M2M semi-persistent scheduling in wireless communications

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a user equipment (UE), a control signal from a network node of a wireless network; and

applying, by the processor based on the control signal, a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) configuration such that the UE enters one of one or more low-power modes between two adjacent SPS occasions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more low-power modes comprise one or more of an idle mode, a power-saving mode (PSM), an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) mode and a DRX mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the SPS configuration comprises:

determining whether the SPS configuration is valid; and

responsive to the determining indicating that the SPS configuration is valid, postponing a transition from the one of the one or more low-power modes to a connected mode until a next SPS occasion.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining of whether the SPS configuration is valid comprises receiving radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network node indicating whether or not the SPS configuration is valid.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining of whether the SPS configuration is valid comprises determining whether the SPS configuration is valid based on a non-access stratum (NAS) cause value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the SPS configuration comprises:

maintaining a timing advance (TA) timer that increments a TA validity value when in an idle mode among the of one or more low-power modes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the SPS configuration comprises:

extending a value of a hyper-system frame number (H-SFN) to cover a periodicity of the SPS.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the extending of the value of the H-SFN comprises:

receiving, from the network node, dedicated signaling specifically for the UE indicating H-SFN extension bits for extending the value of the H-SFN.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the extending of the value of the H-SFN comprises:

receiving, from the network node, a system information block (SIB) indicating H-SFN extension bits for extending the value of the H-SFN.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network node; and

configuring, by the processor, one or more SPS resources based on the RRC signaling,

wherein the RRC signaling indicates a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), and

wherein the SPS configuration schedules retransmissions and defines one or more parameters regarding staying in a connected mode.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether to disable the SPS configuration based on one or more conditions; and

disabling, by the processor, the SPS configuration responsive to the determining indicating at least one of the one or more conditions being met,

wherein the one or more conditions comprise one or more of:

a transition from the one of the one or more low-power modes to a connected mode,

an occurrence of an SPS occasion,

the UE moving to another cell different from a cell of which the network node is a part,

the UE moving to a coverage situation not supported by one or more resources configured by the SPS configuration, and

expiration of a timing advance (TA) timer.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, information associated with the SPS configuration to the network node upon connection to the network node after disabling the SPS configuration,

wherein the information associated with the SPS configuration comprises an identify (ID) of the cell or the network node, a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), an ID of the UE, a configuration ID of the SPS configuration, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, uplink (UL) data in a machine-to-machine (M2M) SPS resource in a skipUplink manner.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the SPS configuration configures the M2M SPS resource dedicatedly for the UE or to be shared among a group of UEs.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

preempting, by the processor, a machine-to-machine (M2M) SPS transmission; and

performing, by the processor, a predetermined type of transmission using normal access by a random access channel (RACH),

wherein the predetermined type of transmission comprises an urgent transmission, a high-priority transmission or an irregular transmission.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver capable of wirelessly communicating with a network node of a wireless network; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor capable of:

receiving, via the transceiver, a control signal from the network node; and

applying, based on the control signal, a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) configuration such that the apparatus enters one of one or more low-power modes between two adjacent SPS occasions,

wherein the one or more low-power modes comprise one or more of an idle mode, a power-saving mode (PSM), an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) mode and a DRX mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein in applying the SPS configuration the processor is capable of:

determining whether the SPS configuration is valid; and

responsive to the determining indicating that the SPS configuration is valid, postponing a transition from the one of the one or more low-power modes to a connected mode until a next SPS occasion,

wherein in determining whether the SPS configuration is valid the processor is capable of either:

receiving radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network node indicating whether or not the SPS configuration is valid; or

determining whether the SPS configuration is valid based on a non-access stratum (NAS) cause value.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein in applying the SPS configuration the processor is capable of performing either a first procedure or a second procedure, and wherein:

the first procedure involves maintaining a timing advance (TA) timer that increments a TA validity value when in an idle mode among the of one or more low-power modes,

the second procedure involves extending a value of a hyper-system frame number (H-SFN) to cover a periodicity of the SPS,

in extending the value of the H-SFN the processor is capable of either:

receiving, via the transceiver from the network node, dedicated signaling specifically for the apparatus indicating H-SFN extension bits for extending the value of the H-SFN; or

receiving, via the transceiver from the network node, a system information block (SIB) indicating H-SFN extension bits for extending the value of the H-SFN.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further capable of:

receiving, via the transceiver, radio resource control (RRC) signaling from the network node; and

configuring one or more SPS resources based on the RRC signaling,

wherein the RRC signaling indicates a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), and

wherein the SPS configuration schedules retransmissions and defines one or more parameters regarding staying in a connected mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further capable of:

determining whether to disable the SPS configuration based on one or more conditions;

disabling the SPS configuration responsive to the determining indicating at least one of the one or more conditions being met; and

transmitting, via the transceiver, information associated with the SPS configuration to the network node upon connection to the network node after disabling the SPS configuration,

wherein the information associated with the SPS configuration comprises an identify (ID) of the cell or the network node, a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), an ID of the apparatus, a configuration ID of the SPS configuration, or a combination thereof, and

wherein the one or more conditions comprise one or more of:

a transition from the one of the one or more low-power modes to a connected mode,

an occurrence of an SPS occasion,

the apparatus moving to another cell different from a cell of which the network node is a part,

the apparatus moving to a coverage situation not supported by one or more resources configured by the SPS configuration, and

expiration of a timing advance (TA) timer.