Time-division duplex frame structure for narrowband communications

A method of wireless communications for a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of narrowband TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• receiving an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• transmitting the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• receiving a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• and
• receiving the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant in one or more downlink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−c or subframes after subframe q+d, c and d being positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−c and subframe q+d not being allocated for the narrowband physical downlink channel.

An apparatus for wireless communications for a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• means for receiving information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• means for receiving a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• means for receiving the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• means for receiving an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• and
• means for transmitting the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant using one or more uplink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−a or after subframe q+b, wherein a and b are positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−a and subframe q+b are not allocated for the narrowband physical uplink channel.

An apparatus for wireless communications for a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• means for receiving information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• means for receiving an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• means for transmitting the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• means for receiving a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• and
• means for receiving the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant in one or more downlink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−c or subframes after subframe q+d, c and d being positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−c and subframe q+d not being allocated for the narrowband physical downlink channel.

An apparatus for wireless communications for a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• receive information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• receive a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• receive the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• receive an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• and
• transmit the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant using one or more uplink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−a or after subframe q+b, wherein a and b are positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−a and subframe q+b are not allocated for the narrowband physical uplink channel.

An apparatus for wireless communications for a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• receive information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• receive an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• transmit the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• receive a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• and
• receive the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant in one or more downlink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−c or subframes after subframe q+d, c and d being positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−c and subframe q+d not being allocated for the narrowband physical downlink channel.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for a user equipment (UE), comprising code to:

• receive information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• receive a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• receive the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• receive an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• and
• transmit the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant using one or more uplink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−a or after subframe q+b, wherein a and b are positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−a and subframe q+b are not allocated for the narrowband physical uplink channel.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for a user equipment (UE), comprising code to:

• receive information indicating a time-division duplex (TDD) frame structure of a group of TDD frame structures for narrowband communications;
• receive an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel;
• transmit the narrowband physical uplink channel associated with the uplink grant over a plurality of subframes from subframe p to subframe q, the plurality of subframes including uplink subframes, downlink subframes, and special subframes;
• receive a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel;
• and
• receive the narrowband physical downlink channel associated with the downlink grant in one or more downlink subframes located at least one of before subframe p−c or subframes after subframe q+d, c and d being positive integers, and a group of subframes located between subframe p−c and subframe q+d not being allocated for the narrowband physical downlink channel.