Triggers for user equipment transmissions to support uplink based mobility

1. A method for wireless communications performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving a configuration indicating one or more triggers for transmitting on an uplink access channel, wherein the one or more triggers comprise a first indication of mobility of the UE;

determining, based at least in part on detection of one of the one or more triggers, to transmit on the uplink access channel;

transmitting a first signal on the uplink access channel;

receiving, in response to the transmission of the first signal on the uplink access channel, a paging notification;

receiving a cell identifier (ID) subsequent to receiving the paging notification to enable the UE to connect to a cell identified by the cell ID in response to the paging notification; and

exchanging signaling with the cell identified by the cell ID.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first indication relates to an estimate of distance traveled by the UE since a last uplink transmission by the UE.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determination is based on detecting that the estimate of distance traveled by the UE since the last uplink transmission by the UE is greater than a threshold distance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination is also based on at least one of:

an expiration of a timer,

a measurement of a downlink signal strength being less than or equal to a first threshold,

an estimate of downlink load being greater than or equal to a second threshold,

an estimate of uplink load being greater than or equal to a third threshold, or

an estimate of power consumption by the UE.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal transmitted on the uplink access channel is a contention based transmission.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal transmitted on the uplink access channel is a contentionless transmission.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paging notification is transmitted by a plurality of cells and the method further comprises:

determining whether to transmit a second signal on the uplink access channel, based at least in part on the paging notification.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the paging notification comprises a single frequency network (SFN) transmission wherein each cell of the plurality of cells transmits an identical transmission simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

switching from a first state, wherein the UE periodically transmits first signals on the uplink access channel, to a second state, wherein the UE does not periodically transmit the first signals on the uplink access channel and transmits the first signals on the uplink access channel in response to detection of the one of the one or more triggers.

10. A method for wireless communications by a network comprising a zone, the zone comprising a plurality of cells, comprising:

transmitting, via a cell of the plurality of cells of the zone, a configuration indicating one or more triggers for a user equipment (UE) to transmit on an uplink access channel, wherein the one or more triggers comprise a first indication of mobility of the UE;

receiving a first signal on the uplink access channel from the UE;

transmitting, via the cell or an other cell of the plurality of cells of the zone, in response to the first signal, a paging notification;

transmitting a cell identifier (ID), to the UE, subsequent to transmitting the paging notification to enable the UE to connect to a cell identified by the cell ID in response to the paging notification, the cell identified by the cell ID being one of the plurality of cells of the zone; and

exchanging signaling with the UE via the cell identified by the cell ID.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first indication relates to a first estimate of distance traveled by the UE since a last uplink transmission by the UE.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the triggers further comprise at least one of:

expiration of a first timer,

a first measurement of a downlink signal strength being less than or equal to a first threshold,

a first estimate of downlink load being greater than or equal to a second threshold,

a first estimate of uplink load being greater than or equal to a third threshold, or

a first estimate of power consumption by the UE.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a contention based transmission on the uplink access channel subsequent to transmitting the cell ID.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a contentionless transmission on the uplink access channel subsequent to transmitting the cell ID.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining to transmit a second indication, to the UE, of a request to transmit on the uplink access channel or of a keep-alive signal; and

transmitting, via any cell of the plurality of cells of the zone, the second indication to the UE.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determination is based on at least one of:

expiration of a second timer,

a measurement of uplink signal strength,

an estimate of downlink load,

an estimate of uplink load,

an estimate of distance traveled by the UE since a last uplink transmission by the UE, or

an estimate of power consumption by the UE.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first signal comprises a contention based transmission.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first signal comprises a contentionless transmission.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein transmitting the paging notification comprises transmitting a single frequency network (SFN) transmission, wherein each cell of a plurality of cells transmits an identical transmission simultaneously.

20. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to:

obtain, from a receiver, a configuration indicating one or more triggers for transmitting on an uplink access channel, wherein the one or more triggers comprise a first indication of mobility of the apparatus;

determine, based at least in part on detection of one of the one or more triggers, to cause a transmitter to transmit on the uplink access channel;

cause the transmitter to transmit a signal on the uplink access channel;

obtain, from the receiver and in response to the transmission of the first signal on the uplink access channel, a paging notification;

obtain, from the receiver, a cell identifier (ID) subsequent to obtaining the paging notification to enable the UE to connect to a cell identified by the cell ID in response to the paging notification; and

cause the transmitter and the receiver to exchange signaling with the cell identified by the cell ID; and

a memory coupled with the processing system.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first indication relates to an estimate of distance traveled by the apparatus since a last uplink transmission by the apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the processing system is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit the first signal on the uplink access channel by causing the transmitter to transmit a contention based transmission.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the processing system is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit the first signal on the uplink access channel by causing the transmitter to transmit a contentionless transmission.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

cause the apparatus to switch from a first state, wherein the apparatus periodically transmits first signals on the uplink access channel, to a second state, wherein the apparatus does not periodically transmit the first signals on the uplink access channel and transmits the first signals on the uplink access channel in response to detection of the one of the one or more triggers.

25. An apparatus for wireless communications by a network comprising a zone, the zone comprising a plurality of cells, comprising:

a processing system configured to:

cause a transmitter to transmit, via a cell of the plurality of cells of the zone, a configuration indicating one or more triggers for a user equipment (UE) to transmit on an uplink access channel, wherein the one or more triggers comprise a first indication of mobility of the UE;

obtain, from a receiver, a first signal received on the uplink access channel from the UE;

cause, in response to the first signal, the transmitter or another transmitter to transmit, via the cell or an other cell of the plurality of cells of the zone, a paging notification;

cause the transmitter or another transmitter to transmit a cell identifier (ID), to the UE, subsequent to transmitting the paging notification to enable the UE to connect to a cell identified by the cell ID in response to the paging notification, the cell identified by the cell ID being one of the plurality of cells of the zone; and

exchanging signalling with the UE via the cell identified by the cell ID; and

a memory coupled with the processing system.