Enhanced machine type communications (MTC) for non-terrestrial networks (NTN)

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided to enhance communications for NTN. In some aspects, a base station (BS) comprises a processor configured to schedule an uplink transmission in response to an uplink transmission request from a user equipment (UE) using one or more subframes ranging from a first uplink subframe to a last uplink subframe. The processor is further configured to determine or receive a timing advance (TA) indicating amount of subframes transmitted during a time delay between the UE and the BS and schedule a downlink transmission aligned with the uplink transmission. The downlink transmission is blocked from subframes ranging from TA plus one or more subframes ahead of the first uplink subframe to TA minus one or more subframes ahead of the last uplink subframe. The processor is further configured to transmit and receive, via a non-terrestrial equipment, the uplink and the downlink.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.