Method and apparatus for beam indication with a dl-related dci format

A base station (BS), comprising:

• a transceiver configured to:
• transmit configuration information for a list of transmission configuration indication (TCI) states, and
• transmit TCI state code points activated via a medium access control-control element (MAC CE), and
• a processor operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to determine at least one TCI state code point from the activated TCI state code points for indication to a user equipment (UE),
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
• transmit a downlink control information (DCI) format indicating the at least one determined TCI state code point, wherein:
• the DCI format is DCI format 1_1 or DCI format 1_2,
• the DCI format does not include a downlink (DL) assignment, and
• the DCI format includes fields set to a bit pattern;
• and
• receive hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) feedback,
• wherein the processor is further configured to, if a positive acknowledgment (ACK) is received in the HARQ-ACK feedback, update, based on the at least one determined TCI state code point, (i) quasi-co-location (QCL) assumption for DL channels and signals or (ii) spatial filters for uplink (UL) channels and signals, and
• wherein the transceiver is further configured to at least one of (i) transmit the DL channels and signals based on the updated QCL assumption and (ii) receive the UL channels and signals based on the updated spatial filters.

A method of operating a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• receiving configuration information for a list of transmission configuration indication (TCI) states;
• receiving TCI state code points activated via a medium access control-control element (MAC CE);
• receiving a downlink control information (DCI) format indicating at least one of the activated TCI state code points, wherein:
• the DCI format is DCI format 1_1 or DCI format 1_2,
• the DCI format does not include a downlink (DL) assignment, and
• the DCI format includes fields set to a bit pattern;
• determining whether the DCI format is successfully received;
• determining a TCI state to apply based on the at least one indicated TCI state code point;
• updating, based on the determined TCI state, (i) quasi-co-location (QCL) assumption for DL channels and signals or (ii) spatial filters for uplink (UL) channels and signals;
• transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) feedback as a positive acknowledgment (ACK) in response to determining that the DCI format is successfully received;
• and
• at least one of (i) receiving the DL channels and signals based on the updated QCL assumption and (ii) transmitting the UL channels and signals based on the updated spatial filters.