# US 11,452,094 B2 · Time-division duplex frame structure for narrowband communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,094 B2 - Document ID: US11452094B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/702,500 - Filed: 2019-12-03 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-15 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Gowrisankar Somichetty; Kapil Bhattad; Alberto Rico Alvarino; Xiao Feng Wang; Manikandan Chandrasekar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452094B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04L 1/00: Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received {(correcting synchronisation H04L7/00)} - H04L 1/1812: Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ] - H04L 1/1819: {with retransmission of additional or different redundancy} - H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04L 5/0048: {Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091)} - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04L 5/0092: {Indication of how the channel is divided} - H04L 5/14: Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex - H04L 5/1469: {using time-sharing} - H04W 72/21: in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04W 88/02: Terminal devices - H04W 88/08: Access point devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus are provided. In addition, the apparatus may determine a first set of subframes in the narrowband TDD frame structure used for transmitting a downlink control channel to a UE. In one aspect, a last subframe in the first set of subframes may be subframe n. Further, the apparatus may determine a second set of subframes in the narrowband TDD frame structure used for transmitting a downlink data channel to the UE. In certain aspects, a first subframe in the second set of subframes may be delayed based on k0 number of subframes after the subframe n. In certain other aspects, a last subframe in the second set of subframes may be subframe n+k0+x. Additionally, the apparatus may signal first information associated with the k0 number of subframes to the UE in a first delay field in a DCI transmission. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 a downlink grant associated with a narrowband physical downlink channel; 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; receiving an uplink grant associated with a narrowband physical uplink channel; and 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the downlink grant and the uplink grant are received in a same search space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: the narrowband physical downlink channel includes a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH); the narrowband physical uplink channel includes at least one of a narrowband physical uplink control channel (NPUCCH) or a narrowband physical uplink data channel (NPUSCH); and the narrowband physical uplink channel does not includes an acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) associated with the NPUCCH. ### Claim 4 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. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the downlink grant and the uplink grant are received in a same search space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the narrowband physical downlink channel includes a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH); the narrowband physical uplink channel includes at least one of a narrowband physical uplink control channel (NPUCCH) or a narrowband physical uplink data channel (NPUSCH); and the narrowband physical uplink channel does not includes an acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) associated with the NPUCCH. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the downlink grant and the uplink grant are received in a same search space. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the narrowband physical downlink channel includes a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH); the narrowband physical uplink channel includes at least one of a narrowband physical uplink control channel (NPUCCH) or a narrowband physical uplink data channel (NPUSCH); and the narrowband physical uplink channel does not includes an acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) associated with the NPUCCH. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the downlink grant and the uplink grant are received in a same search space. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein: the narrowband physical downlink channel includes a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH); the narrowband physical uplink channel includes at least one of a narrowband physical uplink control channel (NPUCCH) or a narrowband physical uplink data channel (NPUSCH); and the narrowband physical uplink channel does not includes an acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) associated with the NPUCCH. ### Claim 16 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.