User equipment and method for providing early indications

Abstract

A system and method for providing early indication. In some embodiments, the method includes: as part of an initial access uplink transmission, indicating by a user equipment (UE) the characteristics of the user equipment, the characteristics including at least one of the following: the user equipment is a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; and the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One or more aspects of embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to wireless communication, and more particularly to a system and method for providing early indication. [Cross - reference to related applications]

[0002] This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 233,147, filed on August 13, 2021, and titled "Early indication of RedCap and CovEnh", the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Prior Art

[0003] In a wireless system, a User Equipment (UE) can communicate with a network node (gNB) regarding various characteristics of the UE, such as capabilities. In some cases, the UE can transmit certain characteristics to the gNB during an initial access procedure, and the gNB can use the information obtained in this way during the initial access.

[0004] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to such a general technical environment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is provided, the method including: as part of an initial access uplink transmission, a User Equipment (UE) indicates characteristics of the UE, the characteristics including at least one of the following: the UE is a reduced - capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is a reduced - capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is not a reduced - capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, and the UE is not a reduced - capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability.

[0006] In some embodiments, the indication includes implicitly indicating the characteristics.

[0007] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending the foregoing in a Random Access Channel (RACH) Occasion (RO) corresponding to the characteristics.

[0008] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting a preamble in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), and the preamble corresponds to the characteristic.

[0009] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting a preamble in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), and the combination of the preamble and the RO corresponds to the characteristic.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method includes: transmitting a first preamble in Msg1 transmitted in a first random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), wherein indicating the characteristic includes explicitly indicating the characteristic.

[0011] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting a second preamble after transmitting the first preamble.

[0012] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting the second preamble in a second RO corresponding to the first RO.

[0013] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting a first unmodulated signal occupying a first resource element after transmitting the first preamble.

[0014] In some embodiments, the indication further includes transmitting a second unmodulated signal occupying a second resource element after transmitting the first unmodulated signal.

[0015] In some embodiments, the indication includes transmitting a sequence-based transmission after transmitting the first preamble.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a user equipment (UE) is provided. The user equipment includes: a processing circuit; and a memory operably connected to the processing circuit and storing instructions, which when executed by the processing circuit cause the UE to implement a method. The method includes: indicating a characteristic of the UE as part of an initial access uplink transmission, where the characteristic includes at least one of the following: the UE is a reduced-capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is a reduced-capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is not a reduced-capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, and the UE is not a reduced-capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability.

[0017] In some embodiments, the indication includes implicitly indicating the characteristic.

[0018] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending a preamble during a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) that corresponds to the characteristic.

[0019] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending a preamble during a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), where the preamble corresponds to the characteristic.

[0020] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending a preamble during a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), where the combination of the preamble and the RO corresponds to the characteristic.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method includes: sending a first preamble in a Msg1 transmitted during a first random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO), where indicating the characteristic includes explicitly indicating the characteristic.

[0022] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending a second preamble after sending the first preamble.

[0023] In some embodiments, the indication includes sending the second preamble in a second RO corresponding to the first RO.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a user equipment (UE) is provided, the user equipment including: components for performing processing; and a memory operably connected to the components for performing processing and storing instructions, the instructions when executed by the components for performing processing cause the UE to implement a method, the method including: as part of an initial access uplink transmission, the UE indicating a characteristic of the UE, the characteristic including at least one of: the UE is a reduced-capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is a reduced-capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability, the UE is not a reduced-capability UE and has Msg3 repetition capability, and the UE is not a reduced-capability UE and lacks Msg3 repetition capability. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] Referring to the specification, claims, and drawings, these and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a resource aggregation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a resource aggregation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5A is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5B is a table of versions and features according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a resource aggregation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8A is a resource aggregation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8B is a resource aggregation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9A is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9B is a block diagram of a system for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Embodiments

[0026] The following detailed description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as an illustration of exemplary embodiments of a system and method for providing early indication according to the present disclosure, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present disclosure may be constructed or utilized. This description sets forth the features of the present disclosure in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It will be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and structures may be achieved by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure. As indicated elsewhere herein, like element numbers are intended to indicate like elements or features.

[0027] As part of an initial access procedure, a user equipment (UE) may exchange messages with a network node (gNB) to establish a communication link. In some scenarios, the UE may also indicate certain aspects of the UE capabilities to the gNB; such a capability indication may enable the gNB to communicate effectively with the UE. For example, during initial access, the UE may indicate whether it is a reduced capability (RedCap) UE (which may be described as indicating RedCap capability) and whether it is capable of retransmitting Msg3 (of the initial access procedure) (and request the gNB to schedule such retransmissions). Retransmitting Msg3 can achieve coverage enhancement (CovEnh). In this disclosure, the UE indicating that it has the ability to retransmit Msg3 is equivalent to the UE indicating the ability for coverage enhancement and is considered equivalent to the UE requesting the gNB to reschedule Msg3 repetitively. Further, in this disclosure and the claims, each of the following may be referred to as a "characteristic" of the UE: (i) whether the UE is a RedCap UE; and (ii) whether the UE has the ability to retransmit Msg3 (which may also be referred to as coverage enhancement (CovEnh)).

[0028] Several methods are presented herein for the UE to indicate during initial access that it is a reduced capability UE or that it is capable of retransmitting Msg3. For example, it may be indicated implicitly by using different Msg1 resource sets (preambles or random access channel (RACH) opportunities (ROs)), or it may be indicated explicitly by using additional signaling. Although some examples are described in the context of a 4-step RACH procedure, similar methods may also be practiced in a 2-step RACH procedure to achieve similar or the same effects.

[0029] As described above, different Msg1 resource sets can be used to implicitly indicate the capabilities of a UE. For example, a UE can be configured to use Msg1 resources to indicate RedCap capabilities. The RACH configuration can consist of two non-overlapping Msg1 resource sets, where one set indicates RedCap capabilities. The resource set can consist of (i) a single RACH opportunity (RO), (ii) a single preamble group within the same RO, or (iii) a combination of both. Similarly, a UE that requests Msg3 re-scheduling during initial access can be configured to use Msg1 resources to indicate such a request in a manner similar to the procedure described above for indicating RedCap capabilities. The term "implicitly" indicating a UE's characteristic as used herein means (i) indicating the characteristic by transmitting a Msg1 preamble corresponding to the characteristic, or (ii) transmitting a Msg1 preamble in an RO corresponding to the characteristic, or (iii) transmitting a Msg1 preamble in an RO when the combination of the preamble and the RO corresponds to the characteristic.

[0030] For example, a RedCap UE may wish to indicate its RedCap capabilities and at the same time indicate Msg3 re-scheduling. The following options can be used to allow this to be achieved. The UE can be configured with three non-overlapping Msg1 resource sets, which can be referred to as set A, set B, and set C. Each set can consist of (i) a single RO, (ii) a single preamble group with the same RO, or (iii) a combination of both. Additionally, set D can be defined for non-RedCap UEs that do not have Msg3 re-scheduling. Figure 1 shows the configuration of such sets in some embodiments.

[0031] Then, the UE can operate as follows. (i) If it wishes to indicate RedCap capabilities, the UE transmits Msg1 using resources from set A. (ii) If it wishes to indicate a request for Msg3 re-scheduling, the UE transmits Msg1 using resources from set B. (iii) If it wishes to indicate both RedCap capabilities and a request for Msg3 re-scheduling, the UE transmits Msg1 using resources from set C. Which set to use can be determined based on the UE capabilities. This can be done in two ways, referred to herein as the first embodiment and the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, three different combinations of UE capabilities are defined. The capability called X-1 labels the UE as a RedCap UE, the capability called X-a labels a RedCap UE that requires Msg3 re-scheduling, and the capability called Y-1 labels a UE that requires Msg3 re-scheduling.

[0032] In this embodiment, a "RedCap and no CovEnh" UE indicates X-1. A "RedCap with CovEnh" UE indicates X-1 + X-a. A "CovEnh-only" UE indicates Y-1.

[0033] The gNB can allocate resources in the following manner:

[0034] Set A: UEs that are only used to indicate X-1

[0035] Set C: UEs that are used to indicate X-1 + X-a

[0036] Set B: UEs that are used to indicate Y-1

[0037] Set D: UEs that are used to indicate none of X-1, X-1 + X-a, and Y-1

[0038] The procedure is shown in Figure 2. At 205, the UE can receive from the gNB a RACH configuration including sets A, B, and C. Then, at 210, 215, and 220, (i) if the UE supports neither feature X-1 nor feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set D at 225; (ii) if the UE does not support feature X-1 but supports feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set B at 230; (iii) if the UE supports feature X-1 but does not support feature X-a, it transmits Msg1 on set A at 235; and (iv) if the UE supports features X-1 and X-a, it transmits Msg1 on set C at 240.

[0039] In some scenarios, there may be multiple types of RedCap UEs, and each RedCap UE supports different specific features. In this case, the specific features supported by the RedCap UEs can be indicated to the gNB by, for example, dividing sets A and C into subsets, with each subset corresponding to a different combination of features supported (or not supported) by the RedCap UEs.

[0040] In the second embodiment, two different UE capabilities are defined.

[0041] The ability identifier of the RedCap UE is called X-1, and the ability identifier of the UE capable of performing Msg3 repetition is called Y-1. The gNB can allocate resources in the following manner:

[0042] Set A: Only used to indicate the UE of X-1

[0043] Set C: Used to indicate the UE of X-1 + Y-1

[0044] Set B: Used to indicate the UE of Y-1

[0045] Set D: Used to indicate the UE that is neither X-1 nor Y-1

[0046] The procedure is shown in Figure 3. At 305, the UE can receive the RACH configuration including sets A, B, and C from the gNB. Then, at 310, 315, and 320, (i) if the UE supports neither feature X-1 nor feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set D at 325; (ii) if the UE does not support feature X-1 but supports feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set B at 330; (iii) if the UE supports feature X-1 but does not support feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set A at 335; and (iv) if the UE supports both feature X-1 and feature Y-1, it transmits Msg1 on set C at 340.

[0047] By providing explicit Radio Resource Control (RRC) configurations for sets A, B, and C, the gNB can configure the RACH resource sets in an explicit manner. These RRC configurations can be transmitted, for example, in the Master Information Block (MIB) or System Information Block 1 (SIB-1) transmitted by the gNB. The configuration of set D can be the existing configuration for legacy Rel-16 UEs and can be defined in such a way as to maintain backward compatibility (where "Rel-16" refers to Release 16 of the 5th generation (5G) New Radio standard promulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)). As an alternative, the gNB can provide RRC configurations for RedCap capability indication and Msg3 repetition request indication. These RRC configurations can provide a resource set for RedCap capability indication (which can be referred to as S1) and a resource set for Msg3 repetition request indication (which can be referred to as S2). Then, the above three sets (A, B, and C) can be determined as follows: (i) set C is the intersection of S1 and S2, (ii) set A consists of the resources in S1 except for the resources in set C, and (iii) set B consists of the resources in S2 except for the resources in set C. Figure 4 is a set diagram showing the process of determining sets A, B, and C according to the above RRC configurations.

[0048] Set B and set C can be used for UEs with Msg3 repetition capability. If set A is not configured explicitly, RedCap UEs may need to infer set A based on other sets related to UEs with Msg3 repetition capability. For example, the gNB may send to the UE (i) set B, (ii) set C, and (iii) the union of sets A, B, and C, and the UE can infer that set A is the set of resources that are in the union but not in B or C. As another example, the gNB may send to the UE (i) set C, (ii) the union of sets B and C, and (iii) the union of sets A, B, and C. In this case, the UE can infer that set C is the set of resources that are in the union of B and C but not in B, and the UE can infer that set A is the set of resources that are in the union of sets A, B, and C but not in B or C. Therefore, UEs with RedCap capability may need to read or confirm some or all of the RRC configurations related to Msg3 repetition (or general coverage enhancement) in the RRC configuration, even if the UE does not support Msg3 repetition (or general coverage enhancement). More specifically, in the second embodiment, (i) a UE that supports X-1 but not Y-1 may need to be able to obtain and process an RRC message indicating the RACH resource allocation for Y-1, (ii) a UE that supports Y-1 but not X-1 must be able to obtain and process an RRC message indicating the RACH resource allocation for X-1, and (iii) the gNB indicates two sets: S1 for RedCap UEs and S2 for Msg3 repetition UEs.

[0049] Using these rules, only X-1 UEs (i.e., UEs that support X-1 but not Y-1) select resources from S1 that are not part of S2. Only Y-1 UEs select resources from S2 that are not part of S1. X-1 + Y-1 UEs select resources from the intersection of S1 and S2. As an alternative, when the X-1 + Y-1 UE does not require Msg3 repetition, the UE can choose to be a "regular" RedCap UE, i.e., the UE can select resources from S1 that are not part of S2. Non-RedCap, non-CovEnh UEs can use existing (Rel-16) procedures and signaling to select from set D.

[0050] The operation is as shown in Figure 5A. At 505, the UE may receive a RACH configuration including sets D, S1, and S2 from the gNB. Then, at 510, 515, and 520, (i) if the UE is not a RedCap UE and does not support Msg3 repetition, the UE selects a resource from set D at 525; (ii) if the UE is not a RedCap UE and supports Msg3 repetition, the UE selects a resource from S2 that is not in S1 at 530; (iii) if the UE is a RedCap UE and does not support Msg3 repetition, the UE selects a resource from S1 that is not in S2 at 535; and (iv) if the UE is a RedCap UE and supports Msg3 repetition, the UE selects a resource from the intersection of S1 and S2 at 540.

[0051] The implicit approach of the second embodiment means that it may be necessary for the RedCap UE to be able to read the configuration for the UE that requires Msg3 repetition (or vice versa). This can be achieved if the two features are standardized in the same version. However, if the two features are standardized in two different versions, the solution can still work. For example, if feature F1 is standardized in Rel-N and requires early identification (using set S1), and feature F2 is standardized in Rel-N+1 and requires early identification using set S2, then set S2 can be further divided into disjoint sets S3 and S4, where S3 is only for the UE that supports F2, and S4 is for the UE that supports both F1 and F2. The selection rules are shown in the table of Figure 5B. With this solution, only the Rel-N+1 UE needs to be able to read the signaling.

[0052] In another embodiment, the gNB may use the worst case assumption to infer the UE's capabilities based on the resource set used by the UE. For example, two capabilities can be defined: one for RedCap (X-1), and one for Msg3 repetition (Y-1). Then the following four rules can be used:

[0053] (i) The UE indicating Y-1 uses S2.

[0054] (ii) The UE indicating X-1 uses S1.

[0055] (iii) For any resource in S1, the gNB assumes that the UE is RedCap and requires Msg3 repetition.

[0056] (iv) The RedCap UE can always assume the existence of Msg3 repetition.

[0057] A dual solution can be implemented in a similar manner (where any UE requesting Msg 3 repetition is assumed to be a RedCap UE).

[0058] In some embodiments, an additional signaling may be used to explicitly indicate the Msg3 repetition request or the RedCap capability. As described above, the RedCap UE can use the Msg1 transmission to indicate the RedCap capability by selecting the resources for transmitting Msg1. Then, the RedCap UE can indicate the request for Msg3 repetition scheduling via an additional uplink (UL) transmission. Such a transmission can occur before receiving Msg2 or after receiving Msg2. The term "explicitly" indicating the characteristics of the UE as used herein means using a method that is different in any aspect from the method strictly consisting of implicitly indicating the characteristics (such as "implicitly" indicating as defined herein) to indicate the characteristics.

[0059] The additional UL transmission can be in the form of another preamble transmission. Such an additional preamble transmission can be transmitted using the Msg1 resources in the same resource set configured for the transmission of the initial Msg1. As an alternative, the additional preamble transmission can be transmitted using the Msg1 resources in a different resource set configured separately from the resources configured for the initial Msg1. In this case, there can be a one-to-one mapping between the different resources configured for the transmission of each possible Msg1 transmission and the different resources configured for the transmission of each possible additional preamble transmission. For example, for each (preamble, RO) pair available for transmitting the initial Msg1, there can be a corresponding unique (preamble, RO) pair available for transmitting the corresponding additional preamble. When the gNB receives the initial Msg1 transmission and the corresponding additional preamble transmission, it determines that the UE wishes to indicate the RedCap capability and the Msg3 repetition request. Figure 6 shows the mapping between (i) the RACH resources for the initial Msg1 transmission and (ii) the corresponding additional preamble transmission. Figure 7 shows the operation of the UE. At 705, the UE can obtain the Physical RACH (PRACH) second time symbol configuration, and at 710, the UE can select and transmit a preamble indicating that it is a RedCap UE. If at 715, the UE is a UE that needs Msg3 repetition, then at 720, the UE transmits a second preamble on the second time resource. At 725, the UE can then receive Msg2 and continue with the initial acquisition process.

[0060] Regarding the configuration of resources for additional transmission, the configuration can be independent of the configuration of resources for Msg1 transmission. For example, they can be configured entirely using separate RRC configurations. As an alternative, the configuration can be implicitly derived using the configuration of resources for Msg1 transmission; this approach reduces RRC configuration overhead. An example of implicit configuration is that the resources for additional preamble transmission can be similar to the resources for Msg1 transmission, but with an additional time or frequency offset.

[0061] When configuring the resources for additional preamble transmission and determining the preamble association, the gNB can schedule the resources such that the UE performing the initial Msg1 transmission and the additional preamble transmission has sufficient time between the two transmissions to perform the necessary processing.

[0062] In some embodiments, the additional UL transmission can be in the form of a single-tone transmission. A single-tone transmission is defined as an unmodulated signal that occupies one resource element (i.e., one (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol / subcarrier) pair), and a single-tone UL transmission is a UL transmission on the corresponding RE. In this case, there can be a one-to-one mapping between the different resources configured for each possible Msg1 transmission and the different single-tone resources configured for the additional UL transmission. For example, for each (preamble, RO) pair available for transmitting the initial Msg1, there is a corresponding unique single-tone RE available for transmitting the corresponding additional UL transmission. After receiving the initial Msg1 transmission and the corresponding additional single-tone UL transmission, the gNB can determine that the UE wishes to indicate RedCap capabilities and a Msg3 repeat request. Figure 8 shows the mapping between the resources for the initial Msg1 transmission and the resources for the additional single-tone transmission. The method is not limited to single-tone and can be extended to a set of frequency tones (e.g., two or more frequency tones) to provide greater robustness. In that case, there can be a one-to-one relationship between the Msg1 preamble and the set of frequency tones. In some embodiments, a second transmission is sent before the UE receives Msg2. In other words, the UE may not expect to receive Msg2 before the resources for the second transmission.

[0063] As shown in Figure 8A, in this context, each (preamble, RO) pair is associated with a unique RE in the resources allocated for single-tone transmission. If the RedCap UE wishes to indicate a Msg3 repeat request, the RedCap UE transmits a single tone in the RE corresponding to the (preamble, RO) resource it has already used to transmit Msg1.

[0064] Using single-tone transmission instead of preamble-based transmission has the benefit of better resource utilization efficiency. The minimum PRACH configuration allocates a certain amount of resources to transmit 64 different preambles. The said amount of resources is 2 OFDM symbols and 6 resource blocks (RB) = 144 REs; each preamble-based indication uses 144 / 64 = 2.25 REs. In contrast, by using single-tone indication, the UE can use 1 RE per indication, thereby achieving a 2.25-fold increase in resource utilization efficiency.

[0065] For the time-domain allocation of additional single-tone UL transmissions, there are several possibilities. In the case of single-tone transmission, the configuration resources for single-tone transmission can be configured before the time when it is expected that the gNB will send the corresponding Msg2, that is, before the start of the random access response (RAR) window used to monitor Msg2. In this case, it is not desirable to perform single-tone UL transmission when the UE applies timing advance (TA) adjustment. However, by performing single-tone UL transmission, the UE has already performed a previous preamble transmission, and the gNB can use the said preamble transmission to estimate the TA value. Then, the gNB can use this value to compensate for the time misalignment of the single-tone UL transmission. To facilitate this operation, sufficient time can be allowed between the preamble transmission and the corresponding single-tone UL transmission so that the gNB can estimate the TA value and apply the TA value.

[0066] As an alternative, the configuration resources for single-tone transmission can be configured after ensuring that the gNB has sent the corresponding Msg2 transmission, that is, after the end of the RAR window used to monitor Msg2. In this case, UEs participating in single-tone UL transmission are expected to have received the corresponding TA values, and the UEs can use these TA values to adjust the UL transmission time of their respective single-tone UL transmissions. In this case, if the UE does not receive the corresponding Msg2, then (i) the UE may no longer send the corresponding single-tone UL transmission, or (ii) the UE may continue to send the corresponding single-tone UL transmission, but does not update the TA value.

[0067] As another option, the configuration resources for single-tone transmission can be configured after the time when it is expected that the gNB starts to send the corresponding Msg2 and before ensuring that the gNB has sent the corresponding Msg2, that is, between the start and end times of the corresponding RAR window. In this case, if the UE has received the TA value in the corresponding Msg2, the UE can apply the TA value. If the UE does not receive the TA value in the corresponding Msg2, then (i) the UE can stop sending the corresponding single-tone UL transmission, or (ii) the UE can continue to send the corresponding single-tone UL transmission, but does not update the TA value.

[0068] To combat the high peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) values that may be exhibited due to the transmission of single-tone transmissions, the UE can send UL transmissions while using discrete Fourier transform – spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) transmission.

[0069] The additional UL transmission can be in the form of a sequence-based transmission similar to, for example, PUCCH format 0 transmission. For the transmission of PUCCH format 0 UL signals, certain resources are typically configured to simultaneously transmit one of a certain number of possible sequences. In this case, a specific resource set is configured to transmit these additional sequence-based transmissions, and these resources can support the transmission of a specific number of unique sequences. Then, there can be a one-to-one mapping between the different resources configured for each possible Msg1 transmission and the set of configured sequences available for the additional sequence-based transmissions. For example, for each (preamble, RO) pair available for transmitting the initial Msg1, there can be a corresponding unique sequence in the set of configured sequences available for transmitting the corresponding additional sequence-based transmission. When receiving the initial Msg1 transmission and the corresponding additional sequence-based UL transmission, the gNB determines that the UE wishes to indicate RedCap capabilities and a Msg3 repeat request. Figure 8B shows the mapping between the Msg1 resources for the initial and additional sequence-based transmissions.

[0070] Compared with using additional preamble transmission, using sequence-based transmission can have the benefit of improving resource utilization. For example, if a transmission such as Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) format 0 is used, the PUCCH resource configuration for a transmission allocation of 12 cyclic shifts (i.e., 6 different indicators) requires at least 1 OFDM symbol and 1 RB. Therefore, for a RO configuration of 64 preambles occupying at least 144 resource elements (REs), an amount of 64 / 6 * 12 = 128 REs is required to allocate the corresponding sequences. This achieves an increase in resource utilization efficiency of 144 / 128 = 1.125 times. Although better resource utilization efficiency can be achieved using single-tone transmission, using sequence-based transmission can be beneficial in providing transmission with a lower achievable peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) value.

[0071] For the time-domain allocation of sequence-based UL transmission, there are the same possibilities as those described above for additional single-tone UL transmission.

[0072] When performing additional signaling for performing Msg3 repeat request / capability indication, the configuration of the RACH resources for Msg1 and the resources for additional indication can be constructed such that the total delay at the completion of the random access (RA) procedure does not increase significantly. On the other hand, since the gNB may take some time to receive Msg1, estimate the timing advance (TA), and use the estimate when receiving additional transmissions with unadjusted TA, configuring the additional resources close in time to the time resources for the corresponding Msg1 transmission may strain the resources of the receiver. Therefore, these factors can be balanced when configuring the necessary resources.

[0073] Figure 9A shows a flowchart of a method. In some embodiments, the method includes: at 900, as part of an initial access uplink transmission, a user equipment (UE) transmits a signal to indicate a characteristic of the UE; the characteristic is either (i) the UE is a reduced-capability UE or (ii) has Msg3 repeat capability. Figure 9B shows a system including a UE 905 and a gNB 910 that communicate with each other. The UE may include a radio 915 and a processing circuit (or components for performing processing) 920, and the processing circuit 920 may include or be connected to a memory 925 and may perform various methods disclosed herein, such as the method shown in Figure 9A. For example, the processing circuit 920 may receive a transmission from a network node (gNB) 910 via the radio 915, and the processing circuit 920 may transmit a signal to the gNB 910 via the radio 915.

[0074] "A part" or "portion" of something as described herein means "at least some" of the thing, and thus may mean less than all of the thing or may mean all of the thing. As such, "a part" (or "portion") of a thing includes, as a special case, the whole thing, i.e., the whole thing is an instance of a part of the thing. As used herein, when a second quantity is "within Y" of a first quantity X, it means that the second quantity is at least X - Y and the second quantity is at most X + Y. As used herein, when a second number is "within Y%" of a first number, it means that the second number is at least (1 - Y / 100) times the first number and the second number is at most (1 + Y / 100) times the first number. As used herein, the term "or" shall be construed as "and / or", such that, for example, "A or B" means either "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0075] Each of the terms "processing circuitry" and "means for performing processing" as used herein means any combination of hardware, firmware, and software for processing data or digital signals. Processing circuitry hardware may include, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a general purpose or special purpose central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and programmable logic devices such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA). In processing circuitry as used herein, each function is either performed by hardware configured (i.e., hardwired) to perform the function or by more general hardware (e.g., a CPU) configured to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium. Processing circuitry may be fabricated on a single printed circuit board (PCB) or distributed over several interconnected PCBs. Processing circuitry may include other processing circuitry; for example, processing circuitry may include two processing circuits, an FPGA and a CPU, interconnected on a PCB.

[0076] As used herein, when a method (e.g., an adjustment) or a first quantity (e.g., a first variable) is said to be “based on” a second quantity (e.g., a second variable), it means that the second quantity is an input to the method or affects the first quantity. For example, the second quantity can be an input to a function for calculating the first quantity (e.g., the only input, or one of several inputs), or the first quantity can be equal to the second quantity, or the first quantity can be the same as the second quantity (e.g., stored at one or more locations in memory that are the same as the second quantity).

[0077] It will be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed herein may be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept.

[0078] Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “an” as used herein are intended to also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that when the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising” are used in this specification, they specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of...” when appearing before a series of elements modify the entire series of elements and not individual elements of the series. Further, when the embodiments of the inventive concept are described using “may,” it refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.” Additionally, the term “exemplary” is intended to mean an example or illustration. The terms “use,” “using,” and “used” as used herein may be considered synonymous with the terms “utilize,” “utilizing,” and “utilized,” respectively.

[0079] Any numerical range described herein is intended to include all sub-ranges contained within that range with the same numerical precision. For example, the range "1.0 to 10.0" or "between 1.0 and 10.0" is intended to include all sub-ranges between the minimum value 1.0 and the maximum value 10.0 (and including 1.0 and 10.0), that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0 (e.g., 2.4 to 7.6). Similarly, a range described as "within 35% of 10" is intended to include all sub-ranges between the minimum value 6.5 (i.e., (1 - 35 / 100) times 10) and the maximum value 13.5 (i.e., (1 + 35 / 100) times 10) (and including the minimum value 6.5 (i.e., (1 - 35 / 100) times 10) and the maximum value 13.5 (i.e., (1 + 35 / 100) times 10)), that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 6.5 and a maximum value equal to or less than 13.5 (e.g., 7.4 to 10.6). Any maximum numerical limit described herein is intended to include all lower numerical limits contained therein, and any minimum numerical limit described in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limits contained therein.

[0080] Although exemplary embodiments of systems and methods for providing early indication have been specifically described and illustrated herein, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that systems and methods for providing early indication constructed in accordance with the principles of this disclosure may be implemented differently than specifically described herein. The invention is also defined in the following claims and their equivalents.

[0081] 205, 210, 215, 220, 225, 230, 235, 240, 305, 310, 315, 320, 325, 330, 335, 340, 505, 510, 515, 520, 525, 530, 535, 540, 705, 710, 715, 720, 725, 900: Action 905: User Equipment (UE) 910: Network Node (gNB) 915: Radio 920: Processing Circuit 925: Memory F1, F2: Feature A, B, C, D, S1, S2, S3, S4: Set

Claims

1. A method for providing early indication, the method comprising: As part of the initial access uplink transmission, the user equipment (UE) indicates the characteristics of the user equipment, the characteristics including at least one of the following: the user equipment is a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability, the user equipment is a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability, the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability, and the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability, wherein the indication is made using a separate context in the same random access channel (RACH) timing (RO).

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the indication includes implicitly indicating the feature.

3. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the indication includes sending the preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO) corresponding to the feature.

4. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the indication includes sending a preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO) corresponding to the feature.

5. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the indication includes sending a preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO), the combination of the preceding text and the random access channel timing corresponding to the characteristic.

6. The method as described in claim 1, comprising: The first foreword is transmitted in Msg1 during the first random access channel (RACH) timing (RO), wherein indicating the characteristic includes indicating the characteristic in an explicit manner.

7. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the instruction includes sending a second preamble after sending the first preamble.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the instruction includes sending the second foreword in a second random access channel timing corresponding to the first random access channel timing.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the instruction includes sending a first unmodulated signal occupying the first resource element after sending the first preceding text.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the instruction further includes sending a second unmodulated signal occupying the second resource element after sending the first unmodulated signal.

11. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the instruction includes sending a sequence-based transmission after sending the first foreword.

12. A user equipment (UE), comprising: Processing circuitry; and memory, operatively connected to the processing circuitry and storing instructions, which, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the user equipment to perform a method comprising: as part of an initial access uplink transmission, indicating by the user equipment characteristics including at least one of the following: the user equipment is a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; and the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability, wherein the indication is made using a separate foregoing in the same random access channel (RACH) timing (RO).

13. The user equipment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the indication includes implicitly indicating the feature.

14. The user equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the indication includes sending the preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO) corresponding to the feature.

15. The user equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the indication includes sending a preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO) corresponding to the feature.

16. The user equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the indication includes sending a preceding text in a random access channel (RACH) timing (RO), the combination of the preceding text and the random access channel timing corresponding to the feature.

17. The user equipment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the method comprises: The first foreword is transmitted in Msg1 during the first random access channel (RACH) timing (RO), wherein indicating the characteristic includes indicating the characteristic in an explicit manner.

18. The user equipment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the instruction includes sending a second preamble after sending the first preamble.

19. The user equipment as claimed in claim 18, wherein the instruction includes sending the second foreword in a second random access channel timing corresponding to the first random access channel timing.

20. A user equipment (UE), comprising: Components used for processing; and memory, operatively connected to the processing component and storing instructions that, when executed by the processing component, cause the user equipment to perform a method comprising: as part of an initial access uplink transmission, indicating by the user equipment characteristics including at least one of the following: the user equipment is a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability; the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment with Msg3 repeat capability; and the user equipment is not a degraded user equipment without Msg3 repeat capability, wherein the indication is made using a separate context within the same random access channel (RACH) timing (RO).

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