TWO-STEP RACH TRANSMISSIONS USING GUARD BAND IN UNLICENSED SPECTRUM

Abstract

Systems and methods for two-step Random Access Channel, RACH, transmissions using a guard band (e.g., in unlicensed spectrum) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises obtaining one or more MsgA Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) configurations for two-step random access, the one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PUSCH occasion (PO) for two-step random access that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands. The method further comprises selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission and determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band is allowable. The method further comprises, upon determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable, transmitting the MsgA transmission.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless communication device, the method comprising: obtaining one or more MsgA Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, configurations for two-step random access, the one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PUSCH occasion, PO, for two-step random access that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission for a two-step random access procedure; determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands is allowable; and upon determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable, transmitting the MsgA transmission for the two-step random access procedure, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands is allowable comprises: performing Listen Before Talk, LBT, procedures for the two adjacent subbands; and determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable based on the LBT procedures for the two adjacent subbands.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band comprises: (a) information that indicates that the PO at least partially overlaps the guard band; (b) information that indicates a location of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; (c) information that indicates a size of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; (d) information about the two adjacent subbands of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; or (e) any two or more of (a)-(d).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a preamble selected for the MsgA transmission, a size of the MsgA PUSH payload for the MsgA transmission, or both the preamble and the size of the MsgA PUSCH payload.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a purpose of the random access.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a priority order or priority level associated with the random access.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises selecting the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on whether or not MsgA payload transmission is permitted in a guard band for a respective cell, carrier, bandwidth part, or subband or based on whether or not MsgA payload transmission in a guard band is enabled.

8. (canceled)

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending, to the base station, capability information comprising information that indicates that the wireless communication device is capable of transmitting MsgA payload transmissions in a guard band.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending, to the base station, an indication that the MsgA transmission uses the guard band.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the indication is an implicit indication provided by the PO in which the MsgA preamble is transmitted.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein sending the indication comprises: sending the indication in Uplink Control Information, UCI; sending the indication via signaling; sending the indication in a Medium Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE; or sending the indication in a MAC subheader.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the indication is comprised in the MsgA payload, in a Medium Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE, comprised in the MsgA payload, or in a MAC subheader comprised in the MsgA payload.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A wireless communication device comprising: one or more transmitters; one or more receivers; and processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers, the processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless communication device to: obtain one or more MsgA Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PUSCH occasion, PO, that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; select the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission; determine that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands is allowable; upon determining that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable, transmit the MsgA transmission, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band.

17. A method performed by a base station of a cellular communications system, the method comprising: providing, to a wireless communication device, one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PUSCH occasion, PO, that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; and receiving, from the wireless communication device, a MsgA transmission, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving, from the wireless communication device, an indication that the MsgA transmission uses the guard band.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the MsgA PUSCH configuration comprises one or more of the following: (a) information that indicates that the PO at least partially overlaps the guard band; (b) information that indicates a location of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; (c) information that indicates a size of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; (d) information about the two adjacent subbands of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; or (e) any two or more of (a)-(d).

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the guard band and the two adjacent subbands are in unlicensed spectrum, and the method further comprises determining that subsequent transmissions can be scheduled in the guard band using channel occupancy time sharing and scheduling one or more subsequent transmissions using resources that at least partially overlap the guard band based on the determining.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving, from the wireless communication device, capability information comprising information that indicates that the wireless communication device is capable of transmitting MsgA payload transmissions in a guard band.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising sending, to the wireless communication device, information that configures whether MsgA payload transmissions in a guard band are permitted or information that configures whether MsgA payload transmissions are permitted in a guard band per carrier, per cell, per bandwidth part, or per subband.

23-27. (canceled)

28. A base station for a cellular communications system, the base station comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the base station to: provide, to a wireless communication device, one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PUSCH occasion, PO, that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; and receive, from the wireless communication device, a MsgA transmission, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0107] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0108] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of Channel Occupancy Time (COT) sharing;

[0109] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wideband carrier containing multiple Listen Before Talk (LBT) subbands;

[0110] FIG. 3 illustrates the legacy four-step random access procedure used in Long Term Evolution (LTE);

[0111] FIG. 4 illustrates a two-step random access procedure;

[0112] FIG. 5 illustrates an example configuration of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) and Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) for the two-step random access procedure;

[0113] FIG. 6 illustrates an example similar to that of FIG. 5 but where there are different configuration periods for PRACH and PUSCH;

[0114] FIG. 7 illustrates one example of a cellular communications system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0115] FIG. 8 illustrates an example wherein three PUSCH occasions (POs) are configured for a User Equipment (UE) in the same subband in the same slot (or mini-slot) and in which MsgA transmission for a two-step random access procedure can be transmitted in a guard band between two adjacent subbands in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0116] FIG. 9 illustrates an example procedure for MsgA payload transmission with guard bands in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0117] FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE) and a base station to perform a two-step random access procedure in which a MsgA payload transmission uses a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands (e.g., two adjacent LBT subbands) in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0118] FIG. 11 illustrates the operation of a wireless communication device (e.g., a UE) and a base station to perform a two-step random access procedure in which a MsgA payload transmission uses a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands (e.g., two adjacent LBT subbands) in accordance with some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0119] FIGS. 12 through 14 are schematic block diagrams of example embodiments of a radio access node;

[0120] FIGS. 15 and 16 are schematic block diagrams of example embodiments of a wireless communication device;

[0121] FIG. 17 illustrates an example embodiment of a communication system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0122] FIG. 18 illustrates example embodiments of the host computer, base station, and UE of FIG. 17; and

[0123] FIGS. 19 through 22 are flow charts that illustrate example embodiments of methods implemented in a communication system such as that of FIG. 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0124] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0125] Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context in which it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methods disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following or preceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step must follow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, wherever appropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features, and advantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from the following description.

[0126] Radio Node: As used herein, a “radio node” is either a radio access node or a wireless communication device.

[0127] Radio Access Node: As used herein, a “radio access node” or “radio network node” or “radio access network node” is any node in a Radio Access Network (RAN) of a cellular communications network that operates to wirelessly transmit and/or receive signals. Some examples of a radio access node include, but are not limited to, a base station (e.g., a New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) NR network or an enhanced or evolved Node B (eNB) in a 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) network), a high-power or macro base station, a low-power base station (e.g., a micro base station, a pico base station, a home eNB, or the like), a relay node, a network node that implements part of the functionality of a base station (e.g., a network node that implements a gNB Central Unit (gNB-CU) or a network node that implements a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU)) or a network node that implements part of the functionality of some other type of radio access node.

[0128] Core Network Node: As used herein, a “core network node” is any type of node in a core network or any node that implements a core network function. Some examples of a core network node include, e.g., a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or the like. Some other examples of a core network node include a node implementing a Access and Mobility Function (AMF), a UPF, a Session Management Function (SMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), a Network Exposure Function (NEF), a Network Function (NF) Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), or the like.

[0129] Communication Device: As used herein, a “communication device” is any type of device that has access to an access network. Some examples of a communication device include, but are not limited to: mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or Personal Computer (PC). The communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless or wireline connection.

[0130] Wireless Communication Device: One type of communication device is a wireless communication device, which may be any type of wireless device that has access to (i.e., is served by) a wireless network (e.g., a cellular network). Some examples of a wireless communication device include, but are not limited to: a User Equipment device (UE) in a 3GPP network, a Machine Type Communication (MTC) device, and an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Such wireless communication devices may be, or may be integrated into, a mobile phone, smart phone, sensor device, meter, vehicle, household appliance, medical appliance, media player, camera, or any type of consumer electronic, for instance, but not limited to, a television, radio, lighting arrangement, tablet computer, laptop, or PC. The wireless communication device may be a portable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile device, enabled to communicate voice and/or data via a wireless connection.

[0131] Network Node: As used herein, a “network node” is any node that is either part of the radio access network or the core network of a cellular communications network/system.

[0132] Note that the description given herein focuses on a 3GPP cellular communications system and, as such, 3GPP terminology or terminology similar to 3GPP terminology is oftentimes used. However, the concepts disclosed herein are not limited to a 3GPP system.

[0133] Note that, in the description herein, reference may be made to the term “cell”; however, particularly with respect to 5G NR concepts, beams may be used instead of cells and, as such, it is important to note that the concepts described herein are equally applicable to both cells and beams.

[0134] There currently exist certain challenge(s). In Carrier Aggregation (CA) in 3GPP NR, each Component Carrier (CC) has a guard band defined, in the case of 3GPP, by RAN4. However, from the RAN4 perspective, there is no requirement that the guard bands between two or more contiguous carriers are left empty. Hence, optimizations may be considered whereby the transmitting device uses the Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) in the guard bands (referred to herein as guard PRBs) and the receiving device assumes that data symbols are mapped to these PRBs.

[0135] For a wideband carrier or bandwidth part (BWP) containing multiple Listen Before Talk (LBT) subbands, once the guard bands are needed, the default BWP configurations should skip all the guard bands assuming all the adjacent subbands are not available for data transmission and reception. This reduces the spectral utilization efficiency.

[0136] However, when two adjacent subbands are both available, the guard band between them may not be needed. In other words, the guard bands can be utilized for transmission or reception in such cases, which can improve the resource utilization efficiency. Since the gNB is not aware of LBT results for uplink transmissions since the LBT operation is performed at the UE side, in order to utilize the guard bands for uplink MsgA payload transmissions in a two-step Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure, the UE must report the LBT results to its serving gNB so that the gNB can reconfigure MsgA PUSCH configurations to the UE. However, this is not feasible since the UE may have no uplink grant resource to send the report when a two-step random access (RA) event is triggered.

[0137] In addition, RAN1 has made the agreement below in RAN1 #98bis regarding intra-carrier guard bands:

[0138] Agreement: [0139] The intra-carrier guard bands on a carrier can be semi-statically adjusted with an RB level granularity. The RAN4 minimum guard band requirements are used as the guard bands when no semi-static adjustment is applied. [0140] The guard bands adjustments do not affect the already agreed restrictions on PUCCH resource allocation. [0141] FFS: Whether and how to handle the case where the intra-carrier guard bands are part of a resource allocation

[0142] From above agreement, it is for future study (FFS) how to handle the case where the guard bands are part of a resource allocation. Therefore, for two-step RA, how to handle the resource allocation which contains the guard band resources will be a related question. Therefore, it is necessary to study how to utilize the guard bands for uplink MsgA payload transmissions, especially in case the cell has high RACH load so that the PUSCH resources may congested.

[0143] Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to the aforementioned or other challenges. Systems and methods are disclosed herein for transmission of MsgA payload using guard band resources. In one embodiment, a base station (e.g., gNB) configures a wireless communication device (WCD) (e.g., a UE) with Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) resources (i.e., a PUSCH occasion (PO)) occupying PRBs in a guard band in a MsgA PUSCH configuration(s). In some embodiments, the base station further configures the WCD about whether the WCD is allowed to use guard band resources for transmission of MsgA payload.

[0144] In some embodiments, the WCD decides if a configured guard band(s) is(are) available for MsgA payload transmissions depending on if adjacent subbands associated with the guard band pass an LBT operation. In some embodiments, the WCD may further indicate to the base station if a MsgA payload transmission uses resources in a guard band. Upon reception of the information, the base station can decide whether to schedule resources in a guard band for subsequent transmissions.

[0145] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). Embodiments of the present disclosure may enhance the spectrum utilization efficiency.

[0146] FIG. 7 illustrates one example of a cellular communications system 700 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. In the embodiments described herein, the cellular communications system 700 is a 5G system (5GS) including a Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN) (also referred to herein as a NR RAN). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Rather, the embodiments disclosed herein may be utilized in other types of wireless or cellular communications networks that operate in unlicensed spectrum. In this example, the RAN includes base stations 702-1 and 702-2, which in the NG-RAN are referred to as gNBs (NR base station) or ng-eNBs (LTE RAN nodes connected to 5GC), controlling corresponding (macro) cells 704-1 and 704-2. The base stations 702-1 and 702-2 are generally referred to herein collectively as base stations 702 and individually as base station 702. Likewise, the (macro) cells 704-1 and 704-2 are generally referred to herein collectively as (macro) cells 704 and individually as (macro) cell 704. The RAN may also include a number of low power nodes 706-1 through 706-4 controlling corresponding small cells 708-1 through 708-4. The low power nodes 706-1 through 706-4 can be small base stations (such as pico or femto base stations) or Remote Radio Heads (RRHs), or the like. Notably, while not illustrated, one or more of the small cells 708-1 through 708-4 may alternatively be provided by the base stations 702. The low power nodes 706-1 through 706-4 are generally referred to herein collectively as low power nodes 706 and individually as low power node 706. Likewise, the small cells 708-1 through 708-4 are generally referred to herein collectively as small cells 708 and individually as small cell 708. The cellular communications system 700 also includes a core network 710, which in the 5GS is referred to as the 5G core (5GC). The base stations 702 (and optionally the low power nodes 706) are connected to the core network 710.

[0147] The base stations 702 and the low power nodes 706 provide service to wireless communication devices 712-1 through 712-5 in the corresponding cells 704 and 708. The wireless communication devices 712-1 through 712-5 are generally referred to herein collectively as wireless communication devices 712 and individually as wireless communication device 712. In the following description, the wireless communication devices 712 are oftentimes UEs and as such referred to as UEs 712, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Likewise, the base stations 702 are oftentimes gNBs and as such referred to as gNBs 702, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0148] In the following, example embodiments the proposed solutions are described in the context of NR unlicensed spectrum (NR-U). However, the solutions described herein are not limited to NR-U scenarios. They are also applicable to other unlicensed operation scenarios such as LTE License Assisted Access (LAA)/enhanced LAA (eLAA)/further enhanced LAA (feLAA)/MuLTEfire. In addition, some of the proposed solutions are also applicable to licensed operations where guard-band regions may be feasible to use for uplink transmissions. In the example embodiments described below, a term “subband” is used to represent a bandwidth segment of a carrier. The UE 712 can perform independent LBT operation on each subband. However, as used herein, the term “subband” is a non-limiting term that refers to a portion of a total bandwidth of a carrier. Other similar terms are equally applicable to the below embodiments. The guard-bands between adjacent subbands within a carrier are referred to herein as “intra-carrier guard bands.”

[0149] As a first embodiment, a UE 712 can be configured with uplink PUSCH resources (i.e., a PO(s)) in a guard band region for two-step RA. These PUSCH resources are contained in one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations. For each MsgA PUSCH configuration, the gNB 702 can indicate one or more of the following (but preferably all of the following): [0150] 1) Whether or not a PO is overlapped with a guard band. The information may be available for every PO. [0151] 2) The location and size of the guard band that is overlapped with POs contained in the configuration. [0152] 3) Information on the adjacent subbands associated with the guard band that is overlapped with POs contained in the configuration.

[0153] If the UE 712 is allowed (e.g., by the gNB configuration) to use a guard band region for MsgA payload transmission, the UE 712 can decide if a configured PUSCH resource (i.e., a PO) that is within or overlapped with a guard band is usable depending on LBT outcome in the adjacent subbands of the guard band. That is the PUSCH resource (i.e., PO) configured in the guard band is usable if the LBT succeeds in both adjacent subbands associated with the guard band. In this case, both adjacent subbands are available for the UE 712 to transmit uplink data.

[0154] FIG. 8 illustrates an example wherein three POs are configured (in three MsgA PUSCH configurations) in the same subband in the same slot (or mini-slot) for a UE 712. In particular, the three MsgA PUSCH configurations are for the lower guard band, the operation band, and the upper guard band of Channel 1. If LBT succeeds in Channel 1 and Channel 0 but fails in Channel 2, the UE can use PO0 and PO1 for MsgA payload transmission. If LBT succeeds in Channel 1 and Channel 2 but fails in Channel 0, the UE can use PO1 and PO2 for MsgA payload transmission.

[0155] As a second embodiment, whenever a two-step RA procedure is triggered for a UE 712, the UE 712 selects a preamble and a PO fitting to the size of the MsgA payload. If the selected PO occupies a guard band, the UE 712 performs LBTs in subbands which are neighboring to the guard band. The UE 712 can use the PO only in case the LBT operation succeeds in both neighboring subbands. Otherwise, the UE 712 may choose to use another PO which does not occupy a guard band region for transmission of the MsgA.

[0156] As a third embodiment, whenever a two-step RA procedure is triggered for a UE 712, the UE 712 selects a preamble and a PO fitting to the size of MsgA payload. Upon reception of the preamble, the gNB 702 may have several options to learn if the associated subsequent PO is overlapped with a guard band. If the PO is overlapped with a guard band, the gNB 702 can also learn the location and size of the guard band. [0157] Option 1: There is a preconfigured mapping relation between a preamble and a PO, and the gNB 702 learns the related information based on detected preamble. [0158] Option 2: The UE 712 may include the information in MsgA payload via any of the following means: [0159] the information is included in the uplink control information (UCI) on PUSCH, the UCI may be mapped to the PUSCH similar as what has designed for CG-UCI; [0160] the information is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling which is carried in MsgA payload; [0161] the information is included in a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) which is carried in MsgA payload; or [0162] the information is included in a MAC subheader in MsgA payload.

[0163] When the gNB 702 gets the information on guard bands, the gNB 702 can decide if the subsequent uplink (UL) or downlink (DL) transmissions can use the guard bands. In one example, it is feasible for the gNB 702 to share the DL transmissions with UL transmissions from a UE 712 in a same Channel Occupancy Time (COT). In this case, the gNB 702 can directly schedule resources in the guard band for UL or DL transmissions without performing LBT operations.

[0164] An example of a MsgA payload transmission with guard bands is illustrated in FIG. 9. As illustrated, a gNB 702 configures a UE 712 with one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations occupying a guard band (step 900). In other words, as described above, a MsgA PUSCH configuration occupying a guard band is a MsgA PUSCH configuration having a PO that at least partially overlaps at guard band between adjacent subbands (i.e., a PO that defines time-frequency resources that at least partially overlap a guard band between adjacent subbands). The UE 712 performs a LBT operation before transmission of MsgA for a two-step RA procedure, as described above (step 902). In this example, the UE 712 desires to determine whether it is allowed to use the PO of a particular MsgA PUSCH configuration that overlaps a particular guard band. As such, this LBT operation includes a LBT procedure for the two adjacent subbands of that particular guard band. The UE 712 uses the guard band for MsgA transmission (i.e., uses the PO comprised in the MsgA PUSCH configuration that at least partially overlaps the guard band) if the LBT operation for both of the adjacent subbands is a success (i.e., the subbands are clear) (step 904). Optionally, the UE 712 may also signal an indication to the gNB 702 that indicates that the MsgA PUSCH payload is at least partially in the guard band, as described above (step 906). As discussed above, in some embodiments, the gNB 702 monitors and processes the MsgA transmission and the received indication and determines whether to schedule UL and/or DL resources in the guard band for subsequent transmissions (e.g., using COT sharing) (step 908).

[0165] As a fourth embodiment, for a two-step RA, a UE 712 selects a PO covering a guard band region for the RA considering the RA purpose or the priority order associated with the RA. For a RA associated with high priority or urgent latency requirement, the UE 712 selects a PO which does not overlap with any guard band. While for a RA associated with low priority or long latency requirement, the UE 712 selects a PO which occupies PRBs in a guard band. For UEs 712 in RRC IDLE, the typical events are initial access or requesting system information (SI). There are limited ways to determine a priority order for a RA event, such as: [0166] Determined based on the data that triggers the RA [0167] Application ID or some other global indication of application type can be used. Typically, each app running in Android or IOS has an Android application id (=OS specific application ID identifier) assigned by the app developer. [0168] The UE's access class or access category which is typically used for the initial access control, e.g., access barring.
Please note that the access class or access category may be also applicable to UEs 712 in RRC Connected or RRC Inactive, since the term “access category” was introduced in NR Rel-15 for an unified access framework including accesses triggered in RRC IDLE.

[0169] For UEs 712 in RRC Connected or RRC Inactive, the typical events are RA to obtain a grant, hand over, regaining of synch, beam failure recovery (BFR), etc. In one option, in NR Rel-15, RA events for handover and BFR are prioritized over other RA events.

[0170] In another option, the priority level of a RA event is determined considering the priority level of data, i.e. the data that triggers the RA for obtaining a grant). For example, the priority level of a RA event may be determined considering: [0171] the Logical Channel (LCH) priority of a LCH containing the data, or [0172] the other Quality of Service (QoS) identifiers, like the radio bearer identity (ID), logical channel group ID, or session/flow ID (e.g., Fifth Generation (5G) QoS Identifier (5QI), or QoS Flow Identifier (QFI) in NR network, while QoS Class Identifier (QCI) in LTE network) may be also applied.

[0173] As a fifth embodiment, whether or not to use a guard band region for MsgA payload transmission may be configured per cell, carrier, BWP, or subband. Different options are configured for different serving cell, carrier, BWP, or subband.

[0174] As a sixth embodiment, whether or not to use a guard band region for MsgA payload transmission may be enabled or disabled based on measured channel occupancy or LBT statistics. In one example, UEs 712 are allowed to use a guard band between LBT subbands for MsgA payload transmission if the associated cell, BWP, carrier, or subband is experiencing low load since, in this case, the UE 712 has higher probability to grasp more than one LBT subbands for MsgA payload transmissions. In another example, UEs 712 are not allowed to use a guard band for MsgA payload transmissions if the associated cell, BWP, carrier, or subband has high channel occupancy meaning that the UE 712 may only be able to grasp a single LBT subband for MsgA payload transmissions. The signaling on enabling or disabling of the feature (i.e., whether or not to use a guard band region for MsgA payload transmission) may be signaled by the gNB 702 to UEs 712 via system information, dedicated signaling, MAC CE or DCI etc.

[0175] As a seventh embodiment, a UE capability on whether to support to use a guard band region for MsgA payload transmission may be introduced.

[0176] FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of a WCD 712 (e.g., a UE) and a base station 702 (e.g., a gNB) in accordance with at least some aspects of at least some of the embodiments described above. Optional steps are represented by dashed lines/boxes. As illustrated, optionally, the WCD 712 sends capability information to the base station 702, where the capability information includes information that indicates that the WCD 712 supports MsgA transmission using a guard band (step 1000). The base station 702 sends, to the WCD 712, one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations (step 1000). Each MsgA PUSCH configuration includes one or more POs, where each PO defines time-frequency resources for MsgA PUSCH payload transmission. At least one of the MsgA PUSCH configurations includes a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands (i.e., a PO that defines time-frequency resources that at least partially overlap a guard band between two adjacent subbands).

[0177] The WCD 712 selects a PRACH preamble and PO for a MsgA transmission (step 1004). In this example, the selected PO is a PO that at least partially overlaps a particular guard band between two particular adjacent subbands. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the WCD 712 selects a PRACH preamble that is mapped to a PO that has a size that fits the desired MsgA payload. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the WCD 712 select a PO overlapping a guard band for RA considering the RA purpose or the priority order associated with the RA. The RA purpose or priority associated with the RA may be determined based on, e.g., the data that triggers the RA or the class or access category, as described above. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the selection may take into account per cell/carrier/BWP/subband configurations of whether or not to use a guard band for MsgA payload. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the selection may take into account whether using a guard band for MsgA payload is enabled or disabled, e.g., based on measured channel occupancy or LBT statistics.

[0178] The WCD 712 performs a LBT operation including LBT procedures for both of the two adjacent subbands of guard band that is overlapped by the selected PO, as discussed above (step 1006). The WCD 712 determine whether the selected PO is usable based on the outcomes of the LBT operations of the two adjacent subbands (step 1008). If the PO is usable (i.e., if there is LBT success in both of the two adjacent subbands), the WCD 712 performs the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band (step 1010). More specifically, the WCD 712 transmits the selected PRACH preamble and also transmits the MsgA PUSCH payload (step 1010A). The MsgA PUSCH payload is transmitted in the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band. Optionally, the WCD 712 also sends an indication to the base station 702 that indicates that the guard band was used for the MsgA transmission.

[0179] Optionally, if the PO is not usable (i.e., if there is LBT failure in either or both of the two adjacent subbands), the WCD 712 performs the MsgA transmission using a new selected PO, e.g., a PO that does not overlap a guard band (step 1010B). More specifically, the WCD 712 selects a new PO that is usable (e.g., a PO that does not overlap any guard band) and is within a subband for which there is a LBT success (step 1010B1) and then performs the MsgA transmission using the newly selected PO (step 1010B2). The WCD 712 and the base station 702 then continue the two-step RA procedure.

[0180] FIG. 11 illustrates the operation of a WCD 712 (e.g., a UE) and a base station 702 (e.g., a gN6) in accordance with at least some aspects of at least some of the embodiments described above. Optional steps are represented by dashed lines/boxes. Note that steps 1100-1112 correspond to steps 1000-1010A2 and, as such, are not repeated. At the base station 702, the base station 702 monitors for and processes the MsgA payload transmission from the WCD 712 using the guard band and (step 1114). As discussed above, the WCD 712 decides whether the guard band can be used by the base station 702 to schedule subsequent UL and/or DL transmissions (e.g., using COT sharing) (step 1116). The base station 702 then schedules UL and/or DL transmissions in accordance with the decision in step 1116.

[0181] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a radio access node 1200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Optional features are represented by dashed boxes. The radio access node 1200 may be, for example, a base station 702 or 706 or a network node that implements all or part of the functionality of the base station 702, eNB, or gN6 described herein. As illustrated, the radio access node 1200 includes a control system 1202 that includes one or more processors 1204 (e.g., Central Processing Units (CPUs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and/or the like), memory 1206, and a network interface 1208. The one or more processors 1204 are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. In addition, the radio access node 1200 may include one or more radio units 1210 that each includes one or more transmitters 1212 and one or more receivers 1214 coupled to one or more antennas 1216. The radio units 1210 may be referred to or be part of radio interface circuitry. In some embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1210 is external to the control system 1202 and connected to the control system 1202 via, e.g., a wired connection (e.g., an optical cable). However, in some other embodiments, the radio unit(s) 1210 and potentially the antenna(s) 1216 are integrated together with the control system 1202. The one or more processors 1204 operate to provide one or more functions of a radio access node 1200 as described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station 702 or gN6 as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11). In some embodiments, the function(s) are implemented in software that is stored, e.g., in the memory 1206 and executed by the one or more processors 1204.

[0182] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram that illustrates a virtualized embodiment of the radio access node 1200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is equally applicable to other types of network nodes. Further, other types of network nodes may have similar virtualized architectures. Again, optional features are represented by dashed boxes.

[0183] As used herein, a “virtualized” radio access node is an implementation of the radio access node 1200 in which at least a portion of the functionality of the radio access node 1200 is implemented as a virtual component(s) (e.g., via a virtual machine(s) executing on a physical processing node(s) in a network(s)). As illustrated, in this example, the radio access node 1200 may include the control system 1202 and/or the one or more radio units 1210, as described above. The control system 1202 may be connected to the radio unit(s) 1210 via, for example, an optical cable or the like. The radio access node 1200 includes one or more processing nodes 1300 coupled to or included as part of a network(s) 1302. If present, the control system 1202 or the radio unit(s) are connected to the processing node(s) 1300 via the network 1302. Each processing node 1300 includes one or more processors 1304 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1306, and a network interface 1308.

[0184] In this example, functions 1310 of the radio access node 1200 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station 702 or gNB as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11) are implemented at the one or more processing nodes 1300 or distributed across the one or more processing nodes 1300 and the control system 1202 and/or the radio unit(s) 1210 in any desired manner. In some particular embodiments, some or all of the functions 1310 of the radio access node 1200 described herein are implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines implemented in a virtual environment(s) hosted by the processing node(s) 1300. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, additional signaling or communication between the processing node(s) 1300 and the control system 1202 is used in order to carry out at least some of the desired functions 1310. Notably, in some embodiments, the control system 1202 may not be included, in which case the radio unit(s) 1210 communicate directly with the processing node(s) 1300 via an appropriate network interface(s).

[0185] In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of radio access node 1200 or a node (e.g., a processing node 1300) implementing one or more of the functions 1310 of the radio access node 1200 in a virtual environment according to any of the embodiments described herein is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).

[0186] FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of the radio access node 1200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The radio access node 1200 includes one or more modules 1400, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s) 1400 provide the functionality of the radio access node 1200 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a base station 702 or gNB as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11). This discussion is equally applicable to the processing node 1300 of FIG. 13 where the modules 1400 may be implemented at one of the processing nodes 1300 or distributed across multiple processing nodes 1300 and/or distributed across the processing node(s) 1300 and the control system 1202.

[0187] FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication device 1500 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the wireless communication device 1500 includes one or more processors 1502 (e.g., CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and/or the like), memory 1504, and one or more transceivers 1506 each including one or more transmitters 1508 and one or more receivers 1510 coupled to one or more antennas 1512. The transceiver(s) 1506 includes radio-front end circuitry connected to the antenna(s) 1512 that is configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna(s) 1512 and the processor(s) 1502, as will be appreciated by on of ordinary skill in the art. The processors 1502 are also referred to herein as processing circuitry. The transceivers 1506 are also referred to herein as radio circuitry. In some embodiments, the functionality of the wireless communication device 1500 described above (e.g., one or more functions of a WCD 712 or UE as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11) may be fully or partially implemented in software that is, e.g., stored in the memory 1504 and executed by the processor(s) 1502. Note that the wireless communication device 1500 may include additional components not illustrated in FIG. 15 such as, e.g., one or more user interface components (e.g., an input/output interface including a display, buttons, a touch screen, a microphone, a speaker(s), and/or the like and/or any other components for allowing input of information into the wireless communication device 1500 and/or allowing output of information from the wireless communication device 1500), a power supply (e.g., a battery and associated power circuitry), etc.

[0188] In some embodiments, a computer program including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the functionality of the wireless communication device 1500 according to any of the embodiments described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a WCD 712 or UE as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11) is provided. In some embodiments, a carrier comprising the aforementioned computer program product is provided. The carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable medium such as memory).

[0189] FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of the wireless communication device 1500 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. The wireless communication device 1500 includes one or more modules 1600, each of which is implemented in software. The module(s) 1600 provide the functionality of the wireless communication device 1500 described herein (e.g., one or more functions of a WCD 712 or UE as described herein, e.g., with respect to the first through seventh embodiments and FIGS. 10 and 11).

[0190] With reference to FIG. 17, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes a telecommunication network 1700, such as a 3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises an access network 1702, such as a RAN, and a core network 1704. The access network 1702 comprises a plurality of base stations 1706A, 1706B, 1706C, such as Node Bs, eNBs, gNBs, or other types of wireless Access Points (APs), each defining a corresponding coverage area 1708A, 1708B, 1708C. Each base station 1706A, 1706B, 1706C is connectable to the core network 1704 over a wired or wireless connection 1710. A first UE 1712 located in coverage area 1708C is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 1706C. A second UE 1714 in coverage area 1708A is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 1706A. While a plurality of UEs 1712, 1714 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 1706.

[0191] The telecommunication network 1700 is itself connected to a host computer 1716, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, or as processing resources in a server farm. The host computer 1716 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 1718 and 1720 between the telecommunication network 1700 and the host computer 1716 may extend directly from the core network 1704 to the host computer 1716 or may go via an optional intermediate network 1722. The intermediate network 1722 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private, or hosted network; the intermediate network 1722, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, the intermediate network 1722 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

[0192] The communication system of FIG. 17 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 1712, 1714 and the host computer 1716. The connectivity may be described as an Over-the-Top (OTT) connection 1724. The host computer 1716 and the connected UEs 1712, 1714 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection 1724, using the access network 1702, the core network 1704, any intermediate network 1722, and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection 1724 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection 1724 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, the base station 1706 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from the host computer 1716 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 1712. Similarly, the base station 1706 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 1712 towards the host computer 1716.

[0193] Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station, and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIG. 18. In a communication system 1800, a host computer 1802 comprises hardware 1804 including a communication interface 1806 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1800. The host computer 1802 further comprises processing circuitry 1808, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, the processing circuitry 1808 may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The host computer 1802 further comprises software 1810, which is stored in or accessible by the host computer 1802 and executable by the processing circuitry 1808. The software 1810 includes a host application 1812. The host application 1812 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a UE 1814 connecting via an OTT connection 1816 terminating at the UE 1814 and the host computer 1802. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application 1812 may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1816.

[0194] The communication system 1800 further includes a base station 1818 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1820 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 1802 and with the UE 1814. The hardware 1820 may include a communication interface 1822 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 1800, as well as a radio interface 1824 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 1826 with the UE 1814 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIG. 18) served by the base station 1818. The communication interface 1822 may be configured to facilitate a connection 1828 to the host computer 1802. The connection 1828 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIG. 18) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, the hardware 1820 of the base station 1818 further includes processing circuitry 1830, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The base station 1818 further has software 1832 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0195] The communication system 1800 further includes the UE 1814 already referred to. The UE's 1814 hardware 1834 may include a radio interface 1836 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 1826 with a base station serving a coverage area in which the UE 1814 is currently located. The hardware 1834 of the UE 1814 further includes processing circuitry 1838, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, ASICs, FPGAs, or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. The UE 1814 further comprises software 1840, which is stored in or accessible by the UE 1814 and executable by the processing circuitry 1838. The software 1840 includes a client application 1842. The client application 1842 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the UE 1814, with the support of the host computer 1802. In the host computer 1802, the executing host application 1812 may communicate with the executing client application 1842 via the OTT connection 1816 terminating at the UE 1814 and the host computer 1802. In providing the service to the user, the client application 1842 may receive request data from the host application 1812 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1816 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 1842 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

[0196] It is noted that the host computer 1802, the base station 1818, and the UE 1814 illustrated in FIG. 18 may be similar or identical to the host computer 1716, one of the base stations 1706A, 1706B, 1706C, and one of the UEs 1712, 1714 of FIG. 17, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIG. 18 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 17.

[0197] In FIG. 18, the OTT connection 1816 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer 1802 and the UE 1814 via the base station 1818 without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. The network infrastructure may determine the routing, which may be configured to hide from the UE 1814 or from the service provider operating the host computer 1802, or both. While the OTT connection 1816 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

[0198] The wireless connection 1826 between the UE 1814 and the base station 1818 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1814 using the OTT connection 1816, in which the wireless connection 1826 forms the last segment.

[0199] A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency, and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1816 between the host computer 1802 and the UE 1814, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1816 may be implemented in the software 1810 and the hardware 1804 of the host computer 1802 or in the software 1840 and the hardware 1834 of the UE 1814, or both. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 1816 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which the software 1810, 1840 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1816 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing, etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the base station 1818, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the base station 1818. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating the host computer 1802's measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency, and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that the software 1810 and 1840 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1816 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.

[0200] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 19 will be included in this section. In step 1900, the host computer provides user data. In sub-step 1902 (which may be optional) of step 1900, the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 1904, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. In step 1906 (which may be optional), the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1908 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a client application associated with the host application executed by the host computer.

[0201] FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 20 will be included in this section. In step 2000 of the method, the host computer provides user data. In an optional sub-step (not shown) the host computer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step 2002, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 2004 (which may be optional), the UE receives the user data carried in the transmission.

[0202] FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 21 will be included in this section. In step 2100 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 2102, the UE provides user data. In sub-step 2104 (which may be optional) of step 2100, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In sub-step 2106 (which may be optional) of step 2102, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in sub-step 2108 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 2110 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0203] FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station, and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 22 will be included in this section. In step 2200 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 2202 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 2204 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0204] Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefits disclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional units or modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatus may comprise a number of these functional units. These functional units may be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one or more microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digital hardware, which may include Digital Signal Processor (DSPs), special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitry may be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which may include one or several types of memory such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, optical storage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes program instructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or data communications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one or more of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, the processing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unit to perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0205] While processes in the figures may show a particular order of operations performed by certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that such order is exemplary (e.g., alternative embodiments may perform the operations in a different order, combine certain operations, overlap certain operations, etc.).

[0206] Some example embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows:

Group A Embodiments

[0207] Embodiment 1: A method performed by a wireless communication device (712), the method comprising one or more of the following: obtaining (1002) one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission; determining (1006-1008) that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands is allowable; and, upon determining (1008) that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable, transmitting (1010A) the MsgA transmission, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band.

[0208] Embodiment 2: The method of embodiment 1 wherein determining (1006-1008) that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands is allowable comprises: performing (1006) LBT procedures for the two adjacent subbands; and determining (1008) that the MsgA transmission using the selected PO is allowable based on the LBT procedures for the two adjacent subbands.

[0209] Embodiment 3: The method of embodiment 1 or 2 wherein the MsgA PUSCH configuration comprises one or more of the following: information that indicates that the PO at least partially overlaps the guard band; information that indicates a location of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; information that indicates a size of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; information about the two adjacent subbands of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO.

[0210] Embodiment 4: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 3 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a preamble selected for the MsgA transmission.

[0211] Embodiment 5: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 3 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a size of a MsgA PUSCH payload for the MsgA transmission.

[0212] Embodiment 6: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 3 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a preamble selected for the MsgA transmission, a size of the MsgA PUSH payload for the MsgA transmission, or both.

[0213] Embodiment 7: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 6 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a purpose of the random access.

[0214] Embodiment 8: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 7 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a priority order or priority level associated with the random access.

[0215] Embodiment 9: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 8 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on a purpose of the random access.

[0216] Embodiment 10: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 8 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on whether or not MsgA payload transmission is permitted in a guard band for a respective cell, carrier, bandwidth part, or subband.

[0217] Embodiment 11: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 8 wherein selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for a MsgA transmission comprises: selecting (1004) the PO that at least partially overlaps the guard band between the two adjacent subbands for the MsgA transmission based on whether or not MsgA payload transmission in a guard band is enabled (e.g., based on measured channel occupancy or LBT statistics).

[0218] Embodiment 12: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 11 further comprising sending (1000), to the base station (702), capability information comprising information that indicates that the wireless communication device (712) is capable of transmitting MsgA payload transmissions in a guard band.

[0219] Embodiment 13: The method of any of embodiments 1 to 12 further comprising sending (1010A2), to the base station (702), an indication that the MsgA transmission uses the guard band.

[0220] Embodiment 14: The method of embodiment 13 wherein the indication is an implicit indication provided by a PO in which the MsgA preamble is transmitted.

[0221] Embodiment 15: The method of embodiment 13 wherein sending (1010A2) the indication comprises sending the indication in UCI, sending the indication via signaling (e.g., RRC signaling), e.g., carried in the MsgA payload, sending the indication in a MAC CE, e.g., carried in the MsgA payload, or sending the indication in a MAC subheader, e.g., in the MsgA payload.

[0222] Embodiment 16: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: providing user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to the base station.

Group B Embodiments

[0223] Embodiment 17: A method performed by a base station (702), the method comprising one or more of the following: providing (1002; 1102), to a wireless communication device (712), one or more MsgA PUSCH configurations comprising a MsgA PUSCH configuration that comprises a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands; receiving (1010A; 1010A1; 1110), from the wireless communication device (712), a MsgA transmission, the MsgA transmission comprising a MsgA PUSCH payload transmitted in a PO that at least partially overlaps a guard band between two adjacent subbands.

[0224] Embodiment 18: The method of embodiment 17 further comprising receiving (1010A2; 1112-1114), from the wireless communication device (712), an indication that the MsgA transmission uses the guard band.

[0225] Embodiment 19: The method of embodiment 17 or 18 wherein the MsgA PUSCH configuration comprises one or more of the following: information that indicates that the PO at least partially overlaps the guard band; information that indicates a location of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; information that indicates a size of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO; information about the two adjacent subbands of the guard band that is at least partially overlapped by the PO.

[0226] Embodiment 20: The method of any of embodiments 17 to 19 wherein the guard band and the two adjacent subbands are in unlicensed spectrum, and the method further comprises determining (1116) that subsequent transmissions can be scheduled in the guard band (e.g., using COT sharing) and scheduling (1118) one or more subsequent transmissions using resources that at least partially overlap the guard band based on the determining (1116).

[0227] Embodiment 21: The method of any of embodiments 17 to 20 further comprising receiving (1100), from the wireless communication device (712), capability information comprising information that indicates that the wireless communication device (712) is capable of transmitting MsgA payload transmissions in a guard band.

[0228] Embodiment 22: The method of any of the previous embodiments, further comprising: obtaining user data; and forwarding the user data to a host computer or a wireless communication device.

Group C Embodiments

[0229] Embodiment 23: A wireless communication device comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the wireless communication device.

[0230] Embodiment 24: A base station comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the base station.

[0231] Embodiment 25: A User Equipment, UE, comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

[0232] Embodiment 26: A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE; wherein the cellular network comprises a base station having a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0233] Embodiment 27: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

[0234] Embodiment 28: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0235] Embodiment 29: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0236] Embodiment 30: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the base station performs any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0237] Embodiment 31: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the base station, transmitting the user data.

[0238] Embodiment 32: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein the user data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application, the method further comprising, at the UE, executing a client application associated with the host application.

[0239] Embodiment 33: A User Equipment, UE, configured to communicate with a base station, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry configured to perform the method of the previous 3 embodiments.

[0240] Embodiment 34: A communication system including a host computer comprising: processing circuitry configured to provide user data; and a communication interface configured to forward user data to a cellular network for transmission to a User Equipment, UE; wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's components configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0241] Embodiment 35: The communication system of the previous embodiment, wherein the cellular network further includes a base station configured to communicate with the UE.

[0242] Embodiment 36: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing the user data; and the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application.

[0243] Embodiment 37: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating a transmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular network comprising the base station, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0244] Embodiment 38: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the UE, receiving the user data from the base station.

[0245] Embodiment 39: A communication system including a host computer comprising: communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User Equipment, UE, to a base station; wherein the UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the UE's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0246] Embodiment 40: The communication system of the previous embodiment, further including the UE.

[0247] Embodiment 41: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the UE and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the UE to the base station.

[0248] Embodiment 42: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

[0249] Embodiment 43: The communication system of the previous 4 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data; and the UE's processing circuitry is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data.

[0250] Embodiment 44: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0251] Embodiment 45: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising, at the UE, providing the user data to the base station.

[0252] Embodiment 46: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted; and at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

[0253] Embodiment 47: The method of the previous 3 embodiments, further comprising: at the UE, executing a client application; and at the UE, receiving input data to the client application, the input data being provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application; wherein the user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data.

[0254] Embodiment 48: A communication system including a host computer comprising a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a User Equipment, UE, to a base station, wherein the base station comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry, the base station's processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments.

[0255] Embodiment 49: The communication system of the previous embodiment further including the base station.

[0256] Embodiment 50: The communication system of the previous 2 embodiments, further including the UE, wherein the UE is configured to communicate with the base station.

[0257] Embodiment 51: The communication system of the previous 3 embodiments, wherein: the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application; and the UE is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data to be received by the host computer.

[0258] Embodiment 52: A method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station, and a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising: at the host computer, receiving, from the base station, user data originating from a transmission which the base station has received from the UE, wherein the UE performs any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments.

[0259] Embodiment 53: The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising at the base station, receiving the user data from the UE.

[0260] Embodiment 54: The method of the previous 2 embodiments, further comprising at the base station, initiating a transmission of the received user data to the host computer.

[0261] At least some of the following abbreviations may be used in this disclosure. If there is an inconsistency between abbreviations, preference should be given to how it is used above. If listed multiple times below, the first listing should be preferred over any subsequent listing(s). [0262] 3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project [0263] 5G Fifth Generation [0264] 5GC Fifth Generation Core [0265] 5GS Fifth Generation System [0266] AF Application Function [0267] AMF Access and Mobility Function [0268] AN Access Network [0269] AP Access Point [0270] ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit [0271] AUSF Authentication Server Function [0272] CPU Central Processing Unit [0273] DN Data Network [0274] DSP Digital Signal Processor [0275] eNB Enhanced or Evolved Node B [0276] EPS Evolved Packet System [0277] E-UTRA Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access [0278] FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array [0279] gNB New Radio Base Station [0280] gNB-DU New Radio Base Station Distributed Unit [0281] HSS Home Subscriber Server [0282] IoT Internet of Things [0283] IP Internet Protocol [0284] LTE Long Term Evolution [0285] MME Mobility Management Entity [0286] MTC Machine Type Communication [0287] NEF Network Exposure Function [0288] NF Network Function [0289] NR New Radio [0290] NRF Network Function Repository Function [0291] NSSF Network Slice Selection Function [0292] OTT Over-the-Top [0293] PC Personal Computer [0294] PCF Policy Control Function [0295] P-GW Packet Data Network Gateway [0296] QoS Quality of Service [0297] RAM Random Access Memory [0298] RAN Radio Access Network [0299] ROM Read Only Memory [0300] RRH Remote Radio Head [0301] RTT Round Trip Time [0302] SCEF Service Capability Exposure Function [0303] SMF Session Management Function [0304] UDM Unified Data Management [0305] UE User Equipment [0306] UPF User Plane Function

[0307] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein.