WO2025208621A1

WO2025208621A1 - Frequency structure determination for sbfd

Info

Publication number: WO2025208621A1
Application number: PCT/CN2024/086242
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jie Gao; Nhat-Quang NHAN; Roberto Maldonado; Jingyuan Sun; Youngsoo Yuk; Guillermo POCOVI
Original assignee: Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd; Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy; Nokia Technologies Oy
Current assignee: Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd; Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy; Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2024-04-05
Filing date: 2024-04-05
Publication date: 2025-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-05

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a solution for determining a frequency structure for SBFD in a communication system. In an aspect, a terminal device may receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part. The terminal device may receive a second configuration for a resource allocation. The terminal device may determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration. Embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the amount of bits to be transmitted and reduce transmission power as well.

Description

FREQUENCY STRUCTURE DETERMINATION FOR SBFD

FIELD

Various example embodiments relate to the field of communication, and in particular, to devices, methods, apparatuses and a computer readable storage medium for determination of a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) .

BACKGROUND

A communication network can be seen as a facility that enables communications between two or more communication devices, or provides communication devices access to a data network. A mobile or wireless communication network is one example of a communication network.

Such communication networks operate in accordance with standards, such as those promulgated by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) or ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) . Examples of such standards include the so-called 5G (5th Generation) standard or other standards promulgated by 3GPP.

SUMMARY

In general, example embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solution for determining a frequency structure for SBFD.

In a first aspect, there is provided a terminal device. The terminal device comprises at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the terminal device at least to: receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part; receive a second configuration for a resource allocation; and determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In a second aspect, there is provided a network device. The network device comprises at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions for a location management function that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation; transmit the first configuration; and transmit the second configuration.

In a third aspect, there is provided a method. The method includes: receiving a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part; receiving a second configuration for a resource allocation; and determining a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In a fourth aspect, there is provided a method. The method includes: determining, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation; transmitting the first configuration; and transmitting the second configuration.

In a fifth aspect, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus includes: means for receiving a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part; means for receiving a second configuration for a resource allocation; and means for determining a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In a sixth aspect, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus includes: means for determining, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation; means for transmitting the first configuration; and means for transmitting the second configuration.

In a seventh aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the method in the third or fourth aspect.

In an eighth aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus at least to: receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part; receive a second configuration for a resource allocation; and determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus at least to: determine, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation; transmit the first configuration; and transmit the second configuration.

In a tenth aspect, there is provided a terminal device. The terminal device comprises: first receiving circuitry, configured to receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part; second receiving circuitry, configured to receive a second configuration for a resource allocation; and determining circuitry, configured to determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided an apparatus for a communication system. The apparatus comprises: determining circuitry, configured to determine, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation; first transmitting circuitry, configured to transmit the first configuration; and second transmitting circuitry, configured to transmit the second configuration.

It is to be understood that the summary section is not intended to identify key or essential features of embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily comprehensible through the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a network environment in which some example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. ;

Figs. 2A-2C illustrate schematic diagrams of FDD, TDD, and FDU respectively;

Fig. 3 illustrates an example diagram of SBFD slots and non-SBFD slots;

Figs. 4A-4C illustrate schematic diagrams of a UD structure, a DU structure, and a DUD structure for SBFD respectively;

Fig. 5A illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 5B illustrates an example flowchart performed by a terminal device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of SBFD frequency configurations for the cell BW or for the BWP;

Fig. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of SBFD frequency configurations for the cell BW and for the BWP;

Fig. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of RIV according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 9 illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Figs. 10A-10B illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 11 illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 12 illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Figs. 13A-13B illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 14 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining a DUD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 15 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the DU structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 16 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the UD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 17 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the DUD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 18 illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 19 illustrates an example signaling process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Figs. 20A-20C illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 21 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a terminal device in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 22 illustrates a flowchart of a method implemented at a network device for a communication system;

Fig. 23 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a device that is suitable for implementing some example embodiments of the present disclosure; and

Fig. 24 illustrates a block diagram of an example of a computer readable medium in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Principles of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to some example embodiments. It is to be understood that these embodiments are described only for the purpose of illustration and help those skilled in the art to understand and implement the present disclosure, without suggesting any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure. The disclosure described herein can be implemented in various manners other than the ones described below.

In the following description and claims, unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skills in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

References in the present disclosure to “one embodiment, ” “an embodiment, ” “an example embodiment, ” and the like 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 affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

It shall be understood that although the terms “first” and “second” etc. 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 could be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed terms.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. 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 etc., but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components and/or combinations thereof. As used herein, “at least one of the following: <a list of two or more elements>” and “at least one of <a list of two or more elements>” and similar wording, where the list of two or more elements are joined by “and” or “or” , mean at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all the elements.

As used in this application, the term “circuitry” may refer to one or more or all of the following:

(a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry) and

(b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable) :

(i) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit (s) with software/firmware and

(ii) any portions of hardware processor (s) with software (including digital signal processor (s) ) , software, and memory (ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and

(c) hardware circuit (s) and or processor (s) , such as a microprocessor (s) or a portion of a microprocessor (s) , that requires software (for example, firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.

This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

As used herein, the term “communication network” refers to a network following any suitable communication standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) , LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) , Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) , High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) , Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and so on. Furthermore, the communications between a terminal device and a network device in the communication network may be performed according to any suitable generation communication protocols, including, but not limited to, the fourth generation (4G) , 4.5G, the future fifth generation (5G) communication protocols, the future sixth generation (6G) communication protocols, and/or any other protocols either currently known or to be developed in the future. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied in various communication systems. Given the rapid development in communications, there will of course also be future type communication technologies and systems with which the present disclosure may be embodied. It should not be seen as limiting the scope of the present disclosure to only the aforementioned system.

As used herein, the term “network device” or “network node” refers to a node in a communication network via which a terminal device accesses the network and receives services therefrom. The network device may refer to a system simulator, a base station (BS) or an access point (AP) , for example, a node B (NodeB or NB) , an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB) , a NR NB (also referred to as a gNB) , a Remote Radio Unit (RRU) , a radio header (RH) , a remote radio head (RRH) , a relay, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, and so forth, depending on the applied terminology and technology.

The term “terminal device” refers to any end device that may be capable of wireless communication. By way of example rather than limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE) , a Subscriber Station (SS) , a Portable Subscriber Station, a Mobile Station (MS) , or an Access Terminal (AT) . The terminal device may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phones, wireless local loop phones, a tablet, a wearable terminal device, a personal digital assistant (PDA) , portable computers, desktop computer, image capture terminal devices such as digital cameras, gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback appliances, vehicle-mounted wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE) , laptop-mounted equipment (LME) , USB dongles, smart devices, wireless customer-premises equipment (CPE) , an Internet of Things (loT) device, a watch or other wearable, a head-mounted display (HMD) , a vehicle, a drone, a medical device and applications (for example, remote surgery) , an industrial device and applications (for example, a robot and/or other wireless devices operating in an industrial and/or an automated processing chain contexts) , a consumer electronics device, a device operating on commercial and/or industrial wireless networks, and the like. In the following description, the terms “terminal device” , “communication device” , “terminal” , “user equipment” and “UE” may be used interchangeably.

Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a network environment 100 in which some example embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. The environment 100, which may be a part of a communication network, includes a terminal device 110 and a network device 120.

The communication environment 100 may include any suitable number of devices and cells. In the communication environment 100, the network device 120 may provide services to the terminal device 110, and the network device 120 and the terminal device 110 may communicate data and control information with each other. In some embodiments, the network device 120 and the terminal device 110 may communicate with direct links/channels.

In the system 100, a link from the network device 120 to the terminal device 110 is referred to as a downlink (DL) , while a link from the terminal device 110 to the network device 120 is referred to as an uplink (UL) . In downlink, the network device 120 is a transmitting (TX) device (or a transmitter) and the terminal device 110 is a receiving (RX) device (or a receiver) . In uplink, the terminal device 110 is a transmitting TX device (or a transmitter) and the network device 120 is a RX device (or a receiver) . It is to be understood that the network device 120 may provide one or more serving cells. In some embodiments, the network device 120 may provide multiple cells.

It is to be understood that the particular number of various communication devices and the particular number of various communication links as shown in Fig. 1 is for illustration purpose only without suggesting any limitations. The communication environment 100 may include any suitable number of communication devices, any suitable number of communication links, and any suitable number of other elements adapted for implementing communications. In addition, it should be appreciated that there may be various wireless as well as wireline communications (if needed) among all of the communication devices.

Communications among devices in the communication environment 100 may be implemented according to any appropriate communication protocol (s) , including, but not limited to, cellular communication protocols of the third generation (3G) , the fourth generation (4G) and the fifth generation (5G) , the sixth generation (6G) , and on the like, wireless local network communication protocols such as Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 and the like, and/or any other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Moreover, the communication may utilize any appropriate wireless communication technology, comprising but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) , Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) , Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) , Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) , Time Division Duplex (TDD) , Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) , Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple (OFDM) , Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) and/or any other technologies currently known or to be developed in the future.

The third generation partnership project (3GPP) 5th generation (5G) New Radio (NR) supports two duplexing modes: frequency division duplex (FDD) for paired bands and time division duplex (TDD) for unpaired bands. Figs. 2A-2B illustrate schematic diagram 210 of FDD and diagram 220 of TDD respectively. In FDD, the frequency domain resource is split between downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions. In TDD, the time domain resource is split between downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions, and a limited time duration is allocated for the uplink in TDD, which would result in reduced coverage, increased latency, and reduced capacity.

Motivated by this, 3GPP has agreed to initiate a release 18 (Rel-18) study item on the evolution of duplexing operation in NR that addresses the challenges above. One of the objectives of the study item is to allow simultaneous DL and UL transmissions on different physical resource blocks (PRBs) /subbands within an unpaired wideband NR cell. A set of PRBs assigned to a specific link direction is known as subband and this new way of duplexing is denoted as subband full duplex (SBFD) . Specifying a support of SBFD operation in different RAN specifications has be studies currently.

In the context of the present disclosure, the duplexing scheme of SBFD may also be referred to as a cross-division duplexing (xDD) scheme or a Flexible Duplexing (FDU) scheme. Fig. 2C illustrates schematic diagram 230 of FDU.

Based on the description of SBFD operation shown in Fig. 2C, it may be observed that there are two slots types for both DL and UL transmissions: SBFD slots and non-SBFD slots. Non-SBFD slots are slots during which the entire band is sued for either DL transmission or UL transmission. SBFD slots are slots during which the non-overlapping a DL subband and a UL subband both exist.

Fig. 3 illustrates an example diagram 300 of SBFD slots and non-SBFD slots. Slots 332, slot 334, and slot 336 are shown in Fig. 3, in which slots 332 and slot 336 are non-SBFD slots, and the slots 334 SBFD slots. As shown in Fig. 3, a DL transmission may be performed within the non-SBFD slots 332 and SBFD slots 334, and a UL transmission may be performed within the SBFD slots 334 and non-SBFD slots 336. In other words, as shown in Fig. 3, a non-overlapping DL subband and an UL subband both exist during the SBFD slots 334, the entire band is used for DL transmission during the non-SBFD slots 332, and the entire band is used for UL transmission during the non-SBFD slots 336. In some examples, the non-SBFD slots 332 may also be called as normal slots or full DL slots, and the non-SBFD slots 336 may also be called as normal slots or full UL slots.

It is to be noted that SBFD slots and non-SBFD slots are illustrated with reference to Fig. 3, however, the present disclosure is also applied for SBFD mini-slots and non-SBFD mini-slots, or SBFD symbols and non-SBFD symbols, or other time units which are not listed herein.

SBFD allows simultaneous downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions on different physical resource blocks (PRBs) or subbands within an unpaired wideband new radio (NR) cell. Based on the current frequency domain structure of SBFD, there are several possible frequency structures for SBFD.

Several SBFD operation modes have been studied. It has been agreed in 3GPP that, the maximum number of UL subbands for SBFD operation in an SBFD symbol with a TDD carrier is one. The UL subband may be located at one side of the carrier or may be located at the middle part of the carrier. Based on the agreement on a UL subband, currently, there are three possible frequency structures for SBFD: UL-DL (UD) structure, DL-UL (DU) structure, or DL-UL-DL (DUD) structure.

Figs. 4A-4C illustrates schematic diagrams of a UL-DL (UD) structure 410, a DU structure 420, and a DUD structure 430 for SBFD respectively. For an UD structure, a SBFD slot includes one UL subband at one side (e.g. a higher frequency side) of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) and one DL subband at the other side (e.g. a lower frequency side) of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) . For example, as shown in Fig. 4A, the UD structure 410 includes a UL subband 411 and a DL subband 413. The UL subband 411 is at a higher frequency side of the channel bandwidth and the DL subband 413 is at the lower frequency side of the channel bandwidth.

For a DL-UL (DU) structure, one UL subband and one DL subband in the structure are in opposite sides of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) with counterpart subbands in the UD structure. For example, as shown in Fig. 4B, the DU structure 420 includes a DL subband 421 and a UL subband 423. The DL subband 421 is at a higher frequency side of the channel bandwidth and the UL subband 423 is at a lower frequency side of the channel bandwidth, being positioned oppositely with the counterpart DL subband 413 and UL subband 411 in the UD structure 410 as shown in Fig. 4A.

For a DL-UL-DL (DUD) structure, one SBFD slot includes one UL subband at the middle part of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) and two DL subbands at two sides of the channel bandwidth. For example, as shown in Fig. 4C, the DUD structure 430 includes a first DL subband 431, an UL subband 433, and a second DL subband 435. The UL subband 433 is between the first DL subband 431 and the second DL subband 435, which are at two side of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) , respectively.

Accordingly, in a situation that the three structures (UD, DU, DUD structures) are covered in a unified configuration, the frequency domain frame structure configuration should be able to support the following configurations: (1) one DL subband, one guardband, and one UL subband; and (2) one UL subband, two guardbands, and two DL subband. A guardband is a frequency band between two subbands.

It has been agreed in 3GPP that at least the operation mode with time and frequency locations of subbands for SBFD operation being known to a SBFD-aware terminal device is prioritized. One solution for signaling the terminal device about the SBFD frequency structure is implemented by using one or more bits to explicitly indicate information on a DL suband and a UL subband.

Taking a DUD configuration as shown in Fig. 4C for example. If the DL subband and the UL subband are explicitly signaled, at least 4 integer positions are needed to be indicated. Specifically, for the first DL subband 435, assuming the start resource block (RB) is RB0, there is no need to signal the start RB using one integer position. However, another position indicating a number of RBs in the DL subband 435 is needed. For the UL subband 433 in the DUD structure 430, two integer positions are needed to indicate a start RB and a number of RBs for the UL subband 433. For the second DL subband 431, assuming an end RB of the second subband 431 is the last RB in the carrier, one integer position is still needed to indicate a start RB for the second DL subband 431. As a number of the RBs in the second DL subband 431 may be determined based on the start RB and the end RB of the DL subband 431, a position indicating a number of RBs in the second DL subband 431 may be omitted. Even though, at least 4 integer positions in total are needed to be indicated. This may cause an increase in the total number of bits transmitted for notifying the terminal device about the SBFD structure, which may increase transmission power as well.

Accordingly, a unified solution for a network device to indicate a SBFD structure using fewer bits and for a terminal device to determine the SBFD structure effectively is desired.

Example embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solution for determining a frequency structure in the context of SBFD. Specifically, a terminal device may receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth (BW) or a bandwidth part (BWP) . The terminal device may receive a second configuration for a resource allocation. The terminal device may determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration. Principles and some example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 5A illustrates an example signaling process 500 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 500 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 500 may involve a terminal device 110. The process 500 may further involve a network device 120. It would be appreciated that although the process flow 500 has been described in the communication environment 100 of Fig. 1, this process flow may be likewise applied to other communication scenarios. Furthermore, in the process 500, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In the process 500, the network device 120 may determine (502) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth (BW) or a bandwidth part (BWP) and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) .

In some embodiments, the frequency structure for SBFD may include a first SBFD structure, a second SBFD structure, and a third SBFD structure. The first SBFD structure may include an UD structure as described in combination with Fig. 4A, in which a SBFD slot may include one UL subband at one side of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) and one DL subband at the other side of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) . For example, in UD structure, an UL subband is at a higher frequency side of the channel bandwidth and a DL subband is at a lower frequency side of the channel bandwidth.

The second SBFD structure may include a DU structure as described in combination with Fig. 4B, in which one UL subband and one DL subband in the structure are in opposite sides of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) with counterpart subbands in the UD structure. For example, in the DU structure, an UL subband is at a lower frequency side of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) and an DL subband is at a higher frequency side of the channel bandwidth (e.g., a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part) .

The third SBFD structure may include a DUD structure as described in combination with Fig. 4C, in which an UL subband is between a first DL subband and a second DL subband.

In some embodiments, the first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth (BW) or a bandwidth part (BWP) may include a SBFD frequency configuration configured for at least one of the cell BW or the BWP. The first configuration may include SBFD frequency configuration, which may include a SBFD structure and a size and a location for each subband in the SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the first configuration may be configured for a cell BW. Specifically, the first configuration configured for the cell BW may include a SBFD structure and a size and a location for each subband in the SBFD structure for the cell BW. In some embodiments, the first configuration may be configured for a BWP. Specifically, the first configuration configured for the BWP may include a SBFD structure and a size and a location for each subband in the SBFD structure for the BWP.

In some embodiments, the first configuration may be configured for a cell BW and a BWP. Specifically, the first configuration configured for the cell BW may include a SBFD structure and a size and a location for each subband in the SBFD structure for the cell BW, and may also include a SBFD structure and a size and a location for each subband in the SBFD structure for the BWP. The size and the location for each subband in the SBFD structure configured for the BWP may be determined based on the SBFD structure configured for the BWP and the SBFD frequency configuration configured for the cell BW. For example, in a scenario that the network device 120 configures the SBFD frequency configuration for the cell BW first, the network device 120 may further select a set of RBs as a BWP for SBFD frequency configuration. The start RB and the length of the BWP may be set based on the SBFD structure determined for the BWP, and the size and the location for each subband in the SBFD structure configured for the BWP may be determined based on the SBFD frequency configuration configured for the cell BW.

Fig. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of SBFD frequency configurations for the cell BW or for the BWP. As shown in Fig. 6, the network device 120 may configure the SBFD frequency configuration for the cell BW or BWP 644. In Fig. 6, and only for the purposes of illustration, the network device 120 configures the cell BW or BWP 644 with a DUD structure.

Assuming a length of the cell BW or the BWP 644 in terms of contiguously allocated RBs (referred to as “RB length” ) is 273 RBs length. The network device 120 configures the cell BW or the BWP 644 with the DUD structure, as shown in Fig. 6. The first DL subband 631 in the lower frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP 644 starts from RB #0 to RB #69 with a RB length of 70 RBs. The UL subband 635 in the cell BW or the BWP 644 starts from RB #75 to RB #174 with a RB length of 100 RBs. The second DL subband 639 in the cell BW or the BWP 644 starts from RB #180 to RB #272 with a RB length of 93 RBs. The first guardband GB #1 633 between the DL subband 631 and the UL subband 635 starts from RB #70 to RB #74 with a RB length of 5RBs. The second guardband GB #2 637 between the DL subband 639 and the UL subband 635 starts from RB #175 to RB #179 with a RB length of 5RBs.

Fig. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of SBFD frequency configurations for the cell BW and for the BWP. As shown in Fig. 7, the network device 120 may configure the SBFD frequency configuration for the cell BW 742. In Fig. 7, and only for the purposes of illustration, the network device 120 configures the cell BW 742 with a DUD structure.

The size and location for each subband in the DUD structure may be similar as shown in Fig. 6. The DUD structure is configured for the cell BW 742. The network device 120 further selects a set of RBs (for example, contiguous RBs) as a BWP 746 for SBFD frequency configuration. In some embodiments, the start RB and the RB length of the BWP may be set based on the SBFD configuration determined for the BWP, and the size and the location for each subband in the SBFD structure configured for the BWP is determined based on the SBFD frequency configuration configured for the cell BW and the SBFD configuration determined for the BWP.

As shown in Fig. 7, the network device 120 selects a set of RBs as the BWP 746. The network device 120 determines the SBFD structure for the BWP 746 is a DU structure, and sets the start RB of the BWP 746 within the UL subband 635 and an end RB within the DL subband 639 with a RB length l, as shown in Fig. 7.

Now referring back to Fig. 5A, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a resource indication value (RIV) , which indicates a start RB and a length in terms of contiguously allocated RBs (referred to as “RB length” ) of resource allocation.

In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband and a size of at least one guardband. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may equal to a RB length of the UL subband and size of one or more guardbands. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may equal to a RB length of the UL subband and size of one guardband. For another example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may equal to a RB length of the UL subband, a size of a first guardband, and a size of a second guardband. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a size of a guardband. For example, the range for the RIV may be from one side of a guardband to another side of the guardband. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband. In other words, a range for the RIV may be from one side of an UL subband to another side of the UL subband.

Fig. 8 illustrates schematic diagrams of RIV according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, RIV may indicate a range from one side of a guardband at the lower frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP to another side of a guardband at the higher frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP. For example, if the SBFD is the DUD structure, a first guardband is between a UL and a DL at the lower frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP, a second guardband is between the UL and a DL at the higher frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP, and the RB length may indicate a range from one side of the first guardband to one side of the second guardband. As shown in Fig. 8, a RB length 860 indicated by RIV is from a lower frequency side of a guardband (GB) #1 633 to a higher frequency side of a GB #2 637.

The RIV 860 as shown in Fig. 8 is only for the purposes of illustration. A configuration for RIV may be adjusted depending on various scenarios. For example, if the SBFD structure is the UD structure or the DU structure, as one guardband is in the SBFD structure, the RIV may indicate a range from one side (e.g., lower frequency side) of a guardband to another side (e.g., higher frequency side) of the guardband.

In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband. In other words, a range for the RIV may be from one side of an UL subband to another side of the UL subband. As shown in Fig. 8, a range from a lower frequency side of an UL subband 635 to a higher frequency side of the UL subband 635 may be determined as the RB length, as indicated by RIV 870.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that, the RB length indicated by the RIV is not limited, and varieties of other configurations may be configured for the RIV depending on various scenarios.

In some embodiments, the start RB indicated by the RIV may include a RB at the lowest frequency in the resource range as indicated by the RIV. In some embodiments, an index of the start RB may be determined referring to a start RB of the cell BW or BWP 644. An offset 1 may be used to determine the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV. For example, assuming the start RB of the cell BW or the BWP 644 is R₀, the index R_START for the start RB may be determined by: R_START=R₀+OFFSET1. Alternatively, the index R_START of the start RB may be determined referring to a reference point 846. An offset 2 may be used to determine the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV. For example, assuming RB at the reference point 846 is R_p, the index for the start RB may be determined by:R_START=R_p+OFFSET2.

Moreover, although the size of GB #1 and the size of GB #2 are shown as the same in Fig. 8, it should be understood that, the example of the GB sizes in Fig. 8 is for the purposes of illustration, and the size of GB #1 and the size of GB #2 may be different.

Optionally, the network device 120 may further determine (504) a third configuration for a guardband size based on the frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The guardband is a part between a DL subband and an UL subband. In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size and the value may indicate a size of a guardband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the size may include a RB size of the guardband, indicative of a size of guardband in terms of RBs. In some embodiments, one value for the guardband may indicate a same size of the guardbands in the DUD structure or indicate a size of the guardband in the UD structure or in the DU structure. In some embodiments, the third configuration for the size of the guardband may include two values, indicating a first size for a first guardband between a first DL subband and an UL subband and a second size for a second guardband between a second DL subband and the UL subband. The two values may be the same or be different, depending on specific configurations for the DUD structure.

The network device 120 may transmit (506) the first configuration for the cell BW or the BWP to the terminal device 110. The network device 120 may transmit (508) the second configuration to the terminal device 110. In addition, the network device 120 may further optionally transmit (510) the third configuration. It should be understood that, the order for the transmission of the first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration is not limited.

The terminal device 110 may receive the first configuration for at least one of the cell BW or the BWP and the second configuration for the resource allocation, e.g. the RIV. The terminal device 110 may optionally receive the third configuration when the network device 120 transmits the third configuration at 510.

The terminal device 110 may determine (512) a frequency structure for SBFD based on the first configuration and the second configuration. Alternatively, upon determining that the third configuration has been received from the network device 120, the terminal device 110 may determine (512) the frequency structure for SBFD based on the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration. In some embodiments, the RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length of a resource allocation in frequency domain. The frequency structure may include a UD structure, a DU structure, or a DUD structure.

As a brief summary of the operations of the terminal device 110 in some embodiments, Fig. 5B illustrates an example flowchart 500’ performed by a terminal device 110 during a process for determining a SBFD structure in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

At 530, the terminal device 110 may receive from the network device 120 a resource indicator value (RIV) indicating a start and length of a resource in frequency domain and at most two guardband (GB) sizes. The explanation for RIV and GB may be understood with reference to the description as stated above, and for the purposes of clarity and brevity, repetitive description is omitted herein.

At 540, the terminal device 110 may determine a SBFD frequency configuration including sizes and locations of a DL subband, an UL subband, and GB based on the RIV and at most two guardband sizes. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine a SBFD frequency configuration including sizes and locations of a DL subband, an UL subband, and GB based on the first configuration, the RIV and at most two guardband sizes. In some embodiments, the SBFD frequency structure may include a UD structure, a DU structure, or a DUD structure, which may be understood with reference to the description as stated above. Determination of the sizes and locations of subbands and GB will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.

Advantageously, in comparison with a solution of explicitly indicating each subband and guardband, embodiments of the present disclosure use less bits for SBFD frequency configuration and indication, and the terminal device can determine the SBFD structure without need for any explicitly configuration, reducing the amount of bits to be transmitted and reducing transmission power as well. In addition, uniform structure configuration parameters for different SBFD structures have been used to facilitate the terminal device in determination of the SBFD structures.

Fig. 9 illustrates an example signaling process 900 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 900 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 900 may involve a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. It would be appreciated that, in the process 900, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At 902, the network device 120 may determine a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The second configuration for the resource allocation may include RIV, and RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length. The network device 120 may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on a SBFD configuration configured for the cell BW or the BWP. In some embodiments, for a DUD structure, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to include a RB length of an UL subband and two sizes for two guardband (GB#1 and GB#2) in the frequency structure, in which a size for the GB#1 may be equal to a size for the GB #2. For a DU or UD structure, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to include a RB length of a size of GB. Operation 902 in the flowchart 900 is similar to the operation 502 in the flowchart 500, and for the purposes of brevity and clarity, repetitive descriptions are omitted herein.

At 904, the network device 120 may determine a third configuration for a guardband size based on the frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size and the value may indicate a size of a guardband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the size may include a RB size of the guardband, indicative of a size of guardband in terms of RB. In some embodiments, the value for the guardband may include a value indicating a same size of the guardbands in the DUD structure or indicating a size of the guardband in the UD structure or in the DU structure.

In some embodiments, the network device 120 may determine the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, and the frequency structure may include the UD structure, the DU structure, or the DUD structure.

In some embodiments, the network device 120 may determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) . The network device 120 may determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure (e.g., DUD structure) .

The network device 120 may transmit the first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration at 906, 908, and 910, respectively. The terminal device 110 may compare the RB length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size, at 912. The terminal device 110 may determine the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size at 914. In some embodiments, the operation 512 in Fig. 5A may be implemented by the operations 912 and 914.

In some embodiments, at 914, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size. Alternatively, at 914, the terminal device 110 may determine that frequency structure is a third SBFD structure (e.g., DUD structure) based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size.

Figs 10A-10B illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 10A, the terminal device 110 compares the RB length indicated by RIV with the value for the guardband size (referred to as “GB size” in Fig. 10A) . The terminal device 110 determines that the SBFD structure is UD structure or DU structure based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the GB size, as shown in Fig. 10A. Fig. 10A shown the UD structure for an example, it should be understood that, for the DU structure, the RB length indicated by RIV is also equal to the value for the guardband size.

Fig. 10B shows a DUD structure. As shown in Fig. 10B, the terminal device 110 may determine that frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size. The RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the GB size, indicating the SBFD structure is the third SBFD structure, for example, a DUD structure.

Referring back to Fig. 9, at 916, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size. The terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of a GB in the frequency structure, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size, in some embodiments.

For example, taking the structure as shown in Fig. 10B for example. The first configuration indicating the cell BW or the BWP are allocated with 273 RBs, starting from RB0, and the cell BW or the BWP is configured with the SBFD structure of DUD structure. The start RB indicated by RIV starts from 70, and RB length is 110. The GB size indicated by the third configuration is 5RBs. Accordingly, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure and a size and a location of a guardband, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size.

Specifically, the terminal device 110 may determine that the first DL subband 1031 in the lower frequency side of the cell BW or the BWP starts from RB #0 to RB #69 with a RB length of 70 RBs. The terminal device 110 may determine that UL subband 1035 in the cell BW or the BWP starts from RB #75 to RB #174 with a RB length of 100 RBs. The terminal device 110 may determine that the second DL subband 1039 in the cell BW or the BWP starts from RB #180 to RB #272 with a RB length of 93 RBs. The terminal device 110 may determine that the second guardband GB #2 between the DL subband 1039 and the UL subband 1035 starts from RB #175 to RB #179 with a RB length of 5RBs. The terminal device 110 may determine that the first guardband GB #1 1033 between the DL subband 1031 and the UL subband 1035 starts from RB #70 to RB #74 with a RB length of 5 RBs.

In some embodiments, after the terminal device 110 determines that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or the second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size, the terminal device 110 may further determine the specific SBFD structure that is configured for the terminal device.

In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure based on detecting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal (for example, a single-sideband (SSB) signal, or a tracking reference signal (TRS) ) in a lower frequency subband. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on detecting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal (for example, a single-sideband (SSB) signal, or a tracking reference signal (TRS) ) in a higher frequency subband. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband.

In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband. For example, comparing with the RB allocation of the downlink subband, a frequency structure with the UL subband being allocated with more RBs may be indicated as the UD structure. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband. For example, comparing with the RB allocation of the UL subband, a frequency structure with the DL subband being allocated with more RBs may be indicated as the DU structure.

By using one RIV and one GB size, both of the SBFD structure indication and location assignment may be implemented, reducing the amount of bits to be transmitted and reducing transmission power as well.

Fig. 11 illustrates an example signaling process 1100 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 1100 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 1100 may involve a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. It would be appreciated that, in the process 1100, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At 1102, the network device 120 may determine a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The second configuration for the resource allocation may include RIV, and RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length, as shown in Fig. 8. The network device 120 may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on SBFD configuration configured for the cell BW or the BWP. In some embodiments, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to be from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure, based on a determination that the SBFD structure configured is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) . In addition, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure or the second SBFD structure, the network device 120 may further determine that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent, that is, the network device 120 may not transmit the third configuration to the terminal device 110.

The network device 120 may transmit the first configuration and the second configuration at 1106 and 1108, respectively. The terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure or the second SBFD structure based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure and that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent.

At 1116, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a downlink subband, and a size and a location of a GB in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration. For example, taking the structure as shown in Fig. 10A for example. The first configuration indicating the cell BW or the BWP are allocated with 100 RBs, starting from RB0, and the cell BW or the BWP is configured with the SBFD structure of UD structure. The start RB indicated by RIV starts from 70, and RB length is 10, which is also equal to the GB size. Accordingly, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an UL subband and a size and a location of a DL subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration. The terminal device 110 may further determine a size and a location of a GB in the frequency structure based on the RIV and the first configuration.

In some embodiments, after the terminal device 110 determines that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or the second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) at 1110, the terminal device 110 may further determine the specific SBFD structure that is configured for the terminal device.

Fig. 12 illustrates an example signaling process 1200 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 1200 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 1200 may involve a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. It would be appreciated that, in the process 1200, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At 1202, the network device may determine a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The second configuration for the resource allocation may include RIV, and RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length, as shown in Fig. 8. The network device 120 may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on SBFD configuration configured for the cell BW or the BWP. In some embodiments, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to at least include a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband and a size for one guardband in the frequency structure. Alternatively, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband and two sizes for two guardbands (GB#1 and GB#2) in the frequency structure, in which a size for the GB#1 is equal to or different from a size for the GB #2. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband, as shown in Fig. 8.

At 1204, the network device 120 may determine a third configuration for a guardband size based on the frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size and the value may indicate a size of a guardband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the size may include a RB size of the guardband, indicative of a size of guardband in terms of RBs. In some embodiments, the value for the guardband may include a value indicating a same size of the guardbands in the DUD structure or indicating a size of the guardband in the UD structure or in the DU structure. In some embodiments, more than one value for the guardband may be used to indicated respective sizes of the guardbands.

In some embodiments, the network device 120 may determine the RIV, the first configuration, and the third configuration including the value for the guardband size based on SBFD configuration configured for the cell BW or the BWP, and the frequency structure may include the UD structure, the DU structure, or the DUD structure. In some embodiments, RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length. Accordingly, RIV may also indicate an end RB. Assuming an index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is I1 and the RB length indicated by RIV is L, and an end index I2 of the end RB indicated by RIV is: I2=I1+L-1. As described above, the RB length L indicated by RIV may at least include a RB length of an UL subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the network device 120 may determine that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure., e.g., UD structure. Alternatively, the network device 120 may determine that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure., e.g., DU structure. In other words, the network device 120 may align the end RB indicated by the RIV with the end RB of the cell BW or the BWP based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure., e.g., UD structure, and align the start RB indicated by the RIV with the start RB of the cell BW or the BWP based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure, e.g., DU structure.

The network device 120 may transmit the first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration at 1206, 1208, and 1210, respectively. The terminal device 110 may determine the frequency structure at 1212. The terminal device 110 may determine the frequency structure by: based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least includes a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure, performing at least one of: comparing an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV with an index of a start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, or comparing an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV with an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

For example, the network device 120 may determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) based on the comparison indicating that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth. Alternatively, the terminal device 120 may determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) based on the comparison indicating that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

Figs. 13A-13B illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 13A, the end RB indicated by RIV is aligned with the end RB of the cell BW or BWP. In other words, the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the cell BW or BWP. The terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure for SBFD is a UD structure. As shown in Fig. 13B, the start RB indicated by RIV is aligned with the start RB of the cell BW or BWP. In other words, the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the cell BW or BWP. The terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure for SBFD is a DU structure. It should be understood that, although the RB length as shown in Fig. 13A and Fig. 13B include a RB length of an UL subband and a size for a guardband, the RB length indicated by RIV is not limited. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband in the frequency structure, and the way for configuring and/or determining the SBFD configuration may be understood in combination with the above related description.

For a scenario in which the first configuration is configured for the cell BW or BWP, a determination that the RB length indicated by the RIV may at least include a RB length of an UL subband in the frequency structure. The terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure for SBFD is a DUD structure based on a determination that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is not equal to the index of the end RB of the cell BW or BWP and based on a determination that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is not equal to the index of the start RB of the cell BW or BWP.

Fig. 14 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining a DUD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 14, the start RB indicated by RIV is not aligned with the start RB of the cell BW or BWP, and the end RB indicated by the RIV is not aligned with the end RB of the cell BW or BWP. In other words, the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is not equal to the index of the end RB of the cell BW or BWP and the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is not equal to the index of the start RB of the cell BW or BWP. The terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure for SBFD is the DUD structure, as shown in Fig. 14.

It should be understood that, although the RB length as shown in Fig. 14 include a RB length of an UL subband and a size for a guardband, the RB length indicated by RIV is not limited. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband in the frequency structure, and the way for configuring and/or determining the SBFD configuration may be understood in combination with the above related description.

In some embodiments, the first configuration may be configured for both of the cell BW and the BWP in a scenario. That is, the network device 120 configures the SBFD frequency configuration for the cell BW first, the network device 120 may then select a set of RBs as a BWP for SBFD frequency configuration. The network device 120 may determine that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the BWP and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) . Alternatively, the network device 120 may determine that the start RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the BWP and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) .

Accordingly, the terminal device 110, upon receiving the first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration from the network device 120, may determine the frequency structure at 1212. Specifically, based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the BWP and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, e.g. the UD structure. Based on determining that the start RB is outside of the BWP and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, e.g., the DU structure.

Fig. 15 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the DU structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 15, a DUD structure is configured for the cell BW 1544, by the network device 120, for example. The network device 120 may configure a DU structure for the terminal device 110, as shown in the bandwidth BWP 1560. As shown in Fig. 15, the RIV indicates a RB length including a size of the UL subband 1535 and sizes of the GBs 1533 and 1537, for the purpose of illustration. The start RB indicated by RIV includes an index #s, and the end RB indicated by RIV includes an index #e. The terminal device 110 may compare the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV with the index of the start RB of the BWP 1560, and compare the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV with the index of the end RB of the BWP 1560.

In some embodiments, a comparison of the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV being less than the index of the start RB of the BWP 1560 indicates the start RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the BWP 1560, and a comparison of the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV being less than or equal to the index of the end RB of the BWP 1560 indicates the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP 1560. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 15, based on determining that the start RB is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP 1560, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, e.g., the DU structure.

Fig. 16 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the UD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 16, a DUD structure is configured for the cell BW 1644. The network device 120 may configure the UD structure for the terminal device 110, as shown in the bandwidth BWP 1660. As shown in Fig. 16, the RIV indicates a RB length including a size of the UL subband 1635 and sizes of the GBs 1633 and 1637, for example. The start RB indicated by RIV includes an index #s, and the end RB indicated by RIV includes an index #e. The terminal device 110 may compare the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV with the index #m of the start RB of the BWP 1660, and compare the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV with the index #n of the end RB of the BWP 1660.

In some embodiments, a comparison of the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV being greater than or equal to the index of the start RB of the BWP 1660 indicates the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP 1660, and a comparison of the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV being greater than the index of the end RB of the BWP 1660 indicates the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the BWP 1660. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 16, based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, e.g., the UD structure.

In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure (e.g., DUD structure) based on determining that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less than the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

Fig. 17 illustrates schematic diagrams for determining the DUD structure according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 17, a DUD structure is configured for the cell BW 1744. The network device 120 may configure a DUD structure for the terminal device 110, as shown in the bandwidth BWP 1760. As shown in Fig. 17, the RIV indicates a RB length including a size of the UL subband 1735 and sizes of the GBs 1733 and 1737, for example. The start RB indicated by RIV includes an index #s, and the end RB indicated by RIV includes an index #e. The terminal device 110 may compare the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV with the index of the start RB of the BWP 1660, and compare the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV with the index of the end RB of the BWP 1660.

In some embodiments, a comparison of the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV being greater than or equal to the index of the start RB of the BWP 1760 indicates the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP 1760, and a comparison of the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV being less than or equal to the index of the end RB of the BWP 1760 indicates the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the BWP 1760. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 17, based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is the third SBFD structure, e.g., the DUD structure.

It should be understood that, although the RB length as shown in Figs. 15-17 include a RB length of an UL subband and a size for a guardband, the RB length indicated by RIV is not limited. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband in the frequency structure, and the way for configuring and/or determining the SBFD configuration may be understood in combination with the above related description.

Referring back to Fig. 12, upon determining the UD structure or the DU structure, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size at 1216. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may further determine a size and a location of a downlink subband, a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a GB in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size at 1216. In some embodiments, upon determining the DUD structure, the terminal device 110 may further determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size. In some embodiments, upon determining the DUD structure is determined, the terminal device 110 may further determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, a size and a location of a second downlink subband, and a size and a location of a GB in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.

Fig. 18 illustrates an example signaling process 1800 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 1800 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 1800 may involve a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. It would be appreciated that, in the process 1800, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At 1802, the network device 120 may determine a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The second configuration for the resource allocation may include RIV, and RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length, as shown in Fig. 8. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband and a size of at least one guardband. For example, the RB length indicated by the RIV may equal to a RB length of the UL subband and size of one or more guardbands. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a size of a guardband. For example, the range for the RIV may be from one side of a guardband to another side of the guardband. In some embodiments, the RB length indicated by the RIV may include a RB length of an UL subband. In other words, a range for the RIV may be from one side of an UL subband to another side of the UL subband.

The network device 120 may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to be from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to be from a lower frequency side of an UL subband to a higher frequency side of the UL subband. Alternatively, the network device 120 may configure the RB length of the RIV to include a RB length of a UL subband and a size of one or more guardbands. In addition, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure or the second SBFD structure, the network device 120 may further determine that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent, that is, the network device 120 may not transmit the third configuration to the terminal device 110.

The network device 120 may determine whether to transmit a third configuration for a guardband size base on the frequency structure at 1804. For example, based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, the network device 120 may determine an absence of a third configuration for a guardband size, and based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, the network device 120 may configure the third configuration at 1804 and transmit the third configuration at 1810.

The network device 120 may transmit the first configuration and the second configuration at 1806 and 1808, respectively. The terminal device 110 may determine the frequency structure based on the first configuration and the second configuration at 1812. For example, the terminal device may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, based on the absence of a third configuration for a guardband size and the presence of the second configuration and/or the first configuration.

In some embodiments, based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, the network device 120 may configure the third configuration at 1804 and transmit the third configuration at 1810. The terminal device 110 may receive the third configuration from the network device 120 and determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the RIV and the third configuration, at 1812. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may receive the third configuration from the network device 120 and determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the RIV, the first configuration and the third configuration, at 1812. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may receive the third configuration from the network device 120 and determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the first configuration and the third configuration, at 1812.

At 1814, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration, based on a determination that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or the second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) . In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and location of a GB in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration. In some embodiments, after the terminal device 110 determines that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) or the second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) at 1814, the terminal device 110 may further determine the specific SBFD structure that is configured for the terminal device.

In some embodiments, based on a determination that the frequency structure is the DUD structure, the terminal device 120 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration. In some embodiments, based on a determination that the frequency structure is the DUD structure, the terminal device 120 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, a size and a location of a second downlink subband and a size and a location of a GB in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration.

Fig. 19 illustrates an example signaling process 1900 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the process 1900 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The process 1900 may involve a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. It would be appreciated that, in the process 1900, it is possible to add, omit, modify one or more operations, or the operations may also be performed in any suitable order without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At 1902, the network device 120 may determine a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part and determine a second configuration for a resource allocation based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . The second configuration for the resource allocation may include RIV, and RIV may indicate a start RB and a RB length. The network device 120 may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on SBFD configuration configured for the cell BW or the BWP. In some embodiments, for a DUD structure, the network device 120 may configure the RB length for the RIV to include a RB length of an UL subband and two sizes for two guardband (GB#1 and GB#2) in the frequency structure, in which a size for the GB#1 may be different from a size for the GB #2. For example, the network device 120 may configure the SBFD frequency distribution to be (from lower frequency to higher frequency) : DL subband, GB#1, UL subband GB#2 and DL subband.

At 1904, the network device 120 may determine a third configuration for a guardband size based on the frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) . In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size and the value may indicate a size of a guardband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a first value and a second value indicates sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively.

In some embodiment, the network device 120 may determine the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, and the frequency structure may include the UD structure, the DU structure, or the DUD structure.

In some embodiments, based on the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) , the network device 120 may determine that a RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value. In some embodiments, the first value may indicate a size of a guardband between an UL subband and a DL subband, in which the UL subband is at a higher frequency side and the DL is at a lower frequency side. Based on the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) , the network device 120 may determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value. In some embodiments, the second value may indicate a size of a guardband between an UL subband and a DL subband, in which the DL subband is at a higher frequency side and the UL is at a lower frequency side. Based on the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, the network device 120 may determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.

Accordingly, the terminal device 110, at 1912, may compare a RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or a sum of the first value and the second value, and determine the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or the sum of the first value and the second value. Specifically, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure (e.g., UD structure) based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value. Based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value, the terminal device 110 may determine that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure (e.g., DU structure) . Based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value, the terminal device may determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure (e.g., DUD structure) .

At 1916, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size. In some embodiments, the terminal device 110 may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of a GB in the frequency structure, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size, in some embodiments.

Figs. 20A-20C illustrate schematic diagrams for determining SBFD structures according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 20A shows a UD structure, in which the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value (a size of GB #1) . Fig. 20B shows a DU structure, in which on the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value (asize of GB #2) . Fig. 20C shows a DUD structure, in which the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.

Fig. 21 illustrates a flowchart of a method 2100 implemented at a terminal device in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. For the purpose of discussion, the method 2100 will be described from the perspective of the terminal device 110 with reference to Fig. 1.

At 2110, the terminal device may receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part. At 2120, the terminal device may receive a second configuration for a resource allocation. At 2130, the terminal device may determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may receive a third configuration for a guardband size.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a resource indication value (RIV) and the terminal device determines the frequency structure by: comparing a resource block (RB) length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size; and determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the terminal device determines the frequency structure by: based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure; or based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device determines the frequency structure by: based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure, and that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the terminal device determines a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may further perform at least one of the followings: based on detecting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; based on detecting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband; determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband; determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband; or determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the terminal device determines the frequency structure by: based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure, performing at least one of: comparing an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV with an index of a start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or comparing an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV with an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine the frequency structure by: determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine the frequency structure by: based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or based on determining that the start RB is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine the frequency structure by: based on determining that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less than the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the terminal device may determine the frequency structure by: based on absence of a third configuration for a guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, and the terminal device may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration.

In some embodiments, the terminal deice may receive a third configuration for the guardband size, may determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the RIV and the third configuration, and may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a first value and a second value for the guardband size, the first value and the second value indicate sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device determines the frequency structure by: comparing a RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or a sum of the first value and the second value; and determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or the sum of the first value and the second value.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine the frequency structure by: based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure; or based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the terminal device may determine a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration, or the terminal device may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration.

In some embodiments, the frequency structure may include: a first SBFD structure comprising an UL subband at a side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part and a DL subband at the other side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part; a second SBFD structure comprising an UL subband and a DL subband, wherein the UL subband and the DL subband are in opposite sides of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part with the counterpart UL subband and the DL subband in the first SBFD structure; or a third SBFD structure comprising an UL subband, a first DL subband, and a second DL subband, wherein the UL subband is between the first DL subband and the second subband.

Fig. 22 illustrates a flowchart of a method 2200 implemented at a network device for a communication system. For the purpose of discussion, the method 2200 will be described from the perspective of the network device.

At block 2210, the network device determines, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation. At block 2220, the network device transmits the first configuration. At block 2230, the network device transmits the second configuration.

In some embodiments, the network device transmits a third configuration for a guardband size.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a resource indication value (RIV) and the network device may determine the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the network device determines the RIV and the value for the guardband size by: based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size; or based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a resource indication value (RIV) , and the network device may determine that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure; and the network device may determine the RIV and the first configuration based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure. In some embodiments, a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the network device may perform at least one of the followings: transmitting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; transmitting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; configuring an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; configuring an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; configuring a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; or configuring a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the network device may determine that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the network device may determine that an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or may determine that an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the network device may determine that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part based on based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or may determine that the start RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the network device determine that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less that the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the network device determines the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the network device may determine the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the network device may determine an absence of a third configuration for a guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, and may determine the first configuration and the RIV based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the network device may transmit a third configuration for the guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure; and may determine the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a first value and a second value for the guardband size, the first value and the second value indicate sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively, and the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV.

In some embodiments, the network device may perform at least one of followings: based on the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value; based on the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value; based on the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.

In some embodiments, the network device may determine the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure; or may determine the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some example embodiments, an apparatus capable of performing the method 2100 (for example, the apparatus) may comprise means for performing the respective steps of the method 2100. The means may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry or software module.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for receiving a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part. The apparatus may include means for receiving a second configuration for a resource allocation. The apparatus may include means for determining a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) based on the first configuration and the second configuration.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for receiving a third configuration for a guardband size.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a resource indication value (RIV) and the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: comparing a resource block (RB) length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size; and means for determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure; or based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure, and that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for performing at least one of the followings: based on detecting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; based on detecting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband; determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband; determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband; or determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure, performing at least one of: comparing an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV with an index of a start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or comparing an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV with an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or may include means for determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or based on determining that the start RB is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on determining that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less than the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on absence of a third configuration for a guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, and the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure based on the RIV and the first configuration.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for receiving a third configuration for the guardband size, may include means for determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the RIV and the third configuration, and may include means for determining a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a first value and a second value for the guardband size, the first value and the second value indicate sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: comparing a RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or a sum of the first value and the second value; and determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or the sum of the first value and the second value.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the frequency structure by: based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure; or based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration, or the terminal device may determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration.

In some example embodiments, an apparatus capable of performing the method 2200 (for example, the apparatus) may comprise means for performing the respective steps of the method 2200. The means may be implemented in any suitable form. For example, the means may be implemented in a circuitry or software module.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex (SBFD) a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation. The apparatus may include means for transmitting the first configuration. The apparatus may include means for transmitting the second configuration.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for transmitting a third configuration for a guardband size.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a resource indication value (RIV) and the apparatus may include means for determining the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the RIV and the value for the guardband size by: based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size; or based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a resource indication value (RIV) and the apparatus may include means for determining that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure; and the apparatus may include means for determining the RIV and the first configuration based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for performing at least one of the followings: transmitting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; transmitting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; configuring an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; configuring an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure; configuring a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; or configuring a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the third configuration may include a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining that an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or the apparatus may include means for determining that an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part based on based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or the apparatus may include means for determining that the start RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less that the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the second configuration for the resource allocation may include a RIV, and the apparatus may include means for determining an absence of a third configuration for a guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, and the apparatus may include means for determining the first configuration and the RIV based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for transmitting a third configuration for the guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure; and for determining the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for performing at least one of followings: based on the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value; based on the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value; based on the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may include means for determining the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure; or the apparatus may include means for determining the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises means for performing other steps in some embodiments of the method 2200. In some embodiments, the means comprises at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the performance of the apparatus.

FIG. 23 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a device 2300 that is suitable for implementing some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The device 2300 may be provided to implement a device, for example, the terminal device or the network device as shown in Fig. 1. As shown, the device 2300 includes one or more processors 2310, one or more memories 2320 coupled to the processor 2310, and one or more communication modules 2340 coupled to the processor 2310.

The communication module 2340 is for bidirectional communications. The communication module 2340 has at least one antenna to facilitate communication. The communication interface may represent any interface that is necessary for communication with other network elements.

The processor 2310 may be of any type suitable to the local technical network and may include one or more of the following: general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and processors based on multicore processor architecture, as non-limiting examples. The device 2300 may have multiple processors, such as an application specific integrated circuit chip that is slaved in time to a clock which synchronizes the main processor.

The memory 2320 may include one or more non-volatile memories and one or more volatile memories. Examples of the non-volatile memories include, but are not limited to, a Read Only Memory (ROM) 2324, an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) , a flash memory, a hard disk, a compact disc (CD) , a digital video disk (DVD) , and other magnetic storage and/or optical storage. Examples of the volatile memories include, but are not limited to, a random access memory (RAM) 2322 and other volatile memories that will not last in the power-down duration.

A computer program 2330 includes computer executable instructions that are executed by the associated processor 2310. The program 2330 may be stored in the ROM 2324. The processor 2310 may perform any suitable actions and processing by loading the program 2330 into the RAM 2322.

The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by means of the program 2330 so that the device 2300 may perform any process of the disclosure as discussed with reference to Figs. 1 to 22. The embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented by hardware or by a combination of software and hardware.

In some example embodiments, the program 2330 may be tangibly contained in a computer readable medium which may be included in the device 2300 (such as in the memory 2320) or other storage devices that are accessible by the device 2300. The device 2300 may load the program 2330 from the computer readable medium to the RAM 2322 for execution. The computer readable medium may include any types of tangible non-volatile storage, such as ROM, EPROM, a flash memory, a hard disk, CD, DVD, and the like.

FIG. 24 illustrates a block diagram of an example of a computer readable medium 2400 in accordance with some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The computer readable medium 2400 has the program 2430 stored thereon. It is noted that although the computer readable medium 2300 is depicted in form of CD or DVD in FIG. 24, the computer readable medium 2400 may be in any other form suitable for carry or hold the program 2430.

Generally, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. 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. While various aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated and described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other pictorial representations, it is to be understood that the block, apparatus, system, technique or method 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.

The present disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, such as those included in program modules, being executed in a device on a target real or virtual processor, to carry out the method 1000 or 1100 as described above with reference to Fig. 21 or Fig. 22. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, or the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or split between program modules as desired in various embodiments. Machine-executable instructions for program modules may be executed within a local or distributed device. In a distributed device, program modules may be located in both local and remote storage media.

Program code for carrying out methods of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes may be provided to a processor or controller of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that the program codes, when executed by the processor or controller, cause the functions/operations specified in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may execute entirely on a machine, partly on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the machine and partly on a remote machine or entirely on the remote machine or server.

In the context of the present disclosure, the computer program codes or related data may be carried by any suitable carrier to enable the device, apparatus or processor to perform various processes and operations as described above. Examples of the carrier include a signal, computer readable medium, and the like.

The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable medium may include but not limited to an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of the computer readable storage medium would include an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM) , a read-only memory (ROM) , an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) , an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) , an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. The term “non-transitory, ” as used herein, is a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not a signal) as opposed to a limitation on data storage persistency (e.g., RAM vs. ROM) .

Further, while operations are depicted in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Likewise, while several specific implementation details are contained in the above discussions, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the present disclosure, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments. Certain features that are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

Although the present disclosure has been described in languages specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the present disclosure defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

Claims

A terminal device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the terminal device at least to:

receive a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part;

receive a second configuration for a resource allocation; and

determine a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, based on the first configuration and the second configuration.
The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

receive a third configuration for a guardband size.
The terminal device of claim 2, wherein the third configuration comprises a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a resource indication value, RIV, and the terminal device is further caused to determine the frequency structure by:

comparing a resource block, RB, length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size; and

determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the value for the guardband size.
The terminal device of claim 3, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size.
The terminal device of claim 3, wherein the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure; or

based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.
The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure, and that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure.
The terminal device of claim 6, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration.
The terminal device of claim 5 or 6, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

based on detecting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure;

based on detecting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure;

determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband;

determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband;

determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband; or

determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband.
The terminal device of claim 2, wherein the third configuration comprises a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on determining that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure, performing at least one of:

comparing an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV with an index of a start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or

comparing an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV with an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.
The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the terminal device is further caused to determine the frequency structure by:

determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or

determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, based on the comparison indicating that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.
The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the terminal device is further caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on the comparison indicating that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure; or

based on determining that the start RB is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure.
The terminal device of claim 9, wherein the terminal device is further caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on determining that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less than the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.
The terminal device of claim 10 or 11, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.
The terminal device of claim 12, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size.
The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on absence of a third configuration for a guardband size, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, and

wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, based on the RIV and the first configuration.
The terminal device of claim 14, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

receive a third configuration for the guardband size;

determine that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure based on presence of the RIV and the third configuration; and

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration.
The terminal device of claim 15, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

based on detecting a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure;

based on detecting the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure;

determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband;

determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband;

determine that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband; or

determine that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure based on a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband.
The terminal device of claim 2, wherein the third configuration comprises a first value and a second value for the guardband size, the first value and the second value indicate sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

comparing a RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or a sum of the first value and the second value; and

determining the frequency structure based on the comparison of the RB length indicated by the RIV with the first value, the second value, or the sum of the first value and the second value.
The terminal device of claim 18, wherein the terminal device is caused to determine the frequency structure by:

based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value, determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure;

based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure; or

based on determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value, determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure.
The terminal device of claim 19, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:

determine a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration; or

determine a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure, based on the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration.
The terminal device of any of claims 1-20, wherein the frequency structure comprises:

a first SBFD structure comprising an UL subband at a side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part and a DL subband at the other side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part;

a second SBFD structure comprising an UL subband and a DL subband, wherein the UL subband and the DL subband are in opposite sides of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part with the counterpart UL subband and the DL subband in the first SBFD structure; or

a third SBFD structure comprising an UL subband, a first DL subband, and a second DL subband, wherein the UL subband is between the first DL subband and the second subband.
A network device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the network device at least to:

determine, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation;

transmit the first configuration; and

transmit the second configuration.
The network device of claim 21, wherein the network device is further caused to:

transmit a third configuration for a guardband size.
The network device of claim 23, wherein the third configuration comprises a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a resource indication value, RIV, and the network device is further caused to:

determine the RIV, the first configuration, and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.
The network device of claim 24, wherein the network device is caused to determine the RIV and the value for the guardband size by:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the value for the guardband size; or

based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determining that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the value for the guardband size.
The network device of claim 22, wherein the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a resource indication value, RIV, and the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, determine that a third configuration for a guardband size is absent; and

determine the RIV and the first configuration based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure, wherein a RB length indicated by the RIV is from a side of a guardband to another side of the guardband in the frequency structure.
The network device of claim 25 or 26, wherein the network device is further caused to:

transmit a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure;

transmit the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure;

configure an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure;

configure an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure;

configure a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure; or

configure a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband, based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure.
The network device of claim 23, wherein the third configuration comprises a value for the guardband size, the value indicates a size of a guardband in the frequency structure, the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the network device is further caused to:

determine that a RB length indicated by the RIV at least comprises a RB length of an uplink subband in the frequency structure.
The network device of claim 28, wherein the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, determine that an index of an end RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of an end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth; or

based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, determine that an index of a start RB indicated by the RIV is equal to an index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.
The network device of claim 28, wherein the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, determine that the end RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the start RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part; or

based on determining that the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, determine that the start RB indicated by the RIV is outside of the bandwidth part and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is within the bandwidth part.
The network device of claim 28, wherein the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determine that the index of the start RB indicated by the RIV is greater than the index of the start RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth and that the end RB indicated by the RIV is less that the index of the end RB of at least one of the bandwidth part or the cell bandwidth.
The network device of claim 29 or 30, wherein the network device is further caused to:

determine the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure.
The network device of claim 31, wherein the network device is further caused to:

determine the first configuration, the RIV and the value for the guardband size based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.
The network device of claim 22, wherein the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV, and the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure or a second SBFD structure, determine an absence of a third configuration for a guardband size; and

determine the first configuration and the RIV based on a size and a location of an uplink subband and a size and a location of a downlink subband in the frequency structure.
The network device of claim 34, wherein the network device is further caused to:

transmit a third configuration for the guardband size based on determining that the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure; and

determine the first configuration, the RIV and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.
The network device of claim 34, wherein the network device is further caused to:

based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure, transmit a downlink common channel or a downlink common signal in a lower frequency subband;

based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure, transmit the downlink common channel or the downlink common signal in a higher frequency subband;

based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure, configure an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being a downlink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being an uplink subband;

based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure, configure an additional bit indicating a lower frequency subband being an uplink subband or indicating a higher frequency subband being a downlink subband;

based on determining that the frequency structure is the first SBFD structure, configure a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband; or

based on determining that the frequency structure is the second SBFD structure, configure a specified rule associated with an allocated RB length for an uplink subband or a downlink subband.
The network device of claim 23, wherein the third configuration comprises a first value and a second value for the guardband size, the first value and the second value indicate sizes of a first guardband and a second guardband in the frequency structure, respectively, and the second configuration for the resource allocation comprises a RIV.
The network device of claim 37, wherein the network device is caused to:

based on the frequency structure is a first SBFD structure, determine that a RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the first value;

based on the frequency structure is a second SBFD structure, determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is equal to the second value; or

based on the frequency structure is a third SBFD structure, determine that the RB length indicated by the RIV is greater than the sum of the first value and the second value.
The network device of claim 38, wherein the network device is further caused to:

determine the first configuration, the RIV, and the third configuration based on a size and a location of a downlink subband and a size and a location of an uplink subband in the first SBFD structure or in the second SBFD structure; or

determine the first configuration, the second configuration, and the third configuration, based on a size and a location of an uplink subband, a size and a location of a first downlink subband, and a size and a location of a second downlink subband in the third SBFD structure.
The network device of any of claims 22-39, wherein the frequency structure comprises:

a first SBFD structure comprising an UL subband at a side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part and a DL subband at the other side of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part;

a second SBFD structure comprising an UL subband and a DL subband, wherein the UL subband and the DL subband are in opposite sides of the cell bandwidth or the bandwidth part with the counterpart UL subband and the DL subband in the first SBFD structure; or

a third SBFD structure comprising an UL subband, a first DL subband, and a second DL subband, wherein the UL subband is between the first DL subband and the second subband.
A method, comprising:

receiving a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part;

receiving a second configuration for a resource allocation; and

determining a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, based on the first configuration and the second configuration.
A method, comprising:

determining, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation;

transmitting the first configuration; and

transmitting the second configuration.
An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part;

means for receiving a second configuration for a resource allocation; and

means for determining a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, based on the first configuration and the second configuration.
An apparatus comprising:

means for determining, based on a frequency structure for subband full duplex, SBFD, a first configuration for at least one of a cell bandwidth or a bandwidth part, and a second configuration for a resource allocation;

means for transmitting the first configuration; and

means for transmitting the second configuration.
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least the method of claim 41 or 42.