Enabling access to reduced-capability New Radio (NR) devices

Abstract

To provide a system, a method, a device, and a computer program product for allowing an access to a new radio (NR) device with reduced functions.SOLUTION: A network shows a usable one of random access channel (RACH) resources formed to execute a random access sequence within a reduced uplink (UL) bandwidth (BW) compared to a total initial UL bandwidth part (BWP) BW. The network schedules an arbitrary UL transmission (Msg3 re-transmission, for example) related to the random access sequence in the reduced UL BW.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 988,607, filed March 12, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Some example embodiments may relate generally to mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technologies or New Radio (NR) access technologies, or other communications systems. For example, particular embodiments may relate to systems and / or methods for enabling access for reduced functionality New Radio (NR) devices. [Background technology]

[0003] Examples of mobile or wireless communication systems may include the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), MultiFire, LTE-A Pro, and / or fifth-generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. 5G radio systems refer to radio systems and next-generation (NG) network architectures. 5G is primarily built on New Radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on E-UTRA radio. NR is estimated to provide bit rates of 10 to 20 Gbit / s or more and support at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-based communications (mMTC). NR is expected to enable extremely high bandwidth, ultra-robust low-latency connectivity, and large-scale networking to support the Internet of Things (IoT). With the spread of IoT and M2M (Machine to Machine) communications, the need for networks that meet the requirements of low power consumption, low data rates, and long battery life is expected to increase. Note that in 5G, the node that can provide radio access functionality to user equipment (i.e., similar to Node B in UTRAN or eNB in ​​LTE) is sometimes called gNB when built on NR radio, and sometimes called NG-eNB when built on E-UTRA radio. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first embodiment, a method may include receiving, by a user equipment (UE), an indication of a configuration for a random access procedure within a bandwidth. The method may include determining a set of resources available for use by the UE based on the configuration and a random access channel (RACH) configuration.

[0005] In a variant, the indication may be included in the system information. In a variant, the indication may consist of one or more bits in the system information. In a variant, the indication may indicate one or more RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth. In a variant, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the one or more indicated RACH resources.

[0006] In a variation, the instruction may identify a first RACH resource within the bandwidth. In a variation, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the first RACH resource. In a variation, the instruction may identify a control resource set number 0 (CORESET#0) bandwidth. In a variation, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the CORESET#0 bandwidth.

[0007] In a variant, the indication may include time or frequency information identifying a set of RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth. In a variant, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the time information or frequency information. In a variant, determining the set of resources may further include determining that the UE is authorized to use the set of RACH resources, or determining that the UE is not authorized to use one or more other RACH resources that are not included in the set of RACH resources.

[0008] In a variant, the method may further include transmitting an indication of the UE's capabilities. In a variant, the capabilities may include at least one of a capability to use the bandwidth, an inability to use an initial bandwidth wider than the bandwidth, or a maximum supported bandwidth of the UE. In a variant, the method may further include determining a RACH configuration and determining whether the UE has received the indication. In a variant, the method may further include determining the bandwidth based on a configuration for the random access procedure.

[0009] In a variant, determining the set of resources may include determining one or more random access opportunities that can be used to request performing a transmission within the bandwidth. In a variant, the method may further include performing a random access procedure using the set of resources by transmitting or receiving one or more messages related to the random access procedure. In a variant, the method may further include determining one or more random access resources to use for the transmission based on performing the random access procedure.

[0010] According to a second embodiment, a method may include transmitting, by a network node, an indication of a configuration for a random access procedure within a bandwidth. The method may include receiving an indication of capabilities of the UE. The capabilities may include at least one of: a capability to use the bandwidth, a capability to not use an initial bandwidth wider than the bandwidth, or a maximum supported bandwidth of the UE.

[0011] In a variant, the indication may be included in the system information. In a variant, the indication may comprise one or more bits in the system information. In a variant, the indication may indicate one or more RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth. In a variant, the indication may identify a first RACH resource within the bandwidth.

[0012] In a variant, the indication may specify the control resource set number 0 (CORESET#0) bandwidth. In a variant, the indication may include time or frequency information identifying a set of RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth.

[0013] A third embodiment may be directed to an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, may be configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least a method according to the first or second embodiment, or any of the variations described above.

[0014] A fourth embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to perform a method according to the first or second embodiment, or any of the variations described above.

[0015] The fifth embodiment may be directed to an apparatus that may include means for performing the method according to the first or second embodiment, or any of the variations described above. Examples of the means may include one or more processors, a memory, and / or computer program code for performing the operations.

[0016] A sixth embodiment may be directed to a computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the method according to the first or second embodiment, or any of the variations described above.

[0017] A seventh embodiment may be directed to a computer program product encoding instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the method according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment, or any of the variations described above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, it is advisable to refer to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of enabling access for reduced functionality NR devices, according to some embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exemplary flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 4a is an exemplary block diagram of an apparatus according to one embodiment, and FIG. 4b is an exemplary block diagram of an apparatus according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] It will be readily understood that the components of the specific exemplary embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of several exemplary embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for enabling access for reduced functionality NR devices is not intended to limit the scope of the particular embodiments, but is instead representative of selected exemplary embodiments.

[0020] The features, structures, or characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. For example, throughout this specification, the use of "particular embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of "particular embodiments," "some embodiments," "other embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments, but rather that the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the phrase "set of" refers to a set that includes one or more of the referenced set members. Thus, the phrases "set of," "one or more of," and "at least one of," or equivalent phrases, may be used interchangeably. Furthermore, "or" is intended to mean "and / or" unless otherwise noted.

[0021] Moreover, where appropriate, various functions or operations described below may be performed in different orders and / or concurrently with one another. Moreover, where appropriate, one or more of the described functions or operations may be optional or combined. Accordingly, the following description should be considered merely illustrative of the principles and teachings of particular exemplary embodiments, and not in limitation thereof.

[0022] For NR, support for reduced-capability (REDCAP) NR devices is being considered. 5G use cases include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-wide communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable, low-latency communications (URLLC). Furthermore, time-sensitive communication (TSC) is another area that marks the boundary between mMTC and URLLC. In particular, mMTC, URLLC, and TSC are associated with Internet of Things (IoT) use cases targeting vertical industries. It is anticipated that the use cases of eMBB, mMTC, URLLC, and TSC will need to be supported on the same network.

[0023] The 3GPP® survey on "Self-Assessment for IMT-2020 Submission" confirmed that Narrowband IoT (NB IoT) and LTE-MTC (LTE M) meet the IMT-2020 standard for mMTC and can be certified as 5G technologies. Regarding URLLC support, Release 15 introduced URLLC functionality in both LTE and NR, and Release 16 further enhanced NR URLLC within the enhanced URLLC (eURLLC) and industrial IoT work items. Also, Rel-16 introduced support for time-sensitive networking (TSN) and 5G integration for TSC use cases.

[0024] One of the key objectives of 5G is to enable connected industries. 5G connectivity can serve as a catalyst for the next wave of industrial transformation and digitalization, enabling increased flexibility, improved productivity and efficiency, reduced maintenance costs, and improved operational safety. Devices in such environments may include, for example, pressure sensors, humidity sensors, thermometers, motion sensors, accelerometers, and actuators. Connecting these sensors and actuators to the 5G network or core is desirable. Use cases and needs for large-scale industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) may include URLLC services, which have very high requirements, and relatively low-end services that require small device form factors and / or be fully wireless with battery life of several years. These services have higher requirements than low-power wide-area communications (LPWA) (i.e., LTE-M / NB-IOT) but lower than URLCC and eMBB.

[0025] Similar to connected industry, 5G connectivity will serve as a catalyst for the next generation of smart city innovation. As an example, several technical specifications describe smart city use cases and their needs. The smart city vertical encompasses data collection and processing to more efficiently monitor and control city resources and provide services to city residents. Surveillance camera deployments are part of smart cities, as well as factories and industries.

[0026] Wearable use cases include smartwatches, finger rings, eHealth-related devices, and medical monitoring devices. A key feature of these use cases is the small size of the device. As a baseline, we introduce the needs of these three use cases: 1) General needs; a) Device complexity. The primary motivation for new device types is to reduce device cost and complexity compared to, for example, high-end eMBB and URLLC devices in Rel-15 / Rel-16 (this is especially true for industrial sensors); b) Device size. For most use cases, the standard must enable compact form factor device designs; and c) Deployment scenarios where the system must support all Frequency Range 1 (FR1) / Frequency Range 2 (FR2) bands for Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). Additionally, there are use-case-specific needs. a) Industrial wireless sensors: Use cases and needs include 99.99% availability of communication services, end-to-end latency of 100 milliseconds or less, and a reference bitrate of 2 megabits per second (Mbps) or less (potentially asymmetric, e.g., heavy traffic on the uplink (UL)). Devices are stationary, and batteries must last at least several years. Safety-related sensors have lower requirements (e.g., 5-10 ms) if latency is present. b) Video surveillance: Economical video bitrates are 2-4 Mbps, latency less than 500 ms, and reliability of 99%-99.9%, although high-end video (e.g., agriculture) requires 7.5 Mbps. c) Wearables: Reference bitrates for smart wearable applications are 10-50 Mbps on the downlink (DL) and at least 5 Mbps on the UL. Device peak bitrates are 150 Mbps on the downlink and 50 Mbps on the uplink. Device batteries must last for multiple days (up to 1-2 weeks). One of the objectives is to identify and explore features that can reduce UE complexity, such as reducing UE bandwidth (reusing synchronization signal block (SSB) bands and minimizing Layer 1 (L1) changes).

[0027] As can be seen from the above, reduced-capability NR devices must be able to utilize SSB bandwidth and, in general, minimize L1 changes. Therefore, it is assumed that the Control Resource Set (CORESET) #0 bandwidth (BW) used to schedule and transmit all system information messages, paging, and DL transmissions based on UE initial access via the Random Access Channel (RACH) is available to REDCAP NR devices. CORESET #0 is configured by the Master Information Block (MIB) and can select bands from {24, 48, 96} Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) to support various system / carrier bandwidths. As mentioned above, the initial band width The BWP also limits the bandwidth of the broadcast Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), so it is most efficient to allocate it as wide as possible. The initial DL BWP (which can have a bandwidth up to the system BW) configured in System Information Block 1 (SIB1) is assumed to be used by the UE after receiving Message 4 (Msg4) (RRCSetup / RRCReestablishment / RRCResume), which is why Msg4 should be sent to the UE only after the network has identified the UE with reduced BW capability (since scheduling commands on the PDCCH sent by the network after this point may be within the initial DL BWP).

[0028] However, because the UE initially uses the initial UL BWP, which is also configured in SIB1, the UL BW used for the random access procedure uses the initial UL BWP BW, which REDCAP NR devices may not be able to support. The RACH resource can be configured anywhere within the NR initial UL BWP. The RACH physical resources are configured by the radio resource control (RRC) (e.g., the prac-ConfigurationIndex, msg1-FDM, and msg1-FrequencyStart information elements (IEs) used to specify random access parameters for normal random access and beam failure recovery). In this case, a cell can have up to eight frequency-division multiplexed physical RACH (PRACH) opportunities at a time. Since one PRACH corresponds to 12 PRBs, the PRACH can span a bandwidth of up to 96 PRBs within the initial UL BWP, which roughly corresponds to a bandwidth of 20 megahertz (MHz) with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of 15 kHz.

[0029] The BWP concept allows a gNB to effectively serve UEs with different BWP capabilities using the same cell. However, the initial UL BWP that the network attempts to use for a regular NR UE may be too wide for a REDCAP NR UE. The problem is how a REDCAP NR device can access the same cell as a regular NR UE when its maximum supported bandwidth is smaller than the BW of the initial BWP. As mentioned above, the main issue is the initial UL BWP, given that DL messages for the random access procedure are scheduled on the CORESET#0 BW.

[0030] One possible solution is to allocate dedicated RACH resources to REDCAP NR devices and use them so that the network already knows from the preamble that the UE is a REDCAP NR UE. However, in NR (especially FR2 cells), the RACH configuration can be large because a preamble needs to be allocated for each beam (SSB and / or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS)) of the cell. Therefore, given that all system information is transmitted in the limited CORESET#0 bandwidth, allocating dedicated RACH resources for this purpose would be very costly in terms of overhead and network resource consumption (heavy signaling load on the network and reduced system capacity). Furthermore, legacy UEs could not use these resources.

[0031] Some embodiments described herein may provide for enabling reduced-capability NR device access. For example, a NW (e.g., a network device) may indicate in system information which of its configured RACH resources (e.g., PRACH opportunities) can be used to perform a random access procedure within a reduced UL BW (compared to the entire initial UL BW). Such configured RACH resources may be applied to UEs accessing the cell. In certain embodiments, the NW may schedule UL transmissions (e.g., Msg3 (re)transmissions, etc.) related to such random access procedures within the reduced UL BW. In this way, UEs can use the same RACH resources as legacy / normal NR UEs and do not need to configure dedicated RACH resources. Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, support for initial access of REDCAP NR devices can be enabled with a small signaling load compared to other possible solutions, e.g., by adding only one bit in the system information. Since the behavior of legacy / normal NR UEs may typically be independent of which BW (within the initial UL BWP) Message 3 (Msg3) is scheduled in, these types of devices may be able to use the same RACH resources. Furthermore, as described herein, in accordance with some embodiments, the handling of RACH resources can be optimized in network implementations.

[0032] Figure 1 illustrates an example of enabling reduced functionality NR device access, according to some embodiments. Figure 1 illustrates a UE and a network node (e.g., a gNB) in communication with each other. As described elsewhere herein, the UE may be a REDCAP UE or a REDCAP NR UE.

[0033] As shown in 100, a network node may transmit, and a UE may receive, a configuration indication for a random access procedure within a reduced bandwidth. The network node may indicate in the system information which of the configured RACH resources (e.g., PRACH opportunities) are usable for performing the random access procedure within the reduced UL BW (compared to the entire initial UL BWP BW). The indication in the system information may be a one-bit indication to support performing the random access procedure within the reduced UL BW. The network node may schedule UL transmissions (e.g., Msg3 (re)transmissions, etc.) related to such random access procedure within the reduced UL BW. The reduced UL BW may be configured separately in the system information (e.g., a reduced UL initial BWP) or may be determined, for example, from a first RACH resource that may be indicated to apply within the reduced UL BW. Additionally or alternatively, the reduced UL BW may correspond to the CORESET#0 BW used in DL. In certain embodiments, the UE may use hybrid / combined decision making, for example, where the frequency starting location of the UL BWP may be signaled in the system information and the UE may assume that the BW of the UL BWP is the same as the CORESET#0 BW.

[0034] The network node may indicate support for access by the UE. For example, this indication may be a one-bit indication in the system information and / or may include an indication of configuration for reduced UL BW as described above.

[0035] As shown at 102, the UE may determine a set of resources available to the UE based on the configuration and the common RACH configuration. Based on such an indication, the UE may determine the RACH resources that can be implicitly used based on, for example, the RACH opportunity(s) that fall within the BW of CORESET#0 or the configured reduced UL BW. Based on the configuration of the reduced UL initial BWP, the UE may determine the valid RACH opportunity(s) based on which RACH opportunity(s) fall within the configured reduced UL BW (or reduced initial UL BWP). For example, the UE may assume that it is allowed to use RACH opportunities that fall within the CORESET#0 BW, or based on an index signaled up / down from the CORESET#0 BW.

[0036] The network indication included in the system information may be time and / or frequency domain information that identifies which RACH resources can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced UL BW. For example, the UE may use the time and / or frequency domain information provided by the network node and information to identify the RACH configuration by comparing which RACH opportunities are within such time and / or frequency domain information. In certain embodiments, the UE may determine the set of resources based on determining that the UE is authorized to use the RACH resources identified in the system information or based on determining that the UE is authorized to use other RACH resources not identified in the system information. In some embodiments, a subset of the time domain resources may be assigned for use by the UE.

[0037] For example, since the RACH resources are common to UEs in a cell, the UE can determine the RACH resources it is allowed to use, for example, by assuming that RACH opportunities within the reduced UL BWP bandwidth are allowed to be used, by assuming that RACH opportunities from index #X (X may be signaled by the network node or may be the first index, e.g., index #0 or index #1) to RACH opportunity index #Y within the reduced UL BWP bandwidth are allowed to be used, by assuming that RACH opportunities that fall within CORESET #0 BW are allowed to be used, etc.

[0038] Certain embodiments may provide the following alternative or additional embodiments: The UE may determine a common RACH configuration before determining the set of resources. The common RACH configuration may refer, for example, to RACH opportunities available to the UE accessing the cell, contention-based random access (CBRA) resources within the RACH opportunities available to the UE accessing the cell, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may determine whether the UE has received the indication described in 100 before determining the set of resources. For example, the UE may determine whether an indication for a configuration for random access with reduced bandwidth is received in the system information. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may determine the reduced bandwidth based on a configuration for the random access procedure before determining the set of resources. For example, following a determination that an indication of a configuration for random access with reduced bandwidth has been received, the UE may determine the reduced bandwidth based on the configuration. Additionally or alternatively, as described above with respect to determining the set of resources, and based on the determination of the reduced bandwidth and the common random access channel configuration, the UE may determine one or more random access opportunities that can be accessed by the UE to request transmissions performed within the reduced bandwidth. Additionally or alternatively, after determining the set of resources, the UE may perform random access to the network node using one or more random access opportunities, similar to those described above. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may determine the resources for transmission and / or whether to transmit based on a response from the network node to the random access resources for transmission. Additionally or alternatively, the UE may indicate in the transmission its capability for reduced bandwidth support for further scheduling by the network node.

[0039] As shown in 104, the UE can transmit, and the network node can receive, an indication of its capabilities. For example, the UE may indicate its reduced capabilities to the network node via Msg3 to enable the UE to use a reduced BW for both the UE's UL and DL after transmitting Msg4 and / or to configure the UE's reduced BW together with Msg4. Additionally or alternatively, the UE can indicate that it cannot support the configured initial BWP bandwidth, can indicate that it is a REDCAP NR UE, or can indicate a maximum supported bandwidth (maximum supported bandwidth). The UE may indicate this reduced capability in Msg3 (e.g., in an RRC request message such as an RRC Setup Request, RRC Restart Request, RRC Reestablishment Request, RRC System Information Request, or another RRC message within Msg3, a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), or an L1 message such as Uplink Control Information (UCI)).

[0040] The UE may determine which two-step RACH resources it is allowed to use by checking which PRACH opportunities and associated PUSCH opportunities fall within the BW of CORESET#0 or the configured reduced UL BW. Similar to the above indication in Msg3, the UE may indicate in Message A (MsgA) that it cannot support the configured initial BWP BW, that it is a REDCAP NR UE, or that it indicates the maximum supported BW. In general, the UE may determine which two-step RACH resources it is allowed to use by the same means as described above for the four-step RACH, although it may have to consider the associated PUSCH opportunities in addition to the PRACH opportunities of the two-step RACH.

[0041] As noted above, Figure 1 is provided as an example, and other examples are possible according to some embodiments.

[0042] 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary operations of a UE (e.g., device 20). Some of the operations illustrated in FIG. 2 may be similar to some of the operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0043] In one embodiment, the method may include receiving an indication of a configuration for a random access procedure within a reduced bandwidth, at 200. The method may include determining, at 202, a set of resources available to the UE based on the configuration and the RACH configuration.

[0044] In some embodiments, the indication may be included in system information. In some embodiments, the indication may comprise one or more bits within the system information. In some embodiments, the indication may indicate one or more RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth. In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the one or more indicated RACH resources.

[0045] In some embodiments, the indication may identify a first RACH resource that is within the reduced bandwidth. In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the first RACH resource. In some embodiments, the indication may identify a control resource set number 0 (CORESET#0) bandwidth. In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the CORESET#0 bandwidth.

[0046] In some embodiments, the indication may include time or frequency information identifying a set of RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth. In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may further include determining the set of resources based on the time information or frequency information. In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may further include determining that the UE is authorized to use the set of RACH resources or determining that the UE is not authorized to use one or more other RACH resources that are not included in the set of RACH resources.

[0047] In some embodiments, the method may further include transmitting an indication of the UE's capabilities. In some embodiments, the capabilities may include at least one of: a capability to use the reduced bandwidth, an inability to use an initial bandwidth wider than the reduced bandwidth, or a maximum supported bandwidth of the UE. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining a RACH configuration and determining whether the UE has received the indication. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining the reduced bandwidth based on a configuration of a random access procedure.

[0048] In some embodiments, determining the set of resources may include determining one or more random access opportunities that can be used to request performing a transmission within the reduced bandwidth. In some embodiments, the method may further include performing a random access procedure using the set of resources by transmitting or receiving one or more messages related to the random access procedure. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining one or more random access resources to use for the transmission based on performing the random access procedure.

[0049] As noted above, Figure 2 is provided as an example, and other examples are possible according to some embodiments.

[0050] 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary operations of a network node (e.g., device 10). Some of the operations illustrated in FIG. 3 may be similar to some of the operations illustrated in and described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0051] In one embodiment, the method may include transmitting an indication of a configuration for a random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth, at 300. The method may include receiving an indication of UE capabilities, at 302. The capabilities may include at least one of: an ability to use the reduced bandwidth, an inability to use an initial bandwidth wider than the reduced bandwidth, or a maximum supported bandwidth of the UE.

[0052] In some embodiments, the indication may be included in system information. In some embodiments, the indication may comprise one or more bits in the system information. In some embodiments, the indication may indicate one or more RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth. In some embodiments, the indication may identify a first RACH resource that is within the reduced bandwidth.

[0053] In some embodiments, the indication may specify a control resource set number 0 (CORESET#0) bandwidth. In some embodiments, the indication may include time or frequency information that identifies a set of RACH resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth.

[0054] As noted above, Figure 3 is provided as an example, and other examples are possible according to some embodiments.

[0055] 4a is a diagram illustrating an example of device 10 according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, device 10 may be a node, host, or server within a communications network or providing services to such a network. For example, device 10 may be a network node, satellite, base station, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), 5G Node B or access point, next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), and / or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network such as an LTE network, 5G, or NR. In an exemplary embodiment, device 10 may be an eNB in ​​LTE or a gNB in ​​5G.

[0056] It should be understood that in some exemplary embodiments, apparatus 10 may be a standalone device in which a server and a wireless node communicate with each other via wireless paths or wired connections, or may be configured as an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system that may be located in the same entity and communicate via wired connections. For example, in a particular exemplary embodiment in which apparatus 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured with a central unit (CU) and distributed unit (DU) architecture that divides the functionality of the gNB. In such an architecture, the CU may be a logical node that includes gNB functions such as user data forwarding, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and / or session management. The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) over the fronthaul interface. The DU may be a logical node that includes a subset of gNB functions, depending on the functional division option. Note that those skilled in the art will understand that apparatus 10 may include components or functions not shown in FIG. 4a.

[0057] As shown in the example of FIG. 4a, device 10 may include processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 12 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Indeed, processor 12 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. While a single processor 12 is shown in FIG. 4a, multiple processors may be utilized according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in certain embodiments, device 10 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiprocessing (e.g., in this case, processor 12 may represent a multiprocessor). In certain embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster) or loosely coupled.

[0058] The processor 12 may perform functions related to the operation of the device 10, which may include, for example, overall control of the device 10, including processes related to precoding antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding individual bits forming communication messages, formatting information, and management of communication resources.

[0059] The device 10 may further include or be coupled to the processor 12 with a memory 14 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 14 may be comprised of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine- or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by the processor 12, enable the device 10 to perform tasks as described herein.

[0060] In one embodiment, device 10 may further include or be coupled (internal or external) to a drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 12 and / or device 10.

[0061] In some embodiments, device 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for transmitting and receiving signals and / or data to and from device 10. Device 10 may further include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 18 may include multiple wireless interfaces, which may be coupled to antenna(s) 15, for example. The wireless interfaces may support multiple wireless access technologies, including one or more of GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), MulteFire, etc. The wireless interfaces may include components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters), mappers, fast Fourier transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission over one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., over an uplink).

[0062] In this manner, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s) 15, and to demodulate information received via antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of device 10. In other embodiments, transceiver 18 may transmit and receive signals or data directly. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0063] In one embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 10. Memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 10. Components of device 10 may be implemented in hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0064] According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and memory 14 may be included in or form part of processing or control circuitry. Further, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0065] As used herein, the term “circuitry” may refer to a hardware-only circuit implementation (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor(s) having software (including digital signal processors) that cooperate to cause a device (e.g., device 10) to perform various functions, and a hardware circuit(s), processor, or portion thereof that uses software for operation but may be absent if not necessary for operation. As a further example, as used herein, the term “circuitry” may also cover a mere hardware circuit or processor (or processors), or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware implementation. The term circuitry may also cover, for example, a baseband integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

[0066] As introduced above, in certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be a network node or a RAN node, such as a base station, an access point, a Node B, an eNB, a gNB, a WLAN access point, or the like.

[0067] According to certain embodiments, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as some of the operations of the flow or signaling diagrams illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.

[0068] For example, in one embodiment, apparatus 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to send a configuration indication for a random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth. In one embodiment, apparatus 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to receive an indication of UE capabilities. The capabilities may include at least one of: an ability to use the reduced bandwidth, an inability to use an initial bandwidth wider than the reduced bandwidth, or a maximum supported bandwidth of the UE.

[0069] 4b illustrates an example of apparatus 20 according to another embodiment. In one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be a node or element in a communications network or associated with such a network, such as a UE, mobile equipment (ME), mobile station, mobile device, stationary device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, mobile equipment, mobile unit, user device, subscriber station, wireless terminal, tablet, smartphone, IoT device, sensor, or NB-IoT device. By way of example, apparatus 20 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, or the like.

[0070] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more wireless access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, device 20 may be configured to operate with one or more wireless access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other wireless access technology. Note that one skilled in the art will understand that device 20 may include components or features not shown in FIG. 4b.

[0071] As shown in the example of FIG. 4b, device 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. Processor 22 may be any type of general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Indeed, processor 22 may include, by way of example, one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. While FIG. 4b shows a single processor 22, according to other embodiments, multiple processors may be utilized. For example, it should be understood that in certain embodiments, device 20 may include two or more processors that may form a multiprocessor system that may support multiprocessing (e.g., in this case, processor 22 may represent a multiprocessor). In certain embodiments, the multiprocessor system may be tightly coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster) or loosely coupled.

[0072] Processor 22 may perform functions related to the operation of device 20, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 20, including processing related to management of communication resources.

[0073] Apparatus 20 may further include or be coupled to processor 22 with memory 24 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by processor 22. Memory 24 may be one or more memories and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, memory 24 may be comprised of any combination of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine- or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable apparatus 20 to perform tasks as described herein.

[0074] In one embodiment, device 20 may further include or be coupled to a drive or port (internal or external) configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 22 and / or device 20.

[0075] In some embodiments, device 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals and for transmitting from device 20 via an uplink. Device 20 may further include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. Transceiver 28 may also include a wireless interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to antenna 25. The wireless interface may support multiple wireless access technologies, including one or more of GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The wireless interface may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., for processing symbols, such as OFDMA symbols, carried by the downlink or uplink.

[0076] For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s) 25 and demodulate information received via antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of device 20. In other embodiments, transceiver 28 may transmit and receive signals or data directly. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, device 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In particular embodiments, device 20 may further include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0077] In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, for providing additional functionality to device 20. Components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an exemplary embodiment, device 20 may be configured to communicate with device 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

[0078] According to some embodiments, the processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in or form part of processing or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included in or form part of transmitting and receiving circuitry.

[0079] As mentioned above, according to some embodiments, apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE, a mobile device, a mobile station, an ME, an IoT device, and / or an NB-IoT device. According to particular embodiments, apparatus 20 is controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 and may perform functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes shown in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.

[0080] For example, in one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to receive an indication of a configuration for a random access procedure within a reduced bandwidth. In one embodiment, apparatus 20 may be controlled by memory 24 and processor 22 to determine a set of resources available for use by the UE based on the configuration and the RACH configuration.

[0081] Certain exemplary embodiments therefore provide several technical improvements, enhancements, and / or advantages over existing technical processes. For example, one advantage of some exemplary embodiments is that they enable reduced-capability UE access with reduced signaling compared to other possible solutions. Use of some exemplary embodiments therefore results in improved functionality of communication networks and their nodes, and thus constitutes an improvement, among other things, at least to the technical field of UE access.

[0082] In some exemplary embodiments, the functions of any of the methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flowcharts described herein may be implemented by software and / or computer program code or portions of code stored in a memory or other computer-readable or tangible medium and executed by a processor.

[0083] In some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit, or entity configured as an arithmetic operation(s) or as a program or portion thereof (including additional or updated software routines) and executed by at least one computing processor. Programs, also referred to as program products or computer programs, include software routines, applets, and macros, and may be stored on any device-readable data storage medium and include program instructions that perform specific tasks.

[0084] The computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components configured to perform some exemplary embodiments when the program is executed. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portion of code. Modifications and configurations necessary to perform the functionality of the exemplary embodiments may be implemented as a routine(s) or as additional or updated software routine(s). In one example, the software routine(s) may be downloaded to the device.

[0085] By way of example, the software or computer program code or portions of code may be in source code form, object code form, or some intermediate form, and may be stored on some carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device apparatus capable of carrying a program. Such a carrier may include, for example, a recording medium, computer memory, read-only memory, optical and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunications signals, and / or software distribution packages. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed on one electronic digital computer or distributed among several computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0086] In other exemplary embodiments, the functions may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in a device (e.g., device 10 or device 20), for example, through the use of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the functions may be implemented as signals, such as non-tangible means that may be carried by electromagnetic signals downloaded from the internet or other network.

[0087] According to exemplary embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, device, or corresponding component may be configured as a circuit, such as a single-chip computer element, a computer or microprocessor, or as a chipset, which may include at least a memory for providing storage capacity used for computational process(es) and / or a processor for performing computational processes.

[0088] The exemplary embodiments described herein apply equally to singular and plural embodiments, regardless of whether singular or plural language is used in connection with describing a particular embodiment. For example, an embodiment describing the operation of a single network node applies equally to an embodiment including multiple instances of the network node, and vice versa.

[0089] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the exemplary embodiments described above may be implemented with operations in a different order and / or with hardware elements in different configurations than those disclosed. Thus, while several embodiments have been described based on these exemplary preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative configurations will be apparent while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments. The present specification describes at least the following items. (1) receiving, by a user equipment, an indication of configuring a random access procedure within a bandwidth; determining a set of resources available for use by the user equipment based on the configuration and a random access channel configuration; method. (2) The method according to (1), wherein the instruction is included in system information. (3) The method according to (2), wherein the instruction includes one or more bits within the system information. (4) the indication indicates one or more random access channel resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth; and determining the set of resources further includes determining the set of resources based on the indicated one or more random access channel resources. The method described in (1). (5) the indication identifies a first random access channel resource within the bandwidth; and determining the set of resources further includes determining the set of resources based on the first random access channel resource. The method described in (1). (6) the instruction identifies a bandwidth for control resource set number 0; determining the set of resources further includes determining the set of resources based on a bandwidth of the control resource set number 0; The method described in (1). (7) the instruction includes time or frequency information identifying a set of random access channel resources within the bandwidth that can be used to perform the random access procedure; determining the set of resources further comprises determining the set of resources based on the time information or frequency information. The method described in (1). (8) determining the set of resources further comprises: determining that the user equipment is authorized to use the set of random access channel resources; or determining that the user equipment is not authorized to use one or more other random access channel resources that are not included in the set of random access channel resources; (7) The method described in (7). (9) further comprising transmitting an indication of the capabilities of the user equipment; The function is a function that uses said bandwidth; An initial bandwidth greater than said bandwidth cannot be used; and a maximum bandwidth supported by said user equipment; The method according to (1), comprising at least one of the following: (10) determining the random access channel configuration; determining whether the user equipment has received the indication; The method according to (1), further comprising: (11) The method of (1), further comprising determining the bandwidth based on a configuration of the random access procedure. (12) determining the set of resources includes: determining one or more random access opportunities that can be used to request transmission within the bandwidth; The method described in (1). (13) The method of (1), further comprising: performing the random access procedure using the set of resources by sending or receiving one or more messages associated with the random access procedure. (14) The method of (13), further comprising determining one or more random access resources to use for transmission based on execution of the random access procedure. (15) a network node transmits instructions regarding the configuration of a random access procedure within the bandwidth; 1. A method for receiving an indication of user equipment capabilities, comprising: The function is a function that uses said bandwidth; An initial bandwidth greater than said bandwidth cannot be used; and the maximum bandwidth supported by said user equipment; The method includes at least one of the following: (16) The method according to (15), wherein the instruction is included in system information. (17) The method of (16), wherein the instruction includes one or more bits in the system information. (18) The method according to (15), wherein the instruction indicates one or more random access channel resources that can be used within the bandwidth to perform the random access procedure. (19) The method of (15), wherein the instruction identifies a first random access channel resource within the bandwidth. (20) The method of (15), wherein the instruction identifies a bandwidth for control resource set number 0. (21) The method of (15), wherein the instruction includes time or frequency information that identifies a set of random access channel resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth. (22) at least one processor; at least one memory containing computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, cause the device to have at least: receiving an indication of a configuration of a random access procedure within the bandwidth; determining a set of resources that the device can use based on the configuration and a random access channel configuration; 2. An apparatus configured to cause a (23) The device according to (22), wherein the instruction is included in system information. (24) The apparatus of (23), wherein the instruction includes one or more bits in the system information. (25) The instruction indicates one or more random access channel resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth; The at least one memory and the computer program code, using the at least one processor, cause the device to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining the set of resources based on the indicated one or more random access channel resources; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (26) The instruction identifies a first random access channel resource within the bandwidth; The at least one memory and the computer program code, using the at least one processor, cause the device to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining the set of resources based on the first random access channel resource; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (27) The instruction identifies a bandwidth of control resource set number 0; The at least one memory and the computer program code, using the at least one processor, cause the device to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining the set of resources based on a bandwidth of the control resource set number 0; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (28) The instruction includes time or frequency information identifying a set of random access channel resources within the bandwidth that can be used to perform the random access procedure; The at least one memory and the computer program code, using the at least one processor, cause the device to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining a set of resources based on the time information or the frequency information; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (29) The at least one memory and the computer program code, when using the at least one processor to determine the set of resources, cause the device to at least: determining that the device is authorized to use the set of random access channel resources; or determining that the device is not permitted to use one or more other random access channel resources not included in the set of random access channel resources; The apparatus according to (28), further configured to: (30) The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to further cause, using the at least one processor, the device to at least transmit an indication of the device's functionality; The function is a function that uses said bandwidth; An initial bandwidth greater than said bandwidth cannot be used; and the maximum supported bandwidth of said device; The device according to (22), comprising at least one of: (31) The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to cause the device to at least: determining the random access channel configuration; and determining whether the device has received the instruction; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (32) The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to cause the device to at least: determining the bandwidth based on a configuration for the random access procedure; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (33) The at least one memory and the computer program code, using the at least one processor, cause the device to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining one or more random access opportunities that can be used to request transmission within the bandwidth; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (34) The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to cause the device to at least: performing the random access procedure using the set of resources by sending or receiving one or more messages related to the random access procedure; The apparatus according to (22), further configured to perform the following: (35) The at least one memory and the computer program code cause the at least one processor to, when determining the set of resources, at least: determining one or more random access resources to use for transmission based on execution of the random access procedure; The apparatus according to (34), further configured to: (36) An apparatus comprising means for carrying out the method according to any one of (1) to (14). (37) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions for causing an apparatus to execute the method according to any one of (1) to (14). (38) An apparatus comprising a circuit configured to perform the method according to any one of (1) to (14). (39) At least one processor; at least one memory containing computer program code; An apparatus comprising: The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to cause the device to at least: sending an indication of the configuration of a random access procedure within the bandwidth; receiving an indication of a capability of the user equipment, the capability comprising at least: a function that uses said bandwidth; An initial bandwidth greater than said bandwidth cannot be used; and a maximum bandwidth supported by said user equipment; including one of the An apparatus configured to cause (40) The device described in (39), wherein the instruction is included in system information. (41) The apparatus of (40), wherein the indication includes one or more bits in the system information. (42) The apparatus of (39), wherein the instruction indicates one or more random access channel resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the bandwidth. (43) The apparatus of (39), wherein the indication identifies a first random access channel resource within the bandwidth. (44) The apparatus described in (39), wherein the instruction identifies a bandwidth of control resource set number 0. (45) The apparatus of (39), wherein the instruction includes time or frequency information identifying a set of random access channel resources within the bandwidth that can be used to perform the random access procedure. (46) An apparatus comprising a means for carrying out the method according to any one of (15) to (21). (47) An apparatus comprising a circuit configured to perform the method according to any one of (15) to (21). (48) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions for causing an apparatus to execute the method according to any one of (15) to (21). [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] BW Bandwidth BWP Bandwidth Part FR Frequency Range REDCAP Reduced functionality

Claims

1. receiving, by the user equipment, in system information, a configuration indication indicating one or more configured random access channel resources for performing a random access procedure within a reduced bandwidth compared to an initial uplink bandwidth portion; determining, by the user equipment, random access channel resources allowed for use by the user equipment based on the configuration and a common random access channel configuration; A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common random access channel configuration refers to a random access channel configuration.

3. determining the random access channel resources allowed for use by the user equipment, one or more indicated random access channel resources; a first random access channel resource within the reduced bandwidth identified by the indication; the bandwidth of the control resource set number 0 identified by the instruction, or the time information or frequency information included in the instruction; The method of claim 1 , based on one or more of:

4. further comprising transmitting, using the user equipment, an indication of the capabilities of the user equipment; The function is the ability to use said reduced bandwidth; an initial bandwidth greater than the reduced bandwidth cannot be used, or a maximum supported bandwidth for the user equipment; The method of claim 1 , comprising at least one of:

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the reduced bandwidth based on the configuration for the random access procedure.

6. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing the random access procedure using the random access channel resources allowed for use by the user equipment by transmitting or receiving one or more messages associated with the random access procedure.

7. at least one processor; at least one memory storing instructions, The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to at least: receiving, in system information, a configuration indication indicating one or more configured random access channel resources for performing a random access procedure within a reduced bandwidth compared to an initial uplink bandwidth portion; determining random access channel resources allowed for use by the devices based on the configuration and a common random access channel configuration; A device that performs the following.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the indication comprises one or more bits in the system information.

9. the indication indicates one or more random access channel resources that can be used to perform the random access procedure within the reduced bandwidth; The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to determine the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device based on the one or more indicated random access channel resources; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

10. the indication identifies a first random access channel resource within the bandwidth; The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to determine the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device based on the first random access channel resource, thereby determining the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

11. the indication identifies the bandwidth of control resource set number 0; The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to determine the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device based on a bandwidth of the control resource set number 0, thereby determining the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

12. the indication includes time or frequency information identifying a set of random access channel resources within the bandwidth that can be used to perform the random access procedure; The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to determine the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device based on the time information or frequency information, thereby determining the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

13. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to perform at least: determining that the device is authorized to use the random access channel resources permitted for use by the device; or determining that the device is not authorized to use one or more other random access channel resources that are not included in the random access channel resources permitted for use by the device; The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

14. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to at least transmit an indication of the functionality of the device; The function of the device is to the function of the device to use the reduced bandwidth; the device is unable to use an initial bandwidth greater than the reduced bandwidth; or a maximum supported bandwidth for said device; The apparatus of claim 7 , comprising at least one of:

15. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to perform at least: determining the configured random access channel resources; and determining whether the device has received the instruction; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

16. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to: determining the reduced bandwidth based on the configuration for the random access procedure; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

17. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to: determining one or more random accesses that can be used to request transmission within the reduced bandwidth; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

18. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to: performing the random access procedure using the random access channel resources allowed for use by the device by sending or receiving one or more messages associated with the random access procedure; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

19. The instructions stored on the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to: determining one or more random access resources to use for transmission based on the execution of the random access procedure; The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:

20. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the common random access channel configuration refers to a random access channel opportunity.

21. Apparatus comprising means for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 6.

23. An apparatus comprising circuitry configured to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 6.

24. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the common random access channel configuration refers to a random access channel opportunity.

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