Patent Description:
A network that includes both small cell and macro cells may be known as a heterogeneous network. The base stations <NUM> / UEs <NUM> may use spectrum up to Y MHz (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) bandwidth per carrier allocated in a carrier aggregation of up to a total of Yx MHz (x component carriers) used for transmission in each direction. Allocation of carriers may be asymmetric with respect to DL and UL (e.g., more or less carriers may be allocated for DL than for UL).

The base station may also be referred to as a gNB, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), an access point, a base transceiver station, a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a basic service set (BSS), an extended service set (ESS), or some other suitable terminology. The base station <NUM> provides an access point to the EPC <NUM> for a UE <NUM>. Examples of UEs <NUM> include a cellular phone, a smart phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a laptop, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a satellite radio, a global positioning system, a multimedia device, a video device, a digital audio player (e.g., MP3 player), a camera, a game console, a tablet, a smart device, a wearable device, a vehicle, an electric meter, a gas pump, a large or small kitchen appliance, a healthcare device, an implant, a display, or any other similar functioning device.

Referring again to <FIG>, in certain aspects, the base station <NUM> and/or UE <NUM> may be configured to include a priority rule component for repetitions of a signal <NUM>, e.g., such as described in connection with <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating an example of a DL subframe within a <NUM>/NR frame structure. <FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating an example of channels within a DL subframe. <FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating an example of an UL subframe within a <NUM>/NR frame structure. <FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating an example of channels within an UL subframe. In the examples provided by <FIG>, the <NUM>/NR frame structure is assumed to be TDD, with subframe <NUM> a DL subframe and subframe <NUM> an UL subframe. While subframe <NUM> is illustrated as providing just DL and subframe <NUM> is illustrated as providing just UL, any particular subframe may be split into different subsets that provide both UL and DL. Note that the description infra applies also to a <NUM>/NR frame structure that is FDD.

For slot configuration <NUM>, different numerologies <NUM> to <NUM> allow for <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> slots, respectively, per subframe. The subcarrier spacing may be equal to <NUM>µ * <NUM> kKz, where µ is the numerology <NUM>-<NUM>. <FIG> provide an example of slot configuration <NUM> with <NUM> symbols per slot and numerology <NUM> with <NUM> slots per subframe. The subcarrier spacing is <NUM> and symbol duration is approximately <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, some of the REs carry reference (pilot) signals (RS) for the UE (indicated as R). The RS may include demodulation RS (DM-RS) and channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) for channel estimation at the UE.

<FIG> illustrates an example of various channels within a DL subframe of a frame. The physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is within symbol <NUM> of slot <NUM>, and carries a control format indicator (CFI) that indicates whether the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) occupies <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> symbols (<FIG> illustrates a PDCCH that occupies <NUM> symbols). The PDCCH carries downlink control information (DCI) within one or more control channel elements (CCEs), each CCE including nine RE groups (REGs), each REG including four consecutive REs in an OFDM symbol. A UE may be configured with a UE-specific enhanced PDCCH (ePDCCH) that also carries DCI. The ePDCCH may have <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> RB pairs (<FIG> shows two RB pairs, each subset including one RB pair). The physical hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ) (HARQ) indicator channel (PHICH) is also within symbol <NUM> of slot <NUM> and carries the HARQ indicator (HI) that indicates HARQ acknowledgement (ACK) / negative ACK (NACK) feedback based on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). The primary synchronization channel (PSCH) may be within symbol <NUM> of slot <NUM> within subframes <NUM> and <NUM> of a frame. The PSCH carries a primary synchronization signal (PSS) that is used by a UE <NUM> to determine subframe/symbol timing and a physical layer identity. The secondary synchronization channel (SSCH) may be within symbol <NUM> of slot <NUM> within subframes <NUM> and <NUM> of a frame. The SSCH carries a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) that is used by a UE to determine a physical layer cell identity group number and radio frame timing. Based on the PCI, the UE can determine the locations of the aforementioned DL-RS. The physical broadcast channel (PBCH), which carries a master information block (MIB), may be logically grouped with the PSCH and SSCH to form a synchronization signal (SS)/PBCH block. The MIB provides a number of RBs in the DL system bandwidth, a PHICH configuration, and a system frame number (SFN).

As illustrated in <FIG>, some of the REs carry demodulation reference signals (DM-RS) for channel estimation at the base station. The UE may additionally transmit sounding reference signals (SRS) in the last symbol of a subframe.

<FIG> illustrates an example of various channels within an UL subframe of a frame. A physical random access channel (PRACH) may be within one or more subframes within a frame based on the PRACH configuration. The PRACH may include six consecutive RB pairs within a subframe. The PRACH allows the UE to perform initial system access and achieve UL synchronization. A physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) may be located on edges of the UL system bandwidth.

<FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating a base station <NUM> in communication with a UE <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, the base station <NUM> may transmit a beamformed signal to the UE <NUM> in one or more of the directions 402a, 402b, 402c, 402d, 402e, 402f, <NUM>, <NUM>. The UE <NUM> may receive the beamformed signal from the base station <NUM> in one or more receive directions 404a, 404b, 404c, 404d. The UE <NUM> may also transmit a beamformed signal to the base station <NUM> in one or more of the directions 404a-404d. The base station <NUM> may receive the beamformed signal from the UE <NUM> in one or more of the receive directions 402a-<NUM>.

In <NUM> NR, a signal may have an initial transmission followed by repetitions of the same signal. For example, mmW communication may include signal repetitions, e.g., for range extension. However, at times, repetitions of the signal may collide with resources scheduled for another signal. Aspects presented herein address the challenge of handling such potential collisions between repetitions of a signal and resources scheduled for another signal. For example, base stations and/or UEs may apply a priority rule for repetitions of the signal to determine how to handle an overlap between such scheduled resources and signal repetitions.

An apparatus for wireless communication, e.g., a UE or base station, may determine that a repetition of a signal for a first channel signal will collide with a resource scheduled for a second channel. The apparatus may determine whether to transmit the signal for the first channel or to refrain from transmitting the signal for the first channel based on the signal being a repetition. For example, the apparatus may apply a priority rule for the repetition of the signal for the first channel when the signal would overlap with resources scheduled for a second channel.

As one example, a time division duplex (TDD) Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration may map RACH resources onto slots irrespective of time locations of actual transmitted signals, such as SS or PBCH blocks. A priority rule may help to determine how to handle an overlap between such RACH resources and other signals.

<FIG> illustrates a mmW communication system <NUM> in which a base station <NUM> transmits a signal <NUM> to UE <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the base station may transmit the signal to the UE multiple times, e.g., transmitting the signal an initial time and then repeating the same signal multiple times to assist the UE in receiving the signal. In one example, the signal may comprise PBCH.

The repetitions of the signal <NUM> may collide with other signal channels/transmissions. While this example is presented for PBCH, the same issue may arise with repetitions of other channels, including both downlink and uplink channels. For example, the issue may arise for repetitions of any of PDCCH, PDSCH, CSI-RS, PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH, SRS, etc. Thus, while this example in <FIG> illustrates the base station <NUM> transmitting the signal, the UE <NUM> may similarly employ repetition in transmitting signals to the base station <NUM>. Such repetitions from the UE may similarly have potential collisions with resources scheduled for other signal channels/transmissions.

Aspects presented herein address the challenge of handling such potential collisions between repetitions of a signal and resources scheduled for another signal. The present application provides a solution in which the transmitter applies a priority rule for repetitions of the signal in order to determine how to handle the potential collision.

<FIG> illustrates an example communication flow <NUM> between a UE <NUM> and a base station <NUM>. At <NUM>, the base station performs an initial transmission of a signal. At <NUM>, the base station determines that a repetition of the initial signal transmitted at <NUM> will collide with resources for another signal channel/transmission. At <NUM>, the base station may apply a repetition priority rule to determine how to handle the colliding repetition, e.g., whether to transmit the repetition or refrain from transmitting the repetition.

In one example, the initial transmission at <NUM> may comprise a PBCH transmission. Thus, the repetition priority rule may indicate the priority of the PBCH repetition in comparison to the other signal. The other signal may comprise a PRACH signal, which may be configured as a periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic signal. The priority rule may indicate the priority of a PBCH repetition relative to resources for a PRACH signal. The other signal may comprise a CSI-RS signal or a corresponding report, which may be configured as a periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic signal. The CSI-RS may be transmitted for CSI feedback or for beam management. The priority rule may indicate the priority of a PBCH repetition relative to resources for a CSI-RS signal and/or for the corresponding report. The other signal may comprise an SRS signal, which may be configured as a periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic signal. The SRS may be transmitted to provide CSI measurement or for cross-link interference measurement and the corresponding reports. The priority rule may indicate the priority of a PBCH repetition relative to resources for a SRS signal and/or a corresponding report. The other signal may comprise a PUCCH transmission and/or a PUSCH transmission, e.g., comprising uplink control information (UCI). For example, the PUCCH/PUSCH may comprise any of an acknowledgement (ACK), a negative acknowledgement (NACK), a scheduling request (SR), or a channel quality indicator (CQI). The priority rule may indicate the priority of a PBCH repetition relative to resources for a PUCCH transmission and/or a PUSCH transmission. The priority rule may be specific to a PUCCH/PUSCH transmission comprising UCI. The priority rule may be specific to the type of UCI comprised in the PUCCH/PUSCH transmission. The other signal may comprise an uplink data in a PUSCH transmission. The resources scheduled for the uplink transmission may be semi-static. In another example, there may be a dynamic downlink/uplink configuration. As the shared channel may have a dynamic DL/UL configuration, at times the channel signal repetition from the base station may begin in a DL portion and may be scheduled to continue into the UL portion. Thus, the priority rule may indicate to the base station whether to go forward with transmitting the repetition in the UL portion or to refrain from transmitting the repetition that would continue into the UL portion.

The priority rule may address the priority of the repetition with respect to an initial transmission of the other channel's signal. The other channel may also employ repetitions. Thus, at times, the repetition of the signal channel may overlap not an initial transmission of another channel signal, but a repetition of that other channel signal. The priority rule may also address the priority levels for the potential collision between repetitions. Thus, the base station <NUM> may determine to refrain from transmitting an original transmission of the channel signal when the original transmission would collide with resources scheduled for another channel, whereas the base station <NUM> may determine to transmit a repetition of the channel signal when the repetition would collide with resources scheduled for another channel.

While this example is described for a repetition of PBCH, collisions may similarly occur for other downlink repetitions from the base station or for other uplink repetitions from the UE <NUM>. As described in connection with <FIG>, collisions may occur for repetitions of PUCCH from a UE. As noted above, the other signal with which the repetitions of the PUCCH will collide may comprise a PUSCH transmission. The PUSCH transmission may comprise UCI, e.g., any of an ACK/NACK, an SR, and/or a CQI.

In <FIG>, the base station may transmit the repetition, at <NUM>, based on the repetition priority rule. For example, the priority rule may indicate that the repetition has a higher priority than the channel/transmission with which it will collide. Similarly, the base station may refrain from transmitting the repetition, at <NUM>, when the priority rule indicates that the repetition has a lower priority than the channel/transmission with which it will collide.

In a first example, the priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the channel signal has a same priority as an original transmission of the channel signal. In this example, the base station or UE may apply a priority rule for the signal without regard to whether it is the initial transmission or a repetition.

In a second example, the priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the channel signal has a higher priority than transmissions on other channels. For example, the repetition priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the signal always has a higher priority, e.g., overwrites, the other channel. In the example, described above for a potential collision between repetitions of PUCCH and resources for PUSCH, the priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the PUCCH should be transmitted. This may be different than the result for the initial PUCCH transmission.

In a third example, the priority rule may indicate to refrain from transmitting the repetition when a collision is detected for the repetition. For example, the priority rule may indicate that the other channel always has a higher priority, e.g., overwrites, the repetition.

The priority rule may be received in signaling from a cell, e.g., in signaling from a base station to a user equipment, e.g., as illustrated at <NUM>. For example, the priority rule may be indicated in System Information broadcast by a cell. The priority rule may be indicated in a control element. This enables the cell to dynamically signal the priority rule.

<FIG> is a flowchart <NUM> of a method of wireless communication. The method may be performed by a base station (e.g., base station <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the apparatus <NUM>, <NUM>') when a colliding repetition is for a downlink signal. In another example, the method may be performed by a UE (e.g., UE <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) when a colliding repetition is for an uplink signal. At <NUM>, the base station or UE determines that a repetition of a channel signal will collide with a resource scheduled for another channel.

At <NUM>, the base station or UE applies a priority rule to determine whether to transmit the repetition or to refrain from transmitting the repetition. The resource scheduled for the other channel may comprise an original transmission of the channel signal. The resource scheduled for the other channel may comprise a repetition transmission of the channel signal. The priority rule may be different depending on whether the other channel colliding with the repetition is an original transmission or a repetition.

In a second example, the priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the channel signal has a higher priority than transmissions on other channels. For example, the repetition priority rule may indicate that the repetition of the signal always has a higher priority, e.g., overwrites, the other channel.

The priority rule may be received in signaling from a cell, e.g., in signaling from a base station to a user equipment. For example, the priority rule may be indicated in System Information broadcast by a cell. The priority rule may be indicated in a control element. This enables the cell to dynamically signal the priority rule.

In one example, the channel signal may comprise a PBCH to be transmitted by a base station. In this example, the method in <FIG> would be performed by the base station to determine whether to transmit the PBCH repetition when the collision is detected. A PBCH may collide with resources for any of a RACH, CSI-RS, SRS, PUCCH, PUSCH, UCI, etc..

PBCH is merely one example of a channel signal for which a repetition may collide with resources scheduled for another signal. In other examples, the repetition may be for PDCCH, PDSCH, CSI-RS, etc. transmitted by a base station. In additional examples, a UE may detect a collision between a repetition of an uplink channel and resources scheduled for another channel. In this example, the repetition may be for any of a PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH, SRS, etc..

Thus, the resource scheduled for the other channel may comprise a random access channel, e.g., PRACH. The PRACH for which the collision is detected and for which the priority rule applies may be configured as a periodic channel transmission, a semi-persistent channel transmission, or an aperiodic channel transmission.

In another example, the scheduled resource for the other channel may comprise a CSI-RS resource or a resource for a corresponding report. The CSI-RS for which the collision is detected and for which the priority rule applies may be configured as a periodic channel transmission, a semi-persistent channel transmission, or an aperiodic channel transmission.

In another example, the scheduled resource for the other channel may comprise a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource. The SRS may be for CSI measurement or for cross-link interference measurement and/or a corresponding report. The SRS for which the collision is detected and for which the priority rule applies may be configured as a periodic channel transmission, a semi-persistent channel transmission, or an aperiodic channel transmission.

In another example, the other channel may comprise an uplink control channel, e.g., PUCCH, or an uplink shared channel, e.g., PUSCH, and the scheduled resource. The PUCCH or PUSCH may comprise an UCI resource. The UCI may comprise at least one of an ACK/NACK, an SR, or a CQI.

Thus, as described in connection with <FIG> and <FIG>, the repetition of the channel signal may comprise a PUCCH repetition. As well, the resource schedule for the other channel may comprise a resource for PUSCH. In this example, the method in <FIG> would be performed by a UE to determine whether to transmit the PUCCH repetition.

The resource scheduled for the other channel may comprise data traffic. For example, the other channel may comprise an uplink shared channel, e.g., PUSCH, and the scheduled resource may comprise a data transmission resource. The uplink shared channel may have a semi-static configuration or may have a dynamic DL/UL configuration. As the shared channel may have a dynamic DL/UL configuration, at times the channel signal repetition from the base station may begin in a DL portion and may be scheduled to continue into the UL portion. Thus, the priority rule may indicate to the base station whether to go forward with transmitting the repetition in the UL portion or to refrain from transmitting the repetition that would continue into the UL portion.

The priority rule may address the priority of the repetition with respect to an initial transmission of the other channel's signal. The other channel may also employ repetitions. Thus, at times, the repetition of the signal channel may overlap not an initial transmission of another channel signal, but a repetition of that other channel signal. The priority rule may also address the priority levels for the potential collision between repetitions.

At <NUM> and according to the invention, the base station or UE transmits the repetition when the priority rule indicates to transmit the repetition. Similarly, at <NUM>, the base station or UE may refrain from transmitting the repetition when the priority rule indicates that the repetition has a lower priority than the other signal.

<FIG> is a conceptual data flow diagram <NUM> illustrating the data flow between different means/components in an exemplary apparatus <NUM>. The apparatus may be a base station (e.g., base station <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) or a UE (e.g., UE <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>). Although the apparatus is illustrated using an example of a base station, similarly components within a UE may perform similar functions, when the repetition is for a signal transmitted by a UE. The apparatus includes a reception component <NUM> that receives uplink communication from a UE <NUM> and a transmission component <NUM> that transmits downlink signals to the UE <NUM>. The apparatus may include a collision detection component <NUM> configured to determine whether a repetition of a channel signal will collide with a resource scheduled for another channel. The collision detection component <NUM> may receive information about the resources that the repetition may occupy from signal component <NUM> and may similarly receive scheduling information from a component corresponding to the other signal, which is not illustrated. The apparatus may include a priority rule component <NUM> configured to apply a priority rule to determine whether to transmit the repetition or to refrain from transmitting the repetition. The apparatus may include a signal component <NUM> configured to transmit the repetition when the priority rule indicates to transmit the repetition, e.g., via the transmission component <NUM>. The signal component <NUM> may similarly be configured to refrain from transmitting the repetition when the priority rule so indicates.

<FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating an example of a hardware implementation for an apparatus <NUM>' employing a processing system <NUM>. The processing system <NUM> may be implemented with a bus architecture, represented generally by the bus <NUM>. The bus <NUM> may include any number of interconnecting buses and bridges depending on the specific application of the processing system <NUM> and the overall design constraints. The bus <NUM> links together various circuits including one or more processors and/or hardware components, represented by the processor <NUM>, the components <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and the computer-readable medium / memory <NUM>. The bus <NUM> may also link various other circuits such as timing sources, peripherals, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, which are well known in the art, and therefore, will not be described any further.

The processing system <NUM> may be coupled to a transceiver <NUM>. The transceiver <NUM> is coupled to one or more antennas <NUM>. The transceiver <NUM> provides a means for communicating with various other apparatus over a transmission medium. The transceiver <NUM> receives a signal from the one or more antennas <NUM>, extracts information from the received signal, and provides the extracted information to the processing system <NUM>, specifically the reception component <NUM>. In addition, the transceiver <NUM> receives information from the processing system <NUM>, specifically the transmission component <NUM>, and based on the received information, generates a signal to be applied to the one or more antennas <NUM>. The processing system <NUM> includes a processor <NUM> coupled to a computer-readable medium / memory <NUM>. The processor <NUM> is responsible for general processing, including the execution of software stored on the computer-readable medium / memory <NUM>. The software, when executed by the processor <NUM>, causes the processing system <NUM> to perform the various functions described supra for any particular apparatus. The computer-readable medium / memory <NUM> may also be used for storing data that is manipulated by the processor <NUM> when executing software. The processing system <NUM> further includes at least one of the components <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The components may be software components running in the processor <NUM>, resident/stored in the computer readable medium / memory <NUM>, one or more hardware components coupled to the processor <NUM>, or some combination thereof. The processing system <NUM> may be a component of the base station <NUM> and may include the memory <NUM> and/or at least one of the TX processor <NUM>, the RX processor <NUM>, and the controller/processor <NUM>.

In one configuration, the apparatus <NUM>/<NUM>' for wireless communication includes means for determining that a repetition of a channel signal will collide with a resource scheduled for another channel, means for applying a priority rule to determine whether to transmit the repetition or to refrain from transmitting the repetition, and means for transmitting the repetition when the priority rule indicates to transmit the repetition. For example, the means for determining may comprise collision detection component <NUM>, means for applying a priority rule may comprise priority rule component <NUM>, and means for transmitting the signal may comprise signal component <NUM> and/or transmission component <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A method of wireless communication, comprising:
determining (<NUM>, <NUM>) that a repetition of a channel signal will collide with a resource scheduled for another channel comprising an uplink shared channel comprising uplink control information;
applying (<NUM>, <NUM>) a priority rule that uses the priority of the repetition and the priority of the uplink shared channel to determine whether to transmit the repetition or to refrain from transmitting the repetition; and
transmitting (<NUM>, <NUM>) the repetition when the priority rule indicates to transmit the repetition.