Methods and Apparatus Relating to Random Access in a Wireless Communications Network

A method in a user equipment (UE) operable in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

• detecting an event triggering a random access procedure;
• determining an adjustment for a random access parameter as a function of one or more of:
• a type of the event triggering the random access procedure;
• and
• a characteristic of data to be transmitted or received by the UE upon completion of the random access procedure;
• applying the adjustment to a configured value for the random access parameter to obtain an adjusted value for the random access parameter;
• and
• performing the random access procedure with a base station operable in the wireless communications network, using the adjusted value for the random access parameter.

A method in a base station operable in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

• configuring a user equipment (UE) operable in the wireless communications network with one or more adjustment values for determining an adjustment for a random access parameter;
• and
• obtaining an adjusted value for the random access parameter for use in a random access procedure, the adjustment being determined as a function of one or more of:
• a type of an event triggering the random access procedure;
• and
• a characteristic of data to be transmitted or received by the UE upon completion of the random access procedure.

A user equipment (UE), operable in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the UE to:
• detect an event triggering a random access procedure;
• determine an adjustment for a random access parameter as a function of one or more of:
• a type of the event triggering the random access procedure;
• and
• a characteristic of data to be transmitted or received by the UE upon completion of the random access procedure;
• apply the adjustment to a configured value for the random access parameter to obtain an adjusted value for the random access parameter;
• and
• perform the random access procedure with a base station operable in the wireless communications network, using the adjusted value for the random access parameter.

A base station operable in a wireless communications network, the base station comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the base station to:
• configure a user equipment (UE) operable in the wireless communications network with one or more adjustment values for determining an adjustment for a random access parameter and obtaining an adjusted value for the random access parameter for use in a random access procedure, the adjustment being determined as a function of one or more of:
• a type of an event triggering the random access procedure;
• and
• a characteristic of data to be transmitted or received by the UE upon completion of the random access procedure.