Patent Description:
With developments of communication systems, new technologies have been proposed. For example, to reduce the waste of periodically allocated resources, the communication system enables multiple devices to share the periodic resources, called a configured grant. The base station allocates the configured grant resources to multiple terminal devices, and the terminal devices randomly utilize the resources when they have data to transmit. By assigning the configured grant resources, the communication system eliminates the packet transmission delay for a scheduling request procedure and increases the utilization ratio of allocated periodic radio resources.

3GPP Draft R1-<NUM> is concerned with enhanced uplink configured grant transmission for New Radio Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communication, and proposes ways in which an available symbol for configured grant can be determined.

<NPL> is concerned with multiple active CGs that may be configured with a BWP. It also suggests to introduce a new timer (CG retransmission timer) for controlling retransmission and storing the TB in the HARQ process ID buffer.

Generally, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for sharing HARQ processed by multiple configured grant resources and the corresponding communication devices. The invention provides a terminal device according to the appended independent claim <NUM>, a network device according to the appended independent claim <NUM>, corresponding methods according to the appended independent claims <NUM> and <NUM> and computer readable medium according to the appended independent claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

Optional, but advantageous features are disclosed in the appended dependent claims.

As used herein, the term "communication network" refers to a network following any suitable communication standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), New Radio (NR) and so on. Furthermore, the communications between a user equipment and a network device in the communication network may be performed according to any suitable generation communication protocols, including, but not limited to, the first generation (<NUM>), the second generation (<NUM>), <NUM>, <NUM>, the third generation (<NUM>), the fourth generation (<NUM>), <NUM>, the future fifth generation (<NUM>) communication protocols, and/or any other protocols either currently known or to be developed in the future. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied in various communication systems. Given the rapid development in communications, there will of course also be future type communication technologies and systems with which the present disclosure may be embodied. It should not be seen as limiting the scope of the present disclosure to only the aforementioned system.

As used herein, the term "network device" refers to a node in a communication network via which a user equipment accesses the network and receives services therefrom. The network device may refer to a base station (BS) or an access point (AP), for example, a node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), a NR NB (also referred to as a gNB), a Remote Radio Unit (RRU), a radio header (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a relay, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, and so forth, depending on the applied terminology and technology.

As mentioned above, the technology "configured grant" has be proposed. In New Radio (NR) Release-<NUM> (Rel-<NUM>), only one configured grant (CG) can be configured per bandwidth part (BWP). Certain number of HARQ processes among the <NUM> HARQ processes is configured to be used for the CG via RRC signalling and the terminal device determines which HARQ process to be used for a certain CG occasion based on the slot/symbol number for both Type <NUM> CG (the periodicity, the physical resource blocks (PRBs) and the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) are all configured via radio resource control (RRC) signalling) and Type <NUM> CG (the periodicity is configured via RRC and the PRBs/MCS is allocated with physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) activation/deactivation). The HARQ entity is per cell/carrier, hence when the terminal device is switched to another BWP of the same cell/carrier, HARQ retransmissions can continue there. Table <NUM> below shows the contents in the specification of the third generation partner project (3GPP) <NUM> and <NUM>.

Multiple configured grants (CG) per BWP has been discussed. For example, it was agreed to have different HARQ processes for those multiple configured grants: when multiple uplink CG or downlink Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) configurations are configured, an offset for each configuration is needed for the calculation of the HARQ process identity.

However, HARQ operation for NR-unlicensed (NR-U) systems is a bit different from legacy operation since the HARQ process identity to be used for a CG occasion is not determined based on the timing. It is left to the terminal device to select the HARQ process to be used for a configured grant. The terminal device will then indicate the HARQ process in uplink control information (UCI).

Multiple CGs per BWP for NR-U is likely to be configured on different listen-before-talk (LBT) sub-channels to increase transmission possibilities. Since the LBT success rate can dynamically change depending on the logical channel occupancy status, semi-statically configuring a certain number of HARQ process per CG may cause inefficient utilization of the HARQ processes when the sub-channel for a CG is overloaded and HARQ process shortage which cause CG resource waste since no transport block can be transmitted when all the HARQ processes are waiting for retransmissions when the retransmission timer is running. Thus, new mechanism is needed to sharing multiple HARQ processes by multiple configured grant resources.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple configured grant resources share a common pool of HARQ processes. The network device transmits information concerning the multiple configured grants resources and the common pool HARQ process to the terminal device. Further, for one of the multiple configured grant resources, the terminal device selects a HARQ process from the common pool of HARQ processes. In this way, the throughput has improved and the low latency for high priority data is ensured.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic diagram of a communication system <NUM> in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. The communication system <NUM> comprises the first devices <NUM> and the second device <NUM>. For the purpose of illustrations, the first devices <NUM> may be referred to as the terminal device <NUM> and the second device <NUM> may be referred to as the network device <NUM> hereinafter. It should be noted that the first devices and the second devices are interchangeable. For example, the procedures which are described to be implemented at the terminal device may also be able to be implemented at the network device and the procedures which are described to be implemented at the network device may also be able to be implemented at the terminal device.

The link from the second device <NUM> to the first devices <NUM> may be referred to as the "downlink" and the link from the first devices <NUM> to the second device <NUM> may be referred to as the "uplink".

The communication system <NUM>, which is a part of a communication network, comprises terminal devices <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. , <NUM>-N (collectively referred to as "terminal device(s) <NUM>" where N is an integer number). The communication system <NUM> comprises one or more network devices, for example, a network device <NUM>. It should be understood that the communication system <NUM> may also comprise other elements which are omitted for the purpose of clarity. It is to be understood that the numbers of terminal devices and network devices shown in <FIG> are given for the purpose of illustration without suggesting any limitations. The terminal devices <NUM> and the network device <NUM> may communicate with each other.

It is to be understood that the number of network devices and terminal devices is only for the purpose of illustration without suggesting any limitations. The system <NUM> may include any suitable number of network devices and terminal devices adapted for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure.

Communications in the communication system <NUM> may be implemented according to any proper communication protocol(s), comprising, but not limited to, cellular communication protocols of the first generation (<NUM>), the second generation (<NUM>), the third generation (<NUM>), the fourth generation (<NUM>) and the fifth generation (<NUM>) and on the like, wireless local network communication protocols such as Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) <NUM> and the like, and/or any other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Moreover, the communication may utilize any proper wireless communication technology, comprising but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Time Division Duplex (TDD), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple (OFDM), Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) and/or any other technologies currently known or to be developed in the future.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic diagram of interactions <NUM> in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The interactions <NUM> may be implemented at any suitable devices. Only for the purpose of illustrations, the interactions <NUM> are described to be implemented at the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> and the network device <NUM>.

The network device <NUM> generates <NUM> the information. The information indicates a plurality of configured grant resources and a plurality of HARQ processes. The plurality of configured grant resources shares the plurality of HARQ processes. The information may comprise identities of the plurality of configured grant resources and identities of the plurality of HARQ processes. In this way, sharing the plurality of HARQ processes increases throughput to allow a configured grant to use more processes than fixed a number for each. When there is no data for transmission for a configured grant, it does not consume any process.

The configured grant resource may be periodic resources shared by terminal devices. The term "configured grant (CG)" refer to grant-free resource in uplink, which means that the pre-configured UE-specific resources will be used for UE UL transmission without dynamic scheduling/grant. HARQ can be used in stop-and-wait mode or in selective repeat mode. Stop-and-wait is simpler, but waiting for the receiver's acknowledgment reduces efficiency. Thus multiple stop-and-wait HARQ processes are often done in parallel in practice: when one HARQ process is waiting for an acknowledgment, another process can use the logical channel to send some more data. The logical channel is defined by the type of information it carries.

In some embodiments, the network device <NUM> may determine the configured grant resources and allocate them to the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. The network device <NUM> may also determine the plurality of HARQ processes based on one or more conditions. For example, the conditions may comprise one or more of: quality of service, traffic volume, and a service type.

In some embodiments, the information may comprise one or more rules for determining the priority of data to be transmitted. Details of the rules will be given later.

The network device <NUM> transmits <NUM> the information to the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> that data needs to be transmitted on one of the plurality of configured grant resources. For example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine that a type of service needs to be transmitted on the configured grant resource. The data may belong to a logical channel which uses the configured grant resource. The data may arrive in the buffer of the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> selects <NUM> the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> available HARQ processes in the plurality of HARQ processes. For example, when selecting a HARQ process for the configured grant resource, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine whether a HARQ process from the common pool is available for new transmission/retransmission based on the timer of the HARQ process. For example, the timer may be a ConfiguredGrantTimer and CG retransmission timer status of the corresponding HARQ process. In some embodiments, the multiple configured grant resources may be considered as one configured grant, hence retransmissions may be done on different configured grant resources from the initial transmission if the resources give the same transmission block size.

ConfiguredGrantTimer and CG retransmission timers are maintained per HARQ process to determine whether a HARQ process is available for new transmission/retransmission. When the CG retransmission timer is running, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may wait for potential HARQ feedback or uplink grant, thus it cannot use the HARQ process for either autonomous retransmission on CG resources or new transmission. While when the ConfiguredGrantTimer is running, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may wait for dynamic uplink grant and cannot use the HARQ process for new transmissions. The ConfiguredGrantTimer may be configured longer than the CG retransmission timer since the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> should be allowed to attempt at least one retransmission on configured grant resources before the corresponding transmission block is dropped and ACK is assumed at the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>.

In some embodiments, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by one or more of the configured grant resources. Alternatively or in addition, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by the logical channel/channel group with priority higher than a threshold priority and/or which of the HARQ processes can be used by the logical channel/channel group with priority lower than the threshold priority.

In one embodiment, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the number of the available HARQ processes. In the situation that the number is below a threshold number, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a priority of the data to be transmitted. If the priority of the data exceeds a threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes. The threshold number may be obtained from the information. Alternatively, the threshold number may be pre-determined. In this way, it ensures that the data with high priority can be transmitted. In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may check the number of HARQ processes being used to transmit low priority data, i.e. data belonging to logical channels/channel groups with priority below a second threshold priority. In this situation if the number HARQ processes being used to transmit low priority data being below a threshold number, the transmission of data with low priority is allowed. The term "low priority data" or "data with low priority" refers to the data belongs to logical channels/logical channel groups with priority lower than a threshold priority. The term "high priority data" or "data with high priority" refers to the data belongs to logical channels/logical channel groups with priority exceeding a threshold priority.

In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may extract <NUM> criteria for the selection of the HARQ process from the information. For example, in order to increase the chances of having free HARQ processes for transmitting high priority data on the configured grant resource, the criteria may indicate that a subset of HARQ processes within the plurality of HARQ processes for CG can only be used for the transmission of high priority data. Low priority transmissions may be limited to the HARQ processes within the plurality of HARQ processes for CG and outside that subset.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> a first set of HARQ processes based on the information. The first set of HARQ processes may be used for the data with priorities higher than a threshold priority. Alternatively or in addition, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> a second set of HARQ processes based on the information. The data with priorities lower than a threshold priority can only use the second set of HARQ processes. In other words, transmissions on configured grant resources of data belonging to logical channels with priorities lower than a threshold priority can only use the second set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> the priority of the data. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a type of service to which the data belongs and determine the priority based on the type of service. In other embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine <NUM> the priority of the logical channel to which the data belongs. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the priority of the data based on other rules. For example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine whether the data contain any MAC control element (CE) related to high priority traffic (for example, buffer status report of high priority logical channels). If the data contains the MAC CE related to high priority traffic, the data may be determined to have high priority. Alternatively, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the priority of the data based on the buffered time of the data. For example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine how long the data has been waiting in the buffer and the priority of the data may increase if the buffered time exceeds threshold time.

In other embodiments, the data of the priority may be determined based on the remaining time to delivery deadline. For example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine how much time left to the delivery deadline of the data. The priority may increase if the remaining time is shorter than a threshold.

In other embodiments, the data of the priority may be determined based on Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) duplication. If the data is a duplicate, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine how its progress is comparing to the counterpart leg. The priority may increase when it is lagging its counterpart leg to a certain extent. It should be noted that the priority of the data can be determined based on any suitable rules. The rules may be pre-configured. Alternatively or in addition, as mentioned above, the rules may be determined by the network device <NUM> and be transmitted in the information.

In this situation, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may compare the priority of the data on the one of the plurality of configured grant resources with the threshold priority. The threshold priority may be obtained from the information. Alternatively, the threshold priority may be pre-determined. If the priority of the data exceeds the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the first set of HARQ processes. In other embodiments, if the priority of the logical channel to which the data belongs exceeds the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the first set of HARQ processes.

Alternatively, if the priority of the data is below the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the second set of HARQ processes. In other embodiments, if the priority of the logical channel to which the data belongs is below the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the second set of HARQ processes. In some embodiments, the second set may be a subset of the first set of HARQ processes. In some embodiments, the information may indicate a third set of HARQ processes being used for the one of the plurality of configured grant resources. If the data is to transmit using the one of the plurality of configured grant resources, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ processes from the third set of HARQ processes.

In an example embodiment, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process based on the configured grant resources. For example, the information may indicate that one or more HARQ processes can be used for a certain configured grant resource. Details of the example embodiment are described in details with the reference to <FIG>.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> transmits <NUM> the data to the network device <NUM> on the one of the plurality of configured grant resources. In this way, the data with high priority can be transmitted with low latency.

<FIG> illustrates a flow chart of a method <NUM> in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The method <NUM> may be implemented at any suitable devices. Only for the purpose of illustrations, the method <NUM> is described to be implemented at the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. It should be noted that the method <NUM> may also be implemented at the network device <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> receives information from the network device <NUM>. The information indicates the plurality of configured grant resources and the plurality of HARQ processes. The plurality of HARQ processes are shared by the plurality of configured grant resources. The information may comprise identities of the plurality of configured grant resources and identities of the plurality of HARQ processes. In this way, sharing the plurality of HARQ processes increases throughput to allow a configured grant to use more processes than fixed a number for each. When there is no data for transmission for a configured grant, it does not consume any process.

Only as an example, there may be two configured grant resources (for example, CG#<NUM> and CG#<NUM>) configured for a bandwidth part of a serving cell. They may share <NUM> HARQ processes. It should be noted that the numbers of the configured grant resources and the HARQ processes are only examples, not limitations.

When the sub-channel corresponding to CG#<NUM> is overloaded, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> is not able to transmit many transport blocks thus it will not consume too many HARQ processes. While if the sub-channel corresponding to CG#<NUM> is not overloaded, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> can continuously use the CG resources transmitting new transport blocks on different HARQ processes while waiting for HARQ feedback for other transport blocks of other HARQ processes, thus the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> can use more HARQ processes from the common pool.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> selects a HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes if it determines that data needs to be transmitted on one of the plurality of configured grant resources. For example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine that a type of service needs to be transmitted on the configured grant resource. The data may be transmitted on a logical channel which uses the configured grant resource.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine available HARQ processes in the plurality of HARQ processes. For example, when selecting a HARQ process for the configured grant resource, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine whether a HARQ process from the common pool is available for new transmission/retransmission based on the timer of the HARQ process.

In some embodiments, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by the set of configured grant resources. Alternatively or in addition, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by the logical channel/channel group with high priority and/or which of the HARQ processes can be used by the channel/channel group with low priority.

In one embodiment, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the number of the available HARQ processes. In the situation that the number is below a threshold number, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a priority of the data on the one of the plurality of the configured grant resources. If the priority exceeds a threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes. The threshold number may be obtained from the information. Alternatively, the threshold number may be pre-determined. In this way, it ensures that the data with high priority can be transmitted.

In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may extract criteria for the selection of the HARQ process from the information. For example, in order to increase the chances of having free HARQ processes for transmitting high priority services on the configured grant resource, the criteria may indicate that a subset of HARQ processes within the plurality of HARQ processes for CG can only be used for the transmission of high priority. Low priority transmissions may be limited to the HARQ processes outside that subset.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a first set of HARQ processes based on the information. The first set of HARQ processes may be used for the configured grant resources with priorities higher than a threshold priority. Alternatively or in addition, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a second set of HARQ processes based on the information. Data with priorities lower than a threshold priority is only allowed to use the second set of HARQ processes. The second set of HARQ processes may be a subset of the first sef of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the priority of data on the one of the plurality of configured grant resources based on the information. Alternatively or in addition, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine a type of service to which the data belongs and determine the priority based on the type of service. In other embodiments, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may determine the priority of the logical channel to which the data belong to. The logical channel is defined by the type of information it carries.

In this situation, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may compare the priority of the data with the threshold priority. The threshold priority may be obtained from the information. Alternatively, the threshold priority may be pre-determined. If the priority of the data exceeds the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the first set of HARQ processes. In other embodiments, if the priority of the logical channel to which the data belong to exceeds the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the first set of HARQ processes.

Alternatively, if the priority of the data is below the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the second set of HARQ processes. In other embodiments, if the priority of the logical channel to which the data belong is below the threshold priority, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may select the HARQ process from the second set of HARQ processes.

<FIG> illustrates a flow chart of the method <NUM> for selecting the HARQ process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the CG#<NUM> may be used for the transmission of a high priority service (for example, the logical channel #<NUM>) and CG#<NUM> may be used for the transmission of a low priority service (for example, the logical channel #<NUM>). The pool of N HARQ processes can be configured to ensure that CG#<NUM> can use at most X HARQ processes, which means that N-X HARQ processes in the pool are served for the CG#<NUM>. It should be noted that the numbers N and X can be any suitable integer numbers.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines that the data needs to be transmitted on the CG#<NUM> (channel #<NUM>). The data may arrive in the buffer of the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. The data belongs to a logical channel which has a priority.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines whether there are available HARQ processes for the CG#<NUM>. In this example, the CG#<NUM> is only allowed to select from the second set of HARQ processes. For example, if there are no available HARQ processes, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may go to next occurrence of the CG#<NUM> at block <NUM>.

If there is an available HARQ process in the X HARQ processes, at block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> selects the HARQ process from the available HARQ processes.

<FIG> illustrates a flow chart of the method <NUM> for selecting the HARQ process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this situation, the CG#<NUM> can select any one of the N HARQ processes under the condition that there are at least Y available HARQ processes. It should be noted that the numbers N, X and Y can be any suitable integer numbers.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines whether the number of available HARQ processes is higher than a threshold number which can be represented as Y. The threshold number can be any suitable number. For example, if the number of available HARQ processes is less than Y, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may go to next occurrence of the CG#<NUM> at block <NUM>. The threshold number can be determined by the network device and transmitted to the terminal device. The threshold number can also be predefined at the terminal device.

If the number of available HARQ processes is higher than Y, at block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> selects the HARQ process from the available HARQ processes.

<FIG> illustrates a flow chart of the method <NUM> for selecting the HARQ process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the maximum number of HARQ processes which are simultaneously used by CG#<NUM> may be Z. It should be noted that the number Z can be any suitable integer numbers.

At block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines whether the number of HARQ processes being used by the CG#<NUM> is higher than a threshold number which can be represented as Z. The threshold number can be any suitable number. For example, if the number of HARQ processes being used by the CG#<NUM> is higher than Z, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may go to next occurrence of the CG#<NUM> at block <NUM>. The threshold number can be determined by the network device and transmitted to the terminal device. The threshold number can also be predefined at the terminal device.

If the number of HARQ processes being used by the CG#<NUM> is less than Z, at block <NUM>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> selects the HARQ process from the available HARQ processes.

Referring back to <FIG>, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> transmits the data to the network device <NUM> on the one of the plurality of configured grant resources. In this way, the data with high priority can be transmitted with low latency. Embodiments of the present disclosure increases throughput to allow a configured grant resource to use more processes than fixed a number for each. When there is no data for transmission for a configured grant resource, it does not consume any process. On the other hand, reserving a certain number of processes for a configured grant resource ensures low latency for high priority data.

<FIG> illustrates a flow chart of a <NUM> in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The method <NUM> may be implemented at any suitable devices. Only for the purpose of illustrations, the method <NUM> is described to be implemented at the network device <NUM>. It should be noted that the method <NUM> may also be implemented at the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>.

At block <NUM>, the network device <NUM> generates the information. The information indicates a plurality of configured grant resources and a plurality of HARQ processes. The plurality of configured grant resources shares the plurality of HARQ processes. The information may comprise identities of the plurality of configured grant resources and identities of the plurality of HARQ processes. In this way, sharing the plurality of HARQ processes increases throughput to allow a configured grant to use more processes than fixed a number for each. When there is no data for transmission for a configured grant, it does not consume any process. The configured grant resource may be periodic resources shared by terminal devices.

In an example embodiment, the network device <NUM> may generate a threshold number of available HARQ processes. The information may indicate the threshold number. If the number of available HARQ processes is below the threshold number, the data with high priority can be guaranteed and the data with low priority can be omitted. The network device <NUM> may generate the information indicating the priorities of the plurality of configured grant resources. The network device <NUM> may also generate a threshold priority for the data.

In some embodiments, the network device <NUM> may generate the information indicating a first set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes. The first set of HARQ processes may be used for the transmission with priorities higher than a threshold priority. Alternatively or in addition, the network device <NUM> may generate the information indicating a second set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes. Transmissions with priorities lower than a threshold priority may be only allowed to select from the second set of HARQ processes. In some embodiments, the network device <NUM> may also generate the threshold priority.

At block <NUM>, the network device <NUM> transmits the information to the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. In some embodiments, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by one or more of the configured grant resources. Alternatively or in addition, the information may explicitly indicate which of the HARQ processes can be used by the channel/channel group with higher priority and/or which of the HARQ processes can be used by the channel/channel group with lower priority.

In some embodiments, the information may comprise criteria for the selection of the HARQ process from the information. For example, in order to increase the chances of having free HARQ processes for transmitting high priority services on the configured grant resource, the criteria may indicate that a subset of HARQ processes within the plurality of HARQ processes for CG can only be used for the transmission of high priority. Low priority transmissions may be limited to the HARQ processes outside that subset.

At block <NUM>, the network device <NUM> receives the data from the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> on one of the plurality of configured grant resources using a HARQ process. The HARQ process may be selected from the plurality of HARQ processes by the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>.

As mentioned above, <FIG> illustrates a schematic diagram of interactions <NUM> of selecting HARQ process based on the resource belong to which CG. The network device <NUM> transmits <NUM> the information to the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. Detailed description of the information has been given with the reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, which are omitted here for clarity purpose. Only as an example, there may be two configured grant resources (for example, CG#<NUM> and CG#<NUM>) configured for a bandwidth part of a serving cell.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines <NUM> the data to be transmitted on the CG#<NUM>. The information may indicate that the third set of HARQ process is used for the CG#<NUM>. Thus, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> select <NUM> the HARQ process #a from the third set of HARQ process for the transmission on the CG#<NUM>. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> transmits <NUM> the data on CG#<NUM> with the HARQ process ID#a. In some embodiments, the network device <NUM> may transmit <NUM> the retransmission uplink grant for the HARQ process ID#a to the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> may retransmit <NUM> the data on the CG#<NUM> with the HARQ process ID #a. It should be noted that the information may indicate more than one HARQ process can be used for the CG #<NUM>.

The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> determines <NUM> that the further data need to be transmitted on the CG#<NUM>. The information may indicate that the fourth set of HARQ processes is used for the CG#<NUM>. Thus, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> select <NUM> the HARQ process #b from the fourth set of HARQ processes for the transmission on the CG#<NUM>. The terminal device <NUM>-<NUM> transmits <NUM> the data on CG#<NUM> with the HARQ process ID#b. The fourth set of HARQ processes may be the subset of the third set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, an apparatus for performing the method <NUM> (for example, the terminal device <NUM>-<NUM>) may comprise respective means for performing the corresponding steps in the method <NUM>. These means may be implemented in any suitable manners. For example, it can be implemented by circuitry or software modules.

In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises means for receiving, at a first device and from a second device, information indicating a plurality of configured grant resources and a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, processes, the plurality of HARQ processes shared by the plurality of configured grant resources; means for in response to a determination that data needs to be transmitted on one of the plurality of configured grant resources, selecting a HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes; and means for transmitting the data to the second device on the one of the plurality of configured grant resources using the selected HARQ process.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for extracting from the information criteria for selection of the HARQ processes; and means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes based on the criteria.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for determining, from the plurality of HARQ processes, a set of available HARQ processes; means for determining the number of available HARQ processes in the plurality of HARQ processes; means for in response to the number being below a threshold number, determining a priority of the one of plurality of the configured grant resources; and means for in response to the priority exceeding a threshold priority, selecting the HARQ process from the available HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for determining a first set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes based on the information, the first set of HARQ processes used for data with priorities higher than a threshold priority; means for determining a priority of the data; and means for in response to the priority exceeding the threshold priority, selecting the HARQ process from the first set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for determining a second set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes based on the information, data with priorities lower than a threshold priority being only allowed to using the second set of HARQ processes; means for determining a priority of the data; and means for in response to the priority being below the threshold priority, selecting the HARQ process from the second set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for determining the priority of the data comprises: means for determining the priority of the data based on at least one of: a priority of a logical channel/logical channel group to which the data belongs, a buffered time of the data, or a priority of a traffic to which medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) contained in the data relates.

In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises means for determining a third set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes based on the information, the third set of HARQ processes being used for the one of the plurality of configured grant resources; and means for selecting the HARQ from the third set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises means for determining a fourth set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes based on the information, the third set of HARQ processes being used for the further one of the plurality of configured grant resources, the fourth set of HARQ processes being a subset of the third set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for determining a logical channel to which the data belongs; means for determining the number of HARQ processes currently used by the channel; and means for in response to the number being below a threshold number, selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for selecting the HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes comprises: means for determining, from the plurality of HARQ processes, a set of available HARQ processes based on timers of the plurality of HARQ processes; and means for selecting the HARQ process from the set of available HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the first device comprises a terminal device and the second device comprises a network device.

In some embodiments, an apparatus for performing the method <NUM> (for example, the network device <NUM>) may comprise respective means for performing the corresponding steps in the method <NUM>. These means may be implemented in any suitable manners. For example, it can be implemented by circuitry or software modules.

In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises means for generating, at a second device, information indicating a plurality of configured grant resources and a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, processes, the plurality of HARQ processes shared by the plurality of configured grant resources; means for transmitting the information to a first device; and means for receiving data from the first device on one of the plurality of configured grant resources using a HARQ process from the plurality of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: means for generating criteria for selection of the HARQ process; and means for adding the criteria to the information.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: means for generating the information indicating a threshold number of available HARQ processes in the plurality of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: means for generating the information indicating a first set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes, the first set of HARQ processes used for data with priorities higher than a threshold priority.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: means for generating the information indicating a second set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes, data with priorities lower than a threshold priority being only allowed to use the second set of HARQ processes.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: means for generating the information indicating a third set of HARQ processes from the plurality of HARQ processes, the third set of HARQ processes being used for one of the plurality of configured grant resources.

In some embodiments, the means for generating the information comprises: and means for generating the threshold priority.

<FIG> is a simplified block diagram of a device <NUM> that is suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. The device <NUM> may be provided to implement the communication device, for example the network device <NUM> or the terminal devices <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. As shown, the device <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memories <NUM> coupled to the processor <NUM>, and one or more communication module (for example, transmitters and/or receivers (TX/RX)) <NUM> coupled to the processor <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the program <NUM> may be tangibly contained in a computer readable medium which may be included in the device <NUM> (such as in the memory <NUM>) or other storage devices that are accessible by the device <NUM>.

The present disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, such as those included in program modules, being executed in a device on a target real or virtual processor, to carry out the methods <NUM> and <NUM> as described above with reference to <FIG>. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, or the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or split between program modules as desired in various embodiments. Machine-executable instructions for program modules may be executed within a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, program modules may be located in both local and remote storage media.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
receiving (<NUM>), at a terminal device (<NUM>-<NUM>) and from a network device (<NUM>), information indicating a plurality of configured grant resources and a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, processes, the plurality of HARQ processes forming a common pool of HARQ processes which is shared by the plurality of configured grant resources, wherein the plurality of configured grant resources are configured in one bandwidth part;
determining, by the terminal device (<NUM>-<NUM>), from the plurality of HARQ processes, available HARQ processes for transmission and/or retransmission based at least on a timer of the respective HARQ process;
selecting (<NUM>), by the terminal device (<NUM>-<NUM>), a HARQ process from the available HARQ processes; and
transmitting (<NUM>), by the terminal device (<NUM>-<NUM>) to the network device (<NUM>), data on one of the plurality of configured grant resources using the selected HARQ process.