Selection between random access and dedicated scheduling request resources

Abstract

In response to determining that a time to a periodic transmission opportunity exceeds a threshold, a UE selects between using a random access procedure and the periodic transmission opportunity to transmit an uplink message. In non-limiting examples given the periodic transmission opportunity is a scheduling request opportunity which is periodic according to an interval configured by a wireless network and the uplink message comprises a scheduling request. In an embodiment the user equipment's determination and selection is conditional on it pre-determining that intended uplink data or control signaling to which the scheduling request relates is delay sensitive. If that pre-determination is that the data/signaling is not delay sensitive then it uses the scheduling request opportunity to send its scheduling request without selecting between the random access procedure and the scheduling request opportunity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.