Patent Description:
Controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform one or more techniques associated with a message B (msgB) channel structure, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG>, process <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein. Memories <NUM> and <NUM> may store data and program codes for base station <NUM> and UE <NUM>, respectively. In some aspects, memory <NUM> and/or memory <NUM> may comprise a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions for wireless communication. For example, the one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the base station <NUM> and/or the UE <NUM>, may perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG>, process <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein.

In some aspects, UE <NUM> may include means for receiving a msgB communication, means for identifying a first portion of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) signaling information for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback associated with the msgB communication included in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) component of the msgB communication, means for identifying a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) component of the msgB communication, and/or the like. In some aspects, such means may include one or more components of UE <NUM> described in connection with <FIG>, such as controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, and/or the like.

In some aspects, base station <NUM> may include means for configuring a PDCCH component of a msgB communication to include a first portion of PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication, means for configuring a PDSCH component of the msgB communication to include a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information, means for transmitting the msgB communication to one or more UEs <NUM>, and/or the like. In some aspects, such means may include one or more components of base station <NUM> described in connection with <FIG>, such as antenna <NUM>, DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, MOD <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, and/or the like.

A UE may access a wireless network by negotiating a connection with a BS included in the wireless network. During connection establishment, the UE and the BS may synchronize the connection in the downlink direction (that is, from BS to UE) and in the uplink direction (that is, from UE to BS).

To synchronize the connection in the downlink direction, the UE may read a synchronization signal block (SSB) that includes various synchronization signals transmitted from the BS. The synchronization signals may include a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), a primary broadcast channel (PBCH), and/or the like. The UE may use the PSS to determine symbol timing in the downlink direction, may use the SSS to determine a physical cell identifier associated with the BS, and may use the PBCH to determine the frame timing.

To synchronize the connection in the uplink direction, the UE and the BS may perform a random access channel (RACH) procedure. In some aspects, the UE and the BS may perform a four-step RACH procedure. In a four-step RACH procedure, the UE and the BS may exchange four primary RACH communications. The UE may transmit a Message <NUM> (msg1) communication to the BS (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP four-step RACH procedure). The msg1 communication may be a RACH preamble communication that is transmitted in a RACH occasion (e.g., a particular set of time-frequency resources), the combination of which may be referred to as a RACH signature. The BS may respond to the msg1 communication with a Message <NUM> (msg2) communication (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP four-step RACH procedure), which may be a random access response (RAR) communication. The UE may respond to the msg2 communication with a Message <NUM> (msg3) communication (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP four-step RACH procedure), which may be a radio resource control (RRC) connection request communication. The BS may respond to the msg3 communication with a Message <NUM> (msg4) communication (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP four-step RACH procedure), which may be a medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) contention resolution identifier communication and may include an RRCSetup command, and/or the like.

In some cases, the four-step RACH procedure may not meet the low latency requirements of <NUM>/NR wireless systems. Accordingly, the UE and the BS may use a two-step RACH procedure to reduce latency in synchronizing the connection in the uplink direction. In a two-step RACH procedure, the UE may combine the msg1 communication and the msg3 communication into a communication referred to as a message A (msgA) communication (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP two-step RACH procedure). The msg1 component of the msgA communication may be referred to as the preamble component of the msgA communication. The msg3 component of the msgA communication may be referred to as the payload component of the msgA communication. The UE may transmit the msg1 component and the msg3 component sequentially and prior to receiving the msg2 communication and the msg4 communication.

The BS may receive the msgA communication and may transmit a msgB communication (e.g., as defined in a 3GPP two-step RACH procedure), which may include the msg2 communication and the msg4 communication. The msgB communication may include a PDCCH component and a PDSCH component. The PDSCH component may carry the payload of the msgB communication, which may include one or more RARs directed to one or more UEs.

A RAR may be a fallback RAR, a success RAR (with or without an associated radio resource control (RRC) message), a backoff indicator, and/or the like. A fallback RAR may be transmitted if the preamble component of the msgA communication is detected and decoded but not the payloadcomponent. A fallback RAR may indicate to the UE to fall back to a four-step RACH procedure, and may include a random access preamble identifier (RAPID) for the UE, an RAR grant, a timing advance command, and a temporary cell radio network temporary identifier (TC-RNTI) for retransmitting the msg3 or payload component of the msgA communication. A success RAR may be transmitted if the preamble component and the payload component are detected and decoded. A success RAR may indicate to the UE to proceed with the two-step RACH procedure, and may identify a contention resolution identifier, a timing advance command, and a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI).

A UE may monitor for a msgB communication during an RAR reception window. The starting point of the RAR reception window may be aligned with the first PDCCH symbol of the earliest search space for the msgB communication. If the UE does not receive a success RAR or fallback RAR by the expiration of the RAR reception window, the UE may retransmit the msgA communication.

In some cases, a BS may include PUCCH signaling information in a msgB communication directed to a UE. The PUCCH signaling information may include one or more parameters for transmitting HARQ feedback (e.g., an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgment (NACK)) associated with the msgB communication to the BS on an uplink. The BS may include the PUCCH signaling information in downlink control information (DCI) in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication.

As the quantity of UEs deployed in a wireless network increases, it may be desirable to conserve radio resources by having a BS multiplex a plurality of RARs to a plurality of UEs in a single msgB communication. However, due to the limited space allocated to DCI in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication, the BS may be unable to include PUCCH signaling information for each of the plurality of UEs in the DCI.

Some aspects, described herein, provide techniques and apparatuses for a msgB channel structure that permits a plurality of RARs to be multiplexed in a single msgB communication along with PUCCH signaling information directed to a plurality of UEs. In some aspects, a BS may distribute the PUCCH signaling information across the PDCCH component (e.g., in DCI) and the PDSCH component (e.g., in one or more medium access control (MAC) sub-headers and/or one or more MAC sub-protocol data units (PDUs)) of the msgB communication. In this way, the BS may maintain the size of existing DCI formats while including PUCCH signaling information directed to the plurality of UEs in a single msgB communication. Moreover, signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining may be distributed across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component in a similar manner to increase the ability of the plurality of UEs to perform MAC sub-PDU combining as part of a HARQ process.

Some aspects, described herein, introduce a common MAC sub-header, which may be used to aggregate and/or group a plurality of MAC sub-PDUs carrying the same type of RAR, as well as may be used to carry common PUCCH signaling information for the plurality of UEs. The common MAC sub-header may reduce overhead of the overall MAC PDU in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication by reducing the quantity of MAC sub-headers in the MAC PDU (e.g., relative to including a respective MAC sub-header for each of the MAC sub-PDUs), by permitting common PUCCH signaling information to be included in a single location or fewer locations in the PDSCH component , and/or the like.

To further decrease processing, memory, and power resource consumption at the UEs, the BS may multiplex the same type of RARs and/or different types of RARs in the same msgB communication, which permits success RARs, fallback RARs, initial RAR transmissions, and/or RAR retransmissions to be included in the same msgB communication. The BS may also provide an early indication of which msgB communication will carry an RAR directed to a particular UE or group of UEs, which further decreases processing, memory, and power resource consumption at the UEs.

<FIG> are diagrams illustrating one or more examples <NUM> of configuring a msgB channel structure, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, example(s) <NUM> may include communication between a BS (e.g., BS <NUM>) and a plurality of UEs (e.g., UE <NUM>), such as UE1-UEn, and/or the like. The BS and the plurality of UEs may be included in a wireless network, such as wireless network <NUM> and/or the like.

In some aspects, each of the plurality of UEs may perform a RACH procedure with the BS to establish a wireless connection with the BS. The RACH procedure may include, for example, a two-step RACH procedure, a four-step RACH procedure, and/or the like. In some aspects, a UE of the plurality of UEs may initiate a two-step RACH procedure by transmitting a msgA communication to the BS. In this case, the UE may transmit a preamble component of the msgA communication in a preamble occasion (e.g., one or more time-frequency resources configured for RACH preamble transmission), and may transmit a payload component of the msgA communication in a PUSCH occasion (e.g., one or more time-frequency resources configured for msgA payload transmission).

The BS may respond to msgA communications from one or more of the plurality of UEs by transmitting a msgB communication to the one or more of the plurality of UEs. In some aspects, the BS may transmit a respective msgB communication for each received msgA communication, where each respective msgB communication includes a RAR directed to a particular UE. In some aspects, the BS may multiplex RARs directed to a plurality of UEs in a single msgB communication. In some aspects, the BS may configure a msgB communication to include PUCCH signaling information for providing HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication. In this case, the PUCCH signaling communication may be directed to a single UE or to a plurality of UEs.

As shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, the BS may distribute PUCCH signaling information across a PDCCH component and a PDSCH component of a msgB communication by configuring the PDCCH component to include a first portion of the PUCCH signaling information, and by configuring the PDSCH component to include a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information. The PUCCH signaling information may include various parameters for one or more UEs to transmit HARQ feedback based at least in part on the msgB communication, such as a PUCCH resource allocation, a PDSCH to HARQ timing indication, a PUCCH power control command, and/or the like.

The PUCCH resource allocation may identify one or more time-domain and/or frequency-domain resources in which the one or more UEs are to transmit the HARQ feedback to the BS. The one or more time-domain resources may include one or more slots, one or more symbols, and/or the like. The one or more frequency-domain resources may include one or more sub-carriers, one or more resource blocks, one or more resource elements, and/or the like. The PDSCH to HARQ timing indication may identify a timing offset between the PUSCH component of the msgB communication and a time at which the one or more UEs are to transmit the HARQ feedback. The PUCCH power control command may identify a transmit power for transmitting the HARQ feedback on an uplink.

In some aspects, the PUCCH signaling information may include one or more common components and/or one or more UE-specific components. The common components may include PUCCH signaling information directed to a plurality or group of UEs, and may include a common PUCCH resource allocation, a common PDSCH to HARQ timing indication, a common PUCCH power control command, and/or the like. The one or more UE-specific components may be directed to a particular UE, and may include a UE-specific PUCCH resource allocation, a UE-specific PDSCH to HARQ timing indication, a UE-specific PUCCH power control command, and/or the like.

In some aspects, each component of the PUCCH signaling information may be represented by a set of bits in the msgB communication. Examples include <NUM> bits for a PUCCH resource allocation, <NUM> bits for a PDSCH to HARQ timing indication, <NUM> bits for a PUCCH power control command, and/or the like.

<FIG> illustrates an example distribution of PUCCH signaling information across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. As shown in <FIG>, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information may be included in DCI in the PDCCH component. As further shown in <FIG>, the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information may be included in one or more locations in the PDSCH component such as one or more common MAC sub-headers, one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers, one or more MAC sub-PDUs, and/or the like.

In some aspects, the first portion may include one or more common components of the PUCCH signaling information. In some aspects, the second portion may include one or more common components and/or one or more UE-specific parameters of the PUCCH signaling information. The one or more common parameters included in the second portion may be included in one or more common MAC sub-headers, the one or more UE-specific components may be included in one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers and/or one or more MAC sub-PDUs, and/or the like.

In some aspects, a particular component of the PUCCH signaling information may be distributed across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. For example, a first subset of the set of bits for a common PUCCH resource allocation may be included in the PDCCH component (e.g., in DCI) and a second subset of the set of bits for the common PUCCH resource allocation may be included in the PDSCH component (e.g., in one or more common MAC sub-headers). In some aspects, a particular component of the PUCCH signaling information may be distributed within the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. For example, a first subset of the bits for a UE-specific PDSCH to HARQ timing indication may be included in one or more UE-specific sub-headers and/or one or more MAC sub-PDUs.

In some aspects, the PUCCH signaling information may be distributed across the first portion and the second portion in a manner that reduces, minimizes, and/or otherwise avoids the addition of extra padding to the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. For example, the BS may make use of reserved bits in the DCI as opposed to introducing a new DCI format that includes extra bits for the first portion of the PUCCH information, and may make use of reserved bits in one or more MAC sub-headers and/or MAC sub-PDUs as opposed to increasing the size of MAC sub-headers and/or the size of MAC sub-PDUs that are used in the msgB communication. As another example, if the DCI, MAC sub-headers, and/or MAC sub-PDUs are byte-aligned, the BS may distribute the PUCCH signaling information across the first portion and the second portion in a manner that ensures the DCI, MAC sub-headers, and/or MAC sub-PDUs are byte-aligned with the addition of minimal padding.

In some aspects, the BS may further include Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining in the msgB communication. The Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining may include various parameters that may permit the one or more UEs to perform MAC sub-PDU combining as part of HARQ processing for the msgB communication, such as a redundancy version associated with the msgB communication, a HARQ process identifier associated with the msgB communication, a new data indicator associated with the msgB communication, and/or the like. The BS may distribute the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component of the msgB communication in a manner similar to the PUCCH signaling information. For example, the BS may include a first portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining in the PDCCH component (e.g., DCI) of the msgB communication, and may include a second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining in the PDSCH component (e.g., one or more common MAC sub-headers, one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers, one or more MAC sub-PDUs, and/or the like) of the msgB communication.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate examples of common MAC sub-headers that may be included in a PDSCH component of the msgB communication. Other examples of common MAC sub-headers may be used in the msgB communication and/or other communications. A common MAC sub-header may be used in place (or in addition to) one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers for one or more MAC sub-PDUs. In other words, a common MAC sub-header may be used to provide header information for a plurality of MAC sub-PDUs associated with the common MAC sub-header. As an example, a common MAC sub-header may be used to group a plurality of MAC sub-PDUs carrying the same type of RAR. In this way, the PDSCH component may include a plurality of groups of MAC sub-PDUs, where each group of MAC sub-PDUs is grouped under a single common MAC sub-header based at least in part on RAR type.

As shown in <FIG>, an example common MAC sub-header may include a plurality of fields, such as a last MAC sub-PDU indicator field, a RAR type indicator field, a quantity of RARs field, a common PUCCH signaling information field, and/or the like. The last MAC sub-PUD indicator field may be used to indicate that a MAC sub-PDU associated with the common MAC sub-header is a last MAC sub-PDU included in the MAC PDU of the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. In this case, the last MAC sub-PDU indicator field may include a flag (e.g., an "E" flag and/or another type of flag) a bit (e.g., a <NUM> or a <NUM>), and/or the like to identify the end of the MAC PDU.

As further shown in <FIG>, the RAR type indicator may include a one or more bits identifying the RAR type of the RARs carried by the MAC sub-PDUs grouped under the common MAC sub-header. The quantity of RARs field may include one or more bits identifying the quantity of RARs (and thus, the quantity of MAC sub-PDUs) grouped under the common MAC sub-header. The common PUCCH signaling information field may include one or more bits for indicating common PUCCH signaling information for the UEs to which the RARs grouped under the common MAC sub-header are directed.

As shown in <FIG>, an example common MAC sub-header may include a plurality of fields, such as a RAR type indicator field, a quantity of RARs field, a common PUCCH signaling information field, and/or the like. Since a last MAC sub-PUD indicator field is not included, a greater quantity of bits may be allocated to the common PUCCH signaling information field. In this case, the BS may implicitly indicate the end of the MAC PDU of the msgB communication by placing a MAC sub-header (e.g., either common or UE-specific) associated with a MAC sub-PDU carrying a backoff indicator at the end of the MAC PDU.

<FIG> illustrates various example RAR types that may be indicated by a RAR type indicator field in a common MAC sub-header. As shown in <FIG>, RAR type indicator field may include (Bit <NUM>, Bit <NUM>), where (<NUM>, <NUM>) corresponds to a backoff indicator RAR type, (<NUM>, <NUM>) corresponds to a fallback RAR type, (<NUM>, <NUM>) corresponds to a success RAR with an associated RRC message type, and (<NUM>, <NUM>) corresponds to a success RAR without an associated RRC message type. Other configurations for RAR type and associated RAR type indicator may be used, other RAR types may be indicated by a RAR type indicator field, a greater or fewer quantity of bits may be included in a RAR type indicator field, and/or the like.

<FIG> illustrates an example configuration of a plurality of RAR aggregation groups in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. The plurality of RAR aggregation groups may include RAR aggregation group X, RAR aggregation group Y, and/or other RAR aggregation groups. Each RAR aggregation group may include a common MAC sub-header and one or more MAC sub-PDUs carrying RARs of the same RAR type. In some aspects, a msgB communication may include greater, fewer, and/or different configurations of RAR aggregation groups.

As shown in <FIG>, RAR aggregation group X may include a common MAC sub-header that identifies the RAR type and the quantity of RARs in the MAC sub-PDUs X(<NUM>) through X(M) grouped under the common MAC sub-header. Similarly, RAR aggregation group Y may include a common MAC sub-header that identifies the RAR type and the quantity of RARs in the MAC sub-PDUs Y(<NUM>) through Y(L) grouped under the common MAC sub-header. In some aspects, RAR aggregation group X may include UE-specific MAC sub-headers for each of MAC sub-PDU X(<NUM>) through X(M) or a subset thereof that carry UE-specific information for the associated MAC sub-PDU. Similarly, RAR aggregation group Y may include UE-specific MAC sub-headers for each of MAC sub-PDU Y(<NUM>) through Y(L) or a subset thereof.

As shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, the BS may transmit the msgB communication to one or more UEs. In some aspects, if the msgB communication is directed to a particular UE, the BS may unicast the msgB communication to the UE. In some aspects, if the msgB communication is directed to a plurality of UEs, the BS may multicast the msgB communication to the plurality of UEs.

A UE (e.g., UE1) may receive the msgB communication, may identify the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication, and may identify the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information in the PDSCH portion of the msgB communication. For example, the UE may identify the first portion in DCI in the PDCCHcomponent, and may identify the second portion in one or more common MAC sub-headers, one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers, one or more MAC sub-PDUs, and/or the like. The UE may transmit, to the BS, HARQ feedback (e.g., ACK or NACK) for the msgB communication in the time-domain resources and/or frequency-domain resources identified in the PUCCH resource allocation of the PUCCH signaling information, may transmit the HARQ feedback based at least in part on the timing offset identified by the PDSCH to HARQ timing indication identified in the PUCCH signaling information, may transmit the HARQ feedback at the transmit power identified by the PUCCH power control command in the PUCCH signaling information, and/or the like.

Moreover, the UE may identify the first portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication, and may identify the second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. For example, the UE may identify the first portion in DCI in the PDCCHcomponent, and may identify the second portion in one or more common MAC sub-headers, one or more UE-specific MAC sub-headers, one or more MAC sub-PDUs, and/or the like. The UE may perform MAC sub-PDU combining as part of the HARQ process of the UE based at least in part the redundancy version identified in the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining, the new data indicator identified in the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining, the HARQ process identifier identified in the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining, and/or the like.

In this way, the BS may distribute the PUCCH signaling information across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. This permits the BS to maintain the size of existing DCI formats while including PUCCH signaling information directed to the plurality of UEs in a single msgB communication. Moreover, Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining may be distributed across the PDCCH component and the PDSCH component in a similar manner to increase the ability of the plurality of UEs to perform MAC sub-PDU combining as part of a HARQ process. Moreover, the BS may use a common MAC sub-header to aggregate and/or group a plurality of MAC sub-PDUs carrying the same type of RAR, as well as to carry common PUCCH signaling information for the plurality of UEs. The common MAC sub-header may reduce overhead of the overall MAC PDU in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication by reducing the quantity of MAC sub-headers in the MAC PDU (e.g., relative to including a respective MAC sub-header for each of the MAC sub-PDUs), by permitting common PUCCH signaling information to be included in a single location or fewer locations in the PDSCH component , and/or the like.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a BS, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where the BS (e.g., BS <NUM>) performs operations associated with configuring a msgB channel structure.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include configuring a PDCCH component of a msgB communication to include a first portion of PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication (block <NUM>). For example, the BS (e.g., using transmit processor <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may configure a PDCCH component of a msgB communication to include a first portion of PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include configuring a PDSCH component of the msgB communication to include a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information (block <NUM>). For example, the BS (e.g., using transmit processor <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may configure a PDSCH component of the msgB communication to include a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include transmitting the msgB communication to one or more UEs (block <NUM>). For example, the BS (e.g., using transmit processor <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may transmit the msgB communication to one or more UEs, as described above.

In a first aspect, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication. In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information includes at least one of at least a portion of a first set of bits indicating a common PUCCH resource allocation for the one or more UEs, at least a portion of a second set of bits indicating a common PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the one more UEs, or at least a portion of a third set of bits indicating a common PUCCH power control command for the one or more UEs. In a third aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in at least one of a common MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, a UE-specific MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, or a MAC sub-protocol data unit in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information includes at least one of at least a portion of a first set of bits indicating a common PUCCH resource allocation for the one or more UEs, at least a portion of a second set of bits indicating a common PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the one more UEs, at least a portion of a third set of bits indicating a common PUCCH power control command for the one or more UEs, at least a portion of a fourth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PUCCH resource allocation for a UE of the one or more UEs, at least a portion of a fifth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the UE of the one or more UEs, or at least a portion of a sixth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PUCCH power control command for the UE of the one or more UEs.

In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, one or more common components of the PUCCH signaling information are included in at least one of the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information, or a first subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a common MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, and one or more UE-specific components of the PUCCH signaling information are included in at least one of a second subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a UE-specific MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, or a third subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a MAC sub-protocol data unit in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in one or more reserved bits in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication to reduce padding added to the PDCCH component of the msgB communication, and the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in one or more reserved bits in at least one of a MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication or a MAC sub-protocol data unit the PDSCH component of the msgB communication to minimize padding added to the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, a subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in a common MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, and process <NUM> further comprises configuring the PDSCH component of the msgB communication to include a plurality of MAC sub-PDUs associated with the common MAC sub-header, wherein each of the plurality of MAC sub-PDUs is associated with a respective UE of the one or more UEs, and configuring the common MAC sub-header to indicate a RAR type associated with the plurality of MAC sub-PDUs and a quantity of the plurality of MAC sub-PDUs. In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, process <NUM> further comprises configuring the common MAC sub-header to include a field that indicates the common MAC sub-header is at an end of a MAC PDU of the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, process <NUM> further comprises configuring a backoff indicator MAC sub-header to be located at an end of a MAC PDU of the PDSCH component of the msgB communication to identify the end of the MAC PDU. In a tenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, the plurality of MAC sub-PDUs are located after the common MAC sub-header in a MAC PDU of the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. In an eleventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through tenth aspects, another subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in a plurality of UE-specific MAC sub-headers in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, and each of the plurality of UE-specific MAC sub-headers is associated with a respective MAC sub-PDU of the plurality of MAC sub-PDUs.

In a twelfth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eleventh aspects, the RAR type includes a backoff indicator, a fallback RAR, a success RAR with an associated RRC message, or a success RAR without an RRC message. In a thirteenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through twelfth aspects, process <NUM> father comprises configuring the PDCCH component of the msgB communication to include a first portion of Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining; and configuring the PDSCH component of the msgB communication to include a second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining.

In a fourteenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through thirteenth aspects, the first portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining is included in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication. In a fifteenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourteenth aspects, the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining includes at least one of the second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining is included in at least one of a MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication or a MAC sub-PDU in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a UE, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where the UE (e.g., UE <NUM>) performs operations associated with configuring a msgB channel structure.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include receiving a msgB communication (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may receive a msgB communication, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include identifying a first portion of PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication included in a PDCCH component of the msgB communication (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may identify a first portion of PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback associated with the msgB communication included in a PDCCH component of the msgB communication, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include identifying a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a PDSCH component of the msgB communication (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may identify a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a PDSCH component of the msgB communication, as described above.

In a first aspect, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication. In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information includes at least one of at least a portion of a first set of bits indicating a common PUCCH resource allocation for a plurality of UEs in which the UE is included, at least a portion of a second set of bits indicating a common PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the plurality of UEs, or at least a portion of a third set of bits indicating a common PUCCH power control command for the plurality of UEs. In a third aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in at least one of a common MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, a UE-specific MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, or a MAC sub-protocol data unit in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information includes at least one of at least a portion of a first set of bits indicating a common PUCCH resource allocation for a plurality of UEs in which the UE is included, at least a portion of a second set of bits indicating a common PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the plurality of UEs, at least a portion of a third set of bits indicating a common PUCCH power control command for the plurality of UEs, at least a portion of a fourth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PUCCH resource allocation for the UE, at least a portion of a fifth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PDSCH to HARQ timing indication for the UE, or at least a portion of a sixth set of bits indicating a UE-specific PUCCH power control command for the UE.

In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, one or more common components of the PUCCH signaling information are included in at least one of the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information or a first subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a common MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, and one or more UE-specific components of the PUCCH signaling information are included in at least one of a second subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a UE-specific MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication or a third subset of the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information included in a MAC sub-protocol data unit in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, the first portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in one or more reserved bits in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication to reduce padding added to the PDCCH component of the msgB communication and the second portion of the PUCCH signaling information is included in one or more reserved bits in at least one of a MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication or a MAC sub-protocol data unit the PDSCH component of the msgB communication to minimize padding added to the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, process <NUM> further comprises identifying a first portion of Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining included in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication; and identifying a second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining included in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication.

In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, the first portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining is included in downlink control information in the PDCCH component of the msgB communication, and the second portion of the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining is included in at least one of a MAC sub-header in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication, or a MAC sub-PDU in the PDSCH component of the msgB communication. In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, the Signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining includes at least one of a redundancy version associated with the msgB communication, a HARQ process identifier associated with the msgB communication, or a new data indicator associated with the msgB communication.

In a tenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, process <NUM> further comprises receiving an indication of a mapping of the first portion to the PDCCH component and the second portion to the PDSCH component in at least one of system information, radio resource control signaling, or downlink control signaling. In an eleventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through tenths aspects, a mapping of the first portion to the PDCCH component and the second portion to the PDSCH component is hard coded at the UE.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) of wireless communication performed by a base station, BS, comprising:
configuring (<NUM>) a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, component of a message B, msgB, communication to include a first portion of physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, signaling information for hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, feedback and signaling information for medium access control, MAC, sub-, protocol data unit, PDU, combining associated with the msgB communication;
configuring (<NUM>) a physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH, component of the msgB communication to include a second portion of the PUCCH signaling information for HARQ feedback and signaling information for MAC sub-PDU combining associated with the msgB communication; and
transmitting (<NUM>) the msgB communication to one or more UEs.