Methods, communications devices and infrastructure equipment

Abstract

A communications device communicates, via a wireless communications network by receiving an allocation of communications resource, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface. The wireless access interface comprises a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols. The communications device operates by determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal. For example, by determining an order of the OFDM symbol-types the communications device and correspondingly an infrastructure equipment can avoid or at least reduce cross-link interference with legacy communications devices not configured for SBFD.

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 of operating communications devices and infrastructure equipment in a wireless communications network.

[0005] The present disclosure claims the Paris convention priority to European patent application EP24158248.5 filed on 16 February 2024, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[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] 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).

[0009] 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.

[0010] 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.

[0011] 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. For example a new aspect is the use of Full Time Division Duplex alongside Subband Full Time Division Duplex in which OFDM symbols are divided in part to provide uplink transmission and apart to provide downlink transmission.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0013] The present disclosure can help address or mitigate at least some of the issues discussed above.

[0014] Embodiments of the present technique can provide a method of communicating, by a communications device, via a wireless communications network, the method comprising receiving an allocation of communications resource by the communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface. The wireless access interface comprises a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols. The method comprises determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal. In some examples, the OFDM symbol-types may include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink. The non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0015] For example, by determining an order of the OFDM symbol-types the communications device and correspondingly an infrastructure equipment can avoid or at least reduce cross-link interference with legacy communications devices not configured for SBFD.

[0016] Respective aspects and features of the present disclosure are defined in the appended claims.

[0017] 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.

[0018] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] 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:

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example wireless communications network configured in accordance with a 5G or new radio (NR) 3 GPP standard according to example embodiments;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating in more detail a communications device (UE) and an infrastructure equipment (gNB) formed from components of the wireless communications network shown in Figure 1;

[0022] Figure 3 illustrates an example of a subband FD-TDD configuration with three non-overlapping subbands for uplink and downlink transmissions;

[0023] Figure 4 illustrates an example of a subband FD-TDD configuration with two non-overlapping subbands for uplink and downlink transmissions;

[0024] Figure 5 illustrates an example of inter sub-band interference;

[0025] Figure 6 schematically illustrates an example of intra-cell cross link interference due to enter subband interferences;

[0026] Figure 7 is an illustrative representation of an arrangement of five TDD timeslots;

[0027] Figure 8 is an illustrative representation of examples of five timeslots of OFDM symbols with two example configurations of Sub Band Full Duplex (SBFD);

[0028] Figure 9 is an illustrative representation of five timeslots of OFDM symbols with a mixture of SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols in a slot;

[0029] Figure 10 is an illustrative representation of an example in which a transmission of PDSCH and PUSCH signals overlap SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols;

[0030] Figure 11 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with a discontinuity in channel due to changes to antenna panels;

[0031] Figure 12 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with uplink transmission starting in uplink OFDM symbols and continues into SBFD OFDM symbols;

[0032] Figure 13 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with uplink transmission starting in SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into uplink OFDM symbols;

[0033] Figure 14 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with uplink transmission overlapping SBFD OFDM symbols in two instances and non-OFDM symbols;

[0034] Figure 15 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with downlink reception starting in downlink OFDM symbols and continues into SBFD OFDM symbols;

[0035] Figure 16 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with downlink reception starting in SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into downlink OFDM symbols;

[0036] Figure 17 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with uplink transmission starting in uplink OFDM symbols and continues into SBFD OFDM symbols;

[0037] Figure 18 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with uplink transmissions staring in SBFD OFDM symbols and continues onto uplink OFDM symbols; Figure 19 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example downlink reception starting in downlink OFDM symbols and continues into SBFD OFDM symbols;

[0038] Figure 20 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with downlink reception starting in SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into downlink OFDM symbols;

[0039] Figure 21 is an illustrative representation of transmission of uplink signals and reception of downlink signals from different panels of an infrastructure equipment according to an example with downlink transmission overlapping SBFD OFDM symbols in two instances and non-OFDM symbols; and Figure 22 is an illustrative flow diagram representing an example operation of a communications device to transmit or receive signals using consecutive SBFD and non-SBFD timeslots according to example embodiments.

[0040] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Wireless Communications Network Including Radio Access Technology (5G)

[0042] 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 1. In Figure 1 a plurality of transmission and reception points (TRPs) 110 are connected to distributed control units (DUs) 142 by a connection interface represented as a line 116. Each of the TRPs 110 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 provided by each TRP 110 as represented by a circle 112, each DU 142, with its TRPs 110, forms a cell of the wireless communications network with a unique cell-ID. In some examples each TRP 110 can form a cell with its own cell-ID. As such, wireless communications devices 114 which are within a radio communications range provided by the cells 112 can transmit and receive signals to and from the TRPs 10 via the wireless access interface. Each of the distributed units 142 are connected to a central unit (CU) 140 (which may be referred to as a controlling node) via an interface 146. The central unit 140 is then connected to the core network 120 which may contain all other functions required to transmit data for communicating to and from the wireless communications devices and the core network 120 may be connected to other networks

[0043] As will be appreciated by those acquainted with the wireless communications network according to a 5G standard as shown in Figure 1, the CU 140, DU 142 and TRPs 110 collectively refer to functions which are conventionally performed by a network base station or, in accordance with 5G terminology, a gNodeB (gNB). In terms of broad top-level functionality, 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 DUs and the communications devices may lie with the controlling node / central unit and / or the distributed units / TRPs. More generally, the gNB (TRP, CU, DU) performs the functions of a base station using terminology which is consistent with previous generations of wireless communications networks.

[0044] A communications device 114 is represented in Figure 1 within the coverage area of the first communication cell 112. This communications device 114 may thus exchange signalling with the first CU 140 in the first communication cell 112 via one of the distributed units / TRPs 110 associated with the first communication cell 112. The communications devices 114 may be referred to as mobile terminals, terminals or user equipment (UE), which encompasses chip sets and have a functionality corresponding to the UE devices known for operation with wireless communications networks.

[0045] It will further be appreciated that Figure 1 represents merely one example of a proposed architecture for a RAT communications 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 communications systems having different architectures.

[0046] Figure 2 provides a more detailed diagram of components shown in Figure 1. Components shown in Figure 2, which are also shown in Figure 1 bear the same numerical designations and so description of these parts will not be repeated for brevity. In Figure 2, a TRP 110, which corresponds to TRP 110 in Figure 1, comprises, as a simplified representation, a transmitter circuitry 212, a receiver circuitry 214 and a controller circuitry or controlling processor 216 which may operate to control the transmitter circuitry 212 and the receiver circuitry 214 to transmit and receive radio signals to one or more UEs within a cell 112 (not shown in Figure 2 for clarity) provided by the TRP 110. As shown in Figure 2, the TRP 110 is connected to a DU 142 via a physical interface 116, which may be a fibre optic cable, for example. The physical interface 116 therefore provides a communications link for data and signalling traffic from the TRP 110 via the DU 142 and a CU 140 to a core network 120 An interface 146 between the DU 142 and the CU 140 is known as the Fl interface which can be a physical or a logical interface. The Fl interface 146 between the DU 142 and the CU 140 may operate in accordance with specifications 3GPP TS 38.470 [TS38.470] and 3GPP TS 38.473 [TS38.473], and may be formed from a fibre optic or other wired or wireless high bandwidth connection. The connection between the gNB 242 and the core network 260 can be generally referred to as a backhaul and comprises for the control plane an N2 interface (or NGAP interface) as specified in TS 38.413 and for the user plane an N3 interface between the CU 140 and the UPF in the CN, using GTP-U protocol as specified in TS 29.281. Within the gNB 242 the physical interface between the DU 142 and CU 140 is the Fl interface 146.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, the TRP 110 may be configured to transmit downlink radio signals and receive uplink radio signals from a UE 114 via a direct wireless communications link 200 which may be a Uu interface in one example. The UE 114 is shown to include a transmitter circuitry 222, a receiver circuitry 224 and a controller circuitry 226 which is configured to control the transmitter circuitry 222 and the receiver circuitry 224 to transmit uplink signals to the TRP 110 and to receive downlink signals from the TRP 110 over the wireless communications link 200 formed between the UE 114 and the TRP 110.

[0048] The transmitter circuitry 212, 222 and the receiver circuitry 214, 224, 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, circuitry and devices in order to transmit and receive radio signals in accordance for example with the 5G / NR standard. The controller circuitry 216, 226, 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 2 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 mentioned above, the TRP 110, DU 142 and the CU 140 may collectively form the gNB 242, which is an example of infrastructure equipment of a radio access network of a wireless communications network, which, as mentioned above, may be generally referred to as a base station. Therefore, references to the UE 114 communicating with the TRP 110 can alternatively be considered as references to the UE 114 communicating with the gNB 242. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the UE 114 is an example of a communications device or wireless transceiver unit. As will be appreciated the infrastructure equipment / TRP / base station / gNB as well as the UE / communications device will in general comprise various other elements associated with its operating functionality.

[0049] Full Duplex Time Division Duplex (FD-TDD)

[0050] NR / 5G networks can operate using Time Division Duplex (TDD), where an entire frequency band or carrier is switched to either downlink or uplink transmissions for a time period and can be switched to the other of downlink or uplink transmissions at a later time period. Currently, TDD operates in Half Duplex mode (HD-TDD) where the gNB or UE can, at a given time, either transmit or receive packets, but not both at the same time. As wireless networks transition from NR to 5G- Advanced networks, a proposed new feature of such networks is to enhance duplexing operation for Time Division Multiplexing (TDD) by enabling Full Duplex operation in TDD (FD-TDD) [3], [4],

[0051] In FD-TDD, a gNB can transmit and receive data to and from the UEs at the same time on the same frequency band. In addition, a UE can operate either in HD-TDD or FD-TDD mode, depending on its capability. For example, when UEs are only capable of supporting HD-TDD, FD-TDD is achieved at the gNB by scheduling a DL transmission to a first UE and scheduling an UL transmission from a second UE within the same orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol (i.e. at the same time). Conversely, when UEs are capable of supporting FD-TDD, FD-TDD may be achieved both at the gNB and the UE, where the gNB can simultaneously schedule this UE with DL and UL transmissions within the same OFDM symbol by scheduling the DL and UL transmissions at different frequencies (e.g. physical resource blocks (PRBs)) of the system bandwidth. A UE supporting FD- TDD requires more complex hardware than a UE that only supports HD-TDD. Development of current 5G networks is focused primarily on enabling FD-TDD at the gNB with UEs operating in HD-TDD mode.

[0052] Motivations for enhancing duplexing operation for TDD include an improvement in system capacity, reduced latency, and improved uplink coverage. For example, in current HD-TDD systems, OFDM symbols are allocated only for either a DL or UL direction in a semi-static manner. Hence, if one direction experiences less or no data, the spare resources cannot be used in the other direction, or are, at best, under-utilized. However, if resources can be used for DL data and UL data (as in FD-TDD) at the same time, the resource utilization in the system can be improved. Furthermore, in current HD- TDD systems, a UE can receive DL data, but cannot transmit UL data at the same time, which causes delays in the UL. If a gNB or UE is allowed to transmit and receive data at the same time (as with FD- TDD), the traffic latency will be improved. In addition, UEs are usually coverage limited in the UL transmissions when located close to the edge of a cell. While the UE coverage at the cell-edge can be improved if more time domain resources are assigned to UL transmissions (e.g. repetitions), if the UL direction is assigned more time resources, fewer time resources can be assigned to the DL direction, which can lead to system imbalance. Enabling FD-TDD would help allow a UE to be assigned more UL time resources when required, without sacrificing DL time resources.

[0053] Subband Full Duplex (SBFD)

[0054] In Subband Full Duplex (SBFD), the frequency resource at the UE / gNB of a TDD system bandwidth or Bandwidth Part (BWP) within a carrier is divided into multiple subbands, where any one particular subband can be used for DL and UL at different times, and different subbands may be scheduled for UL or DL simultaneously [5], Guard subbands may be used between DL and UL subbands to reduce inter subband interference. That is to say, an SBFD OFDM symbol consists of DL and UL subbands with potential guard subbands and, up to three non-overlapping subbands, comprising one UL subband and one or two DL subbands, can be configured in a SBFD OFDM symbol. An example configuration is shown in Figure 3, where a TDD system bandwidth is divided into three non-overlapping subbands by frequency where Subband# 1 506 and Subband#3 502 are used for DL transmissions and Subband#2 504 is used for UL transmission. In this example, guard subbands 508 and 510 are added between the DL and UL subbands. It should be appreciated that the methods described here is not limited to three non-overlapping subbands but can be applied to any number of subbands.

[0055] Example configurations with two subbands are shown in Figure 4, where on the left-hand side, the UL subband is at the lower portion of the bandwidth, Subband# 1 602, whilst the DL subband, Subband#2 604 is at the upper portion of the bandwidth. As in the previous figure, a guard subband 606 is present between the other two subbands. In the right-hand side of Figure 4, the DL subband, Subband# 1 612, and the UL subband, Subband#2 608, are at the lower and upper portion of the bandwidth respectively. Again, a guard subband 610 is inserted between the subbands.

[0056] Inter Subband Interference

[0057] SBFD operation suffers from inter subband interferences, which may be caused by transmission leakage and receiver selectivity as shown in Figure 5. Although a transmission is typically scheduled within a specific frequency channel (or subband) i.e. a specific set of resource blocks RBs, transmission power can leak out to other channels. This occurs due to the channel filters not being perfect and the roll-off of the filter causing power to leak into channels adjacent to the intended specific frequency channel. While the following discussion uses the term “channel”, the term “subband” such as the subbands shown in Figures 5 and 6, may be used instead.

[0058] In Figure 5, transmission from one subband leaks into the reception of another subband, and reception in one subband selects transmission in another subband (i.e. the receiver inadvertently receives some signal from an adjacent subband). Here the wanted transmission (Tx) power is the transmission power in the selected frequency band (i.e. the aggressor channel 710). Due to roll-off of the transmission filter and nonlinearities in components of the transmitter, some transmission power is leaked into adjacent channels (including an adjacent victim channel 720), as shown in Figure 5. The leakage power 751 will cause interference at a receiver that is receiving the signal in the adjacent channels 720.

[0059] Similarly, a receiver’s filter is also not perfect and will receive unwanted power from adjacent channels due to its own filter roll-off. An example of filter roll-off at a receiver is shown by receiver selectivity 752 of Figure 5. Here, a receiver is configured to receive transmissions in an assigned channel 720. However, the imperfect nature of the receiver filter means that some transmission power 752 can be received in adjacent channels 710. Therefore, if a signal is transmitted on an adjacent channel, such as 710 by the aggressor transmitter, the receiver will inadvertently receive the adjacent signal in the adjacent channel 710, to an extent.

[0060] In particular, an aggressor, transmits a signal 710 in an adjacent channel at a lower frequency than the frequency of the receiving channel 720 of the victim. The interference 750 caused by the aggressor’s transmission includes the includes the Adjacent Channel Leakage, ACL, 751 caused by the aggressor’s transmitting filter and the Adjacent Channel Selectivity, ACS, 752 caused by the victim’s receiving filter. One of the causes of this interference is the imperfect functioning of the aggressor’ s, and victim ’ s, filters. In other words, the receiver will experience interference 750 in the adjacent channel interference, ACI, frequency range shown in Figure 5. As such, due to adjacent channel interference (ACI), cross link interference (CLI) will still occur despite the use of different sub-bands 602, 604, 608, 612 for DL and UL transmissions in a FD-TDD cell as shown in the example of Figure 4.

[0061] Inter sub-band interference causes intra-cell Cross Link Interference, CLI, at the gNB and at the UE. An example is shown in Figure 6, where gNBl 810 is capable of FD-TDD and is simultaneously receiving an UL transmission 831 from UE1 821 and transmitting a DL transmission 842 to UE2 822. At gNBl 810 intra-cell CLI is caused by the DL transmission 842 in a DL subband at the gNB’s 810 transmitter self-interfering 841 with its own receiver that is trying to decode UL signals 831 in an adjacent UL subband. At the UE side of the interaction, intra-cell CLI 832 is caused by an aggressor UE, e.g. UE1 821 transmitting UL signals 831 in an UL subband whilst a victim UE, e.g. UE2 822, is receiving a DL signal 842 in an adjacent DL subband.

[0062] The intra-cell CLI at the gNB due to self-interference is very significant as the difference in power between the DL transmission and the UL reception can be over 100 dB. Complex radio frequency, RF, hardware and interference cancellation are required to isolate this self-interference. Separate antenna panels may be used for transmissions and receptions at the gNB to provide spatial isolation between the DL and UL thereby reducing gNB self-interference. In order to reduce self-interference at the gNB due to inter-subband interference, guard subbands may be inserted between two subbands of different link directions as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0063] SBFD Slot Format

[0064] In a typical time division duplex (TDD) deployment, a TDD time pattern configuration has a TDD pattern periodicity of five slots and a {DDDDU} TDD slot format, where D = DL slot and U = UL slot as shown in Figure 7. In Figure 7, in accordance with the above configuration of the five slots n, n+1, n+2, n+3, n+4, the four slots are devoted to downlink transmissions and the fifth slot n+4 is devoted to uplink transmissions. Typically, the slot prior to UL slot, e.g., Slot n+3 in Figure 7, has one or two Flexible OFDM symbols at the end of the slot to provide guard period for the UE to perform Timing Advance and to transit from DL to UL. Each slot comprises fourteen OFDM symbols represented as narrow vertical rectangles 900. A boundary between each of the slots 902 can represent a transition between a configuration of one slot and the next for example slot n+3 mainly for DL, with the last two OFDM symbols flexible and slot n+4 which is uplink. A sequence of characters in brackets 904 forms a legend which provides a representation of the configuration of the respective slots between downlink D and uplink U.

[0065] In the following description of Figures 8 to 22, a corresponding designation of slots and OFDM symbols 900 will be presented which are the same as those shown in Figure 7 and so for brevity an explanation will not be repeated. Above each figure a legend is shown corresponding to that shown in Figure 7 with respective patterns and shading 910, 912, 914 used to indicate the use of the OFDM symbols in each slot as either DL, UL or Flexible.

[0066] One of the objectives of Duplex Evolution is to increase UL capacity and so at least for 3GPP standard Release 19 (Rel-19), SBFD is only configured in DL OFDM symbols, i.e., by configuring a UL subband in DL OFDM symbol. Two SBFD slot formats considered in the 3GPP Release 18 (Rel-18) Duplex Evolution Study Item [7] are {DXXXU} and {XXXXU}, where X = SBFD slot, as shown in Figure 8. Although, the SBFD slot in the example in Figure 8 has only one DL subband, it should be noted that other SBFD frequency configurations such as those with two DL subbands in Figure 3 or with the UL subband at the top and a DL subband at the bottom in the Right Hand Side of Figure 5, can be configured. In addition to configuring SBFD with a granularity of a slot, SBFD may also be configured at granularity of OFDM symbols, that is, within a single slot, the gNB may configure SBFD and non- SBFD OFDM symbols. An example is shown in Figure 9, where a TDD pattern has a SBFD slot format {DXXXU}, where X here refers to a slot with some of its OFDM symbols configured as SBFD OFDM symbol. The SBFD slots, Slot n+1, Slot n+2 and Slot «+3, consist of SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols. In Slot «+l, the first two OFDM symbols are DL whilst the remaining are SBFD with two DL subbands and one UL subband. Similarly for Slot w+2 and Slot «+3, the first two OFDM symbols are DL but the last two OFDM symbols are UL and Flexible respectively, whilst the remaining slot, from the third to the twelfth OFDM symbols are SBFD.

[0067] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, an OFDM symbol type can be an UL OFDM symbol, a DL OFDM symbol, a Flexible OFDM symbol or a SBFD OFDM symbol. SBFD OFDM symbol is an OFDM symbol that consists of UL subbands and DL subbands in the frequency domain. UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol and Flexible OFDM symbol are also referred to as non-SBFD OFDM symbol.

[0068] Technical Issue

[0069] Since SBFD slot format may contain SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols, a DL or UL transmission may overlap both SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols, especially in a slot that contains SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols. An example is shown in Figure 10, which has the same SBFD slot format as that in Figure 9. In Figure 10, there are three DL transmissions 1001, 1002, 1003 in downlink shared channel resources, where DL transmissions 1001 and 1002 are repetitions ofthe same PDSCH, and one UL transmission 1004 in uplink shared channel resources. A pattern and shading for the PDSCH 1005 and PUSCH 1006 transmissions are correspondingly shown in a legend above the diagram. In Slot w+2. PUSCH# 1 transmission 1004 overlaps SBFD OFDM symbols, from 7thto 12thOFDM symbols of the slot 1010 and non-SBFD OFDM symbols from 13thto 14thOFDM symbols of the slot 1012. Similarly in Slotw+3, PDSCH#2 1003 overlaps non-SBFD OFDM symbols 1stand 2ndOFDM symbols ofthe slot 1014 and SBFD OFDM symbols from 3rdto 12thOFDM symbols ofthe slot 1016.

[0070] In the remainder of Figures 11 to 22 a corresponding pattern and shading will be used to that shown in Figure 10 to represent PDSCH transmissions, PUSCH transmissions, and a representation of SBFD OFDM symbols and non-SBFD OFDM symbols and so an explanation with reference numerals will not be repeated.

[0071] Transmissions which have multiple occasions and span multiple slots such as PDSCH / PUSCH repetitions or CG-PUSCH / SPS may also overlap SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols. For example, in Figure 10, PDSCH# 1 has 2* repetitions 1001, 1002, where a first repetition PDSCH# 1-R1 1001 is in a DL OFDM symbols in Slot n, whilst a second repetition PDSCH# 1-R2 1002 is fully in SBFD OFDM symbols in Slot «+l.

[0072] The gNB may use different hardware and transmission parameters for transmission in SBFD and non- SBFD OFDM symbols. For example, the gNB may use different antenna panels for transmission in SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols, where for SBFD, additional subband filtering may be applied to reduce inter subband CLI. Using different antenna panels for transmission and reception at the gNB can provide spatial isolation between downlink transmissions and uplink receptions thereby reducing self-interference caused by inter subband CLI at the gNB. For a transmission that crosses SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols, this leads to different radio channels for the same transmission in SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols. An example is shown in Figure 11, where the gNB uses three different antenna panels, which are:

[0073] A first panel 1020 configured for TDD transmissions labelled as “DL / UL”, which is adapted to transmit and to receive signals without a requirement to reject CLI, because this panel is only used when the transmission is in a non-SBFD OFDM symbol, i.e., ordinary or legacy UL OFDM symbol or DL OFDM symbol. Using the same panel for transmission and reception in TDD provides the benefit of channel reciprocity, where the gNB and UE may assume the UL channel has the same radio channel properties as the DL channel, and so transmission parameters can utilise channel reciprocity and without a need to cater for inter subband CLI. As will be appreciated it is preferable to use the TDD DL / UL panel 1020 because this can provide a most efficient communication of data within available communications resources;

[0074] • A second panel 1022 configured for DL transmissions in SBFD OFDM symbols labelled as “DL”and transmissions in SBFD OFDM symbols may be use transmissions parameters that aims to reduce CLI;

[0075] • A third panel 1024 configured for UL reception in SBFD OFDM symbols labelled as “UL” and the uplink transmissions from UE may be scheduled with transmission parameters that aims to reduce CLI.

[0076] The term “panel” is used in the following description to refer to a configuration of one or more physical layer parameters and / or antenna arrays or characteristics in order to engage with beam steering and / or enhance techniques in accordance with transmissions or receptions in an OFDM symbol type (SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols). The gNB and UE may also use different transmission parameters for transmission in SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols to adapt to the different interferences, for example, the UE may use high transmit power in SBFD symbols to overcome the inter subband CLI or for difference instances of the PUSCH or PDSCH, the gNB may use a lower MCS for SBFD symbols due to CLI and a higher one for non-SBFD due to no CLI.

[0077] As shown in Figure 11 and in the remainder of Figures 12 to 22, for communicating using SBFD symbols separate antenna panels 1022, 1024 are used for DL and UL to provide spatial isolation between DL transmission and UL reception to reduce self-interference caused by CLI at the gNB. For the example of Figure 11, slot n consists of DL OFDM symbols from time to to 0, and SBFD OFDM symbols from time t\ to C. Slot n+1 consists of SBFD OFDM symbols from time C to , and UL OFDM symbols from time C to A PDSCH is transmitted to the UE occupying Slot n, which overlaps DL OFDM symbols and SBFD OFDM symbols. The gNB uses the TDD panel 1020 to transmit the PDSCH from time to to ti as represented by an arrow 1026 and switches to the SBFD “DL” antenna panel 1022 to transmit the remaining part of the PDSCH from time ti to h, as represented by an arrow 1028 since it resides in SBFD OFDM symbols. In Slot w+1, the UE transmits a PUSCH occupying the entire slot thereby occupying SBFD OFDM symbols from time t2to C as represented by an arrow 1030 and UL OFDM symbols from time h to as represented by an arrow 1032. The gNB receives the first half of the PUSCH using the SBFD “UL” antenna panel 1024 since it provides spatial isolation from CLI from DL transmission. The gNB then switches to the TDD antenna panel 1020 for the remaining half of the PUSCH reception. However, as a result of the changes in antenna panels during the transmission and reception of the PDSCH and PUSCH, discontinuity in the channel condition will occur in the PDSCH reception at the UE and PUSCH reception at the gNB as indicated in Figure 11.

[0078] Since the transmission parameters are fixed for a PDSCH or PUSCH transmission and for a CG-PUSCH or SPS periodic transmission, a transmission that overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD may experience different radio channel as the transmission transits from SBFD to non-SBFD and vice-versa. For example, a front loaded DMRS used for PDSCH in Figure 11 may be applicable for the first half of the PDSCH where the transmission is in DL OFDM symbol but it may not be applicable for the remaining half of the PDSCH transmission that occurs in SBFD OFDM symbols since different antenna panels are used for SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols. Guard periods may be required for a transmission transiting from SBFD to non-SBFD OFDM symbol and vice-versa, to enable the UE or gNB to change its hardware such as RF fdters. Guard period will interrupt the transmission and cause phase discontinuity. Additionally, guard periods reduce the overall resource utilisation.

[0079] In [8], it is proposed that a transmission cannot overlap SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols in a slot to avoid interruptions in the transmission due to changing of hardware and transmission parameters, and that the gNB scheduler will avoid such transmission. However, this restriction reduces the scheduling flexibility and prevents a transmission from occupying a full slot, which is feasible in legacy system but becomes invalid in SBFD (i.e. taking a step backwards in performance).

[0080] In [9], it is proposed that a transmission can overlap SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols in a slot, provided the gNB or UE does not change transmission hardware and transmission parameters. Although this is an option to enable uninterrupted transmission as it moves from SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols (and vice-versa), it may restrict the ability of the gNB or UE to adapt to changes to the radio channel environment, and to avoid the self-interference introduced due to CLI, between UL subband and DL subband in SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0081] Hence, a technical problem to address is to enable transmission across SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols yet allows flexibility in using different transmission schemes (panels in the above example) for SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0082] Embodiments of the present technique can provide a method of communicating, by a UE, via a wireless communications network. The method comprising receiving an allocation of communications resource by the UE, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the gNB to the UE on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the gNB from the UE on an uplink of a wireless access interface. The wireless access interface comprises a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols. The method comprises determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal. In some examples, the OFDM symbol-types may include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full- Duplex, SBFD, for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink. The non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0083] For example, by determining an order of the OFDM symbol-types the communications device and correspondingly an infrastructure equipment can avoid or at least reduce cross-link interference with legacy communications devices not configured for SBFD

[0084] According to example embodiments a UE can determine whether to transmit or to receive based on the transmission link direction and the starting order of the OFDM symbol types used for the channel / transmission. According to the above explanation, the OFDM symbol types: SBFD OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, UL OFDM symbol. In the following description an original slot format is a phrase used to refer to the slot format configured for a legacy UE which does not support SBFD operation. That is the slot format that is configured using legacy configurations such as RRC configurations using TDD-UL-DL-ConfigCommon in the SIB and the UE dedicated RRC configuration TDD-UL-DL-ConfigDedicated, and the dynamic Slot Format Indicator signalled in GC-DCI with DCI Format 2_0. We use the term original DL OFDM symbol and original UL OFDM symbols to refer to DL OFDM symbols and UL OFDM symbols respectively as seen by legacy UEs and configured by legacy configurations.

[0085] NOTE: A slot format here refers to the TDD slot format including the SBFD time configuration across a specific number of slots such as those in Figures 11 and 12.

[0086] In an example embodiment, the UE that has SBFD capability determines whether to transmit or receive a physical channel based on the transmission link direction and the starting order of the OFDM symbol types used for the channel / transmission.

[0087] In an example embodiment, the starting order of the OFDM symbol type is the order that enables the same antenna panel to be used without causing significant CLI at the gNB. For example, the UL transmission starting in the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into UL OFDM symbols.

[0088] In another embodiment, the starting order of OFDM symbol type also depends on the original slot format of the SBFD OFDM symbols. That is, if the original slot format is DL OFDM symbol then the legacy UEs expect DL transmissions in the entire OFDM symbols whilst SBFD UE may be performing UL transmissions. Similarly, if the original slot format is UL OFDM symbol, then the legacy UEs expect to perform UL transmissions in the entire OFDM symbols whilst SBFD UE may be receiving DL transmissions.

[0089] SBFD in Original DL OFDM Symbols

[0090] SBFD can be configured in original slot format with DL OFDM symbols. That is, for such configuration, legacy UEs assume that such SBFD OFDM symbol is DL OFDM symbols.

[0091] Uplink

[0092] In an example embodiment, the UE which is capable of SBFD operation does not expect an UL transmission to start in UL OFDM symbols, i.e., non-SBFD OFDM symbols, and continues into UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols, where these SBFD OFDM symbols are configured on original DL OFDM symbols. In this case, the UE may drop the UL transmission. That is, the said order of the OFDM symbol types is from non-SBFD OFDM symbols followed by SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original DL OFDM symbols. This recognizes that the UL transmission that starts in UL OFDM symbols and later moves to UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols may require a change in antenna panels from TDD panel 1022 to SBFD “UL” panel 1024 to reduce or avoid self-interference at the gNB, which is represented by an arrow 1040. It should also be appreciated that since the SBFD OFDM symbols are configured in original DL OFDM symbols, the gNB is likely to use it for DL transmissions especially to legacy UEs, thereby having high probability of causing self-interference. Hence, such UL transmission is not expected by the UE as a change in antenna panel leads to discontinuity. An example is shown Figure 12, where UE1 transmits a PUSCH to the gNB and since the PUSCH starts in UL OFDM symbols, i.e., non-SBFD OFDM symbols, between time to to 0, it is received using the TDD antenna panel 1020 at the gNB. To avoid discontinuity, the gNB may continue to receive the PUSCH from UE1 in the TDD antenna panel 1020. However, if the gNB wishes to schedule a PDSCH to another UE, e.g., UE2, which may be a legacy UE, in the SBFD OFDM symbol between time 0 to h. it will cause self-interference 1040 due to its own DL transmission interfering with its UL reception of PUSCH from UE1 between time 0 and h. Hence for this case, to avoid selfinterference 1040, the gNB may need to switch its UL reception of PUSCH to the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 between time 0 to C, which would cause radio channel discontinuity for the UL transmission. Hence for this case, UE1 may drop the PUSCH.

[0093] In another example embodiment, the UE drops the entire UL transmission, if the UL transmission starts in UL OFDM symbols and continues into UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols that are configured in original DL OFDM symbols.

[0094] In another example embodiment, the UE partially drops the UL transmission, if the UL transmission starts in UL OFDM symbols and continues into UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols that are configured in original DL OFDM symbols. Here the UE drops the part of the UL transmission that is in UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols. This may be beneficial for UL transmission such as PUSCH transmissions that utilizes CBG (Code Block Group) as the CBGs of the PUSCH that resides in UL OFDM symbols are being transmitted.

[0095] It should be noted that in the example in Figure 12, a change in antenna panel can be avoided if the gNB starts receiving the PUSCH from UE1 using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 instead of the TDD panel 1020. However, the gNB may use the TDD panel 1020 since the TDD panel 1020 provides channel reciprocity, which the UL transmission may have relied upon. The gNB may indicate to UE1 whether the PUSCH UL transmission is feasible if the gNB decides to receive the entire PUSCH with the SBFD “UL” panel 1024, as described in [5], However, this would require additional signaling to be specified.

[0096] In another embodiment, the UE will transmit an UL transmission if it starts in the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original DL OFDM symbols and continues to UL OFDM symbols. That is, the order of the OFDM symbol types is from SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original DL OFDM symbols, followed by non-SBFD OFDM symbols. Since the UL transmission is received using SBFD “UL” panel at the gNB, the gNB may continue to use the same SBFD “UL” panel without introducing any additional CLI such as self-interference to the UL reception. An example is shown in Figure 13, where UE1 transmits a PUSCH to the gNB starting in UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original DL OFDM symbols from to to t\ and continues into UL OFDM symbols from time ti to C- The gNB starts receiving the PUSCH from UE1 using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 from time to and when the OFDM symbol changes from SBFD to non-SBFD at time ti, the gNB can continue receiving this PUSCH using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 without causing significant CLI. In this example, the gNB also receives a PUSCH from UE2 in the UL OFDM symbols using the TDD panel.

[0097] The previous embodiment can be extended, if there are further changes to the OFDM symbols of the UL transmission. An example is shown Figure 14, where PUSCH from UE1 overlaps SBFD OFDM symbols from time to to ti, followed by UL OFDM symbols from time ti to tz, and again overlaps SBFD OFDM symbols from time h to ts. Here, the gNB can continue to receive in the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 for the last portion of the PUSCH between time h to without incurring additional selfinterference, since any transmissions in the DL subband of the SBFD OFDM symbols between time t2to h, e.g., such as the PDSCH to UE2, can be transmitted using the SBFD “DL” panel 1022, which has spatial isolation from the SBFD “UL” plane 1024. That is to say, the first two order of the type of OFDM symbols of the UL transmission matters, and the third or subsequent order of the type of OFDM symbols, if any, does not impact the transmission. Downlink

[0098] In another embodiment, the UE will receive a DL transmission that overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot, if the SBFD OFDM symbols are configured on original DL OFDM symbols. That is for downlink reception it does not matter if it starts with SBFD or non-SBFD OFDM symbols since the gNB does not need to change the antenna panel.

[0099] An example for the case where the DL transmission starts in DL OFDM symbols (non-SBFD OFDM symbols) and continues into SBFD OFDM symbols is shown in Figure 15. The gNB starts its transmission of PDSCH for UE1 from to to 6, and since the PDSCH starts in original DL OFDM symbols, the gNB uses the TDD panel for the transmissions in these OFDM symbols. At time fi, the PDSCH resides in the DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols until time h. Here the gNB can continue using the TDD panel 1020 without causing increased self-interference since any UL transmission occurring between time to C in the UL subband, e.g., PUSCH transmission from UE2, can be received using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024.

[0100] Another example embodiment for the case where the DL transmission starts in DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into DL OFDM symbols is shown in Figure 16. The gNB transmits PDSCH to UE1 starting in SBFD OFDM symbols at time to and hence it uses the SBFD “DL” panel 1022 for the transmission. At the fi, the OFDM symbol changes to DL OFDM symbol, and here the gNB can continue using the SBFD “DL” panel 1022 without causing any self-interference since there is no UL reception between time 6 to C in the DL OFDM symbols. For another PDSCH transmission to another UE from time to h, e.g., UE2, the gNB can transmit that PDSCH using the TDD panel 1020.

[0101] SBFD in Original UL OFDM Symbols

[0102] Embodiments of the present technique can be configured to original UL OFDM symbols for SBFD. In this section the transmissions / receptions overlapping non-SBFD and SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot is considered, where the SBFD OFDM symbols are configured on original UL OFDM symbols.

[0103] Uplink

[0104] In another embodiment, the UE will transmit an UL transmission that overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot, if the SBFD OFDM symbols are configured on original UL OFDM symbols. That is for uplink transmissions it does not matter if it starts with SBFD or non-SBFD OFDM symbols since the gNB does not need to change the antenna panel.

[0105] An example for the case where the UL transmission starts in UL OFDM symbols (non-SBFD OFDM symbols) and continues into the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols is shown in Figure 17. UE1 transmits a PUSCH at time to where the PUSCH starts in UL OFDM symbols and therefore it is received using the TDD panel 1020 at the gNB. At time fi, the OFDM symbols changes to SBFD OFDM symbols and here the gNB can continue to receive the PUSCH using the TDD panel 1020 without incurring additional self-interference due to CLI since any DL transmission in the DL subband of the SBFD OFDM symbols, e.g., a PDSCH to UE2, from to C uses the SBFD “DL” panel 1022.

[0106] An example for the case where the UL transmission starts in the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols and continues into UL OFDM symbols is shown in Figure 18. UE1 transmits a PUSCH at time to where the PUSCH starts in UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols and therefore it is received using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 at the gNB. At time fi, the OFDM symbols changes to UL OFDM symbols and here the gNB can continue to receive the PUSCH using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024 without incurring self- interference since the only UL transmissions can occurs in the UL OFDM symbols between time 0 to h. Another UE, such as UE2 may transmit a PUS CH to the gNB which the gNB can receive using the TDD panel 1020.

[0107] Downlink

[0108] In another example embodiment, the UE does not expect a DL reception to start in DL OFDM symbols and continues into the DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols, if the SBFD OFDM symbols are configured on original UL OFDM symbols. That is, the order of the OFDM symbol types is from non- SBFD OFDM symbols followed by SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original UL OFDM symbols. This recognizes that the gNB must change antenna panel to avoid high self-interference in transiting from DL OFDM symbols to SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original UL OFDM symbols. An example is shown in Figure 19, where the gNB transmits a PDSCH to UE1 at time to and since the transmissions start in DL OFDM symbols, the gNB uses the TDD panel 1020 for this transmission. At time ti, the OFDM symbol changes to SBFD OFDM symbols that were configured on original UL OFDM symbols. Here legacy UEs expect that the OFDM symbols between time 0 to h are for UL transmissions only, where these transmissions are received at the gNB using the TDD panel 1020. If the gNB continues to transmit the PDSCH to UE1 using the TDD panel 1020 between time 0 to h. it will introduce CLI causing high self-interference 1040 to UL reception from other UEs.

[0109] In another example, the UE drops the entire DL reception, if the DL reception starts in DL OFDM symbols and continues into DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols that are configured in original UL OFDM symbols.

[0110] In another example, the UE partially drops the DL reception, if the DL reception starts in DL OFDM symbols and continues into DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols that are configured in original UL OFDM symbols. Here the UE drops the part of the DL reception that is in DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols. This may be beneficial for DL reception such as PDSCH reception that utilizes CBG (Code Block Group) as the CBGs of the PDSCH that resides in DL OFDM symbols are being received.

[0111] In another embodiment, the UE will receive a DL transmission if it starts in the DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original UL OFDM symbols and continues to DL OFDM symbols. That is, the order of the OFDM symbol types is from SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original UL OFDM symbols, followed by non-SBFD OFDM symbols. Since the DL transmission is transmitted using SBFD “DL” panel 1022 at the gNB, the gNB may continue to use the same SBFD “DL” panel 1022 without introducing any additional CLI such as self-interference since there is no UL reception in the DL OFDM symbols. An example is shown in Figure 20, where the gNB transmits a PDSCH to UE1 at time 0 and since the PDSCH starts in SBFD OFDM symbols, the gNB transmits the PDSCH using the SBFD “DL” panel 1022. At time 0, the OFDM symbols changes to DL OFDM symbols and here the gNB can continue using the same SBFD “DL” panel 1022 for the PDSCH transmission to UE1 since between time 0 to C, the transmission is in DL OFDM symbols. The gNB may transmits another PDSCH to another UE, e.g., UE2, using the TDD panel in the DL OFDM symbols between time 0 to C.

[0112] The embodiment described above can be extended, if there are further changes to the OFDM symbols of the DL transmission. An example is shown Figure 21, where PDSCH to UE1 overlaps SBFD OFDM symbols from time to to 0, followed by DL OFDM symbols from time 0 to C, and again overlaps SBFD OFDM symbols from time C to t3. Here, the gNB can continue to transmit using the SBFD “DL” panel 1022 for the last portion of the PDSCH between time C to h without incurring additional selfinterference, since any reception in the UL subband of the SBFD OFDM symbols between time C to 6, e.g., such as the PUSCH from UE2, can be received using the SBFD “UL” panel 1024, which has spatial isolation from the SBFD “UL” plane. That is to say, the first two order of the type of OFDM symbols of the DL transmission matters, and the third or subsequent order of the type of OFDM symbols, if any, does not impact the transmission.

[0113] Summary

[0114] It should be appreciated that although the examples example embodiments described above use the example of shared channel resources using the PDSCH or PUSCH, in other embodiments any DL or UL channels such as PDCCH or PUCCH are applicable to this invention. It should also be noted that although the UL or DL transmissions fully occupied the entire slot in these examples, this is not a restriction, and the transmission can occupy less than a slot as long as it overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot.

[0115] An example UE operating in accordance with example embodiments is illustrated by the flow diagram of Figure 22. The flow diagram of Figure 22 is summarized as follows:

[0116] Following a start of the operation S 1 , the UE determines as a first decision point S2 whether the channel is UL or DL. If it is UL, following branch S4, the UE then determines if it starts in SBFD OFDM symbols or non-SBFD OFDM symbols at decision point S6. If it starts in SBFD OFDM symbols, then a branch is taken which identifies that according to example embodiments, the UE should transmit the UL transmission S8, the transmission being received in the uplink in SBFD OFDM symbols using the uplink transmission panel 1024 at the gNB, which provide a spatial separation to mitigate against CLI. If it starts in UL OFDM symbols, the UE then determines at decision point S 10 if it continues into the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original UL OFDM symbols. If it does, then the UE can transmit the UL transmission S8 otherwise, if the branch at S 10 is that the subsequent OFDM symbol is SBFD OFDM symbols configured in an original downlink OFDM symbols then the UE drops the UL transmission S12.

[0117] If S2 the UE determines that the transmission channel is DL according to branch S14, then the UE determines at decision point at S 16 if it starts in SBFD OFDM symbols or non-SBFD OFDM symbols. If it starts in SBFD OFDM symbols, as per above-described embodiments, the UE proceeds to receive the DL channel S18. If it starts in DL OFDM symbols, the UE then proceeds to decision point S20 to determine if it continues into the DL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols configured in original DL OFDM symbols. If it does, then the UE can receive the DL channel S20, otherwise the UE determines that it should drop the DL reception S22.

[0118] Embodiments of the present technique can provide an advantage with respect to known arrangements because these suggest dropping the entire transmission if it overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot, which can represent a severe restriction on the gNB scheduler. Whilst it is possible for a gNB always to maintain the same antenna panel for the entire transmission or reception for a channel that overlaps SBFD and non-SBFD OFDM symbols within a slot, this may lead to self- interference due to CLI. According to example embodiments therefore, a process for the UE to determine whether it drops a channel or proceeds to transmit or to receive the channel can be based on the order of the OFDM symbol type that the channel occupies. This does not require any signalling and provides the gNB flexibility in scheduling and does not cause strong self-interference when the gNB maintains its transmission / reception using the same antenna panel.

[0119] The following numbered paragraphs provide further example aspects and features of the present technique: Paragraph 1. A method of communicating, by a communications device, via a wireless communications network, the method comprising receiving an allocation of communications resource by the communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface , the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

[0120] Paragraph 2. A method of paragraph 1, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

[0121] Paragraph 3. A method of paragraph 2, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0122] Paragraph 4. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types comprises determining that the resources is for uplink communications, wherein the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of a non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for uplink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the uplink signals, or if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the uplink transmission.

[0123] Paragraph 5. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for uplink transmissions by communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbol types of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for downlink reception by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the uplink signals.

[0124] Paragraph 6. A method of paragraph 5, wherein if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM, then transmitting the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0125] Paragraph 7. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 6, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types comprises determining that the resources is for downlink communications, wherein, the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of a non- SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the downlink signals, or if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for uplink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the downlink reception.

[0126] Paragraph 8. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for downlink transmissions by communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for uplink reception by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the reception of the downlink signals.

[0127] Paragraph 9. A method of paragraph 8, wherein if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM, then receiving the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0128] Paragraph 10. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein the dropping of the uplink transmission is dropping of the entire uplink signal.

[0129] Paragraph 11. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein the dropping of the downlink reception is dropping of the entire downlink signal.

[0130] Paragraph 12. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein the dropping of the uplink transmission is dropping of a portion of the uplink signal.

[0131] Paragraph 13. A method of any of paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein the dropping of the downlink reception is dropping of a portion of the downlink signal. Paragraph 14. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, the method comprising transmitting an allocation of communications resource to a communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface, the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

[0132] Paragraph 15. A method of paragraph 14, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

[0133] Paragraph 16. A method of paragraph 15, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0134] Paragraph 17. A method of paragraph 14, 15 or 16, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises determining that the resources is for downlink communications, wherein the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured from OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the downlink signals using the selected panel, or if the SBFD OFDM symbol is configured from OFDM symbols for uplink transmission by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the downlink transmission.

[0135] Paragraph 18. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 17, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM type of downlink OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols of OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for downlink transmissions for communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of non-SBFD OFDM symbols and the SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for uplink transmission by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the downlink signals.

[0136] Paragraph 19. A method of paragraph 18, wherein if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of downlink OFDM symbol, then transmitting the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0137] Paragraph 20. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 19, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises determining that the resources is for uplink communications, wherein, the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured from OFDM symbols for uplink transmission by communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the uplink signals using the selected panel, or if the SBFD OFDM symbol is configured from OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the uplink reception.

[0138] Paragraph 21. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 20, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM type of uplink OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols of OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for uplink transmissions by communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of non-SBFD OFDM symbols and the SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the uplink signals.

[0139] Paragraph 22. A method of paragraph 21, wherein if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbol, then receiving the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

[0140] Paragraph 23. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 22, wherein the dropping of the downlink transmission is dropping of the entire downlink signal.

[0141] Paragraph 24. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 22, wherein the dropping of the uplink reception is dropping of the entire uplink signal.

[0142] Paragraph 25. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 22, wherein the dropping of the downlink transmission is dropping of a portion of the downlink signal.

[0143] Paragraph 26. A method of any of paragraphs 14 to 22, wherein the dropping of the uplink reception is dropping of a portion of the uplink signal. Paragraph 27. A communications device for operating with a wireless communications network, the communications device comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to receive an allocation of communications resource, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface , the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

[0144] Paragraph 28. A communications device of paragraph 27, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

[0145] Paragraph 29. A communications device of paragraph 28, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0146] Paragraph 30. An infrastructure equipment for forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network to one or more communications devices, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted by the one or more wireless communications devices via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to transmit an allocation of communications resource to a communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface, the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

[0147] Paragraph 31. An infrastructure equipment of paragraph 30, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

[0148] Paragraph 32. An infrastructure equipment of paragraph 31, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

[0149] 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.

[0150] 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.

[0151] 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.

[0152] REFERENCES

[0153] [1] Holma H. and Toskala A, “LTE for UMTS OFDMA and SC-FDMA based radio access”, John Wiley and Sons, 2009.

[0154] [2] TR 38.913, “Study on Scenarios and Requirements for Next Generation Access Technologies (Release 14)”, 3rd Generation Partnership Project, vl4.3.0, August 2017.

[0155] [3] RP-213591, “New SI: Study on evolution of NR duplex operation,” CMCC, RAN#94e, December 2021.

[0156] [4] RP-220633, “Revised SID: Study on evolution of NR duplex operation,” CMCC, RAN#95e, March 2022.

[0157] [5] Rl-2211196, “Discussion on subband non-overlapping full duplex”, CATT, RAN1#111

[0158] [6] Rl-2211681, “Discussion on potential enhancements on flexible / dynamic TDD”, CMCC, RAN1#111

[0159] [7] RP -234035, “New WID: Evolution of NR duplex operation: Sub-band full duplex (SBFD),” CMCC (Moderator, RANI VC)

[0160] [8] Rl-2304792, “Sub-band non-overlapping full duplex,” Ericsson, RAN1#113

[0161] [9] Rl-2305093, “Discussion on subband non-overlapping full duplex,” CMCC, RAN1#113

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of communicating, by a communications device, via a wireless communications network, the method comprising receiving an allocation of communications resource by the communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface , the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types comprises determining that the resources is for uplink communications, wherein the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of a non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for uplink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the uplink signals, or if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the uplink transmission.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for uplink transmissions bycommunications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbol types of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for downlink reception by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the uplink signals.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein if the uplink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM, then transmitting the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.7 A method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types comprises determining that the resources is for downlink communications, wherein, the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of a non- SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the downlink signals, or if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured on OFDM symbols for uplink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the downlink reception.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for downlink transmissions by communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, which were originally configured for uplink reception by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the reception of the downlink signals.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein if the downlink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of downlink OFDM, then receiving the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the dropping of the uplink transmission is dropping of the entire uplink signal.

11. A method of claim 1, wherein the dropping of the downlink reception is dropping of the entire downlink signal.

12. A method of claim 1, wherein the dropping of the uplink transmission is dropping of a portion of the uplink signal.

13. A method of claim 1, wherein the dropping of the downlink reception is dropping of a portion of the downlink signal.

14. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network, the method comprising transmitting an allocation of communications resource to a communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface, the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, determining whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and transmitting signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or receiving signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

16. A method of claim 15, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

17. A method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprisesdetermining that the resources is for downlink communications, wherein the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured from OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the downlink signals using the selected panel, or if the SBFD OFDM symbol is configured from OFDM symbols for uplink transmission by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the downlink transmission.

18. A method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM type of downlink OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols of OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for downlink transmissions for communications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then transmitting the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of non-SBFD OFDM symbols and the SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of downlink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for uplink transmission by communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the downlink signals.

19. A method of claim 18, wherein if the downlink transmission of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of downlink OFDM symbol, then transmitting the downlink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

20. A method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises determining that the resources is for uplink communications, wherein, the resources start with one of more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of non-SBFD OFDM symbol and continue to one or more subsequent OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol and if the SBFD OFDM symbols is configured from OFDM symbols for uplink transmission by communications devise not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the uplink signals using the selected panel, or if the SBFD OFDM symbol is configured from OFDM symbols for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the uplink reception.

21. A method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, comprises if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM type of uplink OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols of OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for uplink transmissions bycommunications devices which are not enabled for SBFD, then receiving the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of non-SBFD OFDM symbols and the SBFD OFDM symbols, or if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbols, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol types of SBFD OFDM symbol which were originally configured for downlink transmission for communications devices not enabled for SBFD, then dropping the transmission of the uplink signals.

22. A method of claim 21, wherein if the uplink reception of the signals starts with one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of SBFD OFDM symbol, and continues to one or more OFDM symbols with OFDM symbol type of uplink OFDM symbol, then receiving the uplink signals on the OFDM symbols consisting of the SBFD OFDM symbols and the non-SBFD OFDM symbols.

23. A method of claim 14, wherein the dropping of the downlink transmission is dropping of the entire downlink signal.

24. A method of claim 14, wherein the dropping of the uplink reception is dropping of the entire uplink signal.

25. A method of claim 14, wherein the dropping of the downlink transmission is dropping of a portion of the downlink signal.

26. A method of claim 14, wherein the dropping of the uplink reception is dropping of a portion of the uplink signal.

27. A communications device for operating with a wireless communications network, the communications device comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to receive an allocation of communications resource, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface , the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols,to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

28. A communications device of claim 27, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

29. A communications device of claim 28, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

30. An infrastructure equipment for forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network to one or more communications devices, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted by the one or more wireless communications devices via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to transmit an allocation of communications resource to a communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface, the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

31. An infrastructure equipment of claim 30, wherein the different types of OFDM symbols include at least an OFDM symbol type configured for Subband Full-Duplex, SBFD, configured for transmitting signals in a part of the OFDM symbol and for receiving signals in another part of the OFDM symbol, and non-SBFD an OFDM symbol type configured to either transmitting signals on the uplink or receiving signals on the downlink.

32. An infrastructure equipment of claim 31, wherein the non-SBFD OFDM symbol type includes one of UL OFDM symbol, DL OFDM symbol, Flexible OFDM symbol.

33. Circuitry for operating with a wireless communications network, the communications device comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to receive an allocation of communications resource, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications device on an uplink of a wireless access interface , the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

34. Circuitry for a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network to one or more communications devices, receiver circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted by the one or more wireless communications devices via the wireless access interface, and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry to transmit an allocation of communications resource to a communications device, the resource allocation indicating a set of communications resources within which a physical channel is to be either transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device on a downlink of a wireless access interface or received by the infrastructure equipment from the communications deviceon an uplink of a wireless access interface, the wireless access interface comprising a plurality of time slots, each of the time slots comprising a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed, OFDM, symbols, to determine whether transmitting signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the downlink or receiving signals carrying data on the allocated communications resources on the uplink of the wireless access interface occupies consecutive OFDM symbols consisting of different OFDM symbol types, and to transmit signals on the allocated uplink communications resources or to receive signals on the allocated downlink communications resources of the wireless access interface in the consecutive OFDM symbols if resources of the wireless access interface using the one or more OFDM symbol types follows a predetermined order of OFDM symbol types, and otherwise dropping the signal.

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