Replicated grant-free transmissions utilizing multiple configurations

1. A system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations, the system comprising:

a cellular wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations, configured to:

assign a plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to an instance of user equipment, wherein:

each grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations defines one or more time-windows and one or more frequencies corresponding to the one or more time-windows; and

transmit indications of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to the instance of user equipment; and

the instance of user equipment, configured to:

receive the indications of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations;

schedule a set of data for transmission using a first grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations;

schedule a replication of the set of data for transmission using a second grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations; and

transmit the set of data using the first grant-free transmission configuration and the replication of the set of data using the second grant-free transmission configuration;

wherein the cellular wireless network is further configured to:

receive the replication of the set of data according to the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detect that the instance of user equipment has transmitted the set of data using the first grant-free transmission configuration and the replication of the set of data using the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detect that a collision has occurred involving the set of data received via the first grant-free transmission configuration and a received second set of data, wherein:

the second set of data was transmitted by a second instance of user equipment;

without additional data, the set of data and the received second set of data are undecipherable; and

reconstruct the received second set of data based on:

the received replication of the set of data transmitted using the second grant-free transmission configuration; and

the set of data having been scheduled by the cellular wireless network for transmission using the first grant-free transmission configuration and as the replication using the second grant-free transmission configuration.

2. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 1 , wherein the cellular wireless network being configured to reconstruct the received second set of data comprises the cellular wireless network performing successive interference cancellation (SIC) on the received second set of data using the received replication of the set of data.

3. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 1 , wherein the cellular wireless network uses a 5G NR air interface and the plurality of base stations are gNodeBs.

4. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 1 , wherein each grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations defines a plurality of time windows and a plurality of frequencies.

5. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 1 , wherein there is no repeated combination of a time window and frequency in the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations.

6. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 1 , wherein the cellular wireless network is further configured to:

determine to authorize grant-free transmissions for the instance of user equipment using multiple grant-free transmission configurations; and

transmit a message to the instance of user equipment that indicates the instance of user equipment is authorized to transmit grant-free transmissions using more than one grant-free transmission configuration.

7. The system for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 6 , wherein the instance of user equipment is further configured to:

determine to transmit grant-free transmissions using multiple grant-free transmission configurations at least in part based on receiving the message that indicates the instance of user equipment is authorized to transmit grant-free transmissions using more than one grant-free transmission configuration.

8. A method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations, the method comprising:

assigning, by a cellular network, a plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to an instance of user equipment, wherein:

the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations comprises a first grant-free transmission configuration and a second grant-free transmission configuration; and

each grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations defines one or more time-windows and one or more frequencies corresponding to the one or more time-windows; and

transmitting, by the cellular network, definitions of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to the instance of user equipment;

receiving, by the cellular network, a set of data according to the first grant-free transmission configuration;

receiving, by the cellular network, a replication of the set of data according to the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detecting, by the cellular network, that the instance of user equipment has transmitted the set of data using the first grant-free transmission configuration and the replication of the set of data using the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detecting, by the cellular network, that a collision has occurred involving the set of data received via the first grant-free transmission configuration and a received second set of data, wherein:

the second set of data was transmitted by a second instance of user equipment;

without additional data, the set of data and the received second set of data are undecipherable; and

reconstructing, by the cellular network, the received second set of data based on:

the received replication of the set of data transmitted using the second grant-free transmission configuration; and

the set of data having been scheduled by the cellular network for transmission using the first grant-free transmission configuration and as the replication using the second grant-free transmission configuration.

9. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, by the instance of user equipment, the definitions of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations;

scheduling, by the instance of user equipment, the set of data for transmission using the first grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations;

scheduling, by the instance of user equipment, the replication of the set of data for transmission using the second grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations; and

transmitting, by the instance of user equipment, the set of data using the first grant-free transmission configuration and the replication of the set of data using the second grant-free transmission configuration.

10. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 8 , wherein the cellular network being configured to reconstruct the received second set of data comprises the cellular network performing successive interference cancellation (SIC) on the second set of data using the received replication of the set of data.

11. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 8 , wherein the cellular network uses a 5G NR air interface and a base station that communicates with the instance of user equipment is a gNodeB.

12. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 8 , wherein each grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations defines a plurality of time windows and a plurality of frequencies.

13. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining, by the cellular network, to authorize grant-free transmissions for the instance of user equipment using multiple grant-free transmission configurations; and

transmitting, by the cellular network, a message to the instance of user equipment that indicates the instance of user equipment is authorized to transmit grant-free transmissions using more than one grant-free transmission configuration.

14. The method for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining, by the instance of user equipment, to transmit grant-free transmissions using multiple grant-free transmission configurations at least in part based on receiving the message that indicates the instance of user equipment is authorized to transmit grant-free transmissions using more than one grant-free transmission configuration.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for using multiple grant-free transmission configurations, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

assign a plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to an instance of user equipment, wherein:

the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations comprises a first grant-free transmission configuration and a second grant-free transmission configuration; and

each grant-free transmission configuration of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations defines one or more time-windows and one or more frequencies corresponding to the one or more time-windows; and

cause definitions of the plurality of grant-free transmission configurations to be transmitted to the instance of user equipment;

receive a set of data according to the first grant-free transmission configuration;

receive the replication of the set of data according to the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detect that the instance of user equipment has transmitted the set of data using the first grant-free transmission configuration and the replication of the set of data using the second grant-free transmission configuration;

detect that a collision has occurred involving the set of data received via the first grant-free transmission configuration and a received second set of data, wherein:

the second set of data was transmitted by a second instance of user equipment;

without additional data, the set of data and the received second set of data are undecipherable; and

reconstruct the received second set of data based on:

the replication of the set of data transmitted using the second grant-free transmission configuration; and

the set of data having been scheduled for transmission using the first grant-free transmission configuration and as the replication using the second grant-free transmission configuration.