Unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) framework for multi-transmission-reception point (TRP) operation

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) having instructions, stored thereon, that when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE) configure the UE to:

• receive downlink control information (DCI) that includes a joint codepoint to indicate one or more first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states for a first transmission-reception point (TRP) and one or more second TCI states for a second TRP;
• operate, based on the DCI, in one of a single-TRP mode and a multi-TRP mode;
• in the single-TRP mode, receive a first downlink (DL) transmission from the first TRP or transmit a first uplink (UL) transmission to the first TRP based on the one or more first TCI states;
• and
• in the multi-TRP mode:
• receive the DL transmission from the first TRP or transmit the UL transmission to the first TRP based on the one or more first TCI states, and
• receive a second DL transmission from the second TRP or transmit a second uplink transmission to the second TRP based on the one or more second TCI states,
• wherein for each of the first TRP and the second TRP:
• a beam application time is configured for each component carrier associated with a respective TRP of the first TRP and the second TRP, and the beam application time for a given component carrier associated with the respective TRP is determined based on a smallest subcarrier spacing among the component carriers associated with both the first TRP and the second TRP that are scheduled to use the first and second TCI states indicated by the DCI,
• wherein for each of the first TRP and the second TRP:
• the beam application time for each component carrier associated with the respective TRP begins upon receipt of the DCI that indicates the first and second TCI states for the first TRP and the second TRP, and
• after the beam application time for a given component carrier associated with the respective TRP has elapsed, the first TCI state indicated by the DCI for the first TRP and component carrier or the second TCI state indicated by the DCI for the second TRP and component carrier respectively becomes active at a next slot boundary.