WO2020145863A1

WO2020145863A1 - Method and terminal device for uplink data transmission of logical channel

Info

Publication number: WO2020145863A1
Application number: PCT/SE2019/051299
Authority: WO
Inventors: Abdulrahman ALABBASI; Jinhua Liu; Zhenhua Zou
Original assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Current assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB
Priority date: 2019-01-11
Filing date: 2019-12-17
Publication date: 2020-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-11

Abstract

A method and a terminal device for uplink data transmission of logical channel are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a terminal device determines, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. When determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the terminal device prioritizes the multiple uplink grants. The terminal device selects, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

Description

METHOD AND TERMINAL DEVICE FOR UPLINK DATA TRANSMISSION

OF LOGICAL CHANNEL

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to wireless communication, and, more particularly, to a method and a terminal device for uplink data transmission of logical channel.

Background

[0002] This section introduces aspects that may facilitate better understanding of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art.

[0003] New radio (NR) is expected to simultaneously support both enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) traffic. A user equipment (UE) may also support simultaneous eMBB and URLLC services. There are some other services whose required quality of service (QoS) (e.g. delay and/or reliability) is in between. To ensure differentiated QoS requirements, there are two related procedures defined in both layer 2 and layer 1. [0004] One related procedure is logical channel prioritization (LCP) procedure. LCP restrictions or profile parameters were introduced in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification (TS) 38.321 V15.3.0. Specifically, radio resource control (RRC) additionally controls the LCP procedure by configuring following mapping restrictions for each logical channel: allowedSCS-List which sets the allowed subcarrier spacing(s) for transmission; maxPUSCH-Duration which sets the maximum physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) duration allowed for transmission; configuredGrantType 1 Allowed which sets whether a configured grant type 1 may be used for transmission; and allow edServingCells which sets the allowed cell(s) for transmission. [0005] Such parameters are configured per logical channel. Upon reception of an uplink (UL) grant by a UE, this UE determines whether the data of a logical channel can be transmitted using the UL grant based on these parameters. When the UL grant fulfills all these requirements, the data of the logical channel can be transmitted using the logical channel. Otherwise, the data cannot be transmitted using the UL grant.

[0006] The other related procedure is power control procedure. According to 3 GPP TS 38.213 V15.3.0, if a UE transmits a PUSCH on UL bandwidth part (BWP) b of carrier / of serving cell c using parameter set configuration with index j and PUSCH power control adjustment state with index / , the UE determines the PUSCH transmission power L_PUSCH

in PUSCH transmission occasion / as:

where,

die configured UE transmit power defined in [8-1, TS 38.101-1] and [8-2,

TS38.101-2] for carrier / of serving cell C in PUSCH transmission occasion i .

^Po _{PL S}cm_{. /} , ) is a parameter composed of the sum of a component

and a component

If a UE is not provided with higher layer parameter PO-PUSCH-AlphaSet or for a Msg3 PUSCH transmission as described in Subclause 8.3, j = 0 ,

^_{O-UE-PUSCH, C} (0) ⁼ 0 and _{O-NOMINAL PUSCH,}/_{, c} (0) ⁼ ^_O-PRE ⁺ ^ _{PREAMBLE-Msg >} where the parameter preambleReceivedTargetPower [11, TS 38.321] (for P _PKI ) and msg3- DeltaPreamble (for ) are provided by higher layers for carrier / of

serving cell c .

For a PUSCH (re)transmission configured by higher layer parameter ConfiguredGrantConfig, j = 1 , L_0-NO_MINAL-PUSC_H,/ C¹) ^is provided by higher layer parameter pO-NominalWithoutGrant,

0 ) is provided by higher layer parameter pO obtained from pO-PUSCH-Alpha in ConfiguredGrantConfig that provides an index PO-PUSCH-AlphaSetld to a set of higher layer parameters P0- PUSCPI-AlphaSet for UL BWP b of carrier f of serving cell c .

value, applicable for all j e ,V , . is provided by higher layer parameter pO-NominalWithGrant for each carrier f of serving cell c and a set of P_{0 UE P[ Sa f / r} ( /) values are provided by a set of higher layer parameters pO in PO-PUSCH-AlphaSet indicated by a respective set of higher layer parameters pO-PUSCH-AlphaSetld lor UL BWP b of carrier f of serving cell c .

- If the UE is provided by higher layer parameter SRI-PUSCP[-PowerControl more than one values of pO-PUSCH-AlphaSetld and if DCI format 0 1 includes a SRI field, the UE obtains a mapping from higher layer parameter sri-PUSCH- PowerControlId in SRI-PUSCP[-PowerControl between a set of values for the SRI field in DCI format 0 1 [5, TS 38.212] and a set of indexes provided by higher layer parameter pO-PUSCH-AlphaSetld that map to a set of P0-PUSCH- AlphaSet values. If the PUSCH transmission is scheduled by a DCI format 0 1, the UE determines the values of P_{Q UE} p_{[ Sa f / r} ( /) from the pOalphasetindex value that is mapped to the SRI field value.

- If the PUSCH transmission is scheduled by a DCI format 0 0 or by a DCI format 0 1 that does not include a SRI field, or if a higher layer parameter SRI- POAlphaSetlndex-Mapping is not provided to the UE, j = 2 , and the UE determines P_{Q UE PUSO}S / _C ) f^rom the first pO-pusch-alpha-set in p0-pusch- alpha-setconFIGURE

According to the existing technical specification, the power control parameters may be configured per BWP per cell. Summary

[0007] One of the objects of the disclosure is to provide improved solutions for uplink data transmission of logical channel.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method implemented at a terminal device. The method comprises determining, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. The method further comprises, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritizing the multiple uplink grants. The method further comprises selecting, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

[0009] In this way, the QoS management for the terminal device may be improved.

[0010] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises sorting multiple logical channels of the terminal device that have data to transmit. For each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels: the determining is performed for the logical channel, and when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the prioritizing and the selecting are performed for the logical channel.

[0011] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises performing LCP procedure for the selected one or more uplink grants. [0012] In an embodiment of the disclosure, an uplink grant is determined to be applicable for data transmission of the logical channel when LCP restrictions of the logical channel are met with the uplink grant.

[0013] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the multiple uplink grants belong to different cells of a same cell group, or different BWPs of a same cell, or different cells of different cell groups, or a same BWP.

[0014] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on at least one of: a block error rate (BLER) target expected for an uplink grant; a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant; deployment dependent configuration; and a capacity that may be provided by an uplink grant. [0015] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on a

BLER target expected for an uplink grant. An uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied: the uplink grant corresponds to higher target uplink receiving power density; a BWP or carrier of the uplink grant has lower (negative acknowledgment) NACK ratio or hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission ratio; a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant does not encounter power scaling while a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the another uplink grant encounters power scaling; a carrier corresponding to the uplink grant is of lower carrier frequency; the uplink grant has a lower modulation and coding scheme (MCS) index; the uplink grant has a higher reliability in a case that media access control (MAC) duplication is deactivated, e.g. the uplink grant is used in the case that MAC duplication is deactivated; and the uplink grant is used for MAC duplication while the another uplink grant is not used for MAC duplication in a case that MAC duplication is activated.

[0016] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant. An uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied: a PUSCH transmission duration of the uplink grant is shorter; a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant occurs earlier; and a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant ends earlier. [0017] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on deployment dependent configuration. An uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied: a PUSCH subcarrier spacing (SCS) of the uplink grant is larger; the uplink grant corresponds to a frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier instead of a time division duplexing (TDD) carrier; the uplink grant belongs to a licensed carrier instead of an unlicensed carrier; the uplink grant belongs to a carrier/cell/BWP having a higher configured priority; the uplink grant belongs to a primary cell instead of a secondary cell; and the uplink grant belongs to an initial/default BWP instead of a non-initial/non-default BWP. [0018] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on a capacity that may be provided by an uplink grant. An uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant may provide enough capacity to empty buffered data of the logical channel while the another uplink grant cannot provide the enough capacity.

[0019] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the prioritizing is performed based on one or more rules predefined in the terminal device or preconfigured through an air interface.

[0020] In an embodiment of the disclosure, MAC duplication is determined to be deactivated when one or more of the multiple uplink grants meet a BLER target expected for the logical channel. MAC duplication is determined to be activated when neither of the multiple uplink grants meets the BLER target expected for the logical channel.

[0021] In an embodiment of the disclosure, whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated is determined based on a criterion predefined in the terminal device or preconfigured through an air interface.

[0022] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises, during data transmission of the logical channel to a base station, indicating, to the base station, whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission. [0023] In an embodiment of the disclosure, whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission is indicated to the base station through demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence, or orthogonal cover code, or uplink control information (UCI) multiplexed in PUSCH.

[0024] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises providing user data and forwarding the user data to a host computer via the transmission to a base station. [0025] According to a second aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a terminal device. The terminal device comprises at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one memory contains instructions executable by the at least one processor, whereby the terminal device is operative to determine, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. The terminal device is further operative to, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritize the multiple uplink grants. The terminal device is further operative to select, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

[0026] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the terminal device is operative to perform the method according to the above first aspect.

[0027] According to a third aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer program product. The computer program product comprises instructions which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to the above first aspect.

[0028] According to a fourth aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium comprises instructions which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to the above first aspect.

[0029] According to a fifth aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a terminal device. The terminal device comprises a determination module for determining, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. The terminal device further comprises a prioritizing module for, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritizing the multiple uplink grants. The terminal device further comprises a selection module for selecting, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

[0030] According to a sixth aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method implemented in a communication system including a host computer, a base station and a terminal device. The method comprises, at the host computer, receiving user data transmitted to the base station from the terminal device. The terminal device determines, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. When determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the terminal device prioritizes the multiple uplink grants. The terminal device selects, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

[0031] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises, at the terminal device, providing the user data to the base station. [0032] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises, at the terminal device, executing a client application, thereby providing the user data to be transmitted. The method further comprises, at the host computer, executing a host application associated with the client application.

[0033] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises, at the terminal device, executing a client application. The method further comprises, at the terminal device, receiving input data to the client application. The input data is provided at the host computer by executing a host application associated with the client application. The user data to be transmitted is provided by the client application in response to the input data. [0034] According to a seventh aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a communication system including a host computer. The host computer comprises a communication interface configured to receive user data originating from a transmission from a terminal device to a base station. The terminal device comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of the terminal device is configured to determine, for a logical channel of the terminal device, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. The processing circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritize the multiple uplink grants. The processing circuitry of the terminal device is further configured to select, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

[0035] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the communication system further includes the terminal device.

[0036] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the communication system further includes the base station. The base station comprises a radio interface configured to communicate with the terminal device and a communication interface configured to forward to the host computer the user data carried by a transmission from the terminal device to the base station.

[0037] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application. The processing circuitry of the terminal device is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data.

[0038] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the processing circuitry of the host computer is configured to execute a host application, thereby providing request data. The processing circuitry of the terminal device is configured to execute a client application associated with the host application, thereby providing the user data in response to the request data. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039] These and other objects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which are to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. [0040] FIGURE la is a block diagram showing embodiments of a wireless communications system;

[0041] FIGURE lb is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a terminal device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0042] FIGURE 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a terminal device according to another embodiment of the disclosure;

[0043] FIGURE 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a terminal device according to another embodiment of the disclosure;

[0044] FIGURE 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at a terminal device according to another embodiment of the disclosure;

[0045] FIGURE 5 is a block diagram showing an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the disclosure;

[0046] FIGURE 6 is a block diagram showing a terminal device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0047] FIGURE 7 is a diagram showing a telecommunication network connected via an intermediate network to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments;

[0048] FIGURE 8 is a diagram showing a host computer communicating via a base station with a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments;

[0049] FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system in accordance with some embodiments; and [0050] FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system in accordance with some embodiments.

Detailed Description [0051] For the purpose of explanation, details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed. It is apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be implemented without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement.

[0052] In carrier aggregation (CA) case, if the MAC entity is requested to simultaneously transmit multiple MAC protocol data units (PDUs), or if the MAC entity receives multiple UL grants within one or more coinciding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) occasions, i.e. on different serving cells, it is up to UE such as terminal device implementation in which order the grants are processed.

[0053] In the current technical specification, LCP procedures and restriction do not decide on selecting between two grants if both can be used for URLLC data transmission according to the configured LCP parameters, especially if a UE such as theterminal device has two or more serving cells, e.g., CA, or multiple active BWPs and both URLLC and eMBB data (or other entertainment services such as video or game) is available. Such problem may also exist if there are two grants belonging to the same BWP, if multiple simultaneous UL grants in the same BWP are allowed in the future.

[0054] Hereinafter, the solutions will be described with reference to FIGs. la- 10. The present disclosure proposes improved solutions for uplink data transmission of logical channel. These solutions may be applied to a wireless communication system 100 including a terminal device 120 and a base station 110 as shown in FIGURE la. The terminal device 120 may communicate through a radio access communication link with the base station 110. The base station 110 provides radio access communication links to terminal devices, such as the terminal device 120, that are within its communication service cell 115. Note that the communications may be performed between the terminal device 120 and the base station 110 according to any suitable communication standards and protocols. The terminal device 120 may also be referred to as, for example, device, access terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile unit, subscriber station, or the like. It may refer to any end device that can access a wireless communication network and receive services therefrom. By way of example and not limitation, the terminal device 120 may include a portable computer, an image capture terminal device such as a digital camera, a gaming terminal device, a music storage and playback appliance, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet, a wearable device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or the like.

[0055] In an Internet of things (IoT) scenario, the terminal device 120 may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another terminal device and/or a network equipment. In this case, the terminal device 120 may be a machine-to- machine (M2M) device, which may, in a 3 GPP context, be referred to as a machine- type communication (MTC) device. Particular examples of such machines or devices may include sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrial machineries, bikes, vehicles, or home or personal appliances, e.g. refrigerators, televisions, personal wearables such as watches, and so on.

[0056] FIGURE lb is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at the terminal device 120 according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0057] At block 102, the terminal device 120 determines, for a logical channel of the terminal device 120, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel. For example, an uplink grant may be determined to be applicable for data transmission of the logical channel when all LCP restrictions of the logical channel are met or fulfilled with the uplink grant. The multiple uplink grants may be neighboring or overlapped in time domain and belong to different cells of a same cell group, or different BWPs of a same cell, or different cells of different cell groups, or a same BWP.

[0058] At block 104, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the terminal device 120 prioritizes the multiple uplink grants. This is to later on be able to select one or more uplink grants for the data transmission of the logical channel in a priority descending order. This may be performed by determining a priority for each of the multiple uplink grants. As a first option, block 104 may be performed based on a BLER target expected for an uplink grant. Various factors may be considered to evaluate the BLER target expected for an uplink grant. For example, the first factor may be target uplink receiving power density. For this first factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant corresponds to higher target uplink receiving power density (e.g. P0_PUSCH). The second factor may be NACK ratio or HARQ retransmission ratio (or explicit/implicit HARQ feedback). For this second factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a BWP or carrier of the uplink grant has lower NACK ratio or HARQ retransmission ratio. The third factor may be power scaling situation. For this third factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant does not encounter power scaling while a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the another uplink grant encounters power scaling. In other word, an uplink grant whose corresponding PUSCH transmission encounters power scaling is lower prioritized. The fourth factor may be carrier frequency. For this fourth factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a carrier corresponding to the uplink grant is of lower carrier frequency. The fifth factor may be MCS index. For this fifth factor, an uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant has a lower MCS index.

[0059] The sixth factor may be MAC duplication. It has been proposed in 3GPP TDoc “R2- 1808377” that MAC duplication may be considered as an alternative solution. In such scenario, conditional MAC duplication (explained in 5.3.4) should be enabled. If duplication is deactivated, then multiple (two) logical channels (transmission blocks simply referred to as TBs) may be sent over both grants. Hence higher reliability grant may be given a higher priority. Thus, for this sixth factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant has a higher reliability in a case that MAC duplication is deactivated. E.g. the uplink grant is used in the case that MAC duplication is deactivated. On the other hand, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant is used for MAC duplication while the another uplink grant is not used for MAC duplication in a case that MAC duplication is activated. It should be noted that more than one factors among the above described factors may be considered in combination to determine a priority for an uplink grant. For example, each factor may be assigned with a corresponding weight. If an uplink grant satisfies the condition of being higher prioritized as described above for a factor, the corresponding weight may be assigned to the uplink grant. The sum of all such assigned weights may be used as a value for indicating the priority of the uplink grant.

[0060] As a second option, block 104 may be performed based on a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant. Various factors may be considered to evaluate the delivery latency expected for an uplink grant. For example, the first factor may be PUSCH transmission duration. For this first factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a PUSCH transmission duration of the uplink grant is shorter. The second factor may be the beginning time point of PUSCH transmission. For this second factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant occurs earlier. The third factor may be the ending point of PUSCH transmission. For this third factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant ends earlier. Similar to the above first option, more than one factor among the above described factors may be considered in combination. [0061] As a third option, block 104 may be performed based on deployment dependent configuration. Various factors may be considered to evaluate the deployment dependent configuration. For example, the first factor may be PUSCH SCS. For this first factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when a PUSCH SCS of the uplink grant is larger, e.g. 30 kHz SCS is preferred over 15 kHz SCS. The second factor may be FDD or TDD. For this second factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant corresponds to a FDD carrier instead of a TDD carrier. The third factor may be licensed carrier or unlicensed carrier. For this third factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant belongs to a licensed carrier instead of an unlicensed carrier. The fourth factor may be the configured priority of a carrier/cell/BWP. For this fourth factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant belongs to a carrier/cell/BWP having a higher configured priority to be selected. The fifth factor may be primary cell or secondary cell. For this fifth factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant belongs to a primary cell instead of a secondary cell. The sixth factor may be initial/default BWP or non-initial/non-default BWP. For this sixth factor, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant belongs to an initial/default BWP instead of a non-initial/non-default BWP. Similar to the above first option, more than one factors among the above described factors may be considered in combination.

[0062] As a fourth option, block 104 may be performed based on a capacity that may be provided by an uplink grant. For this option, an uplink grant may be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant may provide enough capacity to empty buffered data of the logical channel while the another uplink grant cannot provide the enough capacity. It should be noted that more than one option among the above described options may be considered in combination to determine a priority for an uplink grant. For example, each option may be assigned with a corresponding weight. If an uplink grant satisfies the condition of being higher prioritized as described above for an option, the corresponding weight may be assigned to the uplink grant. The sum of all such assigned weights may be used as a value for indicating the priority of the uplink grant. It should also be noted that the above four options are merely exemplary examples for illustration purpose and any other suitable criteria may also be used. Optionally, any option described above may be embodied as a rule predefined in the terminal device 120 or preconfigured through an air interface.

[0063] At block 106, the terminal device 120 selects, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants. As an exemplary case, the terminal device 120 may have multiple simultaneous services of different QoS requirements, i.e. critical traffic, e.g. URLLC, and non-critical traffic, e.g., eMBB. The network may allocate multiple uplink grants for the terminal device 120, which target respective services. There may be multiple received uplink grants which fulfill the configured LCP restriction of the URLLC service. Then, according to the method of FIGURE lb, the terminal device 120 may prioritize the multiple uplink grants and select a grant with highest priority for the data transmission of the logical channel such as the URLLC data transmission. In this way, better QoS management may be achieved for the terminal device 120.

[0064] FIGURE 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at the terminal device 120 according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The method may be applicable to a scenario that multiple logical channels of the terminal device 120 that have data to transmit. At block 202, the terminal device 120 sorts multiple logical channels of the terminal device 120 that have data to transmit. For example, the multiple logical channels may be sorted in a priority descending order, i.e. the higher priority logical channel is put first. Note that the present disclosure is not limited in the sorting method used at block 202. At block 204, for each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels, blocks 102-106 are performed. That is, for each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels: the determining at block 102 is performed for the logical channel, and when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the prioritizing at block 104 and the selecting at block 106 are performed for the logical channel.

[0065] The following is an example of the terminal device 120 actions. Step 1 : The terminal device 120 finds the LCHs that have data; if no LCH has data to transmit, then exit the procedure. Step 2: The terminal device 120 then sorts these LCHs with the descending priority order, i.e., the high priority LCH is put first. Step 3: The terminal device 120 performs the UL grant selection according to the below section. Step 4: The terminal device 120 performs LCP according to a current MAC rule for the selected UL grant. Step 5: The terminal device 120 goes back to step 1. After performing the above procedure, the terminal device 120 performs data transmission for the LCHs with the respectively selected UL grants. There is an iterative approach; wherein the LCHs are sorted with descening priority so for each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels, blocks 102-106 are performed in decreasing order.

[0066] FIGURE 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at the terminal device 120 according to another embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, the method comprises blocks 102-106 or blocks 202-204 and block 308. At block 308, the terminal device 120 performs an LCP procedure for the selected one or more uplink grants. By doing so, if an uplink grant selected for one logical channel is sufficiently large, this uplink grant may also be used for another logical channel such that the uplink grant may be sufficiently utilized. For example, the LCP procedure may be performed according to an existing MAC rule.

[0067] FIGURE 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented at the terminal device 120 according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The method may be applicable to a scenario that MAC duplication may be conditionally activated. At block 402, the terminal device 120 performs blocks 102-106 or blocks 202-204. During this process, the terminal device 120 may determine whether a MAC duplication is activated or deactivated in block 104. For example, the MAC duplication may be determined to be deactivated when one or more of the multiple uplink grants meet a BLER target expected for the logical channel. On the other hand, a MAC duplication may be determined to be activated when neither of the multiple uplink grants meets the BLER target expected for the logical channel. Optionally, a MAC duplication is activated or deactivated may be determined based on a criterion predefined in the terminal device 120 or preconfigured through an air interface. Then, the sixth factor for the above first option may be considered to perform block 104.

[0068] At block 408, the terminal device 120 performs an LCP procedure for the selected one or more uplink grants. At block 410, during data transmission of the logical channel to a base station 110, the terminal device 120 indicates, to the base station 110, whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission. This indication may be provided through DMRS sequence, or orthogonal cover code, or UCT multiplexed in PUSCH It should be noted that two blocks shown in succession in the figures may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.

[0069] Now, several embodiments will be described to further explain the principle of the present disclosure. As a first embodiment, the uplink grants may be prioritized based on power control configuration. Suppose the base station 110, e.g. a gNB, allocates grants that meet the LCP procedures of a UE’s such as the terminal device’s 120 logical channels (LCHs), i.e. the grants have similar PUSCH duration, reliability target, and sub-carrier spacing. Then the UE such as the terminal device 120 may revert to the configured power control, configured per grant by the gNB, such as the base station 110. The UE such as the terminal device 120 shall select the grant that achieves the targeted BLER and higher received power density. Hence the power control configuration may preferably be transparent to MAC from physical layer (PHY). The grant selection may be the result of the following optimization, based on the UE’s such as the terminal device’s 120 transmission power control (TPC) (see 3GPP TS 38.213):

9(Si fi bd = argmin P_ci i,bi> ^pc2,f2,b2), where g(ci, f_i b_t ) is the grant on cell c_L , carrier f and bandwidth part b_{L .} The above- mentioned power element, P_{ci i,bi} , is defined as follows:

Note that both grants have similar target BLER. Then, the UE such as the terminal device 120 may preferably transmit the EIRLLC traffic on the selected grant with higher receiving power density. In contrast, the eMBB data may be sent over the grant with lower receiving power density.

[0070] As a second embodiment, the uplink grants may be prioritized based on PUSCH duration. Assuming a base station 110, e.g. a gNB, allocates two grants, with different PUSCH duration, yet both meet the URLLC traffic’s PUSCH duration requirement. Then, the UE such as the terminal device 120 may preferably select the larger PUSCH duration grant to send the eMBB traffic, and the grant with shorter PUSCH duration to send the URLLC traffic. As an example, this may be achieved by multiplexing first the grant with the shorter PUSCH duration. Hence the critical LCH will fill it first because of the existing LCH multiplexing/prioritization rule. As another example, this may be achieved by enabling the addition of minimum PUSCH duration restriction, such that eMBB only fit the grant with higher duration than the restriction, conditional on the availability of multiple grants with different durations.

[0071] As a third embodiment, the uplink grants may be prioritized based on primary and/or secondary cell restriction. For example, a way of realizing the aforementioned rules that related to primary and/or secondary cells is to introduce a LCH’s restriction on eMBB to operate only on secondary cell’s grant, or URLLC to operate only on primary cell’s grant, conditional on the existence of multiple grants.

[0072] As a fourth embodiment, the uplink grants may be prioritized based on conditional MAC duplication. The network may configure UEs such as the terminal device 120 to select more than one UL grants for MAC layer duplication, i.e. TB or MAC PDU duplication. The base station 110, e.g. a gNB, may activate or deactivate such duplication to obtain the advantages of MAC duplication and combination. [0073] In this embodiment, the gNB, such as the base station 110, may configure certain criteria for the UE such as the terminal device 120 to follow on whether to activate or de-activate a conditional duplication of the MAC PDU. An example of the gNB criteria for activation or deactivation of MAC duplication is that the UE such as the terminal device 120 should check the grant BLER and latency target. There may be two cases. For case a), if any of the grants meets the total BLER target, which was intended by the duplication scheme, for the URLLC traffic, the UE, such as the terminal device 120, may not perform the duplication and only use one of such grants. For case b), if neither of the grants meets the BLER requirement of the URLLC traffic, the UE, such as the terminal device 120, keeps the duplication transmission and uses more than one UL grants.

[0074] In the above case a), if there are multiple traffic types, e.g. URLLC or eMBB, to be transmitted, the UE, such as the terminal device 120, may send the eMBB (non- critical) traffic on the other unused grant. This enables the achievement of higher spectral efficiency while meeting reliability and /or latency requirements. Further, this also enables the UE such as the terminal device 120 to save battery life, i.e. a higher energy efficient system may be provided.

[0075] In any of the above two cases, the UE, such as the terminal device 120, may indicate to the gNB, such as the base station 110, which methodology did it use to send LCH to the gNB, such as the base station 110, i.e. either it is a duplication or an ordinary transmission. One indication methodology may be via different DMRS sequences (e.g. different cyclic shift), orthogonal cover codes, associated UCI multiplexed in the PUSCH.

[0076] It should be noted the embodiments described above may be combined in any suitable way.

[0077] FIGURE 5 is a block diagram showing an apparatus suitable for use in practicing some embodiments of the disclosure. For example, any one of the terminal device 120 and the base station 110 described above may be implemented through the apparatus 500. The apparatus 500 may therefore be referred to as the terminal device 120, 500. As shown, the apparatus 500 may include a processor 510, a memory 520 that stores a program, and a communication interface 530 for communicating data with other external devices through wired and/or wireless communication.

[0078] The program includes program instructions that, when executed by the processor 510, enable the apparatus 500 to operate in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, as discussed above. That is, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented at least in part by computer software executable by the processor 510, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0079] The memory 520 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memories, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memories and removable memories. The processor 510 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on multi-core processor architectures, as non-limiting examples.

[0080] FIGURE 6 is a block diagram showing a terminal device 600 according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The terminal device 600 may e.g. be the terminal device 120, and is referred to as the terminal device 120, 600. As shown, the terminal device 120, 600 the terminal device 120, 600 may comprise a determination module 602, a prioritizing module 604 and a selection module 606. The determination module 602 may be configured to determine, for a logical channel of the terminal device 120, whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel, as described above with respect to block 102. The prioritizing module 604 may be configured to, when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritize the multiple uplink grants, as described above with respect to block 104. The selection module 606 may be configured to select, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants, as described above with respect to block 106. The modules described above may be implemented by hardware, or software, or a combination of both. [0081] With reference to FIGURE 7, in accordance with an embodiment, a communication system includes telecommunication network 3210, such as a 3GPP- type cellular network, which comprises access network 3211, such as a radio access network, and core network 3214. Access network 3211 comprises a plurality of base stations 3212a, 3212b, 3212c, such as NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining a corresponding coverage area 3213a, 3213b, 3213c. Each base station 3212a, 3212b, 3212c is connectable to core network 3214 over a wired or wireless connection 3215. A first UE 3291 located in coverage area 3213c is configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, the corresponding base station 3212c. A second UE 3292 in coverage area 3213a is wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 3212a. While a plurality of UEs 3291, 3292 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base station 3212.

[0082] Telecommunication network 3210 is itself connected to host computer 3230, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or as processing resources in a server farm. Host computer 3230 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections 3221 and 3222 between telecommunication network 3210 and host computer 3230 may extend directly from core network 3214 to host computer 3230 or may go via an optional intermediate network 3220. Intermediate network 3220 may be one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network 3220, if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 3220 may comprise two or more sub networks (not shown).

[0083] The communication system of FIGURE 7 as a whole enables connectivity between the connected UEs 3291, 3292 and host computer 3230. The connectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 3250. Host computer 3230 and the connected UEs 3291, 3292 are configured to communicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 3250, using access network 3211, core network 3214, any intermediate network 3220 and possible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 3250 may be transparent in the sense that the participating communication devices through which OTT connection 3250 passes are unaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 3212 may not or need not be informed about the past routing of an incoming downlink communication with data originating from host computer 3230 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 3291. Similarly, base station 3212 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UE 3291 towards the host computer 3230.

[0084] Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE, base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to FIGURE 8. In communication system 3300, host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including communication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 3300. Host computer 3310 further comprises processing circuitry 3318, which may have storage and/or processing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 3318 may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 3310 further comprises software 3311, which is stored in or accessible by host computer 3310 and executable by processing circuitry 3318. Software 3311 includes host application 3312. Host application 3312 may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 3330 connecting via OTT connection 3350 terminating at UE 3330 and host computer 3310. In providing the service to the remote user, host application 3312 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTT connection 3350.

[0085] Communication system 3300 further includes base station 3320 provided in a telecommunication system and comprising hardware 3325 enabling it to communicate with host computer 3310 and with UE 3330. Hardware 3325 may include communication interface 3326 for setting up and maintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of communication system 3300, as well as radio interface 3327 for setting up and maintaining at least wireless connection 3370 with UE 3330 located in a coverage area (not shown in FIGURE 8) served by base station 3320. Communication interface 3326 may be configured to facilitate connection 3360 to host computer 3310. Connection 3360 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (not shown in FIGURE 8) of the telecommunication system and/or through one or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In the embodiment shown, hardware 3325 of base station 3320 further includes processing circuitry 3328, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Base station 3320 further has software 3321 stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

[0086] Communication system 3300 further includes UE 3330 already referred to. Its hardware 3335 may include radio interface 3337 configured to set up and maintain wireless connection 3370 with a base station serving a coverage area in which UE 3330 is currently located. Hardware 3335 of UE 3330 further includes processing circuitry 3338, which may comprise one or more programmable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 3330 further comprises software 3331, which is stored in or accessible by UE 3330 and executable by processing circuitry 3338. Software 3331 includes client application 3332. Client application 3332 may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 3330, with the support of host computer 3310. In host computer 3310, an executing host application 3312 may communicate with the executing client application 3332 via OTT connection 3350 terminating at UE 3330 and host computer 3310. In providing the service to the user, client application 3332 may receive request data from host application 3312 and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connection 3350 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Client application 3332 may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides.

[0087] It is noted that host computer 3310, base station 3320 and UE 3330 illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be similar or identical to host computer 3230, one of base stations 3212a, 3212b, 3212c and one of UEs 3291, 3292 of FIGURE 7, respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entities may be as shown in FIGURE 8 and independently, the surrounding network topology may be that of FIGURE 7.

[0088] In FIGURE 8, OTT connection 3350 has been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between host computer 3310 and UE 3330 via base station 3320, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices. Network infrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured to hide from UE 3330 or from the service provider operating host computer 3310, or both. While OTT connection 3350 is active, the network infrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamically changes the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing consideration or reconfiguration of the network).

[0089] Wireless connection 3370 between UE 3330 and base station 3320 is in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to UE 3330 using OTT connection 3350, in which wireless connection 3370 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the spectral efficiency and power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time and extended battery lifetime.

[0090] A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 3350 between host computer 3310 and UE 3330, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 3350 may be implemented in software 3311 and hardware 3315 of host computer 3310 or in software 3331 and hardware 3335 of UE 3330, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with communication devices through which OTT connection 3350 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software 3311, 3331 may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 3350 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base station 3320, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station 3320. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling facilitating host computer 3310’s measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may be implemented in that software 3311 and 3331 causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or‘dummy’ messages, using OTT connection 3350 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

[0091] FIGURE 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGURE 7 and FIGURE 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 9 will be included in this section. In step 3610 (which may be optional), the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionally or alternatively, in step 3620, the UE provides user data. In substep 3621 (which may be optional) of step 3620, the UE provides the user data by executing a client application. In substep 3611 (which may be optional) of step 3610, the UE executes a client application which provides the user data in reaction to the received input data provided by the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed client application may further consider user input received from the user. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE initiates, in substep 3630 (which may be optional), transmission of the user data to the host computer. In step 3640 of the method, the host computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.

[0092] FIGURE 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in a communication system, in accordance with one embodiment. The communication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UE which may be those described with reference to FIGs. 7 and 8. For simplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIGURE 10 will be included in this section. In step 3710 (which may be optional), in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. In step 3720 (which may be optional), the base station initiates transmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step 3730 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

[0093] In general, the various exemplary embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. For example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0094] As such, it should be appreciated that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit chips and modules. It should thus be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be realized in an apparatus that is embodied as an integrated circuit, where the integrated circuit may comprise circuitry (as well as possibly firmware) for embodying at least one or more of a data processor, a digital signal processor, baseband circuitry and radio frequency circuitry that are configurable so as to operate in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0095] It should be appreciated that at least some aspects of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure may be embodied in computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types when executed by a processor in a computer or other device. The computer executable instructions may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid state memory, RAM, etc. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the function of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. In addition, the function may be embodied in whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents such as integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the like.

[0096] References in the present disclosure to“one embodiment”,“an embodiment” and so on, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but it is not necessary that every embodiment includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0097] It should be understood that, although the terms“first”,“second” and so on may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element may be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As used herein, the term“and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms.

[0098] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms“a”,“an” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises”,“comprising”, “has”,“having”, “includes” and/or“including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and / or combinations thereof. The terms“connect”, “connects”, “connecting” and/or“connected” used herein cover the direct and/or indirect connection between two elements.

[0099] The present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or any generalization thereof. Various modifications and adaptations to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-Limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A method implemented at a terminal device (120), the method comprising:

determining (102), for a logical channel of the terminal device (120), whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel;

when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritizing (104) the multiple uplink grants; and

selecting (106), for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: sorting (202) multiple logical channels of the terminal device (120) that have data to transmit; and wherein for each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels: the determining (102) is performed for the logical channel, and when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, the prioritizing (104) and the selecting (106) are performed for the logical channel.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

performing (308) logical channel prioritization, LCP, procedure for the selected one or more uplink grants.

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein an uplink grant is determined to be applicable for data transmission of the logical channel when LCP restrictions of the logical channel are met with the uplink grant.

5. The method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the multiple uplink grants belong to different cells of a same cell group, or different bandwidth parts, BWPs, of a same cell, or different cells of different cell groups, or a same BWP.

6. The method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on at least one of:

a block error rate, BLER, target expected for an uplink grant;

a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant;

deployment dependent configuration; and

a capacity that can be provided by an uplink grant;

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on a BLER target expected for an uplink grant; and

wherein an uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied:

the uplink grant corresponds to higher target uplink receiving power density; a BWP or carrier of the uplink grant has lower negative acknowledgment, NACK, ratio or hybrid automatic repeat request, HARQ, retransmission ratio;

a physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, transmission corresponding to the uplink grant does not encounter power scaling while a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the another uplink grant encounters power scaling;

a carrier corresponding to the uplink grant is of lower carrier frequency;

the uplink grant has a lower modulation and coding scheme, MCS, index; the uplink grant has a higher reliability in a case that media access control, MAC, duplication is deactivated; and

the uplink grant is used for MAC duplication while the another uplink grant is not used for MAC duplication in a case that MAC duplication is activated.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant; and wherein an uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied:

a PUSCH transmission duration of the uplink grant is shorter;

a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant occurs earlier; and a PUSCH transmission corresponding to the uplink grant ends earlier.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on deployment dependent configuration; and

a PUSCH subcarrier spacing, SCS, of the uplink grant is larger;

the uplink grant corresponds to a frequency division duplexing, FDD, carrier instead of a time division duplexing, TDD, carrier;

the uplink grant belongs to a licensed carrier instead of an unlicensed carrier; the uplink grant belongs to a carrier/cell/BWP having a higher configured priority;

the uplink grant belongs to a primary cell instead of a secondary cell; and the uplink grant belongs to an initial/default BWP instead of a non-initial/non- default BWP.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on a capacity that can be provided by an uplink grant; and

wherein an uplink grant is higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant can provide enough capacity to empty buffered data of the logical channel while the another uplink grant cannot provide the enough capacity.

11. The method according to any of claims 6 to 10, wherein the prioritizing (104) is performed based on one or more rules predefined in the terminal device (120) or preconfigured through an air interface.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein MAC duplication is determined to be deactivated when one or more of the multiple uplink grants meet a BLER target expected for the logical channel; and

wherein MAC duplication is determined to be activated when neither of the multiple uplink grants meets the BLER target expected for the logical channel.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated is determined based on a criterion predefined in the terminal device (120) or preconfigured through an air interface.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising:

during data transmission of the logical channel to a base station (110), indicating (410), to the base station (110), whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission is indicated to the base station (110) through demodulation reference signal, DMRS, sequence, or orthogonal cover code, or uplink control information, UCI, multiplexed in PUSCH.

16. A terminal device (120, 500) comprising:

at least one processor (510); and

at least one memory (520), the at least one memory (520) containing instructions executable by the at least one processor (510), whereby the terminal device (120, 500) is operative to:

determine, for a logical channel of the terminal device (120), whether there are multiple uplink grants that are applicable for data transmission of the logical channel; when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, prioritize the multiple uplink grants; and select, for data transmission of the logical channel, one or more uplink grants according to priority descending order, from the prioritized multiple uplink grants.

17. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 16, further being operative to:

sort multiple logical channels of the terminal device (120) that have data to transmit; and

wherein the terminal device (120, 600) further is operative to, for each logical channel of the sorted multiple logical channels: performing the determining (102) for the logical channel, and when determining that there are the multiple uplink grants, performing the prioritizing and the selecting are for the logical channel.

18. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 16 or 17, further being operative to:

perform logical channel prioritization, LCP, procedure for the selected one or more uplink grants.

19. The terminal device (120, 600) according to any of claims 16 to 18, wherein an uplink grant is to be determined to be applicable for data transmission of the logical channel when LCP restrictions of the logical channel are met with the uplink grant.

20. The terminal device (120, 600) according to any of claims 16 to 19, wherein the multiple uplink grants are adapted to belong to different cells of a same cell group, or different bandwidth parts, BWPs, of a same cell, or different cells of different cell groups, or a same BWP.

21. The terminal device (120, 600) according to any of claims 16 to 20, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on at least one of:

a block error rate, BLER, target expected for an uplink grant; a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant;

deployment dependent configuration; and

a capacity that can be provided by an uplink grant;

22. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 21, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on a BLER target expected for an uplink grant; and

wherein an uplink grant is adapted to be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when one or more of following conditions are satisfied:

a carrier corresponding to the uplink grant is of lower carrier frequency;

23. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 21, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on a delivery latency expected for an uplink grant; and

a PUSCH transmission duration of the uplink grant is shorter;

24. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 21, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on deployment dependent configuration; and

a PUSCH subcarrier spacing, SCS, of the uplink grant is larger;

25. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 21, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on a capacity that can be provided by an uplink grant; and

wherein an uplink grant is adapted to be higher prioritized than another uplink grant when the uplink grant can provide enough capacity to empty buffered data of the logical channel while the another uplink grant cannot provide the enough capacity.

26. The terminal device (120, 600) according to any of claims 24 to 25, further being operative to perform the prioritizing based on one or more rules predefined in the terminal device (120) or preconfigured through an air interface.

27. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 22, wherein MAC duplication is to be determined to be deactivated when one or more of the multiple uplink grants meet a BLER target expected for the logical channel; and wherein MAC duplication is to be determined to be activated when neither of the multiple uplink grants meets the BLER target expected for the logical channel.

28. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 27, wherein whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated is adapted to be determined based on a criterion predefined in the terminal device (120) or preconfigured through an air interface.

29. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 27 or 28, further being operative to:

during data transmission of the logical channel to a base station (110), indicate to the base station (110), whether MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission.

30. The terminal device (120, 600) according to claim 29, wherein whether

MAC duplication is activated or deactivated for the data transmission is adapted to be indicated to the base station (110) through demodulation reference signal, DMRS, sequence, or orthogonal cover code, or uplink control information, UCI, multiplexed in PUSCH.

31. A computer program product comprising instructions which when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 15.

32. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 15.