TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to wireless communications, and in particular, to configuration of Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback for semi- persistent wireless transmission.

BACKGROUND

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has developed and is developing standards for Fourth Generation (4G) (also referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE)) and Fifth Generation (5G) (also referred to as New Radio (NR)) wireless communication systems. Such systems provide, among other features, broadband communication between network nodes, such as base stations, and mobile wireless devices (WD), as well as communication between network nodes and between WDs.

NR Multicast broadcast

Multicast/broadcast features are described in 3GPP NR Release 17 (Rel. 17). For the transmission of the same data to a group of wireless devices in a radio access network (RAN), the multicast framework may specify a group Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). This group scheduling may be referred to as point-to- multipoint (PTM).

NR semi-persistent Scheduling (SPS)

3GPP Release 15 describes semi persistent scheduling (SPS), e.g., for 5G NR unicast transmission. 3GPP Release 17 describes configuring multicast transmission for SPS.

With SPS, PDSCH may be transmitted without an associated Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to dynamically control how the data is transmitted. Instead, the data transmission may be performed semi-statically (e.g., via Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration), and the dynamic signaling (e.g., PDCCH) may be used only to send activation and release orders to the wireless device, e.g., to start and stop the transmission. Such configuration may be suitable for

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (Rule 26) a use case where the traffic from the software application may arrive at predefined interval(s) and the packet size may be relatively stable.

The SPS RRC configuration may configure the periodicity for PDSCH. The starting point of SPS transmission is the SPS activation command sent over the PDCCH. This PDCCH may activate periodic PDSCH transmission and may also contain the remaining physical layer-related parameters to use for SPS reception. The first SPS PDSCH may be received at a slot depending on the SPS RRC configuration and the slot when PDCCH activation was received. The following SPS PDSCHs may then be received periodically according to a configured periodicity, and the SPS PDSCH may not be associated with a PDCCH. Finally, to terminate SPS reception, the network node (e.g., gNB) sends a PDCCH release order.

The PDCCH for activation may not be acknowledged by the wireless device in Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback. Rather, the wireless device may respond to the reception of the first SPS PDSCH scheduled, which may implicitly acknowledge the PDCCH activation. The PDCCH for SPS release, on the other hand, may be acknowledged via HARQ and may not have an attached PDSCH.

Since there may be no PDCCH associated with the SPS PDSCH other than for activation and release, most of the transmission may follow preconfigured patterns. For example, the wireless device may know in advance the pattern of HARQ processes that will be transmitted over SPS PDSCH. In case a SPS PDSCH HARQ is received but decoding fails, retransmission may be performed via a fallback to PDCCH-based scheduling, i.e., outside of the SPS framework.

To help ensure the activation and release are properly received by the wireless device, the network relies on HARQ feedback sent by the wireless device to respond to the first PDSCH following activation, and on a specific HARQ feedback replying to the release PDCCH. An activation may be considered missed if no HARQ reply (either acknowledgement (ACK) or negative ACK (NACK)) is sent in response to the first PDSCH. A release may be considered missed if either a NACK or no reply is sent in response to the PDCCH release message.

HARQ feedback for SPS in NR multicast

NR multicast supports 3 types of HARQ feedback: Disabled HARQ feedback, in which the wireless device receives PDSCH but does not send any feedback to the network node;

HARQ ACK-NACK feedback, similar to legacy HARQ and supporting 2 types of codebooks (dynamic and semistatic); and

NACK-only HARQ feedback, for which the wireless device only sends HARQ feedback to signal a NACK to the network node and does not use any feedback when the reception is successful, i.e., does not transmit ACKs. This feature is described in NR Release 17 multicast, and may not be supported by legacy unicast.

NR Multicast SPS configuration supports all 3 types of HARQ feedback. The wireless device may use HACK- ACK-NACK when responding to the activation and release commands, even when reception of SPS PDSCH is following another type of HARQ feedback.

Existing specifications describe configuring HARQ feedback in SPS-config by configuring the PUCCH resources in the SPS-config RRC configuration via the nlPUCCH-AN parameter containing a PUCCH-Resourceld. However, when HARQ is disabled, or NACK-only is configured for SPS, the nlPUCCH-AN parameter may be either absent (e.g., HARQ disabled), or point to a HARQ NACK-only resource not suitable for sending the required HARQ- ACK-NACK response for activation and release. Hence, existing systems suffer from one or more issues with respect to HARQ configuration for SPS.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments advantageously solve at least a portion of one or more of the problems described above by providing methods, systems, and apparatuses for HARQ feedback for SPS transmissions where, when NACK-only or HARQ-disabled is configured for multicast SPS, the first PDSCH and the SPS release PDCCH may use a configured uplink resource. The resource may be pointed to the WD via RRC configuration, or using a PUCCH resource indicator (PRI) in PDCCH. Some of the embodiments described herein may resolve the issue of enabling HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback of SPS activation and release even when HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback is not configured for multicast SPS. In some embodiments, a network node is configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling feedback configuration, where the feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration. The network node is configured to cause transmission of an indication to the WD, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource, cause transmission of at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission to the WD, and receive acknowledgement feedback from the WD using at least the configured uplink resource, where the acknowledgment feedback is associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

In some embodiments, a wireless device (WD) is configured to communicate with a network node. The WD is configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration. The WD is configured to receive an indication from the network node, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource, receive from the network node at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), and cause transmission of acknowledgement feedback to the network node using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a network node configured to communicate with a wireless device is provided. The network node includes processing circuitry configured to configure the wireless device for a multicast semipersistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ-disabled, feedback configuration. The processing circuitry is further configured to cause transmission of at least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device, and receive feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause transmission of an indication indicating a configured ACK-NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission. According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a wireless device configured to communicate with a network node is provided, the wireless device includes processing circuitry configured to receive a configuration for a multicast semi-persistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ- disabled, feedback configuration. The processing circuitry is further configured to receive at least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device, and cause transmission of feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to receive an indication indicating a configured ACK-NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message. According to some embodiments of this aspect, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented by a network node that is configured to communicate with a wireless device is provided. The wireless device for a multicast semi-persistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration is configured where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ-disabled, feedback configuration. Transmission is caused of at least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device. Feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission is received where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS is caused where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, transmission is caused of an indication indicating a configured ACK-NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method implemented by a wireless device that is configured to communicate with a network node is provided. A configuration for a multicast semi-persistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration is received where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ-disabled, feedback configuration. At least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device is received. Transmission is caused of feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS is received where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission that is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, an indication indicating a configured ACK-NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is received.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission. According to some embodiments of this aspect, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example network architecture illustrating a communication system connected via an intermediate network to a host computer according to the principles in the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a network node with a wireless device over an at least partially wireless connection according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating example methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a wireless device for executing a client application at a wireless device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating example methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a wireless device for receiving user data at a wireless device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating example methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a wireless device for receiving user data from the wireless device at a host computer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating example methods implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a network node, and a wireless device for receiving user data at a host computer according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example process in a network node for HARQ feedback for semi-persistent wireless transmission according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example process in a wireless device for HARQ feedback for semi-persistent wireless transmission according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of another example process in a network node according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of another example process in a wireless device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing in detail example embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of apparatus components and processing steps related to HARQ feedback for SPS transmissions. Accordingly, components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

As used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the concepts described herein. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. In embodiments described herein, the joining term, “in communication with” and the like, may be used to indicate electrical or data communication, which may be accomplished by physical contact, induction, electromagnetic radiation, radio signaling, infrared signaling or optical signaling, for example. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that multiple components may interoperate and modifications and variations are possible of achieving the electrical and data communication.

In some embodiments described herein, the term “coupled,” “connected,” and the like, may be used herein to indicate a connection, although not necessarily directly, and may include wired and/or wireless connections.

The term “network node” used herein can be any kind of network node comprised in a radio network which may further comprise any of base station (BS), radio base station, base transceiver station (BTS), base station controller (BSC), radio network controller (RNC), g Node B (gNB), evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB), Node B, multi-standard radio (MSR) radio node such as MSR BS, multi-cell/multicast coordination entity (MCE), integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, relay node, donor node controlling relay, radio access point (AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, Remote Radio Unit (RRU) Remote Radio Head (RRH), a core network node (e.g., mobile management entity (MME), self-organizing network (SON) node, a coordinating node, positioning node, MDT node, etc.), an external node (e.g., 3rd party node, a node external to the current network), nodes in distributed antenna system (DAS), a spectrum access system (SAS) node, an element management system (EMS), etc. The network node may also comprise test equipment. The term “radio node” used herein may be used to also denote a wireless device (WD) such as a wireless device (WD) or a radio network node.

In some embodiments, the non-limiting terms wireless device (WD) or a user equipment (UE) are used interchangeably. The WD herein can be any type of wireless device capable of communicating with a network node or another WD over radio signals, such as wireless device (WD). The WD may also be a radio communication device, target device, device to device (D2D) WD, machine type WD or WD capable of machine to machine communication (M2M), low-cost and/or low-complexity WD, a sensor equipped with WD, Tablet, mobile terminals, smart phone, laptop embedded equipped (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), an Internet of Things (loT) device, or a Narrowband loT (NB-IOT) device, etc.

Also, in some embodiments the generic term “radio network node” is used. It can be any kind of a radio network node which may comprise any of base station, radio base station, base transceiver station, base station controller, network controller, RNC, evolved Node B (eNB), Node B, gNB, Multi-cell/multicast Coordination Entity (MCE), IAB node, relay node, access point, radio access point, Remote Radio Unit (RRU) Remote Radio Head (RRH).

Note that although terminology from one particular wireless system, such as, for example, 3GPP LTE and/or New Radio (NR), may be used in this disclosure, this should not be seen as limiting the scope of the disclosure to only the aforementioned system. Other wireless systems, including without limitation Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), may also benefit from exploiting the ideas covered within this disclosure.

Note further, that functions described herein as being performed by a wireless device or a network node may be distributed over a plurality of wireless devices and/or network nodes. In other words, it is contemplated that the functions of the network node and wireless device described herein are not limited to performance by a single physical device and, in fact, can be distributed among several physical devices.

In some embodiments, the general description elements in the form of “one of A and B” corresponds to A or B. In some embodiments, at least one of A and B corresponds to A, B or AB, or to one or more of A and B, or to one or both of A and B. In some embodiments, at least one of A, B and C corresponds to one or more of A, B and C, and/or A, B, C or a combination thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Some embodiments provide techniques for resolving the issue of enabling HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback of SPS activation and release even when HARQ- ACK-NACK feedback is not configured for multicast SPS.

Referring now to the drawing figures, in which like elements are referred to by like reference numerals, there is shown in FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of a communication system 10, according to an embodiment, such as a 3 GPP-type cellular network that may support standards such as LTE and/or NR (5G), which comprises an access network 12, such as a radio access network, and a core network 14. The access network 12 comprises a plurality of network nodes 16a, 16b, 16c (referred to collectively as network nodes 16), such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 18a, 18b, 18c (referred to collectively as coverage areas 18). Each network node 16a, 16b, 16c is connectable to the core network 14 over a wired or wireless connection 20. A first wireless device (WD) 22a located in coverage area 18a is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding network node 16a. A second WD 22b in coverage area 18b is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding network node 16b. While a plurality of WDs 22a, 22b (collectively referred to as wireless devices 22) are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole WD is in the coverage area or where a sole WD is connecting to the corresponding network node 16. Note that although only two WDs 22 and three network nodes 16 are shown for convenience, the communication system may include many more WDs 22 and network nodes 16.

Also, it is contemplated that a WD 22 can be in simultaneous communication and/or configured to separately communicate with more than one network node 16 and more than one type of network node 16. For example, a WD 22 can have dual connectivity with a network node 16 that supports LTE and the same or a different network node 16 that supports NR. As an example, WD 22 can be in communication with an eNB for LTE/E-UTRAN and a gNB for NR/NG-RAN.

The communication system 10 may itself be connected to a host computer 24, 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 24 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. The connections 26, 28 between the communication system 10 and the host computer 24 may extend directly from the core network 14 to the host computer 24 or may extend via an optional intermediate network 30. The intermediate network 30 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network. The intermediate network 30, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet. In some embodiments, the intermediate network 30 may comprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of FIG. 1 as a whole enables connectivity between one of the connected WDs 22a, 22b and the host computer 24. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection. The host computer 24 and the connected WDs 22a, 22b are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via the OTT connection, using the access network 12, the core network 14, any intermediate network 30 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. The OTT connection may be transparent in the sense that at least some of the participating communication devices through which the OTT connection passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, a network node 16 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from a host computer 24 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected WD 22a. Similarly, the network node 16 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the WD 22a towards the host computer 24.

A network node 16 is configured to include a feedback configuration unit 32 which is configured to perform one or more network node 16 functions, including, e.g., configuring resources for a wireless device to report feedback for SPS transmissions. A WD 22 is configured to include a feedback reporting unit 34 which is configured to perform one or more WD 22 functions including, e.g., generating HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback for SPS transmissions.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the WD 22, network node 16 and host computer 24 discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. In a communication system 10, a host computer 24 comprises hardware (HW) 38 including a communication interface 40 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 10. The host computer 24 further comprises processing circuitry 42, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. The processing circuitry 42 may include a processor 44 and memory 46. In particular, in addition to or instead of a processor, such as a central processing unit, and memory, the processing circuitry 42 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/or control, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuitry) adapted to execute instructions. The processor 44 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and/or read from) memory 46, which may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read- Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).

Processing circuitry 42 may be configured to control any of the methods and/or processes described herein and/or to cause such methods, and/or processes to be performed, e.g., by host computer 24. Processor 44 corresponds to one or more processors 44 for performing host computer 24 functions described herein. The host computer 24 includes memory 46 that is configured to store data, programmatic software code and/or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software 48 and/or the host application 50 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 44 and/or processing circuitry 42, causes the processor 44 and/or processing circuitry 42 to perform the processes described herein with respect to host computer 24. The instructions may be software associated with the host computer 24.

The software 48 may be executable by the processing circuitry 42. The software 48 includes a host application 50. The host application 50 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as a WD 22 connecting via an OTT connection 52 terminating at the WD 22 and the host computer 24. In providing the service to the remote user, the host application 50 may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 52. The “user data” may be data and information described herein as implementing the described functionality. In one embodiment, the host computer 24 may be configured for providing control and functionality to a service provider and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The processing circuitry 42 of the host computer 24 may enable the host computer 24 to observe, monitor, control, transmit to and/or receive from the network node 16 and or the WD 22. The processing circuitry 42 of the host computer 24 may include an information unit 54 configured to enable the service provider to observe/monitor/control/etc. the feedback and/or SPS configuration(s) of network node 16 and or the WD 22.

The communication system 10 further includes a network node 16 provided in a communication system 10 and including hardware 58 enabling it to communicate with the host computer 24 and with the WD 22. The hardware 58 may include a communication interface 60 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 10, as well as a radio interface 62 for setting up and maintaining at least a wireless connection 64 with a WD 22 located in a coverage area 18 served by the network node 16. The radio interface 62 may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more RF transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and/or one or more RF transceivers. The communication interface 60 may be configured to facilitate a connection 66 to the host computer 24. The connection 66 may be direct or it may pass through a core network 14 of the communication system 10 and/or through one or more intermediate networks 30 outside the communication system 10.

In the embodiment shown, the hardware 58 of the network node 16 further includes processing circuitry 68. The processing circuitry 68 may include a processor 70 and a memory 72. In particular, in addition to or instead of a processor, such as a central processing unit, and memory, the processing circuitry 68 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/or control, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits/Circuitry) adapted to execute instructions. The processor 70 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and/or read from) the memory 72, which may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).

Thus, the network node 16 further has software 74 stored internally in, for example, memory 72, or stored in external memory (e.g., database, storage array, network storage device, etc.) accessible by the network node 16 via an external connection. The software 74 may be executable by the processing circuitry 68. The processing circuitry 68 may be configured to control any of the methods and/or processes described herein and/or to cause such methods, and/or processes to be performed, e.g., by network node 16. Processor 70 corresponds to one or more processors 70 for performing network node 16 functions described herein. The memory 72 is configured to store data, programmatic software code and/or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software 74 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 70 and/or processing circuitry 68, causes the processor 70 and/or processing circuitry 68 to perform the processes described herein with respect to network node 16. For example, processing circuitry 68 of the network node 16 may include feedback configuration unit 32 configured to perform one or more network node functions, including, e.g., configuring resources for a WD 22 to report feedback for SPS transmissions.

The communication system 10 further includes the WD 22 already referred to. The WD 22 may have hardware 80 that may include a radio interface 82 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection 64 with a network node 16 serving a coverage area 18 in which the WD 22 is currently located. The radio interface 82 may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more RF transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and/or one or more RF transceivers.

The hardware 80 of the WD 22 further includes processing circuitry 84. The processing circuitry 84 may include a processor 86 and memory 88. In particular, in addition to or instead of a processor, such as a central processing unit, and memory, the processing circuitry 84 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/or control, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits/Circuitry) adapted to execute instructions. The processor 86 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and/or read from) memory 88, which may comprise any kind of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory, e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory) and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).

Thus, the WD 22 may further comprise software 90, which is stored in, for example, memory 88 at the WD 22, or stored in external memory (e.g., database, storage array, network storage device, etc.) accessible by the WD 22. The software 90 may be executable by the processing circuitry 84. The software 90 may include a client application 92. The client application 92 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via the WD 22, with the support of the host computer 24. In the host computer 24, an executing host application 50 may communicate with the executing client application 92 via the OTT connection 52 terminating at the WD 22 and the host computer 24. In providing the service to the user, the client application 92 may receive request data from the host application 50 and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 52 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The client application 92 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

The processing circuitry 84 may be configured to control any of the methods and/or processes described herein and/or to cause such methods, and/or processes to be performed, e.g., by WD 22. The processor 86 corresponds to one or more processors 86 for performing WD 22 functions described herein. The WD 22 includes memory 88 that is configured to store data, programmatic software code and/or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software 90 and/or the client application 92 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 86 and/or processing circuitry 84, causes the processor 86 and/or processing circuitry 84 to perform the processes described herein with respect to WD 22. For example, the processing circuitry 84 of the WD 22 may include a feedback reporting unit 34 configured to perform one or more WD 22 functions including, e.g., generating HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback for SPS transmissions. In some embodiments, the inner workings of the network node 16, WD 22, and host computer 24 may be as shown in FIG. 2 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, the OTT connection 52 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host computer 24 and the WD 22 via the network node 16, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from the WD 22 or from the service provider operating the host computer 24, or both. While the OTT connection 52 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).

The wireless connection 64 between the WD 22 and the network node 16 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 WD 22 using the OTT connection 52, in which the wireless connection 64 may form the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of some of these embodiments may improve the data rate, latency, and/or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restriction on file size, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc.

In some embodiments, 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 52 between the host computer 24 and WD 22, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 52 may be implemented in the software 48 of the host computer 24 or in the software 90 of the WD 22, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which the OTT connection 52 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 software 48, 90 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 52 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect the network node 16, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to the network node 16. Some such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary WD signaling facilitating the host computer’s 24 measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. In some embodiments, the measurements may be implemented in that the software 48, 90 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 52 while it monitors propagation times, errors, etc.

Thus, in some embodiments, the host computer 24 includes processing circuitry 42 configured to provide user data and a communication interface 40 that is configured to forward the user data to a cellular network for transmission to the WD 22. In some embodiments, the cellular network also includes the network node 16 with a radio interface 62. In some embodiments, the network node 16 is configured to, and/or the network node’s 16 processing circuitry 68 is configured to perform the functions and/or methods described herein for preparing/initiating/maintaining/supporting/ending a transmission to the WD 22, and/or preparing/terminating/maintaining/supporting/ending in receipt of a transmission from the WD 22.

In some embodiments, the host computer 24 includes processing circuitry 42 and a communication interface 40 that is configured to a communication interface 40 configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a WD 22 to a network node 16. In some embodiments, the WD 22 is configured to, and/or comprises a radio interface 82 and/or processing circuitry 84 configured to perform the functions and/or methods described herein for preparing/initiating/maintaining/supporting/ending a transmission to the network node 16, and/or preparing/terminating/maintaining/supporting/ending in receipt of a transmission from the network node 16.

Although FIGS. 1 and 2 show various “units” such as feedback configuration unit 32, information unit 54 and feedback reporting unit 34 as being within a respective processor, it is contemplated that these units may be implemented such that a portion of the unit is stored in a corresponding memory within the processing circuitry. In other words, the units may be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software within the processing circuitry.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIG. 2. In a first step of the method, the host computer 24 provides user data (Block SI 00). In an optional substep of the first step, the host computer 24 provides the user data by executing a host application, such as, for example, the host application 50 (Block SI 02). In a second step, the host computer 24 initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the WD 22 (Block SI 04). In an optional third step, the network node 16 transmits to the WD 22 the user data which was carried in the transmission that the host computer 24 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure (Block SI 06). In an optional fourth step, the WD 22 executes a client application, such as, for example, the client application 92, associated with the host application 50 executed by the host computer 24 (Block SI 08).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In a first step of the method, the host computer 24 provides user data (Block SI 10). In an optional substep (not shown) the host computer 24 provides the user data by executing a host application, such as, for example, the host application 50. In a second step, the host computer 24 initiates a transmission carrying the user data to the WD 22 (Block SI 12). The transmission may pass via the network node 16, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In an optional third step, the WD 22 receives the user data carried in the transmission (Block SI 14).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In an optional first step of the method, the WD 22 receives input data provided by the host computer 24 (Block SI 16). In an optional substep of the first step, the WD 22 executes the client application 92, which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer 24 (Block SI 18). Additionally or alternatively, in an optional second step, the WD 22 provides user data (Block SI 20). In an optional substep of the second step, the WD provides the user data by executing a client application, such as, for example, client application 92 (Block S122). In providing the user data, the executed client application 92 may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the WD 22 may initiate, in an optional third substep, transmission of the user data to the host computer 24 (Block S124). In a fourth step of the method, the host computer 24 receives the user data transmitted from the WD 22, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure (Block S126).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example method implemented in a communication system, such as, for example, the communication system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system may include a host computer 24, a network node 16 and a WD 22, which may be those described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In an optional first step of the method, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 16 receives user data from the WD 22 (Block SI 28). In an optional second step, the network node 16 initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer 24 (Block S130). In a third step, the host computer 24 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the network node 16 (Block S132).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example process in a network node 16 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of network node 16 such as by one or more of processing circuitry 68 (including the feedback configuration unit 32), processor 70, radio interface 62 and/or communication interface 60. Network node 16 is configured to communicate with a WD 22 configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling feedback configuration, where the feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration. The network node 16 is configured to cause transmission (Block SI 34) of an indication to the WD 22, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource. The network node 16 is further configured to cause transmission (Block SI 36) of at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission to the WD 22. The network node 16 is further configured to receive (Block SI 38) acknowledgement feedback from the WD 22 using at least the configured uplink resource, where the acknowledgment feedback is associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

In some embodiments, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

In some embodiments, the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource.

In some embodiments, the network node 16 is further configured to cause transmission of a SPS activation indication to the WD 22, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD 22 being based on the activation indication .

In some embodiments, the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK- NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example process in a WD 22 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of WD 22 such as by one or more of processing circuitry 84 (including the feedback reporting unit 34), processor 86, radio interface 82 and/or communication interface 60. Wireless device 22 is configured to communicate with a network node. The WD 22 is configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration. The WD 22 is configured to receive (Block SI 40) an indication from the network node 16, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource. The WD 22 is further configured to receive (Block SI 42) from the network node 16 at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). The WD 22 is further configured to cause transmission (Block SI 44) of acknowledgement feedback to the network node 16 using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

In some embodiments, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

In some embodiments, the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource.

In some embodiments, the WD 22 is further configured to receive a SPS activation indication from the network node 16, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD 22 being based on the activation indication.

In some embodiments, the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK- NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an example process in a network node 16 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of network node 16 such as by one or more of processing circuitry 68 (including the feedback configuration unit 32), processor 70, radio interface 62 and/or communication interface 60. Network node 16 is configured to configure (Block SI 46) the wireless device 22 for a multicast semi- persistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ-disabled, feedback configuration, as described herein. Network node 16 is configured cause (Block S148) transmission of at least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device 22, as described herein. Network node 16 is configured receive (Block SI 50) feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration, as described herein.

According to one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 68 is further configured to cause an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 68 is further configured to cause transmission of an indication indicating a configured ACK- NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK- NACK feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

According to one or more embodiments, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to one or more embodiments, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission. According to one or more embodiments, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an example process in a WD 22 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of WD 22 such as by one or more of processing circuitry 84 (including the feedback reporting unit 34), processor 86, radio interface 82 and/or communication interface 60. Wireless device 22 is configured to receive (Block SI 52) a configuration for a multicast semi-persistent scheduling, SPS, feedback configuration where the multicast SPS feedback configuration is one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only, NACK-only, feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled, HARQ-disabled, feedback configuration, as described herein. The wireless device is further configured to receive (Block SI 54) at least one of an initial Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH, transmission activating SPS and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, transmission to the wireless device, as described herein. The wireless device 22 is further configured to cause (Block SI 56) transmission of feedback associated with the at least one of the initial PDSCH transmission activating SPS and the SPS release PDCCH transmission where the received feedback is in accordance an Acknowledgement-NACK, ACK-NACK, feedback configuration different from the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration, as described herein.

According to one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 84 is further configured to receive an additional PDSCH transmission associated with the activated SPS where a feedback configuration associated with the additional PDSCH transmission is in accordance with the NACK-only feedback configuration and HARQ-disabled feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the received feedback according to the ACK-NACK feedback configuration is configured to implicitly acknowledge the SPS activation.

According to one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 84 is further configured to receive an indication indicating a configured ACK-NACK feedback Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource for the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

According to one or more embodiments, the RRC message includes a RRC parameter that indicates a PUCCH resource identifier in a PUCCH configuration with ACK-NACK feedback resources associated with the ACK-NACK feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the PUCCH configuration is used for one of multicast and unicast uplink feedback configuration.

According to one or more embodiments, the indication is provided by a Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource indicator, PRI, in PDCCH which indicates the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource.

According to one or more embodiments, the configured ACK-NACK feedback PUCCH resource indicated by the PRI is preconfigured for scheduled multicast or unicast transmission.

According to one or more embodiments, the configured uplink resource is configured separate from NACK-only resources associated with the NACK-only feedback configuration.

Having described the general process flow of arrangements of the disclosure and having provided examples of hardware and software arrangements for implementing the processes and functions of the disclosure, the sections below provide details and examples of arrangements for HARQ feedback for SPS transmissions.

One or more network node 16 functions described below may be performed by one or more of hardware 58, communication interface 60, radio interface 62, processing circuitry 68, processor 70, memory 72, feedback configuration unit 32, and/or software 74. One or more WD 22 functions described below may be performed by one or more of hardware 80, radio interface 82, processing circuitry 84, processor 86, memory 88, feedback reporting unit 34, software 90, and/or client application 92. In some embodiments, one or more functions attributed to network node 16 and/or WD 22 may be performed by host computer 24. Some embodiments provide techniques for resolving issue of enabling HARQ- ACK-NACK feedback of SPS activation and release even when HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback is not configured for multicast SPS.

SPS activation may be acknowledged implicitly, e.g., by replying to the first PDSCH received in the SPS transmission. In one embodiment, when the WD 22 is not configured with HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback for SPS, the WD 22 may be expected to behave as follows:

In one example, if the WD 22 is configured with NACK-only feedback, the WD 22 may be expected to not use NACK only feedback for the first PDSCH reception following SPS activation. The PUCCH resource configured for HARQ feedback in nlPUCCH-AN may be ignored and another “SPS activation” PUCCH resource may be assigned by the network node instead of responding to the activation command.

In another example, if the WD 22 is configured with no HARQ feedback for SPS (e.g., HARQ feedback is either not configured or disabled), and therefore if nlPUCCH-AN is not present in SPS-config the WD 22 may be configured with a “SPS activation” PUCCH resource to respond to the activation command.

In both examples, the “SPS activation” PUCCH resource is used to respond to the first PDSCH only, and the WD 22 may use the otherwise configured feedback mode for the remaining PDSCHs in the SPS traffic.

The “SPS activation” PUCCH resource may be configured as follow:

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the “SPS activation” PUCCH resource may be configured as a separate RRC parameter in SPS-config. For example, a new parameter nlPUCCH-AN-activation may be used to point at a PUCCH resource ID in a PUCCH configuration with HARQ-ACK-NACK resources.

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the PUCCH configuration used for activation may be a PUCCH configuration used by multicast, if the PUCCH configuration is for HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback.

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the PUCCH configuration used for activation may be a PUCCH configuration used by unicast, if the PUCCH configuration is for HARQ-ACK-NACK feedback. In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, when there is no HARQ feedback configured for either unicast and/or multicast, a separate dedicated PUCCH resource may be configured, e.g., only for the purpose of providing feedback for SPS activation

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the “SPS activation” PUCCH resource may be indicated by using the PUCCH resource indicator (PRI) field in the PDCCH used for SPS activation (in contrast to existing systems, where the PRI field may be un-used when PDCCH is used to activate SPS).

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the PRI may point to a PUCCH resource used for scheduled multicast (non-SPS) and configured for ACK-NACK feedback.

In one or more example configurations according to the present disclosure, the PRI may point to a PUCCH resource used for scheduled unicast (non-SPS) and configured for ACK-NACK feedback

Thus, in accordance with the present disclosure, the WD 22 may be able to comply with the required feedback for SPS activation even when the remaining part of SPS is configured with either NACK-only feedback or no feedback at all. Examples:

Example Al. A network node 16 configured to communicate with a wireless device 22 (WD 22), the WD 22 being configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration, the network node 16 being configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface 62 and/or comprising processing circuitry 68 configured to: cause transmission of an indication, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource; cause transmission of at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission to the WD 22; and receive acknowledgement feedback using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

Example A2. The network node 16 of Example Al, wherein the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

Example A3. The network node 16 of any one of Examples Al and A2, wherein the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource.

Example A4. The network node 16 of any one of Examples Al, A2, and A3, wherein the network node 16 is further configured to cause transmission of a SPS activation indication to the WD 22, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD 22 being based on the activation indication.

Example A5. The network node 16 of any one of Examples Al, A2, A3, and A4, wherein the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK-NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

Example Bl . A method implemented in a network node 16 configured to communicate with a wireless device 22 (WD 22), the WD 22 being configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration, the method comprising: causing transmission of an indication to the WD 22, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource; causing transmission of at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) transmission to the WD 22; and receiving acknowledgement feedback from the WD 22 using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission

Example B2. The method of Example Bl, wherein the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message Example B3. The method of any one of Examples Bl and B2, wherein the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource.

Example B4. The method of any one of Examples Bl, B2, and B3, wherein the network node 16 is further configured to cause transmission of a SPS activation indication to the WD 22, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD 22 being based on the activation indication.

Example B5. The method of any one of Examples Bl, B2, B3, and B4, wherein the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK-NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

Example Cl. A wireless device 22 (WD 22) configured to communicate with a network node 16, the WD 22 being configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration, the WD 22 configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface 82 and/or processing circuitry 84 configured to: receive an indication from the network node 16, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource; receive at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); and cause transmission of acknowledgement feedback using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

Example C2. The WD 22 of Example Cl, wherein the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

Example C3. The WD 22 of any one of Examples Cl and C2, wherein the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource. Example C4. The WD 22 of any one of Examples Cl, C2, and C3, wherein the wireless device 22 is further configured to receive a SPS activation indication from the network node 16, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD being based on the activation indication.

Example C5. The WD 22 of any one of Examples Cl, C2, C3, and C4, wherein the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK-NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

Example DI. A method implemented in a wireless device 22 (WD 22) configured to communicate with a network node 16, the WD 22 being configured for a multicast semipersistent scheduling (SPS) feedback configuration, the feedback configuration being one of a Negative Acknowledgment-only (NACK-only) feedback configuration and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-disabled (HARQ-disabled) feedback configuration, the method comprising: receiving an indication from the network node 16, the indication indicating a configured uplink resource; receiving from the network node 16 at least one of a first Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmission and a SPS release Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); and causing transmission of acknowledgement feedback to the network node 16 using at least the configured uplink resource, the acknowledgment feedback being associated with at least one of the first PDSCH transmission and the SPS release PDCCH transmission.

Example D2. The method of Example DI, wherein the indication is included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message.

Example D3. The method of any one of Examples DI and D2, wherein the indication is included in a PDCCH transmission, the PDCCH transmission including a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) which indicates the configured uplink resource.

Example D4. The method of any one of Examples DI, D2, and D3, further comprising receiving a SPS activation indication from the network node 16, the first PDSCH transmission to the WD 22 being based on the activation indication. Example D5. The method of any one of Examples DI, D2, D3, and D4, wherein the configured uplink resource is a HARQ-ACK-NACK Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource.

STANDARDIZING THE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

The below description provides non-limiting examples of how certain aspects of the proposed solutions could be implemented within the framework of a specific communication standard. In particular, the below description provides non-limiting examples of how the proposed solutions could be implemented within the framework of a 3GPP TSG RAN standard. The changes described in the below description are merely intended to illustrate how certain aspects of the proposed solutions could be implemented in a particular standard. However, the proposed solutions could also be implemented in other suitable manners, both in the 3GPP Specification and in other specifications or standards.

Below describes some aspects related to group scheduling for NR MBS.

DISCUSSION OF REMAINING ISSUES

Support of Carrier Aggregation in MBS

CA capabilities for MBS has not been discussed in detail in 3GPP. It seems reasonable not to require the WD 22 to support group scheduling in all CCs if unicast CA are supported and MBS features are supported. Therefore, a separate MBS CA capability indicating the number of CCs that can be configured for MBS should be defined. The network will then configure a CFR for each of the Scell separately. Within a CC, group scheduling will function the same in Scell as in Pcell. For HARQ feedback, the procedure to generate the HARQ codebook in CA for unicast can be reused, where the feedback for each CC in the PUCCH group is concatenated to generate the transmitted HARQ feedback codebook. The procedure already described in the specification is sufficient.

Proposal 1: Introduce a WD 22 capability for the number of CCs supported for MBS by the WD 22.

The total number of PDSCH for PCell and Scell are defined with ml and m2 in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 38.202, respectively, in release 16 (Rel.16). MBS introduces m3 and m4 for PCell and SCell multicast PDSCH capability. The maximum value for the total number ml+m3 and m2+m4 of PDSCH for CCs should also be discussed as part of the capability discussion.

Proposal 2: Discuss whether the number of simultaneous unicast and multicast PDSCH for a CC should be unchanged from release 16 maximum number of simultaneous PDSCH for a CC.

Downlink reception types for MBS in 3GPP 38.202

In 3GPP 38.202, D2 defines the downlink reception type where only the PDCCH is received in the slot. This corresponds to SPS release (PDCCH scrambled with CS-RNTI), or cross-slot scheduling (PDCCH scrambled with CS-RNTI for activation, PDCCH scrambled with C-RNTI or MCS RNTI with a TDRA corresponding to a slot offset from PDCCH). However, D4 for MBS only includes G- CS-RNTI. It is proposed to discuss the inclusion of G-RNTI. Similarly, broadcast reception types do not include the case of reception of broadcast PDCCH alone in a slot, which should be considered.

Proposal 3: Include G-RNTI as part of reception type D4 in 3GPP 38.202 and add DL-SCH as the associated channel.

Proposal 4: Include G-RNTI as part of a separate reception type for broadcast PDCCH in 38.202 and add DL-SCH as the associated channel.

The following TP for 3GPP 38.202 is proposed:

6.2 Downlink

The tables 6.2-1, 6.2-2 describe the possible combinations of physical channels that can be received simultaneously in the downlink by one UE. Table 6.2-1 introduces notation for a "Reception Type" which represents a physical channel and any associated transport channel. Table 6.2-2 describes the combinations of these "Reception Types" which are supported by the UE depending on capabilities [8, 3GPP TS 38.306], and enumerates how many of each can be received simultaneously. The UE shall be able to receive all TBs according to the indication on PDCCH. Any subset of the combinations specified in table 6.2-2 is also supported.

Table 6.2-1: Downlink "Reception Types"

2.3 Configuration details of the CFR In order to efficiently reallocate the CFR between BWPs, it is proposed to introduce a “CFR ID”. In this way a cell configured with multiple BWPs could use a single CFR without having to duplicate the same CFR signaling per BWP.

Proposal 5 CFR is configured per cell, with a CFR ID. A BWP configured for multicast is indicated a CFR ID.

2.4 PDCCH configuration for MBS

2.4.1 Content of New DCI formats for multicast and broadcast:

In RANl#107-e, the following was agreed:

Agreement

The following information is transmitted by means of the DCI format 1 0 with CRC scrambled by G-RNTI for multicast:

• Frequency domain resource assignment

• Time domain resource assignment - 4 bits as defined in Clause 5.1.2.1 of 3GPP TS 38.214

• VRB-to-PRB mapping - 1 bit according to Table 7.3.1.2.2-5 in 3GPP TS

38.212

• Modulation and coding scheme - 5 bits as defined in Clause 5.1.3 of 3 GPP TS 38.214

• New data indicator - 1 bit

• Redundancy version - 2 bits as defined in Table 7.3.1.1.1-2 in 3GPP TS

38.212

• HARQ process number - [4 or 5] bits

• Downlink assignment index - 2 bits as defined in Clause 9.1.3 of 3 GPP TS 38.213, as counter DAI

• PUCCH resource indicator - 3 bits as defined in Clause 9.2.3 of 3GPP TS

38.213

• PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator - 3 bits as defined in Clause 9.2.3 of 3GPP TS 38.213

• Reserved bits -3 bits

• For Further Study (FFS): Some of the fields may be not useful and can be reserved in some conditions, and FFS the details of the conditions • FFS: other fields, e.g. for HARQ enabling/disabling

Note: Whether new fields are defined for multicast DCI format 1 0 can be discussed separately. The reserved bits can be used for new fields if needed.

Agreement

Multicast DCI format 1 1 includes all configurable fields of unicast DCI format 1 1 except

• Identifier for DCI formats, TPC command for scheduled PUCCH, SRS request

• FFS: Scell dormancy indication

• One-shot HARQ-ACK request, PDSCH group index, New feedback indicator, Number of requested PDSCH group(s), ChannelAccess-Cpext

• CBGTI, CBGFI

• Minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator

• FFS: Carrier indicator, BWP indicator, ZP CSI-RS trigger

FFS: MCS/NDI/RV for TB2

2.4.1.1 Use of the carrier indicator in DCI

Since use of a group carrier indicator for group cross carrier scheduling presupposes that the different UE in the group have the same CA configuration (same number of CCs, same carrier location), the applicability of cross carrier scheduling is small, therefore, it is proposed not to support it for this release.

Proposal 6 Cross carrier scheduling is not supported for group scheduling PDSCH in release 17.

2.4.2 DCI alignment and Counting of G-RNTI in the DCI budget

Regarding the 3+1 budget for DCI sizes, the following was agreed in RANl#105e:

Agreement:

Confirm the working assumption:

Keep the “3+1” DCI size budget defined in Rel-15 for Rel-17 MBS.

- FFS: Whether the G-RNTI is counted as “C-RNTI” or as “other RNTI” when considering the “3+1” DCI size budget rule for group-common PDCCH.

The DCI size for formats 4 0 and 4 1 have been agreed to be aligned with DCI 1 0. An extension to the alignment procedure to include DCI 4 2 remains to be agreed. When both DCI l_l/0_l and l_2/0_2 are present in USS the procedure in step 4 is as follow:

• Aligns DCIs 1 1 and 0 1 to the largest size of the two,

• Align DCIs 1_2 and 0_2 to the largest size of the two

• Align fallback DCIs 0_0 and 1 0 for USS and CSS.

This step results in 3 different DCI sizes for unicast scheduling. The multicast DCI sizes should also be counted toward the budget of 3 DCI sizes for scheduling, in order to free the last 4 ^th DCI size to be used by the “other” DCI format purposes. Adding multicast DCIs to the budget will require further alignment. Since DCI 1 2 and 0 2 are meant to be compact DCIs for URLLC, it is proposed to align the DCIs for multicast with DCI l_l/0_l .

Proposal 7 The G-RNTI is counted as “C-RNTI” when considering the “3+1” DCI size budget rule for group-common PDCCH.

Proposal 8 Add the following steps 2B and 4D in the DCI alignment procedure:

Step 2B:

Determine DCI format 4 2 monitored in a UE-specific search space according to clause 7.3.1.5.3

Step 4D:

If the total number of different DCI sizes configured to monitor is more than 4 for the cell after applying the above steps, or if the total number of different DCI sizes with C-RNTI or G-RNTI configured to monitor is more than 3 for the cell after applying the above steps

- If the number of information bits in the DCI format 0 1 is less than the pay load size of the DCI format 4 2 for scheduling the same serving cell, a number of zero padding bits are generated for the DCI format 0 1 until the payload size equals that of the DCI format 4 2.

- If the number of information bits in the DCI format 1 1 is less than the pay load size of the DCI format 4 2 for scheduling the same serving cell, a number of zero padding bits are generated for the DCI format 1 1 until the payload size equals that of the DCI format 4 2. During RANl#107b-e It was agreed to have the DCI size of DCI 4_2 to be configurable. In order to make the DCI alignment procedure work, it is necessary that this size is equal or larger to the DCI l_l/0_l since the DCI size for format 4_2 must be the same across the UEs in the G-RNTI.

Proposal 9 The UE does not expect to be configured in a way where the DCI size for format 1 1 is larger than DCI format 4 2.

2.5 Configuration of TCI states for multicast

The 3GPP 38.214 specification states that a separate list of M’ TCI states is configured for multicast within PDSCH-config-multicast. The remaining question is how to address the TCI states in the multicast DCI.

It is proposed to re-use the existing MAC CE “TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH”, described in clause 6.1.3.14 in specification 3GPP 38.321. The MAC CE contains N octets to configure up to 8 TCI states for unicast PDSCH.

It is noted that if the TCI states IDs are non-overlapping between unicast and multicast, and the sum of TCI states in unicast and multicast does not exceed the existing maximum number of TCI states (maxNrofTCI-States=128), both of the unicast and multicast TCI states can be activated by the same MAC CE. The only condition to change is that the MAC CE may activate at most 8 states for unicast and 8 states for multicast, totaling 16 states.

Proposal 10 The TCI states codepoints in DCI 4 2 are configured by a “TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH” MAC CE.

Proposal 11 The “TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH” MAC CE may activate up to 8 TCI states for multicast PDSCH, in addition to up to 8 states in unicast PDSCH.

Proposal 12 The TCI states IDs for unicast and multicast TCI state lists do not overlap, and the total number of TCI states across unicast and multicast in a cell does not exceed the currently specified maxNrofTCI-States=128.

During RANl#107e it was discussed whether group scheduling should be used to convey the MAC CE to the UE group. Using the proposed method described herein, the gNB can have the flexibility to send the MAC CE either over unicast or multicast. Proposal 13 Whether the MAC CE configuring the TCI states for multicast is sent over unicast or multicast, is left to the network node implementation.

The problem of configuring the TCI state for multicast PDCCH may be more complex. The MAC CE configuring the PDCCH TCI state only contains to allocation a single state. To configure the TCI state for multicast PDCCH, the following cases can be foreseen:

• Multicast PDCCH uses the same TCI state as unicast PDCCH. This makes sense when PDCCH for multicast and unicast share the same coreset and are in the same slot. This can already be supported by the current 3GPP specification.

• Multicast PDCCH use the same coreset, but is not configured in the same slot (that is, unicast and multicast search spaces are offset). It is currently not possible to configure different TCI states for that case.

• Multicast PDCCH uses a different coreset from unicast. The current specification supports this solution to have a different TCI state for unicast and multicast. However, this would divide the coresets between multicast and unicast, which is not efficient.

In order to have the possibility to configure individually the TCI states for multicast and unicast, while maintaining the possibility to keep unicast and multicast in the same coreset, a solution may need to be designed. A new MAC CE is one solution but requires additional work for RAN2. Instead, it is proposed herein to reuse the existing MAC CE and use G-RNTI to identify the MAC CE aimed at group PDCCH TCI state configuration.

Proposal 14 The TCI state for PDCCH is configured via the TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCH MAC CE, using a group PDSCH scrambled by G-RNTI.

2.6 Further details on SPS multicast

2.5.1 Feedback type for SPS multicast activation

In RANl#107e, the following was agreed:

Agreement For multicast SPS activation/deactivation, only ACK/NACK based feedback is supported.

The 3GPP 38.213 specification may capture the agreement as described in the following paragraph:

A UE monitors PDCCH for scheduling PDSCH receptions or for activation/release of SPS PDSCH receptions for a corresponding SPS PDSCH configuration as described in clause 10.1. A UE can be configured by harq-Feedback- Option-Multicast for a G-RNTI or by sps-HARQ-Feedback-Option-Multicast for a G-CS-RNTI to provide HARQ-ACK information for a transport block reception associated with the G-RNTI or with the G-CS-RNTI, respectively, according to the first HARQ-ACK reporting mode or according to the second HARQ-ACK reporting mode. The second HARQ-ACK reporting mode is not applicable for DCI formats having associated HARQ-ACK information without scheduling a PDSCH reception. For the first HARQ-ACK reporting mode, the UE generates HARQ-ACK information with ACK value when a UE correctly decodes a transport block or detects a DCI format indicating an SPS PDSCH release; otherwise, the UE generates HARQ-ACK information with NACK value, as described in clauses 9 and 9. 1 through 9.3. For the second HARQ-ACK reporting mode, the UE does not transmit a PUCCH that would include only HARQ-ACK information with ACK values.

SPS is activated by a PDCCH order, and this order is implicitly acknowledged by the reception of the first SPS PDSCH’ s HARQ feedback. That is, the PDCCH for activation does not have associated HARQ-ACK information, contrary to SPS release where the PDCCH message is acknowledged by the wireless device to terminate SPS reception.

The first issue is to clarify that the ACK/NACK based feedback activation should be sent as the first SPS PDSCH transmission feedback.

Observation 1 Feedback for multicast SPS activation is always using ACK/NACK based feedback, and is transmitted as a response to the first occurrence of the SPS PDSCH.

The second issue is which PUCCH resource should be used to send feedback for the activation and release when the SPS HARQ feedback mode is not HARQ- ACK/NACK (model). The SPS PDSCH configuration contains PUCCH resources for HARQ feedback according to the feedback mode configured for SPS. However, when NACK only (second HARQ-ACK reporting mode ) is configured, or if HARQ feedback has been disabled for SPS, the wireless device does not have a PUCCH resource to send the ACK/NACK based feedback that has been agreed to use for multicast SPS activation.

In order to resolve the issue, it is proposed to discuss the following options:

• Option 1 : SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource to be used in activation and release.

• Option 2: SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource ID pointing at a resource to be used within the PUCCH resources configured for dynamic multicast or unicast.

• Option 3: The PRI field in the PDCCH activation or release is used to point at a PUCCH resource from the dynamic scheduling pool of PUCCH resources configured in PUCCH-config.

Option 1 adds complexity since an additional PUCCH resource need to be configured on top of the option unicast and multicast resources. It offers the advantage of not being dependent of any PUCCH configuration from multicast or unicast. However, since it is expected that at least unicast will be configured an independent configuration may not be a clear advantage.

Option 2 is the least complex solution, as it relies on a pre-existing PUCCH resource already configured in either unicast or multicast.

Option 3 is a more flexible version of option 2, where the PRI can be used to point at what resource to use, but still relying in the pre-existing PUCCH configuration in unicast or multicast.

Proposal 15 For SPS configured with NACK-only feedback, for configuration of the resource to use to acknowledge the first PDSCH of an SPS configuration following activation, down select the solution to configure the resource between: i. Option 1 SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource to be used in activation and release. ii. Option 2: SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource ID pointing at a resource to be used within the PUCCH resources configured for dynamic multicast or unicast. iii. Option 3: The PRI field in the PDCCH activation or release is used to point at a PUCCH resource within the PUCCH resources configured for dynamic multicast or unicast.

4 CONCUUSION

In the previous sections we made the following observations:

Observation 1 For broadcast services to UEs in RRC CONNECTED, where the UE has not sent an MH, broadcast reception is best effort.

Based on the discussion in the previous sections the following is proposed: Proposal 1 Introduce a UE capability for the number of CCs supported for MBS by the UE.

Proposal 2 Discuss whether the number of simultaneous unicast and multicast

PDSCH for a CC should be unchanged from release 16 maximum number of simultaneous PDSCH for a CC.

Proposal 3 Include G-RNTI as part of reception type D4 in 3GPP 38.202 and add DE-SCH as the associated channel.

Proposal 4 Include G-RNTI as part of a separate reception type for broadcast PDCCH in 3GPP 38.202 and add DE-SCH as the associated channel.

Proposal 5 CFR is configured per cell, with a CFR ID. A BWP configured for multicast is indicated a CFR ID.

Proposal 6 Cross carrier scheduling is not supported for group scheduling PDSCH in release 17.

Proposal 7 The G-RNTI is counted as “C-RNTI” when considering the “3+1” DCI size budget rule for group-common PDCCH.

Proposal 8 Add the following steps 2B and 4D in the DCI alignment procedure:

Proposal 9 The wireless device does not expect to be configured in a way where the DCI size for format 1 1 is larger than DCI format 4 2. Proposal 10 The TCI states codepoints in DCI 4 2 are configured by a “TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH” MAC CE

Proposal 11 The “TCI States Activation/Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH” MAC CE may activate up to 8 TCI states for multicast PDSCH, in addition to up to 8 states in unicast PDSCH

Proposal 12 The TCI states IDs for unicast and multicast TCI state lists do not overlap, and the total number of TCI states across unicast and multicast in a cell does not exceed the currently specified maxNrofTCI-States=128

Proposal 13 Whether the MAC CE configuring the TCI states for multicast is sent over unicast or multicast, is left to the network node implementation. Proposal 14 The TCI state for PDCCH is configured via the TCI State Indication for UE-specific PDCCH MAC CE, using a group PDSCH scrambled by G-RNTI.

Proposal 15 For SPS configured with NACK-only feedback, for configuration of the resource to use to acknowledge the first PDSCH of an SPS configuration following activation, downselect the solution to configure the resource between: i. Option 1 SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource to be used in activation and release ii. Option 2: SPS-config-Multicast includes a PUCCH resource ID pointing at a resource to be used within the PUCCH resources configured for dynamic multicast or unicast. iii. Option 3: The PRI field in the PDCCH activation or release is used to point at a PUCCH resource within the PUCCH resources configured for dynamic multicast or unicast.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the concepts described herein may be embodied as a method, data processing system, computer program product and/or computer storage media storing an executable computer program. Accordingly, the concepts described herein may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to herein as a “circuit” or “module.” Any process, step, action and/or functionality described herein may be performed by, and/or associated to, a corresponding module, which may be implemented in software and/or firmware and/or hardware. Furthermore, the disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a tangible computer usable storage medium having computer program code embodied in the medium that can be executed by a computer. Any suitable tangible computer readable medium may be utilized including hard disks, CD-ROMs, electronic storage devices, optical storage devices, or magnetic storage devices.

Some embodiments are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, systems and computer program products. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer (to thereby create a special purpose computer), special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable memory or storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

It is to be understood that the functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the operational illustrations. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Although some of the diagrams include arrows on communication paths to show a primary direction of communication, it is to be understood that communication may occur in the opposite direction to the depicted arrows.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the concepts described herein may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Python, Java® or C++. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to literally describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein are not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope of the following claims.