Bwp-based operations for redcap user equipments

An apparatus for user equipment with reduced capabilities (RedCap UE) configured for operation in a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) network, the apparatus comprising:

• processing circuitry, wherein to configure the RedCap UE for a random access procedure in the 5G NR network, the processing circuitry is to:
• decode first configuration signaling to obtain an initial downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP), the initial DL BWP including downlink resources of a common search space (CSS), wherein for the RedCap UE, the first configuration signaling indicates the initial DL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial DL BWP signaled in the first configuration signaling for use by non-RedCap UEs;
• decode second configuration signaling to obtain an initial uplink bandwidth part (UL BWP) of the RedCap UE, the initial UL BWP of the RedCap UE including uplink resources, and wherein for a RedCap UE, the second configuration signaling indicates the initial UL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial UL BWP signaled in the second configuration signaling for use by the non-RedCap UEs;
• and
• perform the random access procedure based on decoding a first random access communication received using the downlink resources of the CSS and encoding a second random access communication for transmission using the uplink resources;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to store the first configuration signaling and the second configuration signaling.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a source base station, the instructions to configure the base station for Reduced Capability (RedCap) operation in a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) network, and to cause the base station to perform operations comprising:

• encoding first configuration signaling for transmission to a RedCap user equipment (UE), the first configuration signaling associated with an initial downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP), the initial DL BWP including downlink resources of a common search space (CSS), wherein for the RedCap UE, the first configuration signaling indicates the initial DL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial DL BWP signaled in the first configuration signaling for use by non-RedCap UEs;
• encoding second configuration signaling for transmission to the RedCap UE, the second configuration signaling associated with an initial uplink bandwidth part (UL BWP) of the RedCap UE, the initial UL BWP of the RedCap UE including uplink resources, and wherein for the RedCap UE, the second configuration signaling indicates the initial UL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial UL BWP signaled in the second configuration signaling for use by the non-RedCap UEs;
• and
• encoding a random access communication for transmission to the RedCap UE using the downlink resources of the CSS.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a Reduced Capability user equipment (RedCap UE), the instructions to configure the RedCap UE for RedCap operation in a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) network, and to cause the RedCap UE to perform operations comprising:

• decoding first configuration signaling to obtain an initial downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP), the initial DL BWP including downlink resources of a common search space (CSS), wherein for the RedCap UE, the first configuration signaling indicates the initial DL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial DL BWP signaled in the first configuration signaling for use by non-RedCap UEs;
• decoding second configuration signaling to obtain an initial uplink bandwidth part (UL BWP) of the RedCap UE, the initial UL BWP of the RedCap UE including uplink resources, and wherein for a RedCap UE, the second configuration signaling indicates the initial UL BWP for use by the RedCap UE that is different than an initial UL BWP signaled in the second configuration signaling for use by the non-RedCap UEs;
• and
• performing a random access procedure based on decoding a first random access communication received using the downlink resources of the CSS and encoding a second random access communication for transmission using the uplink resources.