

[0040] A terminal, user terminal, or user device is referred to as user equipment (UE) in LTE and NR. This may be a mobile device or communication device such as a wireless telephone, smartphone, tablet computer, or Universal Serial Bus (USB) stick with user equipment functionality. However, the term mobile device is not limited thereto, and in general, a relay may also have the functionality of such a mobile device, or a mobile device may function as a relay.

[0041] A base station is, for example, a network node that forms part of a network for providing services to terminals. A base station is a network node or scheduling node that provides radio connectivity to terminals. Communication between terminals and base stations is typically standardized. In LTE and NR, the radio interface protocol stack includes a physical layer, a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and higher layers. In the control plane, an upper layer protocol, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol, is provided. Through RRC, the base station can control the configuration of terminals, and terminals may communicate with the base station to perform control tasks such as connection and bearer establishment and modification, measurements, and other functions. The term used in LTE is eNB (or eNodeB), while the term currently used for 5G NR is gNB.

[0042] A service for the transfer of data provided by one layer to a higher layer is usually called a channel. For example, LTE and NR distinguish between logical channels provided by the MAC layer for higher layers, transport channels provided by the physical layer to the MAC layer, and physical channels that define a mapping on physical resources.

[0043] Logical channels are the various data transfer services provided by the MAC. Each logical channel type is defined by the type of data that is transferred. Logical channels are divided into two groups: control channels and traffic channels. Control channels are used to transfer control plane information only. Traffic channels are used to transfer user plane information only.

[0044] Logical channels are mapped to transport channels by the MAC layer, for example logical traffic channels and some logical control channels may be mapped in the downlink to a transport channel referred to as a Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) and in the uplink to a transport channel referred to as an Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH).

[0045] Downlink control channel monitoring, PDCCH, DCI Many of the functions operated by the UE include monitoring a downlink control channel (e.g., PDCCH, see 3GPP TS 38.300 v15.6.0, section 5.2.3) to receive, for example, specific control information or data intended for the UE.

[0046] As mentioned above, PDCCH monitoring is performed by a UE to identify and receive information destined for the UE, such as user traffic (e.g., DCI on the PDCCH and user data on the PDSCH signaled by the PDCCH) as well as control information.

[0047] Control information in the downlink (which can be called downlink control information DCI) has the same purpose in 5G NR as DCI in LTE, i.e., it is a special set of control information that schedules, for example, a downlink data channel (e.g., PDSCH) or an uplink data channel (e.g., PUSCH). In 5G NR, there are several different DCI formats already specified (see TS 38.212 v15.6.0 section 7.3.1).

[0048] The PDCCH monitoring for each of these functions serves a specific purpose and is therefore initiated to completion. PDCCH monitoring is typically controlled at least based on a timer operated by the UE. The timer has the purpose of controlling PDCCH monitoring, for example, limiting the maximum time that the UE monitors the PDCCH. For example, the UE does not need to monitor the PDCCH indefinitely and may stop monitoring after a certain time so that power can be saved.

[0049] As mentioned above, one of the purposes of the DCI on the PDCCH is dynamic scheduling of resources in the downlink, uplink, or sidelink. In particular, several formats of the DCI are provided to carry notification of resources allocated to a data channel for a particular user (resource allocation RA). The resource allocation may include specifying resources in the frequency domain and / or the time domain.

[0050] Resource Allocation In the time domain, for example, as specified in Release 15 (NR), scheduling timing (e.g., for the scheduling of resources described above) may be signaled in the DCI by using a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) table. In particular, the UE may be signaled allocated resources in the time domain by signaling one entry (row) of the TDRA table in the DCI, for example, by signaling the entry (row) index. The term table is used here as a logical term because TDRA entries are summarized as tables in the standard specifications for NR.

[0051] Repetition on PDSCH and PUSCH Transmission in NR may include spontaneous repetition of data (i.e., without being triggered by (H)ARQ). In such cases, the same data (e.g., a transport block) is transmitted N times, where N is an integer greater than 1. The number of repetitions may be configurable.

[0052] Multiple Transmission / Reception Points (TRP) The physical layer in NR may provide multi-antenna operation, such as multiple input multiple output (MIMO), which may include the use of multiple transmit / receive points (multiple TRPs). For example, a user equipment may receive data from multiple TRPs (transmit / receive points), which may be controlled by the same or different network nodes. The terms multipoint transmission or coordinated multipoint transmission (CoMP) may also be used for multi-TRP communication or transmission.

[0053] The techniques described in this disclosure are not limited to a particular arrangement of TRPs or a particular relationship between TRPs and gNBs. Thus, for example, multi-TRP operation may be performed by a gNB having different antenna panels or radio heads corresponding to the TRPs and different radio frequency units operating with each antenna.

[0054] Furthermore, in a multi-TRP system, several options are available for the location of the TRPs, and the distance between two TRPs may vary. For example, the TRPs may be close together so that a UE receives signals from these TRPs from a similar angle. However, the TRPs may also be located at a considerable distance from each other, for example, at remote locations in a network cell. A UE served by two TRPs may transmit and receive signaling to and from each TRP on uncorrelated channels. Therefore, the gain of channel diversity may be optimally utilized.

[0055] For example, multi-TRPs may be classified into two high-level categories, i.e., the distinction between the categories may be made with respect to the backhaul type of the backhaul link between two given TRPs.

[0056] On the other hand, an ideal backhaul is one with very high throughput and very low latency, e.g., a dedicated point-to-point connection using optical fiber. An ideal backhaul is assumed to enable communication between TRPs with approximately or near 0 millisecond latency (e.g., for LTE-A, technical report 3GPP TR 36.932 V15.0.0 (2018-06) mentions a one-way latency of less than 2.5 μs in section 6.1.3, but does not include propagation delay in the fiber / cable).

[0057] On the other hand, a non-ideal backhaul is a backhaul such as DSL, microwave, relay, or other backhaul, which may include a finite (one-way) delay, for example in the range of 2 ms or 5 ms, for communication between two given TRPs.

[0058] Apart from the classification into ideal and non-ideal backhaul, a further classification in multi-TRP MIMO technologies may be made with regard to how the (central) baseband unit is shared between the TRPs.

[0059] For example, two given TRPs may share the same baseband unit while having different RF (Radio Frequency) units for each. In this case, the links between the RF units and the baseband units may be ideal or non-ideal. Alternatively, there may be both a different (central) baseband unit and a different RF unit for each TRP. In this case, the links between the different baseband units as well as the respective links between the baseband units and the RF units may be ideal or non-ideal.

[0060] The present invention relates to time domain resource allocation for transmissions (in particular PDSCH repetitions) from multiple TRPs. In general, PDSCH repetitions from multiple TRPs may be scheduled using a single DCI-based scheduling from one of the TRPs.

[0061] An example of such PDSCH repetitions is shown in Figure 11. As can be seen, a single DCI (PDCCH) from TRP1 schedules five PDSCH repetitions. More specifically, three PDSCH repetitions are scheduled from TRP1 (i.e., the first, second, and fourth repetitions) and two are scheduled from TRP2 (i.e., the third and fifth repetitions). Both inter-slot and intra-slot repetitions are supported, and ideal backhaul between multiple TRPs is considered.

[0062] Note that each TRP can be associated with a separate TCI state, and that TCI state and TRP can be used interchangeably. In particular, hereinafter, TCI state 1 may be referred to as TRP1, TCI state 2 may be referred to as TRP2, and so on.

[0063] However, when multiple TRPs are scheduled, there are some problems in scheduling and associating the repetitions. More specifically, to schedule PDSCH repetitions from multiple TRPs with a single DCI from one of the TRPs, the following are open problems for time domain resource allocation:

[0064] First, the UE needs to be informed which repetitions are associated with which TRPs. For example, the UE in Figure 12 needs to know that TRP1 transmits the first, second, and fourth repetitions, while TRP2 transmits the third and fifth repetitions.

[0065] Second, the time domain resources for each repetition need to be signaled to the UE, e.g., the UE in Figure 12 needs to know the start symbol, slot and length of each of the five repetitions.

[0066] Third, the number of transmissions to be scheduled from each TRP and the combined total number of transmissions from all TRPs needs to be notified to the UE. For example, the UE in Figure 12 needs to know that the total number of scheduled transmissions is 5, where 3 are from TRP1 and 2 are from TRP2.

[0067] In general, semi-static or dynamic notification to the UE regarding the association of a recurrence to one of the TRPs is possible. For semi-static association, the pattern regarding which recurrence is associated with which TRP may be fixed. However, such an approach does not provide sufficient flexibility to adapt the association depending on the availability of TRPs and / or corresponding time domain resources.

[0068] Dynamic association may be signaled by DCI, however, if explicit indication in the form of a bitmap is used, the size of the bitmap may increase proportionally with the increase in the number of repetitions and / or TRPs.

[0069] An exemplary UE according to one embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. According to this embodiment, a user equipment (UE) 760 is provided that includes a transceiver 770. The transceiver 770 receives downlink control signal (DCI) signaling during operation. The UE may further include a processor (or processing circuit) 780 that obtains, from the DCI signaling during operation, a Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) indicator that specifies that two or more TCI states are configured. Furthermore, the processor 780 may obtain, during operation, a notification indicating time domain resources for transmission and association of time domain resources that include the two or more TCI states. Effectively, each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states. The transceiver may further receive or transmit data on the time domain resources associated with each TCI state for each of the two or more TCI states during operation.

[0070] The circuitry 780 may implement more functionality than the time domain resource determination described above for transmission / reception using multiple TRPs. Thus, the circuitry 780 may be considered to include a time domain resource determination circuitry 785 configured to perform time domain resource determination. Such configuration may be provided by hardware adaptation and / or software.

[0071] 8 shows a functional configuration of the time domain resource determination circuit 785. In particular, the time domain resource determination circuit 785 includes a PDCCH processing circuit 870 that obtains a TCI indicator from the DCI and an indication indicating the time domain resources for transmission, along with an association between each TCI state and the time domain resource. The time domain resource determination circuit 785 further includes a resource determination circuit 880 that determines, based on the time domain resource indication, an allocation of time domain resources for each TCI state when the TCI indicator indicates two or more TCI states. The processing circuit 780 may then control the transceiver 770 to receive or transmit data on the determined resources.

[0072] According to another embodiment, a base station 710 (scheduling node) is provided that includes a processor 730. The processor 730 generates downlink control information (DCI) signaling indicating a Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) indicator specifying that two or more TCI states are configured during operation. The TCI signaling further indicates an association of the two or more TCI states with time domain resources and the time domain resources for transmission, each time domain resource being associated with one of the two or more TCI states. The base station also includes a transceiver 720 that transmits the DCI signaling during operation. The transceiver receives or transmits data (e.g., to a UE 760) for each of the two or more TCI states on the time domain resources associated with each TCI state during operation. Similar to the processor 780 of the UE, the processor 730 may also perform a variety of different tasks. Here, a time domain resource allocation circuit 735 represents a functional portion of the processor 730, which performs the time domain allocation tasks described above, including determining resources and providing corresponding signaling to the UE 760.

[0073] The scheduling device may further include, as part of the circuitry 730, an allocation circuit for performing scheduling of one or more UEs. As a result of the scheduling, a time domain resource allocation is generated, and corresponding DCI signaling is generated indicating the association of the TCI state with the resource along with the TCI indicator and the resource allocation. The circuitry then controls the transceiver 720 to transmit or receive data on the scheduled resources for one or more UEs.

[0074] An exemplary functional configuration of the time domain resource allocation circuit 735 is shown in FIG. 9. In particular, the time domain resource allocation circuit 735 may include a scheduling circuit 936 and a PDCCH generation circuit 937. The scheduling circuit 920 performs scheduling, e.g., collects measurement results from one or more of the UEs, and based thereon, allocates resources to each UE in the time domain (and possibly the frequency domain and TRP) based on requests from the UEs and / or based on resource availability thereof. Then, the PDCCH generation circuit 930 generates DCI including an association between a TCI state and a time domain resource, together with a TCI indicator and resource allocation, according to the scheduling result for each of the one or more UEs.

[0075] As can be seen from FIG. 7, the UE 760 and the scheduling node 710 may form a communication system, i.e., may communicate over a channel 750.

[0076] In general, the DCI signaling may be a one-bit field of a single DCI (e.g., a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) field). The DCI signaling may be configured to signal time domain resources of a first data transmission (e.g., a first transmission indicated by the DCI signaling) as well as association of the time domain resources of the first data transmission to one of two or more TCI states. The DCI signaling may further indicate time domain resources of further data transmissions (e.g., repetitions of the first data transmission) and their respective association to one of two or more TCI states. In other words, a bit field of the DCI signaling may jointly signal time domain resources of multiple (e.g., two or more) transmissions as well as associations of the time domain resources with two or more TCI states.

[0077] It should be noted that the further data transmission may be associated with a TCI state that is the same as or different from the TCI state associated with the first data transmission, in other words, two or more transmissions may be associated with two or more TCI states that are the same or different.

[0078] Furthermore, in general, a TCI state may be configured in which no time domain resource (of the time domain resources indicated by the DCI signaling) is associated. However, advantageously, two or more TCI states may be configured in which a time domain resource is associated. In other words, advantageously, two or more time domain resources are associated with (mutually) different TCI states.

[0079] Furthermore, advantageously, each time domain resource may be associated with a single TCI state of the two or more TCI states, in other words, the notification / DCI signaling may indicate only a single association for each time domain resource, associating the time domain resource with a single TCI state of the two or more TCI states.

[0080] It should also be noted that, in general, the further transmissions may be repetitions, i.e., may refer to the transmission of the same transport block (TB) as that transmitted by the first transmission. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the further transmissions may be transmissions of TBs different from the TB of the first transmission. In other words, the invention is directly (and equally) applicable not only to transmissions of different TBs, but also to their repetitions. Thus, in general, the TBs of all transmissions may be different from each other, or the TBs of some transmissions may be different from each other while the TBs of other transmissions are the same, or the TBs of all (first and further) transmissions may be the same. Therefore, in general, the terms "transmission" and "repetition" are used interchangeably.

[0081] Furthermore, it should be noted that the present invention is applicable to any number of Transmission Reception Points (TRPs) and / or any number of TCI states. In other words, the examples explicitly described below refer to the simple case of only two TRPs / TCI states for simplicity. It should also be noted that each TRP may be associated with or correspond to each TCI state, and vice versa, and as a result, the terms "TRP" and "TCI state" are used interchangeably in this disclosure.

[0082] In general, the processor may obtain the TCI indicators and notifications by parsing the DCI signaling, for example, based on syntax and semantics defined by a standard and / or possibly at least in part configurable by the network.

[0083] In particular, using one bit field of a single DCI, the time domain resource for each transmission, the association of each transmission to one of the signaled TCI states, the total number of transmissions associated with each signaled TCI state, the number of TCI states (TRPs) actually used for transmission, and / or the total number of repetitions over all TRPs may be explicitly signaled or determined based on an implicit indication.

[0084] In some embodiments, the indication that the UE obtains from the DCI signaling is an index to an entry in a Time-Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table.

[0085] In general, an entry in a TDRA table typically corresponds to a row of the TDRA table. However, any other definition of the TDRA table, for example, by entries in columns, is also possible. The DCI signaling may include an indication of a DCI index (hereinafter also referred to as DCI index). In other words, in general, the DCI signaling may indicate an entry in the TDRA table by indicating the index of each row / column. This DCI index may generally be indicated / signaled in the DCI signaling by a codepoint. It should be noted that in the following, the terms "row" and "entry" of a TDRA are used interchangeably.

[0086] Furthermore, in general, a UE may be configured with more than one TDRA table. The use of the TDRA tables should be synchronized with the base station. For example, the base station informs the UE which TDRA table should be applied. Alternatively, in some scenarios, the UE and the base station may implicitly derive which TDRA table should be used based on other parameters known to both parties in the same way.

[0087] In general, the more explicit and the greater the information, the greater the flexibility for resource allocation and association, but possibly the greater the signaling overhead.

[0088] In some embodiments, a TDRA table entry includes two or more sets (or groups) of Start and Length Indicator Values ​​(SLIVs). Advantageously, each set corresponds to a respective TCI state, and each SLIV corresponds to a respective transmission, indicating the start position and length of the time domain resources for each transmission. The time domain resources for each transmission may be associated with the TCI state corresponding to each set of SLIVs (e.g., the SLIV indicating its time domain resources).

[0089] In general, an entry in the TDRA table may include or indicate one or more SLIV values. The SLIV indicates or specifies a time domain resource, for example by indicating / specifying the start position and length of the time domain resource. In particular, the SLIV may correspond to an ordered pair of two numbers (in particular, integers), one of which indicates the start position of the time domain resource and the other of which indicates the length of the time domain resource. In general, the SLIV may indicate a time domain resource for a single transmission / repetition, and each time domain resource for a transmission / repetition may be indicated by a single SLIV.

[0090] In general, each SLIV in the TDRA table may be associated with or correspond to each TCI state. In particular, each SLIV may correspond to only a single TCI state. On the other hand, an entry may indicate zero or more SLIVs for one TCI state. In other words, an entry may include or indicate a set of SLIVs for each TCI state of two or more TCI states (e.g., configured TCI states). However, each SLIV may be in only a single SLIV group, also referred to herein as an SLIV "group." These sets may be empty or may include one or more SLIVs. And, the time domain resource indicated by the SLIV is associated with the same TCI state as each SLIV (i.e., the SLIV indicating the time domain resource).

[0091] In this regard, it should also be noted that the terms "group," "set," and "grouping" in SLIV are used interchangeably.

[0092] It should be noted that in general, a TDRA entry may further include or indicate a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) map type and, for example, a K2 value. The K2 value indicates the slot offset of the starting position indicated by the SLIV of the same TDRA entry. It is noted that the indication of the PDSCH mapping type and the signaling of the slot offset K2 are not necessary for the present invention. The slot offset may be relative to the slot of the DCI signaling that indicated the TDRA table entry. Furthermore, for repetition between slots, one or more of the TDRA tables may contain multiple values ​​of K2.

[0093] A specific example of a TDRA table according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 1 below. [Table 1] As can be seen, TDRA Table 1 indicates two groups of time domain resources (SLIVs) for each value of the DCI index, more specifically, the fourth column indicates SLIV group 1 and the fifth column indicates SLIV group 2. However, in general, the TDRA table may indicate more than two groups of SLIVs for each value of the DCI index.

[0094] As can be seen, in TDRA Table 1, each group is associated with one of the TCI states. More specifically, in this example, SLIV group 1 corresponds to TCI state 1, and SLIV group 2 corresponds to TCI state 2. In general, the TDRA table may indicate more groups, each associated with a TCI state. In general, the groups may correspond to different TCI states. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and some of the groups may be associated with the same TCI state.

[0095] In general, each group may have multiple time domain resources (SLIVs) corresponding to all repetitions associated with each TCI state, however the invention is not limited thereto and some of the groups may contain zero or only one SLIV.

[0096] In the specific example shown in TDRA Table 1, a DCI index value of 0 indicates two SLIVs for SLIV group 1, i.e., SLIV1-0-1 and SLIV1-0-2, and two SLIVs for SLIV group 2, i.e., SLIV2-0-1 and SLIV2-0-2. On the other hand, a DCI index value of 1 indicates two SLIVs for SLIV group 1, i.e., SLIV1-1-1 and SLIV1-1-2, but only one SLIV for SLIV group 2, i.e., SLIV2-1-2. Thus, in general, there can be any number of SLIVs in each SLIV group, independent of the number of SLIVs in other SLIV groups and / or the number of SLIVs in other SLIV groups of other DCI indexes. In particular, the number of SLIVs in an SLIV group may be zero.

[0097] In general, based on the TDRA table having the general format of TDRA Table 1 and the signaled index indicated in the DCI (or in other words, based on the entries as indicated in TDRA Table 1), the time domain resource for each repetition may be determined as follows: Each SLIV is one-to-one mapped to each repetition (e.g., from the slot of the DCI signaling indicating the entry with offset K2) to determine its start symbol and length within the slot with offset K2 from the scheduling PDCCH. The sequence of SLIVs from all groups is determined by the increasing order of their start symbol values.

[0098] Furthermore, based on the TDRA Table 1 (particularly based on the entries in the TDRA table indicated by the DCI index indicated in the DCI signaling), the association of each repetition with one of the signaled / configured TCI states is determined based on the group. More specifically, based on the SLIV group, each repetition (or each time domain resource) is associated with one of the signaled TRP / TCI states.

[0099] If a group exists but no SLIV is indicated in the group, it means that the transmission from the TRP is not associated with the group. For example, in TDRA Table 1, if SLIV group 2 and DCI index = 15, no SLIV is signaled.

[0100] Furthermore, based on TDRA Table 1, the total number of repetitions associated with each configured TCI state may be determined by the number of SLIVs in a given group. In other words, for each entry, the total number of repetitions associated with a TCI state may be determined by counting the SLIVs in the TCI group of that entry. For example, in TDRA Table 1, for SLIV group 2, the total numbers of repetitions are 2, 1, 2, and 0 for DCI indexes 0, 1, 2, and 15, respectively. Furthermore, based on the TDRA table, the number of TCI states (or TRPs) actually used for transmission may be determined by the number of groups in an entry indicated by a DCI index that has at least one signaled SLIV. In other words, for a given entry, the number of TCI states actually used may be determined by counting the TCI groups of that entry that have at least one signaled SLIV.

[0101] Furthermore, based on TDRA Table 1, the total number of repetitions across all TRPs may be determined by the total number of SLIVs across all groups. For example, in TDRA Table 1, the total number of repetitions is 4, 3, 3, and 2 for DCI indices 0, 1, 2, and 15, respectively.

[0102] A more explicit example of TDRA Table 1 according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 2 below. [Table 2] When DCI index 0 of TDRA Table 2 is signaled to the UE, the allocation and association of time domain resources to TRPs is as shown in FIG.

[0103] In particular, the slot offset for starting transmission is "1" slot after the DCI signaling (scheduling PDCCH). More specifically, a slot offset of "1" means that the start position of the time domain resource indicated by the SLIV is specified with respect to the first slot after the DCI signaling. Here, in general, the "relevant" DCI signaling is the DCI signaling that indicates the entry by the relevant slot offset.

[0104] As can be seen, there are three SLIVs in SLIV group 1, namely, "{0,3}", "{4,2}", and "{12,2}", and one SLIV in SLIV group 2, namely, "{8,4}", where each SLIV is expressed in the general format "{start position of time domain resource, length of time domain resource}". Thus, based on the start symbol index of the SLIV in the first entry of TDRA Table 2 (corresponding to the second row in TDRA Table 2 with DCI index 0, which is the convention adopted from now on), the repetition sequence is "{0,3}", "{4,2}", "{8,4}", and "{12,2}". Thus, overall, there are four repetitions across TRP 1 (TCI state 1) and TRP 2 (TCI state 2).

[0105] Furthermore, based on the grouping shown in the first entry of the table, the first, second, and fourth repeats are associated with TCI state 1 and are therefore from TRP 1, and the third repeat is associated with TCI state 2 and is therefore from TRP 2. Thus, there are three repeats from TRP 1 and one repeat from TRP 2.

[0106] All of this is also shown in Figure 12. Explicitly, the time domain resource for the first transmission / repetition is the first three symbols (e.g., with indices 0, 1, and 2) of TRP 1 in the first slot after DCI signaling. The time domain resource for the second repetition is the symbols with indices 4 and 5 of TRP 1 in the first slot after DCI signaling. The time domain resource for the third repetition is the symbols with indices 8, 9, 10, and 11 of TRP 2 in the first slot after DCI signaling, and the time domain resource for the fourth repetition is the symbols with indices 12 and 13 of TRP 1 in the first slot after DCI signaling.

[0107] This embodiment (e.g., a TDRA table in the form of TDRA Table 2) provides complete flexibility with any unique SLIV value for each transmission, associating TCI states in any order, and allocating unequal numbers of repetitions to different TCI states.

[0108] In an exemplary implementation, each set includes one or less SLIVs, and an entry in the TDRA table includes an indication of the total number of transmissions (e.g., the total number of transmissions explicitly or implicitly scheduled / indicated by this entry).

[0109] In these embodiments, each group may have only one time domain resource (SLIV) corresponding to the first transmission associated with each TCI state. Furthermore, each entry in the TDRA table may indicate a total number of repetitions, where the total number of transmissions indicates the total number of transmissions scheduled by that entry in the TDRA table (and the entry that also indicates that total number).

[0110] Note that the total number of SLIVs indicated by an entry (e.g., by an entry in TDRA Table 2) already implicitly indicates the total number of transmissions. This implicit number may be obtained by simply counting the explicitly indicated SLIVs. However, an entry may also indicate the total number of transmissions explicitly and / or separately from the implicit indication described above by the number of SLIVs. Thus, in general, the total number of transmissions indicated by an entry may differ (e.g., may be greater) than the total number of SLIVs explicitly indicated by that entry. Thus, such an entry implicitly indicates the presence of transmissions other than those explicitly indicated by the SLIVs of that entry.

[0111] In some embodiments, the processor of the UE, for each set including one SLIV during operation, determines, according to the SLIV included in the set (i.e., the one SLIV), a start position and a length of time domain resources for each first transmission of the set (e.g., a first transmission with a TCI state corresponding to the set). Alternatively or additionally, for each transmission other than one of the first transmissions, the processor may determine, during operation, i) an association of one of two or more TCI states with time domain resources for the transmission according to a pattern, the pattern indicating a sequence of TCI states and corresponding to a start position of time domain resources for the first transmission, ii) a length of time domain resources for the transmission (first transmission of the notified transmissions having the same TCI state as each transmission) according to a length of the time domain resources for the respective first transmission, where the time domain resources for the respective first transmission and the time domain resources for the transmission are associated with the same TCI state, and / or iii) a start position of time domain resources for the transmission according to an offset, a start position, and a length of time domain resources for one of the transmissions preceding the transmission. Here, the offset may correspond to (or may be determined from / based on) the start position and / or length of the time domain resources for the at least two first transmissions.

[0112] The above determination process will be explained with reference to TDRA Table 3. [Table 3]

[0113] As can be seen, the sixth column of TDRA Table 3 (explicitly) indicates the total number of iterations. In general, the TDRA may include a separate column (not necessarily the sixth column) that (explicitly) indicates the total number of iterations. Based on such a table, the total number of iterations across all TRP / TCI states may thus be determined from the explicit indication in the separate column. More generally, the entries in the TDRA table may indicate / include the total number of iterations across all TRP / TCI states, and thus the total number is determined from the explicit indication.

[0114] In general, based on a TDRA table having the general format of TDRA Table 3 and the signaled DCI index (or, i.e., based on an entry as shown in TDRA Table 3), the number of TRP / TCI states actually used for transmission may be determined by the number of SLIV groups in the entry (e.g., the entry indicated by the DCI) that have at least one SLIV indicated for that group. In other words, for a given entry, the number of TCI states actually used may be determined by counting the TCI groups of that entry that have at least one SLIV specified.

[0115] As far as the time domain resources are concerned, for each TCI group up to one SLIV can be indicated, which corresponds to the start symbol and length of the first repetition from the associated TRP. For the first repetition, the time domain resource is associated with the TCI state of the TCI group of the SLIV that explicitly specifies this time domain resource.

[0116] Furthermore, if a total number of transmissions greater than the number of TCI states is actually used, there are further / subsequent iterations not explicitly specified by the SLIV in the TDRA entry, where these further / subsequent numbers of transmissions may correspond to the "total number of transmissions" minus the "number of TCI states actually used".

[0117] The association of these further repetitions may be determined by distributing them (e.g., evenly) according to a pattern across the actually used TCI states (e.g., the TCI state for which the first repetition is specified in the respective TDRA entry). The pattern may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured. For example, all alternating repetitions may be associated with alternating TCI states. Alternatively or additionally, subsequent repetitions may be associated with the actually used TCI states in a round-robin manner, for example, based on the order of the TCI states of the first repetition. For example, the order of the first repetition may be repeated cyclically. In general, the pattern may be predetermined or may be derived from the SLIV of the first repetition, in particular from the order of the TCI states of the first repetition. In general, such a pattern indicates the sequence of the configured TCI states.

[0118] The start position (also referred to as the start symbol) of the time domain resource (SLIV) for the subsequent repetition is determined as follows: The start symbol of each repetition may be determined, for example, by a symbol offset between the start and / or end symbols of the SLIV from different SLIV groups. Alternatively, the value of the offset may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured. For example, the offset may be set to 1, which corresponds to continuous allocation of resources.

[0119] The symbol offset may be calculated from the signaled SLIV, in particular by subtracting the start / end positions (the end position may be the start position plus the length) of the time domain resource explicitly indicated by the two (different) SLIVs.

[0120] The symbol offset may then be added to the start / end position of the time domain resource of one repetition to obtain the start / end position of the time domain resource of a subsequent (e.g., consecutive) repetition. Note also that in general, the time domain resource of all subsequent transmissions may be determined based on the same symbol offset. Alternatively, a different symbol offset may be used for each subsequent repetition.

[0121] The length of the time domain resources of subsequent / further repetitions (e.g., repetitions other than the first repetition) may be based on the length of the time domain resources of the first repetition. In particular, the length of a subsequent transmission may be based on the length of the first transmission in the same group as this subsequent transmission. For example, the length of a subsequent repetition may be the same as the length of each first repetition of the corresponding group.

[0122] Furthermore, the total number of repetitions associated with each configured TCI state may be determined by dividing the total number of explicitly specified repetitions by the number of TCI states actually used for transmission. Alternatively, for each entry, the total number of repetitions associated with the TCI states may be determined by counting the SLIVs in the TCI group of that entry.

[0123] This design option is less flexible, but requires smaller table sizes and lower DCI overhead to represent the table rows.

[0124] A more explicit example of TDRA Table 3 according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 4. [Table 4]

[0125] When DCI index 0 of TDRA Table 4 is signaled to the UE, the allocation and association of time domain resources for TRPs will be as shown in Figure 13, which corresponds to intra-slot scheduling.

[0126] In particular, K2 in the first entry is shown to be "1", so the slot offset for starting transmission is "1" slot after the scheduling PDCCH. Based on "{0,3}" in SLIV 1, the first repetition is from TRP 1, starts at symbol #0, and spans three symbols. That is, the time domain resources for the first repetition are symbols with indexes #0, #1, and #2. Furthermore, based on "{5,3}" in SLIV 2, the first repetition is from TRP 2 (the entire second repetition), starts at symbol #5, and spans three symbols (i.e., symbols #5, #6, and #7). The symbol offset between repetitions is calculated as 3 (the difference between the first symbol index of #5 in SLIV 2 and the last symbol index of #3 in SLIV 1).

[0127] Since the total number of repetitions is shown as "3," there is one subsequent repetition (the third full repetition). In this example, the repetition association follows an alternating pattern, and since the second repetition is from TRP 2, the third repetition is from TRP 1. Furthermore, based on the symbol offset "3" and the index of the last symbol of the second repetition, "7," the index of the start symbol of the third repetition is #10. The length of the third repetition is the same as the length of the first repetition, which uses the same TRP as the third repetition. As a result, the third repetition spans three symbols (i.e., symbols #10, #11, and #12).

[0128] Another explicit example of TDRA Table 3 according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 5. [Table 5]

[0129] When DCI index 0 of TDRA Table 5 is signaled to the UE, the allocation and association of time domain resources for TRPs will be as shown in FIG. 14 corresponding to inter-slot and intra-slot scheduling.

[0130] As can be seen, the entry for DCI index 0 in TDRA Table 5 differs from the entry for DCI index 0 in TDRA Table 4 only in that the total number of repetitions is indicated as "4" (instead of "3" as indicated by TDRA Table 4). Therefore, the time domain resources for the first, second and third repetitions are identical to the case in TDRA Table 4, and for the sake of brevity, the corresponding description will not be repeated.

[0131] However, in the case of TDRA Table 5, there is an additional subsequent repetition (a total of four repetitions). In this example, the repetition association follows an alternating pattern, and since the third repetition is from TRP 1, the fourth repetition is from TRP 2. Furthermore, based on the symbol offset of "3" and the last symbol index of the third repetition of "12," the start symbol index of the third repetition is #15. However, in this example, the total number of symbols in each slot is only 14 (i.e., slots #0 to #13). Therefore, the third repetition starts in the second slot after the scheduling PDCCH at symbol position #1, which is calculated by subtracting 14 from 15.

[0132] The length of the fourth repetition is the same as the length of the second repetition, and the second repetition uses the same TRP as the fourth repetition, so that the fourth repetition spans three symbols (i.e., symbols #15, #16, and #17).

[0133] This embodiment (eg, a TDRA table in the form of TDRA Table 3, 4, or 5) provides the advantage of a smaller table size and lower DCI overhead for representing the rows / entries of the TDRA table.

[0134] In some embodiments, an entry in the TDRA table includes an indication of the total number of transmissions, an indication of the offset between transmissions, and a single SLIV indicating the start position of the time domain resource for the first transmission and the length of the time domain resource for the first transmission (e.g., for the first transmission explicitly or implicitly indicated by the entry).

[0135] In some embodiments, each entry in the TDRA table explicitly indicates only a single SLIV, symbol offset, and total number of repetitions, as shown in TDRA Table 6. Specifically, in the example shown in TDRA Table 6, the fourth, fifth, and sixth columns indicate a single SLIV, symbol offset, and total number of repetitions, respectively.

[0136] The time domain resource indicated by the single SLIV may correspond to the first transmission from the first TCI state. In other words, the single SLIV indicated by the entry may be used to calculate the start symbol and length of the time domain resource for the first repetition from the first TCI state. This first TCI state may be pre-defined, semi-static and / or RRC configured.

[0137] The time domain resources (SLIVs) for subsequent iterations may be implicitly signaled / determined and associated with the configured TCI states using predefined, semi-static and / or RRC configured patterns, e.g., subsequent iterations may be associated with the configured TCI states in a round-robin fashion. [Table 6]

[0138] In an example implementation, during operation, a processor of the UE determines a start position of a time domain resource for a first transmission according to a start position indicated by a single SLIV for the initial transmission. Alternatively or additionally, the processor may determine a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission according to a length indicated by the single SLIV for the first transmission. Alternatively or additionally, for each transmission other than the first transmission, the processor may determine: i) a length of the time domain resource for the transmission according to the length of the time domain resource for the first transmission; ii) a start position of the time domain resource for the transmission according to an indication of an offset and the start position and length of the time domain resource for the first transmission; and / or iii) an association of two or more TCI states with the time domain resource for the transmission according to a predetermined pattern.

[0139] In general, based on a TDRA table having the general format of TDRA Table 6 and the signaled DCI index (i.e., in other words, based on the entries as shown in TDRA Table 6), the number of TRP / TCI states actually used for transmission may be determined by counting all TCI states indicated by the TCI codepoint (i.e., the codepoint of a bit field that may jointly encode a TCI indicator together with some further parameters). Furthermore, the total number of iterations over all TRP / TCI states is signaled by an explicit indication in a separate column and may therefore be determined from this explicit indication.

[0140] The time domain resources for the first repetition are signaled by, and may therefore be determined from, a single SLIV. In other words, the single SLIV indicated by the entry may be used to calculate the start symbol and length of the time domain resources for the first repetition from the first TCI state. This first TCI state may be pre-defined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured.

[0141] Furthermore, if the total number of transmissions is greater than one, there are further / subsequent iterations not explicitly specified by the SLIV in the TDRA entry, where the number of these further subsequent transmissions may correspond to the "total number of transmissions" minus "1".

[0142] The association of these further iterations may be determined by distributing them (e.g., evenly) according to a pattern (e.g., in a round-robin manner) across the TCI states actually used (e.g., TCI states indicated by codepoints). The pattern may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC-configured. For example, every alternating iteration may be associated with an alternating TCI state, and / or the pattern may indicate a sequence of TCI states that are periodically repeated. Generally, such a predetermined pattern indicates a sequence of configured TCI states.

[0143] For example, the length of the time domain resource of a subsequent repetition, such as a repetition other than the first repetition, may be determined based on the length of the first repetition. For example, the length of the subsequent repetition may be the same as the length of the first repetition.

[0144] The start position (herein also referred to as the start symbol) of the time domain resource (SLIV) for the subsequent repetition may be implicitly determined / signaled using the signaled offset. More specifically, the symbol offset may be added to the start / end position of the time domain resource of one repetition to obtain the start / end position of the time domain resource of the subsequent (e.g., consecutive) repetition. It should also be noted that, in general, the time domain resource of all subsequent transmissions may be determined based on the same symbol offset. Alternatively, a different symbol offset may be used for each subsequent repetition.

[0145] Furthermore, the total number of repetitions associated with each configured TCI state may be determined by dividing the total number of explicitly specified repetitions by the number of TCI states actually used for transmission. Alternatively, for each entry, the total number of repetitions associated with the TCI states may be determined by counting the SLIVs in that TCI group of that entry.

[0146] A more explicit example of a TDRA table according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 7. [Table 7]

[0147] When DCI index 0 in the above TDRA Table 7 is notified to the UE, the allocation and association of time domain resources to the TRPs is as shown in FIG.

[0148] In particular, it is shown that K2 of the first entry is "1", and therefore the slot offset for starting transmission is "1" slot after the scheduling PDCCH.

[0149] Based on a single SLIV "{0,3}", the first repetition is from TRP 1, starts at symbol #0 and spans 3 symbols, i.e., the time domain resources of the first repetition are symbols with indexes #0, #1 and #2.

[0150] The total number of repetitions is indicated as "3", and therefore the association of two repetitions and time domain resources is implicitly signaled.

[0151] In this example, the association / grouping is based on an alternating pattern, and two TCI states are established, so that the first and third repeats are from TRP 1 and the second repeat is from TRP 2. Therefore, the total number of repeats associated with TRP 1 is 2 and the total number of repeats associated with TRP 2 is 1.

[0152] Furthermore, based on the signaled offset of the first repetition of "3" and the last symbol index of "2" (generally, the last symbol of one / previous repetition may be used as the offset reference), the second repetition starts from symbol #5. Depending on the length of the first repetition, the length of the second repetition is three symbols. Therefore, in summary, the second repetition is from TRP 2, starts from symbol #5, and spans three symbols (i.e., symbols #5, #6, and #7).

[0153] Furthermore, based on the second repetition's reported offset of "3" and last symbol index of "7," the third repetition starts at symbol #10. Depending on the length of the first repetition, the length of the second repetition is three symbols. Thus, in summary, the second repetition is from TRP 1, starts at symbol #10, and spans three symbols (i.e., symbols #10, #11, and #12).

[0154] This embodiment (e.g., a TDRA table in the form of TDRA Table 6 or 7) provides the advantage of a small TDRA table size and small DCI overhead for representing the rows / entries of the TDRA table compared to other tables. Furthermore, the symbol offset between repetitions allows the UE to tolerate beam switching delays for receiving from one TRP to another. In the case of consecutive transmissions with different TCI states, the UE may not have enough time for beam switching to receive transmissions from different TRPs.

[0155] In another example implementation, an entry in the TDRA table includes an indication of a first SLIV, a second SLIV, and a total number of transmissions (e.g., the total number of transmissions explicitly or implicitly indicated by the entry), where the first SLIV may indicate a start position of time domain resources for the first transmission and a length of the time domain resources for the first transmission, and the second SLIV may indicate a start position of time domain resources unavailable for transmission and a length of the time domain resources unavailable for transmission.

[0156] As shown in TDRA Table 8, in some embodiments, each entry in the TDRA table explicitly indicates a first time domain resource, a second time domain resource (e.g., by their respective SLIVs), and a total number of repetitions. The TDRA table may further indicate a symbol offset and a PDSCH mapping type for each value of the DCI index. In particular, in exemplary TDRA Table 8, the columns labeled "SLIV 1" and "SLIV 2" indicate the first and second time domain resources, respectively.

[0157] In general, only one SLIV of the two SLIVs may indicate a time domain resource for a transmission, e.g., for the first transmission of the transmissions indicated by each entry. In other words, the first time domain resource (SLIV) may correspond to the first transmission from a first TCI state. This first TCI state may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured.

[0158] Thereafter, the time domain resources (SLIVs) for subsequent iterations (or generally other iterations than the iteration explicitly indicated by the first SLIV) may be implicitly determined and associated with the configured TCI states using a predetermined, semi-static and / or RRC configured pattern, e.g., the subsequent iterations may be associated with the configured TCI states in a round-robin manner.

[0159] The other of the two SLIVs may indicate a time domain resource that is not available for repetition. In other words, the second time domain resource (SLIV) corresponds to a symbol and / or time domain resource that is not available for data transmission. The time domain resource for repetition, in particular the time domain resource for a subsequent repetition, may be determined by taking into account that the time domain resource indicated by the second SLIV is not available for repetition. [Table 8]

[0160] In general, based on a TDRA table having the general format of TDRA Table 6 and the signaled DCI index (i.e., in other words, based on the entries as shown in TDRA Table 6), the number of TRP / TCI states actually used for transmission may be determined by counting all TCI states indicated by the TCI codepoint (i.e., the codepoint of a bit field that may jointly encode a TCI indicator together with some further parameters). Furthermore, the total number of iterations over all TRP / TCI states is indicated by an explicit indication in a separate column and may therefore be determined from this explicit indication.

[0161] The time domain resource for the first repetition may be indicated by one of the two SLIVs, e.g., the first SLIV, and thus may be determined from the first SLIV. In other words, the first SLIV indicated by the entry may be used to calculate the start symbol and length of the time domain resource for the first repetition from the first TCI state.

[0162] Furthermore, if the total number of transmissions is greater than one, there are further / subsequent iterations not explicitly specified by the SLIV in the TDRA entry, where the number of these further subsequent transmissions may correspond to the "total number of transmissions" minus "1".

[0163] The association of these further iterations may be determined by distributing them (e.g., evenly) according to a pattern (e.g., in a round-robin manner) across the TCI states actually used (e.g., TCI states indicated by codepoints). The pattern may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured. For example, every alternating iteration may be associated with an alternating TCI state. Generally, such a predetermined pattern indicates a sequence of configured TCI states.

[0164] For example, the length of the time domain resource of a subsequent repetition, such as a repetition other than the first repetition, may be determined based on the length of the first repetition. For example, the length of the subsequent repetition may be the same as the length of the first repetition.

[0165] The starting position of the time domain resources (SLIV) for subsequent repetitions may be determined using an offset. The value of the offset may be predetermined, semi-static, and / or RRC configured. For example, the offset may be set to 1, which corresponds to a continuous allocation of resources. For example, if there is no conflict with the time resources indicated / determined by the second SLIV, the subsequent repetitions may be allocated continuously (corresponding to the offset set to 1). However, if there is a conflict between the time resources determined by the second SLIV and any of the time symbols of any of the repetitions, these particular symbols may not be used for that transmission. Also, it should be noted that, in general, the time domain resources of all subsequent transmissions may be determined based on the same symbol offset. Alternatively, a different symbol offset may be used for each subsequent repetition.

[0166] Furthermore, the total number of repetitions associated with each configured TCI state may be determined by dividing the explicitly specified total number of repetitions by the number of TCI states actually used for transmission. Alternatively, for each entry, the total number of repetitions associated with the TCI states may be determined by counting the SLIVs in that TCI group of that entry.

[0167] In some embodiments, in which entries in the TDRA table indicate time domain resources that are unavailable for transmission, the processor determines during operation a mapping of transmissions to time domain resources, in which the length of the time domain resources for each transmission is the same as the length indicated by the first SLIV for the first transmission. In this mapping, transmissions are mapped to available time domain resources of two or more TCI states according to a predetermined offset, starting from a start position of the time domain resources for the first transmission indicated by the first SLIV, where the predetermined offset may indicate a separation between the time domain resources of consecutive transmissions. Each time domain resource may be associated with one of two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern (in other words, the processor determines during operation an association of two or more TCI states with time domain resources according to a predetermined pattern).

[0168] Here, the term "mapping" refers to the allocation of time domain resources for transmissions, where each allocated time domain resource is associated with one of the (configured) TRP / TCI states, i.e., mapping allocates resources of the configured TCI states for transmissions.

[0169] A more explicit example of TDRA Table 8 according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 9. [Table 9]

[0170] When DCI index 0 of TDRA Table 9 is signaled to the UE (and the mapping according to this embodiment is used), the time domain resource allocation and association for the TRP, or the mapping, is as shown in FIG.

[0171] Specifically, as in the previous example, the slot offset to start transmission is shown to be "1", and therefore the first iteration begins in the slot after the DCI signaling (scheduling PDCCH).

[0172] In this example, it is further assumed that the UE is configured with two TCI states in a repetition, a symbol offset of one between TCI state 1 and TCI state 2, with TCI state 1 being designated as the TCI state of the first repetition and a pattern of changing TCI states (alternating) with every repetition.

[0173] Since the total number of iterations is shown as "3", there are two subsequent iterations, namely the second iteration and the third iteration.

[0174] Based on the set pattern and the first TCI state, it can already be determined that there are two repetitions from TRP 1, i.e., the first and third repetitions. Similarly, it can be determined that there is one repetition from TRP 2, i.e., the second repetition.

[0175] Based on the symbol offset "1" and the index of the last symbol of the first repetition, "#2", it can be determined that the second repetition begins with symbol #3.

[0176] Based on the SLIV 1 "{0,3}" of the first entry, the first repetition spans three symbols, i.e., the time domain resource of the first repetition is 3 (symbols). Furthermore, since the same length as the first repetition is used for the subsequent repetitions, the time domain resource of the second and third repetitions also has a length of 3 (symbols).

[0177] According to this embodiment, the repetitions are mapped onto the available time domain resources of the configured TCI state (only), starting from the starting position indicated by the first SLIV, as detailed below.

[0178] Based on the first entry's SLIV 1 "{0,3}", the starting position of the first iteration is symbol #0, so the mapping starts from symbol #0. For the first iteration, there is no conflict with unavailable resources, so the first iteration is mapped to symbols #0, #1, and #2.

[0179] More specifically, the second SLIV "{5,1}" indicates that symbol #5 is not available for transmission. Therefore, in this mapping, it may be assumed that all symbols in TRP 1 and TRP 2 are available except for symbol #5 in TRP 1 and symbol #5 in TRP 2.

[0180] Since the symbol offset is "1", the mapping continues with symbol #3, which is available. Note that, according to the present invention, the symbol offset corresponds to the difference between the index of the last symbol of the first repetition and the index of the first symbol of the second repetition. Thus, a symbol offset of "1" means that there is no symbol between two consecutive transmissions.

[0181] As a result, the second repetition starts with symbol #3. Symbol #4 is also available, and therefore is also allocated to the second repetition. However, symbol #5 is not available, so the mapping of the second repetition to resources continues with the available symbol #6. Thus, in summary, the second repetition is mapped to symbols #3, #4, and #6. In other words, the second repetition includes a first part (symbol #3 and symbol #4) and a second part (symbol #6) separated by symbol #5.

[0182] The mapping continues with the third iteration being mapped to available symbols #7, #8 and #9, with the entire transmission after the collision (at symbol #5) being shifted (in this example by one symbol).

[0183] In some embodiments in which the TDRA table entry indicates a time domain resource that is not available for transmission, the processor determines a mapping of the transmission to time domain resources, starting from a start position of the time domain resource for the first transmission indicated by the first SLIV during operation, and the transmission is mapped onto the time domain resources of two or more TCI states according to a predetermined offset. In this mapping, i) a predetermined offset indicates a separation between the time domain resources of consecutive transmissions, ii) the time domain resources to which the transmissions are mapped include available and unavailable time domain resources, iii) any transmission is mapped to a time domain resource having a length indicated by a first SLIV for the first transmission, counting unavailable time domain resources (together with available time domain resources) (of the time domain resources to which a given transmission is mapped), iv) any transmission mapped to a time domain resource including unavailable time domain resources is punctured, and / or v) each of the time domain resources is associated with one of two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern (in other words, the processor determines the association between two or more TCI states and time domain resources according to a predetermined pattern during operation).

[0184] As mentioned above, the term "mapping" refers to the allocation of time domain resources for transmissions, where each allocated time domain resource is associated with one of the (configured) TRP / TCI states, i.e., mapping allocates resources of the configured TCI states for transmissions.

[0185] Another explicit example of TDRA Table 8 according to this embodiment is shown in TDRA Table 10. Note that TDRA Table 10 corresponds to TDRA Table 9. [Table 10]

[0186] When DCI index 0 of TDRA Table 10 is indicated to the UE (and the mapping according to this embodiment is used), the time domain resource allocation and association for the TRP, or in short, the mapping, is as shown in FIG.

[0187] Note that this embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the collision symbols of the transmission are punctured (not shifted). Therefore, the differences mainly concern the mapping starting from the collision of the second iteration at symbol #5. In the following, the differences to the mapping with respect to the previous embodiment are mainly emphasized.

[0188] According to this embodiment, the repetitions are mapped to the available and unavailable time domain resources of the configured TCI state, starting from the starting position indicated by the first SLIV. In particular, each transmission is mapped to time domain resources of the same length, for example, the length explicitly indicated by the first SLIV. Here, the length of the time domain resources to which a given transmission is mapped is the "length of the available time domain resources to which the given transmission is mapped" plus the "length of the unavailable time domain resources to which the given transmission is mapped." In other words, the unavailable resources to which a transmission is mapped count / contribute towards the length of the time domain resources to which the transmission is mapped. Details are provided below.

[0189] Based on the SLIV 1 "{0,3}" of the first entry, the starting position of the first repetition is symbol #0, and therefore the mapping starts from symbol #0. Furthermore, each repetition has the same length "3". Note that in this embodiment, the repetition is also mapped to unavailable time domain resources, which are counted against the length of the repetition. In other words, the total number of symbols to which a given repetition is mapped (i.e., available and unavailable time domain resources) is considered as the length of the repetition in this embodiment.

[0190] Thus, again assuming an offset of 1, the first repetition is mapped to symbols #0, #1 and #2, the second repetition is mapped to symbols #3, #4 and #5, and the third repetition is mapped to symbols #6, #7 and #8.

[0191] However, as in the previous example, symbol #5 onto which the second repetition is mapped is not available.

[0192] Thus, according to this embodiment, the first entry in TDRA Table 10 (implicitly) indicates only symbols #3 and #4 for the second repetition, i.e., the second repetition is punctured to match the length of the available resources onto which it is mapped.

[0193] This embodiment (e.g., a TDRA table in the form of TDRA Table 8, 9 or 10) allows indicating unavailable time domain resources for transmission, which may facilitate scheduling of available time domain resources without causing conflicts between repetitions and unavailable resources.

[0194] Generally, the processor may determine 1020 a TDRA table from at least two predetermined TDRA tables according to the TCI indicator during operation.

[0195] In some embodiments, a UE is configured with multiple TDRA tables. As shown in FIG. 10, the UE may be configured by RRC with an old TDRA table and a new TDRA table (1000). For example, the old TDRA table may indicate only time domain resources for one TCI state, while the new TDRA table may indicate time domain resources for two or more TCI states. In general, the UE may be configured to use the old TDRA table when the TCI indicator indicates that multiple TCI states are not indicated / configured in the DCI signaling. However, when the TCI indicator indicates that multiple TCI states are indicated / configured in the corresponding DCI signaling, the UE may be configured to use the new TDRA table (i.e., to obtain entries from the new TDRA table instead of the old TDRA table). In general, the TCI indicator does not need to be indicated as a separate bit field. It may be signaled together with other parameters. In other words, one or more code points of such a combined bit field may indicate that one TRP is being used, while one or more other code points may indicate that two TRPs are being used. Similarly, any number of TRPs may be signaled by one or more codepoints of a combined bit field carrying such a TCI indicator.

[0196] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary method for a UE. In step 1000, the UE is reconfigured with the old_TDRA_table and new_TDRA_table via RRC signaling. The old_TDRA_table is the table when only one TRP is active. The new_TDRA_table is the table when two or more TRPs are active for the UE to transmit and receive data. In step 1010, the UE receives a scheduling DCI (e.g., on a PDCCH monitored by the UE) and checks the codepoint against the TCI indication. In step 1020, the UE evaluates whether the TCI indication indicates multiple TCI states. If multiple TCI states are indicated (Yes in step 1020), the UE uses the new_TDRA_table in step 1030. In other words, the UE adopts the new table for resource allocation decisions. Then, in step 1040, the UE determines the time domain resources and total number of repetitions for each transmission (e.g., each repetition). It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to repetitions, and the transmissions may also be transmissions of different transport blocks. The order of steps 1030 and 1040 may be reversed. In step 1050, the UE associates each repetition (or transmission in general) with one of the indicated TCI states. The repetitions (transmissions) may be associated with the same or different TCI states. Finally, in step 1060, the UE receives data in the downlink (or transmits data in the uplink) from multiple TRPs (TCI states) on the allocations and associated resources.

[0197] In step 1020, if only one TCI state is indicated (No in step 1020), the UE uses (applies) the old_TDRA_table in step 1035. In step 1045, the UE determines the time domain resources for the corresponding transmission. In step 1055, the UE associates the transmission with the indicated only TCI state. Finally, in step 1065, the UE receives the data transmission from one TRP on the assigned resources.

[0198] For example, in NR Rel.16, it was agreed to use code points in the TCI bit field to signal two TCI states (instead of one TCI state in Rel.15), which essentially means that two TRP transmissions are possible.

[0199] Switching the TDRA table to be used by the TCI indicator provides the flexibility to change the TDRA table.

[0200] In general, the transmission may be a repetition of the same data portion.

[0201] FIG. 18 illustrates a method performed in both a UE and a base station communicating with each other.

[0202] According to another embodiment, there is provided a method for a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving downlink control information (DCI) in a PDCCH (Pointer Data Channel Control Channel) at step S1840; obtaining from the DCI signaling a TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) indicator specifying that two or more TCI states are configured, and a notification indicating time domain resources for transmission and associations of the time domain resources with the two or more TCI states, each time domain resource being associated with one of the two or more TCI states at step S1850; receiving or transmitting, for each of the two or more TCI states, data (as indicated in the DCI signaling) relating to the time domain resources associated with each TCI state at step S1880.

[0203] According to another embodiment, a method is provided that is performed in a base station. The method may include performing step S1810 of assigning time domain resources for a plurality of TRPs to be signaled to a UE for transmission. According to the assignment, in step S1820, the base station generates downlink control information (DCI) signaling, which is carried on a PDCCH in a manner to provide a Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) indicator in the DCI signaling that specifies that two or more TCI states are configured, each time domain resource being associated with one of the two or more TCI states. The method further includes step S1830 of transmitting the DCI signaling and step S1870 of receiving or transmitting, for each of the two or more TCI states, data (as indicated in the DCI signaling) on ​​the time domain resources associated with each TCI state.

[0204] The present disclosure may be realized by software, hardware, or software interlocked with hardware. Each functional block described in the above embodiments may be partially or entirely realized by an LSI (Large Scale Integration) such as an integrated circuit, and each process described in each embodiment may be partially or entirely controlled by the same LSI or a combination of LSIs. The LSI may be formed as an individual chip, or a single chip may be formed to include some or all of the functional blocks. The LSI may also include data input / output devices coupled thereto. Here, LSI may be referred to as an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI depending on the degree of integration. However, the technology for realizing an integrated circuit is not limited to LSI, and may be realized using dedicated circuits, general-purpose processors, or application-specific processors. Furthermore, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), which allows reconfiguration of the connections and settings of circuit cells arranged within the LSI or a reconfigurable processor that can be programmed after fabrication, may also be used. The present disclosure may be realized as digital processing or analog processing. As a result of advances in semiconductor technology and other derivative technologies, if future integrated circuit technologies replace LSI, functional blocks can be integrated using future integrated circuit technologies. Biotechnology is also applicable.

[0205] The present disclosure may be implemented by any type of apparatus, device or system having communication capabilities, referred to as a communications apparatus.

[0206] Some non-limiting examples of such communication devices include telephones (e.g., mobile (cell) phones, smartphones), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (e.g., laptops, desktops, netbooks), cameras (e.g., digital still / video cameras), digital players (digital audio / video players), wearable devices (e.g., wearable cameras, smart watches, tracking devices), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine (remote health and remote medical) devices, and vehicles (e.g., automobiles, airplanes, ships) that provide communication capabilities, and various combinations thereof.

[0207] The communications apparatus is not limited to being portable or mobile, but may include any type of apparatus, device or system that is non-portable or fixed, such as smart home devices (e.g., appliances, lighting, smart meters, control panels), vending machines and any other "thing" in an "Internet of Things (IoT)" network.

[0208] Communications may include, for example, exchanging data via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, satellite systems, and the like, as well as various combinations thereof.

[0209] A communications apparatus may include devices such as a controller or a sensor coupled to the communications device to perform the communications functions described in this disclosure. For example, a communications apparatus may include a controller or a sensor that generates control or data signals used by the communications device to perform the communications functions of the communications apparatus.

[0210] Communications equipment may also include infrastructure facilities such as base stations, access points, and any other equipment, device, or system that communicates with or controls equipment such as those in the above non-limiting examples.

[0211] According to a first embodiment, there is provided a user equipment (UE), the UE comprising: a transceiver configured to receive downlink control information (DCI) signaling during operation; and a processor configured to obtain, from the DCI signaling during operation, a TCI indicator specifying that two or more Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states are set, and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and associations of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states, wherein the transceiver configured to receive or transmit data on the time domain resources associated with the respective TCI states during operation, for each of the two or more TCI states.

[0212] In addition to the first embodiment, according to a second embodiment, the indication is an index indicating an entry in a Time Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table.

[0213] In addition to the second embodiment, according to a third embodiment, the entry of the TDRA table includes two or more sets of SLIVs (Start and Length Indicator Values), each set corresponding to a respective TCI state, each SLIV corresponding to a respective transmission and indicating the start position of the time domain resources for the respective transmissions, the time domain resources for the respective transmissions being associated with the TCI state corresponding to the respective set of SLIVs, and the length of the time domain resources for the respective transmissions.

[0214] In addition to the third embodiment, according to a fourth embodiment, each set includes no more than one SLIV, and the TDRA table entry includes an indication of the total number of transmissions.

[0215] In addition to the fourth embodiment, according to a fifth embodiment, during operation, the processor determines, for each set including one SLIV, a start position and a length of time domain resources for each first transmission according to the SLIV included in the set, and / or determines, for each transmission other than one of the first transmissions, an association between one of the two or more TCI states and the time domain resources for the transmission according to a pattern indicating a sequence of TCI states and corresponding to the start position of the time domain resources for the first transmissions, the length of the time domain resources for the transmission according to the length of the time domain resources for each first transmission, wherein the time domain resources for each first transmission and the time domain resources for the transmission are associated with the same TCI state, the length of the time domain resources, and / or the start position of the time domain resources for the transmission according to an offset, start position and length of the time domain resources for one of the transmissions preceding the transmission, wherein the offset corresponds to the start position and / or length of the time domain resources for at least two first transmissions.

[0216] In addition to the second embodiment, according to a sixth embodiment, the TDRA table entry includes a single SLIV indicating an indication of the total number of transmissions, an indication of the offset between the transmissions, a start position of the time domain resource for the first transmission, and a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission.

[0217] In addition to the sixth embodiment, according to a seventh embodiment, the processor, during operation, determines a start position of the time domain resources for the first transmission according to a start position indicated by the single SLIV for the first transmission, a length of the time domain resources for the first transmission according to a length indicated by the single SLIV for the first transmission, and / or, for each transmission other than the first transmission, (i) a length of the time domain resources for the transmission according to the length of the time domain resources for the first transmission, (ii) a start position of the time domain resources for the transmission according to an indication of the start position and length of the time domain resources for the first transmission and the offset, and / or (iii) an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources for the transmission according to a predetermined pattern.

[0218] In addition to the second embodiment, according to an eighth embodiment, the entry of the TDRA table includes an indication of the total number of transmissions, a first SLIV indicating (i) the start position of the time domain resources for the first transmission and (ii) the length of the time domain resources for the first transmission, and a second SLIV indicating (i) the start position of the time domain resources that are not available for the transmission and (ii) the length of the time domain resources that are not available for the transmission.

[0219] In addition to the eighth embodiment, according to a ninth embodiment, the processor determines during operation a mapping of the transmissions to the time domain resources, wherein a length of the time domain resources for each transmission is the same as a length indicated by a first SLIV for the first transmission, and the transmissions are mapped to the available time domain resources of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined offset starting from a start position of the time domain resources for the first transmission indicated by the first SLIV, the predetermined offset indicating a separation between the time domain resources of consecutive transmissions, and each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern.

[0220] In addition to the eighth embodiment, according to a tenth embodiment, the processor determines during operation a mapping of the transmissions to the time domain resources, the transmissions are mapped to the time domain resources of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined offset starting from a start position of the time domain resources for a first transmission indicated by the first SLIV, the predetermined offset indicating a separation between the time domain resources of consecutive transmissions, the time domain resources to which the transmissions are mapped include available and unavailable time domain resources, any transmissions counting the unavailable time domain resources are mapped to time domain resources having a length indicated by the first SLIV for the first transmission, any transmissions mapped to time domain resources including unavailable time domain resources are punctured, and each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern.

[0221] According to an eleventh embodiment in addition to any of the first to tenth embodiments, the processor determines the TDRA table from at least two predetermined TDRA tables according to the TCI indicator during operation.

[0222] According to a twelfth embodiment, in addition to any of the first to eleventh embodiments, said transmission is a repetition of the same data portion.

[0223] According to a thirteenth embodiment, there is provided a base station having: a processor that generates downlink control information (DCI) signaling indicating a TCI indicator that specifies that two or more TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) states are set during operation, time domain resources for transmission, and associations of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states; and a transceiver that transmits the DCI signaling during operation and, for each of the two or more TCI states, receives or transmits data on the time domain resources associated with the respective TCI state.

[0224] According to a fourteenth embodiment, there is provided a method for a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving downlink control information (DCI) signaling; obtaining from the DCI signaling (i) a TCI indicator specifying that two or more TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) states are set; and (ii) an indication of time domain resources for transmission and associations of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, wherein each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states; and, for each of the two or more TCI states, receiving or transmitting data on a time domain resource associated with the respective TCI state.

[0225] According to a fifteenth embodiment, there is provided a method for a base station, comprising: generating downlink control information (DCI) signaling indicating (i) a TCI indicator specifying that two or more TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication) states are set, and (ii) time domain resources for transmission and associations of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states; transmitting the DCI signaling; and, for each of the two or more TCI states, receiving or transmitting data on a time domain resource associated with the respective TCI state.

[0226] It is noted that the second to twelfth embodiments are correspondingly applicable to the scheduling device of the thirteenth embodiment. Furthermore, the steps performed by the circuitry during operation correspond to the respective methods together with the transceiver steps referenced in the above UE and base station embodiments.

[0227] Additionally, a non-transitory medium is provided that stores program instructions that, when executed on a processing circuit such as a general-purpose processor, perform all of the steps of any of the method embodiments described above.

[0228] In summary, the present disclosure relates to a user equipment (UE) and a scheduling node, as well as a corresponding method, in particular, where downlink control information (DCI) signaling carries a TCI indicator specifying two or more Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states to be configured, and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each time domain resource being associated with one of the two or more TCI states, and where a transceiver receives or transmits data, for each of the two or more TCI states, on the time domain resources associated with the respective TCI state during operation.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE), a transceiver for receiving downlink control information (DCI) signaling; a processor for receiving from the DCI signaling a transmission configuration indication (TCI) indicator specifying that two or more TCI states are configured, and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states; having the transceiver receiving or transmitting, for each of the two or more TCI states, data on the time domain resource associated with the respective TCI state; The instruction is an index indicating an entry in a Time Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table, The entries in the TDRA table are: a start position of a time domain resource for a first transmission; and a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission; indicating a start position of the time domain resource unavailable for transmission and a length of the time domain resource unavailable for transmission; User equipment.

2. The start position of the time domain resource for transmission, which is an entry of the TDRA table, and the length of the time domain resource for transmission are SLIV (Start and Length Indicator Value); the TDRA table includes two or more sets of the SLIVs; Each set corresponds to a different TCI state, Each SLIV corresponds to a respective transmission, a start position of a time domain resource for each transmission, the time domain resource for each transmission being associated with the TCI state corresponding to the respective set of SLIVs; a length of the time domain resource for each transmission; and The user device of claim 1 , further comprising:

3. The user equipment of claim 2, wherein the TDRA table entries include an indication of the total number of transmissions.

4. The processor, For each set including one SLIV, determining a start position and a length of a time domain resource for each first transmission according to the SLIV included in the set; and / or 4. The user equipment of claim 3, further comprising: for each transmission other than one of the first transmissions, indicating a sequence of TCI states, associating one of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources for the transmission according to a pattern corresponding to a start position of the time domain resources for the first transmission; determining a length of the time domain resources for the transmission according to a length of the time domain resources for the respective first transmission, wherein the time domain resources for the respective first transmission and the time domain resources for the respective transmission are associated with the same TCI state; a length of the time domain resources; and / or a start position of the time domain resources for the transmission according to an offset, start position and length of the time domain resources for one of the transmissions preceding the transmission, wherein the offset corresponds to a start position and / or length of the time domain resources for at least two first transmissions.

5. The entries in the TDRA table are: an indication of the total number of said transmissions; an indication of an offset between said transmissions; and a single SLIV indicating a start position of a time domain resource for a first transmission and a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission; The user equipment of claim 1 , comprising:

6. The processor, a start position of a time domain resource for the first transmission according to a start position indicated by the single SLIV for the first transmission; the length of the time domain resource for the first transmission according to the length indicated by the single SLIV for the first transmission; and / or for each transmission that is not the first transmission, a length of the time domain resource for the transmission according to a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission, a start position of the time domain resource for the transmission according to an indication of the start position and length of the time domain resource for the first transmission and the offset, and / or an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resource for the transmission according to a predefined pattern; The user equipment of claim 5, further comprising:

7. The processor determines a mapping of the transmission to the time domain resources; a length of the time domain resource for each transmission is the same as that indicated for the first transmission; the transmissions are mapped onto the available time domain resources of the two or more TCI states according to a predefined offset starting from a start position of a time domain resource for the first transmission, the predefined offset indicating a separation between the time domain resources of successive transmissions; The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern.

8. The processor determines a mapping of the transmission to the time domain resources; the transmission is mapped to the time domain resources of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined offset starting from a start position of a time domain resource for the first transmission; the predetermined offset indicates a separation between time domain resources of successive transmissions; the time domain resources to which the transmission is mapped include available and unavailable time domain resources; any transmission is mapped to a time domain resource having a length indicated for the first transmission, counting unavailable time domain resources; any transmissions that are mapped to time domain resources that include unavailable time domain resources are punctured; The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein each of the time domain resources is associated with one of the two or more TCI states according to a predetermined pattern.

9. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the TDRA table from at least two predefined TDRA tables according to the TCI indicator.

10. The user equipment of claim 1 , wherein the transmission is a repetition of an identical data portion.

11. A method for a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving downlink control information (DCI) signaling; obtaining from the DCI signaling a Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) indicator specifying that two or more TCI states are configured and an indication indicating time domain resources for transmission and an association of the two or more TCI states with the time domain resources, each of the time domain resources being associated with one of the two or more TCI states; for each of the two or more TCI states, receiving or transmitting data on a time domain resource associated with the respective TCI state; having The instruction is an index indicating an entry in a Time Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table, The entries in the TDRA table are: a start position of a time domain resource for a first transmission; and a length of the time domain resource for the first transmission; indicating a start position of the time domain resource unavailable for transmission and a length of the time domain resource unavailable for transmission; method.

Images