Methods, communications devices, and infrastructure equipment

Abstract

A method of operating a communications device configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission is provided. The method comprises determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and transmitting, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements. Here, the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

Description

[0001] METHODS, COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] Field of Disclosure

[0004] The present disclosure relates to communications devices, infrastructure equipment, and methods for the more efficient and effective transmission of data in a wireless communications network.

[0005] The present applications claims the Paris Convention priority from European patent application number EP24193607.9, filed on 8 August 2024, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0006] Description of Related Art

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

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

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

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

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0012] The present disclosure can help address or mitigate at least some of the issues discussed above.

[0013] Embodiments of the present technique can provide a method of operating a communications device configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission. The method comprises determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and transmitting, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements. Here, the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0014] Such embodiments of the present technique, which, in addition to methods of operating communications devices, relate to methods of operating infrastructure equipment, to communications devices and infrastructure equipment, to circuitry for communications devices and infrastructure equipment, to wireless communications systems, to computer programs, and to computer-readable storage mediums, can allow for the more efficient and effective transmission of uplink signals by a communications device.

[0015] Respective aspects and features of the present disclosure are defined in the appended claims.

[0016] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the present technology. The described embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 schematically represents some aspects of an LTE-type wireless telecommunication system which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2 schematically represents some aspects of a new radio access technology (RAT) wireless telecommunications system which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of an example infrastructure equipment and communications device which may be configured to operate in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 4 schematically represents a first example of non-overlapping subbands for uplink and downlink transmissions for subband full duplex (SBFD);

[0022] Figure 5 schematically represents second and third examples of non-overlapping subbands for uplink and downlink transmissions for SBFD;

[0023] Figure 6 schematically illustrates an example of intra-cell cross link interference;

[0024] Figure 7 illustrates an example of transmission power leakage;

[0025] Figure 8 illustrates an example of receiver power selectivity;

[0026] Figure 9 illustrates an example of inter sub-band interference;

[0027] Figure 10 illustrates an example of intra sub-band interference;

[0028] Figure 11 illustrates an example of uplink resource muting for gNB reference signal (RS) measurements; Figure 12 shows a part schematic, part message flow diagram representation of an example wireless communications system comprising a communications device and an infrastructure equipment in accordance with embodiments of the present technique; and

[0029] Figure 13 shows a flow diagram illustrating an example process of communications in a communications system in accordance with embodiments of the present technique.

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Long Term Evolution Advanced Radio Access Technology (4G)

[0032] Figure 1 provides a schematic diagram illustrating some basic functionality of a mobile telecommunications network / system 6 operating generally in accordance with LTE principles, but which may also support other radio access technologies, and which may be adapted to implement embodiments of the disclosure as described herein. Various elements of Figure 1 and certain aspects of their respective modes of operation are well-known and defined in the relevant standards administered by the 3GPP (RTM) body, and also described in many books on the subject, for example, Holma H. and Toskala A [1], It will be appreciated that operational aspects of the telecommunications networks discussed herein which are not specifically described (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be implemented in accordance with any known techniques, for example according to the relevant standards and known proposed modifications and additions to the relevant standards.

[0033] The network 6 includes a plurality of base stations 1 connected to a core network 2. Each base station provides a coverage area 3 (i.e. a cell) within which data can be communicated to and from communications devices 4. Although each base station 1 is shown in Figure 1 as a single entity, the skilled person will appreciate that some of the functions of the base station may be carried out by disparate, inter-connected elements, such as antennas (or antennae), remote radio heads, amplifiers, etc. Collectively, one or more base stations may form a radio access network.

[0034] Data is transmitted from base stations 1 to communications devices 4 within their respective coverage areas 3 via a radio downlink (DL). Data is transmitted from communications devices 4 to the base stations 1 via a radio uplink (UL). The core network 2 routes data to and from the communications devices 4 via the respective base stations 1 and provides functions such as authentication, mobility management, charging and so on. Communications devices may also be referred to as mobile stations, user equipment (UEs), user terminals, mobile radios, mobile terminals, terminal devices, wireless transmit and receive units (WTRUs), and so forth. Services provided by the core network 2 may include connectivity to the internet or to external telephony services. The core network 2 may further track the location of the communications devices 4 so that it can efficiently contact (i.e. page) the communications devices 4 for transmitting downlink data towards the communications devices 4.

[0035] Base stations, which are an example of network infrastructure equipment, may also be referred to as transceiver stations, nodeBs, e-nodeBs, eNB, g-nodeBs, gNB and so forth. In this regard different terminology is often associated with different generations of wireless telecommunications systems for elements providing broadly comparable functionality. However, certain embodiments of the disclosure may be equally implemented in different generations of wireless telecommunications systems, and for simplicity certain terminology may be used regardless of the underlying network architecture. That is to say, the use of a specific term in relation to certain example implementations is not intended to indicate these implementations are limited to a certain generation of network that may be most associated with that particular terminology.

[0036] New Radio Access Technology (5G)

[0037] Systems incorporating NR technology are expected to support different services (or types of services), which may be characterised by different requirements for latency, data rate and / or reliability. For example, Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services are characterised by high capacity with a requirement to support up to 20 Gb / s. The requirements for Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) services are for one transmission of a 32 byte packet to be transmitted from the radio protocol layer 2 / 3 SDU ingress point to the radio protocol layer 2 / 3 SDU egress point of the radio interface within 1 ms with a reliability of 1 - 10'5(99.999 %) or higher (99.9999%) [2],

[0038] Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) is another example of a service which may be supported by NR-based communications networks. In addition, systems may be expected to support further enhancements related to Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in order to support services with new requirements of high availability, high reliability, low latency, and in some cases, high-accuracy positioning.

[0039] An example configuration of a wireless communications network which uses some of the terminology proposed for and used in NR and 5G is shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2 a plurality of transmission and reception points (TRPs) 10 are connected to distributed control units (DUs) 41, 42 by a connection interface represented as a line 16. Each of the TRPs 10 is arranged to transmit and receive signals via a wireless access interface within a radio frequency bandwidth available to the wireless communications network. Thus, within a range for performing radio communications via the wireless access interface, each of the TRPs 10, forms a cell of the wireless communications network as represented by a circle 12. As such, wireless communications devices 14 which are within a radio communications range provided by the cells 12 can transmit and receive signals to and from the TRPs 10 via the wireless access interface. Each of the distributed units 41, 42 are connected to a central unit (CU) 40 (which may be referred to as a controlling node) via an interface 46. The central unit 40 is then connected to the core network 20 which may contain all other functions required to transmit data for communicating to and from the wireless communications devices and the core network 20 may be connected to other networks 25.

[0040] The elements of the wireless access network shown in Figure 2 may operate in a similar way to corresponding elements of an LTE network as described with regard to the example of Figure 1. It will be appreciated that operational aspects of the telecommunications network represented in Figure 2, and of other networks discussed herein in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, which are not specifically described (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be implemented in accordance with any known techniques, for example according to currently used approaches for implementing such operational aspects of wireless telecommunications systems, e.g. in accordance with the relevant standards.

[0041] The TRPs 10 of Figure 2 may in part have a corresponding functionality to a base station or eNodeB of an LTE network. Similarly, the communications devices 14 may have a functionality corresponding to the UE devices 4 known for operation with an LTE network. It will be appreciated therefore that operational aspects of a new RAT network (for example in relation to specific communication protocols and physical channels for communicating between different elements) may be different to those known from LTE or other known mobile telecommunications standards. However, it will also be appreciated that each of the core network component, base stations and communications devices of a new RAT network will be functionally similar to, respectively, the core network component, base stations and communications devices of an LTE wireless communications network.

[0042] In terms of broad top-level functionality, the core network 20 connected to the new RAT telecommunications system represented in Figure 2 may be broadly considered to correspond with the core network 2 represented in Figure 1, and the respective central units 40 and their associated distributed units / TRPs 10 may be broadly considered to provide functionality corresponding to the base stations 1 of Figure 1. The term network infrastructure equipment / access node may be used to encompass these elements and more conventional base station type elements of wireless telecommunications systems. Depending on the application at hand the responsibility for scheduling transmissions which are scheduled on the radio interface between the respective distributed units and the communications devices may lie with the controlling node / central unit and / or the distributed units / TRPs. A communications device 14 is represented in Figure 2 within the coverage area of the first communication cell 12. This communications device 14 may thus exchange signalling with the first central unit 40 in the first communication cell 12 via one of the distributed units / TRPs 10 associated with the first communication cell 12.

[0043] It will further be appreciated that Figure 2 represents merely one example of a proposed architecture for a new RAT based telecommunications system in which approaches in accordance with the principles described herein may be adopted, and the functionality disclosed herein may also be applied in respect of wireless telecommunications systems having different architectures.

[0044] Thus, certain embodiments of the disclosure as discussed herein may be implemented in wireless telecommunication systems / networks according to various different architectures, such as the example architectures shown in Figures 1 and 2. It will thus be appreciated the specific wireless telecommunications architecture in any given implementation is not of primary significance to the principles described herein. In this regard, certain embodiments of the disclosure may be described generally in the context of communications between network infrastructure equipment / access nodes and a communications device, wherein the specific nature of the network infrastructure equipment / access node and the communications device will depend on the network infrastructure for the implementation at hand. For example, in some scenarios the network infrastructure equipment / access node may comprise a base station, such as an LTE-type base station 1 as shown in Figure 1 which is adapted to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein, and in other examples the network infrastructure equipment may comprise a control unit / controlling node 40 and / or a TRP 10 of the kind shown in Figure 2 which is adapted to provide functionality in accordance with the principles described herein.

[0045] A more detailed diagram of some of the components of the network shown in Figure 2 is provided by Figure 3. In Figure 3, a TRP 10 as shown in Figure 2 comprises, as a simplified representation, a wireless transmitter 30, a wireless receiver 32 and a controller or controlling processor 34 which may operate to control the transmitter 30 and the wireless receiver 32 to transmit and receive radio signals to one or more UEs 14 within a cell 12 formed by the TRP 10. As shown in Figure 3, an example UE 14 is shown to include a corresponding transmitter 49, a receiver 48 and a controller 44 which is configured to control the transmitter 49 and the receiver 48 to transmit signals representing uplink data to the wireless communications network via the wireless access interface formed by the TRP 10 and to receive downlink data as signals transmitted by the transmitter 30 and received by the receiver 48 in accordance with the conventional operation.

[0046] The transmitters 30, 49 and the receivers 32, 48 (as well as other transmitters, receivers and transceivers described in relation to examples and embodiments of the present disclosure) may include radio frequency filters and amplifiers as well as signal processing components and devices in order to transmit and receive radio signals in accordance for example with the 5G / NR standard. The controllers 34, 44 (as well as other controllers described in relation to examples and embodiments of the present disclosure) may be, for example, a microprocessor, a CPU, or a dedicated chipset, etc., configured to carry out instructions which are stored on a computer readable medium, such as a non-volatile memory. The processing steps described herein may be carried out by, for example, a microprocessor in conjunction with a random access memory, operating according to instructions stored on a computer readable medium. The transmitters, the receivers and the controllers are schematically shown in Figure 3 as separate elements for ease of representation. However, it will be appreciated that the functionality of these elements can be provided in various different ways, for example using one or more suitably programmed programmable computer(s), or one or more suitably configured application-specific integrated circuit(s) / circuitry / chip(s) / chipset(s). As will be appreciated the infrastructure equipment / TRP / base station as well as the UE / communications device will in general comprise various other elements associated with its operating functionality.

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, the TRP 10 also includes a network interface 50 which connects to the DU 42 via a physical interface 16. The network interface 50 therefore provides a communication link for data and signalling traffic from the TRP 10 via the DU 42 and the CU 40 to the core network 20.

[0048] The interface 46 between the DU 42 and the CU 40 is known as the F 1 interface which can be a physical or a logical interface. The Fl interface 46 between CU and DU may operate in accordance with specifications 3GPP TS 38.470 and 3GPP TS 38.473, and may be formed from a fibre optic or other wired or wireless high bandwidth connection. In one example the connection 16 from the TRP 10 to the DU 42 is via fibre optic. The connection between a TRP 10 and the core network 20 can be generally referred to as a backhaul, which comprises the interface 16 from the network interface 50 of the TRP 10 to the DU 42 and the Fl interface 46 from the DU 42 to the CU 40. In order for a UE such as UE 4 or 14 to transmit uplink data to the network (e.g. on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)) to, for example, base station 1 or TRP 10, the UE must first ensure it is synchronised with the network on the uplink. Since a particular eNB or gNB expects to be receiving communications from many UEs, it needs to ensure that it shares a common timing understanding with each of these UEs (i.e. they are synchronised in terms of the starting times of frames and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols). This is so that the eNB is able to schedule communication with each of them in a manner that avoids collisions and to ensure orthogonality of the uplink signals, such that inter-subcarrier interference is avoided or mitigated.

[0049] Although reference is made to 5G networks, the discussions in this specification apply equally to 6G networks (and beyond) where there is expected to be significantly higher throughput, lower latency and higher reliability utilising sub-THz frequencies.

[0050] Full Duplex Time Division Duplex (FD-TDD)

[0051] NR / 5G networks can operate using Time Division Duplex (TDD), where an entire frequency band or carrier is switched to either downlink or uplink transmissions for a time period and can be switched to the other of downlink or uplink transmissions at a later time period. Currently, TDD operates in Half Duplex mode (HD-TDD) where the gNB or UE can, at a given time, either transmit or receive packets, but not both at the same time. As wireless networks transition from NR to 5G- Advanced networks, a proposed new feature of such networks is to enhance duplexing operation for Time Division Duplex (TDD) by enabling Full Duplex operation in TDD (FD-TDD) [3], [4],

[0052] In FD-TDD, a gNB can transmit and receive data to and from the UEs at the same time on the same frequency band. In addition, a UE can operate either in HD-TDD or FD-TDD mode, depending on its capability. For example, when UEs are only capable of supporting HD-TDD, FD-TDD is achieved at the gNB by scheduling a DL transmission to a first UE and scheduling an UL transmission from a second UE within the same OFDM symbol (i.e. at the same time). Conversely, when UEs are capable of supporting FD-TDD, FD-TDD is achieved both at the gNB and the UE, where the gNB can simultaneously schedule this UE with DL and UL transmissions within the same OFDM symbol by scheduling the DL and UL transmissions at different frequencies (e.g. physical resource blocks (PRBs)) of the system bandwidth. A UE supporting FD-TDD requires more complex hardware than a UE that only supports HD-TDD. Development of current 5G networks is focused primarily on enabling FD-TDD at the gNB with UEs operating in HD-TDD mode.

[0053] Motivations for enhancing duplexing operation for TDD include an improvement in system capacity, reduced latency, and improved uplink coverage. For example, in current HD-TDD systems, OFDM symbols are allocated only for either a DL or UL direction in a semi-static manner. Hence, if one direction experiences less or no data, the spare resources cannot be used in the other direction, or are, at best, under-utilised. However, if resources can be used for DL data and UL data (as in FD-TDD) at the same time, the resource utilisation in the system can be improved. Furthermore, in current HD-TDD systems, a UE can receive DL data, but cannot transmit UL data at the same time, which causes delays. If a gNB or UE is allowed to transmit and receive data at the same time (as with FD-TDD), the traffic latency will be improved. In addition, UEs are usually coverage limited in their UL transmissions when located close to the edge of a cell. While the UE coverage at the cell-edge can be improved if more time domain resources are assigned to UL transmissions (e.g. repetitions), for HD-TDD systems, if the UL direction is assigned more time resources, fewer time resources can be assigned to the DL direction, which can lead to system imbalance. In contrast, in FD-TDD, continuous UL resources can be assigned for repetition opportunities whilst allowing DL traffic to occur in those resources, thereby UL enhancing coverage without causing system imbalance.

[0054] A Rel-19 Work Item (WI) [5] on Duplex Evolution is therefore agreed to specify the requirements for FD-TDD, which is revised in [6], In Rel-19 Duplex Evolution, FD-TDD is performed at the gNB, where the gNB can transmit and receive data / signals to / from the UEs at the same time on the same frequency band, whilst the UE is maintained as HD-TDD. That is, full duplex TDD is achieved at the gNB by scheduling a UE in the DL and scheduling another UE in the UL within the same OFDM symbol. One of the objectives of the Rel-19 Duplex Evolution WI [5], [6] is to support RACH operation in Subband Full Duplex (SBFD) OFDM symbols.

[0055] Subband Full Duplex (SBFD)

[0056] In SBFD, the frequency resource of a TDD system bandwidth or Bandwidth Part (BWP) (i.e. at the UE / gNB) is divided into two or more non-overlapping subbands, where each subband can be DL or UL [7], Guard subbands may be used between DL and UL subbands to reduce inter subband interference. In the current 5G system, only one UL subband can be configured in an OFDM symbol.

[0057] An example is shown in Figure 4, where simultaneous DL and UL transmissions occur in three different non-overlapping subbands 61 to 63, i.e. in different sets of frequency Resource Blocks (RB): Subband# 1 61, Subband#2 62, Subband#3 63. The example of Figure 4 is referred to as {DUD}, because two subbands, Subband# 1 61 and Subband#3 63, are used for DL transmissions whilst one subband, Subband#2 62, is used for UL transmissions. To reduce leakage from one subband 61 to 63 to another, a guard subband 64 may be configured between UL and DL subbands 61 to 63. Guard subbands 64 are configured between DL Subband#3 63 and UL Subband#2 62 and between UL Subband#2 62 and DL Subband# 1 61.

[0058] Figure 5 shows two further examples with a DL and UL subband separated by a guard subband, where here, the UL subband can be configured to occupy the lower frequency portion of the BWP whilst the DL subband occupies higher frequency portion of the BWP {UD} or the UL subband occupies the higher frequency portion of the BWP whilst the DL subband occupies lower frequency portion of the BWP {DU}. Here, on the left-side of Figure 5, an UL subband# 1 71 is separated from a DL subband#2 73 by a guard subband 72 - this subband arrangement is referred to as {UD}. In this case, the DL subband#2 73 occupies a higher frequency portion of the system bandwidth than the UL subband# 1 71. On the rightside of Figure 5, a DL subband# 1 81 is separated from an UL subband#2 83 by a guard subband 82 - this subband arrangement is referred to as {DU} . In this case, the UL subband#2 83 occupies a higher frequency portion of the system bandwidth than the DL subband# 1 81.

[0059] While Figures 4 and 5 show the system bandwidth as being divided into either two or three subbands, those skilled in the art would appreciate that the concept of SBFD may (in further releases of the 3GPP specifications, for example) be extended such that any number of subbands could be used, if deemed beneficial. For example, the system bandwidth may be divided into four subbands, which may, using the example of Figure 4, include the two downlink subbands 61, 63, the uplink subband 62 and another uplink subband, though other subband arrangements are envisioned. Guard subbands may be used in substantially any subband arrangement.

[0060] Intra-Cell Cross Link Interference (CLI)

[0061] FD-TDD employing SBFD suffers from intra-cell cross link interference (CLI) at the gNB and at the UE. An example is shown in Figure 6, where a gNB 610 is capable of FD-TDD and is simultaneously receiving UL transmission 631 from UE1 621 and transmitting a DL transmission 642 to UE2 622. At the gNB 610, intra-cell CLI is caused by the DL transmission 642 at the gNB’s transmitter self-interfering 641 with its own receiver that is trying to decode UL signals 631. At UE2 622, intra-cell CLI 632 is caused by an aggressor UE, e.g. UE1 621, transmitting in the UL 631, whilst a victim UE, e.g. UE2 622, is receiving a DL signal 642.

[0062] The intra-cell CLI at the gNB due to self-interference can be significant, as the DL transmission can in some cases be over 100 dB more powerful than the UL reception. Accordingly, complex RF hardware and interference cancellation are required to isolate this self-interference. As noted above, guard bands may be inserted between two sub-bands of different link directions as shown in Figures 4 and 5 and described above. Furthermore, separate antenna panels may be used for transmissions and receptions at the gNB to provide spatial isolation between the DL and UL thereby reducing gNB self-interference.

[0063] Inter Sub-Band Interference

[0064] The use of SBFD is considered as a way of reducing self-interference at the gNB. However, SBFD may suffer from inter (and indeed intra) sub-band interferences, which are caused by transmission leakage and receiver’s selectivity. Although a transmission is typically scheduled within a specific frequency channel (or sub-band), i.e. a specific set of RBs, transmission power can leak out to other channels. This occurs because channel filters are not perfect, and as such the roll-off of the filter will cause power to leak into channels adjacent to the intended specific frequency channel. While the following discussion uses the term channel, the discussion equally applies to sub-bands, such as the sub-bands shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0065] An example of transmission generating adjacent channel leakage is shown in Figure 7. Here, the wanted transmission (Tx) power is the transmission power in the selected frequency band (i.e. the assigned channel 710). Due to roll-off of the transmission filter and nonlinearities in components of the transmitter, some transmission power is leaked into adjacent channels (including an adjacent channel 720), as shown in Figure 7. The ratio of the power within the assigned frequency channel 710 to the power in the adjacent channel 720 is the Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR). The leakage power 750 will cause interference at a receiver that is receiving the signal in the adjacent channels 720.

[0066] Similarly, a receiver’s filter is also not perfect and will receive unwanted power from adjacent channels due to its own filter roll-off. An example of filter roll-off at a receiver is shown in Figure 8. Here, a receiver is configured to receive transmissions in an assigned channel 810. However, the imperfect nature of the receiver filter means that some transmission power 850 can be received in adjacent channels 820. Therefore, if a signal 830 is transmitted on an adjacent channel 820, the receiver will inadvertently receive the adjacent signal 830 in the adjacent channel 820, to an extent. The ratio of the received power in the assigned frequency channel 810 to the received power 850 in the adjacent channel 820 is the Adjacent Channel Selectivity (ACS).

[0067] The combination of the ACL from the transmitter and the ACS of a receiver will lead to adjacent channel interference (ACI), otherwise known as inter-sub-band interference, at the receiver. An example is shown in Figure 9, where an aggressor transmits a signal 910 in an adjacent channel at a lower frequency than the victim’s receiving 920 channel. The interference 950 caused by the aggressor’s transmission includes the ACL 951 of the aggressor’s transmitting filter and the ACS 952 of the victim’s receiving filter. In other words, the receiver will experience interference 950 in the ACI frequency range shown in Figure 9.

[0068] As such, due to adjacent channel interference (ACI), cross link interference (CLI) will still occur despite the use of different sub-bands 401 to 403 for DL and UL transmissions in a FD-TDD cell as shown in the example of Figure 4, or sub bands 501 and 503, and 504 and 506 in the examples of Figure 5. Intra Sub-Band Interference

[0069] Intra subband interference can occur if the subband configurations among gNBs in the frequency domain are not aligned. Here, CLI as described above may occur in the overlapping frequencies of inter-cell subbands.

[0070] An example is shown in Figure 10, which comprises two gNBs (gNBl and gNB2) with overlapping coverage areas. Here, gNBl’s system bandwidth is divided into an UL subband UL-SB#1 occupying the frequency range fo to fz and a DL subband DL-SB#1 occupying the frequency range fz to , while gNB2’s system bandwidth is divided into an UL subband UL-SB#2 occupying the frequency range fo to f and a DL subband DL-SB#2 occupying the frequency range f to fo. The non-aligned subband configurations cause UL-SB#1 to overlap with DL-SB#2 in a region 1000 in the frequency range f to fo, thereby causing intra subband CLI within these overlapping frequencies f ofi. In this example intra subband CLI will be experienced in two respects; firstly, DL transmission by gNB2 within the frequency range f to fo in DL- SB#2 will interfere with UL reception at gNBl within the frequency range f to fo in UL-SB#1, and secondly, UL transmission by UE1 within the frequency range f Xofo will interfere with DL reception at UE2 within the frequency range f to fz in DL-SB#2.

[0071] UL Resource Muting

[0072] One method introduced to handle CLI among gNBs is to introduce gNB reference signal (RS) measurements. That is, a gNB transmits RSs whilst another gNB measures these transmitted RSs to determine the level of CLI experienced from the transmitting gNB. The RS may be synchronisation signal blocks (SSB) or channel state information RS (CSI-RS), where the configurations of the SSB or CSI-RS are signalled from the transmitting gNB to the receiving gNB.

[0073] An example is shown in Figure 11. Here, gNB2 transmits gNB RSs in Slot n, which is a DL slot, whilst gNBl, which is aware of the locations of these RSs, measures the RSs in Slot n. In addition to CLI estimation, gNB RS measurement may also be used for beam nulling, where the victim gNB will form its Rx beam such that it nulls out the CLI from DL transmissions from an aggressor gNB.

[0074] The gNB that measures another gNB’s RSs may also be receiving in the UL; for example, if the gNB RSs fall onto UL OFDM symbols or onto the UL subband of SBFD OFDM symbols. This UL signal may interfere with the measurement of gNB RSs, thereby causing inaccurate estimation of the CLI (or of covariance matrix estimation of the aggressor gNB for beam nulling purposes). Recognising this, UL resource muting is introduced, where some of the resource elements (REs) in an UL transmission are muted; notably the REs that coincide with the gNB RSs. In the example shown in Figure 11, UE1 is allocated a PUSCH in Slot n, and here UL muting is applied to the PUSCH, where the muted REs coincide with the gNB RSs that gNBl is measuring. This thereby reduces the interference from UEl’s uplink transmissions to enable accurate measurement of the gNB RSs.

[0075] In order to apply muting to a UE’s PUSCH, the gNB semi-statically configures the UE with a UL muting pattern and the UE can then apply the configured muting pattern on its UL transmissions. In [8], it is noted that RE muting may increase the code rate of an UL transmission, thereby reducing its reliability, and so not every UL transmission should be muted. In co-pending international patent application [9], it is proposed that the UE can determine whether or not to apply the configured UL muting pattern on a dynamic basis, either dependent on certain conditions being met, or upon being implicitly indicated by the gNB. However, the exact mechanism utilised to either implicitly indicate whether to enable / disable UL muting or otherwise how the UE determines whether or not to apply UL muting has not been determined. Hence, a technical problem addressed by arrangements of embodiments of the present technique is how a UE can efficiently and effectively determine whether to apply UL muting or not.

[0076] Implicit Indicator for UL Resource Muting

[0077] Figure 12 shows a part schematic, part message flow diagram representation of a wireless communications system comprising a communications device 1201 (e.g. a UE 14) and an infrastructure equipment 1202 (e.g. a gNB / TRP 10) in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technique. Here, the communications device 1201 may, in at least some implementations, be a subband full duplex, SBFD, capable communications device (SBFD UE), meaning that it is able to understand SBFD configurations using configured SBFD UL and DL subbands.

[0078] The communications device 1201 may be configured to transmit signals to and / or receive signals from the wireless communications network (where transmitting and receiving are not performed at the same time by the communications device which operates in a half-duplex manner), for example, to and from the infrastructure equipment 1202. Specifically, the communications device 1201 may be configured to transmit data to and / or receive data (non-simultaneously) from the wireless communications network (e.g. to / from the infrastructure equipment 1202) via a wireless radio interface provided by the wireless communications network (e.g. a Uu interface between the communications device 1201 and the Radio Access Network (RAN), which includes the infrastructure equipment 1202). The wireless radio interface comprises a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency which are each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission. Here, slots may separately be configured as uplink slots (where all resource elements are configured for uplink transmission) and downlink slots (where all resource elements are configured for downlink transmission). Alternatively (or for some of the slots in addition to the above), slots may be configured as SBFD slots, comprising both resource elements are configured for downlink transmission arranged as one or more downlink subbands and resource elements are configured for uplink transmission arranged as one or more uplink subbands.

[0079] The communications device 1201 and the infrastructure equipment 1202 each comprise a transceiver (or transceiver circuitry) 1201.1, 1202.1, and a controller (or controller circuitry) 1201.2, 1202.2. Each of the controllers 1201.2, 1202.2 may be, for example, a microprocessor, a CPU, or a dedicated chipset, etc. The controllers 1201.2, 1202.2 may also each be equipped with a memory unit (which is not shown in Figure 12).

[0080] As shown in the example of Figure 12, the controller 1201.2 of the communications device 1201 is configured to control the transceiver 1201.1 of the communications device 1201 to determine 1204 an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device 1201 is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment 1202, to determine 1206, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to transmit 1208, to the infrastructure equipment 1202, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements. The muting conditions in accordance with which the communications device 1201 may apply the preconfigured muting pattern to the one or more allocated resource elements to be muted are described in more detail below with respect to various arrangements of embodiments of the present disclosure. Such conditions may be indicated to the communications device 1201 by the infrastructure equipment 1202 (e.g. in a semi-static manner), or may be preconfigured and fixed in the specifications, and thus known by the communications device 1201. Embodiments of the present technique can apply to both dynamically granted uplink transmissions (i.e. the uplink information is transmitted in a (DG-)PUSCH) and to uplink transmissions that utilise configured grant resources (i.e. the uplink information is transmitted in a CG-PUSCH). In other words, the communications device may be configured to determine the allocated resource elements either by receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, DCI comprising an indication of the allocated resource elements, by receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, an activation DCI indicating that the allocated resource elements are activated and periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals, or by receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, RRC signalling configuring that the allocated resource elements are periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals. Here, the preconfigured muting pattern may be semi-statically configured as described above with respect to the example of Figure 11. In other words, the communications device may be configured to receive, from the infrastructure equipment via RRC signalling, an indication of the preconfigured muting pattern.

[0081] Essentially then, embodiments of the present technique, as exemplified by the example wireless communications system of Figure 12 for example, propose that UEs are able to determine whether or not to apply an UL muting pattern on one or more UL transmissions based on certain characteristics of or conditions relating to such scheduled or configured UL transmissions.

[0082] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether or not to apply an UL muting pattern on one or more UL transmissions based on the radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) used to allocate the UL transmission. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers.

[0083] In some implementations of such arrangements, the RNTI is the configured scheduling (CS)-RNTI. As those skilled in the art would appreciate, cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) is used in the DCI scheduling UL transmissions (for dynamic PUSCH), whilst CS-RNTI is used for activating UL transmissions (for CG- PUSCH). In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers may comprise an identifier that indicates configured grant UL transmission.

[0084] In some implementations of such arrangements, the RNTI is the MCS-C-RNTI. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers may comprise an identifier that indicates a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) table in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted. Here the UE does not apply the UL muting pattern if the DCI scheduling the PUSCH has a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambled with MCS-C-RNTI. The MCS-C-RNTI is used to indicate to the UE to use a different MCS table in determining the MCS to use on the PUSCH, where the indicated MCS table is used for PUSCH transmissions with high reliability requirements. Such implementations recognise the use of a higher reliability MCS table means the UL transmission has a high reliability requirement, and hence UL muting should not be used as this would reduce the reliability of the UL transmission.

[0085] In some implementations of such arrangements, the RNTI is the temporary C-RNTI (TC-RNTI). In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers may comprise an identifier associated with a third message of random access procedures. Here the UE does not apply the UL muting pattern if the DCI scheduling the PUSCH has CRC scrambled by the TC-RNTI. The TC-RNTI is used for scheduling retransmission of Msg3 of the random access (RACH) procedure. Such implementations therefore propose that a UE is not to apply the muting pattern for a PUSCH that carries Msg3, so as to ensure high reliability of the PUSCH as Msg3 is an important message to complete the RACH procedure.

[0086] In some implementations of such arrangements, the RNTI is an RNTI associated with sidelink transmission, such as SL-RNTI, SL-CS-RNTI, and SL Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) V-RNTI. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers may comprise an identifier associated with sidelink transmissions between two communications devices. As those skilled in the art would understand, sidelink is used for vehicle- to-everything (V2X) applications, and may carry mission critical messages. To ensure that high reliability is maintained for the transmission of mission critical messages in V2X, the UE does not apply the muting pattern to a physical side link shared channel (PSSCH) carrying mission critical message.

[0087] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply an UL muting pattern on one or more UL transmissions based on the repetitions of the PUSCH. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria.

[0088] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE applies the UL muting pattern in one or more PUSCH transmissions if repetitions are applied, or if the number of repetitions for the PUSCH transmission is above a threshold. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise a number of the plurality of repetitions in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted being above a threshold number of repetitions. Such implementations recognise that a high repetition is robust and can tolerate a PUSCH transmission that may have REs muted. Furthermore, the muting pattern may be different in different slots even if the redundancy version of PUSCHs in the different slots is the same, and so utilising repetitions may enable the recovery of REs that are muted in some repetitions from other repetitions where the same REs may not be muted.

[0089] In some implementations of such arrangements, where the UE applies UL muting on repetitive PUSCH, UL muting is applied to only a subset of the repetitions. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise that the one or more muted resource elements are to be muted for a subset of the plurality of repetitions. For example, UL muting may be applied to the first NRSPPUSCH repetitions or the last NRSPPUSCH repetitions, where NRSPmay be semi-statically configured by the gNB, dynamically indicated by the gNB, or may be fixed in the specifications.

[0090] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE determines whether to apply the UL muting pattern based on repetition type. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise the plurality of repetitions being repetitions of a predefined type. For example, UL muting may be applied if repetition type A (slot based repetitions, where the PUSCH is repeated on a slot basis) is used for the PUSCH transmission, whilst UL muting may not be applied if repetition type B (back to back PUSCH repetition, where the PUSCH is repeated in the next OFDM symbol after a previous PUSCH repetition) is used for the PUSCH transmission. That is, a UE may be configured not to apply UE muting for the transmission of PUSCH repetition type B because atypical use case for repetition type B is the transmission of URLLC, which, as described above, requires ultra-high reliability. There is thus no room to mute any REs for ultra-high reliable transmissions.

[0091] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply an UL muting pattern on one or more UL transmissions based on hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission. Here, it should be noted that it was proposed in [9] that a UE applies an UL muting pattern to REs that carry an uplink transmission if that transmission is a HARQ retransmission. However, in such arrangements as disclosed herein, the condition under which UL muting is not applied is specifically if the number of HARQ retransmissions performed is above a threshold. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold. As an example, when this retransmission threshold is set to 1, UL muting is applied for the PUSCH if the PUSCH is a first (i.e. initial) transmission or the first retransmission, whilst UL muting is not applied for the PUSCH if the PUSCH is carrying the second (or later) retransmission. The retransmission threshold may be configured by RRC signalling or may be predefined in the specifications.

[0092] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply an UL muting pattern on one or more UL transmissions based on the MCS used on the PUSCH. That is, the UE applies the UL muting pattern if the MCS is below a threshold, where the threshold can be RRC configured, dynamically indicated or fixed in the specifications. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold. Such arrangements recognise that a lower MCS is more robust than a higher MCS and hence, a low MCS may be more tolerable than a high MCS to UL muting of a PUSCH. Here, it should be noted that it was proposed in [9] that a UE can apply an UL muting pattern if MCS is above a threshold.

[0093] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply an UL muting pattern depending on the time resource that the PUSCH is scheduled. In some such arrangements, the gNB may indicate which slot(s) require the UE to perform the UL muting, and which other slot(s) for which the UE does not need to perform the UL muting. Such arrangements recognise that the gNB may only measure other gNB RSs in specific slots and hence UL muting is only required in these slots.

[0094] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on whether UL muting pattern overlaps with PRACH resources (as well as MsgA resources). In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure. For example UL muting is not applied whenever a UE is transmitting a PRACH preamble as part of Msg 1 of a four-step RACH procedure or MsgA of a two-step RACH procedure.

[0095] In some implementations of such arrangements, a UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on whether a slot where a PUSCH is scheduled is an SBFD slot or a non-SBFD slot. The UL muting is applied for the PUSCH if a slot in which the PUSCH is scheduled is an SBFD slot, whilst the UL muting is not applied if the slot is a non-SBFD slot. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is an SBFD slot. That is, such implementations define that a UE is to apply the UL muting pattern only to PUSCHs configured on SBFDs slot since gNB-gNB CLI only occurs on SBFD slots as described above.

[0096] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on whether uplink control information (UCI) is multiplexed onto the PUSCH. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria. Such arrangements recognise that UCI comprises control information that is essential for the operation of the UE’s connection to the network, and so if UCI is multiplexed onto the PUSCH, the UE does not apply UL muting on the PUSCH to ensure that the UCI bits are not punctured. As those skilled in the art would appreciate, when a PUCCH carrying UCI collides with a PUSCH, the UCI bits are multiplexed onto the PUSCH at the physical layer.

[0097] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE performs UL muting on a PUSCH (if any) prior to multiplexing UCI bits onto the PUSCH. In this way, the UCI will overwrite any UL muting pattern. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the communications device may be configured to determine, after muting the muted resource elements, to multiplex uplink control information onto the transmission of the uplink information.

[0098] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE performs UL muting only on PUSCH REs that do not contain UCI, and avoid muting any REs that contain UCI. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the communications device may be configured to apply muting to the one or more muted REs, where those muted REs are those from among the allocated REs that do not contain UCI.

[0099] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on prioritization of UCI type. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise the uplink control information being uplink control information of a predefined type. For example, UL muting may be applied if the piggybacked UCI carries channel state information (CSI) only, whilst UL muting may not be applied if the piggybacked UCI also carries HARQ-ACKs. That means that HARQ-ACKs are prioritised over CSI. As another example, UL muting may not be applied if the piggybacked UCI carries a scheduling request (SR) that provides an indication of beam failure recovery (BFR), because an indication of BFR is important to maintain a valid beam. As yet another example, UL muting may not applied if the piggybacked UCI carries beam information such as CSI reference signal resource indicator (CRI) and synchronisation signal / physical broadcast channel block resource indicator (SSBRI) in CSI feedback because beam information is important to maintain valid beams.

[0100] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE determines to apply UL muting pattern if the number of UCI bits is above threshold. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise a number of bits of the uplink control information being above a threshold number of bits. For example, when the threshold is set to 10 bits, UL muting may not be applied if the number of piggybacked UCI bits is 10 or less, whilst UL muting may be applied if the number of piggybacked UCI bits is more than 10. This threshold number of bits may be configured by RRC signalling or may be predefined in the specifications. In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, a UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on whether the uplink transmission comprises demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) symbols or phase tracking reference signal (PT-RS) symbols which overlap with an UL muting pattern. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria. Here, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that generally a UE assumes that an UL resource muting pattern does not overlap UL DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in the same symbol. However, it has not previously been determined how to avoid overlapping between UL muting pattern and DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols. Various implementations of such arrangements are described below to address this.

[0101] In some implementations of such arrangements, UL muting is not applied if any DM-RS symbols or PT- RS symbols overlap with UL muting pattern. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols being DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

[0102] In some implementations of such arrangements, DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols may be shifted (e.g. + / - 1 symbol) if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols overlap with the UL muting pattern. In other words, if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device may determine that it is to transmit the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in different symbols to symbols that comprises the one or more muted resource elements. That is, such implementations avoid overlapping DM-RS or PT-RS with the UL muting pattern in the symbol domain. In this case, the UL muting can be applied to the PUSCH that would have included the now-shifted DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols.

[0103] In some implementations of such arrangements, PT-RS symbols / REs may be shifted to a different subcarrier (e.g. by + / - 1 subcarrier) if the PT-RS overlaps with the UL muting pattern. In other words, if the PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device may determine that it is to transmit the or PT-RS symbols in a different subcarrier to a subcarrier that comprises the one or more muted resource elements. That is, such implementations avoid overlapping PT-RS with the UL muting pattern in the subcarrier domain. In this case, the UL muting can be applied to the PUSCH that would have included the now-shifted REs carrying PT-RS.

[0104] In some implementations of such arrangements, additional DM-RS symbols may not be inserted if the additional DM-RS symbols would overlap with the UL muting pattern. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the communications device may be configured to determine not to insert (additional) DM-RS symbols into the uplink information if the (additional) DM-RS symbols to be inserted would at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements. As those skilled in the art would appreciate, a PUSCH has more than one DM-RS symbol depending on the length of the PUSCH. In such implementations, although it may be indicated by DCI that a PUSCH has a certain length (e.g., 14 symbols) and it is configured that the PUSCH has more than two DM-RS symbols, any of these DM-RS symbols which overlap with the UL muting pattern are not transmitted in the PUSCH.

[0105] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UL muting pattern is applied if it does not overlap more than NDM-RS number of OLDM symbols with DM-RS. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria may comprise a number of DM-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements being below a threshold number of symbols. Such implementations recognise that the PUSCH may not need all the DM-RS, and if a sufficient number of OFDM symbols with the DM-RS are not punctured by UL muting, then the PUSCH may be successfully decoded by the gNB, and hence can be transmitted.

[0106] In some implementations of such arrangements, a PUSCH transmission is dropped if all DM-RS and PT- RS symbols overlap with the UU muting pattern. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the communications device may be configured to determine that it is not to transmit the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols fully overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements. Although the UE may be indicated to transmit the PUSCH, the UE in accordance with some implementations drops the PUSCH transmission if all DM-RS and PT-RS symbols overlap with the UL muting pattern.

[0107] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UL muting pattern is partially applied, that is, the UL muting pattern is applied to REs that do not overlap with DMRS symbols / REs or PT-RS symbols / REs. Such implementations recognize that the DM-RS are essential to the decoding of the PUSCH at the gNB and hence no muting should be applied to them, but the non-DMRS REs may be recoverable via channel coding and therefore UL muting can be applied to those non-DMRS REs. In other words, if the DM-RS or PT-RS at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device may be configured to apply muting to the one or more muted REs, where those muted REs are those from among the allocated REs that do not comprise DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols (where the communications may determine that it is not to apply the muting to the REs that do comprise the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols) when transmitting the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols.

[0108] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the UE determines whether to apply UL muting pattern depending on DCI format. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats.

[0109] In some implementations of such arrangements, the DCI format is DCI format 0 0. The DCI format 0 0 is also known as a fallback DCI, and is used for example during RRC reconfiguration. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats may comprise a (fallback) downlink control information, DCI, format 0_0. The UL muting pattern configuration ambiguity between the gNB and the UE may happen when a fallback DCI is used because of RRC reconfiguration. The UL muting is therefore not applied for a PUSCH if the PUSCH is scheduled by a fallback DCI (i.e. DCI format 0 0), whilst UL muting can be applied if the PUSCH is scheduled by DCI format 0 1.

[0110] In some implementations of such arrangements, the DCI format is DCI format 0 2. The DCI format 0 2 is also known as a compact DCI which is used for URLLC transmissions. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats may comprise a (compact) DCI format 0 2. Since URLLC transmissions require ultra-high reliability, the UL muting is not applied for a PUSCH if the PUSCH is scheduled by DCI format 0 2, whilst UL muting can be applied if the PUSCH is scheduled by DCI format 0 1.

[0111] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the UE determines whether to apply UE muting pattern depending on the length of the PUSCH. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length.

[0112] In some implementations of such arrangements, the UE determines whether to apply the UL muting pattern based on whether the length of the PUSCH is below or above this threshold. That is, the UL muting pattern is not applied for a PUSCH if the PUSCH’s length is below the threshold, because a PUSCH with a short length has a relatively small amount of resources and if REs are muted, then this may have large impact. If the PUSCH is of a sufficient length that UL muting would not cause too large an impact, then the UL muting is applied.

[0113] In some arrangements of embodiments of the present technique, the UE determines whether to apply the UL muting pattern based on the PUSCH mapping type. As those skilled in the art would appreciate, the PUSCH mapping could be PUSCH mapping type A, which is a slot-based mapping, or PUSCH mapping type B, which is sub-slot-based mapping. In other words, the at least one muting condition may comprise that a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) mapping types.

[0114] The UL muting pattern may not be applied for a PUSCH if the PUSCH is scheduled with PUSCH mapping type B, since PUSCH mapping type B is typically used for URLLC transmissions. On the other hand, the UL muting pattern may be applied if the PUSCH is scheduled with PUSCH mapping type A. In other words, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types, the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types may comprise PUSCH mapping type B. figure 13 shows a flow diagram illustrating an example process of communications in a communications system in accordance with embodiments of the present technique. The process shown by Figure 13 is specifically a method of operating a communications device (e.g. UE) configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment (e.g. a gNB) via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission.

[0115] The method begins in step SI. The method comprises, in step S2, determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment. In step S3, the process comprises determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information. The method then comprises, in step S4, transmitting, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements. As described above, the at least one muting condition can be one (or more) or a number of different conditions. These include that: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types. The process ends in step S5.

[0116] Those skilled in the art would appreciate that the method shown by Figure 13 may be adapted in accordance with embodiments of the present technique. For example, other intermediate steps may be included in such a method, or the steps may be performed in any logical order. Though embodiments of the present technique have been described largely by way of the example communications system shown in Figure 12, it would be clear to those skilled in the art that they could be equally applied to other systems to those described herein, provided that these are within the scope of the claims.

[0117] Those skilled in the art would further appreciate that such infrastructure equipment and / or communications devices as herein defined may be further defined in accordance with the various arrangements and embodiments discussed in the preceding paragraphs. It would be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that such infrastructure equipment and communications devices as herein defined and described may form part of communications systems other than those defined by the present disclosure, provided that these are within the scope of the claims.

[0118] The following numbered paragraphs provide further example aspects and features of the present technique:

[0119] Paragraph 1. A method of operating a communications device configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, the method comprising determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and transmitting, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signals DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0120] Paragraph 2. A method according to Paragraph 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier that indicates an MCS table in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted.

[0121] Paragraph 3. A method according to Paragraph 1 or Paragraph2, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with a third message of random access procedures.

[0122] Paragraph 4. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with sidelink transmissions between two communications devices.

[0123] Paragraph 5. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the plurality of repetitions in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted being above a threshold number of repetitions.

[0124] Paragraph 6. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises that the one or more muted resource elements are to be muted for a subset of the plurality of repetitions.

[0125] Paragraph 7. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 6, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the plurality of repetitions being repetitions of a predefined type.

[0126] Paragraph 8. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the communications device determines, after muting the muted resource elements, to multiplex uplink control information onto the transmission of the uplink information. Paragraph 9. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 8, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the uplink control information being uplink control information of a predefined type.

[0127] Paragraph 10. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of bits of the uplink control information being above a threshold number of bits.

[0128] Paragraph 11. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 10, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not comprise the uplink control information.

[0129] Paragraph 12. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 11, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols being DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

[0130] Paragraph 13. A method according to Paragraph 12, wherein if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device determines that it is to transmit the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in different symbols to symbols that comprise the one or more muted resource elements.

[0131] Paragraph 14. A method according to Paragraph 12 or Paragraph 13, wherein if the PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device determines that it is to transmit the PT-RS symbols in a different subcarrier to a subcarrier that comprises the one or more muted resource elements.

[0132] Paragraph 15. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 14, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS that meet specified criteria, the communications device determines not to insert DM-RS symbols into the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols to be inserted would at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements. Paragraph 16. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 15, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the DMRS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements being below a threshold number of symbols. Paragraph 17. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 16, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the communications device determines that it is not to transmit the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols fully overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

[0133] Paragraph 18. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 17, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not overlap with DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols. Paragraph 19. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 18, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a downlink control information, DCI, format 0 0.

[0134] Paragraph 20. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 19, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a DCI format 0 2.

[0135] Paragraph 21. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 20, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types, the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types may comprise PUSCH mapping type B.

[0136] Paragraph 22. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 21, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, DCI comprising an indication of the allocated resource elements.

[0137] Paragraph 23. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 22, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, an activation DCI indicating that the allocated resource elements are activated and periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

[0138] Paragraph 24. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 23, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, a radio resource control, RRC, configuration that allocates the resource elements which are periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

[0139] Paragraph 25. A method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 24, comprising receiving, from the infrastructure equipment via RRC signalling, an indication of the preconfigured muting pattern.

[0140] Paragraph 26. A communications device comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to transmit, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0141] Paragraph 27. Circuitry for a communications device, the circuitry comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to transmit, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0142] Paragraph 28. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network and configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, the method comprising determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and receiving, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0143] Paragraph 29. A method according to Paragraph 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier that indicates an MCS table in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted. Paragraph 30. A method according to Paragraph 28 or Paragraph 29, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with a third message of random access procedures.

[0144] Paragraph 31. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 30, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with sidelink transmissions between two communications devices.

[0145] Paragraph 32. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 31, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the plurality of repetitions in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted being above a threshold number of repetitions.

[0146] Paragraph 33. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 32, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises that the one or more muted resource elements are to be muted for a subset of the plurality of repetitions.

[0147] Paragraph 34. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 33, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the plurality of repetitions being repetitions of a predefined type.

[0148] Paragraph 35. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 34, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the uplink control information being uplink control information of a predefined type.

[0149] Paragraph 36. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 35, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of bits of the uplink control information being above a threshold number of bits.

[0150] Paragraph 37. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 36, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not comprise the uplink control information.

[0151] Paragraph 38. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 37, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols being DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements. Paragraph 39. A method according to Paragraph 38, wherein if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the infrastructure equipment determines that it is to receive the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in different symbols to symbols that comprise the one or more muted resource elements.

[0152] Paragraph 40. A method according to Paragraph 38 or Paragraph 39, wherein if the PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the infrastructure equipment determines that it is to receive the PT-RS symbols in a different subcarrier to a subcarrier that comprises the one or more muted resource elements.

[0153] Paragraph 41. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 40, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the DM-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements being below a threshold number of symbols. Paragraph 42. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 41, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not overlap with DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols.

[0154] Paragraph 43. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 42, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the infrastructure equipment determines that the communications device will not transmit the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols fully overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

[0155] Paragraph 44. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 43, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a downlink control information, DCI, format 0 0.

[0156] Paragraph 45. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 44, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a DCI format 0 2.

[0157] Paragraph 46. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 45, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types, the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types may comprise PUSCH mapping type B.

[0158] Paragraph 47. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 46, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, DCI comprising an indication of the allocated resource elements.

[0159] Paragraph 48. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 47, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, an activation DCI indicating that the allocated resource elements are activated and periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

[0160] Paragraph 49. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 48, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, a radio resource control, RRC, configuration that allocates resource elements which are periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

[0161] Paragraph 50. A method according to any of Paragraphs 28 to 49, comprising transmitting, to the communications device via RRC signalling, an indication of the preconfigured muting pattern.

[0162] Paragraph 51. An infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to receive, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0163] Paragraph 52. Circuitry for an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the circuitry comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to receive, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

[0164] Paragraph 53. A wireless communications system comprising a communications device according to Paragraph 26 and an infrastructure equipment according to Paragraph 51.

[0165] Paragraph 54. A computer program comprising instructions which, when loaded onto a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to any of Paragraphs 1 to 25 or Paragraphs 28 to 50.

[0166] Paragraph 55. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program according to Paragraph 54.

[0167] It will be appreciated that the above description for clarity has described embodiments with reference to different functional units, circuitry and / or processors. However, it will be apparent that any suitable distribution of functionality between different functional units, circuitry and / or processors may be used without detracting from the embodiments.

[0168] Described embodiments may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. Described embodiments may optionally be implemented at least partly as computer software running on one or more data processors and / or digital signal processors. The elements and components of any embodiment may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed, the functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units. As such, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in a single unit or may be physically and functionally distributed between different units, circuitry and / or processors.

[0169] Although the present disclosure has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognise that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in any manner suitable to implement the technique.

[0170] References

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

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

[0174] [3] RP -213591, “New SI: Study on evolution of NR duplex operation,” CMCC, RAN#94e, December 2021.

[0175] [4] RP -220633, “Revised SID: Study on evolution of NR duplex operation,” CMCC, RAN#95e, March 2022.

[0176] [5] RP -234035, “New WID: Evolution of NR duplex operation: Subband full duplex (SBFD),” CMCC, RAN# 102, December 2023.

[0177] [6] RP -241614, “Revised WID: Evolution of NR duplex operation: Subband full duplex (SBFD),” Huawei, RAN# 104, June 2024. [7] European Patent No. 3545716.

[0178] [8] R1 -2404499, “CLI handling for SBFD”, Sony, RAN WG1#117, May 2024.

[0179] [9] International Patent Application No. PCT / EP2023 / 071417.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a communications device configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, the method comprising determining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and transmitting, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signals DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier that indicates an MCS table in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted.

3. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with a third message of random access procedures.

4. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with sidelink transmissions between two communications devices.

5. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the plurality of repetitions in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted being above a threshold number of repetitions.

6. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises that the one or more muted resource elements are to be muted for a subset of the plurality of repetitions.

7. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the plurality of repetitions being repetitions of a predefined type.

8. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the communications device determines, after muting the muted resource elements, to multiplex uplink control information onto the transmission of the uplink information.

9. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the uplink control information being uplink control information of a predefined type.

10. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of bits of the uplink control information being above a threshold number of bits.

11. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not comprise the uplink control information.

12. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols being DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

13. A method according to Claim 12, wherein if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications devicedetermines that it is to transmit the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in different symbols to symbols that comprise the one or more muted resource elements.

14. A method according to Claim 12, wherein if the PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the communications device determines that it is to transmit the PT-RS symbols in a different subcarrier to a subcarrier that comprises the one or more muted resource elements.

15. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS that meet specified criteria, the communications device determines not to insert DM-RS symbols into the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols to be inserted would at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

16. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the DMRS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements being below a threshold number of symbols.

17. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the communications device determines that it is not to transmit the uplink information if the DM- RS symbols or PT-RS symbols fully overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

18. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not overlap with DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols.

19. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a downlink control information, DCI, format 0 0.

20. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a DCI format 0_2.

21. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types, the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types may comprise PUSCH mapping type B.

22. A method according to Claim 1, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, DCI comprising an indication of the allocated resource elements.

23. A method according to Claim 1, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, an activation DCI indicating that the allocated resourceelements are activated and periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

24. A method according to Claim 1, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises receiving, from the infrastructure equipment, a radio resource control, RRC, configuration that allocates the resource elements which are periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

25. A method according to Claim 1, comprising receiving, from the infrastructure equipment via RRC signalling, an indication of the preconfigured muting pattern.

26. A communications device comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to transmit, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, anda mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

27. Circuitry for a communications device, the circuitry comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the communications device is to transmit uplink information to the infrastructure equipment, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements are to be muted in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to transmit, to the infrastructure equipment, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

28. A method of operating an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network and configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, the method comprisingdetermining an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, determining, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and receiving, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

29. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier that indicates an MCS table in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted.

30. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with a third message of random access procedures.

31. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of the predefined set of identifiers, the predefined set of identifiers comprises an identifier associated with sidelink transmissions between two communications devices.

32. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meetspecified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the plurality of repetitions in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted being above a threshold number of repetitions.

33. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises that the one or more muted resource elements are to be muted for a subset of the plurality of repetitions.

34. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with the plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the plurality of repetitions being repetitions of a predefined type.

35. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the uplink control information being uplink control information of a predefined type.

36. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of bits of the uplink control information being above a threshold number of bits.

37. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not comprise the uplink control information.

38. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols being DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

39. A method according to Claim 38, wherein if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the infrastructure equipment determines that it is to receive the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols in different symbols to symbols that comprise the one or more muted resource elements.

40. A method according to Claim 38, wherein if the PT-RS symbols at least partially overlap with the one or more of the muted resource elements, the infrastructure equipment determines that it is to receive the PT-RS symbols in a different subcarrier to a subcarrier that comprises the one or more muted resource elements.

41. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the specified criteria comprises a number of the DM-RS symbols that at least partially overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements being below a threshold number of symbols.

42. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the one or more muted resource elements are resource elements from among the allocated resource elements that do not overlap with DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols.

43. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the uplink information does not comprise any DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols that meet specified criteria, the infrastructure equipment determines that the communications device will not transmit the uplink information if the DM-RS symbols or PT-RS symbols fully overlap with one or more of the muted resource elements.

44. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a downlink control information, DCI, format 0 0.

45. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the format of the downlink control message comprising the indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is one of the predefined set of formats, the predefined set of formats comprises a DCI format 0_2.

46. A method according to Claim 28, wherein, when the at least one muting condition comprises that the mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types, the predetermined set of PUSCH mapping types may comprise PUSCH mapping type B.

47. A method according to Claim 28, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, DCI comprising an indication of the allocated resource elements.

48. A method according to Claim 28, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, an activation DCI indicating that the allocated resource elements are activated and periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

49. A method according to Claim 28, wherein determining the allocated resource elements comprises transmitting, to the communications device, a radio resource control, RRC, configuration that allocates resource elements which are periodically available for the communications device to transmit uplink signals.

50. A method according to Claim 28, comprising transmitting, to the communications device via RRC signalling, an indication of the preconfigured muting pattern.

51. An infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the infrastructure equipment comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, andcontroller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to receive, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of: an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

52. Circuitry for an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, the circuitry comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and / or to receive signals from a communications device via a radio access interface between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, the radio access interface comprising a plurality of resource elements arranged in time and frequency and each configured either for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine an allocation of a plurality of the resource elements that are configured for uplink transmission in which the infrastructure equipment is to receive uplink information from the communications device, to determine, based on at least one muting condition being met, that one or more of the allocated resource elements will be muted by the communications device in accordance with a preconfigured muting pattern and not used for transmitting the uplink information, and to receive, from the communications device, the uplink information using the plurality of allocated resource elements except for the one or more muted resource elements, wherein the at least one muting condition comprises one or more of:an identifier associated with the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not the same as one of a predefined set of identifiers, the uplink information is to be transmitted in accordance with a plurality of repetitions that meet specified criteria, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a retransmission of a previously transmitted initial transmission of the uplink information, and wherein the number of previously transmitted retransmissions of the uplink information is below a retransmission threshold, a modulation and coding scheme, MCS, in accordance with which the uplink information is to be transmitted is below an MCS threshold, the uplink information is to be transmitted as a first message of a random access procedure, a slot of the radio access interface in which the muted resource elements are located is a subband full duplex, SBFD, slot, the uplink information does not comprise any uplink control information that meets specified criteria, the uplink information does not comprise any demodulation reference signal, DM-RS, symbols or phase tracking reference signal, PT-RS, symbols that meet specified criteria, a format of a downlink control message comprising an indication of the allocation of the allocated resource elements is not one of a predefined set of formats, a length of the uplink transmission is below a threshold length, and a mapping type of the uplink transmission is not one of a predetermined set of physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, mapping types.

53. A wireless communications system comprising a communications device according to Claim 26 and an infrastructure equipment according to Claim 51.

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

55. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program according to Claim 54.

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