Methods, communications devices, and infrastructure equipment

Abstract

A method of operating a communications device is provided. The method comprises receiving, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and receiving, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

Description

[0001] METHODS, COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] Field of Disclosure

[0004] The present disclosure relates to communications devices, infrastructure equipment and methods for the more effective operation of sensing functions in wireless communications networks.

[0005] The present applications claims the Paris Convention priority from European patent application number EP24156932.6, filed on 9 February 2024, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0006] Description of Related Art

[0007] The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.

[0008] Previous generation mobile telecommunication systems, such as those based on the 3GPP defined UMTS and Long Term Evolution (LTE) architecture, are able to support a wider range of services than simple voice and messaging services offered by previous generations of mobile telecommunication systems. For example, with the improved radio interface and enhanced data rates provided by LTE systems, a user is able to enjoy high data rate applications such as mobile video streaming and mobile video conferencing that would previously only have been available via a fixed line data connection. The demand to deploy such networks is therefore strong and the coverage area of these networks, i.e. geographic locations where access to the networks is possible, is expected to continue to increase rapidly.

[0009] Current and future wireless communications networks are expected to routinely and efficiently support communications with an ever-increasing range of devices associated with a wider range of data traffic profiles and types than existing systems are optimised to support. For example, it is expected future wireless communications networks will be expected to efficiently support communications with devices including reduced complexity devices, machine type communication (MTC) devices, high resolution video displays, virtual reality headsets, extended Reality (XR) and so on. Some of these different types of devices may be deployed in very large numbers, for example low complexity devices for supporting the “The Internet of Things”, and may typically be associated with the transmissions of relatively small amounts of data with relatively high latency tolerance. Other types of device, for example supporting high-definition video streaming, may be associated with transmissions of relatively large amounts of data with relatively low latency tolerance. Other types of device, for example used for autonomous vehicle communications and for other critical applications, may be characterised by data that should be transmitted through the network with low latency and high reliability. A single device type might also be associated with different traffic profiles / characteristics depending on the application(s) it is running. For example, different consideration may apply for efficiently supporting data exchange with a smartphone when it is running a video streaming application (high downlink data) as compared to when it is running an Internet browsing application (sporadic uplink and downlink data) or being used for voice communications by an emergency responder in an emergency scenario (data subject to stringent reliability and latency requirements).

[0010] In view of this there is expected to be a desire for current wireless communications networks, for example those which may be referred to as 5G or new radio (NR) systems / new radio access technology (RAT) systems, or indeed future 6G wireless communications, as well as future iterations / releases of existing systems, to efficiently support connectivity for a wide range of devices associated with different applications and different characteristic data traffic profiles and requirements.

[0011] One example of a new service is referred to as Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) services which, as its name suggests, requires that a data unit or packet be communicated with a high reliability and with a low communications delay. Another example of a new service is enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services, which are characterised by a high capacity with a requirement to support up to 20 Gb / s. URLLC and eMBB type services therefore represent challenging examples for both LTE type communications systems and 5G / NR communications systems.

[0012] 5G NR has continuously evolved and the current work plan includes 5G-NR-Advanced in which some further enhancements are expected, especially to support new use-cases / scenarios with higher requirements. The desire to support these new use-cases and scenarios gives rise to new challenges for efficiently handling communications in wireless communications systems that need to be addressed.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0014] The present disclosure can help address or mitigate at least some of the issues discussed above.

[0015] Embodiments of the present technique can provide a method of operating a communications device. The method comprises receiving, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and receiving, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

[0016] Embodiments of the present technique, which, in addition to methods of operating communications devices, relate to methods of operating infrastructure equipment, communications devices and infrastructure equipment, circuitry for communications devices and infrastructure equipment, computer programs, and computer-readable storage mediums, can allow for the more effective operation of sensing functions in wireless communications networks through specifying how resources may be allocated for the purposes of such sensing functions.

[0017] Respective aspects and features of the present disclosure are defined in the appended claims.

[0018] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the present technology. The described embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0019] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 schematically represents some aspects of an LTE-type wireless telecommunication system which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 schematically represents some aspects of a new radio access technology (NR) wireless telecommunications system which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of an example infrastructure equipment and communications device which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figures 4A-D illustrate examples of monostatic and bistatic radar arrangements; Figures 5A-F show examples of different monostatic and bistatic sensing modes; Figure 6 illustrates how different UEs can be assigned separate time-domain resources; Figure 7 illustrates how different UEs can be assigned separate frequency-domain resources; Figure 8 illustrates how different UEs can be assigned separate spatial division resources;

[0024] Figure 9 shows a part schematic, part message flow diagram representation of a wireless communications system comprising a communications device and an infrastructure equipment in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0025] Figure 10 illustrates a first example of a dynamic resources allocation for sensing signals (and / or reflected sensing signals) in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0026] Figure 11 illustrates a second example of a dynamic resources allocation for sensing signals (and / or reflected sensing signals) in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0027] Figure 12 illustrates a first example of a semi-static resources allocation for sensing signals (and / or reflected sensing signals) in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0028] Figure 13 illustrates a second example of a semi-static resources allocation for sensing signals (and / or reflected sensing signals) in which frequency hopping is applied in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0029] Figure 14 shows an example in which reflected sensing signals may be transmitted by multiple targets to a sensing receiver in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0030] Figure 15 shows an example, corresponding to that of Figure 14, in which reflected sensing signals corresponding to multiple targets may be received by a sensing receiver in accordance with embodiments of the present technique;

[0031] Figure 16 illustrates how sequential resource allocations may be provided for reflected sensing signals corresponding to multiple targets in accordance with embodiments of the present technique; and Figure 17 shows a flow diagram illustrating a process of communications in a communications system in accordance with embodiments of the present technique.

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0033] Long Term Evolution Advanced Radio Access Technology (4G)

[0034] Figure 1 provides a schematic diagram illustrating some basic functionality of a mobile telecommunications network / system 6 operating generally in accordance with LTE principles, but which may also support other radio access technologies, and which may be adapted to implement embodiments of the disclosure as described herein. Various elements of Figure 1 and certain aspects of their respective modes of operation are well-known and defined in the relevant standards administered by the 3GPP (RTM) body, and also described in many books on the subject, for example, Holma H. and Toskala A [1], It will be appreciated that operational aspects of the telecommunications networks discussed herein which are not specifically described (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be implemented in accordance with any known techniques, for example according to the relevant standards and known proposed modifications and additions to the relevant standards.

[0035] The network 6 includes a plurality of base stations 1 connected to a core network 2. Each base station provides a coverage area 3 (i.e. a cell) within which data can be communicated to and from communications devices 4. Although each base station 1 is shown in Figure 1 as a single entity, the skilled person will appreciate that some of the functions of the base station may be carried out by disparate, inter-connected elements, such as antennas (or antennae), remote radio heads, amplifiers, etc. Collectively, one or more base stations may form a radio access network.

[0036] Data is transmitted from base stations 1 to communications devices 4 within their respective coverage areas 3 via a radio downlink (DL). Data is transmitted from communications devices 4 to the base stations 1 via a radio uplink (UL). The core network 2 routes data to and from the communications devices 4 via the respective base stations 1 and provides functions such as authentication, mobility management, charging and so on. Communications devices may also be referred to as mobile stations, user equipment (UEs), user terminals, mobile radios, mobile terminals, terminal devices, wireless transmit and receive units (WTRUs), and so forth. Services provided by the core network 2 may include connectivity to the internet or to external telephony services. The core network 2 may further track the location of the communications devices 4 so that it can efficiently contact (i.e. page) the communications devices 4 for transmitting downlink data towards the communications devices 4.

[0037] Base stations, which are an example of network infrastructure equipment, may also be referred to as transceiver stations, nodeBs, e-nodeBs, eNB, g-nodeBs, gNB and so forth. In this regard different terminology is often associated with different generations of wireless telecommunications systems for elements providing broadly comparable functionality. However, certain embodiments of the disclosure may be equally implemented in different generations of wireless telecommunications systems, and for simplicity certain terminology may be used regardless of the underlying network architecture. That is to say, the use of a specific term in relation to certain example implementations is not intended to indicate these implementations are limited to a certain generation of network that may be most associated with that particular terminology.

[0038] New Radio Access Technology (5G)

[0039] Systems incorporating NR technology are expected to support different services (or types of services), which may be characterised by different requirements for latency, data rate and / or reliability. For example, Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services are characterised by high capacity with a requirement to support up to 20 Gb / s. The requirements for Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) services are for one transmission of a 32 byte packet to be transmitted from the radio protocol layer 2 / 3 SDU ingress point to the radio protocol layer 2 / 3 SDU egress point of the radio interface within 1 ms with a reliability of 1 - 10'5(99.999 %) or higher (99.9999%) [2],

[0040] Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) is another example of a service which may be supported by NR-based communications networks. In addition, systems may be expected to support further enhancements related to Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in order to support services with new requirements of high availability, high reliability, low latency, and in some cases, high-accuracy positioning.

[0041] An example configuration of a wireless communications network which uses some of the terminology proposed for and used in NR and 5G is shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2 a plurality of transmission and reception points (TRPs) 10 are connected to distributed control units (DUs) 41, 42 by a connection interface represented as a line 16. Each of the TRPs 10 is arranged to transmit and receive signals via a wireless access interface within a radio frequency bandwidth available to the wireless communications network. Thus, within a range for performing radio communications via the wireless access interface, each of the TRPs 10, forms a cell of the wireless communications network as represented by a circle 12. As such, wireless communications devices 14 which are within a radio communications range provided by the cells 12 can transmit and receive signals to and from the TRPs 10 via the wireless access interface. Each of the distributed units 41, 42 are connected to a central unit (CU) 40 (which may be referred to as a controlling node) via an interface 46. The central unit 40 is then connected to the core network 20 which may contain all other functions required to transmit data for communicating to and from the wireless communications devices and the core network 20 may be connected to other networks 25.

[0042] The elements of the wireless access network shown in Figure 2 may operate in a similar way to corresponding elements of an LTE network as described with regard to the example of Figure 1. It will be appreciated that operational aspects of the telecommunications network represented in Figure 2, and of other networks discussed herein in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, which are not specifically described (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be implemented in accordance with any known techniques, for example according to currently used approaches for implementing such operational aspects of wireless telecommunications systems, e.g. in accordance with the relevant standards.

[0043] The TRPs 10 of Figure 2 may in part have a corresponding functionality to a base station or eNodeB of an LTE network. Similarly, the communications devices 14 may have a functionality corresponding to the UE devices 4 known for operation with an LTE network. It will be appreciated therefore that operational aspects of a new RAT network (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be different to those known from LTE or other known mobile telecommunications standards. However, it will also be appreciated that each of the core network component, base stations and communications devices of a new RAT network will be functionally similar to, respectively, the core network component, base stations and communications devices of an LTE wireless communications network.

[0044] In terms of broad top-level functionality, the core network 20 connected to the new RAT telecommunications system represented in Figure 2 may be broadly considered to correspond with the core network 2 represented in Figure 1, and the respective central units 40 and their associated distributed units / TRPs 10 may be broadly considered to provide functionality corresponding to the base stations 1 of Figure 1. The term network infrastructure equipment / access node may be used to encompass these elements and more conventional base station type elements of wireless telecommunications systems. Depending on the application at hand the responsibility for scheduling transmissions which are scheduled on the radio interface between the respective distributed units and the communications devices may lie with the controlling node / central unit and / or the distributed units / TRPs. A communications device 14 is represented in Figure 2 within the coverage area of the first communication cell 12. This communications device 14 may thus exchange signalling with the first central unit 40 in the first communication cell 12 via one of the distributed units / TRPs 10 associated with the first communication cell 12.

[0045] It will further be appreciated that Figure 2 represents merely one example of a proposed architecture for a new RAT based telecommunications system in which approaches in accordance with the principles described herein may be adopted, and the functionality disclosed herein may also be applied in respect of wireless telecommunications systems having different architectures.

[0046] Thus, certain embodiments of the disclosure as discussed herein may be implemented in wireless telecommunication systems / networks according to various different architectures, such as the example architectures shown in Figures 1 and 2. It will thus be appreciated the specific wireless telecommunications architecture in any given implementation is not of primary significance to the principles described herein. In this regard, certain embodiments of the disclosure may be described generally in the context of communications between network infrastructure equipment / access nodes and a communications device, wherein the specific nature of the network infrastructure equipment / access node and the communications device will depend on the network infrastructure for the implementation at hand. For example, in some scenarios the network infrastructure equipment / access node may comprise a base station, such as an LTE-type base station 1 as shown in Figure 1 which is adapted to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein, and in other examples the network infrastructure equipment may comprise a control unit / controlling node 40 and / or a TRP 10 of the kind shown in Figure 2 which is adapted to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein.

[0047] A more detailed diagram of some of the components of the network shown in Figure 2 is provided by Figure 3. In Figure 3, a TRP 10 as shown in Figure 2 comprises, as a simplified representation, a wireless transmitter 30, a wireless receiver 32 and a controller or controlling processor 34 which may operate to control the transmitter 30 and the wireless receiver 32 to transmit and receive radio signals to one or more UEs 14 within a cell 12 formed by the TRP 10. As shown in Figure 3, an example UE 14 is shown to include a corresponding transmitter 49, a receiver 48 and a controller 44 which is configured to control the transmitter 49 and the receiver 48 to transmit signals representing uplink data to the wireless communications network via the wireless access interface formed by the TRP 10 and to receive downlink data as signals transmitted by the transmitter 30 and received by the receiver 48 in accordance with the conventional operation.

[0048] The transmitters 30, 49 and the receivers 32, 48 (as well as other transmitters, receivers and transceivers described in relation to examples and embodiments of the present disclosure) may include radio frequency filters and amplifiers as well as signal processing components and devices in order to transmit and receive radio signals in accordance for example with the 5G / NR standard. The controllers 34, 44 (as well as other controllers described in relation to examples and embodiments of the present disclosure) may be, for example, a microprocessor, a CPU, or a dedicated chipset, etc., configured to carry out instructions which are stored on a computer readable medium, such as a non-volatile memory. The processing steps described herein may be carried out by, for example, a microprocessor in conjunction with a random access memory, operating according to instructions stored on a computer readable medium. The transmitters, the receivers and the controllers are schematically shown in Figure 3 as separate elements for ease of representation. However, it will be appreciated that the functionality of these elements can be provided in various different ways, for example using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s), or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuit(s) / circuitry / chip(s) / chipset(s). As will be appreciated the infrastructure equipment / TRP / base station as well as the UE / communications device will in general comprise various other elements associated with its operating functionality.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the TRP 10 also includes a network interface 50 which connects to the DU 42 via a physical interface 16. The network interface 50 therefore provides a communication link for data and signalling traffic from the TRP 10 via the DU 42 and the CU 40 to the core network 20.

[0050] The interface 46 between the DU 42 and the CU 40 is known as the F 1 interface which can be a physical or a logical interface. The Fl interface 46 between CU and DU may operate in accordance with specifications 3GPP TS 38.470 and 3GPP TS 38.473, and may be formed from a fibre optic or other wired or wireless high bandwidth connection. In one example the connection 16 from the TRP 10 to the DU 42 is via fibre optic. The connection between a TRP 10 and the core network 20 can be generally referred to as a backhaul, which comprises the interface 16 from the network interface 50 of the TRP 10 to the DU 42 and the Fl interface 46 from the DU 42 to the CU 40. In order for a UE such as UE 4 or 14 to transmit uplink data to the network (e.g. on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)) to, for example, base station 1 or TRP 10, the UE must first ensure it is synchronised with the network on the uplink. Since a particular eNB or gNB expects to be receiving communications from many UEs, it needs to ensure that it shares a common timing understanding with each of these UEs (i.e. they are synchronised in terms of the starting times of frames and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols). This is so that the eNB is able to schedule communication with each of them in a manner that avoids collisions and to ensure orthogonality of the uplink signals, such that inter-subcarrier interference is avoided or mitigated.

[0051] Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)

[0052] As 5G NR evolves towards 5G-Advanced (5G-NR-Advanced), there is the possibility of new features being included in future releases. One possible new feature for 5G-Advanced and beyond is Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC). ISAC uses radio wave transmissions from a 5G wireless network to acquire information from the environment. Although positioning features in 5G, utilizing techniques including Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) and Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (UTDOA), are already available, these features are only able to determine the location of UE devices. That is, the 5G network requires information from the device that it is trying to locate, i.e., an active object (an object having a direct radio connection to the wireless communications (e.g. 5G) network), and therefore the existing positioning features cannot locate passive objects that do not have direct communications with the 5G network. In contrast, ISAC employs echolocation using radio frequency (RF) waves, similar to that used by radar and LIDAR, to detect passive objects, which does not require a direct communication between the object of interest and the 5G network. Since a cellular network, such as a 5G wireless network, may have wide coverage, covering urban, highway, rural and even indoor environments, ISAC can provide sensing services for many different applications.

[0053] ISAC is considered to be a system which combines sensing and communication functionalities by reusing the same hardware on the network side in order to save resources and reduce power consumption. Here, the new development introduced by ISAC is that sensing signals and communication signals can be practically implemented into a single system, with either the same or different transmit waveforms. 3GPP has agreed to study ISAC [3] with the justification that the current 5G-Advanced network design focuses primarily on data transmission, and the radio channel model defined to cover frequencies up to 100 GHz was developed with this in mind. Although RAT-based positioning is supported, the specifications do not offer the in-built capability to detect objects not connected to the network. If sensing capability is integrated into the design of the system, sensing may be offered as a service alongside communications.

[0054] In the new RAN study item [3], the focus is to define channel modelling aspects to support object detection and / or tracking (as per the SAI meaning in [4]). The study aims at a common modelling framework capable of detecting and / or tracking the following example objects, and to enable them to be distinguished from unintended objects:

[0055] • UAVs;

[0056] • Humans (indoors and outdoors);

[0057] • Automotive vehicles (at least outdoors);

[0058] • Automated guided vehicles (e.g., in indoor factories); and

[0059] • Objects creating hazards on roads / railways, with a minimum size dependent on frequency. Example applications of ISAC include: intruder detection inside or in the vicinity of a building / house; rainfall monitoring that detects the intensity of rain in a wide area such as a farm (utilising the characteristics of particular frequency radio waves that experience higher attenuation due to water absorption); and pedestrian or animal detection in a motorway or railway [4], ISAC may also utilise existing sensing technology such as radar or LIDAR that may be installed in a device or area. For example, ISAC may use the sensing information from LIDAR and radar units that are installed in numerous automobiles and, together with the 5G wireless sensing, provide an accurate picture of the motorway or the traffic situation in a city.

[0060] As mentioned above, ISAC employs echolocation using radio frequency (RF) waves, similar to mechanisms that are used by radar and LIDAR, to detect passive objects. These radar techniques include at least one transmitter sending a sensing (i.e. initial) RF wave and at least one receiver receiving the reflected RF wave, where the locations and orientations of the transmitter and receiver are known. Arrangements where the transmitter and receiver are co-located (i.e. are included in the same device) are known as monostatic radar, and arrangements where the transmitter and receiver are separated in distance (i.e. not co-located) are known as bistatic radar.

[0061] Figure 4A shows an example of a monostatic radar. Here, a transceiver 420 (comprising a transmitter and receiver) emits a sensing RF wave 452 (which may simply be referred to as an RF wave or RF signal) at time to which is reflected by an object 410. The reflected RF wave (or reflected RF signal) 454 is then received at the transceiver 420 at time ti. The distance Dofrom the transceiver 420 to the object 410 may be determined based on the Round-Trip Time (RTT) of the wave when it is transmitted at time to and when the reflected wave is received at time 0, i.e., Do=c(t'2towhere c is the speed of light. That is, the detected object is located on a circle (or, in three dimensions, a sphere) with radius Dofrom the radar transceiver 420, and the location of the object can be further determined by the angle at which the reflected RF wave 454 is received at the transceiver 420, and / or the angle of departure of the transmitted wave 452 (if the radar uses a narrow beam focused at a known angle).

[0062] Figure 4B shows an example of a bistatic radar. Here, a transmitter 422 emits an RF wave 456 at time to which is reflected by an object 410 at an angle of ft. The reflected RF wave 458 is then received at a receiver 424 at time ti . The sum of the distances DTX (the distance from the transmitter 422 to the object 410) and DRX(the distance from the object 410 to the receiver 424) can be calculated using the RTT, i.e., DTX + DRX = C (ti - to). The distance between the transmitter and receiver DTX-RX can be known a-priori. The bistatic range is defined as DTx+ DRx- DTX-RX- The detected object can therefore be determined to be located on an ellipse with the foci at the locations of the transmitter 422 and receiver 424, and with a constant bistatic range. The location of the object 410 on the ellipse can be further determined by the angle of arrival of the reflected wave 458 at the receiver 424, or the angle of departure of the transmitted RF wave 456 at the transmitter 422 (if the wave is transmitted in a beam focused at a known angle).

[0063] The bistatic angle, labelled as / / in Figure 4B, is the angle subtended between the transmitter 422, the object 410 and the receiver 424. If the bistatic angle / is close to zero, the sensor resembles a monostatic radar, which may be referred to as a pseudo-monostatic radar. A pseudo-monostatic radar, where / / « 0° is shown in Figure 4C, where the numbered components correspond to those shown in Figure 4B. Conversely, if the bistatic angle / / is close to 180°, then the radar may behave as a forward scatter radar.

[0064] A forward scatter radar with 180° is shown in Figure 4D, where the numbered components correspond to those shown in Figures 4B and 4C. Here, the object 410 can be detected at the receiver 424 by detecting a diffracted wave 459 using Babinet’s principle, where the silhouette 415 of the object is projected at the receiver 424 by the diffracted wave 459. Certain objects, such as an airplane with stealth capability, may absorb RF waves emitted by a radar instead of reflecting them, thereby avoiding detection using conventional radar. However, forward scatter radar is advantageous in detecting objects with such stealth capabilities, as forward scatter radar techniques rely on the target object blocking the emitted wave, thereby forming a silhouette 415 at the receiver. The drawback of forward scatter radar arrangements is that it is difficult to detect the speed of an object via the Doppler Effect if the object is moving along the path between the transmitter 422 and receiver 424 of the radar.

[0065] In [3], six sensing modes are considered, and these are shown in Figures 5A to 5F. Figure 5A shows an example of a TRP-TRP bistatic mode scenario, in which a first TRP 511 transmits a sensing signal 514 to a device or object (which may be an active device such as a UE 512 or a passive device or object) which then reflects 515 the sensing signal to a second TRP 513. Figure 5B shows an example of a TRP monostatic mode scenario, in which a TRP 521 transmits a sensing signal 523 to a device or object (which may be an active device such as a UE 522 or a passive device or object) which then reflects 524 the sensing signal back to the TRP 521. Figure 5C shows an example of a TRP-UE bistatic mode scenario, in which a TRP 531 transmits a sensing signal 534 towards another (active or passive) device or object (such as bus 532) which then reflects 535 the sensing signal to a UE 533. Figure 5D shows an example of a UE-TRP bistatic mode scenario, in which a UE 541 transmits a sensing signal 544 towards another (active or passive) device or object (such as bus 542) which then reflects 545 the sensing signal to a TRP 543. Figure 5E shows an example of a UE-UE bistatic mode scenario, in which a first UE 551 transmits a sensing signal 554 towards another (active or passive) device or object (such as bus 552) which then reflects 555 the sensing signal to a second UE 553. Figure 5F shows an example of a UE monostatic scenario, in which a UE 561 transmits a sensing signal 563 towards another (active or passive) device or object (such as bus 562) which then reflects 564 the sensing signal back to the UE 561.

[0066] As noted above, in monostatic scenarios such as those shown in Figures 5B and 5F, the transmitter and receiver of the sensing signals are both within the same equipment / location / site, whereas in bistatic scenarios such as those shown in Figures 5A, 5C, 5D, and 5F, the transmitter and receiver of the sensing signals are geographically separated (i.e., non-co-located).

[0067] Data Scheduling Methods in NR (5G)

[0068] Traditionally, cellular networks are designed for multi-user scenarios, in which multiple users are served at the same time and / or in different times. Therefore, by employing traditional multiplexing schemes, it is feasible that users for communication services and targets / users for sensing services are served simultaneously and / or in different times within the same cell, by using one or more of the multiplexing methods as follows:

[0069] • Time division multiplexing: In this method, users for communication services and targets for sensing services are served within different slots within a radio frame or bandwidth part (BWP). In this case, the waveforms used for sensing and communication can be the same or different. As shown in the example of Figure 6, a first UE may be assigned a first time resource set 601 (i.e. time range to- ti) for either sensing or communications, a second UE2 may be assigned a second time resource set 602 (i.e. time range ti- 12) for either sensing or communications, a third UE may be assigned a third time resource set 603 (i.e. time range t2- G) for either sensing or communications, and a fourth UE may be assigned a fourth time resource set 604 (i.e. time range ts- 1 ) for either sensing or communications;

[0070] • Frequency division multiplexing: Similarly to time division multiplexing, users for communication services and targets for sensing services can be served in different frequencies (e.g. different BWPs) within a slot in a radio frame. This means that different subcarriers must be allocated for sensing and communication services. Again, in this case, the waveforms used for sensing and communication can be the same or different. As shown in the example in Figure 6. a first UE may be assigned a first frequency resource set 701 (i.e. frequency range fi- fi) for either sensing or communications, a second UE may assigned a second frequency resource set 702 (i.e. frequency range fi - fi) for either sensing or communications, a third UE may assigned a third frequency resource set 703 (i.e. frequency range fi- fi) for either sensing or communications, and a fourth UE may assigned a fourth frequency resource set 704 (i.e. frequency range fi- fi) for either sensing or communications; and; and

[0071] • Spatial division multiplexing: Similarly to both time and frequency division multiplexing, users for communication services and targets for sensing services can be served using different beams, or in different spatial layers within a BWP. In this case, different antenna-arrays for beamforming can be employed to serve users for communication services and targets for sensing services. Once again, in this case, the waveforms used for sensing and communication can be the same or different. As shown in the example in Figure 8, a first UE may be assigned a first spatial layer 801 (or beam) for either sensing or communications, a second UE may be assigned a second spatial layer 802 (or beam) for either sensing or communications, a third UE may be assigned a third spatial layer 803 (or beam) for either sensing or communications, and a fourth UE may be assigned a fourth spatial layer 804 (or beam) for either sensing or communications.

[0072] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that sensing technologies may be applied differently for different applications, even within the same cell. For example, object and intruder detection may require different construction of the sensing signals compared to rainfall monitoring. In other words, by using various properties of the reflected signals (i.e., received echoes), many parameters can be extracted, such as velocity or range, etc.

[0073] However, while resource allocation for the purpose of communication is widely known, this is not true of resource allocation for the purpose of sensing, and certainly not of scenarios in which different devices are performing communication and sensing simultaneously. A technical issue to solve therefore with respect to the provision of resources for the transmission and / or reflection of sensing signals is how such resources may be allocated for sensing functionalities within the cellular networks in such a way that resources for different users / targets may be multiplexed for sensing and communications, where users are served at the same time and / or at different times. Embodiments of the present disclosure seek to provide solutions to such a technical issue.

[0074] ISAC Resource Allocation for Multiple Targets in a Cell

[0075] Figure 9 shows a part schematic, part message flow diagram representation of a wireless communications system comprising a communications device (e.g. a UE 14 as shown in Figures 2 and 3) 91 and an infrastructure equipment (e.g. a gNB / TRP 10 as shown in Figures 2 and 3) 92 in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technique. The communications device 91 is configured to transmit signals to and / or receive signals from a wireless communications network, for example, to and from the infrastructure equipment 92 which forms part of the wireless communications network. Specifically, the communications device 91 may be configured to transmit data to and / or receive data from the wireless communications network (e.g. to / from the infrastructure equipment 92) via a wireless radio interface provided by the wireless communications network (e.g. a Uu interface between the communications device 91 and the Radio Access Network (RAN), which includes the infrastructure equipment 92). The communications device 91 and the infrastructure equipment 92 each comprise a transceiver (or transceiver circuitry) 91.1, 92.1, and a controller (or controller circuitry) 91.2, 92.2. Each of the controllers 91.2, 92.2 may be, for example, a microprocessor, a CPU, or a dedicated chipset, etc. The controllers 91.2, 92.2 may also each be equipped with a memory unit (which is not shown in Figure 9). As shown in the example of Figure 9, the controller 91.2 of the communications device 91 is configured to control the transceiver 91.1 of the communications device 91 to receive 94, from the infrastructure equipment 92, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device 91 is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device 91 is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and to receive 96, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources. In the example of Figure 9, the infrastructure equipment 92 is the sensing transmitter which transmits 96 the sensing signals to the communications device 91, but in other examples, the sensing transmitter may instead be another communications device or another infrastructure equipment, neither of which are shown in Figure 9.

[0076] Similarly, in the example of Figure 9 or in accordance with other examples to that of Figure 9, the sensing receiver may also be the infrastructure equipment 92 (e.g. such as in the monostatic scenario shown in Figure 5B), and where the resource allocation 94 also indicates the second set of radio resources, the communications device 91 may in some examples be configured to transmit, to the sensing receiver (e.g. the infrastructure equipment 92), the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources. The sensing receiver may in other examples however be another communications device or another infrastructure equipment, neither of which are shown in Figure 9.

[0077] Where the resource allocation comprises an indication of the second set of radio resources in which the communications device 91 is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver, allocation of such a second set of resources may require knowledge of where the sensing target (i.e. the communications device 91) that receives and reflects the sensing signals is located, for example in terms of its distance and thus round trip tip from the infrastructure equipment 92. Sensing is generally performed when knowledge of locations or even existence of sensing targets is not actually known, and so this may not be possible. As such, in some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the second set of resources may comprise an over-configuration in time to allow for the worst-case scenario that the sensing target is at the cell edge, or may be allocated as a set of frequency resources across a specified time window (or in a semi-static manner as described in some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique below).

[0078] Essentially, embodiments of the present technique therefore propose that, when sensing is integrated into cellular networks (i.e., through features such as ISAC), it may be necessary to allocated resources for the transmitted sensing signals (and optionally, at the same time, the reflected sensing signals). This is particularly the case where there are a large number of (active and / or passive) devices or objects within a cell, and therefore a large number of sensing signals and reflected sensing signals being exchanged by multiple users - because these may interfere with one another. Furthermore, a single solution for resources allocation for such sensing signals or reflected sensing signals may not be possible in all cases, because different applications require different construction of sensing signals, and not all objects or devices will be in good coverage. Embodiments of the present technique thus provide details of the resource allocations for sensing functionalities in the cellular networks, where these may be either unicast or groupcast (i.e., multicast) based resource allocations.

[0079] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the resource allocation may be a unicast resource allocation (unicast RA) that is transmitted by the sensing transmitter or other gNB / TRP only to the UE that is to receive the sensing signals. Additionally, the sensing signals themselves may also be unicast. In other words, the one or more sensing signals may be unicast sensing signals that are received only by the communications device from the sensing transmitter. A UE (which is an example of an active device, i.e. a device that is connected to the network) can be scheduled to receive sensing signals on specified time-frequency resources. In order to enable the UE to be aware of the scheduling decision made by the sensing transmitter (e.g. a gNB or another UE) or another network entity, there are different ways of assigning sensing resources to the UE.

[0080] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the resource allocation may be dynamic scheduling (i.e. LI or L2 signalling). Here, the UE may receive downlink control information (DCI) from the sensing transmitter, where the DCI carries information and / or signalling in respect of the scheduled resources for at least the reception of the sensing signals. In other words, the resource allocation may be received by the communications device within downlink control information, DCI, received from the infrastructure equipment.

[0081] An example of this is shown in Figure 10. After receiving the DCI from the gNB / TRP 101, the UE 102 gets ready to receive the sensing signals 103 from the sensing transmitter within a first set of resources 104 allocated for the receipt of the sensing signals 103 by the DCI. The UE 102 then reflects / echoes 105 the sensing signals in the direction of the desired sensing receiver (which may be the gNB / TRP 101 as shown in Figure 10), where this echo / reflection 105 may use a second set of resources 106 which are also allocated within the DCI. It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, in other examples to that depicted by Figure 10, the location of the sensing receiver may be different to that of the sensing transmitter (i.e. a bistatic scenario), as depicted earlier in the examples of Figures 5A to 5F, or they may be located at the same place / in the same entity (i.e. a monostatic scenario).

[0082] In accordance with at least some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, and as those skilled in the art would understand, the resource allocations contain both frequency and time dimensions, where the frequency dimension indicates a group of sub-carriers (i.e., resource blocks, physical resource blocks, or sub-bands) in the system bandwidth (or bandwidth part (BWP)) and the time dimension denotes a group of symbols in time within a slot or sub-slot in a radio frame.

[0083] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the resource allocation signalled in the DCI contains a two-step resource allocation, where the first step contains the resource allocation for the sensing signals from the gNB (or UE) as the sensing transmitter, and the second step carries the resource allocation for the reflected sensing signals in the direction of the desired sensing receiver. In other words, the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources may each be discrete sets of radio resources which are separately indicated by the resource allocation.

[0084] An example is shown in Figure 11. Here, a DCI may be received in slot n, which allocates two sets of resources in two separate steps. Firstly, the DCI allocates a set of resources in slot n+1 for the reception of sensing signals, and secondly, the DCI allocates a set of resources in slot n+2 for the transmission of reflected sensing signals.

[0085] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the first step and the second step (such as that shown in the example of Figure 11) may instead comprise a single resource allocation signalled in the DCI, which is intended for both the reception of the sensing signals from the gNB and the transmission of the reflected sensing signals in the direction of the desired sensing receiver. In this case, the first resource allocation may have the same size and / or duration as the second step resource allocation (i.e. as it can be expected that the sensing signals received from the gNB and the transmitted reflected signals themselves have the same size or duration). Therefore, since the set of resources required for transmission of the reflected sensing signals is essentially just a replica of the set of resources required for reception of the sensing signals, one resource allocation signalling could be used for both. The UE is therefore able to determine the resources for the reflected sensing signals based on the resource allocation for the sensing signals to be received. In other words, the resource allocation may indicate only the first set of radio resources, and the communications device may be configured to determine the second set of radio resources based on the resource allocation of the first set of radio resources.

[0086] Regardless of bistatic or monostatic scenarios, it is necessary for the desired receiver to also know about the resource allocation of the reflected signals, so that it can listen for / receive them in a more efficient manner without having to, for example, blind decode for them. That is, in some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the sensing transmitter / gNB / TRP may provide an additional resource allocation solely for the desired sensing receiver. In dynamic scheduling examples, another UE as the sensing receiver can also decode the same DCI that carries the resource allocations to the UE / object to be sensed as described above, and hence, no additional signalling (e.g., in sensing modes such as those illustrated by Figures 5C, 5D, and 5E) is required. In this case, a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) masked with the DCI should also be known to the receiver.

[0087] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the receiver may receive another DCI that carries only the second step resource allocation for the reflected signal from the target. In other words, the infrastructure equipment may be configured to transmit, to the sensing receiver, an indication of the second set of radio resources in which the sensing receiver is to receive the one or more reflected sensing signals from the communications device.

[0088] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, in sensing modes such as that illustrated by Figure 5 A, the receiver (TRP 513) can receive the resource allocation for the reflected signals from transmitter (TRP 511) on the backhaul connection between the TRPs rather than in DCI. In other words, the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment, and wherein the indication of the second set of radio resources is transmitted to the second infrastructure equipment via a backhaul communications link between the infrastructure equipment and the second infrastructure equipment.

[0089] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the resource allocation may be semistatic scheduling. In other words, the resource allocation is received by the communications device within semi-static signalling received from the infrastructure equipment.

[0090] That is, another possibility is to periodically allocate the resources for sensing signals, i.e., from the sensing transmitter to the UE / target as shown in the example of Figure 12. Here, semi-static resources may be configured for the reception of sensing signals in accordance with a predetermined pattern (i.e. in a set frequency range in every fourth slot; i.e. slot n, slot n+4, and so on. In the same way, semi-static resources may be configured for the reflection of sensing signals in accordance with a predetermined pattern (i.e. in a set frequency range in every fourth slot; i.e. slot n+1, slot n+5, and so on.

[0091] If the target is an active device such as a UE, this semi-static scheduling can be configured via medium access control (MAC) or radio resource control (RRC) signalling, in a similar manner to semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) for downlink transmissions and configured grant (CG) for uplink transmissions. When configured in advance, the UE gets ready to receive sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and then reflects the sensing signals in the direction of the desired sensing receiver. The semi-static resource allocation for sensing can be activated for transmitting the sensing signals and can be deactivated when there is no transmission.

[0092] As in the case of dynamic scheduling as described above, the desired receiver of the reflected sensing signals should also be aware of the semi-static resource allocation for the reflected signals, so that it can listen for / receive them. This may be provided in a similar manner to that described above for dynamic scheduling; either via a MAC control element (CE) or RRC signalling to the sensing receiver if it is a UE, or via backhaul communications if the sensing receiver is a gNB / TRP.

[0093] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, frequency hopping can be supported, where the resources for sensing can be changed, for example in the frequency domain. The advantage of frequency hopping is to achieve signal-to-noise (SNR) improvement of the transmitted sensing signals through channel diversity and interference averaging. In this case, the system bandwidth can be divided into sub-bands, and the sensing signals can hop among sub-bands (resources) in a predetermined order (i.e., in accordance with a frequency hopping pattem / sequence). In other words, one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources may comprise at least a first portion of resources within a first frequency band and at least a second portion of resources within a second frequency band in accordance with a frequency hopping pattern.

[0094] Figure 13 shows an example of a semi-static resources allocation for sensing signals (and / or reflected sensing signals) in which frequency hopping is applied. The example of Figure 13 is similar to that of Figure 12, in that semi-static resources may be configured for the reception of sensing signals in accordance with a predetermined pattern (i.e. in every fourth slot; i.e. slot n, slot n+4, and so on, and semi-static resources may be configured for the reflection of sensing signals in accordance with a predetermined pattern (i.e. in every fourth slot; i.e. slot n+1, slot n+5, and so on. Here, however, in each slot where resources are configured for either sensing signals or reflected sensing signals, these resources are split (i.e. hopped) across two different frequency sub-bands.

[0095] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE (active device) can be indicated whether the resource allocation is for sensing signals or communication signals. In other words, the resource allocation may comprise an indication that the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals.

[0096] In some implementations, for dynamic resource allocation, a DCI may indicate whether the resource allocation is for sensing signals or for communication signals. In this case, a unique sensing RNTI can be masked with the DCI to differentiate whether the resource allocation is for sensing signals or for communication signals. In other words, the indication may comprise a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) that is specifically associated with the transmission of sensing signals. Another way is to include a single bit or a pattern of bits which can be used for this differentiation. In other words, the indication may comprise one or more bits that can indicate whether the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals or are for the transmission of data signals. For semi-static resource allocation implementations, the differentiation can be achieved via MAC-CE or RRC signalling.

[0097] For a passive device or object (i.e. that is not connected to the network), there is no capability at this device or object to receive / decode signals from transmitter, which instead just reflects any received signals to the desired receiver, for example back to the gNB. In this case, the resource allocation may still be made, but it is only internal within the gNB (or shared with the sensing receiver if this is not the same as the gNB as sensing transmitter) to manage the time-frequency resources, i.e., after transmitting the sensing signals, the gNB can only turn on its receiver in a pre-specified window to receive the reflected signals and process them sequentially.

[0098] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the resource allocation may be a groupcast resource allocation (groupcast RA) that is transmitted by the sensing transmitter or other gNB / TRP only to the UE that is to receive the sensing signals. Additionally, the sensing signals themselves may also be groupcast. In other words, the one or more sensing signals may be groupcast sensing signals that are received, from the sensing transmitter and within the first set of radio resources, by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets, wherein the other sensing targets are one or more other communications devices and / or one or more passive devices that are not connected to the wireless communications network.

[0099] An example is shown in Figure 14. Here, a number of UEs or device s / objects as sensing targets 142, 143 can be grouped, and a single “common” sensing signal 144 can be sent to them within specified timefrequency resources. For example, a sensing signal 144 intended to construct the map of an environment can be group-casted by a gNB / TRP 141 as the sensing transmitter (and in the example of Figure 14, also the sensing receiver) to all targets 142, 143 in the area / cell. In this case, each target 142, 143 must reflect the sensing signal to a desired sensing receiver 141 (which may most likely be a single receiver 141 for all targets 142, 143). Here therefore, target 142 reflects 145 the sensing signals to the gNB / TRP 141 separately to the target 143 reflecting 146 the sensing signals to the gNB / TRP 141. The issue to solve here is how the reflected signals are multiplexed such that the reflected signals do not interfere with each other at the receiver.

[0100] In practice, it can be assumed that the reflected signals will arrive at the sensing receiver at different times (i.e., the reflected signals from a target that is closer to the gNB will arrive earlier than the reflected signals from a target that is at the cell edge). An example of this is shown in Figure 15, where sensing signals 151, 156 are transmitted to multiple targets which each have a pulse width of t. In response to sensing signal 151, a group of reflected sensing signals 152 are received (which is made up of reflected sensing signals 153, 154, 155 each received from a different target), where these reflected sensing signals 153, 154, 155 can be distinguished from one another provided they are received at least half a the pulse width of the sensing signal (i.e. t / 2) apart in time, or the targets are physically located apart by at least a distance S = C0*t / 2, (where CO is the speed of the light and t is the sensing pulse width in time). In this case, at the receiver (e.g. gNB), by correlating the transmitted signal with the received sequential reflected signals, multiple correlation peaks can be identified where each correlation peak corresponds to a distinguishable target. It should be noted here that, besides the correlation peak, the reflected sensing signals carry more information about the target, which such information may depend on the particular sensing application. Such information may be used instead of the time of arrival of reflected sensing signals to distinguish between the targets that reflected them; for example, the direction of receipt of the sensing signals or frequency with which they are transmitted may be used to distinguish between different reflected sensing signals that may be received at the same time.

[0101] Based on the assumption above, and in accordance with some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, multiple resource allocations for the reflected signals corresponding to multiple targets can be pre-allocated sequentially. In other words, the second set of radio resources may be dedicated for the communications device to transmit the one or more reflected sensing signals, and wherein the resource allocation comprises indications of one or more other sets of radio resources which are each for use by a different one of the other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

[0102] An example of this is shown on Figure 16. Here, a DCI may be received in slot n, which allocates three sets of resources. Firstly, the DCI allocates a set of resources in slot n+1 for the reception of sensing signals by multiple targets. Secondly, the DCI allocates a set of resources in slot n+2 for the transmission of reflected sensing signals by a first of the targets. Thirdly, the DCI allocates a set of resources in slot n+3 for the transmission of reflected sensing signals by a second of the targets. Those skilled in the art would of course appreciate that if there were more targets of the sensing signals, the DCI transmitted by the sensing transmitter / gNB / TRP would allocate separate resources for the transmission of the reflected sensing signals by each of those targets. Hence, as shown in Figure 16, the receiver can receive the reflected signals and process them sequentially.

[0103] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, instead of allocating multiple resources with equal sizes, the network can allocate an extended time window that can accommodate multiple reflected signals. In other words, the second set of radio resources may comprise a set of frequency- divided units, and wherein the second set of radio resources is available to the communications device during a time window indicated by the resource allocation. In this case, the length of the window may depend on how far away from the sensing transmitter / receiver the desired targets are in the cell, because the reflected signal from a target that is close to the gNB will arrive earlier as compared to a target that is at the cell edge. In other words, the length of the window depends on the locations of the desired targets (e.g. the communications device and / or other sensing targets) with the cell.

[0104] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a resource pool can be configured for the transmission of the reflected signals (such as in D2D or sidelink communications [3]), for a group of active UEs which are going to share one or more resource pools. In other words, the second set of radio resources may be for use by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver. Here, a communications device / sensing target may need to include a device or target identifier within the reflected sensing signals since the resources are used by multiple targets, so as to enable the sensing receiver to determine which sensing target the reflected sensing signal came from. Such a device or target identifier may also be used by communications device s / sensing targets to aid in identification of reflected sensing signals in other arrangements of embodiments of the present technique as described herein.

[0105] Here, this group of active UEs (i.e. the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets) may share a group identifier allocated by the network (for example a G-RNTI). The resource pool allocation may then be addressed using this group identifier (e.g. G-RNTI) to this group of active UEs. In other words, each of the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets may be associated with a group identifier, and wherein the second set of radio resources may be allocated using the group identifier.

[0106] In this case, where resource pools are used, the active device may delay the transmission of the reflected signal by an amount of time, to ensure that it does not interfere with the use of the resource pool by other communications devices / sensing targets. In other words, the communications device may be configured to determine a period of time by which the communications device is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and to transmit, to the sensing receiver after waiting for the determined period of time, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

[0107] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the active device may share the delay with the network and / or sensing application. In other words, the communications device may be configured to transmit to the wireless communications network (e.g. to the infrastructure equipment) and / or to a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the determined period of time.

[0108] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the delay amount can be configured from the network / application and signalled to the active UE / device in advance. In other words, the communications device may determine the period of time based on receiving from either the wireless communications network or a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the period of time.

[0109] In at least some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the sensing signals may be based on Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs), that are traditionally used for cell search and mobility functions in NR, though those skilled in the art would appreciate that the sensing signals may be have any appropriate format or construction and are not limited to being based on SSBs. In other words, the one or more sensing signals and the one or more reflected sensing signals may be formed of synchronisation signal blocks, SSBs.

[0110] In at least some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the gNB / TRP may need to leave a gap for receiving reflected sensing signals (e.g. reflected SBBs) at the receiver, where no other signals are received or transmitted by the sensing receiver during that duration so as to ensure such signals do not interfere with the received sensing signals. This gap may have a duration of a slot, or less than a slot, for example. In other words, the one or more reflected sensing signals are received by the sensing receiver during a time window determined by the infrastructure equipment following transmission of the one or more sensing signals by the sensing transmitter, and wherein the infrastructure equipment does not schedule any signals to be transmitted or received by the sensing receiver other than the one or more reflected sensing signals during the time window.

[0111] Figure 17 shows a flow diagram illustrating an example process of communications in a communications system in accordance with embodiments of the present technique. The process shown by Figure 17 is a method of operating a communications device (e.g. UE).

[0112] The method begins in step S 1. The method comprises, in step S2, receiving, from a wireless communications network (e.g. from an infrastructure equipment such as a gNB or TRP), a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals. In step S3, the method comprises receiving, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources. The process ends in step S4.

[0113] Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the method shown by Figure 17 may be adapted in accordance with embodiments of the present technique. For example, other intermediate steps may be included in this method, or the steps may be performed in any logical order. Though embodiments of the present technique have been described largely by way of the example communications system shown in Figure 9 and with further reference to Figures 10 to 16, it would be clear to those skilled in the art that they could be equally applied to other systems to those described herein.

[0114] Those skilled in the art would further appreciate that such infrastructure equipment and / or communications devices as herein defined may be further defined in accordance with the various arrangements and embodiments discussed in the preceding paragraphs. It would be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that such infrastructure equipment and communications devices as herein defined and described may form part of communications systems other than those defined by the present disclosure. The following numbered paragraphs provide further example aspects and features of the present technique:

[0115] Paragraph 1. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising receiving, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and receiving, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

[0116] Paragraph 2. A method according to Paragraph 1, wherein the one or more sensing signals are unicast sensing signals that are received only by the communications device from the sensing transmitter.

[0117] Paragraph 3. A method according to Paragraph 1 or Paragraph 2, wherein the resource allocation is received by the communications device within downlink control information, DCI, received from the infrastructure equipment.

[0118] Paragraph 4. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are discrete sets of radio resources which are separately indicated by the resource allocation.

[0119] Paragraph 5. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the resource allocation indicates only the first set of radio resources, and the method comprises determining the second set of radio resources based on the resource allocation of the first set of radio resources.

[0120] Paragraph 6. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein the resource allocation is received by the communications device within semi-static signalling received from the infrastructure equipment.

[0121] Paragraph 7. A method according to Paragraph 6, wherein the semi-static signalling is either radio resource control, RRC, signalling or medium access control, MAC, signalling.

[0122] Paragraph 8. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources comprises at least a first portion of resources within a first frequency band and at least a second portion of resources within a second frequency band in accordance with a frequency hopping pattern.

[0123] Paragraph 9. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 8, wherein the resource allocation comprises an indication that the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals.

[0124] Paragraph 10. A method according to Paragraph 9, wherein the indication comprises a radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, that is specifically associated with the transmission of sensing signals. Paragraph 11. A method according to Paragraph 9 or Paragraph 10, wherein the indication comprises one or more bits that can indicate whether the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals or are for the transmission of data signals.

[0125] Paragraph 12. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 11, wherein the one or more sensing signals are groupcast sensing signals that are received, from the sensing transmitter and within the first set of radio resources, by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets, wherein the other sensing targets are one or more other communications devices and / or one or more passive devices that are not connected to the wireless communications network.

[0126] Paragraph 13. A method according to Paragraph 12, wherein the second set of radio resources is dedicated for the communications device to transmit the one or more reflected sensing signals, and wherein the resource allocation comprises indications of one or more other sets of radio resources which are each for use by a different one of the other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

[0127] Paragraph 14. A method according to Paragraph 12 or Paragraph 13, wherein the second set of radio resources comprises a set of frequency-divided units, and wherein the second set of radio resources is available to the communications device during a time window indicated by the resource allocation. Paragraph 15. A method according to Paragraph 14, wherein a length of the time window is dependent on locations of the communications device and / or other sensing targets.

[0128] Paragraph 16. A method according to any of Paragraphs 12 to 15, wherein the second set of radio resources is for use by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

[0129] Paragraph 17. A method according to Paragraph 16, wherein each of the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets are associated with a group identifier, and wherein the second set of radio resources is allocated using the group identifier.

[0130] Paragraph 18. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 17, comprising determining a period of time by which the communications device is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and transmitting, to the sensing receiver after waiting for the determined period of time, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

[0131] Paragraph 19. A method according to Paragraph 18, comprising transmitting, to the wireless communications network and / or to a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the determined period of time.

[0132] Paragraph 20. A method according to Paragraph 18 or Paragraph 19, wherein the communications device determines the period of time based on receiving, from either the wireless communications network or a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the period of time.

[0133] Paragraph 21. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 20, comprising transmitting, to the sensing receiver, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

[0134] Paragraph 22. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 21, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is the infrastructure equipment.

[0135] Paragraph 23. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 22, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment.

[0136] Paragraph 24. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 23, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second communications device.

[0137] Paragraph 25. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 24, wherein the one or more sensing signals and the one or more reflected sensing signals are formed of synchronisation signal blocks, SSBs. Paragraph 26. A communications device comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to receive, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and to receive, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

[0138] Paragraph 27. Circuitry for a communications device comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to receive, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and to receive, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

[0139] Paragraph 28. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the method comprising transmitting, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

[0140] Paragraph 29. A method according to Paragraph 28, wherein the one or more sensing signals are unicast sensing signals that are transmitted by the sensing transmitter only to the communications device.

[0141] Paragraph 30. A method according to Paragraph 28 or Paragraph 29, comprising transmitting the resource allocation to the communications device within downlink control information, DCI.

[0142] Paragraph 31. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 30, wherein the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are discrete sets of radio resources which are separately indicated by the resource allocation.

[0143] Paragraph 32. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 31, comprising transmitting, to the sensing receiver, an indication of the second set of radio resources in which the sensing receiver is to receive the one or more reflected sensing signals from the communications device.

[0144] Paragraph 33. A method according to Paragraph 32, wherein the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment, and wherein the indication of the second set of radio resources is transmitted to the second infrastructure equipment via a backhaul communications link between the infrastructure equipment and the second infrastructure equipment.

[0145] Paragraph 34. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 33, comprising transmitting the resource allocation to the communications device within semi-static signalling.

[0146] Paragraph 35. A method according to Paragraph 34, wherein the semi-static signalling is either radio resource control, RRC, signalling or medium access control, MAC, signalling.

[0147] Paragraph 36. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 35, wherein one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources comprises at least a first portion of resources within a first frequency band and at least a second portion of resources within a second frequency band in accordance with a frequency hopping pattern.

[0148] Paragraph 37. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 36, wherein the resource allocation comprises an indication that the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals.

[0149] Paragraph 38. A method according to Paragraph 37, wherein the indication comprises a radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, that is specifically associated with the transmission of sensing signals. Paragraph 39. A method according to Paragraph 37 or Paragraph 38, wherein the indication comprises one or more bits that can indicate whether the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals or are for the transmission of data signals.

[0150] Paragraph 40. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 39, wherein the one or more sensing signals are groupcast sensing signals that are transmitted, by the sensing transmitter and within the first set of radio resources, to each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets, wherein the other sensing targets are one or more other communications devices and / or one or more passive devices that are not connected to the wireless communications network.

[0151] Paragraph 41. A method according to Paragraph 40, wherein the second set of radio resources is dedicated for the communications device to transmit the one or more reflected sensing signals, and wherein the resource allocation comprises indications of one or more other sets of radio resources which are each for use by a different one of the other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

[0152] Paragraph 42. A method according to Paragraph 40 or Paragraph 41, wherein the second set of radio resources comprises a set of frequency-divided units, and wherein the second set of radio resources is available to the communications device during a time window indicated by the resource allocation. Paragraph 43. A method according to Paragraph 42, wherein a length of the time window is dependent on locations of the communications device and / or other sensing targets.

[0153] Paragraph 44. A method according to any of Paragraphs 40 to 43, wherein the second set of radio resources is for use by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

[0154] Paragraph 45. A method according to Paragraph 44, wherein each of the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets are associated with a group identifier, and wherein the second set of radio resources is allocated using the group identifier.

[0155] Paragraph 46. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 45, comprising receiving, from the communications device, an indication of a period of time by which the communications device has determined that it is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter.

[0156] Paragraph 47. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 46, comprising determining a period of time by which the communications device is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and transmitting, to the communications device, an indication of the determined period of time.

[0157] Paragraph 48. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 47, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is the infrastructure equipment.

[0158] Paragraph 49. A method according to Paragraph 48, comprising transmitting, to the communications device, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

[0159] Paragraph 50. A method according to Paragraph 48 or Paragraph 49, comprising receiving, from the communications device, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

[0160] Paragraph 51. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 50, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment.

[0161] Paragraph 52. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 51, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second communications device.

[0162] Paragraph 53. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 52, wherein the one or more sensing signals and the one or more reflected sensing signals are formed of synchronisation signal blocks, SSBs. Paragraph 54. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 53, wherein the one or more reflected sensing signals are received by the sensing receiver during a time window determined by the infrastructure equipment following transmission of the one or more sensing signals by the sensing transmitter, and wherein the infrastructure equipment does not schedule any signals to be transmitted or received by the sensing receiver other than the one or more reflected sensing signals during the time window.

[0163] Paragraph 55. An infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to transmit, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

[0164] Paragraph 56. Circuitry for an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to transmit, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

[0165] Paragraph 57. A wireless communications system comprising a communications device according to Paragraph 26 and an infrastructure equipment according to Paragraph 55.

[0166] Paragraph 58. A computer program comprising instructions which, when loaded onto a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 25 or any of Paragraphs 28 to 54.

[0167] Paragraph 59. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program according to Paragraph 58.

[0168] It will be appreciated that the above description for clarity has described embodiments with reference to different functional units, circuitry and / or processors. However, it will be apparent that any suitable distribution of functionality between different functional units, circuitry and / or processors may be used without detracting from the embodiments.

[0169] Described embodiments may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. Described embodiments may optionally be implemented at least partly as computer software running on one or more data processors and / or digital signal processors. The elements and components of any embodiment may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed, the functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units. As such, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in a single unit or may be physically and functionally distributed between different units, circuitry and / or processors.

[0170] Although the present disclosure has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognise that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in any manner suitable to implement the technique. References

[0171] [1] Holma H. and Toskala A, “LTE for UMTS OFDMA and SC-FDMA based radio access”, John Wiley and Sons, 2009.

[0172] [2] TR 38.913, “3rdGeneration Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Study on Scenarios and Requirements for Next Generation Access Technologies

[0173] (Release 14)”, 3GPP, vl4.3.0, August 2017.

[0174] [3] RP -234069, “New SID: Study on channel modelling for Integrated Sensing And Communication (ISAC) for NR”, Nokia, Nokia Shanghai Bell, 3GPP TSG RAN Meeting #102, December 2023.

[0175] [4] TR 22.837, “Study on Integrated Sensing and Communication (Release 19)”, 3GPP, vl9.0.0, June 2023.

[0176] [5] TS 38.300, “NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall description, Stage-2”, 3GPP, vl6.15.0, Section

[0177] 16.9.3, January 2024.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising receiving, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and receiving, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more sensing signals are unicast sensing signals that are received only by the communications device from the sensing transmitter.

3. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the resource allocation is received by the communications device within downlink control information, DCI, received from the infrastructure equipment.

4. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are discrete sets of radio resources which are separately indicated by the resource allocation.

5. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the resource allocation indicates only the first set of radio resources, and the method comprises determining the second set of radio resources based on the resource allocation of the first set of radio resources.

6. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the resource allocation is received by the communications device within semi-static signalling received from the infrastructure equipment.

7. A method according to Claim 6, wherein the semi-static signalling is either radio resource control, RRC, signalling or medium access control, MAC, signalling.

8. A method according to Claim 1, wherein one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources comprises at least a first portion of resources within a first frequency band and at least a second portion of resources within a second frequency band in accordance with a frequency hopping pattern.

9. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the resource allocation comprises an indication that the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals.

10. A method according to Claim 9, wherein the indication comprises a radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, that is specifically associated with the transmission of sensing signals.

11. A method according to Claim 9, wherein the indication comprises one or more bits that can indicate whether the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals or are for the transmission of data signals.

12. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more sensing signals are groupcast sensing signals that are received, from the sensing transmitter and within the first set of radio resources, by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets, wherein the other sensing targets are one or more other communications devices and / or one or more passive devices that are not connected to the wireless communications network.

13. A method according to Claim 12, wherein the second set of radio resources is dedicated for the communications device to transmit the one or more reflected sensing signals, and wherein the resource allocation comprises indications of one or more other sets of radio resources which are each for use by a different one of the other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

14. A method according to Claim 12, wherein the second set of radio resources comprises a set of frequency-divided units, and wherein the second set of radio resources is available to the communications device during a time window indicated by the resource allocation.

15. A method according to Claim 14, wherein a length of the time window is dependent on locations of the communications device and / or other sensing targets.

16. A method according to Claim 12, wherein the second set of radio resources is for use by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

17. A method according to Claim 16, wherein each of the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets are associated with a group identifier, and wherein the second set of radio resources is allocated using the group identifier.

18. A method according to Claim 1, comprising determining a period of time by which the communications device is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and transmitting, to the sensing receiver after waiting for the determined period of time, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

19. A method according to Claim 18, comprising transmitting, to the wireless communications network and / or to a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the determined period of time.

20. A method according to Claim 18, wherein the communications device determines the period of time based on receiving, from either the wireless communications network or a sensing application which manages transmission of the sensing signals, an indication of the period of time.

21. A method according to Claim 1, comprising transmitting, to the sensing receiver, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

22. A method according to Claim 1, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is the infrastructure equipment.

23. A method according to Claim 1, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment.

24. A method according to Claim 1, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second communications device.

25. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more sensing signals and the one or more reflected sensing signals are formed of synchronisation signal blocks, SSBs.

26. A communications device comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to receive, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and to receive, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

27. Circuitry for a communications device comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to receive, from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals, and to receive, from the sensing transmitter, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

28. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the method comprising transmitting, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

29. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the one or more sensing signals are unicast sensing signals that are transmitted by the sensing transmitter only to the communications device.

30. A method according to Claim 28, comprising transmitting the resource allocation to the communications device within downlink control information, DCI.

31. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are discrete sets of radio resources which are separately indicated by the resource allocation.

32. A method according to Claim 28, comprising transmitting, to the sensing receiver, an indication of the second set of radio resources in which the sensing receiver is to receive the one or more reflected sensing signals from the communications device.

33. A method according to Claim 32, wherein the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment, and wherein the indication of the second set of radio resources is transmitted to the second infrastructure equipment via a backhaul communications link between the infrastructure equipment and the second infrastructure equipment.

34. A method according to Claim 28, comprising transmitting the resource allocation to the communications device within semi-static signalling.

35. A method according to Claim 34, wherein the semi-static signalling is either radio resource control, RRC, signalling or medium access control, MAC, signalling.

36. A method according to Claim 28, wherein one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources comprises at least a first portion of resources within a first frequency band and at least a second portion of resources within a second frequency band in accordance with a frequency hopping pattern.

37. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the resource allocation comprises an indication that the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals.

38. A method according to Claim 37, wherein the indication comprises a radio network temporary identifier, RNTI, that is specifically associated with the transmission of sensing signals.

39. A method according to Claim 37, wherein the indication comprises one or more bits that can indicate whether the one or both of the first set of radio resources and the second set of radio resources are specifically for the transmission of sensing signals or are for the transmission of data signals.

40. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the one or more sensing signals are groupcast sensing signals that are transmitted, by the sensing transmitter and within the first set of radio resources, to each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets, wherein the other sensing targets are one or more other communications devices and / or one or more passive devices that are not connected to the wireless communications network.

41. A method according to Claim 40, wherein the second set of radio resources is dedicated for the communications device to transmit the one or more reflected sensing signals, and wherein the resource allocation comprises indications of one or more other sets of radio resources which are each for use by a different one of the other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

42. A method according to Claim 40, wherein the second set of radio resources comprises a set of frequency-divided units, and wherein the second set of radio resources is available to the communications device during a time window indicated by the resource allocation.

43. A method according to Claim 42, wherein a length of the time window is dependent on locations of the communications device and / or other sensing targets.

44. A method according to Claim 40, wherein the second set of radio resources is for use by each of the communications device and one or more other sensing targets to transmit reflected sensing signals to the sensing receiver.

45. A method according to Claim 44, wherein each of the communications device and the one or more other sensing targets are associated with a group identifier, and wherein the second set of radio resources is allocated using the group identifier.

46. A method according to Claim 28, comprising receiving, from the communications device, an indication of a period of time by which the communications device has determined that it is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter.

47. A method according to Claim 28, comprising determining a period of time by which the communications device is to delay transmission of the reflected sensing signals after receiving the sensing signals from the sensing transmitter, and transmitting, to the communications device, an indication of the determined period of time.

48. A method according to Claim 28, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is the infrastructure equipment.

49. A method according to Claim 48, comprising transmitting, to the communications device, the one or more sensing signals in the first set of radio resources.

50. A method according to Claim 48, comprising receiving, from the communications device, the one or more reflected sensing signals in the second set of radio resources.

51. A method according to Claim 28, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second infrastructure equipment.

52. A method according to Claim 28, wherein one or both of the sensing transmitter and the sensing receiver is a second communications device.

53. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the one or more sensing signals and the one or more reflected sensing signals are formed of synchronisation signal blocks, SSBs.

54. A method according to Claim 28, wherein the one or more reflected sensing signals are received by the sensing receiver during a time window determined by the infrastructure equipment following transmission of the one or more sensing signals by the sensing transmitter, and wherein the infrastructure equipment does not schedule any signals to be transmitted or received by the sensing receiver other than the one or more reflected sensing signals during the time window.

55. An infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprisingtransceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to transmit, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

56. Circuitry for an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transceiver circuitry, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to transmit, to a communications device, a resource allocation indicating one or both of a first set of radio resources in which the communications device is to receive one or more sensing signals from a sensing transmitter and a second set of radio resources in which the communications device is to transmit one or more reflected sensing signals to a sensing receiver in response to the one or more received sensing signals.

57. A wireless communications system comprising a communications device according to Claim 26 and an infrastructure equipment according to Claim 55.

58. A computer program comprising instructions which, when loaded onto a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to Claim 1 or Claim 28.

59. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program according to Claim 58.

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