Frequency domain basis signaling for channel state information based on unified codebook

Abstract

A method performed by a UE is disclosed. The method comprising one or more of'' receiving a first signaling from a network node providing information on a number S' > 1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI, receiving a second signaling from the network node providing information on a maximum number M v of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S' = 1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S' > 1, computing the CSI according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes S' SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to M v and reporting the computed CSI to the network node.

Description

FREQUENCY DOMAIN BASIS SIGNALING FOR CHANNEL STATE INFORMATION BASED ON UNIFIED CODEBOOK RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. US 63 / 652128, filed May 27, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a wireless (e.g., cellular) communications system and, more particularly, to spatial beam signaling for channel state information (CSI) in a wireless communications system. BACKGROUND

[0003] Codebook-based precoding

[0004] Multi-antenna techniques can significantly increase the data rates and reliability of a wireless communication system. The performance is in particular improved if both the transmitter and the receiver are equipped with multiple antennas, which results in a multiple-input multiple- output (MIMO) communication channel. Such systems and / or related techniques are commonly referred to as MIMO.

[0005] A core component of the fifth Generation and sixth generation wireless networks is the support of MIMO antenna deployments and MIMO related techniques such as spatial multiplexing. Spatial multiplexing can be used to increase data rates in favorable channel conditions. Figure 1 shown an example of spatial multiplexing. An information carrying symbol vector s is multiplied by an NT x r precoding matrix or precoder ^^, which serves to distribute the transmit energy in a subspace of the NT dimensional vector space. The precoding matrix is typically selected from a codebook of possible precoding matrices, and typically indicated by means of a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), which specifies a unique precoding matrix in the codebook for a given number of symbol streams. The r symbols in s each correspond to a MIMO layer and r is referred to as the transmission rank, which equals to the number of columns of theprecoder ^^ . In this way, spatial multiplexing is achieved since multiple symbols can betransmitted simultaneously over the same time / frequency resource element (RE). The number of symbols r is typically adapted to suit the current channel properties.

[0006] 5G uses Orthogonal Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in downlink. The received NR x 1 vector ynat a UE on a certain RE can be expressed as ^^^ ൌ ^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^

[0007] where en is a receiver noise / interference vector. The precoder ^^ can be constant over frequency (i.e., wideband), or frequency selective (i.e., per subband).

[0008] The precoder ^^ is chosen to match the characteristics of the NRxNTMIMO channel matrix ^^^, resulting in so-called channel dependent precoding. This is also commonly referred to as closed-loop precoding.

[0009] In closed-loop precoding, the UE feeds back recommendations on a suitable precoder to a network node (e.g., a gNB) in the form of a PMI based on downlink channel measurements. For that purpose, the UE is configured with a channel state information (CSI) report configuration including CSI reference signals (CSI-RS) for channel measurements and a codebook of candidate precoders. In addition to precoders, the feedback may also include a rank indicator (RI) and one or two channel quality indicators (CQIs). RI, PMI and CQI are part of a CSI feedback. In 5G, CSI feedback can be either wideband, where one CSI is reported for the entire channel bandwidth, or frequency-selective, where one CSI is reported for each subband, which is defined as a number of contiguous physical resource blocks (PRBs) ranging between 4-32 PRBs depending on the band width part (BWP) size.

[0010] Given the CSI feedback from the UE, the gNB determines the transmission parameters it wishes to use to transmit to the UE, including the precoding matrix, transmission rank, and modulation and coding scheme (MCS).

[0011] 2D Antenna arrays

[0012] Two-dimensional antenna arrays are widely used, and such antenna arrays can be described by a number of antenna ports, ^^^, in a first dimension (e.g., the horizontal dimension), a number of antenna ports, ^^ଶ, in the second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension (e.g., the vertical dimension), and a number of polarizations ^^^. The total number of antennaports is thus ^^ ൌ ^^^^^ଶ^^^. The concept of an antenna port is non-limiting in the sense that it canrefer to any virtualization (e.g., linear mapping) to the physical antenna elements. For example, pairs of physical antenna elements could be fed the same signal, and hence share the same virtualized antenna port.

[0013] An example of a 4x4 (i.e., ^^^ ൈ ^^ଶ,) array with dual-polarized antenna elements (i.e.,^^^ ൌ 2) is illustrated below in Figure 2.

[0014] Precoding may be interpreted as multiplying the signal to be transmitted a set of beamforming weights on the antenna ports prior to transmission. A typical approach is to tailor the precoder to the antenna form factor, i.e., taking into account ^^^,^^ଶand ^^^when designing the precoder codebook.

[0015] Channel State Information Reference Signals (CSI-RS)

[0016] For CSI measurement and feedback, CSI-RS are defined. A CSI-RS is transmitted on an antenna port at the gNB and is used by a UE to measure downlink channel between the antenna port and each of the UE’s receive antenna ports. The transmit antenna ports are also referred to as CSI-RS ports. The supported number of CSI-RS ports in 5G are {1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 128}. By measuring the received CSI-RS, a UE can estimate the channel that the CSI-RS is traversing, including the radio propagation channel and antenna gains. The CSI-RS for the above purpose is also referred to as Non-Zero Power (NZP) CSI-RS.

[0017] CSI-RS can be configured to be transmitted in certain REs in a slot and certain slots. Figure 3 shows an example of CSI-RS REs for 12 antenna ports, where 1RE per RB per port is shown.

[0018] In addition, interference measurement resource (IMR) is also defined in 5G for a UE to measure interference. An IMR resource contains 4 REs, either 4 adjacent RE in frequency in the same OFDM symbol or 2 by 2 adjacent REs in both time and frequency in a slot. By measuring both the channel based on NZP CSI-RS and the interference based on an IMR, a UE can estimate the effective channel and noise plus interference to determine the CSI. Furthermore, a UE in 5G may be configured to measure interference based on one or multiple NZP CSI-RS resource.

[0019] CSI framework in 5G

[0020] In 5G, a UE can be configured with multiple CSI reporting settings and multiple CSI- RS resource settings. Each resource setting can contain multiple resource sets, and each resource set can contain up to 8 CSI-RS resources. For each CSI reporting setting, a UE feeds back a CSI report. ^ Each CSI reporting setting contains at least the following information: ^ A CSI-RS resource setting for channel measurement ^ An IMR resource set for interference measurement ^ Optionally, a CSI-RS resource set for interference measurement ^ Time-domain behavior, i.e., periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic reporting ^ Frequency granularity, i.e., wideband or subband ^ CSI parameters to be reported such as RI, PMI, CQI, and CSI-RS resource indicator (CRI) in case of multiple CSI-RS resources in a resource set ^ Codebook types, i.e., type I or II, and codebook subset restriction ^ Measurement restriction ^ Subband size. One out of two possible subband sizes is indicated, the value range depends on the bandwidth of the BWP. One CQI / PMI (if configured for subband reporting) is fed back per subband).

[0021] In 5G, CSI-AperiodicTriggerState is configured in order to trigger aperiodic CSI reports. The CSI-AperiodicTriggerList IE is defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 V17.2.0.

[0022] There is list of trigger states which may include up to 128 of CSI- AperiodicTriggerStates. Each trigger state may include up to 16 CSI-AssociatedReportConfigInfo. Each CSI-AssociatedReportConfigInfo contains a reportconfig id which associates it to a CSI- Reportconfig. UE may have up to 48 different reportconfigs configured. Each Reportconfig includes codebookConfig as a field.

[0023] DFT-based precoders

[0024] A common type of precoding is to use a DFT-precoder, where the precoder vector used to precode a single-layer transmission using a single-polarized uniform linear array (ULA) with N antennas is defined as é^ଶగ⋅ ೖ^^ ^⋅ೀಿ ೖ ù ^^⋅ú ú , ú precoder index and ^^ is an integer oversamplingfactor. ^^^is also referred to as an one dimension (1-D) DFT beam with beam index ^^. If ULA is along the horizontal dimension, each DFT beam points to an azimuth direction. If ULA is along the vertical dimension, each DFT beam points to an elevation direction. Each precoder corresponds to a DFT beam.

[0027] A corresponding precoder vector for a two-dimensional uniform planar array (UPA) with ^^^antenna ports in one dimension and ^^ଶantenna ports in another dimension can be defined as specified in 3GPP TS 38.214 V18.1.0: మഏ^మഏ^்

[0028] ^^^,^ ൌ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ೀభಿభ^^^^ಿభషభ^^⋯ ^^ೀభಿభ^^^^, 1factors in the two associated with ^^^and ^^ଶ, respectively. ^^^,^is also referred to as two-dimension (2-D) DFT vector characterized by two beam indices ^^^,^^^, one in each dimension. Each such vector^^^,^ ^^^ ൌ 0, … ,^^^^^^ െ 1; ^^ ൌ 0, … ,^^ଶ^^ଶ െ 1^ corresponds to a 2-D DFT vector.

[0031] Extending the 2-D DFT vectors for dual-polarized UPA may then be done as (1) ^ 1 ^v ^l,m ^^,

[0033] where ^^^ ൌ ^^^గ^ / ଶ is a co-phasing factor that may be selected from M-PSK alphabetsuch as QPK with ^^ ൌ 0, 1, 2, 3, and ^^^ௌூିோௌ is the number of CSI-RS ports. This is the codebookfor single^^^ௌூିோௌports.

[0034] A precoder matrix for multi-layer transmission may be created by appending columns of 2-D DFT vectors. An example for 2-layer precoder matrix is given as ^v v ^W(2)l , l , m , m , n ^1l , m l ^ , m ^^ ^2PCSI-RS^^^ n v l , m^^ n v l ^ , m ^^ ^. for instance in 5G Type I CSI feedback , whereThe 5G Type I CSI feedback consisting of such DFT-based precoders is defined in clause 5.2.2.2.1 of 3GPP TS 38.214 V18.1.0. Such DFT- based precoders are used for instance in 5G Type I CSI feedback, where each layer is associated with 2D DFT beam.

[0037] MU-MIMO

[0038] With multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), two or more users in the same cell are co- scheduled on a same time-frequency resource. That is, multiple data streams are transmitted to different UEs at the same time-frequency resource and each UE may be allocated with one or more layers. By transmitting several streams simultaneously, the capacity of the system can be increased.

[0039] To avoid across UE or layer interference, zero-forcing (ZF) type of precoders may be used in which the feedback precoders associated with all co-scheduled UEs in a same time frequency resource are used together to generate a set of new orthogonal precoders. This requires each of the feedback precoders to be a good representation of underlying channel.

[0040] However, a single DFT beam is generally not a good representation of a layer under multipath channel as each layer may be transmitted over multiple paths each corresponding to a DFT beam.

[0041] To improve the above single DFT beam based precoder, type II codebook based CSI feedback was introduced in 5G Rel-15 and further enhanced in 5G Rel-16 and Rel-17. The basic concept is that due to multipath propagation, each layer may contain more than one DFT beam. Hence a better precoder may be created by combining multiple DFT beams for each layer and the UE feeds back both the multiple DFT beams and the combining coefficients.

[0042] 5G rel-15 Type II codebook

[0043] In 5G Rel-15, precoders are enhanced based on a type II codebook, in which a precoder is a combination of multiple DFT beams. For each precoder, the UE feeds back the corresponding selected multiple DFT beams and the combination coefficients. A precoder maybe reported for each layer and each subband. A common set of DFT beams are selected for all subbands and all layers. The number of DFT beams to be selected is RRC configured.

[0044] For a given 2D cross-polarized antenna array with ^^^antenna ports in one dimension and ^^ଶantenna ports in another dimension at each polarization, the 5G Rel-15 type II codebook-based precoding vector for each layer ^^ ∈ ^1,2^ can be expressed as

[0045] ^^^^ ൌ ^^^^^ଶ,^

[0046] where ^^ ^^^^^^ , … ,^^^^^^^ష^^^^^^ష^^^^^ ൩ , 2-D DFT beams,also referred to as spatial domain (SD) basis vectors, ^^^^^^ௌூିோௌ ൌ 2^^^^^ଶ, ^^^∈ ^0,1, … ,^^^^^^^ െ 1^^ and ^^ ^^^ଶ ∈ ^0,1, … ,^^ଶ^^^ଶ െ 1^^ are the beam indices in eachDFT beam. ^^ ∈ ^2,3,4^ is configured by RRC.^^^ ൌ ^^ ^,^^ଶ,^,^,்^^^ ^ଶ^ଶ,^ ^ ଶ,^, … ,^^ଶ,^,ଶ^ି^൧ , where ^^ଶ,^,^ ൌ ^^^,^^^^,^^^^,^is the combining^^ are the amplitude, subband amplitude, and phase of ^^ଶ,^,^, respectively.

[0047] ^^^^is expressed in section 5.2.2.2.3 of 3GPP specification TS38.214 V18.1.0 as:^L ^ 1 ^ ^vm , p (1)l , i p (2)l , i^^l , i^^^^ ൌ

[0050] The Rel-15 type II codebook is enhanced in 5G Rel-16 in which instead of reporting separate precoders for different subbands, the precoders for all subbands are reported together by using a so called frequency domain (FD) basis. It takes advantage of frequency domain channel correlations by representing the precoder changes in frequency domain with a set of frequency domain DFT basis vectors (which will be simply referred to as frequency domain basis vectors). Due to channel correlation in frequency, only a few DFT basis vectors may beused to represent the precoder changes over all the subbands. By doing so, the feedback overhead can be reduced or performance can be improved for the same feedback overhead.

[0051] For a given CSI-RS resource with ^^^CSI-RS antenna ports in one dimension and ^^ଶCSI-RS antenna ports in another dimension, and with two polarizations, the Rel-16 type IIcodedbook based precoding vectors for each^^ (^^ ൌ 1, … , ^^^ and across all subbands can beexpressed as:^^^^^^ே ି^^^^ ൌ ^^^^^…^^య^^ ^ ൌ ^^^^^^ଶ,^^^^ு,^,^ௌூିோௌ vector at a PMI subband with subband index ^^^0,1, … ,^^ଷ െ 1^ for layer ^^, where ^^^ௌூିோௌ ൌ ^^^^^^^^^^ is the number of CSI-RS ports in aconfigured NZP CSI-RS resource; ^^^ଷ ൌ ^^ௌ^ ൈ ^^ is the number of subbands for PMI, where ^^ௌ^ is the number of CQIsubbands and ^^ ∈ ^1,2^ is a scaling factor, both ^^ௌ^ and ^^ are RRC configured^ ^^^^is the same as in Rel-15 type II codebook and contains a set of selected beams or SD basis vector ^^^^,୪ ൌ ^^^^^^^ ,^^^^^^ , … ,^^ ^ெೡି^^^ ^ is a size ^^ଷ ൈ ^^௩ frequency domain (FD) compression^^ sel^^^௩ ected FD basis vectors and ^^^ൌ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^,^,^^^,^ , … , ^^^^ேయି^,^^ and ^^௧,^ ൌ ^^ି^ଶగ௧^య,^ / ேయ , ^^ ൌ 0,1, … ,^^^^^ଷെ 1,^^ଷ,^∈vectors, which depends on the rank ^^ and the RRC configured parameter ^^௩. Supported values of ^^௩can be found in Table 1. oFor ^^ଷ ^ 19, a one-step free selection is used.^ For each layer, the selected FD basis vectors are indicated with a ^logଶ ൬ ^^ଷ െ 1^^௩ െ 1^^bit combinatorial indicator. In TS 38.214, thecombinatorial indicator is given by the index ^^^,^,^, which is reported by UE to the gNB. oFor ^^ଷ ^ 19, a two-step selection with layer-common intermediary subset (IntS)is used.^ In the first step, a window-based layer-common IntS selection is used, which is parameterized by ^^^^^௧^^^. The IntS consists of FD basis vectors ^mod^^^^^^௧^^^ ^ ^^,^^ଷ^, ^^ ൌ 0, 1, … , 2^^௩ െ 1 }. In TS 38.214, theselected IntS is reported by the UE to the gNB via the parameter ^^^,ହ, which is reported per layer as part of the PMI reported. ^ In the second step, the selected FD basis vectors are indicated with an ^log2M^ െ 1ଶ൬^^ -bi௩ െ 1 ^^ t combinatorial indicator for each layer. In TS38.214, the combinatorial indicator is given by the index ^^^,^,^, which is reported by UE to the gNB. ^^^^ଶ,୪ ൌ ^ ^^^^,^,^ , ^^ ൌ 0,1, … ,2^^ െ 1,^^ ൌ 0,1, … , ^^௩ െ 1^ is a size 2^^ ൈ ^^௩ coefficientmatrix. For layer ^^, only a subset of ^^ே^^ ^ ^^^ coefficients are non-zero and reported bythe UE. The remaining 2^^^^௩ െ ^^^ே^non-reported coefficients are considered zero. o^^^ ൌ ⌈^^ ൈ 2^^^^^⌉ is the maximum number of non-zero coefficients per layer,where ^^ is a RRC configured parameter. Supported ^^ values are shown in Table 1. oFor ^^ ∈ ^2, 3, 4^, the total number of non-zero coefficients summed across alllayers, ^^ே^ ൌ ∑௩^ே^ே^௧^௧ ^ୀ^ ^^, shall satisfy ^^௧^௧ ^ 2^^^.for eachwith ^^^1s in a size 2^^^^௩bitmap, ^^^,^,^. o The strongest coefficient of layer ^^ (whose amplitude and phase are not reported) is identified by ^^^,଼,^,∈{0,1,…,2^^−1} . o The amplitude coefficients in ^^ଶ,^are indicated by ^^ଶ,ଷ,^and ^^ଶ,ସ,^, and the phase coefficients in ^^ଶ,^are indicated by ^^ଶ,ହ,^. above is described in TS38.214, section 5.2.2.2.5, where ^^^^^^^^is expressed as follows ^ି^ ெഔି^ é^^^^^^ ^ଶ^ù ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^re ^^^^,^^ଶ,^^^,^^ଶ, ^^ଷ,^ ,^^^^^^ ,^^^ଶ^^ , ^^ଶ,ହ,^^ are quantities reported by a UE and^ {^^^, ^^ଶ^ are reported via the parameter ^^^,^ while {^^^,^^ଶ^ are reported via the parameter^^^,ଶ. ^^^ ^^^ … ^ெഔି^^^ ^^ ^^^ ∈ … 1^ , are the indices of the ^^జ FD basis^ ^^^ ൌ ^^^^,^^^^,^ ൧ are the wideband amplitudes of the coefficients ^^^^^,^,^^ at twopolarizations, and ^^^ଶ^is the subband ampli^ଶ^^,^,^tude of the coefficient ^^^^,^,^, where ^^^,^,^is part of ^^^ଶ^ ൌ ^^^ଶ^…^^^ଶ^, ^^^ଶ^ ൌ ^^^ଶ^ ^ଶ^^^ ^,^ ^,ெഔି^^^,^ ^ ^,^,^…^^^,ଶ^ି^,^^, మഏ^^,^,^^ ^^^,^,^ ൌ ^^^భల is phase of the coefficient ^^^^,^,^ , where ^^^,^,^ ∈ ^0, … ,15^ is part of^^ଶ,ହ,^ ൌ ^^^^,^ … ^^^,ெഔି^൧, ^^^,^ ൌ ^^^^,^,^ … ^^^,ଶ^ି^,^൧

[0052] for ^^, ^^ and ^^^^for Rel-16 enhanced type II codebook

[0053] paramCombination-^^r16 ^^జ^^^^ ∈ ^1,2^ ^^ ∈ ^3,4^1 2 ¼ 1 / 8 ¼ 2 2 ¼ 1 / 8 ½ 3 4 ¼ 1 / 8 ¼ 4 4 ¼ 1 / 8 ½ 5 4 ¼ ¼ ¾ 6 4 ½ ¼ ½ 7 6 ¼ - ½ 8 6 ¼ - ¾ SUMMARY

[0054] Systems and methods related to frequency domain basis signaling for channel state information based on unified codebook are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) comprises one or more of: receiving a first signaling from a networknode providing information on a number ^^ᇱ ^ 1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to beincluded in a CSI, receiving a second signaling from the network node providing information on a maximum number ^^௩of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signalingindicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1, and a second maximumnumber of FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ^ 1, computing (104) the CSI according to the received firstsignaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes ^^ᇱSD basis vectors and adetermined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to ^^௩, and reporting (106) the computed CSI to the network node.

[0055] In one embodiment, the UE receives from the network node a third signaling of a total maximum number S of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI, where the computing and reporting of the CSI are according to the first, the second, and the third signaling.

[0056] In one embodiment, the PMI further includes a set of coefficients each associated with one of the S' SD basis vectors and one of the determined number of FD basis vectors.

[0057] In one embodiment, each of the set of coefficients comprises an amplitude and a phasewhen ^^ᇱ ^ 1.

[0058] In one embodiment, each of the set of coefficients comprises a phase when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1.

[0059] In one embodiment, the maximum number of coefficients in the set for a spatial layeris 2 ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩.

[0060] In one embodiment, the maximum number of coefficients in the set that are reportedin the CSI for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^௩ െ 1, wherein the strongest coefficient in the CSI for thespatial layer is not reported.

[0061] In one embodiment, the maximum number of coefficients in the set over all spatiallayers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … , ^^ is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩.

[0062] In one embodiment, the maximum number of coefficients in the set that are reportedin the CSI over all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … ,^^ , is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^ , wherein thestrongest coefficients in the CSI for all spatial layers are not reported.

[0063] In one embodiment, the exact number of coefficients that are reported in the CSI aredetermined as ^^ times the maximum number of coefficients in the set wherein ^^ ^ 1.

[0064] In one embodiment, the method further includes providing user data, and forwarding the user data to a host via the transmission to the network node.

[0065] In one embodiments, a method performed by a network node includes one or more of: transmitting to a user equipment (UE) a first signaling providing information on a number of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI, transmitting (202) to the UE a second signaling providing information on a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’=1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’>1, receiving a CSI report computed by the UE according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to M.

[0066] Corresponding embodiments of a UE are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a user equipment comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the user equipment method embodiments, and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry. In one embodiment, a user equipment comprises an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the UE method embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

[0067] Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a network node comprises processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the network node method embodiments, power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0069] Figure 1 illustrates a transmission structure of spatial multiplexing;

[0070] Figure 2 illustrates a two-dimensional antenna array of dual-polarized antenna elements (, with horizontal antenna elements and vertical antenna elements.

[0071] Figure 3 illustrates an example of RE allocation for a 12-port CSI-RS;

[0072] Figure 4 illustrates is a flow chart that illustrates a process performed by a User Equipment (UE), in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0073] Figure 5 is a flow chart that illustrates a process performed by a network node, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0074] Figure 6 shows an example of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0075] Figure 7 shows a User Equipment device (UE) in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0076] Figure 8 shows a network node in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0077] Figure 9 is a block diagram of a host, which may be an embodiment of the host of Figure 6, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure described herein;

[0078] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments of the present disclosure may be virtualized; and

[0079] Figure 11 shows a communication diagram of a host communicating via a network node with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] The embodiments set forth below represent information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure.

[0081] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0082] There currently exist certain challenge(s). In 5G, several different codebooks for CSI are defined where the 5G Type I codebook, the 5G Rel-15 Type II codebook, and the 5G Rel-16 enhanced Type II codebook are defined separately and as part of separate UE features. The Type I codebook with up to 8 CSI-RS antenna ports and wideband PMI reporting is supported as a mandatory feature in 5G (i.e., all 5G UEs need to support the 5G Type I codebook).

[0083] The 5G Rel-16 enhanced Type II codebook for instance is introduced as an optional feature and is not widely used in live networks to this day. Defining these codebooks as different features has the drawback of UE feature fragmentation. While the Type I codebook is widely supported in all 5G UEs, it remains a problem that the Rel-16 enhanced Type II codebook, which is optimized for MU-MIMO transmission, is not widely supported. Hence, this hinders the efficient deployment of MU-MIMO in today’s 5G networks. When CSI feedback supporting both Type I and Type II codebook functionalities in 6G networks, how to control the CSI feedback overhead is an issue. In such a scenario, how to achieve frequency domain compression of CSI in future 6G networks is a problem to be solved.

[0084] Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. Solutions are proposed for achieving FD compression a unified codebook enabling FD compression for both Type I (i.e., S’=1) and Type II (i.e., S’>1) functionalities within the unified codebook. The UE receives signaling that indicates a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI which may be jointly or separately indicated from the signaling that provides information on the number S'≥1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer. In some embodiments, the total number S of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI report is signaled from the network node to the UE. The maximum number of coefficients in the CSI, wherein each coefficient is associated with one SD basis vector and one of the FD basis vectors, is determined according to the signaling that indicates the maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI, the number of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer, and / or the total number of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI. The exact number of coefficients in the CSI are determined as β times the maximum number of coefficients in the set wherein β≤1.

[0085] Figure 4 illustrates a method at a user equipment (UE), according to one embodiment of the disclosure. The method comprises any one or more of the following steps: receiving (100) a first signaling from a network node providing information on a number S'≥1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI; receiving (102) a second signaling from the network node providing information on a maximum number Mν of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S'=1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S^'>1; computing (104) the CSI according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein the CSI comprising PMI (e.g. the PMI within the CSI) includes S' SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to Mν; and / or reporting (104) the computed CSI to the network node.

[0086] In a further embodiment, the method comprises receiving from the network node a third signaling of a total maximum number S of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI, where the computing and reporting of the CSI are according to the first, the second, and the third signaling.

[0087] In a further embodiment, the PMI further includes a set of coefficients each associated with one of the S' SD basis vectors and one of the determined number of FD basis vectors.

[0088] In a further embodiment, each of the set of coefficients comprises an amplitude and a phase when S'≥1.

[0089] In a further embodiment, each of the set of coefficients comprises a phase when S'=1.

[0090] In a further embodiment, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set fora spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩.

[0091] In a further embodiment, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set thatare reported in the CSI for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^௩ െ 1, wherein the strongest coefficient in theCSI for the spatial layer is not reported.

[0092] In a further embodiment, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set overall spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … , ^^ is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩.

[0093] In a further embodiment, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set thatare reported in the CSI over all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … , ^^, is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^, whereinthe strongest coefficients in the CSI for all spatial layers are not reported.

[0094] In a further embodiment, wherein the exact number of coefficients that are reported inthe CSI are determined as ^^ times the maximum number of coefficients in the set wherein ^^ ^ 1.

[0095] Other embodiments pertain to user equipment, network nodes, method for network nodes, computer programs that comprise steps and / or circuitry for performing steps substantially similar (or equivalent when considering a network node / user equipment relation) to those described above.

[0096] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). With the proposed solution, the network node may determine and adjust the amount of CSI overhead reduction that is needed via frequency domain compression for a unified codebook by signaling that indicates a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI which may be jointly or separately indicated from the signaling that provides information onthe number ^^ᇱ ^ 1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer. The solutions proposed may allowFD compression for a unified codebook enabling FD compression for both Type I (i.e., S’=1) and Type II (i.e., S’>1) functionalities within the unified codebook. This may allow a network vendor or operator to adjust the overhead of the CSI flexibly particularly for systems with large bandwidths. For example, if only SU-MIMO scheduling is used in a cell, then it may be sufficientfor the NW operator to configure the UE with ^^’ ൌ 1 and a first maximum number of FD basisvectors to achieve a desired reporting overhead for CSI. On the other hand, when MU-MIMOscheduling is used in a cell, the NW operator can configure ^^’ ^ 1 and a second maximum numberof FD basis vectors to acquire a CSI report suitable for MU-MIMO with a suitable CSI overhead.

[0097] Now, a more detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure will be provided.

[0098] In this disclosure, the term ‘spatial beam’ is used. This term is non-limiting and may alternatively be represented by either a 2-D DFT vector or a 1-D DFT vector. Other terminologies such as spatial-domain (SD) basis vector, SD filter weight, SD filter vector, etc. may be used in place of the term spatial beam.

[0099] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the term ‘FD basis vectors’ is used. This term is non- limiting and may alternatively be represented by a 1-D DFT vector. The length of the 1-D DFT vector may be equal to either the number of CQI subbands or the number of PMI subbands.

[0100] In this disclosure, the term ‘combining coefficients’ are used wherein each combining coefficient is associated with one SD basis vector and one of the FD basis vectors. Each such combining coefficient may include an amplitude part and a phase part. Other terms such as ‘coefficients’ or ‘amplitude and phase coefficients’ may be used in place of the term ‘combining coefficients’.

[0101] In a general embodiment, a unified codebook framework is proposed. A possible, non -limiting use is for 6G. Depending on parameter configurations, can be configured to be similar to the NR Type I codebook (low CSI report overhead but also low spatial domain information granularity) or similar to the NR enhanced Type II codebook (higher CSI report overhead but also higher spatial granularity).

[0102] Assuming the unified codebook is defined in specifications and thus in the following, the NW and UE assumes the same set of available SD basis vectors. As part of the signaling related to the unified codebook, a UE receives signaling of at least the following parameters from a network node: ^ at least one of two parameters, denoted as S and S’, related to the procedure of the UE selecting / reporting SD basis vectors from a specified or predefined set of SD basis vectors; and ^ at least one parameter that provides information on how the UE selects / reports FD basis vectors from a specified or predefined set of FD basis vectors;

[0103] The description of the two parameters S and S’ related to the UE procedure on selection / reporting of SD basis vectors, according to some embodiments, is provided below: (1) the parameter ^^ ^ 1 represents the total maximum number of distinct SD basis vectors tobe selected and / or reported by the UE as part of a CSI report. In one embodiment, the ^^ distinct SD basis vectors are common to all spatial layers. That is, ^^ represents the total maximum number of distinct SD basis vectors the UE may select and / or report across all spatial layers as part of the CSI report; (2) a parameter ^^′ that represents the number of SD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported by the UE as part of a CSI report for each spatial layer. In one embodiment, the parameter ^^′ represents the number of SD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported by the UE for a single spatial layer across two polarizations for that layer (i.e., the same SD basis vectors are selected and / or reported by the UE for the two polarizations of each spatial layer). Inan alternative embodiment, the parameter ^^′ instead represents the number of SD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported by the UE for a single spatial layer and a single polarization (i.e., different SD basis vectors are selected and / or reported by the UE for the two polarizations of each spatial layer). In an example of the alternative embodiment, ^^′ SD basis vectors are selected and / or reported by the UE for the first polarization, and another ^^′ SD basis vectors are selected and / or reported by the UE for the secondpolarization. In one embodiment, whether the UE shall assume common or per polarization selection and / or reporting of the ^^′ SD basis vectors may be configured by the NW to the UE. In some embodiments, the selected ^^′ SD basis vectors are a subset of the ^^ distinct SD basis vectors described above.

[0104] In some embodiments, when the received parameter S' is set to a value of 1 and is common to both polarizations, then the UE selects and / or reports a single SD basis vector for each spatial layer. When the received parameter S' is set to a value larger than 1, then the UE selects and / or reports S^'>1 SD basis vectors for each spatial layer. Note that the number of spatial layers can be either 1 or larger than 1 which depends on the rank of the channel.

[0105] Next, several embodiments on signaling that provides information on how the UE selects FD basis vectors, and the associated CSI reporting by the UE for each of the embodiments are described.

[0106] Embodiment 1: Joint configuration of FD basis related parameter and the SD basis related parameter(s)

[0107] The beam width of an antenna array depends on the antenna size in term of wavelength; the larger the antenna array is, the narrow is its beam width. A narrower beam width implies smaller delay differences between multipath propagations within a beam, which in turn means flatter channel associated to the beam, i.e., the channel changes more slowly over frequency. Hence, fewer FD basis vectors are needed to represent a channel associated to a narrow beam than to a wide beam. Another factor to consider is the subband size; for a given multipath delay difference within a beam, the smaller the subband size, the less channel changes between subbands. Therefore, depending on the antenna array size, subband size, and deployment scenarios, different number of FD basis vectors and compression ratio may be required.

[0108] In one embodiment, a joint parameter combination index is configured from the network to the UE that indicates the number of SD basis vectors per layer and a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported. The joint parameter may be configured as part of a codebook configuration which is further part of a CSI reporting configuration. Alternatively, the joint parameter may be configured as part of the CSI reportingconfiguration. An example is shown in Table 2 where ^^’ is the number of SD basis vectors per layer and the number of FD basis vectors for a given number of spatial layers ^^ is given as ^^௩ൌ ^^^ ேయ௩ோ ^.

[0109] In one detailed embodiment, the ^^௩parameter is set to 1. This means the number ofFD basis vectors corresponding to ^^ spatial layers is ^^௩ ൌ ^1 ∙ேయோ^ ൌ ^1 ∙ேೄಳൈோ ோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^. That is,when ^^௩ ൌ ^^ௌ^, the number of FD basis vectors is equal subbands (i.e., allpossible FD basis vectors are selected). In this caseThis detailed embodiment is useful when the overhead associated with CSI is not very high, hence providing the network the flexibility to turn off FD compression. This embodiment is applicable when the number of SD basis vectors per layer is 1, 2 or any other integer value. When the UE is configured by the network to select all possible FD basis vectors are selected (i.e., when there is no FD compression or when FD compression is turned off), the UE does not report selected FD basis vectors explicitly. That is, the UE and the network have the same understanding that according to the configuration from the network to the UE, all FD basis vectors will be selected and there is no need for the UE to explicitly indicate that all the FD basis vectors are selected. In this case, the UE may report information on one or more of the following to indicate PMI as part of the CSI report: selected SD basis vectors per layer (either common SD basis vectors for two polarizations per layer, or different SD basis vectors for the two polarizations per layer), and combining coefficients for combining SD basis vectors.

[0110] In some scenarios, even though a full set of FD basis vectors (i.e., ^^௩ ൌ ^^ௌ^^ isneeded to account for different delays associated the selected beams or SD basis vectors, there may be only a few FD basis vectors associated to each beam or SD basis vector because the delay spread in each beam is small. In this case, the total feedback overhead can still be reduced by reporting a fraction of the total coefficients associated to the full set of FD basis vectors.

[0111] In another detailed embodiment, the ^^௩parameter is set to a fractional value (e.g., ^ ଶ, ^ସ, ^଼^^^^ ^^^). In this case, the number of FD basis vectors corresponding to ^^ spatial layers is^^௩ ൌ ^^^is a fractional value, the number of FD basis vectorsis smaller than the number of CQI subbands ^^ௌ^. This detailed embodiment is useful when there is a need to reduce the CSI overhead,and provides the network the possibility to turn on FD compression. This embodiment is applicable when the number of SD basis vectors per layer is 1, 2 or any other integer value. When the UE is configured by the network to select a subset of all possible FD basis vectors (i.e., when there is no FD compression), the UE does not report selected FD basis vectors explicitly. In this case, the UE explicitly indicatesinformation on the selected FD basis vectors to the network. In this case, the UE may report information on one or more of the following to indicate PMI as part of the CSI report: selected SD basis vectors per layer (either common SD basis vectors for two polarizations per layer, or different SD basis vectors for the two polarizations per layer), selected FD basis vectors, and combining coefficients for combining SD basis vectors.

[0112] In these embodiments, for each layer ^^ ൌ 1, 2, … , ^^, there will be 2 ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩ combiningcoefficients used to define the precoder matrix (i.e., PMI) corresponding to spatial layer ^^ when ^^′is common to both polarizations. Hence, over all spatial layers, there will be 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩combining coefficients. These combining coefficients are reported by the UE as part of the CSIreport along with indications of the ^^′ SD basis vectors per layer for all spatial layers andindications of ^^௩FD basis vectors. In one embodiment, the combining coefficient corresponding to the strongest coefficient per layer is not reported as part of the CSI report, and the number ofcombining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report is 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^.

[0113] In an alternative embodiment, when the total number of distinct SD basis vectors to beselected / reported by the UE is configured as ^^, there will be 2 ∙ ^^^^^^^^^ ∙ ^^′, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ combiningcoefficients where ^^′ and ^^௩are defined as above. In this alternative embodiment, the combining coefficients are reported by the UE as part of the CSI report along with indication of a minimumbetween ^^ ∙ ^^′ and ^^ SD basis vector across all spatial layers and indications of ^^௩ FD basisvectors. In one alternative embodiment, the combining coefficient corresponding to the strongest coefficient per layer is not reported as part of the CSI report, and the number of combiningcoefficients reported as part of the CSI report is 2 ∙ ^^^^^^^^^ ∙ ^^′, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^.

[0114] In some embodiment, separate ^^௩may be configured for different ranks (or pairs of ranks), e.g., as in Table 2. In another embodiment, a common ^^௩may be configured for all spatial layers. Even though the discussions below focus on ranks 1 to 4, the same principle can be appliedto ranks greater than 4, i.e., ^^ ^ 4.

[0115] An example of this embodiment is shown in Table 2. The following are some example configurations of joint parameter indication according to the example in Table 2: ^ if joint parameter combination index of 1 is indicated by the network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 1 SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩is 1 for all ranks ^^ for the joint parameter combination index of 1, ^^ேయ௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^, and thereis no FD compression when this parameter combination is^ if joint parameter combination index of 3 is indicated by the network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 1SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩ ^ 1for the joint parameter combination of 3, ^^ ൌ ^^ேయ௩ ^ ௩ ∙ோ^ ^ ^^ௌ^ and FD compression isapplied when this parameter combination is ^ if joint parameter combination index of 5 isthe network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 2 SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩is 1 for all ranks ^^ for the joint parameter combination index of 5, ^^ேయ௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^, and thereis no FD compression when this parameter combination is ^ if joint parameter combination index of 7 is indicated by theto the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 2SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩ ^ 1for the joint parameter combination of 7, ^^ ൌ ^^ேయ௩ ^ ௩ ∙ோ^ ^ ^^ௌ^ and FD compression isapplied when this parameter combination is

[0116] In some embodiments, tables like the 2 may be predefined in 3GPP specifications.

[0117] Table 2: A first example showing joint parameter indication of number of SD basis vectors per layer and a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported as part of CSI report. Joint Parameter ^^௩combination index ^^’ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ for unified ∈^1,2^ ∈ ^3,4^ ∈ ^5,6^ ∈ ^7,8^codebook 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 6 1 / 8 3 1 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 12 1 / 16 4 1 1 / 8 1 / 16 1 / 24 1 / 32 5 2 1 1 - - 6 2 1 / 2 1 / 4 - - 7 2 1 / 4 1 / 8 - - 8 2 1 / 8 1 / 16 - -

[0118] In another embodiment, to further reduce overhead, a ^^ factor, which represents the fraction of combining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report, is introduced for cases when^^ᇱ ^ 1 only. In this embodiment, the number of combining coefficients reported as part of theCSI report will be 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩. An example of this embodiment is shown in Table 3.Although only ranks up to ^^ ൌ 4 are shown in Table 3, the examples can be extended to up to rank^^ ൌ 8 by including ^^௩ values specific to ranks up to rank ^^ ൌ 8 (similar to examples in Table 2).The following are some example configurations of joint parameter indication according to the example in Table 3: ^ if joint parameter combination index of 1 is indicated by the network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 1 SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩is 1 for all ranks ^^ for the joint parameter combination index of 1, ^^ேయ௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^, andthere is no FD compression when this parameter combination is ^ if joint parameter combination index of 3 is indicated by the networkUE, then ^^ᇱൌ 1SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩ ^ 1for the joint parameter combination of 3, ^^ேయ௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ோ^ ^ ^^ௌ^ and FD compression isapplied when this parameter combination is indicated. ^ if joint parameter combination index of 5 is indicated by the network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 2 SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩is 1 for all ranks ^^ for the joint parameter combination index of 5, ^^௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ேయோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^, andthere is no FD compression when this parameter combination is^ if joint parameter combination index of 7 is indicated by the network to the UE, then ^^ᇱൌ 2SD basis vector per layer is selected / reported by the UE to the network. Since ^^௩ ^ 1for the joint parameter combination of 7, ^^௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ேయோ^ ^ ^^ௌ^ and FD compression isapplied when this parameter combination is

[0119] Note that for the cases when joint parameter combination index of 5-6 is indicated bythe network to the UE, even though there is no FD compression (i.e., ^^௩ ൌ 1 for all ranks and^^௩ ൌ ^^^௩ ∙ேయோ^ ൌ ^^ௌ^ ), the UE reports a fraction2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^ ൌ 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ ∙ ^ ᇱ௩ ^ ∙ ^^ௌ^.

[0120] In some embodiments, tables like the one in Table 3 may be predefined in 3GPP specifications.

[0121] In another embodiment, ^^ ^ 1 can also be configured when S’ is configured as S’=1.This is because for narrow beams, delay spread within each selected beam is small and only coefficients associated a few FD vectors may be significant and need to be reported.

[0122] Table 3: A second example showing joint parameter indication of number of SD basis vectors per layer, a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / orreported as part of CSI report, and a parameter that determines the number of combining coefficients to be reported. Joint Parameter ^^௩combination index for unified^^ ∈ ^1,2^ ^^ ∈ ^3,4^codebook ^^’ ^^ 1 1 1 1 - 2 1 1 / 2 1 / 4 - 3 1 1 / 4 1 / 8 - 4 1 1 / 8 1 / 16 - 5 2 1 1 1 / 4 6 2 1 1 1 / 2 7 2 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 4 8 2 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 2 9 2 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 4 10 2 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 2 11 2 1 / 8 1 / 16 1 / 4 12 2 1 / 8 1 / 16 1 / 2

[0123] In another embodiment, to further reduce overhead, a ^^ factor, which represents the fraction of combining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report, is introduced for cases when^^௩ ^ ^^௩,௧^^ only. Here, ^^௩,௧^^ represents either a predefined threshold (e.g., a value prespecifiedin 3GPP specifications) or a configured threshold from the network to the UE. This embodiment can be equivalently captured as introducing the ^^ factor in a predefined table only for cases when^^ ^ ^ேయ௩ ^௩,௧^^ (note that ^^௩,௧^^ is determined such that ^^௩,௧^^ ൌ ^^^௩,௧^^ ∙ோ ^). In this embodiment,the number of combining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report will be 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩.An example of this embodiment is shown in Table 4 where ^^ ^ ௩,௧^^ൌ ଼. In some embodiments, tables like the one in Table 4 may be predefined in 3GPP specifications.

[0124] Table 4: A third example showing joint parameter indication of number of SD basis vectors per layer, a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported as part of CSI report, and a parameter that determines the number of combining coefficients to be reported.Joint Parameter ^^௩combination index for unified^^ ∈ ^1,2^ ^^ ∈ ^3,4^codebook ^^’ ^^ 1 2 1 1 1 / 4 2 2 1 1 1 / 2 3 2 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 4 4 2 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 2 5 2 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 4 6 2 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 2 7 2 1 / 8 1 / 16 - 8 2 1 / 8 1 / 16 -

[0125] In a further embodiment, because the UE knows better about the number of FD basisvectors present in the channel via channel measurement, the actual number, ^^௩,^^^^^௧^^ ^^௩^ , ofFD basis vectors reported are determined by the UE and ^^௩,^^^^^௧is reported as part CSI.In this embodiment, ^^௩is the maximum number of FD basis vectors configured by the gNB to control the maximum feedback overhead, the actual feedback overhead can be less depending on the number of ^^௩,^^^^^௧reported by the UE to the network as part of CSI report. In some embodiments, to make sure that the UE always selects a smaller number of FD basis vectors than needed, a criterion may be defined.

[0126] A first example of such a criterion is that the performance improvement by adding one more FD basis vector in the CSI report is less than a threshold. Let us assume that the throughputassociated with including ^^௩,^ ^ ^^௩ FD basis vectors in the CSI report is ^^^. The throughputassociated with including an additional FD basis vector (i.e., ^^௩,^ ^ 1 FD basis vectors) in the CSIreport is ^^ଶ. If the throughput improvement from ^^^to ^^ଶis higher than the threshold, then the additional FD basis vector is included in the CSI report. If the throughput improvement from ^^^to ^^ଶis lower than the threshold, then the additional FD basis vector is not included in the CSI report. In this example criterion, the UE will keep adding FD basis vectors to the CSI report until throughput improvement by adding one additional FD basis vector to the CSI report is below the threshold. The threshold may be predefined or specified as part of 3GPP specifications.

[0127] A second example of a criterion is that the performance degradation compared to using the maximum number of configured FD basis vectors is less than a threshold, e.g., less than 5%throughput drop. Let us assume that the throughput associated with including the maximum number ^^௩of FD basis vectors in the CSI report is ^^௩. Let the throughput associated with including ^^௩,^^^^^௧FD basis vectors in the CSI report is ^^ଷ. Then, the UE chooses ^^௩,^^^^^௧FD basis vectors in the CSI report such that the throughput difference between ^^௩and ^^ଷis less than the threshold. The threshold may be predefined or specified as part of 3GPP specifications.

[0128] In some scenario, when a set of common SD basis vectors are selected for all spatial layers, the multipath delays within the selected SD basis vectors are common to all spatial layers and thus, a common set of FD basis vectors should be adequate for all spatial layers. Therefore, in another embodiment, a set of common FD basis vectors are selected and reported for all spatial layers.

[0129] Embodiment 2: Separate configuration of FD basis related parameter from the SD basis related parameter(s)

[0130] In this embodiment, separate parameters are configured from the network to the UE that for indicating the number of SD basis vectors per layer and a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported. The two separate parameters may be configured as part of a codebook configuration which is further part of a CSI reporting configuration. Alternatively, the two separate parameters may be configured as part of the CSI reporting configuration.

[0131] An example showing the separate parameter for indicating the number of FD basis vectors is shown in Table 5 where the number of FD basis vectors for a given number of spatiallayers ^^ is given as ^^ேయ௩ ൌ ^^^௩ோ ^. In some embodiments, tables like the one in Table 5 may be predefined in 3GPP

[0132] Table 5: A first example showing a separate parameter indication of a parameter that indicates the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported as part of CSI report. FD basis related Parameter index for ^^௩unified codebook 1 1 2 1 / 2 3 1 / 4 4 1 / 8

[0133] In another embodiment, to further reduce overhead, a ^^ factor, which represents the fraction of combining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report, is introduced for cases when^^௩ ^ ^^௩,௧^^ only. Here, ^^௩,௧^^ represents a predefined threshold. This embodiment can beequivalently captured as introducing the ^^ factor in a predefined table only for cases when ^^௩^^^ (note that ^^ is determined such that ^^ ൌ ^^ேయ௩,௧^^ ௩,௧^^ ௩,௧^^ ^ ௩,௧^^ ∙ோ ^). In this embodiment, thenumber of combining coefficients reported as part of the CSI report will be 2 ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^ ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩. Anexample of this embodiment is shown in Table 6 where ^^ ^ ௩,௧^^ൌ ଼. In some embodiments, tables like the one in Table 6 may be predefined in 3GPP specifications.

[0134] Table 6: A second example showing a separate parameter for indicating the number of FD basis vectors to be selected and / or reported as part of CSI report, and a parameter that determines the number of combining coefficients to be reported. FD basis related ^^௩Parameter index for ^^ ∈ ^1,2^ ^^ ∈ ^3,4^unified codebook ^^ 1 1 1 1 / 4 2 1 1 1 / 2 3 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 4 4 1 / 2 1 / 4 1 / 2 5 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 4 6 1 / 4 1 / 8 1 / 2 7 1 / 8 1 / 16 - 8 1 / 8 1 / 16 -

[0135] Embodiment 3: Explicit configuration to enable / disable FD compression

[0136] In this embodiment, an explicit parameter for enabling / disabling the selection and / or reporting of FD basis vectors is signaled to the UE from the gNB. This explicit parameter may be configured as part of a codebook configuration which is further part of a CSI reporting configuration. Alternatively, this explicit parameter may be configured as part of the CSI reporting configuration.

[0137] When the explicit parameter disables FD compression, then the UE does not select and / or report FD basis vectors to the gNB. When the explicit parameter enables FD compression, then the UE selects and / or reports FD basis vectors to the gNB according to any one of the embodiments described above.

[0138] In another embodiment, ^^ ^ 1 can still be configured when FD compression isdisabled, in which case FD basis vectors are not selected and reported to the gNB but only a subset(e.g., 2^^^^^^௩^ of the combining coefficients are reported as part of the CSI report according tothe configured ^^ value and ^^௩ ൌ ^^ଷ / ^^.

[0139] Figure 5 is a flow chart that illustrates a method performed by a network node (e.g., a gNB in this example embodiment) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that this process is complementary to the process performed by the UE described above, e.g., with respect to Figure 4. As such, details above provided in relation to Figures 4 are applicable to Figure 5. As illustrated, a method for a network node (e.g. a gNB) includes any one or more of the following steps: Step 200: the network node sends (200) a first signaling to a user equipment (UE) providing information on a number of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI; Step 202: The network node transmits a second signaling to the UE providing information on a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’=1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’>1. Step 204: The network node receives a CSI report computed by the UE according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein the CSI comprising PMI (e.g. the PMI within the CSI) includes SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to Mν.

[0140] Figure 6 shows an example of a communication system 600 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0141] In the example, the communication system 600 includes a telecommunication network 602 that includes an access network 604, such as a Radio Access Network (RAN), and a core network 606, which includes one or more core network nodes 608. The access network 604 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 610A and 610B (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 610), or any other similar Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access nodes or non-3GPP Access Points (APs). Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, a network node is not necessarily limited to an implementation in which a radio portion and a baseband portion are supplied and integrated by a single vendor. Thus, it will be understood that network nodes include disaggregated implementations or portions thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the telecommunication network 602 includes one or more Open-RAN (ORAN) network nodes. An ORAN network node is a node in the telecommunication network 602 that supports an ORAN specification (e.g., a specification published by the O-RAN Alliance, or any similar organization) and may operate alone or together with other nodes to implement one or more functionalities of any node in the telecommunication network 602, including one or more network nodes 610 and / or core network nodes 608.

[0142] Examples of an ORAN network node include an Open Radio Unit (O-RU), an Open Distributed Unit (O-DU), an Open Central Unit (O-CU), including an O-CU Control Plane (O- CU-CP) or an O-CU User Plane (O-CU-UP), a RAN intelligent controller (near-real time or non- real time) hosting software or software plug-ins, such as a near-real time control application (e.g., xApp) or a non-real time control application (e.g., rApp), or any combination thereof (the adjective “open” designating support of an ORAN specification). The network node may support a specification by, for example, supporting an interface defined by the ORAN specification, such as an A1, F1, W1, E1, E2, X2, Xn interface, an open fronthaul user plane interface, or an open fronthaul management plane interface. Moreover, an ORAN access node may be a logical node in a physical node. Furthermore, an ORAN network node may be implemented in a virtualization environment (described further below) in which one or more network functions are virtualized. For example, the virtualization environment may include an O-Cloud computing platform orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface defined by the O-RAN Alliance or comparable technologies. The network nodes 610 facilitate direct or indirect connection of User Equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 612A, 612B, 612C, and 612D (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 612) to the core network 606 over one or more wireless connections.

[0143] Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 600 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 600 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0144] The UEs 612 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 610 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 610 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 612 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 602 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 602.

[0145] Note that the functionality of the network node or gNB described above may be implemented in any one of the network nodes 610, and the functionality of the UE described above may be implemented in any one of the UEs 612. In this regard, the network node 610 may be a multi-TRP network node (e.g., a gNB having multiple TRPs).

[0146] In the depicted example, the core network 606 connects the network nodes 610 to one or more hosts, such as host 616. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 606 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 608) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 608. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-Concealing Function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0147] The host 616 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 604 and / or the telecommunication network 602, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 616 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0148] As a whole, the communication system 600 of Figure 6 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system 600 may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable Second, Third, Fourth, or Fifth Generation (2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G) standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., Sixth Generation (6G)); Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the WorldwideInteroperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0149] In some examples, the telecommunication network 602 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunication network 602 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 602. For example, the telecommunication network 602 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) / massive Internet of Things (IoT) services to yet further UEs.

[0150] In some examples, the UEs 612 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 604 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 604. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of WiFi, New Radio (NR), and LTE, i.e. being configured for Multi-Radio Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial RAN (E-UTRAN) NR - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0151] In the example, a hub 614 communicates with the access network 604 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 612C and / or 612D) and network nodes (e.g., network node 610B). In some examples, the hub 614 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 614 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 606 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 614 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 610, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 614. As another example, the hub 614 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 614 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 614 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 614 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / orafter adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 614 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular if one or more of the UEs are low energy IoT devices.

[0152] The hub 614 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 610B. The hub 614 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 614 and UEs (e.g., UE 612C and / or 612D), and between the hub 614 and the core network 606. In other examples, the hub 614 is connected to the core network 606 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 614 may be configured to connect to a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) service provider over the access network 604 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 610 while still connected via the hub 614 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 614 may be a dedicated hub – that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to / from the UEs from / to the network node 610B. In other embodiments, the hub 614 may be a non-dedicated hub – that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and the network node 610B, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0153] Figure 7 shows a UE 700 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), wireless camera, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, Laptop Embedded Equipment (LEE), Laptop Mounted Equipment (LME), smart device, wireless Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), vehicle, vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3GPP, including a Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) UE, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0154] A UE may support Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), or Vehicle- to-Everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller).Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0155] The UE 700 includes processing circuitry 702 that is operatively coupled via a bus 704 to an input / output interface 706, a power source 708, memory 710, a communication interface 712, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 7. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0156] The processing circuitry 702 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 710. The processing circuitry 702 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 702 may include multiple Central Processing Units (CPUs).

[0157] In the example, the input / output interface 706 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 700. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

[0158] In some embodiments, the power source 708 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 708 may further include powercircuitry for delivering power from the power source 708 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 700 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 708. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 708 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 700 to which power is supplied.

[0159] The memory 710 may be or be configured to include memory such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable PROM (EPROM), Electrically EPROM (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 710 includes one or more application programs 714, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 716. The memory 710 may store, for use by the UE 700, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0160] The memory 710 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, High Density Digital Versatile Disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, Holographic Digital Data Storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM), Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as a tamper resistant module in the form of a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) including one or more Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs), such as a Universal SIM (USIM) and / or Internet Protocol Multimedia Services Identity Module (ISIM), other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as a ‘SIM card.’ The memory 710 may allow the UE 700 to access instructions, application programs, and the like stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system, may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 710, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0161] The processing circuitry 702 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 712. The communication interface 712 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 722. The communication interface 712 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a networknode in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 718 and / or a receiver 720 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 718 and receiver 720 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., the antenna 722) and may share circuit components, software, or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0162] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 712 may include cellular communication, WiFi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short- range communications such as Bluetooth, NFC, location-based communication such as the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, NR, UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Quick User Datagram Protocol Internet Connection (QUIC), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0163] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 712, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0164] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0165] A UE, when in the form of an IoT device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application, and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an IoT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a television, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smartspeaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or VR, a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an IoT device comprises circuitry and / or software in dependence of the intended application of the IoT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 700 shown in Figure 7.

[0166] As yet another specific example, in an IoT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship, an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0167] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and / or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0168] Figure 8 shows a network node 800 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, APs (e.g., radio APs), Base Stations (BSs) (e.g., radio BSs, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs), NR Node Bs (gNBs)), and O-RAN nodes or components of an O-RAN node (e.g., O-RU, O-DU, O-CU).

[0169] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units, distributed units (e.g., in an O-RAN access node), and / or Remote Radio Units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such RRUs may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS).

[0170] Other examples of network nodes include multiple Transmission Point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, Multi-Standard Radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) or BS Controllers (BSCs), Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, Multi-Cell / Multicast Coordination Entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

[0171] The network node 800 includes processing circuitry 802, memory 804, a communication interface 806, and a power source 808. The network node 800 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and an RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 800 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 800 may be configured to support multiple RATs. In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 804 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 810 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 800 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 800, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within the network node 800.

[0172] The processing circuitry 802 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, CPU, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software, and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 800 components, such as the memory 804, to provide network node 800 functionality.

[0173] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 802 includes a System on a Chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 802 includes one or more of Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 812 and baseband processing circuitry 814. In some embodiments, the RF transceiver circuitry 812 and the baseband processing circuitry 814 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of the RF transceiver circuitry 812 and the baseband processing circuitry 814 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0174] The memory 804 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, RAM, ROM, mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD), or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable, and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 802. The memory 804 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 802 and utilized by the network node 800. The memory 804 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 802 and / or any data received via the communication interface 806. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 802 and the memory 804 are integrated.

[0175] The communication interface 806 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between a network node, access network, and / or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 806 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 816 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 806 also includes radio front-end circuitry 818 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 810. The radio front-end circuitry 818 comprises filters 820 and amplifiers 822. The radio front-end circuitry 818 may be connected to the antenna 810 and the processing circuitry 802. The radio front-end circuitry 818 may be configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna 810 and the processing circuitry 802. The radio front-end circuitry 818 mayreceive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 818 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of the filters 820 and / or the amplifiers 822. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 810. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 810 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 818. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 802. In other embodiments, the communication interface 806 may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0176] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 800 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 818; instead, the processing circuitry 802 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 810. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 812 is part of the communication interface 806. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 806 includes the one or more ports or terminals 816, the radio front-end circuitry 818, and the RF transceiver circuitry 812 as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 806 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 814, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0177] The antenna 810 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 810 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 818 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 810 is separate from the network node 800 and connectable to the network node 800 through an interface or port.

[0178] The antenna 810, the communication interface 806, and / or the processing circuitry 802 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node 800. Any information, data, and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 810, the communication interface 806, and / or the processing circuitry 802 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node 800. Any information, data, and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node, and / or any other network equipment.

[0179] The power source 808 provides power to the various components of the network node 800 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 808 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 800 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 800 may beconnectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid or an electricity outlet) via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 808. As a further example, the power source 808 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

[0180] Embodiments of the network node 800 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 8 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 800 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 800 and to allow output of information from the network node 800. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 800.

[0181] Figure 9 is a block diagram of a host 900, which may be an embodiment of the host 616 of Figure 6, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 900 may be or comprise various combinations of hardware and / or software including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 900 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0182] The host 900 includes processing circuitry 902 that is operatively coupled via a bus 904 to an input / output interface 906, a network interface 908, a power source 910, and memory 912. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 7 and 8, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the host 900.

[0183] The memory 912 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 914 and data 916, which may include user data, e.g. data generated by a UE for the host 900 or data generated by the host 900 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 900 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 914 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers,wearable display systems, and heads-up display systems). The host application programs 914 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 900 may select and / or indicate a different host for Over-The-Top (OTT) services for a UE. The host application programs 914 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH or MPEG-DASH), etc.

[0184] Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 1000 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices, and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 1000 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized. In some embodiments, the virtualization environment 1000 includes components defined by the O-RAN Alliance, such as an O-Cloud environment orchestrated by a Service Management and Orchestration Framework via an O-2 interface.

[0185] Applications 1002 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment 1000 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0186] Hardware 1004 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input / output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 1006 (also referred to as hypervisors or VM Monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 1008A and 1008B (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 1008), and / or perform any of the functions, features, and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. Thevirtualization layer 1006 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 1008.

[0187] The VMs 1008 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking, or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 1006. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 1002 may be implemented on one or more of the VMs 1008, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as Network Function Virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers and customer premise equipment.

[0188] In the context of NFV, a VM 1008 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 1008, and that part of the hardware 1004 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs 1008, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 1008 on top of the hardware 1004 and corresponds to the application 1002.

[0189] The hardware 1004 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. The hardware 1004 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, the hardware 1004 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g., such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 1010, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of the applications 1002. In some embodiments, the hardware 1004 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a RAN or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 1012 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0190] Figure 11 shows a communication diagram of a host 1102 communicating via a network node 1104 with a UE 1106 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as the UE 612A of Figure 6 and / or the UE 700 of Figure 7), the network node (such as the network node 610A of Figure 6 and / or the network node 800 of Figure 8), and the host (such asthe host 616 of Figure 6 and / or the host 900 of Figure 9) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 11.

[0191] Like the host 900, embodiments of the host 1102 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 1102 also includes software, which is stored in or is accessible by the host 1102 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 1106 connecting via an OTT connection 1150 extending between the UE 1106 and the host 1102. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1150.

[0192] The network node 1104 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 1102 and the UE 1106. The connection 1160 may be direct or pass through a core network (like the core network 606 of Figure 6) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0193] The UE 1106 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 1106 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 1106 with the support of the host 1102. In the host 1102, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 1150 terminating at the UE 1106 and the host 1102. In providing the service to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1150 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT connection 1150.

[0194] The OTT connection 1150 may extend via the connection 1160 between the host 1102 and the network node 1104 and via a wireless connection 1170 between the network node 1104 and the UE 1106 to provide the connection between the host 1102 and the UE 1106. The connection 1160 and the wireless connection 1170, over which the OTT connection 1150 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 1102 and the UE 1106 via the network node 1104, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.

[0195] As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 1150, in step 1108, the host 1102 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In someembodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 1106. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 1106 that shares data with the host 1102 without explicit human interaction. In step 1110, the host 1102 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 1106. The host 1102 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 1106. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 1106 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 1106. The transmission may pass via the network node 1104 in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 1112, the network node 1104 transmits to the UE 1106 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 1102 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1114, the UE 1106 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 1106 associated with the host application executed by the host 1102.

[0196] In some examples, the UE 1106 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 1102. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 1102. Accordingly, in step 1116, the UE 1106 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input / output interface of the UE 1106. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE 1106 initiates, in step 1118, transmission of the user data towards the host 1102 via the network node 1104. In step 1120, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 1104 receives user data from the UE 1106 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 1102. In step 1122, the host 1102 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 1106.

[0197] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1106 using the OTT connection 1150, in which the wireless connection 1170 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve, e.g., data rate, latency, and / or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as, e.g., reduced user waiting time, related restriction on file size, improved content resolution, better responsiveness, and / or extended battery lifetime.

[0198] In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 1102. As another example, the host 1102 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 1102 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controllingtraffic lights). As another example, the host 1102 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, the host 1102 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR, or AR which it can broadcast, multicast, or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 1102 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing, and / or transmitting data.

[0199] In some examples, a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1150 between the host 1102 and the UE 1106 in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and / or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1150 may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 1102 and / or the UE 1106. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 1150 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or by supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1150 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 1104. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like by the host 1102. The measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1150 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.

[0200] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions, and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining, or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on theobtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box or nested within multiple boxes, in practice computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0201] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer- readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hardwired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole and / or by end users and a wireless network generally.

[0202] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.

[0203] Some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows:

[0204] EMBODIMENTS

[0205] Group A Embodiments

[0206] Embodiment 1: A method performed by a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising any one or more of the following: receiving a first signaling from a network nodeproviding information on a number ^^ᇱ ^ 1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be includedin a CSI; receiving a second signaling from the network node providing information on a maximum number ^^௩of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicatesone of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1, and a second maximum numberof FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ^ 1; computing the CSI according to the received first signaling andsecond signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes ^^ᇱSD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to ^^௩; and reporting ( the computed CSI to the network node.

[0207] Embodiment 2: The method of

[0206] , wherein the UE receives from the network node a third signaling of a total maximum number S of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI, where the computing and reporting of the CSI are according to the first, the second, and the third signaling.

[0208] Embodiment 3: The method of embodiment

[0206] , wherein the PMI further includes a set of coefficients each associated with one of the S' SD basis vectors and one of the determined number of FD basis vectors.

[0209] Embodiment 4: The method of any of embodiments

[0206] and 3, wherein each of theset of coefficients comprises an amplitude and a phase when ^^ᇱ ^ 1.

[0210] Embodiment 5: The method of any of embodiments

[0206] and 3, wherein each of theset of coefficients comprises a phase when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1.

[0211] Embodiment 6: The method of any of embodiments

[0206] and 3-5, wherein themaximum number of coefficients in the set for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩.

[0212] Embodiment 7: The method of embodiment 6, wherein the maximum number ofcoefficients in the set that are reported in the CSI for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^௩ െ 1, wherein thestrongest coefficient in the CSI for the spatial layer is not reported.

[0213] Embodiment 8: The method of any of embodiments 1-5, wherein the maximumnumber of coefficients in the set over all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … ,^^ is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩.

[0214] Embodiment 9: The method of embodiment 8, wherein the maximum number ofcoefficients in the set that are reported in the CSI over all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … ,^^, is 2 ∙min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^, wherein the strongest coefficients in the CSI for all spatial layers are notreported.

[0215] Embodiment 10: The method of any of embodiments

[0206] to 9, wherein the exact number of coefficients that are reported in the CSI are determined as ^^ times the maximum numberof coefficients in the set wherein ^^ ^ 1.

[0216] Embodiment 11:The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host via the transmission to the network node.

[0217] Group B Embodiments

[0218] Embodiment 12: A method performed by a network node, the method comprising one or more of the following: transmitting (200) to a user equipment (UE) a first signaling providinginformation on a number of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI transmitting (202) to the UE a second signaling providing information on a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’=1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’>1; receiving (204) a CSI report computed by the UE according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to Mν.

[0219] Group C Embodiments

[0220] Embodiment 13: A user equipment comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

[0221] Embodiment 14: A network node comprising processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

[0222] Embodiment 14: A user equipment (UE) comprising an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals, radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments, an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry, an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry, and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

[0223] Embodiment 15: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data, and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a network node in a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of any of the Group B embodiments to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

[0224] Embodiment 16: The host of the previous embodiment, wherein the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application that provides the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to receive the transmission of user data from the host.

[0225] Embodiment 17: A method implemented in a host configured to operate in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising providing user data for the UE, and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the network node, wherein the network node performs any of the operations of any of the Group B embodiments to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

[0226] Embodiment 18: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the network node, transmitting the user data provided by the host for the UE.

[0227] Embodiment 19: The method of any of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host by executing a host application that interacts with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0228] Embodiment 20: A communication system configured to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the communication system comprising, a host comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data for a user equipment (UE), the user data being associated with the over-the-top service, and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data toward a cellular network node for transmission to the UE, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of any of the Group B embodiments to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

[0229] Embodiment 21: The communication system of the previous embodiment, further comprising the network node and / or the UE.

[0230] Embodiment 22: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising processing circuitry configured to initiate receipt of user data, and a network interface configured to receive the user data from a network node in a cellular network, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of any of the Group B embodiments to receive the user data from a user equipment (UE) for the host.

[0231] Embodiment 23: The host of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application that receives the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0232] Embodiment 24: The host of the any of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the initiating receipt of the user data comprises requesting the user data.

[0233] Embodiment 25: A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, initiating receipt of user data from the UE, the user data originating from a transmission which the network node has received from the UE, wherein the network node performs any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments to receive the user data from the UE for the host.

[0234] Embodiment 26: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the network node, transmitting the received user data to the host.

[0235] Embodiment 27: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any of the operations of any of the Group A embodiments to receive the user data from the host.

[0236] Embodiment 28: The host of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to transmit the user data to the UE from the host.

[0237] Embodiment 29: The host of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0238] Embodiment 30: A method implemented by a host operating in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data for the UE; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the network node, wherein the UE performs any of the operations of any of the Group A embodiments to receive the user data from the host.

[0239] Embodiment 31: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executing on the UE to receive the user data from the host application.

[0240] Embodiment 32: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising: at the host, transmitting input data to the client application executing on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein the user data is provided by the client application in response to the input data from the host application.

[0241] Embodiment 33: A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments to transmit the user data to the host.

[0242] Embodiment 34: The host of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to transmit the user data from the UE to the host.

[0243] Embodiment 35: The host of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

[0244] Embodiment 36: A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, receiving user data transmitted to the host via the network node by the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments to transmit the user data to the host.

[0245] Embodiment 37: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executing on the UE to receive the user data from the UE.

[0246] Embodiment 38: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising: at the host, transmitting input data to the client application executing on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein the user data is provided by the client application in response to the input data from the host application.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method performed by a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising any one or more of the following: receiving (100) a first signaling from a network node providing information on a number^^ᇱ ^ 1 of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI;receiving (102) a second signaling from the network node providing information on a maximum number ^^௩of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signalingindicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1, and a secondmaximum number of FD basis vectors when ^^ᇱ ^ 1;computing (104) the CSI according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes ^^ᇱSD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to ^^௩; and reporting (106) the computed CSI to the network node.

2. The method of claim [0206], wherein the UE receives from the network node a third signaling of a total maximum number S of distinct SD basis vectors to be included in the CSI, where the computing and reporting of the CSI are according to the first, the second, and the third signaling.

3. The method of claim [0206], wherein the PMI further includes a set of coefficients each associated with one of the S' SD basis vectors and one of the determined number of FD basis vectors.

4. The method of any of claims [0206] and 3, wherein each of the set of coefficientscomprises an amplitude and a phase when ^^ᇱ ^ 1.

5. The method of any of claims [0206] and 3, wherein each of the set of coefficientscomprises a phase when ^^ᇱ ൌ 1.

6. The method of any of claims [0206] and 3-5, wherein the maximum number ofcoefficients in the set for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^′ ∙ ^^௩.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set that arereported in the CSI for a spatial layer is 2 ∙ ^^ᇱ ∙ ^^௩ െ 1, wherein the strongest coefficient in theCSI for the spatial layer is not reported.

8. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the setover all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … , ^^ is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the maximum number of coefficients in the set that arereported in the CSI over all spatial layers ^^ ൌ 1,2, … , ^^, is 2 ∙ min ^^^ ∙ ^^ᇱ, ^^^ ∙ ^^௩ െ ^^, whereinthe strongest coefficients in the CSI for all spatial layers are not reported.

10. The method of any of claims [0206] to 9, wherein the exact number of coefficients that are reported in the CSI are determined as ^^ times the maximum number of coefficients in the setwherein ^^ ^ 1.

11. The method of any of the previous claims, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host via the transmission to the network node.

12. A method performed by a network node, the method comprising one or more of the following: transmitting (200) to a user equipment (UE) a first signaling providing information on a number of SD basis vectors for each spatial layer to be included in a CSI transmitting (202) to the UE a second signaling providing information on a maximum number of FD basis vectors to be included in the CSI wherein the second signaling indicates one of a first maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’=1, and a second maximum number of FD basis vectors when S’>1; receiving (204) a CSI report computed by the UE according to the received first signaling and second signaling, wherein a PMI within the CSI includes SD basis vectors and a determined number of FD basis vectors smaller or equal to Mν.

13. A user equipment comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of Claims 1-11; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

14. A network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of claim 12; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

15. A user equipment (UE) comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of Claims 1- 11; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

16. A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a network node in a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of claim 12 to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

17. The host of the previous claim, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application that provides the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to receive the transmission of user data from the host.

18. A method implemented in a host configured to operate in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: providing user data for the UE; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the network node, wherein the network node performs any of the operations of claim 12 to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

19. The method of the previous claim, further comprising, at the network node, transmitting the user data provided by the host for the UE.

20. The method of any of the previous 2 claims, wherein the user data is provided at the host by executing a host application that interacts with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

21. A communication system configured to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the communication system comprising: a host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data for a user equipment (UE), the user data being associated with the over-the-top service; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data toward a cellular network node for transmission to the UE, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of claim 12 to transmit the user data from the host to the UE.

22. The communication system of the previous claim, further comprising: the network node; and / or the UE.

23. A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to initiate receipt of user data; and a network interface configured to receive the user data from a network node in a cellular network, the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry, the processing circuitry of the network node configured to perform any of the operations of claim 12 to receive the user data from a user equipment (UE) for the host.

24. The host of the previous 2 claims, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application that receives the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE,the client application being associated with the host application.

25. The host of the any of the previous 2 claims, wherein the initiating receipt of the user data comprises requesting the user data.

26. A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, initiating receipt of user data from the UE, the user data originating from a transmission which the network node has received from the UE, wherein the network node performs any of the steps of claim 12 to receive the user data from the UE for the host.

27. The method of the previous claim, further comprising at the network node, transmitting the received user data to the host.

28. A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any of the operations of any of Claims 1-11 to receive the user data from the host.

29. The host of the previous claim, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to transmit the user data to the UE from the host.

30. The host of the previous 2 claims, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

31. A method implemented by a host operating in a communication system that further includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:providing user data for the UE; and initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the network node, wherein the UE performs any of the operations of any of Claims 1-11 to receive the user data from the host.

32. The method of the previous claim, further comprising: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executing on the UE to receive the user data from the host application.

33. The method of the previous claim, further comprising: at the host, transmitting input data to the client application executing on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein the user data is provided by the client application in response to the input data from the host application.

34. A host configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service, the host comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a network interface configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE), wherein the UE comprises a communication interface and processing circuitry, the communication interface and processing circuitry of the UE being configured to perform any of the steps of any of Claims 1-11 to transmit the user data to the host.

35. The host of the previous claim, wherein the cellular network further includes a network node configured to communicate with the UE to transmit the user data from the UE to the host.

36. The host of the previous 2 claims, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the host application is configured to interact with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application.

37. A method implemented by a host configured to operate in a communication system thatfurther includes a network node and a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: at the host, receiving user data transmitted to the host via the network node by the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of Claims 1-11 to transmit the user data to the host.

38. The method of the previous claim, further comprising: at the host, executing a host application associated with a client application executing on the UE to receive the user data from the UE.

39. The method of the previous 2 claims, further comprising: at the host, transmitting input data to the client application executing on the UE, the input data being provided by executing the host application, wherein the user data is provided by the client application in response to the input data from the host application.

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