FIELD

[0001] Examples of the invention are related to uplink transmissions on beams.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Antennas at user equipment and access nodes provide wireless links for communications between the user equipment and access nodes. The antennas may be directional antennas having beams for efficient transmission and/or reception of radio frequency signals in at least one direction, e.g. a main beam direction, compared to other directions. The capability of the antenna can be measured by antenna gain. The wireless links may be in uplink direction and/or downlink direction.

[0003] However, some beams may experience high traffic load or interference from a neighbouring system, and if such beams are used on the wireless link, the beams may be blocked or transmissions on the wireless link may collide with other transmissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Some specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. [0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising:

- obtaining at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links; - receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value. [0006] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising:

- configuring a user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- transmitting to the user equipment at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for performing:

- obtaining at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for performing:

- configuring a user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- transmitting to the user equipment at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value. [0009] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non- transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

- obtaining at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non- transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

- configuring a user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- transmitting to the user equipment at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0011] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the following:

- obtaining at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links; - receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0012] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the following:

- configuring a user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links;

- transmitting to the user equipment at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link;

- receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0013] Further aspects of the present invention may comprise one or more aspects of:

• determining beam pair link metrics of the at least two beam pair links; applying an offset value indicated by the received at least one indication as bias to a beam pair link metric of the beam pair link associated with the received at least one indication; selecting the at least one beam pair link from the at least two beam pair links for transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel, based on the biased beam pair link metric

• the uplink shared channel is transmitted on a semi-statically configured periodical resource;

• the offset values associated with the beam pair links are in an Uplink, UL, activation grant for Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH, or in an Radio Resource Control message for Type 1 or Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH • the uplink shared channel is a Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, and the at least one transmission is a Configured Grant, CG, PUSCH transmission.

• the at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is transmitted in a beam or user group specific Downlink Control Information.

• the offset values associated with the beam pair links configured to the user equipment are default offset values and the transmitted at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is a dynamic offset value.

• the offset values associated with the beam pair links configured to the user equipment are default offset values and the transmitted at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is a dynamic offset value.

• monitoring at least one beam associated with the beam pair links configured to the user equipment; determining to adapt use of the monitored beam based on at least one of a load level of the monitored beam, an interference level of the monitored beam, a channel access rate of the monitored beam; determining an offset value for at least one of the beam pair links associated with the beam for adapting the use of the monitored beam; transmitting to the user equipment an indication of the determined offset value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0001] Fig. 1 illustrates a communications system in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0002] Fig. 2 illustrates an example scenario, where beam pair links used for an uplink may be adapted;

[0003] Fig. 3 illustrates an example of adapting use of beams for uplink transmission, in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0004] Fig. 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate methods in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0005] Fig. 8 illustrates a sequence in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention; and [0006] Fig. 9 and 10 illustrate examples of apparatuses in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS

[0007] In connection with uplink transmissions user equipment is provided beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links. At least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is received from an access node. A transmission to the access node is performed on an uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value. In this way beam pair link used for the transmission in the uplink may be adapted by the access node.

[0008] Fig. 1 illustrates a communications system in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The communications system comprises one or more access nodes and user equipment 102a, 102b. The user equipment may establish a connection with the access nodes for obtaining access to services of the communications network. The services of the communications network comprises at least user data transfer of the user equipment to a recipient entity that may be in the same communications network in another communications network.

[0009] An access node (AN) provides service to the UE via one or more service areas referred to as cells. When the UE is located within the service area of the access node, the UE may be connected to the access node for communications of data. The service area may be provided by one or more transmission / reception points (TRPs) 104a, 104b, 104c TRP#A, TRP#B and TRP#C. A TRP may comprise one or more antenna panels that may be arranged to different directions. Each antenna panel of the TRP may be configured to transmit and receive radio signals over beams 106. In this way a TRP having more than one antenna panel may provide beams in the directions of the antenna panels such that coverage of transmission and reception of radio signals of the TRP may be extended. The TRPs may be spatially separated such that the UE may be connected by more than one beam. The access node may be or serve for a base station (BS), NodeB (NB), evolved NodeB (eNB) or a 5G NodeB (gNB).

[0010] User equipment (UE), UE#1 102a, UE#2 102b may comprise one or more antenna panels that are arranged to different directions. Each antenna panel of the UE may be configured to transmit and receive radio signals over beams 108. In this way the UE may be connected to the TRPs by beams of more than one antenna panel. Examples of the UE comprise communications devices such as terminal devices, smart phones, modules and computers capable of radio frequency communications over beams.

[0011] An antenna panel of the UE 1021 , 102b and/or the TRP 104a, 104b, 104c may form multiple beams. The beams may be implemented using a digital architecture, where the beams may be simultaneously multiplexed in frequency domain. On the other hand the beams may be implemented using an analogue beamforming architecture, where multiple beams generated per panel are time division multiplexed. With multiple directional panels there can be multiple simultaneous beams per node.

[0012] A transmission between the UE 102a, 102b and the access node 104a, 104b, 104c may be an uplink (UL) transmission or a downlink (DL) transmission over one or more beams of the UE and one or more beams of the access node. A transmitting beam and the receiving beam for the transmission may be referred to as a beam pair link. Both the transmitting beam and the receiving beam are thereby associated with the beam pair link. An uplink transmission refers to a transmission originating from the UE to the access node, whereby a beam pair link for an uplink transmission comprises a transmitting beam at the UE and a receiving beam at the access node. A downlink transmission refers to a transmission originating from the access node to the UE, whereby a beam pair link for a downlink transmission comprises a receiving beam at the UE and a transmitting beam at the access node. It should be appreciated that a UE and access node may be configured to have a set of beam pair links and only a part of the beam pair links, for example one beam pair link, is used for a transmission. Accordingly, the set may comprise a plurality of beam pair links. Resources for transmissions between the UE 102a, 102b and the access node may comprise resources, for example resource blocks, that are defined by frequency and time resources over the wireless links between the UE and the access node. The frequency resources may comprise one or more subcarriers or physical resource blocks (PRBs). The time resources may comprise one or more symbols or slots.

[0013] An uplink transmission between the UE 102a, 102b and the access node may be performed on an uplink shared channel under control of the access node. The access node may control the uplink resources by allocating resources to uplink transmissions between UE and the access node by scheduling procedures. The scheduling procedures provide that resources of the uplink shared channel may be shared such that the access node may serve a plurality of UEs. The scheduling procedures may comprise an UL grant and a Grant-Free UL (GUL) procedure. The resources may be defined in a frame structure of the uplink shared channel.

[0014] In the UL grant procedure, a UE 102a, 102b that needs to transmit data in the uplink transmits a request for UL resources to the access node. One or more other UE may also transmit their respective requests for UL resources. Then, the access node performs UL resource scheduling based on the received one or more requests and allocates UL resources to the UE. The allocation may be indicated to the UE by the access node transmitting a message, an UL grant, to the UE.

[0015] In the GUL procedure, UE 102a, 102b may be configured with semi-statically configured periodical UL resource. The semi-statically configured periodical UL resource may be utilized by the UE for UL transmission without a need for transmitting a request for resources and waiting for an UL grant according to the UL grant procedure. The semi- statically configured periodical UL resource may be defined to take place periodically at a given time. Accordingly, the semi-statically configured periodical UL resource may be available for one or more UE to be used for UL transmissions. The semi-statically configured periodical UL resource may be configured to the UE by a control message from the access node to the UE. In an example the GUL procedure may be configured by an RRC message or PDCCH DCI Type 2 addressed to C-RNTI of the UE.

[0016] It should be appreciated that the user equipment 102a, 102b may be configured for the scheduling procedure with at least two beam pair links for example with a set of beam pair links comprising at least two beam pair links. In an example, user equipment may be configured for the GUL procedure may be configured with at least two beam pair links. In this way the beam pair links available in the scheduling procedure may be adapted with respect to other scheduling procedures.

[0017] An example of the GUL procedure is a Configured Grant (CG) uplink scheduling described in 3GPP TS 38.300 V15.2.0 (2018-06) Technical Specification 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2 (Release 15), Section 10.3. An uplink transmission scheduled by the CG operation may be a CG PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel). Otherwise the UL transmission may be scheduled by UL grant received from an access node. Two types of configured uplink grants are defined:

- With Type 1 , Radio Resource Control (RRC) directly provides the configured uplink grant

(including the periodicity).

- With Type 2, Radio Resource Control (RRC) defines the periodicity of the configured uplink grant while PDCCH addressed to CS-RNTI can either signal and activate the configured uplink grant, or deactivate it; i.e. a PDCCH addressed to CS-RNTI, the uplink grant can be implicitly reused according to the periodicity defined by RRC, until deactivated. When a configured uplink grant is active, if the UE 102a, 102b cannot find its C-RNTI/CS-RNTI on the PDCCH(s), an uplink transmission according to the configured uplink grant can be made. Otherwise, if the UE 102a, 102b finds its CRNTI/CS-RNTI on the PDCCH(s), the PDCCH allocation overrides the configured uplink grant. It should be appreciated that at least some embodiments described herein may utilize the context and terminology of the CG referred to above.

[0018] Another example of the GUL procedure is Autonomous Uplink Access (AUL) scheduling as well as UL Semi-Persistent Scheduling (UL SPS), both described in 3GPP TS 36.300 V15.2.0 (2018-06) Technical Specification 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); Overall Description; Stage 2 (Release 15), Section 1 1 .1 .2.

[0019] Fig. 2 illustrates an example scenario, where beam pair links used for an uplink may be adapted. The scenario is illustrated with reference to the communication system of Fig. 1 and the scheduling procedures described above with Fig. 1 .

[0020] In the scenario of Fig. 2 the TRP#A has a beam that has a high load. The high load may be caused by traffic from UEs that are scheduled according to different scheduling procedures. One set of UEs 202 may be scheduled according to the UL grant procedure and another set of UEs 204 may be scheduled according to the GUL procedure.

[0021] In an example, the access node may determine that resources for serving traffic according to the UL grant scheduling may be insufficient, whereby some of the resources of the GUL procedure may be, at least temporarily, used by the UL grant procedure. This may cause that one or more beams used of the GUL procedure may be blocked due to traffic exceeding the capacity of the beams.

[0022] In an example, traffic generated by the UE scheduled according to the GUL procedure may be high such that one or more beams used by the GUL procedure may be blocked due to traffic exceeding the capacity of the beams.

[0023] In an example, traffic transmitted from the access node to the UEs may be high such that DL resources for serving traffic may be insufficient, whereby some of the resources of the GUL procedure may be, at least temporarily, used for DL transmission. This may cause that one or more beams used of the GUL procedure may be blocked due to traffic exceeding the capacity of the beams.

[0024] It should be appreciated that alternatively or additionally to traffic peaks from the UE also traffic peaks from other systems that are neighbouring to the access node and/or use of unlicensed radio frequency band may cause that one or more beams may be at least partly hindered to serve traffic of the UE.

[0025] Fig. 3 illustrates an example of adapting use of beams for uplink transmission, in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The example is illustrated with reference to both Fig. 3 and Fig. 2. In the example, one UE 302 of the set of UE 204 is scheduled for UL transmissions according to the GUL procedure, for example the CG uplink scheduling.

[0026] As part of CG PUSCH configuration, the UE may be configured with two beam pair links 304, 306; one 304 towards TRP#A and the other 306 towards TRP#B 306. The UE 302 may be equipped with more than one antenna panel. The UE receives indication a bias value x _n associated with a TRP#A gNB beam of the beam pair link 304 towards TRP#A and indication a bias value x _m associated with a TRP#B gNB beam of the beam pair link 306 towards TRP#B. The indication may be received for example on Group Common PDCCH. The UE measures Layer 1 Reference Signal Received Power (L1- RSRP) values y _A and y _B for TRP#A and TRP#B gNB beams, using the corresponding UE beams in the measurement. The UE may use the measured L1-RSRP values as beam pair link metric. In the example, the UE may be configured to select the beam pair link with the higher metric. In an example, the UE may compare the metrics - for example y _A > y _B - for determining which beam pair link 304, 306 to select. If the higher metric is selected by the UE, in this example the beam pair link 304 of TRP#A would be selected. However, the gNB beam selected in this way, may have a high traffic, such as when the TRP#A is in scenario described with Fig. 2. It is noted that there may be also additional factors that the UE may take into account when determining metric for the uplink beam pair link from measurement of DL reference signals. These can be e.g. a power reduction due to maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits to certain direction (e.g. toward human body), etc.

[0027] However, advantageously the UE may be configured to determine a beam pair link based on one or more offset values associated with beams. Accordingly, in this example, gNB beam-specific bias values x _n and x _m are taken into account by the UE in determining the beam pair link for transmission. Since the gNB would prefer the UE to transmit using a beam pair link 306 with TRP#B beam, the gNB will determine the offset value for TRP#B to be larger than for TRP#A, e.g. x _m > x _n , and indicate the offset values to be used to the UE. If the UE, after applying the bias values, determines that the effective beam metric of the UE of TRP#A would be smaller than that of TRP#B, e.g. Y _A +x _n < YB +x _m , the UE will select the beam pair link 306 with TRP#B beam.

[0028] Accordingly, there is provided that the access node is allowed to dynamically balance the load of CG PUSCH reserved resources with minimal overhead and considering each UEs propagation conditions. Dynamic balancing allows e.g. to flexibly override some of the CG PUSCH resources with scheduled UL or DL transmissions in a certain beam without dramatically increasing collision rate on the remaining CG PUSCH resources. It allows also mechanism to mitigate collision rate increase or channel access rate decrease (in case of unlicensed) in a particular beam. Therefore, beam pair link selection of the UE may be controlled with low latency and low overhead in CG PUSCH.

[0029] Fig. 4 illustrates a method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The method provides adapting beam pair links used for an uplink transmission. Accordingly, the method may be performed at user equipment for example by the UE or a set of UE described with Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. The method may start 401 , when the UE is within a service area of access node.

[0030] Phase 402 comprises obtaining at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links. In this way the UE may be configured with the beam pair links and offset values for uplink transmissions.

[0031] Phase 404 comprises receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link.

[0032] Phase 406 comprises transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0033] In phase 408, the beam pair link used for the transmission in the UL has been adapted and the method ends.

[0034] In an embodiment, phase 402 comprises obtaining the offset values associated with the beam pair links in an Uplink, UL, activation grant for Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH, or in a Radio Resource Control message for Type 1 or Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH. [0035] For example, phase 402 may comprise configuring the UE with the at least two beam pair links and the offset values associated with the beam pair links as part of CG PUSCH configuration. The beam pair links may be configured by performing L1- RSRP measurements and reporting procedures between the access node and the UE. The L1-RSRP measurements may provide beam pair link metrics for determining beam pair links for CG PUSCH transmission. Also other DL reference signals reflecting the signal quality may be used to obtain beam pair link metrics. It should be appreciated that transmitting beam and receiving beam correspondence may be assumed at the UE such that a transmitting beam for UL may be determined from a downlink receiving beam.

[0036] In an embodiment, phase 402 comprises that the offset values associated with the beam pair links obtained at the user equipment are default offset values and the received at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is a dynamic offset value. In this way beam pair links for the uplink transmission may be determined based on both the default values and the dynamic values.

[0037] In an example, a default offset value in phase 402 may serve for a default value for adapting a beam pair link metric of a beam pair link. Accordingly, the default offset value provides adapting the beam pair link metric even without receiving from the access node an indication of an offset value associated with a beam, in accordance with phase 404. A dynamic offset value provides adaptation to determining beam pair links for the transmission in the UL, since the beam pair links may be determined based on both the default offset values and one or more dynamic offset values.

[0038] In an example a default offset value in phase 402 may reflect a load balance between beam pair links over a longer period than the dynamic offset values. The longer period may be relative to a time that a UE stays typically within coverage of a beam of an access node. Hence, the default offset may reflect a load based on the number of UEs served by each of the beams of the access node.

[0039] In an embodiment, phase 404 comprises receiving the at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link in a beam or user group specific Downlink Control Information, for example in Group Common - Physical Downlink Control Channel, GC-PDCCH. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, receiving the at least one indication of an offset value may also be performed on other beam specific Downlink Control Information (DCI) or control signalling. In other alternative embodiments, receiving the at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link may be part of receiving cell specific DL control information or control signalling. The UE may apply the most recent offset value(s) received from the gNB. [0040] In an example phase 404 may comprise that the at least one received indication is an index value. The index value may be mapped at the UE to a predefined entry of the offset values. On the other hand the at least one received indication may be the default offset value for a beam pair link.

[0041] In an embodiment, phase 406 comprises that the uplink shared channel is a Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, and the at least one transmission is a Configured Grant, CG, PUSCH transmission.

[0042] In an example, phase 406 may comprise the UE selecting the at least one beam pair link from the at least two beam pair links for transmitting to the access node. The at least one beam pair link may be selected based on L1 -RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) measurements of the beams contained in the beam pair links for the at least one transmission on the uplink shared channel.

[0043] In an example, phase 406 may be performed, when the UE has data to be transmitted to the access node. The data may be transmitted over the uplink shared channel in accordance with a GUL procedure, for example the Configured Grant (CG) uplink scheduling without a request for UL resources to an access node.

[0044] In an example, phase 406 comprises that the UE may use the same Modulation and Coding Scheme

(MCS), Physical Resource Block (PRB) allocation, etc. for all configured beam pair links, at least for Type 1 CG PUSCH. However, in the case of Type 2 CG PUSCH, more flexible MCS and PRB allocation can be considered. Type 2 CG PUSCH may be adapted to each beam pair link condition by UL grant(s) addressed to Configured Scheduling - Radio Network Temporary Identifier (CS-RNTI). In an example the UL grant addressed to CS- RNTI may contain beam pair link specific MCS, PRB allocation etc. fields (requiring introduction of new DCI). In another example, the UE may receive multiple UL grants addressed to CS-RNTI, in different time instances, associated with CG PUSCH. Each of the UL grants may comprise MCS and PRB allocations associated with the beam pair link that is indicated in the UL grant. In this example, when transmitting GC PUSCH in certain beam pair link, the UE may just follow the beam pair link specific UL grant and it may ignore UL grants related to other beams.

[0045] Fig. 5 illustrates a method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The method provides adapting use of beams for uplink transmission based on a beam pair link metric. The methods may be performed at user equipment for example by the UE or set of UE described with Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. The method may start 501 , when the UE is within a service area of access node and capable of receiving transmissions from the access node, for example after phases 402 and 404 of Fig. 4.

[0046] Phase 502 comprises determining beam pair link metrics of at least two beam pair links. The beam pair links may the beam pair links obtained at the UE in phase 402.

[0047] Phase 504 comprises applying an offset value as bias to a beam pair link metric of a beam pair link. The offset value may be the offset value indicated by the received indication in phase 404. The offset value may be applied as bias to to a beam pair link metric of the beam pair link associated with the received at least one indication.

[0048] Phase 506 comprises selecting at least one beam pair link from the at least two beam pair links for transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel, based on the biased beam pair link metric. The selected beam pair link may be used in phase 406.

[0049] In phase 508, the beam pair link used for the transmission has been adaptively determined based on the beam pair link metric and the method ends.

[0050] In an embodiment phase 504 comprises that the offset values associated with the beam pair links obtained at the user equipment are default offset values and the received at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is a dynamic offset value. The dynamic offset value may be applied as bias to the beam pair link metric. In this way beam pair links for the uplink transmission may be determined based on both the default values and the dynamic values.

[0051] In an example phase 504 comprise applying the dynamic offset value as bias to the beam pair link metric by addition, multiplication or by a logical operation. The offset values may be in dB scale, linear scale or a binary value. In an example, values of the offset values may be given in dB-scale or in linear scale. A certain offset value may prohibit the use of associated beam; in a sense, minus infinite biasing. For example, a binary value one may allow or disallow the use of the beam.

[0052] Phase 510 comprises applying the offset value indicated by the received indication and the indicated user equipment specific offset value for a beam as bias to the determined beam pair link metric. In this way the indicated offset value associated with the beam pair link and the indicated user equipment specific offset value for a beam associated with the beam pair link metric may be used to adapt the beam pair link metric. However, it is possible that the indicated offset value associated with the beam pair link and the indicated user equipment specific offset value for a beam are associated with different beam pair links and they are used to adapt different beam pair link metrics.

[0053] In an example phase 502 may comprise measuring one or more beams of the access node. The measured beams may comprise at least the beams of the beam pair links configured to the UE. The measurements may be used to determine beam pair link metrics for beam pair links containing the beams. In addition to the measurements, also other factors, for example, related to uplink power reduction due to maximum permittable limits, may be used in the determination of the metrics. The measurements may use DL signals, for example reference signals or a synchronization signal reflecting the beam-specific signal quality may be used to obtain beam pair link metrics. Examples of reference signals comprise DL reference signals such as Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). Examples of synchronization signals comprise a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB). The measurements for the beam pair link metrics in phase 502 may be done periodically or within periodical time windows and, correspondingly, differ from measurements for configuring the UE with the beam pair links related to phase 402.

[0054] In an alternative embodiment, in addition to the measurements of L1 -RSRP, also one or more other metrics may be determined. The other metrics may be determined or measured from a beam specific reference signal. Examples of the other metrics comprise Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) and L1 - Signal-to-interference-plus- noise ratio (SINR), both measured/determined from certain beam specific reference signal.

[0055] Fig. 6 illustrates a method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The method provides adapting beam pair links used for an uplink transmission. Accordingly, the method may be performed at an access node for example by the access node described with Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. The access node may be serving a UE operated in accordance with the methods in Fig. 4 and/or Fig. 5. The method may start 601 , when the UE is within a service area of the access node and the access node is capable of transmitting to the access node and receiving transmissions from the UE.

[0056] Phase 602 comprises configuring user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links. [0057] Phase 604 comprises transmitting to the UE at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link.

[0058] Phase 606 comprises receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0059] In an embodiment, receiving or attempting to receive the transmission from the UE in phase 606 means that the access node at least attempts to receive the transmission from the UE. Therefore, the access node may not know the beam pair link used for the transmission. In an example, in phase 606, the beam pair link for the transmission received from the UE may be determined by the UE and is not known to access node prior phase 606. In an example, this is needed as UE determines when the transmission occurs within the configured CG PUSCH occurrences and, hence, the transmission time is unknown at the access node. In another example, this is needed as UE determines beam pair link metric and beam pair link for transmission within the configured beam pair links and, hence, the determined beam pair link is unknown at the access node at time of phase 606.

[0060] In phase 608, transmission from the UE has been received over beam pair link, whose adaptive selection at the UE has been facilitated based on the offset values and the method ends.

[0061] In an embodiment, phase 602 comprises transmitting the offset values associated with the beam pair links in an Uplink, UL, activation grant for Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH, or in a Radio Resource Control message for Type 1 or Type 2 Configured Grant Physical Uplink Shared Channel, CG PUSCH.

[0062] In an example phase 602 comprises configuring the UE with the at least two beam pair links and the offset values associated with the beam pair links as part of CG PUSCH configuration, in accordance with example of phase 402.

[0063] In an embodiment, phase 602 comprises that the offset values associated with the beam pair links configured to the user equipment are default offset values and the received at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link is a dynamic offset value, in accordance with phase 402. In this way beam pair links for the uplink transmission may be determined based on both the default values and the dynamic values. [0064] In an embodiment phase 604 comprises transmitting the indication of an offset value associated with a beam in a beam or user group specific Downlink Control Information, for example in Group Common - Physical Downlink Control Channel, GC- PDCCH. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, transmitting the indication of an offset value may be performed on other beam specific Downlink Control Information (DCI) or control signalling. In other alternative embodiments, transmitting the at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link may be part of cell specific DL control information or control signalling.

[0065] In an example phase 604 may comprise that the indication is an index value. The index value may be mapped at the UE to a predefined entry of the offset values. On the other hand the at least one received indication may be the default offset value for a beam pair link.

[0066] In an embodiment, phase 606 comprises that the uplink shared channel is a Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, and the at least one transmission is a Configured Grant, CG, PUSCH transmission.

[0067] Fig. 7 illustrates a method in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The method may be performed at an access node for example described with Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. The access node may be serving UE operated in accordance with the methods in Fig. 4 and/or Fig. 5. The method may start 701 , when the UE is within a service area of the access node and the access node is capable of transmitting to the access node and receiving transmissions from the UE, and the UE has been configured in accordance with phase 602 of Fig. 6.

[0068] Phase 702 comprises monitoring at least one beam associated with the beam pair links configured to the user equipment.

[0069] Phase 704 comprises determining to adapt use of the monitored beam based on at least one of a load level of the monitored beam, an interference level of the monitored beam, a channel access rate of the monitored beam.

[0070] Phase 706 comprises determining an offset value for at least one of the beam pair links associated with the beam for adapting the use of the monitored beam.

[0071] Phase 708 comprises transmitting to the user equipment an indication of the determined offset value.

[0072] In phase 710, selection of the beam pair link used for the transmission in the UL has been adapted based on monitoring of the beams and the method ends. [0073] In an example, phase 702 comprises monitoring a rate of CG PUSCH transmissions on one or more beams and phase 704 comprises determining that a rate of CG PUSCH transmissions on at least one beam needs to be adapted. In an example, the access node may determine that the CG PUSCH transmissions should be reduced based on temporal high load on the beam, increased CG PUSCH collision rate on the beam, or, in case of unlicensed band, reduced rate of successful channel accesses that may be caused by increased rate of channel being occupied in a Listen-Before-Talk procedure.

[0074] In another example, phase 702 additionally or alternatively comprises monitoring an uplink load of the uplink grant scheduling procedure or an amount of uplink data to be received via the uplink grant scheduling procedure and/or a downlink load or an amount of downlink data to be transmitted on one or more beams. The monitoring may be based on received uplink buffer status reports and/or downlink buffer status associated with a beam.

[0075] In an example, phase 702 additionally or alternatively comprises monitoring an interference level on one or more beams. The monitoring may be based on a signal received on the beam.

[0076] In an example, phase 704 comprises determining that the rate of CG PUSCH transmissions should be reduced based on a temporally high load on downlink or on the uplink grant scheduling procedure or on a temporally high interference on the beam.

[0077] In an example, phase 704 comprises determining that the rate of CG PUSCH transmissions should be increased based on a decreased load on downlink or a low load on downlink or a low load on the uplink grant scheduling procedure or on a decreased interference on the beam or a low interference on the beam.

[0078] In an embodiment example the phase 706 may comprise determining offset values for biasing a beam pair link metric in accordance with phases 504 and 510.

[0079] In an example phase 708 may comprise that the indication is an index value.

[0080] In an embodiment phase 708 comprises that the determined offset value is a dynamic offset value. The dynamic offset value provides the access node adapting the selection of the beam pair link at the UE. In an example, the dynamic offset value may be applied as bias to a beam pair link metric, in accordance with phase 504. [0081] In an embodiment phase 708 may comprise that the indication is transmitted in a beam or user group specific Downlink Control Information in Group Common - Physical Downlink Control Channel, GC-PDCCH.

[0082] Fig. 8 illustrates a sequence in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The sequence describes operations of UE 801 a, 801 b and access node (AN) 803, which may be in accordance with the UE and access node with reference to UE and access node described with Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

[0083] Phase 802 may comprise configuring the UEs 801 a and 801 b with at least two beam pair links and and offset values associated with the beam pair links, for example in accordance with phases 402 and 602 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6.

[0084] Phase 804 comprises monitoring one or more beams, for example in accordance with phase 702 of Fig. 7. The monitoring may comprise monitoring usage of the beams. The beams may be associated with beam pair links of the UEs 801 a and 801 b. Examples of monitoring usage of the beams are described above with reference to phase 702. Phase 804 may further comprise determining to adapt use of the monitored beams in accordance with phase 704. Phase 804 may further comprise determining offset values for beam pair links associated with the beams whose use is adapted, in accordance with phase 706.

[0085] Phases 806a and 806b comprise transmitting to the UE indications of the determined offset values, in accordance with phase 604 of Fig. 6.

[0086] Phases 808a and 808b comprise receiving from the access node the indications off offset values, in accordance with phase 404 of Fig. 4. Phases 808a and 808b may further comprise the UEs applying the indicated offset values as bias to beam pair link metrics of beam pair links in accordance with phase 504.

[0087] Phase 810 comprises the UE 801 a, 801 b transmitting user data on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value, for example in accordance with phase 406 of Fig. 4.

[0088] Fig. 9 illustrates an example of an apparatus in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The apparatus 900 may be user equipment or a part of the user equipment described with Fig. 1 .

[0089] The apparatus may comprise circuitry for performing one or more functionalities according to an embodiment. The apparatus may comprise at least obtaining circuity (OC) 902 for at a user equipment at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links; receiving circuitry (RC) 904 for receiving from the access node at least one indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link; and transmitting circuitry (TC) 906 for transmitting to the access node on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value.

[0090] The transmitting circuitry 906 and receiving circuitry 904 provide communications with an access node over one or more beam pair links. The transmitting circuitry provides at least transmitting of user data on the uplink shared channel. The receiving circuitry provides at least one or more of receiving offset values for beam pair links and receiving indications of offset values for beam pair links.

[0091] The obtaining circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry may be connected for input and/or output of information between the obtaining circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry. The information input and/or output between the obtaining circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry may comprise at least information for configuring the user equipment with offset values for beam pair links and beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel. Information output by the obtaining circuitry may comprise one or more of offset values for beam pair links and indications of offset values for beam pair links. Information output by the receiving circuitry may comprise indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link.

[0092] Fig. 10 illustrates an example of an apparatus in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The apparatus 1000 may be an access node or a part of the access node described with Fig. 1.

[0093] The apparatus may comprise circuitry for performing one or more functionalities according to an embodiment. The apparatus may comprise at least configuration circuity (CC) 1002 for configuring a user equipment with at least two beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel to an access node and offset values associated with the beam pair links; transmitting circuitry (TC) 1006 for transmitting to the user equipment at least one an indication of an offset value associated with a beam pair link; and receiving circuitry (RC) 1004 for receiving or attempting to receive a transmission from the user equipment on the uplink shared channel over at least one beam pair link determined based on a beam pair link metric of the at least one beam pair link and the indicated offset value. [0094] The transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry 1006, 1004 provide communications with user equipment over a beam pair links. The receiving circuitry provides at least receiving of user data on the uplink shared channel. The transmitting circuitry provides at least one or more of transmitting offset values for beam pair links and transmitting indications of offset values for beam pair links.

[0095] The configuration circuitry 1002, transmitting circuitry 1006 and receiving circuitry 1004 may be connected for input and/or output of information between the configuration circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry. The information input and/or output between the configuration circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry may comprise at least information for configuring user equipment with offset values for beam pair links and beam pair links for at least one transmission on an uplink shared channel. The information output by any of the configuration circuitry, transmitting circuitry and receiving circuitry may be received as input by one or more of the other circuitries.

[0096] The transmitting circuitry 906, 1006 and receiving circuitry 904, 1004 may be configured to operate in accordance with global system for mobile communication, GSM, wideband code division multiple access, WCDMA, Long Term Evolution (LTE), IS-95, 5G radio access technology, wireless local area network, WLAN, Ethernet and/or worldwide interoperability for microwave access, WiMAX, standards, for example.

[0097] It should be appreciated that as used in this application, the term“circuitry” may refer to one or more or all of the following:

(a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry) and

(b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit(s) with software/firmware and (ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a user equipment or access node, to perform various functions) and

(c) hardware circuit(s) and or processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.” This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

[0098] In an embodiment an apparatus according to an embodiment, for example the apparatus 900 in Fig.9 or apparatus 1000 Fig. 10, comprises an at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the performance of the apparatus.

[0099] For example the configuration circuitry 902, 1002 may comprise a processor, which may comprise, for example, a single- or multi-core processor wherein a single-core processor comprises one processing core and a multi-core processor comprises more than one processing core. The processor may comprise a TEE. Processor may comprise more than one processor. A processing core may comprise, for example, a Cortex-A8 processing core manufactured by ARM Holdings or a Steamroller processing core produced by Advanced Micro Devices Corporation. Processor may comprise at least one Qualcomm Snapdragon and/or Intel Atom processor. Processor may comprise at least one application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC. Processor may comprise at least one field-programmable gate array, FPGA. Processor may be means for performing method steps in apparatus. Processor may be configured, at least in part by computer instructions, to perform actions.

[00100] The configuration circuitry 902, 1002 may comprise memory. Memory may comprise random-access memory and/or permanent memory. Memory may comprise at least one RAM chip. Memory may comprise solid-state, magnetic, optical and/or holographic memory, for example. Memory may be at least in part accessible to processor. Memory may be at least in part comprised in processor. Memory may be means for storing information. Memory may be a non-transitory computer readable medium. Memory may comprise computer instructions that processor is configured to execute. When computer instructions configured to cause processor to perform certain actions are stored in memory, and apparatus overall is configured to run under the direction of processor using computer instructions from memory, processor and/or its at least one processing core may be considered to be configured to perform said certain actions. Memory may be at least in part comprised in processor. Memory may be at least in part external to apparatus but accessible to apparatus 900, 1000.

[00101] An embodiment concerns a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus, for example the apparatuses 900 in Fig. 9 and the apparatus 1000 in Fig. 10, to at least to perform one or more phases of a method described herein.

[00102] An embodiment concerns a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus, for example the apparatuses 900 in Fig. 9 and the apparatus 1000 in Fig. 10, to perform at least one or more phases of a method described herein.

[00103] It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[00104] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment” or“in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[00105] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.

[00106] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[00107] While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.

[00108] The verbs“to comprise” and“to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of also un-recited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of "a" or "an", i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[00109] The present invention is industrially applicable at least in radio frequency communications over beams.

ACRONYMS LIST

AN Access Node

BS Base Station

CC Configuration Circuitry

CG Configured Grant

C-RNTI Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier

CS-RNTI Configured Scheduling Radio Network Temporary Identifier

CSI-RS Channel State Information Reference Signal

DCI Downlink control information

DL Downlink

eNB Evolved NB

gNB 5G eNB

GUL Grant-Free UL

L1 Layer 1

L1 -RSRP Layer 1 Reference Signal Received Power

LBT Listen-Before-Talk

MCS Modulation and Coding Scheme

MPE Maximum Permissible Exposure NB NodeB

OC Obtaining Circuitry

PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel

PRB Physical Resource Block

RC Receiving Circuitry

SINR Signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio

SSB Synchronization Signal Block

TC Transmitting Circuitry

TRP Transmission Point

UE User Equipment

UL Uplink

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

102a, 102b User Equipment

104a, 104b, 104c Transmission Point

106 Access Node beam

108 UE Beam

202, 204 sets of UE

302 UE of the set of UE

304, 306 Beam Pair Link

401 to 408 Phases of Fig. 4

501 to 508 Phases of Fig. 5

601 to 608 Phases of Fig. 6

701 to 710 Phases of Fig. 7

802 to 810 Phases of sequence of Fig. 8 900 Apparatus of Fig. 9

902 Obtaining Circuity

904 Receiving Circuitry

906 Transmitting Circuitry

1000 Apparatus of Fig. 10

1002 Configuration Circuity

1004 Receiving Circuitry

1006 Transmitting Circuitry