Method for handling DL UL TCI conditions

Abstract

A method is disclosed for handling downlink (DL) uplink (UL) transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states. More specifically, a method is provided that is performed by a wireless device and a base station to handle DL UL TCI states. The method disclosed herein may be useful for achieving dynamic power control in a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) case, where one beam pair link is best for DL ​​signals / channels and another beam pair link is best for UL signals / channels.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to handling downlink (DL) uplink (UL) transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states. [Background technology]

[0002] The new generation mobile radio communication system (5G) or New Radio (NR) supports a diverse set of use cases and a diverse set of deployment scenarios.

[0003] NR uses cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) in the downlink (DL) (i.e., from the network node, gNB, eNB, or base station to the user equipment or UE) and both CP-OFDM and discrete Fourier transform (DFT-S-OFDM) spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM) in the uplink (UL) (i.e., from the UE to the gNB). In the time domain, NR downlink and uplink physical resources are organized into equal-sized subframes of 1 ms each. Subframes are further divided into multiple slots of equal duration.

[0004] The slot length depends on the subcarrier spacing: for a subcarrier spacing of Δf=15 KHz, there is only one slot per subframe, and each slot always consists of 14 OFDM symbols, regardless of the subcarrier spacing.

[0005] Typical data scheduling in NR is per slot, an example of which is shown in Figure 1. The first two symbols contain the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), and the remaining 12 symbols contain the Physical Data Channel (PDCH), which is either the Physical Downlink Data Channel (PDSCH) or the Physical Uplink Data Channel (PUSCH).

[0006] NR supports various subcarrier spacing values. The supported subcarrier spacing is Δf = (15 × 2 α ) kHz, where α is a positive integer. Δf = 15 kHz is the basic subcarrier spacing also used in Long Term Evolution (LTE). The slot durations for different subcarrier spacings are shown in Table 1. [Table 1]

[0007] In frequency-domain physical resource definition, the system bandwidth is divided into multiple resource blocks (RBs), each corresponding to 12 consecutive subcarriers. Common RBs (CRBs) are numbered starting with 0 from one end of the system bandwidth. A UE is configured with one or up to four bandwidth parts (BWPs), which may be a subset of the RBs supported on a carrier. Thus, a BWP can start with a CRB greater than zero. All configured BWPs have a common reference, CRB 0. Thus, a UE can be configured with a narrow BWP (e.g., 10 MHz) and a wide BWP (e.g., 100 MHz), but only one BWP can be active at any given time. Physical RBs (PRBs) are numbered from 0 to N-1 within a BWP (where the 0th PRB can be the Kth CRB, where K>0).

[0008] The basic NR physical time-frequency resource grid is shown in Figure 2, which shows only one RB in a 14-symbol slot. One OFDM subcarrier in one OFDM symbol interval forms one resource element (RE).

[0009] Downlink transmissions can be dynamically scheduled; that is, in each slot, the gNB transmits downlink control information (DCI) on the PDCCH regarding which UE data should be transmitted and in which RBs in the current downlink slot the data should be transmitted. The PDCCH is typically transmitted in the first one or two OFDM symbols in each slot in NR. UE data is carried on the PDSCH. The UE first detects and decodes the PDCCH, and if the decoding is successful, decodes the corresponding PDSCH based on the decoded control information in the PDCCH.

[0010] Uplink data transmissions can also be dynamically scheduled using the PDCCH. Similar to the downlink, the UE first decodes the uplink grant on the PDCCH and then transmits data on the PUSCH based on the decoded control information in the uplink grant (e.g., modulation order, coding rate, uplink resource allocation, etc.).

[0011] In NR, multiple signals can be transmitted from different antenna ports of the same base station. These signals can have the same large-scale characteristics, such as Doppler shift / spread, mean delay spread, or mean delay. In this case, these antenna ports are said to be quasi-co-located (QCL).

[0012] If the UE knows that two antenna ports are QCL with respect to a certain parameter (e.g., Doppler spread), the UE can estimate that parameter based on one of the antenna ports and apply that estimate to receive a signal on the other antenna port.

[0013] For example, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for a tracking reference signal (TRS) and a PDSCH demodulation reference signal (DMRS) may have a QCL relationship. When a UE receives a PDSCH DMRS, the UE can use measurements already made on the TRS to assist in DMRS reception.

[0014] Information about what assumptions can be made about the QCL is signaled to the UE from the network. NR specifies four types of QCL relationships between the transmitting source RS and the transmitting target RS. Type A: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, mean delay, delay spread} Type B: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread} Type C: {average delay, Doppler shift} Type D: {Spatial Rx parameters}

[0015] QCL Type D was introduced to facilitate beam management using analog beamforming and is known as spatial QCL. While there is currently no strict definition of spatial QCL, the understanding is that if two transmitted antenna ports are spatially QCLs, the UE can use the same Rx beam to receive them. This is useful for UEs that use analog beamforming to receive signals because the UE needs to adjust its RX beam in a certain direction before receiving a given signal. If the UE knows that a signal is spatially QCL with some other signal it has previously received, it can safely use the same RX beam to receive that signal. While we will primarily focus on QCL Type D with respect to beam management, note that it is also necessary to communicate the QCL Type A relationship with RS to the UE so that the UE can estimate all relevant large-scale parameters.

[0016] This is typically achieved by configuring the UE with CSI-RS for TRS for time / frequency offset estimation. To be able to use any QCL reference, the UE must receive the QCL reference with a sufficiently good signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR). In many cases, this means that the TRS must be transmitted on the appropriate beam for the particular UE.

[0017] To introduce dynamics into beam and transmit / receive point (TRP) selection, the UE can be configured by Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling with up to 128 TCI (Transmission Configuration Indicator) states. The TCI state information elements are shown in Figure 3.

[0018] Each TCI state contains QCL information for one or two RSs. For example, a TCI state may include CSI-RS1 associated with QCL type A and CSI-RS2 associated with QCL type D. If a third RS (e.g., a PDCCH DMRS) has this TCI state as its QCL source, it means that when the UE performs channel estimation for the PDCCH DMRS, it can derive the Doppler shift, Doppler spread, mean delay, and delay spread from CSI-RS1 and the spatial Rx parameters (i.e., the RX beam to use) from CSI-RS2.

[0019] A first list of available TCI states is configured for the PDSCH, and a second list of TCI states is configured for the PDCCH. Each TCI state includes a pointer to the TCI state, known as a TCI state ID. The network then activates one TCI state for the PDCCH (i.e., provides one TCI for the PDCCH) and up to eight TCI states for the PDSCH, via the MAC CE. The number of active TCI states supported by the UE is up to eight, depending on the UE's capabilities.

[0020] Assume that the UE has four activated TCI states (out of a configured list of 64 TCI states). Therefore, 60 TCI states are inactive for this particular UE, and the UE does not need to prepare large-scale parameters estimated for those inactive TCI states. However, the UE continuously tracks and updates the large-scale parameters for RSs in the four active TCI states. When scheduling a PDSCH to the UE, the DCI contains a pointer to one activated TCI state. The UE then knows the large-scale parameter estimates to use when performing PDSCH DMRS channel estimation and, therefore, PDSCH demodulation.

[0021] The use of DCI signaling is sufficient as long as the UE can use any of the currently activated TCI states. However, at some point, the UE will no longer be able to receive the RS for the currently activated TCI state, i.e., when the UE moves outside the beam in which the RS for the activated TCI state is transmitted. When this situation occurs (or indeed before this situation occurs), the gNB must activate a new TCI state. Since the number of activated TCI states is usually fixed, the gNB must also deactivate one or more of the currently activated TCI states.

[0022] The two-step procedure for updating the TCI state is shown in Figure 4.

[0023] The TCI state activation / deactivation for a UE-specific PDSCH may be provided by a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE). Details of the MAC CE signaling used to activate / deactivate the TCI state for a UE-specific PDSCH are now described. Figure 5 shows the structure of a MAC CE that activates / deactivates the TCI state for a UE-specific PDSCH.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the MAC CE includes the following fields: Serving Cell ID: This field indicates the identity of the serving cell to which the MAC CE applies. The length of the field is 5 bits. BWP ID: This field contains the ID corresponding to the downlink bandwidth portion to which the MAC CE applies. The BWP ID is given by the higher layer parameter BWP-Id as specified in 3GPP TS 38.331. The length of the BWP ID field is 2 bits, since a UE can be configured with up to four BWPs for DL. A variable number of fields Ti: If the UE is configured with a TCI state with TCI State ID i, the field Ti indicates the activation / deactivation state of the TCI state with TCI State ID i. If the UE is not configured with a TCI state with TCI State ID i, the MAC entity ignores the Ti field. As specified in 3GPP TS 38.214, a Ti field set to "1" indicates that the TCI state with TCI State ID i is activated and is mapped to a code point in the DCI transmission configuration indication field. A Ti field set to "0" indicates that the TCI state with TCI State ID i is deactivated and is not mapped to a code point in the DCI transmission configuration indication field. The code point to which the TCI state is mapped is determined by its ordinal position among all TCI states with Ti field set to "1". That is, the first TCI state with the Ti field set to '1' is mapped to code point value 0 in the DCI transmission configuration indication field, the second TCI state with the Ti field set to '1' is mapped to code point value 1 in the DCI transmission configuration indication field, and so on. In NR Rel-15, the maximum number of activated TCI states is 8. Reserved bit R: This bit is set to "0" in NR Rel-15

[0025] Note that the TCI state activate / deactivate for a UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE is identified by a MAC Protocol Data Unit (PDU) subheader with a Logical Channel ID (LCID) as specified in Table 6.2.1-1 of 3GPP TS 38.321. The MAC CE for the TCI state activate / deactivate for a UE-specific PDSCH has a variable size.

[0026] A UE-specific TCI status indication for the PDSCH may also be provided by the DCI. The gNB may use DCI format 1_1 or 1_2 to indicate to the UE that it will use one of the activated TCI states for subsequent PDSCH reception. The field used in the DCI is TCI (Transmission Configuration Indication), which is 3 bits if tci-PresentInDCI is "enabled" or tci-PresentForDCI-Format1-2-r16 is present for DCI formats 1_1 and 1_2 by higher layers, respectively. An example of such a DCI indication is shown in Figure 6.

[0027] DCI codepoint 0 indicates the first TCI state index in the list of TCI states, DCI codepoint 1 indicates the second TCI state index in the list, and so on.

[0028] 3GPP Rel-17 defines a new, enhanced TCI state framework. At the RAN1#103-e meeting, it was agreed that the new TCI state framework should include three levels of TCI state indication for all or a subset of all DL and / or UL channels / signals (in a manner similar to that described above for PDSCH). In the first level, RRC is used to configure a pool of TCI states. In the second level, one or more of the RRC-configured TCI states are activated by MAC-CE signaling. Finally, in the third level, DCI signaling is used to select one of the TCI states activated by the MAC-CE. The TCI states used for DL ​​and UL channels / signals may be drawn from the same pool of TCI states or from separate pools of TCI states (i.e., separate DL and UL TCI state pools).

[0029] At the RAN1#103-e meeting, it was agreed to support both joint beam indication ("common DL / UL TCI") and separate DL / UL beam indication ("separate DL / UL TCI"), as seen below. In the case of common DL / UL TCI, a single TCI state (e.g., DL TCI state or common TCI state) is used to determine the TX / RX spatial filters for both DL and UL signals / channels. In the case of separate DL / UL TCI, one TCI state (e.g., DL TCI state) can be used to indicate the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel, and a separate TCI state (e.g., UL TCI state) can be used to indicate the TX spatial filter for the UL signal / channel. Agreement Regarding beam indication signaling vehicle to support common or individual DL / UL beam indication in the Rel.17 unified TCI framework: Support L1 based beam indication using at least UE specific (unicast) DCI to indicate common or individual DL / UL beam indication from active TCI state. Existing DCI formats 1_1 and 1_2 will be reused for beam indication. Supports activation of one or more TCI states by MAC CE similar to Rel.15 / 16. Agreement To address the case of separate beam indication for UL and DL in the Rel-17 unified TCI framework: · Two separate TCI states are used: one for DL ​​and one for UL. Regarding individual DL TCI: One or more source reference signals in the M TCIs provide QCL information for UE-dedicated reception at least on the PDSCH and for UE-dedicated reception on all or a subset of the CORESET in the CC. Regarding individual UL TCI: One or more source reference signals in the N TCIs provide a basis for determining a common UL TX spatial filter for at least dynamic grant / configured grant-based PUSCH, all or a subset of dedicated PUCCH resources in the CC. Optionally, this UL TX spatial filter may also be applied to all SRS resources in one or more resource sets configured for antenna-switched / codebook-based / non-codebook-based UL transmission. FFS: Whether the UL TCI state is taken from a common / same or separate TCI state pool from the DL TCI state

[0030] 7 is a schematic example diagram showing how a common DL / UL TCI can be found by associating a list of activated DL TCI states with their TCI field code points in the DCI. In this case, a single TCI field code point in the DCI is used to update the DL TCI state used to determine the TX / RX spatial filters for both DL and UL signals / channels. For example, if a DCI with TCI field code point 2 is indicated to the UE, the UE needs to update the TX / RX spatial filters based on DL TCI state 9 for both DL and UL signals / channels.

[0031] 8 is a diagram illustrating a schematic example of how a list of activated DL / UL TCI states and their association with TCI field code points in the DCI can locate individual DL / UL TCIs, where each TCI field code point in the DCI is associated with one DL TCI state and one UL TCI state. If a UE is indicated with a particular TCI field code point that maps to one DL TCI state and one UL TCI state, the UE activates one DL TCI state and one UL TCI state.

[0032] At the RAN1#104-e meeting, it was agreed to support signaling to indicate whether common DL / UL TCI or individual DL / UL TCI applies: Agreement RAN1#104bis-e requires that for the Rel.17 Unified TCI Framework, select or change at least one of the following options: · Option 1: The UE can be dynamically indicated with either a common DL / UL TCI or a dedicated DL / UL TCI. - For details on dynamic indications, see FFS. · FFS: UE capability to support common DL / UL TCI and / or individual DL / UL TCI. · Alternative 2A: UE can be configured with either common DL / UL TCI or dedicated DL / UL TCI via RRC signaling. · Alternative 2B: The UE may be configured with a common DL / UL TCI, separate DL / UL TCI, or both via RRC signaling. · Option 3: UE can be configured with either common DL / UL TCI or dedicated DL / UL TCI via MAC CE signaling. Details on how this is signaled in relation to TCI activation are in the FFS. Summary of the Invention

[0033] Embodiments disclosed herein include methods for handling downlink (DL) uplink (UL) transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states. More specifically, methods are provided that are performed by wireless devices and base stations to handle DL UL TCI states. The methods disclosed herein can be useful for implementing dynamic power control in cases of maximum permissible exposure (MPE), where one beam pair link is best for DL ​​signals / channels and another beam pair link is best for UL signals / channels.

[0034] In one aspect, a method is provided for processing downlink and uplink TCI states by a wireless device. The method includes receiving downlink control information (DCI) having an indication of selected TCI codepoints included in a first subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state. The method also includes performing one or more operations based on the selected TCI field codepoints.

[0035] In another aspect, the wireless device is configured with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE configured to associate each of a first subset of the TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state, to associate each of a second subset of the TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state, and to associate each of a third subset of the TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state.

[0036] In another aspect, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field is included to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to the uplink only, the downlink only, or both the downlink and the uplink.

[0037] In another aspect, receiving the DCI having the indication includes receiving the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point within a first subset of the TCI field code points, and performing the one or more actions includes updating a downlink receive spatial filter based on the individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0038] In another aspect, the downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0039] In another aspect, performing the one or more actions further includes maintaining an existing uplink transmit spatial filter.

[0040] In another aspect, receiving the DCI having the indication includes receiving the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point in a second subset of the TCI field code points, and performing the one or more actions includes updating an uplink transmit spatial filter based on the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0041] In another aspect, the uplink transmit spatial filter is updated to one of an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point and a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0042] In another aspect, performing the one or more actions further includes maintaining an existing downlink transmit spatial filter.

[0043] In another aspect, receiving the indication includes receiving the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point in a third subset of the TCI field code points, and performing the one or more actions includes performing a separate-TCI scheme to update a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter, respectively, based on the individual downlink TCI state and the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0044] In another aspect, the downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal of an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point, and the uplink transmit spatial filter is updated to one of an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point and a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0045] In another aspect, performing one or more actions further includes simultaneously updating the downlink receive spatial filter and the uplink transmit spatial filter.

[0046] In one aspect, a wireless device is provided, the wireless device including a processing circuit configured to cause the wireless device to receive a DCI having an indication of selected TCI codepoints included in a first subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state, the processing circuit configured to cause the wireless device to perform one or more operations based on the selected TCI field codepoints.

[0047] In another aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless device to perform any steps of a method performed by the wireless device.

[0048] In one aspect, a method is provided for processing downlink and uplink TCI states performed by a base station, the method including transmitting a DCI having an indication of selected TCI codepoints included in a first subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state.

[0049] In another aspect, the base station configures wireless devices with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE configured to associate each of a first subset of the TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state, each of a second subset of the TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state, and each of a third subset of the TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state.

[0050] In another aspect, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field is included to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to the uplink only, the downlink only, or both the downlink and the uplink.

[0051] In another aspect, transmitting a DCI having the indication includes transmitting the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a first subset of the TCI field code points.

[0052] In another aspect, transmitting a DCI having the indication includes transmitting the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a second subset of the TCI field code points.

[0053] In another aspect, transmitting a DCI having the indication includes transmitting the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a third subset of the TCI field code points.

[0054] In one aspect, a base station is provided, the base station including a processing circuit configured to cause the base station to transmit a DCI having an indication of selected TCI codepoints included in a first subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field codepoints each associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state.

[0055] In another aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the base station to perform any steps of a method performed by the base station. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0056] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0057] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of slot-based data scheduling in New Radio (NR).

[0058] [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is an example diagram of a basic NR physical time-frequency resource grid.

[0059] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an example diagram of a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) status information element.

[0060] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of a two-step procedure for TCI state updates.

[0061] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an example diagram of a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for activating / deactivating a TCI state for a user equipment (UE)-specific physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0062] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an example diagram of a downlink control information (DCI) indication to indicate to a UE to use one of the activated TCI states for subsequent PDSCH reception.

[0063] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram illustrating how a list of activated DL TCI states associated with a TCI field codepoint in a DCI can locate a common downlink (DL) / uplink (UL) TCI.

[0064] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating how a list of activated DL / UL TCI states associated with a TCI field codepoint in a DCI may locate an individual DL / UL TCI.

[0065] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cellular communication system in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented.

[0066] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an example method performed by a wireless device to handle DL and UL TCI states, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example method performed by a base station for handling DL and UL TCI states, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0068] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an exemplary method performed by a wireless device for handling DL and UL TCI states according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method performed by a base station for handling DL and UL TCI states according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an example diagram illustrating how a list of activated DL / UL TCI states associated with a TCI field codepoint in a DCI may locate an individual DL / UL TCI, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0071] [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an exemplary diagram illustrating how a list of activated DL / UL TCI states associated with a TCI field codepoint in a DCI may locate an individual DL / UL TCI, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] [Figure 16]FIG. 16 shows a schematic example of how a first subset of codepoints are mapped to DL TCI states and how a second subset of codepoints are mapped to separate UL and DL TCI states.

[0073] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 illustrates an example in which a MAC CE message implicitly switches from a common DL / UL TCI to a dedicated DL / UL TCI.

[0074] [Figure 18] FIG. 18 illustrates another example in which a MAC-CE message implicitly switches from a dedicated DL / UL TCI to a common DL / UL TCI.

[0075] [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node that may be configured to handle DL UL TCI conditions according to the method of FIG.

[0076] [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualized embodiment of a radio access node according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0077] [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0078] [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device that may be configured to handle DL UL TCI conditions in accordance with the method of FIG.

[0079] [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0080] [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system including a telecommunications network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0081] [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of a user equipment (UE), a base station, and a host computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0084] [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0085] [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0086] The embodiments described below are for informational purposes to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best modes for practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the present disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not specifically addressed in this disclosure. It should be understood that these concepts and applications are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0087] Wireless Node: In this disclosure, a "wireless node" is either a wireless access node or a wireless communication device.

[0088] Radio Access Node: In this disclosure, a “radio access node” or “radio network node” or “radio access network node” is any node in a Radio Access Network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that operates to transmit and / or receive signals wirelessly. Non-limiting examples of a radio access node include a base station (e.g., a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) base station (gNB), or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a Home eNB, etc.), a relay node, a network node implementing some of the functionality of a base station (e.g., a network node implementing a gNB Central Unit (gNB-CU) or a network node implementing a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU)), or a network node implementing some of the functionality of some other type of radio access node.

[0089] Core Network Node: In this disclosure, a "core network node" is any type of node in a core network or any node that implements a core network function. Some examples of core network nodes include, for example, a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), etc. Some other examples of core network nodes include nodes that implement an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a User Plane Function (UPF), a Session Management Function (SMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), a Network Exposure Function (NEF), a Network Function (NF) Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), etc.

[0090] Communications Device: In this disclosure, a "communications device" is any type of device capable of accessing an access network. Some non-limiting examples of communications devices include mobile phones, smartphones, sensor devices, meters, vehicles, home appliances, medical devices, media players, cameras, or any type of consumer electronics (e.g., including, but not limited to, televisions, radios, lighting devices, tablet computers, laptops, or personal computers (PCs)). Communications devices can be portable, handheld, computer-based, or vehicle-mounted mobile terminals capable of communicating voice and / or data over wireless or wired connections.

[0091] Wireless Communication Device: One type of communication device is a wireless communication device, which may be any type of wireless device capable of accessing (i.e., receiving service from) a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network). Non-limiting examples of wireless communication devices include user equipment devices (UEs) in 3GPP networks, machine-type communication (MTC) devices, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Such wireless communication devices may be, or may be integrated into, mobile phones, smartphones, sensor devices, meters, vehicles, home appliances, medical devices, media players, cameras, or any type of consumer electronics (e.g., but not limited to, televisions, radios, lighting equipment, tablet computers, laptops, or PCs). Wireless communication devices may be portable, handheld, computing-enabled, or vehicle-mounted mobile terminals capable of communicating voice and / or data over a wireless connection.

[0092] Network Node: In this disclosure, a "network node" is any node that is part of either the RAN or core network of a cellular communications network / system.

[0093] Transmit / Receive Point (TRP): In some embodiments, a TRP can be a network node, a radio head, a spatial relation, or a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state. A TRP can be represented by a spatial relation or a TCI state in some embodiments. In some embodiments, a TRP can use multiple TCI states. In some embodiments, a TRP can be part of a gNB that transmits and receives radio signals to and from a WD according to physical layer characteristics and parameters specific to that element. In some embodiments, in multi-TRP operation, a serving cell can schedule a UE from two TRPs, providing better physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) coverage, reliability, and / or data rates. There are two different modes of operation for multi-TRP: single downlink control information (DCI) and multi-DCI. For both modes, control of uplink and downlink operations is provided by both the physical layer and medium access control (MAC). In single DCI mode, the UE is scheduled with the same DCI for both TRPs, while in multi-DCI mode, the UE is scheduled with independent DCI from each TRP.

[0094] In some embodiments, a set of transmission points (TPs) is a set of geographically co-located transmit antennas (e.g., an antenna array with one or more antenna elements) for a cell, a portion of a cell, or a dedicated TP for a positioning reference signal (PRS). The set of TPs can include base station (eNB) antennas, remote radio heads (RRHs), remote antennas of base stations, antennas of PRS-dedicated TPs, etc. One cell can be formed by one or more TPs. In the case of homogeneous deployment, each TP can correspond to one cell.

[0095] In some embodiments, a set of TRPs is a geographically co-located set of antennas (e.g., an antenna array (having one or more antenna elements)) that supports TP and / or receiving point (RP) functionality.

[0096] It should be noted that this disclosure focuses on 3GPP cellular communication systems and, therefore, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is often used, however, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to 3GPP systems.

[0097] Although the descriptions in this disclosure may refer to the term "cell," it is important to note that, particularly with regard to 5G NR concepts, beams may be used instead of cells, and therefore the concepts described in this disclosure are equally applicable to both cells and beams.

[0098] Currently, there are certain issues (one or more), for example, it is an open issue how the UE should interpret the codepoints of the indicated TCI field to handle DL / UL TCI states, such as "separate DL / UL TCI" operation.

[0099] Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these and other problems. The embodiments disclosed herein include methods for handling a combination of "common DL / UL TCI" and "individual DL / UL TCI."

[0100] Various embodiments are proposed to address one or more of the problems disclosed herein.

[0101] In one aspect, a method is provided for processing downlink and uplink TCI states by a wireless device. The method includes receiving a DCI having an indication of selected TCI fields included in 1) a first subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state, 2) a second subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and 3) a third subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with either a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state or a respective common TCI state. The method also includes performing one or more actions based on the selected TCI field code points.

[0102] In another aspect, a method performed by a base station for processing downlink and uplink TCI states is provided, the method including transmitting a DCI having an indication of selected TCI fields included in 1) a first subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state, 2) a second subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and 3) a third subset of TCI field code points, each of which is associated with either a respective downlink and uplink TCI state or a respective common TCI state.

[0103] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantages: Separate beam pair links for DL / UL signals / channels may be beneficial, for example, when an MPE event occurs, since then one beam pair link may be best for the DL signal / channel, but another beam pair link may be best for the UL signal / channel (e.g., when the best beam pair link for the DL signal / channel is affected by MPE, resulting in the UE having to reduce the UL output power for that beam pair link).

[0104] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a cellular communication system 900 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. In the described embodiments, the cellular communication system 900 is a 5G system (5GS) including a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) and a 5G Core (5GC). In this example, the RAN includes NR base stations (gNBs) for 5GS and possibly Next Generation eNBs (ng-eNBs) (e.g., LTE RAN nodes connected to 5GC), and includes base stations 902-1 and 902-2 that control corresponding (macro) cells 904-1 and 904-2. Base stations 902-1 and 902-2 are generally referred to herein as multiple base stations 902 and individually as base station 902. Similarly, (macro) cells 904-1 and 904-2 are generally referred to herein as multiple (macro) cells 904 and individually as (macro) cell 904. The RAN may further include multiple low-power nodes 906-1 through 906-4 that control corresponding small cells 908-1 through 908-4. The low power nodes 906-1 to 906-4 may be small base stations (such as pico or femto base stations) or RRHs, etc. Notably, although not shown, one or more of the small cells 908-1 to 908-4 may alternatively be provided by a base station 902. The low power nodes 906-1 to 906-4 are generally collectively referred to as a plurality of low power nodes 906, and individually referred to as a low power node 906. Similarly, the small cells 908-1 to 908-4 are generally collectively referred to as a plurality of small cells 908, and individually referred to as a small cell 908. The cellular communication system 900 further includes a core network 910, which is referred to as 5GC in a 5G system (5GS). The plurality of base stations 902 (and possibly the plurality of low power nodes 906) are connected to the core network 910.

[0105] A plurality of base stations 902 and a plurality of low power nodes 906 serve wireless communication devices 912-1 through 912-5 within a corresponding plurality of cells 904 and 908. The wireless communication devices 912-1 through 912-5 are generally collectively referred to as a plurality of wireless communication devices 912 and individually as a wireless communication device 912. In the following description, the wireless communication devices 912 are often UEs, although the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0106] 10 is a flowchart of an example method that may be performed by a wireless device for processing DL UL TCI states, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to the method, the wireless device is configured to receive a DCI having an indication of selected TCI codepoints included in a first subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field codepoints, each of which is associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state (step 1000).

[0107] In one embodiment, receiving the DCI with the indication includes receiving an indication indicating a selected TCI field codepoint in a first subset of the TCI field codepoints (step 1000-1). In another embodiment, receiving the DCI with the indication includes receiving an indication indicating a selected TCI field codepoint in a second subset of the TCI field codepoints. In another embodiment, receiving the indication includes receiving an indication indicating a selected TCI field codepoint in a third subset of the TCI field codepoints.

[0108] According to the method, the wireless device is also configured to perform one or more operations based on the selected TCI field code point (step 1002). In one embodiment, performing the one or more operations includes updating a downlink receive spatial filter based on an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point (step 1002-1a). In one embodiment, performing the one or more operations further includes maintaining an existing uplink transmit spatial filter (step 1002-1b). In one embodiment, performing the one or more operations includes updating an uplink transmit spatial filter based on an individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point (step 1002-2a). In one embodiment, performing the one or more operations further includes maintaining an existing downlink receive spatial filter (step 1002-2b). In one embodiment, performing the one or more operations includes performing an individual TCI scheme to update a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter based on an individual downlink TCI state and an individual uplink TCI state respectively associated with the selected TCI field code point (step 1002-3a). In one embodiment, performing the one or more actions further includes simultaneously updating a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter (Step 1002-3b).

[0109] 11 is a flowchart of an example method that may be performed by a base station for handling DL UL TCI states, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to the method, the base station is configured to transmit downlink control information (DCI) having an indication indicating selected TCI field code points included in a first subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a respective downlink TCI state, a second subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a respective uplink TCI state, and a third subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state (step 1100). In one embodiment, transmitting the DCI having the indication includes transmitting an indication indicating selected TCI field code points within the first subset of TCI field code points (step 1100-1). In one embodiment, transmitting the DCI having the indication includes transmitting an indication indicating selected TCI field code points within the second subset of TCI field code points (step 1100-2). In an embodiment, transmitting the DCI with the indication includes transmitting an indication indicating a selected TCI field code point within a third subset of TCI field code points (step 1100-3). In an embodiment, a base station may be configured to transmit a message to activate or deactivate one or more uplink TCI states (step 1102).

[0110] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an example method that may be performed by a wireless device to handle a DL UL TCI condition, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0111] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an example method that may be performed by a base station to handle DL UL TCI conditions, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0112] Particular embodiments of the present disclosure for handling DL UL TCI conditions are disclosed in detail below.

[0113] In one embodiment (e.g., steps 1000, 1100), the TCI field codepoints mapped to the DL TCI state or the UL TCI state can only change the TCI state for the DL link or the UL link. In this embodiment, the mapping of DL / UL TCI states to codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI includes three different subsets of codepoints, as described below. A first subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to only (one or more) DL TCI states (e.g., steps 1000-1, 1100-1). A second subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to only one or more UL TCI states (eg, steps 1000-2, 1100-2). A third subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI is mapped to both DL TCI state(s) and UL TCI state(s) (eg, steps 1000-3, 1100-3).

[0114] Code points in all three subsets of code points belong to TCI fields in the same DCI (e.g., the same DCI format). The three subsets of code points are disjoint sets.

[0115] When a UE is indicated a codepoint from the first subset in the DCI, the UE updates its Rx spatial filter based on the DL TCI state indicated by that codepoint. That is, the DL Rx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal (e.g., a QCL Type-D reference signal source) for the indicated DL TCI state. In some embodiments, when a UE is indicated a codepoint from the first subset in the DCI, the UE updates only the DL Rx spatial filter for the DL channel / signal based on the indicated DL TCI state (e.g., step 1002-1a) and maintains the current UL Tx spatial filter that the UE is using for the UL channel / signal (e.g., step 1002-1b).

[0116] If the UE is indicated a codepoint from the second subset in the DCI, the UE updates the UL Tx spatial filter based on the UL TCI state indicated by that codepoint, i.e., the UL Tx spatial filter is updated to one of the following: If the source reference signal is a UL reference signal (e.g., SRS), the UL Tx spatial filter used to transmit the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. If the source reference signal is a DL reference signal (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS), the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. In this case, the updated UL Tx spatial filter points in the same spatial direction as the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state.

[0117] In some embodiments, if the UE is indicated a codepoint from the second subset in the DCI, the UE updates only the UL Tx spatial filter for the UL channel / signal based on the indicated UL TCI state (e.g., step 1002-2a) and maintains the current DL Rx spatial filter that the UE is using for the DL channel / signal (e.g., step 1002-2b).

[0118] When a UE is indicated a codepoint from the third subset in the DCI, the UE updates its UL Tx spatial filter and DL Rx spatial filter based on the UL TCI state and DL TCI state indicated by that codepoint, respectively. The DL Rx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal (e.g., QCL Type-D reference signal source) of the DL TCI state indicated in the codepoint. The UL Tx spatial filter is updated to one of the following: If the source reference signal is a UL reference signal (e.g., SRS), the UL Tx spatial filter used to transmit the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. If the source reference signal is a DL reference signal (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS), the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. In this case, the updated UL Tx spatial filter points in the same spatial direction as the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state.

[0119] In some embodiments, if the UE is indicated a codepoint from the third subset in the DCI, the UE updates the UL Tx spatial filter for the UL channel / signal based on the indicated UL TCI state and updates the DL Tx spatial filter for the DL channel / signal based on the indicated DL TCI state (e.g., step 1002-3a). In further embodiments, the UL Tx spatial filter and the DL Rx spatial filter are updated simultaneously (e.g., 1002-3b).

[0120] Figure 14 shows a schematic example of how the list of activated DL / UL TCI states mapped to the TCI field code points of the DCI can look up individual DL / UL TCIs. In this example, a single DCI code point can be used to update only the DL TCI state (code points 0 and 1), only the UL TCI state (code points 6 and 7), or both the DL and UL TCI state (code points 2, 3, 4, and 5).

[0121] For example, if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 2, the UE needs to update the RX spatial filter based on the DL TCI state 9 for the DL signal / channel and simultaneously update the TX spatial filter based on the UL TCI state 1 for the UL signal / channel. And if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 0, the UE only needs to update the RX spatial filter based on the DL TCI state 3 for the DL signal / channel (i.e., no update is required for the TX spatial filter for the UL signal / channel). Similarly, if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 6, the UE only needs to update the TX spatial filter based on the UL TCI state 42 for the UL signal / channel (i.e., no update is required for the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel).

[0122] In an alternative version of this embodiment, the UE is configured with a list of common TCI states that provide source reference signals for updating the DL RX spatial filter for receiving DL channels / signals and the UL Tx spatial filter for transmitting UL channels / signals. The UE in this embodiment is also additionally configured with separate DL and UL TCI states. In this embodiment, the mapping of the common DL and UL TCI states to codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI includes three different subsets of codepoints, as described below. · A first subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to only (one or more) DL TCI states. A second subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to only one or more UL TCI states. A third subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to (one or more) common TCI states.

[0123] If the UE is indicated a codepoint from either the first or second subset in the DCI, the UE procedure is the same as described above. However, if the UE is indicated a codepoint from the third subset in the DCI, the UE updates both the UL Tx spatial filter and the DL Rx spatial filter based on the common TCI state indicated by that codepoint. The DL Rx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive source reference signals for the common TCI state indicated in the codepoint. The UL Tx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive source reference signals for the common TCI state. In some embodiments, the UL Tx spatial filter and the DL Rx spatial filter are updated simultaneously.

[0124] An example of an alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 15. For example, if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 2, the UE needs to update the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel at the same time as updating the TX spatial filter for the UL signal / channel, both based on the common TCI state 9. And, if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 0, the UE needs to update only the RX spatial filter based on the DL TCI state 3 for the DL signal / channel (i.e., no update is required for the TX spatial filter for the UL signal / channel). Similarly, if the TCI field codepoint in the DCI is 6, the UE needs to update only the TX spatial filter based on the UL TCI state 42 for the UL signal / channel (i.e., no update is required for the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel).

[0125] In another embodiment, the TCI field codepoint in the DCI associated with the DL TCI state can change the TCI state for the DL link and the UL link. In this embodiment, the mapping of DL / UL TCI states to codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI includes two different subsets of codepoints as described below. · A first subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI are mapped to only (one or more) DL TCI states. A second subset of codepoints in the TCI field in the DCI is mapped to both DL TCI state(s) and UL TCI state(s).

[0126] The code points in all two subsets of code points belong to the TCI field in the same DCI (e.g., the same DCI format). The two subsets of code points are disjoint sets.

[0127] When a UE is indicated a codepoint from the first subset in the DCI, the UE updates both the UL Tx spatial filter and the DL Rx spatial filter based on the DL TCI state indicated by that codepoint. The DL Rx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal for the DL TCI state indicated in the codepoint. The UL Tx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal for the DL TCI state. In some embodiments, the UL Tx spatial filter and the DL Rx spatial filter are updated simultaneously.

[0128] When the UE is indicated a codepoint from the second subset in the DCI, the UE updates the UL Tx spatial filter and DL Rx spatial filter based on the UL TCI state and DL TCI state indicated by the codepoint, respectively. The DL Rx spatial filter is updated to the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal (e.g., QCL Type-D reference signal source) of the DL TCI state indicated in the codepoint. The UL Tx spatial filter is updated to one of the following: If the source reference signal is a UL reference signal (e.g., SRS), the UL Tx spatial filter used to transmit the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. If the source reference signal is a DL reference signal (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS), the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state. In this case, the updated UL Tx spatial filter points in the same spatial direction as the DL Rx spatial filter used to receive the source reference signal in the UL TCI state.

[0129] Figure 16 shows a schematic example of how a first subset of codepoints are mapped to DL TCI states and how a second subset of codepoints are mapped to separate UL and DL TCI states. In this example, a single TCI field codepoint in the DCI can be used to update either: Both DL Rx spatial filter and UL Tx spatial filter according to the indicated DL TCI state (e.g., when TCI field codepoint 0, 1, 6 or 7 in Figure 16 is indicated), or · Update the DL Rx spatial filter according to the indicated DL TCI state and update the UL spatial filter according to the indicated UL TCI state (e.g., if TCI field codepoint 2, 3, 4 or 5 in Figure 16 is indicated).

[0130] For example, if the TCI field code point indicated in the DCI is 2, the UE needs to update the RX spatial filter based on DL TCI state 9 for the DL signal / channel and simultaneously update the TX spatial filter based on UL TCI state 1 for the UL signal / channel. Also, if the TCI field code point indicated in the DCI is 0, the UE needs to update the TX and RX spatial filters based on DL TCI state 3 for both DL and UL signals / channels. Note that this means applying the operations described in Figure 7 for TCI field code points 0, 1, 6, and 7 in the DCI and the operations described in Figure 8 for TCI field code points 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the DCI.

[0131] In another embodiment, the MAC-CE can be used to implicitly switch between a common DL / UL TCI and a dedicated DL / UL TCI (e.g., step 1102). In this embodiment, the MAC-CE message used to activate / deactivate the DL and / or UL TCI states and associate them with different TCI field code points in the DCI is used implicitly to switch between a "common DL / UL TCI" and a "dedicated DL / UL TCI." In the MAC-CE message, each TCI field code point in the DCI is associated with either one DL TCI state, one UL TCI state, or a pair of DL / UL TCI states.

[0132] After a MAC-CE message is received and the indicated DL / UL TCI state is activated / deactivated, if one or more UL TCI states are activated (and associated with TCI field codepoints in the DCI), the UE shall assume that "individual DL / UL TCI" applies. DCIs indicating TCI field codepoints associated with DL TCI states only change the DL TCI state (the UL TCI state is not affected), and DCIs indicating codepoints associated with UL TCI states only change the UL TCI state (the DL TCI state is not affected).

[0133] After a MAC-CE message is received and the indicated DL / UL TCI state is activated / deactivated, if the UL TCI state is not activated, the UE shall assume that "common DL / UL TCI" applies. A DCI indicating a TCI field codepoint associated with a DL TCI state changes both the DL and UL TCI states.

[0134] In an alternative embodiment, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field is included indicating whether the activated TCI state applies (1) to the UL only, (2) to the DL only, or (3) to both the UL and DL. If any of the activated TCI states apply (1) to the UL only, or (2) to the DL only, the UE shall assume that individual DL / UL TCI states are activated for at least a subset of the TCI field codepoints. If all activated TCI states apply to both the UL and DL, the UE shall assume that a "common DL / UL TCI" applies.

[0135] Figure 17 shows an example of this embodiment, where the MAC-CE message (used to activate / deactivate DL / UL TCI states and associate them with TCI field code points in the DCI) implicitly switches from "common DL / UL TCI" to "individual DL / UL TCI." As can be seen from Figure 17, when the MAC-CE message activates UL TCI states (and associates them with TCI field code points in the DCI), the UE needs to start applying "individual DL / UL TCI" instead of "common DL / UL TCI." This means that the UE next receives a TCI field code point in the DCI that indicates only a single DL TCI state, and the UE only needs to update the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel based on the indicated DL TCI state (as shown in the last step of the figure).

[0136] Figure 18 shows another example of this embodiment, where the MAC-CE message implicitly switches from "Individual DL / UL TCI" to "Common DL / UL TCI." As can be seen from Figure 18, if the MAC-CE message deactivates all UL TCI states (and their association with DCI TCI field code points), the UE needs to start applying "Common DL / UL TCI" instead of "Individual DL / UL TCI." This means that the UE next receives a TCI field code point in the DCI that indicates only a single DL TCI state, and the UE only needs to update the RX / TX spatial filters for both DL and UL signals / channels based on the indicated DL TCI state (as shown in the last step of the figure).

[0137] In another embodiment, radio resource control (RRC) signaling can be used to implicitly switch between common DL / UL TCI and dedicated DL / UL TCI. In this embodiment, the UE should assume a "common DL / UL TCI" or a "dedicated DL / UL TCI" by RRC configuring / reconfiguring the UE with / without a UL TCI state. In an alternative embodiment of this embodiment, the UE assumes a "dedicated DL / UL TCI" if at least one UL TCI is RRC configured. If no UL TCI state is RRC configured, the UE should assume a "common DL / UL TCI." This means that even if a UL TCI state is RRC configured but none of the UL TCI states are activated by the MAC-CE and associated with a TCI field codepoint in the DCI, the UE should assume a "dedicated DL / UL TCI." Therefore, the UE should not update the TX spatial filter when the network signals a TCI field codepoint in the DCI that points to a DL DCI state.

[0138] Note that if a single DL TCI state and a single UL TCI state are RRC configured, they may be activated by default without any association to the TCI field codepoints in the DCI. In this case, the UE should use the DL TCI state to determine the RX spatial filter for the DL signal / channel and the UL TCI state to determine the TX spatial filter for the UL signal / channel.

[0139] FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node 1900 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Optional functionality is represented by dashed boxes. The radio access node 1900 may be, for example, a base station 902 or 906 or a network node that implements all or a portion of the functionality of the base station 902 or gNB described herein. As shown, the radio access node 1900 includes a control system 1902 having one or more processors 1904 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or the like), a memory 1906, and a network interface 1908. The one or more processors 1904 are also referred to herein as processing circuits. Additionally, the radio access node 1900 may include one or more radio units 1910, each including one or more transmitters 1912 and one or more receivers 1914, each connected to one or more antennas 1916. The radio unit 1910 may be referred to as, or may be part of, a radio interface circuit. In some embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1910 are external to the control system 1902 and are connected to the control system 1902, for example, via a wired connection (e.g., an optical cable). However, in some other embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1910 and potentially the antenna(s) 1916 are integrated with the control system 1902. The one or more processors 1904 operate to provide one or more functions of the radio access node 1900 as described herein. In some embodiments, the function(s) are implemented in software that is stored, for example, in the memory 1906 and executed by the one or more processors 1904.

[0140] 20 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualized embodiment of a radio access node 1900 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This description is equally applicable to other types of network nodes. Furthermore, other types of network nodes may have a similar virtualization architecture. Again, optional functionality is represented by dashed boxes.

[0141] In this disclosure, a “virtualized” radio access node is an implementation of a radio access node 1900 in which at least a portion of the functionality of the radio access node 1900 is implemented as virtual component(s) (e.g., by virtual machine(s) running on physical processing node(s) in network(s)). As shown, in this example, the radio access node 1900 may include a control system 1902 and / or one or more radio units 1910, as described above. The control system 1902 may be connected to the radio units 1910, for example, by optical cables or the like. The radio access node 1900 includes one or more processing nodes 2000 connected to or included as part of the network(s) 2002. If present, the control system 1902 or radio unit(s) are connected to the processing node(s) 2000 via the network(s) 2002. Each of the processing nodes 2000 includes one or more processors 2004 (eg, CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and / or the like), memory 2006, and a network interface 2008.

[0142] In this example, the radio access node 1900 functionality 2010 described herein may be implemented in one or more processing nodes 2000 or distributed across one or more processing nodes 2000 and control system 1902 and / or radio unit(s) 1910 in any desired manner. According to some particular embodiments, some or all of the radio access node 1900 functionality 2010 described herein are implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in virtual environment(s) hosted by the processing node(s) 2000. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, additional signaling or communication may be used between the processing node(s) 2000 and control system 1902 to perform at least some of the desired functionality 2010. Notably, in some embodiments, the control system 1902 may not be included, in which case the radio unit(s) 1910 communicate directly with the processing node(s) 2000 via appropriate network interface(s).

[0143] In some embodiments, a computer program is provided that includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform in a virtual environment the functions of the radio access node 1900 or a node implementing one or more of the functions 2010 of the radio access node 1900 (e.g., processing node 2000) in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein. According to some embodiments, a carrier is provided that constitutes the aforementioned computer program product. The carrier is one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a memory).

[0144] 21 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node 1900 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The radio access node 1900 includes one or more modules 2100, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s) 2100 provide the functionality of the radio access node 1900 described herein. This description is equally applicable to the processing node 2000 of FIG. 20, in which case the module 2100 may be implemented on one of the processing nodes 2000 or distributed across multiple processing nodes 2000 and / or across the processing node(s) 2000 and the control system 1902.

[0145] 22 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device 2200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the wireless communication device 2200 includes one or more processors 2202 (e.g., a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, and / or the like), a memory 2204, and one or more transceivers 2206, each including one or more transmitters 2208 and one or more receivers 2210 connected to one or more antennas 2212. The transceiver(s) 2206 include radio front-end circuitry connected to the antennas 2212 and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna(s) 2212 and the processor(s) 2202, as would be understood by one skilled in the art. The processor 2202 is also referred to herein as a processing circuit. The transceiver 2206 is also referred to herein as a radio circuit. In some embodiments, the functionality of the wireless communication device 2200 described above may be implemented completely or partially in software stored, for example, in the memory 2204 and executed by the processor(s) 2202. It should be noted that the wireless communication device 2200 may include additional components not shown in FIG. 22 , such as, for example, one or more user interface components (e.g., an input / output interface including a display, buttons, a touchscreen, a microphone, one or more speakers, and / or the like, and / or any other components that allow information to be input to and / or output from the wireless communication device 2200), a power source (e.g., a battery and associated power circuitry), etc.

[0146] In some embodiments, a computer program product is provided that includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the functions of the wireless communication device 2200 according to any of the embodiments described herein. According to some embodiments, a carrier is provided that constitutes the aforementioned computer program product. The carrier is one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a memory).

[0147] 23 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device 2200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device 2200 includes one or more modules 2300, each implemented in software. The module(s) 2300 provide the functionality of the wireless communication device 2200 described herein.

[0148] 24, according to an embodiment, a communications system includes a telecommunications network 2400, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, having an access network 2402, such as a RAN, and a core network 2404. The access network 2402 includes a plurality of base stations 2406A, 2406B, 2406C, such as Node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 2408A, 2408B, 2408C. Each base station 2406A, 2406B, 2406C can be connected to the core network 2404 using a wired or wireless connection 2410. A first UE 2412 located in the coverage area 2408C is configured to wirelessly connect to or be paged by the corresponding base station 2406C. A second UE 2414 within the coverage area 2408A can wirelessly connect to the corresponding base station 2406A. Although multiple UEs 2412, 2414 are shown in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to situations where a single UE is within the coverage area or is connected to the corresponding base station 2406.

[0149] The telecommunications network 2400 is itself connected to a host computer 2416, which may be implemented in hardware and / or software as a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as a processing resource within a server farm. The host computer 2416 may be owned or controlled by a service provider, or may be operated by or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 2418 and 2420 between the telecommunications network 2400 and the host computer 2416 may extend directly from the core network 2404 to the host computer 2416 or may go through an optional intermediate network 2422. The intermediate network 2422 may be one or a combination of two or more of a public network, a private network, a hosted network, and, if present, the intermediate network 2422 may be a backbone network or the Internet. In particular, the intermediate network 2422 may have two or more subnetworks (not shown).

[0150] The communication system of FIG. 24 , as a whole, provides connectivity between the connected UEs 2412, 2414 and the host computer 2416. This connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 2424. The host computer 2416 and the connected UEs 2412, 2414 are configured to communicate data and / or signaling over the OTT connection 2424 using the access network 2402, the core network 2404, any intermediate networks 2422, and possibly further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 2424 may be transparent in the sense that participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 2424 passes are unaware of the routing of the uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station 2406 would not be informed, or would need to be informed, of the past routing of incoming downlink communications with data originating from the host computer 2416 being forwarded (e.g., handed over) to the connected UE 2412. Similarly, the base station 2406 does not need to be aware of the future routing of outgoing uplink communications originating from the UE 2412 towards the host computer 2416 .

[0151] Referring now to FIG. 25, an example implementation in accordance with the embodiments of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the previous paragraph will be described. In communication system 2500, host computer 2502 has hardware 2504 including communication interface 2506 configured to establish and maintain wired or wireless connections with interfaces of other communication devices within communication system 2500. Host computer 2502 further has processing circuitry 2508, which may have memory and / or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 2508 may have one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations thereof (not shown) configured to execute instructions. Host computer 2502 further has software 2510 stored on host computer 2502 or accessible to host computer 1610 and executable by processing circuitry 2508. Software 2510 includes host application 2512. The host application 2512 may be operable to provide services to a remote user, such as the UE 2514, connecting via an OTT connection 2516 that terminates at the UE 2514 and the host computer 2502. In providing services to the remote user, the host application 2512 may provide user data that is transmitted using the OTT connection 2516.

[0152] The communications system 2500 further includes a base station 2518 disposed within the communications system, the base station 2518 having hardware 2520 that enables communication with the host computer 2502 and the UE 2514. The hardware 2520 may include a communications interface 2522 for setting up and maintaining wired or wireless connections with interfaces of different communications devices of the communications system 2500, as well as a wireless interface 2524 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 2526 with a UE 2514 located within a coverage area (not shown in FIG. 25) served by the base station 2518. The communications interface 2522 may be configured to facilitate a connection 2528 to the host computer 2502. The connection 2528 may be direct, may pass through a core network of the communications system (not shown in FIG. 25), and / or may pass through one or more intermediate networks external to the communications system. In the illustrated embodiment, the hardware 2520 of the base station 2518 further includes processing circuitry 2530, which may include one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations thereof (not shown) configured to execute instructions. The base station 2518 also has software 2532 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0153] The communications system 2500 further includes the previously mentioned UE 2514. The hardware 2534 of the UE 2514 may include a wireless interface 2536 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 2526 with a base station serving the coverage area in which the UE 2514 is currently located. The hardware 2534 of the UE 2514 further includes processing circuitry 2538, which may have one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations thereof (not shown) configured to execute instructions. The UE 2514 further includes software 2540 stored on or accessible by the UE 2514 and executable by the processing circuitry 2538. The software 2540 includes a client application 2542. The client application 2542, with support from the host computer 2502, is operable to provide services to a human or non-human user via the UE 2514. At the host computer 2502, a running host application 2512 can communicate with a running client application 2542 via a UE 2514 and an OTT connection 2516 that terminates at the host computer 2502. In providing services to a user, the client application 2542 may receive request data from the host application 2512 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 2516 can transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 2542 can interact with the user and generate the user data to provide.

[0154] It should be noted that the host computer 2502, base station 2518, and UE 2514 shown in Figure 25 may be identical to the host computer 2416, one of the base stations 2406A, 2406B, and 2406C, and one of the UEs 2412 and 2414, respectively, of Figure 24. That is, the internal operation of these entities may be similar to that shown in Figure 25, and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that shown in Figure 24.

[0155] 25, the OTT connection 2516 is depicted abstractly to illustrate communication between the host computer 2502 and the UE 2514 via the base station 2518, without explicitly showing intermediate devices or the exact routing of messages through those devices. The network infrastructure can make routing decisions that may be configured to be hidden from the UE 2514, from the service provider-operated host computer 2502, or both. While the OTT connection 2516 is active, the network infrastructure can further make decisions to dynamically change the routing (e.g., based on load balancing considerations or network reconfiguration).

[0156] The wireless connection 2526 between the UE 2514 and the base station 2518 follows the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of the OTT service provided to the UE 2514 using the OTT connection 2516 of which the wireless connection 2526 forms the last segment.

[0157] Measurement procedures may be provided to monitor data rates, latency, and other network operating aspects that one or more embodiments improve. Additionally, there may be optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2516 between the host computer 2502 and the UE 2514 in response to fluctuations in the measurements. The measurement procedures and / or network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 2516 may be implemented in the software 2510 and hardware 2504 of the host computer 2502, or in the software 2540 and hardware 2534 of the UE 2514, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be provided in or associated with the communications equipment through which the OTT connection 2516 passes, and the sensors may participate in the measurement procedures by providing values ​​for the monitored quantities exemplified above, or other physical quantities from which the software 2510, 2540 may calculate or estimate the monitored quantities. Reconfiguration of the OTT connection 2516 may include message formats, retransmission settings, priority routing, etc. The reconfiguration need not affect the base station 2518 and may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 2518. Such procedures and functions would be known and practiced in the art. In particular embodiments, the measurements may involve dedicated UE signaling that facilitates the host computer 2502 measuring throughput, propagation time, delay, etc. Measurements may be performed by having the OTT connection 2516 send messages, particularly empty or "dummy" messages, while software 2510 and 2540 monitors propagation time, errors, etc.

[0158] FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with respect to FIGS. 24 and 25. To simplify this disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 26 are included in this section. In step 2600, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 2602 of step 2600 (which may be optional), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2604, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 2606 (which may be optional), the base station transmits the user data carried in the host computer-initiated transmission to the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2608 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0159] FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with respect to FIGS. 24 and 25. To simplify this disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 27 are included in this section. In step 2700 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown), the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2702, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may be passed via the base station in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2704 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0160] FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communications system according to one embodiment. The communications system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with respect to FIGS. 24 and 25. To simplify this disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 28 are included in this section. In step 2800 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2802, the UE provides user data. In a sub-step (which may be optional) of step 2800, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 2806 (which may be optional) of step 2802, the UE executes the client application that provides the user data in response to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further take into account user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data is provided, the UE begins transmitting the user data to the host computer in sub-step 2808 (which may be optional). In method step 2810, the host computer receives user data transmitted from the UE according to the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0161] Figure 29 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system according to one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE, which may be as described with respect to Figures 24 and 25. To simplify this disclosure, only drawing references to Figure 29 are included in this section. In step 2900 (which may be optional), the base station receives user data from the UE in accordance with the teachings of embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2902 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2904 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in transmissions initiated by the base station.

[0162] Any suitable step, method, feature, function, or benefit disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual devices. Each virtual device may have multiple of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented by processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs), dedicated digital logic, etc. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may have one or more types of memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. The program code stored in memory includes program instructions for implementing one or more communication and / or data communication protocols, as well as instructions for performing one or more of the methods described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause each functional unit to perform a corresponding function in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0163] Although processes in the figures may indicate a particular order of operations performed by certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that such order is exemplary (e.g., alternative embodiments may perform operations in a different order, combine certain operations, overlap certain operations, etc.).

[0164] Some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows.

[0165] A method performed by a wireless device for processing downlink and uplink TCI states is provided. The method includes receiving 1200 a DCI. The DCI includes one or more of: a first subset of TCI field code points each associated with a respective downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field code points each associated with a respective uplink TCI state; and a third subset of TCI field code points each associated with either a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state or a respective common TCI state. The method further includes receiving 1202 an indication indicating selected TCI field code points from the first subset of TCI field code points, the second subset of TCI field code points, and the third subset of TCI field code points. The method also includes performing 1204 one or more actions based on the selected TCI field code points.

[0166]

[0023] In one embodiment, receiving an indication (1202) includes receiving an indication (1202-1) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a first subset of the TCI field code points, and performing one or more operations (1204) includes updating a downlink receive spatial filter (1204-1a) based on the individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0167] Embodiment 3: The downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal (e.g., a QCL type D source reference signal) of an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0168] Embodiment 4: Performing the one or more operations (1204) further includes maintaining an existing uplink transmit spatial filter (1204-1b).

[0169]

[0023] In one embodiment, receiving an indication (1202) includes receiving an indication (1202-1) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a second subset of the TCI field code points, and performing one or more actions (1204) includes updating an uplink transmit spatial filter (1204-2a) based on the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0170] Embodiment 6: The uplink transmit spatial filter is updated to one of an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal (e.g., SRS) of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point, and a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS) of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0171] Embodiment 7: Performing the one or more operations (1204) further includes maintaining an existing downlink receive spatial filter (1204-2b).

[0172]

[0023] In one embodiment, receiving the indication (1202) includes receiving the indication (1202-3) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a third subset of the TCI field code points, and performing the one or more operations (1204) includes one of: performing an individual TCI scheme, thereby updating a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter, respectively, based on the individual downlink TCI state and the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; and performing a joint TCI scheme, thereby updating the downlink receive spatial filter and the uplink transmit spatial filter based on the individual common TCI state (1204-3b).

[0173] Embodiment 9: The downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal (e.g., a QCL Type D source reference signal) of an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point, and the uplink transmit spatial filter is updated to one of an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal (e.g., an SRS) of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point and a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal (e.g., an SSB or CSI-RS) of the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

[0174] Embodiment 10: The performing of the one or more actions (1204) further includes simultaneously updating the downlink receive spatial filter and the uplink transmit spatial filter (1204-3c).

[0175]

[0037] Embodiment 11: The method also includes receiving a message (e.g., a MAC-CE message or an RRC message) activating or deactivating one or more uplink TCI states (1206). The method also includes switching (1208) from executing the common TCI scheme (1204-3b) to executing the individual TCI scheme (1204-3a) in response to the activation of the one or more uplink TCI states. The method also includes switching (1210) from executing the individual TCI scheme (1204-3a) to executing the common TCI scheme (1204-3b) in response to the deactivation of the one or more uplink TCI states.

[0176] Embodiment 12: The activation of the one or more uplink TCI states includes activating at least one of the one or more uplink TCI states, and the deactivation of the one or more uplink TCI states includes deactivating all of the one or more uplink TCI states.

[0177]

[0023] Embodiment 13: A method performed by a base station for processing downlink and uplink TCI states is provided. The method includes transmitting (1300) a DCI, the DCI including one or more of: a first subset of TCI field code points each associated with a respective downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field code points each associated with a respective uplink TCI state; and a third subset of TCI field code points each associated with either a respective downlink TCI state and an uplink TCI state or a respective common TCI state. The method further includes transmitting (1202) an indication indicating selected TCI field code points from the first subset of TCI field code points, the second subset of TCI field code points, and the third subset of TCI field code points.

[0178] Embodiment 14: The step of transmitting the indication (1302) includes transmitting the indication (1302-1) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a first subset of the TCI field code points.

[0179] Embodiment 15: The step of transmitting the indication (1302) includes transmitting the indication (1302-2) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a second subset of the TCI field code points.

[0180] Embodiment 16: The step of transmitting the indication (1302) includes transmitting the indication (1302-3) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a third subset of the TCI field code points.

[0181] Embodiment 17: The method also includes sending a message (eg, a MAC-CE message or an RRC message) to activate or deactivate one or more uplink TCI states (1304).

[0182] Embodiment 18: A wireless device (2200) for processing downlink and uplink TCI conditions is provided, the wireless device (2200) including a processing circuit (2202) configured to cause the wireless device (2200) to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device, and the wireless device (2200) also including a power supply circuit configured to provide power to the wireless device (2200).

[0183] Embodiment 19: A base station (1900) for processing downlink and uplink TCI conditions is provided, the base station (1900) including a processing circuit (1902) configured to cause the base station (1900) to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the base station, and the base station (1900) also including a power supply circuit configured to provide power to the base station (1900).

[0184] Embodiment 20: A UE for processing downlink and uplink TCI conditions is provided. The UE includes an antenna configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The UE also includes a radio front-end circuit connected to the antenna and a processing circuit and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device. The UE also includes an input interface connected to the processing circuit and configured to allow input of information to the UE to be processed by the processing circuit. The UE also includes an output interface connected to the processing circuit and configured to output information from the UE processed by the processing circuit. The UE also includes a battery connected to the processing circuit and configured to provide power to the UE.

[0185] Embodiment 21: A communication system including a host computer, the host computer including a processing circuit configured to provide user data and a communication interface configured to transfer the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE, the cellular network including a base station having a wireless interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the base station configured to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the base station.

[0186] Embodiment 22: The communication system further comprising the base station.

[0187] Embodiment 23: The communication system further comprising the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0188]

[0023] Embodiment 24: The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide the user data, and the UE has processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0189] Embodiment 25: A method is provided for implementation in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a UE, the method including: providing, at the host computer, user data; and initiating, at the host computer, a transmission carrying the user data to the UE over a cellular network having the base station, the base station performing any of the steps of the method performed by the base station.

[0190] Embodiment 26: The method further comprises transmitting, by the base station, the user data.

[0191] Embodiment 27: The user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, and the method further comprises executing, at the UE, a client application associated with the host application.

[0192] Embodiment 28: A UE configured to communicate with a base station, the UE having a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the method of embodiments 25 to 27.

[0193] Embodiment 29: A communications system is provided that includes a host computer, the host computer including processing circuitry configured to provide user data and a communications interface configured to transfer the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a UE, the UE having a wireless interface and processing circuitry, components of the UE configured to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device.

[0194] Embodiment 30: The cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0195]

[0033] Embodiment 31: The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to provide the user data, and the processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0196] Embodiment 32: A method is provided for implementation in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a UE, the method including: providing, at the host computer, user data; and initiating, at the host computer, a transmission carrying the user data to the UE over a cellular network having the base station, the UE performing any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device.

[0197] Embodiment 33: The method further comprises receiving, at the UE, the user data from the base station.

[0198]

[0033] Embodiment 34: A communications system is provided that includes a host computer, the host computer including a communications interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station, the UE having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the UE configured to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device.

[0199] Embodiment 35: The communication system further comprising the UE.

[0200]

[0023] Embodiment 36: The communication system further comprising the base station, wherein the base station has a wireless interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to transfer the user data carried by transmissions from the UE to the base station to the host computer.

[0201]

[0072] Embodiment 37: The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, and the processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

[0202]

[0038] Embodiment 38: The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application to thereby provide requested data, and the processing circuitry of the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to thereby provide the user data in response to the requested data.

[0203] Embodiment 39: A method is provided in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a UE, the method including receiving, at the host computer, user data transmitted from the UE to the base station, and the UE performing any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device.

[0204] Embodiment 40: The method further comprises, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

[0205] Embodiment 41: The method further includes executing, on the UE, a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted, and executing, on the host computer, a host application associated with the client application.

[0206]

[0082] Embodiment 42: The method further includes executing, at the UE, a client application; and receiving, at the UE, input data for the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application, and the transmitted user data being provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0207] Embodiment 43: A communication system including a host computer having a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a UE to a base station, the base station having a wireless interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the base station configured to perform any of the steps of the method performed by the base station.

[0208] Embodiment 44: The communication system further comprising the base station.

[0209] Embodiment 45: The communication system further comprising the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0210]

[0082] Embodiment 46: The processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, and the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing user data received by the host computer.

[0211] Embodiment 47: A method is provided for implementation in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a UE, the method including receiving, at the host computer, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission received by the base station from the UE, the UE performing any of the steps of the method performed by the wireless device.

[0212] Embodiment 48: The method further comprises receiving, at the base station, the user data from the UE.

[0213] Embodiment 49: The method further comprises initiating, at the base station, transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

[0214] In this disclosure, at least some of the following abbreviations may be used. In case of conflict between abbreviations, the usage in the previous description shall prevail. If mentioned multiple times below, the first mention shall prevail. 3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project 5G (fifth generation) 5GC 5th generation core 5GS 5th Generation System AF application function AMF access and mobility features ·AN Access Network AP access point ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit AUSF authentication server function BWP Bandwidth Part CE control elements CSI-RS Channel State Information Reference Signal CP-OFDM Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing CPU Central Processing Unit CRB Common Resource Block CSI-RS Channel State Information Reference Signal DCI Downlink Control Information ·DFT Discrete Fast Fourier Transform DMRS demodulation reference signal ·DN Data Network DL Downlink DSP Digital Signal Processor eNB Enhanced or evolved Node B EPS Evolutionary Packet System E-UTRA Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array gNB new radio base station gNB-DU New Radio Base Station Distributed Unit HSS Home Subscriber Server IoT Internet of Things IP Internet Protocol LCID Logical Channel ID LTE Long Term Evolution MAC Media Access Control MME Mobility Management Entity MPE Maximum Permissible Exposure MTC Machine Type Communication NEF Network Exposure Function NF network function ·NR New Radio NRF Network Function Repository Function NSSF network slice selection function Over-the-Top (OTT) PC Personal Computer PCF policy control function PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel PDCH Physical Data Channel PDSCH Physical Downlink Data Channel PDU Protocol Data Unit P-GW Packet Data Network Gateway PRB Physical Resource Block PUSCH Physical Uplink Data Channel ·QCL pseudo-colocation QoS Quality of Service RAM Random Access Memory RAN Radio Access Network RB Resource Block ROM (Read-Only Memory) RRC Radio Resource Control RRH Remote Radio Head RTT (round trip time) SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function SINR Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio SMF session management function TCI Transmit Configuration Indicator TRP Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio TRS tracking reference signal -UDM integrated data management function UE User Equipment UL uplink UPF user plane function

[0215] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the disclosed embodiments, and all such improvements and modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.

Claims

1. 1. A method performed by a wireless device for handling downlink and uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states, comprising: a first subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each associated with a distinct uplink TCI state; a third subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state and a distinct uplink TCI state; receiving (1000) downlink control information (DCI) having an indication of a selected TCI field code point from and performing one or more actions based on the selected TCI field code point (1002); The wireless device comprises a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE comprising: associating each of the first subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state; associating each of the second subset of TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state; associating each of the third subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state; It is configured as follows: the MAC CE includes, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to an uplink only, a downlink only, or both a downlink and an uplink.

2. receiving the DCI with the indication (1000) comprises receiving the indication (1000-1) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a first subset of the TCI field code points; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more operations comprises updating a downlink receive spatial filter based on the individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

4. receiving the DCI with the indication (1000) comprises receiving the indication (1000-2) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a second subset of the TCI field code points; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more actions (1002) comprises updating an uplink transmit spatial filter (1002-2a) based on the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

5. The uplink transmit spatial filter comprises: an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

6. receiving the indication (1000) includes receiving the indication (1000-3) indicating the selected TCI field code point within a third subset of the TCI field code points; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more operations (1002) comprises performing an individual TCI scheme (1002-3a) to update a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter, respectively, based on the individual downlink TCI state and the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

7. updating the downlink receive spatial filter to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for a respective downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; The uplink transmit spatial filter comprises: an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

8. A wireless device (2200) having a processing circuit (2202), the processing circuit (2202) providing the wireless device (2200): a first subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each associated with a distinct uplink TCI state; a third subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state and a distinct uplink TCI state; receiving (1000) downlink control information (DCI) having an indication of a TCI field code point selected from and performing (1002) one or more actions based on the selected TCI field code point; The processing circuit (2202) is further configured to cause the wireless device (2200) to be configured with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE comprising: associating each of the first subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state; associating each of the second subset of TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state; associating each of the third subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state; It is configured as follows: The MAC CE includes, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to only the uplink, only the downlink, or both the downlink and the uplink.

9. The processing circuit (2202) instructs the wireless device (2200) receiving (1000-1) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point within a first subset of the TCI field code points when receiving (1000) the DCI having the indication; 10. The wireless device (2200) of claim 8, further configured to, when performing (1002) the one or more operations, update (1002-1a) a downlink receive spatial filter based on the individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

10. 10. The wireless device (2200) of claim 9, wherein the downlink receive spatial filter is updated to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for an individual downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

11. The processing circuit (2202) instructs the wireless device (2200) receiving (1000-2) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point within a second subset of the TCI field code points when receiving (1000) the DCI having the indication; 10. The wireless device (2200) of claim 8, further configured to, when performing (1002) the one or more operations, update (1002-2a) an uplink transmit spatial filter based on the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

12. The uplink transmit spatial filter comprises: an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

13. The processing circuit (2202) instructs the wireless device (2200) receiving (1000-3) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point within a third subset of the TCI field code points when receiving (1000) the indication; 10. The wireless device (2200) of claim 8, further configured to, when performing (1002) the one or more operations, perform (1002-3a) an individual TCI scheme to update a downlink receive spatial filter and an uplink transmit spatial filter, respectively, based on the individual downlink TCI state and the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

14. updating the downlink receive spatial filter to a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for a respective downlink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; The uplink transmit spatial filter comprises: an uplink transmit spatial filter used to transmit an uplink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point; a downlink receive spatial filter used to receive a downlink source reference signal for the individual uplink TCI state associated with the selected TCI field code point.

15. 1. A method performed by a base station for handling downlink and uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) status, comprising: a first subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each associated with a distinct uplink TCI state; a third subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state and a distinct uplink TCI state; transmitting (1100) downlink control information (DCI) having an indication of a selected TCI field code point from The base station configures a radio device with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE comprising: associating each of the first subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state; associating each of the second subset of TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state; associating each of the third subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state; the MAC CE includes, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to an uplink only, a downlink only, or both a downlink and an uplink.

16. transmitting the DCI with the indication (1100), transmitting (1100-1) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a first subset of the TCI field code points; transmitting (1100-2) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a second subset of the TCI field code points; or and transmitting (1100-3) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code points within a third subset of the TCI field code points.

17. A base station (1900) having a processing circuit (1902), the processing circuit (1902) configured to: a first subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state; a second subset of TCI field codepoints, each associated with a distinct uplink TCI state; a third subset of TCI field code points, each associated with a distinct downlink TCI state and a distinct uplink TCI state; transmit (1100) downlink control information (DCI) having an indication of a TCI field code point selected from The processing circuit (1902) is further configured to cause the base station (1900) to configure a wireless device with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE), the MAC CE comprising: associating each of the first subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state; associating each of the second subset of TCI field code points with the respective uplink TCI state; associating each of the third subset of TCI field code points with the respective downlink TCI state and the respective uplink TCI state; It is configured as follows: A base station (1900), wherein the MAC CE includes, for each TCI state activated by the MAC CE, an associated field to indicate whether the activated TCI state applies to only the uplink, only the downlink, or both the downlink and the uplink.

18. The processing circuit (1902) in the base station (1900) When transmitting the DCI having the indication (1100), transmitting the indication (1100-1) indicating the selected TCI field code points within a first subset of the TCI field code points; When transmitting the DCI having the indication (1100), transmitting the indication (1100-2) indicating the selected TCI field code points within a second subset of the TCI field code points; or 18. The base station (1900) of claim 17, further configured to: when transmitting (1100) the DCI having the indication, transmit (1100-3) the indication indicating the selected TCI field code point within a third subset of the TCI field code points.

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