ACTIVATION OF TWO OR MORE TCI STATES FOR ONE OR MORE CORESETs

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for activation of two or more Transmission Configuration Indication (TCL) states for a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in one or more Control Resource Sets (CORESETs) in a cellular communications system. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system comprises receiving, from a network node, signaling that activates NTCI TCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1. In this manner, activation of two or more TCI states for PDCCH in one or more CORESETs is enabled.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state activation in a cellular communications system.

The next generation mobile wireless communication system (5G), or New Radio (NR), will support a diverse set of use cases and a diverse set of deployment scenarios. The later includes deployment at both low frequencies (below 6 Gigahertz (GHz)) and very high frequencies (up to 10's of GHz).

NR Frame Structure and Resource Grid

NR uses Cyclic Prefix Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (CP-OFDM) in both downlink (i.e., from a network node, gNB, or base station, to a user equipment or UE) and uplink (i.e., from UE to gNB). Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) spread Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is also supported in the uplink. In the time domain, NR downlink and uplink are organized into equally-sized subframes of 1 millisecond (ms) each. A subframe is further divided into multiple slots of equal duration. The slot length depends on subcarrier spacing. For subcarrier spacing of Δf=15 kilohertz (kHz), there is only one slot per subframe, and each slot consists of 14 OFDM symbols.

Data scheduling in NR is typically on a slot basis. An example is shown inFIG.1with a 14-symbol slot, where the first two symbols contain Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), and the rest of the symbols contain physical shared data channel, either Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).

Different subcarrier spacing values are supported in NR. The supported subcarrier spacing values (also referred to as different numerologies) are given by Δf=(15×2μ) kHz where μϵ0, 1, 2, 3, 4. Δf=15 kHz is the basic subcarrier spacing. The slot durations at different subcarrier spacings is given by 1/2μms.

In the frequency domain, a system bandwidth is divided into resource blocks (RBs), each corresponding to twelve contiguous subcarriers. The RBs are numbered starting with 0 from one end of the system bandwidth. The basic NR physical time-frequency resource grid is illustrated inFIG.2, where only one RB within a 14-symbol slot is shown. One OFDM subcarrier during one OFDM symbol interval forms one resource element (RE).

Downlink (DL) transmissions can be dynamically scheduled, i.e., in each slot the gNB transmits Downlink Control Information (DCI) over Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) about which UE data is to be transmitted to and which RBs in the current downlink slot the data is transmitted on. The UE data is carried on PDSCH.

There are three DCI formats defined for scheduling PDSCH in NR, i.e., DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1, and DCI format 1_2. DCI format 1_0 has a smallest size and can be used when a UE is not fully connected to the network, while DCI format 1_1 can be used for scheduling Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmissions with two transport blocks (TBs). DCI format 12 supports configurable sizes for some fields in the DCI so that a smaller DCI size than DCI format 1_1 can be configured.

In downlink, a UE first detects and decodes a PDCCH and, if the decoding is successful, the UE then decodes the corresponding PDSCH based on the decoded control information in the PDCCH.

Similar to downlink, uplink transmission can be dynamically scheduled in which a UE first decodes uplink grants in a PDCCH and then transmits data over PUSCH based the decoded control information in the uplink grant such as modulation order, coding rate, uplink resource allocation, etc.

QCL and TCI States

Several signals can be transmitted from different antenna ports of a same base station. These signals can have the same large-scale properties such as Doppler shift/spread, average delay spread, or average delay. These antenna ports are then said to be Quasi Co-Located (QCL). Note that “QCL” is sometimes also used herein to refer to “Quasi Co-Location.”

If the UE knows that two antenna ports are QCL with respect to a certain parameter (e.g., Doppler spread), the UE can estimate that parameter based on one of the antenna ports and apply that estimate for receiving signal on the other antenna port. Typically, the first antenna port is represented by a measurement reference signal such as Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) or Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), known as a source RS, and the second antenna port is a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS), known as a target RS.

For instance, if antenna ports A and B are QCL with respect to average delay, the UE can estimate the average delay from the signal received from antenna port A and assume that the signal received from antenna port B has the same average delay. This is useful for demodulation since the UE can know beforehand the properties of the channel, which for instance helps the UE in selecting an appropriate channel estimation filter.

Information about what assumptions can be made regarding QCL is signaled to the UE from the network. In NR, four types of QCL relations between a transmitted source RS and transmitted target RS are defined:Type A: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread},Type B: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread},Type C: {average delay, Doppler shift}, andType D: {Spatial Rx parameter}.

QCL type D was introduced to facilitate beam management with analog beamforming and is known as spatial QCL. There is currently no strict definition of spatial QCL, but the understanding is that if two transmitted antenna ports are spatially QCL, the UE can use the same Rx beam to receive them.

For dynamic beam and Transmission/Reception Point (TRP) selection, a UE can be configured through RRC signaling with up to one-hundred and twenty-eight (128) Transmit Configuration Indicator (TCI) states for PDSCH in frequency range 2 (FR2) and up to eight (8) TCI states in FR1, depending on UE capability.

Each TCI state contains QCL information, i.e. one or two source DL RSs, each source RS associated with a QCL type. For example, a TCI state contains a pair of reference signals, each associated with a QCL type, e.g. two different CSI-RSs {CSI-RS1, CSI-RS2} are configured in the TCI state as {qcl-Type1,qcl-Type2}={Type A, Type D}. This means the UE can derive Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread from CSI-RS1 and Spatial Rx parameter (i.e., the RX beam to use) from CSI-RS2.

The list of TCI states can be interpreted as a list of possible beams transmitted from the network or a list of possible TRPs used by the network to communicate with the UE.

For PDSCH transmission, up to eight (8) TCI states or pairs of TCI states may be activated, and a UE may be dynamically indicated by a TCI codepoint in DCI one or two of the activated TCI states for PDSCH reception. The UE uses the TCI-State according to the value of the ‘Transmission Configuration Indication’ field in the detected PDCCH with DCI for determining PDSCH antenna port quasi co-location.

Default TCI State(s) for PDSCH

If none of the TCI codepoints are mapped to more than a single TCI state and the offset between the reception of a DL DCI and the corresponding PDSCH is less than a threshold timeDurationForQCL configured by higher layers, the UE may assume that the DM-RS ports of PDSCH of a serving cell are quasi co-located with the RS(s) with respect to the QCL parameter(s) used for PDCCH quasi co-location indication of the CORESET associated with a monitored search space with the lowest CORESET-ID in the latest slot in which one or more CORESETs within the active BWP of the serving cell are monitored by the UE. Here the QCL parameter(s) used for PDCCH may refer to the source RS(s) and the corresponding QCL type(s) specified in the TCI state activated for the CORESET. The TCI state may be referred to as the default TCI state for PDSCH. In other words, the UE may apply QCL type-D property of the TCI state in a slot for receiving PDSCH before decoding the corresponding PDCCH. After a PDCCH is decoded successfully and if the offset indicated in the corresponding DCI is less than the threshold, the UE may apply also other QCL properties of the TCI state in decoding the PDSCH.

If the offset between the reception of the DL DCI and the corresponding PDSCH is less than the threshold timeDurationForQCL and at least one configured TCI states for the serving cell of scheduled PDSCH contains the ‘QCL-TypeD’, and at least one TCI codepoint indicates two TCI states, the UE may assume that the DM-RS ports of PDSCH of a serving cell are quasi co-located with the RS(s) with respect to the QCL parameter(s) associated with the TCI states corresponding to the lowest codepoint among the TCI codepoints containing two different TCI states. The two TCI states may then be the default TCI states for PDSCH.

For a UE configured by higher layer parameter PDCCH-Config that contains two different values of CORESETPooIndexin ControlResourceSet,if the offset between the reception of the DL DCI and the corresponding PDSCH is less than the threshold timeDurationForQCL, the UE may assume that the DM-RS ports of PDSCH associated with a value of CORESETPooIndex of a serving cell are quasi co-located with the RS(s) with respect to the QCL parameter(s) used for PDCCH quasi co-location indication of the CORESET associated with a monitored search space with the lowest CORESET-ID among CORESETs, which are configured with the same value of CORESETPooIndexas the PDCCH scheduling that PDSCH,
in the latest slot in which one or more CORESETs associated with the same value of CORESETPooIndexas the PDCCH scheduling that PDSCH within the active BWP of the serving cell are monitored by the UE. The TCI state activated for the CORESET may then be the default TCI state for PDSCH scheduled by PDCCH in CORESET(s) with the same value of CORESETPooIIndex.

CORESET and TCI States for PDCCH

In Radio Resource Control (RRC), see Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification (TS) 38.331 (e.g., V16.0.0), a list of up to sixty-four (64) TCI-States can be configured in a CORESET p. These TCI states are used to provide QCL relationships between the source DL RS(s) in one RS Set in the TCI State and the PDCCH DMRS ports (i.e., for DMRS ports for PDCCHs received in one of the search spaces defined over CORESET p). The source DL RS(s) can either be a CSI-RS or SSB.

For each CORESET, only one TCI state is activated by Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) in NR Rel-16. The MAC CE specified for this can be found in Clause 6.1.3.15 of 3GPP TS 38.321 and is presented below:

6.1.3.15 TCI State Indication for UE-Specific PDCCH MAC CE

The TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCH MAC CE is identified by a MAC subheader with LCID as specified in Table 6.2.1-1. It has a fixed size of 16 bits with following fields:Serving Cell ID: This field indicates the identity of the Serving Cell for which the MAC CE applies. The length of the field is 5 bits. If the indicated Serving Cell is configured as part of a simultaneousTCI-UpdateList-rH6 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateListSecond-r16 as specified in TS 38.331 [5], this MAC CE applies to all the Serving Cells in the set simultaneousTCI-UpdateList-r16 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateListSecond-r16, respectively;CORESET ID: This field indicates a Control Resource Set identified with ControlResourceSetId as specified in TS 38.331 [5], for which the TCI State is being indicated. In case the value of the field is 0, the field refers to the Control Resource Set configured by controlResourceSetZero as specified in TS 38.331 [5]. The length of the field is 4 bits;TCI State ID: This field indicates the TCI state identified by TCI-StateId as specified in TS 38.331 [5] applicable to the Control Resource Set identified by CORESET ID field. If the field of CORESET ID is set to 0, this field indicates a TCI-StateId for a TCI state of the first 64 TCI-states configured by tci-States-ToAddModList and tci-States-ToReleaseList in the PDSCH-Config in the active BWP. If the field of CORESET ID is set to the other value than 0, this field indicates a TCI-StateId configured by tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddList and tci-StatesPDCCH-ToReleaseList in the controlResourceSet identified by the indicated CORESET ID. The length of the field is 7 bits.

Reproduced Herein as FIG.3

Ultra-Reliable Low Latency (URLLC) Data Transmission Over Multiple Transmission Points

Reliable PDSCH transmission over multiple transmission points or panels or TRPS has been introduced in 3GPP for NR Rel-16, in which a TB may be transmitted over multiple TRPs to achieve diversity. Reliability is achieved by transmitting different layers of an encoded codeword (CW) for the TB on the same resource over two TRPs (Scheme 1a), or different parts of a CW on different frequency resources over two TRPs (Scheme 2a), or by repeating the same TB over two TRPs in time (Schemes 3 and 4) or frequency domain (Scheme 2b). For this purpose, two TCI states are indicated via the ‘Transmission Configuration Indication’ or TCI field in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH.

In NR Rel-17, it has been proposed to further introduce PDCCH enhancement with multiple TRPs by repeating a PDCCH from different TRPs as shown inFIG.4. One option is to associate PDCCH in a CORESET with multiple TCI states, and dividing REs of a PDCCH candidate into multiple subsets each associated with one of the TCI states. A PDCCH in each subset is then transmitted from a different TRP.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for activation of two or more Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states for a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in one or more Control Resource Sets (CORESETs) in a cellular communications system. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system comprises receiving, from a network node, signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1. In this manner, activation of two or more TCI states for PDCCH in one or more CORESETs is enabled.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises receiving PDCCHs in the one or more CORESETs in accordance with the NTCITCI states that are activated for one or more CORESETs. In one embodiment, the method further comprises performing one or more actions in accordance with downlink control information carried by the received PDCCHs. In one embodiment, the received PDCCHs comprise two copies of a same DCI received from two or more respective transmission points, and the two or more respective transmission points correspond to two or more respective TCI states from among the NTCITCI states that are activated for one or more CORESETs. In one embodiment, the two copies of the same DCI are received from the two or more respective transmission points in a same CORESET.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the NTCITCI states are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the signaling comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, information that indicates NTCITCI states activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, NTCIis different for at least two of the two or more CORESETs. In another embodiment, NTCIis the same for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

In one embodiment, receiving the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises receiving a configuration of M TCI state lists for a CORESET, wherein each TCI state list of the M TCI state lists comprises up to a predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states and M>1, and receiving, from the network node, an indication of one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET, wherein TCI states in the one of the M TCI state lists are the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, the predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states is greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, receiving the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises receiving a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) that comprises the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET. In one embodiment, receiving the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises receiving a MAC CE that comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity (ID) of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the CORESET and a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the CORESET and a TCI state ID, wherein the wireless communication device (512) interprets the TCI state ID as the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

In one embodiment, receiving the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises receiving, from the network node, a MAC CE that comprises, for each CORESET of the one or more CORESETs, information that indicates the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the MAC CE comprises, for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, an indication of the TCI state. In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). In another embodiment, the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for PDSCH. In one embodiment, the MAC CE is a fixed size MAC CE. In another embodiment, the MAC CE is a flexible size MAC CE, wherein a size of the MAC CE is indicated by a length field of an associated header and the wireless communication device interprets a value of NTCIbased on a value of the length field.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first part of a TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a third octet that comprises a second part of the TCI state ID of the first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a first part of a third TCI state ID of a third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a fourth octet that comprises a second part of the third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH. In another embodiment, the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for PDSCH.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises a third octet that comprises an indication of whether a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises a fourth octet that comprises an indication of whether a third TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH and a third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the MAC CE comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs and for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET, an indication of the TCI state. In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a first CORESET ID of a first CORESET of the two or more CORESETs. The MAC CE further comprises a second octet that comprises a second part of the first CORESET ID of the first CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises a third octet that comprises an indication of whether additional octets are present and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises a first additional octet that comprises a second CORESET ID of a second CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, a second additional octet that comprises a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET, and a third additional octet that comprises an indication of whether additional octets are present and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET.

Corresponding embodiments of a wireless communication device for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the wireless communication device adapted to receive, from a network node, signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

In one embodiment, a wireless communication device for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system comprises one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to receive, from a network node, signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

Embodiments of a method performed by a network node for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises sending, to a wireless communication device, signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the NTCITCI states are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the signaling comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, information that indicates NTCITCI states activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, NTCIis different for at least two of the two or more CORESETs. In another embodiment, wherein NTCIis the same for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

In one embodiment, sending the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises sending, to the wireless communication device, a configuration of M TCI state lists for a CORESET, wherein each TCI state list of the M TCI state lists comprises up to a predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states and M>1, and sending, to the wireless communication device (512), an indication of one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET, wherein TCI states in the one of the M TCI state lists are the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, the predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states is greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, sending the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises sending a MAC CE that comprises the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET. In another embodiment, sending the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises sending a MAC CE that comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the CORESET and a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the CORESET and a TCI state ID, wherein the TCI state ID is interpreted as the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

In one embodiment, sending the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises sending, to the wireless communication device, a MAC CE that comprises, for each CORESET of the one or more CORESETs, indicates of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET. In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the MAC CE comprises, for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, an indication of the TCI state. In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH. In another embodiment, the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for PDSCH. In one embodiment, the MAC CE is a fixed size MAC CE. In one embodiment, the MAC CE is a flexible size MAC CE, wherein a size of the MAC CE is indicated by a length field of an associated header and the wireless communication device (512) interprets a value of NTCIbased on a value of the length field.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first part of a TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a third octet that comprises a second part of the TCI state ID of the first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET, a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a first part of a third TCI state ID of a third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, and a fourth octet that comprises a second part of the third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH. In another embodiment, the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for PDSCH.

In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises an indication of whether a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises a fourth octet that comprises an indication of whether a third TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for PDSCH and a third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

In one embodiment, the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the MAC CE comprises, for CORESET of the two or more CORESETs and for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET, an indication (e.g., ID) of the TCI state. In one embodiment, the MAC CE comprises a first octet that comprises a serving cell ID of a serving cell of the wireless communication device and a first part of a first CORESET ID of a first CORESET of the two or more CORESETs. The MAC CE further comprises a second part of the first CORESET ID of the first CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET. The MAC CE further comprises a third octet that comprises an indication of whether additional octets are present and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET. In one embodiment, the MAC CE further comprises a first additional octet that comprises a second CORESET ID of a second CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, a second additional octet that comprises a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET, and a third octet that comprises an indication of whether additional octets are present and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET.

Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a network node for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system is adapted to send, to a wireless communication device (512), signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

In one embodiment, a network node for activation of multiple TCI states for a PDCCH in one or more CORESETs in a cellular communications system, the network node comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the network node to send, to a wireless communication device, signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Transmission/Reception Point (TRP): In some embodiments, a TRP may be either a network node, a radio head, a spatial relation, or a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state. A TRP may be represented by a spatial relation or a TCI state in some embodiments. In some embodiments, a TRP may be using multiple TCI states. In some embodiments, a TRP may be a part of the gNB transmitting and receiving radio signals to/from UE according to physical layer properties and parameters inherent to that element. In some embodiments, in Multiple TRP (multi-TRP) operation, a serving cell can schedule UE from two TRPs, providing better coverage, reliability and/or data rates for PDSCH and/or PDCCH. There are two different operation modes for scheduling PDSCH over multi-TRP: single Downlink Control Information (DCI) and multi-DCI. For both modes, control of uplink and downlink operation is done by both physical layer and Medium Access Control (MAC). In single-DCI mode, UE is scheduled by the same DCI for both TRPs and in multi-DCI mode, UE is scheduled by independent DCIs from each TRP.

In some embodiments, a set Transmission Points (TPs) is a set of geographically co-located transmit antennas (e.g., an antenna array (with one or more antenna elements)) for one cell, part of one cell or one Positioning Reference Signal (PRS)-only TP. TPs can include base station (eNB) antennas, Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), a remote antenna of a base station, an antenna of a PRS-only TP, etc. One cell can be formed by one or multiple TPs. For a homogeneous deployment, each TP may correspond to one cell.

In some embodiments, a set of TRPs is a set of geographically co-located antennas (e.g., an antenna array (with one or more antenna elements)) supporting TP and/or Reception Point (RP) functionality.

There currently exist certain challenge(s). There is no mechanism in NR to activate multiple Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) states for Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in a Control Resource Set (CORESET). Currently, for each CORESET in NR, only one TCI state can be activated. The activation is typically done with a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE). Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for activating multiple TCI states for a CORESET and the associated signaling details.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. In this disclosure, different ways of signaling the activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a CORESET(s) are disclosed. In one embodiment, the activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a CORESET(s) is signaled in a way that reuses the existing MAC CE. Embodiments are also disclosed herein for signaling the activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a CORESET(s) in a new way, e.g., using a new MAC CE.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Advantages of the solution depend on the particular embodiment. One advantage of the first embodiment, which proposes a way to reuse the existing MAC CE, is that no new MAC CE needs to be specified. In NR, many new MAC CEs have been defined to the extent that the Logical Channel Identity (LCID) space is running out. Even with a solution to the issue of the limited LCID space, adding more MAC CEs especially for similar functionality complicates the NR specification and interoperability between releases. In this embodiment, a number of lists may be needed. For example, assuming that a total of 64 TCI states are possible and that 2 TCI states are selected per the new list being introduced, then there are 2016 different ways of choosing 2 TCI states out of 64 possible TCI states. But since the TCI state identity (ID) field in the MAC CE only has 7 bits, there is a maximum of 128 lists.

One advantage of the second embodiment is that it enables more flexible activated TCI state selection than the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the pair of TCI states is preconfigured (e.g., by Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling), and enabling the same flexibility as in the second embodiment may not be possible due to the amount of permutations. Another advantage of the second embodiment as it relates to TCI state activation for two or more CORESETs using a single MAC CE is that it saves overhead compared to existing MAC CE signaling for CORESET TCI state activation. In the existing MAC CE for TCI state activation for a CORESET, one MAC CE needs to be sent for each CORESET. The solution proposed in the second embodiment enables a flexible number of TCI states (i.e., two or more TCI states) to be activated for multiple CORESETs, which saves signaling overhead.

FIG.5illustrates one example of a cellular communications system500in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. In the embodiments described herein, the cellular communications system500is a 5G system (5GS) including a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) and a 5G Core (5GC). In this example, the RAN includes radio access nodes502-1and502-2, which in the 5GS include NR base stations (gNBs) and optionally next generation eNBs (ng-eNBs) (e.g., LTE RAN nodes connected to the 5GC), controlling corresponding (macro) cells504-1and504-2. The base stations502-1and502-2are generally referred to herein collectively as base stations502and individually as base station502. Likewise, the (macro) cells504-1and504-2are generally referred to herein collectively as (macro) cells504and individually as (macro) cell504. Each base station502includes one or more Transmission Points (TRPs) (not shown). Also, in case of multi-TRP transmission, one of the TRPs may be another base station, e.g., data are transmitted from two base stations to a wireless communication device512(under control of one of the base stations through base station coordination).

The RAN may also include a number of low power nodes506-1through506-4controlling corresponding small cells508-1through508-4. The low power nodes506-1through506-4can be small base stations (such as pico or femto base stations) or Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), or the like. Notably, while not illustrated, one or more of the small cells508-1through508-4may alternatively be provided by the base stations502. The low power nodes506-1through506-4are generally referred to herein collectively as low power nodes506and individually as low power node506. Likewise, the small cells508-1through508-4are generally referred to herein collectively as small cells508and individually as small cell508. Each of the low power nodes506is or includes one (or more) TRP. Also, in case of multi-TRP transmission, one of the TRPs may be another low power node506(or a base station502).

The cellular communications system500also includes a core network510, which in the 5GS is the 5GC. The base stations502(and optionally the low power nodes506) are connected to the core network510.

The base stations502and the low power nodes506provide service to wireless communication devices512-1through512-5in the corresponding cells504and508. The wireless communication devices512-1through512-5are generally referred to herein collectively as wireless communication devices512and individually as wireless communication device512. In the following description, the wireless communication devices512are oftentimes UEs and as such sometimes referred to herein as UEs512, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

FIG.6illustrates the operation of a base station502and a UE512for activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a CORESET(s) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Optional steps are represented by dashed lines/boxes. As illustrated, the base station502signals activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a CORESET(s) to the UE512(step600). As discussed below, in some embodiments, the base station502signals activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for a single CORESET. In some other embodiments, the base station502signals activation of NTCI>1 TCI states for each of two (or more) CORESETs, where NTCImay be the same for all of these CORESETs or may be different for at least two of these CORESETs. As described below, some embodiments, the signaling of the activation of the NTCI>1 TCI states for the CORESET(s) uses an existing MAC CE (e.g., an existing PDCCH MAC CE). However, in some other embodiments, the signaling of the activation of the NTCI>1 TCI states for the CORESET(s) uses a new signaling structure such as, e.g., a new MAC CE (e.g., a new PDCCH MAC CE).

The UE512then receives PDCCHs (e.g., from two or more TRPs) in the CORESET(s) in accordance with the activated TCI states (step602). For example, a particular PDCCH may be repeated from two or more TRPs (e.g., as shown inFIG.4described above). In one particular example, PDCCH in a CORESET is associated with multiple activated TCI states, and Resource Elements (REs) of a PDCCH candidate are divided into multiple subsets each associated with one of the activated TCI states. A PDCCH in each subset is then transmitted from a different TRP and received by the UE512in accordance with the respective (activated) TCI states.

The UE may then perform one or more actions based on the received PDCCHs (step604). For example, if the received PDCCHs are repetitions of a same PDCCH, then that same PDCCH is decoded to obtain the respective DCI, and the UE512then operates in accordance with the DCI (e.g., receives a downlink transmission in accordance with a downlink assignment in the DCI or transmits an uplink transmission in accordance with an uplink grant in the DCI).

Now, details of embodiments of the signaling of the activation of the NTCI>1 TCI states for the CORESET(s), e.g., in step600ofFIG.6are provided.

First Embodiment—Reuse of Existing MAC CE

In this embodiment, for each CORESET (i.e., ControlResourceSet), the UE512is configured (e.g., via RRC signaling) with multiple TCI state lists, each having up to a maximum number (e.g., predefined or preconfigured maximum number) of TCI states in each list. In some embodiments, the maximum number of TCI states in each list is given by a parameter (e.g., an RRC parameter referred to herein as maxNrofTCI-StatesPerPDCCH, which is set to an integer value (e.g., two). The TCI states in each of the multiple TCI state lists are the activated TCI states for the CORESET if the list is selected. The existing MAC CE (seeFIG.3) is reused to activate one of the lists by interpreting the “TCI state ID” field as an ID (e.g., tciListID in the example below) of the list of TCI states to be activated.

FIG.7illustrates step600ofFIG.6in more detail for the first embodiment. As illustrated, in regarding to the signaling of step600, the base station502configures (e.g., via RRC signaling) the UE512with two or more TCI state lists, each having up to the maximum number of TCI states (step700). The base station502transmits a MAC CE (e.g., a PDCCH MAC CE) to the UE512, where the MAC CE includes an ID of one of the two or more TCI state lists to be activated (step702). In the first embodiment, the MAC CE uses the existing MAC CE format (seeFIG.3), where the “TCI state ID” field is interpreted as the ID (e.g., tciListID in the example below) of the list of TCI states to be activated.

In one example implementation, the first embodiment may be implemented by the following additions to 3GPP TS 38.311 and 3GPP TS 38 321. The parts emphasized with bolded and underlined text are new additions.

*****Start Changes to 3GPP TS 38.311 and TS 38.321*****

ControlResourceSet field descriptionscce-REG-MappingTypeMapping of Control Channel Elements (CCE) to Resource Element Groups (REG) (see TS 38.211[16], clauses 7.3.2.2 and 7.4.1.3.2).controlResourceSetIdIdentifies the instance of the ControlResourceSet IE. Value 0 identifies the common CORESETconfigured in MIB and in ServingCellConfigCommon (controlResourceSetZero) and is hence notused here in the ControlResourceSet IE. Other values identify CORESETs configured by dedicatedsignalling or in SIB1. The controlResourceSetId is unique among the BWPs of a serving cell.If the field controlResourceSetId-r16 is present, the UE shall ignore the controlResourceSetId field(without suffix).coresetPoolIndexThe index of the CORESET pool for this CORESET as specified in TS 38.213 [13] (clauses 9 and 10)and TS 38.214 [19] (clauses 5.1 and 6.1). If the field is absent, the UE applies the value 0.durationContiguous time duration of the CORESET in number of symbols (see TS 38.211 [16], clause7.3.2.2).frequencyDomainResourcesFrequency domain resources for the CORESET. Each bit corresponds a group of 6 RBs, withgrouping starting from the first RB group (see TS 38.213 [13], clause 10.1) in the BWP. The first(left-most/most significant) bit corresponds to the first RB group in the BWP, and so on. A bit thatis set to 1 indicates that this RB group belongs to the frequency domain resource of this CORESET.Bits corresponding to a group of RBs not fully contained in the bandwidth part within which theCORESET is configured are set to zero (see TS 38.211 [16], clause 7.3.2.2).interleaverSizeInterleaver-size (see TS 38.211 [16], clause 7.3.2.2).pdcch-DMRS-ScramblingIDPDCCH DMRS scrambling initialization (see TS 38.211 [16], clause 7.4.1.3.1). When the field isabsent the UE applies the value of the physCellId configured for this serving cell.precoderGranularityPrecoder granularity in frequency domain (see TS 38.211 [16], clauses 7.3.2.2 and 7.4.1.3.2).rb-OffsetIndicates the RB level offset in units of RB from the first RB of the first 6RB group to the first RB ofBWP (see 38.213 [13], clause 10.1). When the field is absent, the UE applies the value 0.reg-BundleSizeResource Element Groups (REGs) can be bundled to create REG bundles. This parameter definesthe size of such bundles (see TS 38.211 [16], clause 7.3.2.2).shiftIndexWhen the field is absent the UE applies the value of the physCellIdconfigured for this serving cell(see TS 38.211 [16], clause 7.3.2.2).tci-PresentInDCIThis field indicates if TCI field is present or absent in DCI format 1_1. When the field is absent theUE considers the TCI to be absent/disabled. In case of cross carrier scheduling, the network setsthis field to enabled for the ControlResourceSet used for cross carrier scheduling in the schedulingcell (see TS 38.214 [19], clause 5.1.5).tci-PresentInDCI-ForDCI-Format1-2Configures the number of bits for “Transmission configuration indicator” in DCI format 1_2. Whenthe field is absent the UE applies the value of 0 bit for the “Transmission configuration indicator” inDCI format 1_2 (see TS 38.212, clause 7.3.1 and TS 38.214, clause 5.1.5).tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddListA subset of the TCI states defined in pdsch-Config included in the BWP-DownlinkDedicatedcorresponding to the serving cell and to the DL BWP to which the ControlResourceSet belong to.They are used for providing QCL relationships between the DL RS(s) in one RS Set (TCI-State) andthe PDCCH DMRS ports (see TS 38.213 [13], clause 6.). The network configures at mostmaxNrofTCI-StatesPDCCH entries.tci-StatesListPDCCHA list of TCI states that are a subset of the TCI states defined in pdsch-Config includedin the BWP-DownlinkDedicated corresponding to the serving cell and to the DL BWP towhich the ControlResourceSet belong to. They are used for providing OCL relationshipsbetween the DL RS(s) in one RS Set (TCI-State) and the PDCCH DMRS ports (see TS38.213 [13]. clause 6.) The network configures at most maxNrofTCI-StatesPDCCHentries. UE ignores tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddList if tci-StatesListPDCCH is configured
The TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCH MAC CE is identified by a MAC subheader with LCID as specified in Table 6.2.1-1. It has a fixed size of 16 bits with following fields:Serving Cell ID: This field indicates the identity of the Serving Cell for which the MAC CE applies. The length of the field is 5 bits. If the indicated Serving Cell is configured as part of a simultaneousTCI-UpdateList-r16 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateListSecond-r16 as specified in TS 38.331 [5], this MAC CE applies to all the Serving Cells in the set simultaneousTCI-UpdateList-r16 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateListSecond-r16, respectively;CORESET ID: This field indicates a Control Resource Set identified with ControlResourceSetId as specified in TS 38.331 [5], for which the TCI State is being indicated. In case the value of the field is 0, the field refers to the Control Resource Set configured by controlResourceSetZero as specified in TS 38.331 [5]. The length of the field is 4 bits;TCI State ID: This field indicates the TCI state identified by TCI-StateId or tciListID as specified in TS 38.331 [5] applicable to the Control Resource Set identified by CORESET ID field. If the field of CORESET ID is set to 0, this field indicates a TCI-StateId for a TCI state of the first 64 TCI-states configured by tci-States-ToAddModList and tci-States-ToReleaseList in the PDSCH-Confg in the active BWP. If the field of CORESET ID is set to the other value than 0 and UE is not configured with tci-StatesListPDCCH, this field indicates a TCI-StateIdconfigured by tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddList and tci-StatesPDCCH-ToReleaseList in the controlResourceSet identified by the indicated CORESET ID. If the field of CORESET ID is set to the other value than 0 and UE is configured with tci-StatesListPDCCH, this field indicates a tciListID configured by tci-StatesListPDCCH in the controlResourceSet identified by the indicated CORESET ID. The length of the field is 7 bits.

Reproduced Herein as FIG.3

*****End Changes to 3GPP TS 38.311 and TS 38.321*****

Second Embodiment—New MAC CE Options

In one embodiment, a new MAC CE is introduced to activate up to two TCI states to one CORESET ID as shown inFIG.8. A “C” field is used to indicate which TCI state should be assumed by the UE512as default TCI state for PDSCH. If C=1 (or C=0), the default TCI state is the one in Octet 2; and, if C=0 (or C=1), the default TCI state is the one in Octet 3 which is the same octet where the C field is.

What is meant by default TCI state for PDSCH to be assumed by the UE512in this embodiment (and also in following embodiments) is the following. When the UE512assumes that the Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) ports of PDSCH of a serving cell are quasi co-located with the reference signal(s) (RS(s)) with respect to the QCL parameter(s) used for PDCCH quasi co-location indication in a CORESET, the default TCI state for PDSCH is the TCI state activated for PDCCH in the CORESET. For example, in NR Release 16 if none of the TCI codepoints in DCI for PDSCH scheduling are mapped to more than a single TCI state activated for PDSCH and the offset between the reception of a DL DCI and the corresponding PDSCH is less than a threshold timeDurationForQCL configured by higher layers, the UE may assume the default TCI state for receiving the PDSCH. The default TCI state in this case is the activated TCI state of the CORESET with the lowest CORESET-ID in the latest slot in which one or more CORESETs are monitored by the UE. In other word, the DMRS ports of the PDSCH are quasi co-located with RS(s) with respect to the QCL parameter(s) of the default TCI state in this case.

If the new MAC CE of the second embodiment is defined as fixed size MAC CE, by default the header does not include a length field. In this case, the MAC CE always activates two TCI states per CORESET. If this MAC CE is defined as flexible size MAC CE, the header will include a length field, and UE can interpret whether the MAC CE has one or two TCI states (two or three octets in the main body of the MAC CE) based on the length field.

In another embodiment, more than two TCI states can be mapped to one CORESET ID as shown inFIG.9. In the example ofFIG.9, three TCI states are activated for one CORESET (i.e., the CORESET that corresponds to the given CORESET ID). One difference between this embodiment and that ofFIG.8is that two or more bits are needed for the C field. The C field with 2 or more bits in this embodiment chooses which TCI states among the TCI states activated within the MAC CE should be used by the UE512as default TCI state for PDSCH.

In a further embodiment, the new MAC CE is as shown inFIG.10, where up to N TCI states may be activated. If Ck=1, then TCI state IDkis the default TCI state for PDSCH. Only one Ckcan be set to 1. If Ck=0 for k=1, . . . , N−1, then TCI state ID0is the default TCI state for PDSCH.

If this MAC CE is defined as fixed size MAC CE, by default the header does not include a length field. In this case, the MAC CE always activates two TCI states per CORESET. If this MAC CE is defined as flexible size MAC CE, the header will include a length field and UE can interpret whether the MAC CE has two TCI states or N TCI states (two or N octets in the main body of the MAC CE) based on the length field.

In some embodiments, only the first TCI state ID provided in the MAC CE is used as default TCI state for PDSCH. This means TCI state ID0(7 bits) inFIG.8,FIG.9, andFIG.10is used as default TCI state of PDSCH. The additional TCI states activated for a CORESET in the examples ofFIG.8,FIG.9, andFIG.10are only used for the purpose of subsets of REs of a PDCCH candidate. In this embodiment, the ‘C’ field(s) are no longer needed as the default TCI state for PDSCH is already predefined by the first activated TCI state with TCI state ID0. Hence, in this embodiment, the ‘C’ field(s) are replaced by reserved ‘R’ fields inFIG.8,FIG.9, andFIG.10.

In some embodiments, the new MAC CE that provides more than one active TCI state per CORESET is only applicable to CORESETs other than CORESET 0 (i.e., a CORESET whose CORESET ID is set to a value other than 0).

In another embodiment, the number of CORESETs per serving cell is increased to larger than 16 (e.g., 20) which requires an additional bit to be included in the CORESET ID field. As shown inFIG.11, CORESET ID is given by a 5-bit field where 3 bits are given in octet OCT1 and the remaining 2 bits are given in OCT2. For indicating the first activated TCI state for the CORESET, 6 out of 7 bits of TCI state ID0are provided in octet OCT2 and the remaining 1 bit of TCI state ID0is provided in octet OCT3. For indicating the second activated TCI state for the CORESET, the 7-bit TCI state ID1is provided in octet OCT3.

The above embodiments can be extended to the case where TCI state activation for more than one CORESET may be included in one MAC CE where one or two TCI states can be activated for each MAC CE. In this regard,FIG.12shows an example where TCI state activation for two CORESETs within the same serving cell are provided in the same MAC CE. Further details of this MAC CE design are given below:The field CORESET IDrrepresents the CORESET ID of the rthCORESET for which TCI state(s) activation is provided in the MAC CE.The field TCI state IDr,irepresents the ithactivated TCI state for the CORESET associated with CORESET IDr.The field Gris an indicator that indicates if TCI state activation for an additional CORESET (i.e., CORESET corresponding to CORESET IDr+1) will be provided in the new MAC CE.

Note that, in one embodiment, in the above embodiments involving the introduction of a new MAC CE, each of the fields TCI state ID0, TCI state ID1, . . . indicate a TCI-StateIdconfigured by tci-StatesPDCCH-ToAddList and tci-StatesPDCCH-ToReleaseList in the controlResourceSet identified by the indicated CORESET ID.

FIG.13illustrates step600ofFIG.6in more detail for the second embodiment. As illustrated, in regard to the signaling of step600, the base station502may also configure (e.g., via RRC signaling) the UE512with a TCI state list having up to the maximum number of TCI states for each CORESET (step1300). The base station502transmits a MAC CE (e.g., a PDCCH MAC CE) to the UE512, where the MAC CE includes information that indicates the activated TCI states and, in some embodiments, the CORESET(s) for which the indicated TCI states are activated (step1302). For example, the MAC CE may be the MAC CE of any one ofFIGS.8to12described above. Note that the TCI state IDs included in the MAC CE may be indices of the TCI states in the TCI state list of the respective CORESET configured in step1300.

Additional Details

FIG.14is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node1400according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Optional features are represented by dashed boxes. The radio access node1400may be, for example, a base station502, a low power node506, a TRP (e.g., a TRP of a base station502), or the like. As illustrated, the radio access node1400includes a control system1402that includes one or more processors1404(e.g., Central Processing Units (CPUs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and/or the like), memory1406, and a network interface1408. The one or more processors1404are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. In addition, the radio access node1400may include one or more radio units1410that each includes one or more transmitters1412and one or more receivers1414coupled to one or more antennas1416. The radio units1410may be referred to or be part of radio interface circuitry. In some embodiments, the radio unit(s)1410is external to the control system1402and connected to the control system1402via, e.g., a wired connection (e.g., an optical cable). However, in some other embodiments, the radio unit(s)1410and potentially the antenna(s)1416are integrated together with the control system1402. The one or more processors1404operate to provide one or more functions of the radio access node1400as described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station502, gNB, or TRP as described herein). In some embodiments, the function(s) are implemented in software that is stored, e.g., in the memory1406and executed by the one or more processors1404.

FIG.15is a schematic block diagram that illustrates a virtualized embodiment of the radio access node1400according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is equally applicable to other types of network nodes. Further, other types of network nodes may have similar virtualized architectures. Again, optional features are represented by dashed boxes.

As used herein, a “virtualized” radio access node is an implementation of the radio access node1400in which at least a portion of the functionality of the radio access node1400is implemented as a virtual component(s) (e.g., via a virtual machine(s) executing on a physical processing node(s) in a network(s)). As illustrated, in this example, the radio access node1400may include the control system1402and/or the one or more radio units1410, as described above. The control system1402may be connected to the radio unit(s)1410via, for example, an optical cable or the like. The radio access node1400includes one or more processing nodes1500coupled to or included as part of a network(s)1502. If present, the control system1402or the radio unit(s) are connected to the processing node(s)1500via the network1502. Each processing node1500includes one or more processors1504(e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory1506, and a network interface1508.

In this example, functions1510of the radio access node1400described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station502, gNB, or TRP as described herein) are implemented at the one or more processing nodes1500or distributed across the one or more processing nodes1500and the control system1402and/or the radio unit(s)1410in any desired manner. In some particular embodiments, some or all of the functions1510of the radio access node1400described herein are implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in a virtual environment(s) hosted by the processing node(s)1500. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, additional signaling or communication between the processing node(s)1500and the control system1402is used in order to carry out at least some of the desired functions1510. Notably, in some embodiments, the control system1402may not be included, in which case the radio unit(s)1410communicate directly with the processing node(s)1500via an appropriate network interface(s).

FIG.16is a schematic block diagram of the radio access node1400according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The radio access node1400includes one or more modules1600, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s)1600provide the functionality of the radio access node1400described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station502, gNB, or TRP as described herein). This discussion is equally applicable to the processing node1500ofFIG.15where the modules1600may be implemented at one of the processing nodes1500or distributed across multiple processing nodes1500and/or distributed across the processing node(s)1500and the control system1402.

FIG.17is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device1700according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device1700may be, for example, the wireless communication device or UE512as described herein. As illustrated, the wireless communication device1700includes one or more processors1702(e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory1704, and one or more transceivers1706each including one or more transmitters1708and one or more receivers1710coupled to one or more antennas1712. The transceiver(s)1706includes radio-front end circuitry connected to the antenna(s)1712that is configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna(s)1712and the processor(s)1702, as will be appreciated by on of ordinary skill in the art. The processors1702are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. The transceivers1706are also referred to herein as radio circuitry. In some embodiments, the functionality of the wireless communication device1700described above (e.g., one or more functions of the wireless communication device512or UE512described above) may be fully or partially implemented in software that is, e.g., stored in the memory1704and executed by the processor(s)1702. Note that the wireless communication device1700may include additional components not illustrated inFIG.17such as, e.g., one or more user interface components (e.g., an input/output interface including a display, buttons, a touch screen, a microphone, a speaker(s), and/or the like and/or any other components for allowing input of information into the wireless communication device1700and/or allowing output of information from the wireless communication device1700), a power supply (e.g., a battery and associated power circuitry), etc.

FIG.18is a schematic block diagram of the wireless communication device1700according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device1700includes one or more modules1800, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s)1800provide the functionality of the wireless communication device1700described herein (e.g., one or more functions of the wireless communication device512or UE512described above).

With reference toFIG.19, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network1900, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network1902, such as a RAN, and a core network1904. The access network1902comprises a plurality of base stations1906A,1906B,1906C, such as Node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, or other types of wireless Access Points (APs), each defining a corresponding coverage area1908A,1908B,1908C. Each base station1906A,1906B,1906C is connectable to the core network1904over a wired or wireless connection1910. A first UE1912located in coverage area1908C is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station1906C. A second UE1914in coverage area1908A is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station1906A. While a plurality of UEs1912,1914are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station1906.

The telecommunication network1900is itself connected to a host computer1916, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as processing resources in a server farm. The host computer1916may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections1918and1920between the telecommunication network1900and the host computer1916may extend directly from the core network1904to the host computer1916or may go via an optional intermediate network1922. The intermediate network1922may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network1922, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network1922may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system ofFIG.19as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs1912,1914and the host computer1916. The connectivity may be described as an Over-the-Top (OTT) connection1924. The host computer1916and the connected UEs1912,1914are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection1924, using the access network1902, the core network1904, any intermediate network1922, and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection1924may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection1924passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station1906may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from the host computer1916to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE1912. Similarly, the base station1906need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE1912towards the host computer1916.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference toFIG.20. In a communication system2000, a host computer2002comprises hardware2004including a communication interface2006configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system2000. The host computer2002further comprises processing circuitry2008, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry2008may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer2002further comprises software2010, which is stored in or accessible by the host computer2002and executable by the processing circuitry2008. The software2010includes a host application2012. The host application2012may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a UE2014connecting via an OTT connection2016terminating at the UE2014and the host computer2002. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application2012may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection2016.

The communication system2000further includes a base station2018provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware2020enabling it to communicate with the host computer2002and with the UE2014. The hardware2020may include a communication interface2022for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system2000, as well as a radio interface2024for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection2026with the UE2014located in a coverage area (not shown inFIG.20) served by the base station2018. The communication interface2022may be configured to facilitate a connection2028to the host computer2002. The connection2028may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown inFIG.20) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, the hardware2020of the base station2018further includes processing circuitry2030, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The base station2018further has software2032stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

The communication system2000further includes the UE2014already referred to. The UE's2014hardware2034may include a radio interface2036configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection2026with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE2014is currently located. The hardware2034of the UE2014further includes processing circuitry2038, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE2014further comprises software2040, which is stored in or accessible by the UE2014and executable by the processing circuitry2038. The software2040includes a client application2042. The client application2042may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE2014, with the support of the host computer2002. In the host computer2002, the executing host application2012may communicate with the executing client application2042via the OTT connection2016terminating at the UE2014and the host computer2002. In providing the service to the user, the client application2042may receive request data from the host application2012and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection2016may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application2042may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that the host computer2002, the base station2018, and the UE2014illustrated inFIG.20may be similar or identical to the host computer1916, one of the base stations1906A,1906B,1906C, and one of the UEs1912,1914ofFIG.19, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown inFIG.20and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that ofFIG.19.

InFIG.20, the OTT connection2016has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer2002and the UE2014via the base station2018without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, which may be configured to hide from the UE2014or from the service provider operating the host computer2002, or both. While the OTT connection2016is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

The wireless connection2026between the UE2014and the base station2018is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE2014using the OTT connection2016, in which the wireless connection2026forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve, e.g., reliability and thereby provide benefits such as, e.g., improved performance.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection2016between the host computer2002and the UE2014, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection2016may be implemented in the software2010and the hardware2004of the host computer2002or in the software2040and the hardware2034of the UE2014, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection2016passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which the software2010,2040may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection2016may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station2018, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station2018. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer2002's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software2010and2040causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection2016while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.

FIG.21is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference toFIGS.19and20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references toFIG.21will be included in this section. In step2100, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step2102(which may be optional) of step2100, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step2104, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step2106(which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step2108(which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

FIG.23is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference toFIGS.19and20. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references toFIG.23will be included in this section. In step2300(which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step2302, the UE provides user data. In sub-step2304(which may be optional) of step2300, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In sub-step2306(which may be optional) of step2302, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in sub-step2308(which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step2310of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

Some example embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows:

Group A Embodiments

Embodiment 1: A method performed by a wireless communication device (512) for activation of multiple Transmission Configuration Indication, TCI, states for a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, in one or more Control Resource Sets, CORESETs, in a cellular communications system (500), the method comprising: receiving (600), from a network node (502;506;1700), signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

Embodiment 2: The method of embodiment 1 further comprising receiving (602) PDCCHs in the one or more CORESETs in accordance with the NTCITCI states that are activated for one or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 3: The method of embodiment 2 further comprising performing (604) one or more actions in accordance with downlink control information carried by the received PDCCHs.

Embodiment 4: The method of embodiment 2 or 3 wherein the received PDCCHs comprise two copies of a same DCI received from two or more respective transmission points, and the two or more respective transmission points correspond to two or more respective TCI states from among the NTCITCI states that are activated for one or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 5: The method of embodiment 4 wherein the two copies of the same DCI are received from the two or more respective transmission points in a same CORESET.

Embodiment 6: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 4 wherein the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the NTCITCI states are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 7: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 4 wherein the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the signaling comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, information that indicates NTCITCI states activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 8: The method of embodiment 7 wherein NTCIis different for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 9: The method of embodiment 7 wherein NTCIis the same for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 10: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 4 wherein receiving (600) the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises one or more of: receiving (700) a configuration of M TCI state lists for a CORESET, wherein each TCI state list of the M TCI state lists comprises up to a predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states and M>1; and receiving (702), from the network node, an indication of one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET, wherein TCI states in the one of the M TCI state lists are the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 11: The method of embodiment 10 wherein the predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states is greater than or equal to 2.

Embodiment 12: The method of embodiment 10 or 11 wherein receiving (702) the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises receiving a MAC CE that comprises the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

Embodiment 13: The method of embodiment 10 or 11 wherein receiving (702) the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises receiving a MAC CE that comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the CORESET; and a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the CORESET and a TCI state ID; wherein the wireless communication device (512) interprets the TCI state ID as the indication (e.g., index or ID) of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

Embodiment 14: The method of any one of embodiments 10 to 13 wherein receiving (600) the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises: receiving (702), from the network node, a MAC CE that comprises, for each CORESET of the one or more CORESETs, information that indicates the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 15: The method of embodiment 14 wherein the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the MAC CE comprises, for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, an indication (e.g., ID) of the TCI state.

Embodiment 16: The method of embodiment 15 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 17: The method of embodiment 16 wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 18: The method of embodiment 16 wherein the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 19: The method of any of embodiments 15 to 18 wherein the MAC CE is a fixed size MAC CE.

Embodiment 20: The method of any of embodiments 15 to 18 wherein the MAC CE is a flexible size MAC CE, wherein a size of the MAC CE is indicated by a length field of an associated header and the wireless communication device (512) interprets a value of NTCIbased on a value of the length field.

Embodiment 21: The method of embodiment 15 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first part of a TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a third octet that comprises a second part of the TCI state ID of the first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 22: The method of embodiment 15 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a first part of a third TCI state ID of a third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a fourth octet that comprises a second part of the third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 23: The method of embodiment 22 wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 24: The method of embodiment 22 wherein the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 25: The method of embodiment 15 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of:a first octet that comprises one or more of:a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512); anda first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET;a second octet that comprises one or more of:a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET; anda first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; anda third octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 26: The method of embodiment 25 wherein the MAC CE further comprises:a fourth octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether a third TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH; anda third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 27: The method of embodiment 14 wherein the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the MAC CE comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs,for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET, an indication (e.g., ID) of the TCI state.

Embodiment 28: The method of embodiment 27 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of:a first octet that comprises one or more of:a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512); anda first part of a first CORESET ID of a first CORESET of the two or more CORESETs;a second octet that comprises one or more of:a second part of the first CORESET ID of the first CORESET; anda first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET; anda third octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether additional octets are present; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET.

Embodiment 29: The method of embodiment 28 wherein the MAC CE further comprises one or more of:a first additional octet that comprises a second CORESET ID of a second CORESET of the two or more CORESETs;a second additional octet that comprises a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET; anda third additional octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether additional octets are present; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET.

Embodiment 30: A method performed by a wireless communication device (512) for activation of multiple Transmission Configuration Indication, TCI, states for a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, in one or more Control Resource Sets, CORESETs, in a cellular communications system (500), the method comprising one or more of:receiving, from a network node (502;506;1700), a configuration of M TCI state lists, each comprising of two or more TCI states; andreceiving an activation command carried by a MAC CE indicating one or more of:a TCI state list from the M TCI state lists if M>1; ora first and a second TCI states in the M TCI state lists if M=1 for PDCCH in the CORESET. (Note: For example, in the above disclosure, a case where a single list of TCI states is configured for a CORESET, a MAC CE is used to activate 2 or more TCI states from the list.)

Embodiment 31: The method of embodiment 30, wherein the MAC CE when M>1 is an existing MAC CE with its TCI state ID field being interpreted as an index or ID of a TCI state list.

Embodiment 32: The method of embodiment 30, wherein the MAC CE when M>1 consists of a first and a second TCI state IDs in a first and a second Octet for the first and the second TCI states, respectively.

Embodiment 33: The method of embodiment 30, wherein the MAC CE when M>1 further comprises a bit “C” field in a same Octet as the second TCI state ID to indicate one of the first and the second TCI states as a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 34: The method of embodiment 30, wherein the method further comprises activating a third TCI state in the CORESET.

Embodiment 35: The method of embodiment 34, wherein the MAC CE when M>1 further comprises a third TCI state ID in a third octet for the third TCI state.

Embodiment 36: The method of embodiment 35, wherein the MAC CE when >1 further comprises of a “C” field in the third octet to indicate one of the first, the second, and the third TCI states as a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 37: The methods of embodiment 35, wherein the MAC CE when M>1 further comprises a one bit “C” field in each of the second and the third octets to indicate one of the first, the second, and the third TCI states as a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 38: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.

Group B Embodiments

Embodiment 39: A method performed by a network node (502) for activation of multiple Transmission Configuration Indication, TCI, states for a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, in one or more Control Resource Sets, CORESETs, in a cellular communications system (500), the method comprising: sending (600), to a wireless communication device (512), signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs, wherein NTCI>1.

Embodiment 40: The method of embodiment 39 wherein the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the NTCITCI states are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 41: The method of embodiment 39 wherein the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the signaling comprises, for each CORESET of the two or more CORESETs, information that indicates NTCITCI states activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 42: The method of embodiment 41 wherein NTCIis different for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 43: The method of embodiment 41 wherein NTCIis the same for at least two of the two or more CORESETs.

Embodiment 44: The method of embodiment 39 wherein sending (600) the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises one or more of: sending (700), to the wireless communication device (512), a configuration of M TCI state lists for a CORESET, wherein each TCI state list of the M TCI state lists comprises up to a predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states and M>1; and sending (702), to the wireless communication device (512), an indication of one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET, wherein TCI states in the one of the M TCI state lists are the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 45: The method of embodiment 44 wherein the predefined or preconfigured maximum number of TCI states is greater than or equal to 2.

Embodiment 46: The method of embodiment 44 or 45 wherein sending (702) the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises sending a MAC CE that comprises the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

Embodiment 47: The method of embodiment 44 or 45 wherein sending (702) the indication of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET comprises sending a MAC CE that comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the CORESET; and a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the CORESET and a TCI state ID; wherein the TCI state ID is interpreted as the indication (e.g., index or ID) of the one of the M TCI state lists for the CORESET.

Embodiment 48: The method of embodiment 39 wherein sending (600) the signaling that activates NTCITCI states for one or more CORESETs comprises: sending (702), to the wireless communication device (512), a MAC CE that comprises, for each CORESET of the one or more CORESETs, indicates of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET.

Embodiment 49: The method of embodiment 48 wherein the one or more CORESETs consist of a single CORESET, and the MAC CE comprises, for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET, an indication (e.g., ID) of the TCI state.

Embodiment 50: The method of embodiment 49 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 51: The method of embodiment 50 wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 52: The method of embodiment 50 wherein the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 53: The method of any of embodiments 49 to 52 wherein the MAC CE is a fixed size MAC CE.

Embodiment 54: The method of any of embodiments 49 to 52 wherein the MAC CE is a flexible size MAC CE, wherein a size of the MAC CE is indicated by a length field of an associated header and the wireless communication device (512) interprets a value of NTCIbased on a value of the length field.

Embodiment 55: The method of embodiment 49 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first part of a TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a third octet that comprises a second part of the TCI state ID of the first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 56: The method of embodiment 49 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of: a first octet that comprises a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512) and a first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET; a second octet that comprises a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET and a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; a third octet that comprises a second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET and a first part of a third TCI state ID of a third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; and a fourth octet that comprises a second part of the third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 57: The method of embodiment 56 wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of which of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 58: The method of embodiment 56 wherein the first TCI state indicated by the first TCI state ID in the second octet of the MAC CE is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH.

Embodiment 59: The method of embodiment 49 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of:a first octet that comprises one or more of:a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512); anda first part of a CORESET ID of the single CORESET;a second octet that comprises one or more of:a second part of the CORESET ID of the single CORESET; anda first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET; anda third octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 60: The method of embodiment 59 wherein the MAC CE further comprises:a fourth octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether a third TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET is a default TCI state for physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH; anda third TCI state ID of the third TCI state of the of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the single CORESET.

Embodiment 61: The method of embodiment 48 wherein the one or more CORESETs comprise two or more CORESETs, and the MAC CE comprises, for CORESET of the two or more CORESETs,for each TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the CORESET, an indication (e.g., ID) of the TCI state.

Embodiment 62: The method of embodiment 61 wherein the MAC CE comprises one or more of:a first octet that comprises one or more of:a serving cell identity, ID, of a serving cell of the wireless communication device (512); anda first part of a first CORESET ID of a first CORESET of the two or more CORESETs;a second octet that comprises one or more of:a second part of the first CORESET ID of the first CORESET; anda first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET; anda third octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether additional octets are present; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the first CORESET.

Embodiment 63: The method of embodiment 62 wherein the MAC CE further comprises one or more of:a first additional octet that comprises a second CORESET ID of a second CORESET of the two or more CORESETs;a second additional octet that comprises a first TCI state ID of a first TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET; anda third octet that comprises one or more of:an indication of whether additional octets are present; anda second TCI state ID of a second TCI state of the NTCITCI states that are activated for the second CORESET.

Embodiment 64: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: obtaining user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless communication device.

Group C Embodiments

Embodiment 65: A wireless communication device comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless communication device.

Embodiment 66: A base station comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

Embodiment 67: A User Equipment, UE, comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

Embodiment 68: A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE; wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

Embodiment 69: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

Embodiment 70: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

Embodiment 71: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiment 73: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

Embodiment 74: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiment 75: A User Equipment, UE, configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the method of the previous 3 embodiments.

Embodiment 76: A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE; wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's components configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

Embodiment 77: The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

Embodiment 78: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

Embodiment 80: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

Embodiment 81: A communication system including a host computer comprising: communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User Equipment, UE, to a base station; wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

Embodiment 82: The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.

Embodiment 83: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

Embodiment 86: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

Embodiment 87: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

Embodiment 88: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

Embodiment 91: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

Embodiment 92: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

Embodiment 94: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

Embodiment 95: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

Embodiment 96: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.