Methods and apparatus for scheduling and/or granting uplink resources

A method of operating a base station, the method comprising:

• scheduling a first user equipment (UE) for uplink transmission in a combination of one or more uplink slots and at least one mini-slot, said uplink slot having a first predetermined duration, said mini-slot having a second predetermined duration which is smaller than said first predetermined duration;
• and
• transmitting a single UL grant message to the first UE communicating a grant of the scheduled combination of said one or more uplink slots and said at least one mini-slot;
• wherein a gap in time exists between i) at least one of the one or more slots granted to said first UE or an uplink slot and ii) a mini-slot;
• and
• wherein transmitting said single UL grant message to the first UE communicating the grant of the scheduled combination of one or more uplink slots and said at least one mini-slot includes:
• transmitting information in said single UL grand message indicating the position of said gap and a duration of said gap to the first UE as part of said single grant message, said information indicating the position and duration of said gap by i) indicating positions in an uplink timing structure of slots and mini-slots scheduled for use by the first user equipment (UE) or ii) indicating a continuous sequence of slots and mini-slots along with a location of the gap in the contiguous slots.

A base station comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• schedule a first user equipment (UE) for uplink transmission in a combination of one or more uplink slots and a plurality of mini-slots, said one or more uplink slots including an uplink slot having a first predetermined duration, said plurality of mini-slots including a first mini-slot that precedes a first uplink slot scheduled for use by the first UE and a second mini-slot that follows said first uplink slot scheduled for use by the first UE, said first UE being scheduled only full slots between said first mini-slot and said second mini-slot, at least one of said first mini-slot and said second mini-slot having a second predetermined duration which is smaller than said first predetermined duration;
• and
• operate the base station to transmit a single UL grant message to the first UE communicating a grant of the scheduled combination of said one or more uplink slots and said plurality of mini-slots.