Patent Description:
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications, and more particularly, to techniques for dynamic slot aggregation configuration.

<NPL> discloses that the UE should be allowed to make recommendations on power-saving related configurations and parameters, such as DRX parameters, bandwidth configuration, antenna configuration, PDCCH configuration, scheduling parameters and mobility parameters.

<NPL> discusses remaining open issues for DL channel quality report for eMTC, such as side conditions to report repetition level and aggregation level.

<NPL> discloses that during a preconfigured transmission procedure, the eNB may pre-configure the transmission resource including the frequency domain resource and the number of time domain repetitions for the UE. Considering that the channel status would change and the channel status used for the repetition configuration may not be accurate, it is likely that the number of repetitions is over configured. In this case, the UE would perform some unnecessary repetitions, which is not power efficient. This is exactly the problem that early termination could solve. By supporting early termination, once the eNB has successfully detected the data, the eNB could feedback the HARQ to inform the UE to stop the transmission so as to save power.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate certain aspects of this disclosure and are not to be considered limiting, for the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus, methods, processing systems, and computer readable mediums for slot aggregation configuration with user equipment (UE) assistance information.

A network may configure repetition to increase reliability and reduce latency. For example, the network may be configured repetitions of transport block (TB). In some cases, the repetition may be referred to as slot aggregation, where the TB is repeated in a number of consecutive slots. The amount of repetition may be referred to as the repetition level or slot aggregation level.

Aspects of the disclosure provide for fast switching of the amount of repetition. Radio resource control (RRC) signaling to semi-statically configure the repetition may involve a longer latency and lower throughput. Aspects of the disclosure provide for dynamically signaling the amount of repetition. A user equipment (UE) can provide UE assistance information to a base station (BS). The UE assistance information may indicate a preferred repetition factor to the BS. The repetition factor corresponds to a number of repetitions. The BS can dynamically indicate a repetition to the UE based on the UE assistance information. For example, the BS may accept or reject the UE's preferred repetition factor and, therefore, the repetition factor that the BS dynamically signals to the UE may be the preferred repetition factor or may be a different repetition factor.

The following description provides examples of slot aggregation with UE assistance information in communication systems. Changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed. In addition, the disclosure is intended to cover such an apparatus or method which is practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to, or other than, the various aspects of the disclosure set forth herein.

The techniques described herein may be used for various wireless networks and radio technologies. While aspects may be described herein using terminology commonly associated with <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or new radio (e.g., <NUM> NR) wireless technologies, aspects of the present disclosure can be applied in other generation-based communication systems.

NR access may support various wireless communication services, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) targeting wide bandwidth, millimeter wave (mmW) targeting high carrier frequency, massive machine type communications MTC (mMTC) targeting non-backward compatible MTC techniques, and/or mission critical targeting ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). NR supports beamforming and beam direction may be dynamically configured. Aggregation of multiple cells may be supported.

For example, wireless communication network <NUM> may be an NR system (e.g., a <NUM> NR network). As shown in <FIG>, wireless communication network <NUM> may be in communication with a core network <NUM>. Core network <NUM> may in communication with one or more base station (BSs) 110110a-z (each also individually referred to herein as BS <NUM> or collectively as BSs <NUM>) and/or user equipment (UE) 120a-y (each also individually referred to herein as UE <NUM> or collectively as UEs <NUM>) in wireless communication network <NUM> via one or more interfaces.

In the example shown in <FIG>, BSs 110a, 110b and 110c may be macro BSs for the macro cells 102a, 102b and 102c, respectively. BS 110x may be a pico BS for a pico cell 102x. BSs 110y and 110z may be femto BSs for the femto cells 102y and 102z, respectively.

BSs <NUM> communicate with UEs <NUM> in the wireless communication network <NUM>. UEs <NUM> (e.g., 120x, 120y, etc.) may be dispersed throughout the wireless communication network <NUM>, and each UE <NUM> may be stationary or mobile.

A network controller <NUM> may be in communication with a set of BSs <NUM> and provide coordination and control for these BSs <NUM> (e.g., via a backhaul). Network controller <NUM> may be in communication with core network <NUM> (e.g., a <NUM> Core Network (5GC)), which provides various network functions such as Access and Mobility Management, Session Management, User Plane Function, Policy Control Function, Authentication Server Function, Unified Data Management, Application Function, Network Exposure Function, Network Repository Function, Network Slice Selection Function, etc..

According to certain aspects, BSs <NUM> and UEs <NUM> may be configured for slot aggregation. As shown in <FIG>, BS 110a includes a slot aggregation manager <NUM>. Slot aggregation manager <NUM> may be configured to receive assistance information from UE 120a. The assistance information may indicate a preferred slot aggregation configuration associated with time domain repetitions of one or more transmissions. Slot aggregation manager <NUM> may be configured to determine a slot aggregation configuration for the UE. Slot aggregation manager <NUM> may be configured to indicate the determined slot aggregation configuration to UE 120a. UE 120a includes a slot aggregation manager <NUM>. Slot aggregation manager <NUM> may be configured to transmit, to the BS 110a, assistance information indicating a preferred slot aggregation configuration. Slot aggregation manager <NUM> may be configured to receive an indication from BS 110a of a slot aggregation configuration.

<FIG> illustrates example components of BS 110a and UE 120a (e.g., the wireless communication network <NUM> of <FIG>), which may be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure.

At BS 110a, a transmit processor <NUM> may receive data from a data source <NUM> and control information from a controller/processor <NUM>. The control information may be for the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH), physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH), physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), group common PDCCH (GC PDCCH), etc. The data may be for the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), etc. A medium access control (MAC)-control element (MAC-CE) is a MAC layer communication structure that may be used for control command exchange between wireless nodes. The MAC-CE may be carried in a shared channel such as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), or a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH).

Transmit processor <NUM> may process (e.g., encode and symbol map) the data and control information to obtain data symbols and control symbols, respectively. Transmit processor <NUM> may also generate reference symbols, such as for the primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), PBCH demodulation reference signal (DMRS), and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS). A transmit (TX) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) processor <NUM> may perform spatial processing (e.g., precoding) on the data symbols, the control symbols, and/or the reference symbols, if applicable, and may provide output symbol streams to the modulators (MODs) in transceivers 232a-232t. Each modulator may process a respective output symbol stream (e.g., for OFDM, etc.) to obtain an output sample stream. Downlink signals from the modulators in transceivers 232a-232t may be transmitted via antennas 234a-234t, respectively.

At UE 120a, antennas 252a-252r may receive the downlink signals from BS 110a and may provide received signals to the demodulators (DEMODs) in transceivers 254a-254r, respectively. Each demodulator may condition (e.g., filter, amplify, downconvert, and digitize) a respective received signal to obtain input samples. A MIMO detector <NUM> may obtain received symbols from all the demodulators in transceivers 254a-254r, perform MIMO detection on the received symbols if applicable, and provide detected symbols. A receive processor <NUM> may process (e.g., demodulate, deinterleave, and decode) the detected symbols, provide decoded data for the UE 120a to a data sink <NUM>, and provide decoded control information to a controller/processor <NUM>.

On the uplink, at UE 120a, a transmit processor <NUM> may receive and process data (e.g., for the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)) from a data source <NUM> and control information (e.g., for the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) from controller/processor <NUM>. Transmit processor <NUM> may also generate reference symbols for a reference signal (e.g., for the sounding reference signal (SRS)). The symbols from transmit processor <NUM> may be precoded by a TX MIMO processor <NUM> if applicable, further processed by the modulators in transceivers 254a-254r (e.g., for SC-FDM, etc.), and transmitted to BS 110a. At BS 110a, the uplink signals from UE 120a may be received by antennas <NUM>, processed by modulators <NUM>, detected by a MIMO detector <NUM> if applicable, and further processed by a receive processor <NUM> to obtain decoded data and control information sent by UE 120a.

Memories <NUM> and <NUM> may store data and program codes for BS 110a and UE 120a, respectively. A scheduler <NUM> may schedule UEs for transmission on the downlink and/or uplink.

Antennas <NUM>, processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or controller/processor <NUM> of UE 120a and/or antennas <NUM>, processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or controller/processor <NUM> of BS 110a may be used to perform the various techniques and methods described herein. For example, as shown in <FIG>, controller/processor <NUM> of the BS 110a has a slot aggregation manager <NUM> that may be representative of slot aggregation manager <NUM>. Controller/processor <NUM> of UE 120a has a slot aggregation manager <NUM> that may be representative of slot aggregation manager <NUM>. Although shown at the controller/processor, other components of UE 120a and BS 110a may be used to perform the operations described herein.

Each subframe may include a variable number of slots (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>,. slots) depending on the SCS. Each slot may include a variable number of symbol periods (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> symbols) depending on the SCS. A sub-slot structure refers to a transmit time interval having a duration less than a slot (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> symbols). Each symbol in a slot may be configured for a particular link direction (e.g., DL, UL, or flexible) and the link directions may be dynamically switched. The link directions may be based on a slot format.

In NR, a synchronization signal block (SSB) is transmitted. In certain aspects, SSBs may be transmitted in a burst where each SSB in the burst corresponds to a different beam direction for UE-side beam management (e.g., including beam selection and/or beam refinement). The SSB includes a PSS, a SSS, and a two symbol PBCH. The SSB can be transmitted in a fixed slot location, such as the symbols <NUM>-<NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The PBCH carries some basic system information, such as downlink system bandwidth, timing information within radio frame, SS burst set periodicity, system frame number, etc. The SSBs may be organized into SS bursts to support beam sweeping. The SSB can be transmitted up to sixty-four times, for example, with up to sixty-four different beam directions for mmWave. The multiple transmissions of the SSB are referred to as a SS burst set. SSBs in an SS burst set may be transmitted in the same frequency region, while SSBs in different SS bursts sets can be transmitted at different frequency regions.

As mentioned above, aspects of the disclosure related to slot aggregation configuration. A transmission may be repeated in the time domain. With slot aggregation, a transmission may span multiple consecutive slots, which may be referred to as aggregated slots. In some example, a transport block (TB) is repeated in each of the aggregated slots. The number of consecutive slots in which the TB is repeated may be referred to as the repetition level or aggregation level.

In certain systems (e.g., 3GPP Release-<NUM> systems), multiple uplink/downlink (UL/DL) slot aggregation levels are defined (e.g., in the 3GPP wireless specifications). Slot aggregation may increase reliability and reduce latency and may have a low spectrum efficiency cost. Based on the slot aggregation level, the same TB may be repeatedly transmitted. For example, for slot aggregation levels <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the TB may be repeated in one slot, two consecutive slots, four consecutive slots, eight consecutive slots, respectively, and so.

In some cases, the slot aggregation configuration may be switched. The slot aggregation configuration may be switched via semi-static radio resource control (RRC) signaling, which may involve a high latency, in turn resulting in lower throughput. In such systems, the slot aggregation configuration switching may be done by the network without any input from the UE. This may further result in lower throughput and/or increased latency. For example, without UE input, the network may switch the slot aggregation level more often.

Accordingly, what is needed are techniques and apparatus for slot aggregation configuration.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for dynamic slot aggregation configuration. In some examples, a base station (BS), such as BS 110a in wireless communication network <NUM>) can dynamically indicate a repetition factor to a user equipment (UE), such as UE 120a in wireless communication network <NUM>. The UE may provide assistance information to the network (e.g., to the BS). The UE assistance information may indicate a preferred repetition factor. The UE assistance information may indicate a preferred slot aggregation configuration. The preferred slot aggregation configuration may indicate various preferred slot aggregation related parameters including the preferred repetition factor. The network may take the UE's preferred slot aggregation configuration parameters into account when determining a slot aggregation configuration to configure/schedule at the UE or may reject the UE's preferred slot aggregation configuration.

<FIG> is a flow diagram illustrating example operations <NUM> for wireless communication, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations <NUM> may be performed, for example, by a UE (e.g., UE 120a in the wireless communication network <NUM>). Operations <NUM> may be implemented as software components that are executed and run on one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM> of <FIG>). Further, the transmission and reception of signals by the UE in operations <NUM> may be enabled, for example, by one or more antennas (e.g., antennas <NUM> of <FIG>). In certain aspects, the transmission and/or reception of signals by the UE may be implemented via a bus interface of one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM>) obtaining and/or outputting signals.

Operations <NUM> may begin, at block <NUM>, by transmitting, to a BS, assistance information indicating a preferred repetition factor. The repetition factor indicates a number of time domain repetitions. The repetition factor may indicate a number of consecutive slots for repetitions of a TB.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> indicates a preferred uplink repetition factor and/or a preferred downlink repetition factor. The repetition factor may also be referred to as a slot aggregation level. The assistance information may include a preferred slot aggregation configuration. The preferred slot aggregation configuration may include the preferred repetition factor. The preferred slot aggregation configuration may include a preferred uplink slot aggregation level, a preferred downlink slot aggregation level, or both.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes an indication of whether the UE prefers slot aggregation crossing slot boundary. The assistance information may include an indication of one or more preferred slot aggregation crossing downlink switch points and/or one or more preferred slot aggregation crossing uplink switch points. With slot aggregation crossing slot boundaries, a repetition using multiple symbols, may use one or more symbols in a slot and then one or more symbols in a next slot.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes one or more preferred starting symbol positions indicating a starting symbol within a slot for transmission/reception of a repetition. The preferred starting symbol may be indicated per time domain repetition (e.g., per slot).

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes a preferred symbol length. The preferred symbol length may be indicated per time domain repetition (e.g., per slot).

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes a preferred invalid symbol pattern indicating invalid symbols for segmentation. The preferred invalid symbol pattern may be indicated per time domain repetition (e.g., per slot).

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes a number of symbols for each repetition of the TB.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes a preferred redundancy version (RV) pattern associated with the time domain repetitions.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes an indication of whether slot aggregation or sub-slot aggregation is preferred by the UE. For example, sub-slot aggregation may include repetitions within a slot, such as a first repetition (e.g., of a first TB) on the first two symbols of the slot and another repetition (e.g., of a different TB) on the second two symbols.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> include an indication of whether frequency hopping is preferred by the UE for the time domain repetitions. With frequency hopping, each repetition may be transmitted on different frequencies, for example, according to a frequency hopping pattern. The assistance information may include a preferred frequency hopping pattern. The assistance information may include a preferred frequency offset for the frequency hops. The assistance information may include an indication of whether frequency hopping within a slot is preferred by the UE. The assistance information may include an indication of whether frequency hopping in crossing slots is preferred by the UE. In some examples, the UE may indicate frequency hopping for repetitions in sequential symbols, while repetitions in non-sequential symbols are transmitted on the same frequency.

According to certain aspects, the assistance information transmitted at block <NUM> includes an indication of a preference for the UE to send an early hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement. With early HARQ ACK, the UE can send an ACK for the once the UE successfully decodes a TB even before all repetitions of the TB have been sent. Thus, once the UE successfully decodes the TB, the network can halt sending the remainder of the repetitions of the TB.

Examples are described above of UE assistance information that can be transmitted by the UE to indicate a preferred slot aggregation configuration. A subset of or all of the examples of assistance information discussed above can be provided by the UE to the BS. The assistance information may be provided together or separately.

Operations <NUM> may include, at block <NUM>, determining the assistance information. For example, before transmitting the assistance information to the BS at block <NUM>, the UE can determine its preferred slot aggregation configuration at block <NUM>. The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on a mobility of the UE (e.g., a mobility state). The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on radio frequency (RF) variation (e.g., based on channel measurements). The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on a UE configuration. The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on a target quality of service (QoS) for a service. The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on target QoS for a mix of services with different QoS. The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on service requirements. For example, NR supports various services such as ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) service, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) service, and others. Theses service may have different service requirements, such as different latency and reliability requirements. The UE may determine the assistance information, at block <NUM>, based on a subset of, all of, or any of combination of the above parameters.

According to certain aspects, the UE can transmit the assistance information, at <NUM>, via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a medium-access control (MAC) control element (CE), a channel status information (CSI) report, or a combination thereof. The UE can transmit the assistance information during call setup, during call resume, during call handover, and/or during an on-going call. For example, the UE may transmit the assistance information in a RRC call setup request message during call setup or handover. The UE may transmit the assistance information in a RRC call resume message during call resume or handover. The UE may transmit the assistance information in a MAC-CE or CSI report during an on-going call.

At <NUM>, operations <NUM> include receiving a dynamic indication from the BS of a repetition factor. The dynamic indication of the repetition factor may be received from the BS via RRC signaling, MAC-CE, downlink control information (DCI), or a combination thereof.

<FIG> is a flow diagram illustrating example operations <NUM> for wireless communication, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations <NUM> may be performed, for example, by UE (e.g., UE 120a in the wireless communication network <NUM>). Operations <NUM> may be implemented as software components that are executed and run on one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM> of <FIG>). Further, the transmission and reception of signals by the UE in operations <NUM> may be enabled, for example, by one or more antennas (e.g., antennas <NUM> of <FIG>). In certain aspects, the transmission and/or reception of signals by the UE may be implemented via a bus interface of one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM>) obtaining and/or outputting signals.

Operations <NUM> may begin, at block <NUM>, by transmitting, to a BS, assistance information indicating a preferred slot aggregation configuration. The slot aggregation may be associated with time domain repetitions of one or more transmissions.

At block <NUM>, the UE receives an indication from the BS of a slot aggregation configuration based, at least in part, on the preferred slot aggregation configuration. For example, the BS may accept the UEs preferred slot aggregation configuration, and the slot aggregation configuration received from the BS matches the preferred slot aggregation configuration. In some examples, the BS rejects all or part of the UEs preferred slot aggregation configuration and the UE receives a different or partially different slot aggregation configuration from the BS.

<FIG> is a call flow diagram illustrating example signaling <NUM> for slot aggregation configuration, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG>, the UE 120a and BS 110a may be engaged in a call set up procedure, a call resume procedure, or a handover procedure, at <NUM>. UE 120a may send the BS 110a an RRC set up message (e.g., if during a call setup procedure), an RRC resume message (e.g., if during a call resume procedure), or a measurement report (e.g., if during a handover procedure) with assistance information indicating a preferred slot aggregation configuration, at <NUM>. At <NUM>, BS 110a may send UE 120a an RRC setup message, an RRC resume message, or an RRC reconfiguration message indication a slot aggregation configuration. BS 110a may determine the slot aggregation configuration taking into account the assistance information from UE 120a. At <NUM>, UE 120a may respond to BS 110a with an RRC set up message, an RRC resume message, or an RRC reconfiguration complete message.

Additionally or alternatively, UE 120a may provide assistance information during an on-going call as shown in <FIG>, at <NUM>. For example, at <NUM>, UE 120a may provide assistance information, indicating a preferred slot aggregation configuration, in a MAC-CE and/or with a CSI report. At <NUM>, BS 110a may send DCI in a PDCCH, or a MAC-CE, indicating a slot aggregation configuration for UE 120a.

As discussed above, the assistance information from the UE may indicate a preferred slot aggregation configuration including one or more parameters. For example, as mentioned above, the assistance information may indicate an invalid symbol pattern. <FIG> illustrates an example invalid symbol pattern <NUM>. The invalid symbol pattern indicates symbols that are not usable for repetitions. As shown in <FIG>, a slot (n and n+<NUM>) are configured with uplink symbols U, downlink symbols D, and flexible symbols X. L is the number of symbols of each repetition (e.g., if no segmentation). K is the number of repetitions. In some cases, the flexible symbols can be used for repetitions, while in some cases the flexible symbols may be invalid for repetitions. In the example shown in <FIG>, L = <NUM> and K = <NUM>, where L is the number of symbols that can be used for a repetition and K is the number of repetitions. Therefore, the absolute length is K x L = <NUM> symbols. The repetitions may be scheduled by a DCI to start in symbol <NUM> in the slot n. In the example in <FIG>, symbol <NUM> is a downlink symbol and symbol <NUM> is a flexible and is an invalid symbol according an invalid symbol pattern. S is the number of symbols used for all of the repetitions. In the example in <FIG>, S = <NUM> because the downlink symbol <NUM> and the invalid symbol <NUM> are not used for transmitting the repetitions.

<FIG> is a flow diagram illustrating example operations <NUM> for wireless communication, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Operations <NUM> may be performed, for example, by a BS (e.g., the BS 110a in the wireless communication network <NUM>). Operations <NUM> may be complimentary to operations <NUM> performed by the UE. Operations <NUM> may be implemented as software components that are executed and run on one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM> of <FIG>). Further, the transmission and reception of signals by the BS in operations <NUM> may be enabled, for example, by one or more antennas (e.g., antennas <NUM> of <FIG>). In certain aspects, the transmission and/or reception of signals by the BS may be implemented via a bus interface of one or more processors (e.g., controller/processor <NUM>) obtaining and/or outputting signals.

Operations <NUM> may begin, at block <NUM>, by receiving assistance information, from a UE, indicating a preferred repetition factor. The repetition factor may indicate a number of time domain repetitions, such as a number of consecutive slots for repetitions of a TB.

Operations <NUM> include, at block <NUM>, determining a repetition factor for the UE. The BS may determine a slot aggregation configuration for the UE based, at least in part, on a preferred slot aggregation configuring from the UE in the assistance information. The BS may accept or reject the preferred repetition factor.

Operations <NUM> include, at block <NUM>, transmitting a dynamic indication of the determined repetition factor to the UE.

Operations <NUM> may begin, at block <NUM>, by receiving assistance information, from a UE, indicating a preferred slot aggregation configuration. The slot aggregation may be associated with time domain repetitions of one or more transmissions.

Operations <NUM> include, at block <NUM>, determining a slot aggregation configuration for the UE based, at least in part, on the assistance information.

Operations <NUM> include, at block <NUM>, indicating the determined slot aggregation configuration to the UE.

According to certain aspects, the BS can select and/or switch the slot aggregation configuration based on the assistance information. For example, the BS may select and/or switch one or more of the parameters based on the preferred parameters indicated by the UE in the assistance information. The BS may select or switch the modulation coding scheme (MCS)/CSI table via MAC-CE, DCI, or RRC. The BS may select or switch the slot aggregation configuration and/or the MCS/CSI table based on measured uplink sounding reference signal (SRS), uplink demodulation reference signal (DMRS), HARQ retransmissions, HARQ round trip time, uplink block error rate (BLER), downlink BLER, and/or Doppler frequency. In some cases, the BS can select or switch without UE assistance information, based on the measurements.

<FIG> illustrates a communications device <NUM> that may include various components (e.g., corresponding to means-plus-function components) configured to perform operations for the techniques disclosed herein, such as the operations illustrated in <FIG> and/or <FIG>. Communications device <NUM> includes a processing system <NUM> coupled to a transceiver <NUM> (e.g., a transmitter and/or a receiver). Transceiver <NUM> is configured to transmit and receive signals for communications device <NUM> via an antenna <NUM>, such as the various signals as described herein. The processing system <NUM> may be configured to perform processing functions for communications device <NUM>, including processing signals received and/or to be transmitted by communications device <NUM>.

Processing system <NUM> includes a processor <NUM> coupled to a computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> via a bus <NUM>. In certain aspects, the computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code) that when executed by the processor <NUM>, cause the processor <NUM> to perform the operations illustrated in <FIG> and/or <FIG>, or other operations for performing the various techniques discussed herein for slot aggregation configuration with UE assistance information. In certain aspects, computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> stores code <NUM> for determining; code <NUM> for transmitting; and/or code <NUM> for receiving, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. In certain aspects, processor <NUM> has circuitry configured to implement the code stored in computer-readable medium/memory <NUM>. Processor <NUM> includes circuitry <NUM> for determining; circuitry <NUM> for transmitting; and/or circuitry <NUM> for receiving, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.

<FIG> illustrates a communications device <NUM> that may include various components (e.g., corresponding to means-plus-function components) configured to perform operations for the techniques disclosed herein, such as the operations illustrated in <FIG> and/or <FIG>. Communications device <NUM> includes a processing system <NUM> coupled to a transceiver <NUM> (e.g., a transmitter and/or a receiver). Transceiver <NUM> is configured to transmit and receive signals for communications device <NUM> via an antenna <NUM>, such as the various signals as described herein. Processing system <NUM> may be configured to perform processing functions for communications device <NUM>, including processing signals received and/or to be transmitted by communications device <NUM>.

Processing system <NUM> includes a processor <NUM> coupled to a computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> via a bus <NUM>. In certain aspects, computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> is configured to store instructions (e.g., computer-executable code) that when executed by processor <NUM>, cause processor <NUM> to perform the operations illustrated in <FIG>, or other operations for performing the various techniques discussed herein for slot aggregation configuration with UE assistance information. In certain aspects, computer-readable medium/memory <NUM> stores code <NUM> for receiving; code <NUM> for determining; code <NUM> for transmitting; and/or code <NUM> for, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. In certain aspects, processor <NUM> has circuitry configured to implement the code stored in computer-readable medium/memory <NUM>. Processor <NUM> includes circuitry <NUM> for receiving; circuitry <NUM> for determining; circuitry <NUM> for transmitting; and/or circuitry <NUM> for indicating, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.

The proposed slot aggregation configuration switching based on UE assistance information may improve reliability and reduce latency, and may reduce spectrum efficacy loss.

The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is specified, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified.

Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full meaning consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more.

Combinations of the above should also be included within the meaning of computer-readable media.

Claim 1:
A user equipment, UE, (120a) for wireless communications, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory comprising a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE to:
transmit, to a base station, BS, (110a) assistance information indicating a preferred repetition factor, wherein the assistance information comprises a preferred slot aggregation configuration including the repetition factor, wherein the repetition factor indicates a number of time domain repetitions and wherein the preferred slot aggregation configuration further comprises an indication of a preferred starting symbol position of a time domain repetition, a preferred symbol length of a time domain repetition, a preferred invalid symbol pattern indicating invalid symbols for segmentation repetition, or a combination thereof; and
receive a dynamic indication from the BS of a repetition factor.