Communication methods and apparatuses for medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) latency control

1. A communication method performed by a User Equipment (UE), the communication method comprising:

receiving Downlink Control Information (DCI) on a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) from a Base Station (BS), the DCI indicating a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH);

receiving a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) command on the PDSCH;

determining, according to the DCI, whether a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) Acknowledgement (ACK) feedback for a data reception on the PDSCH is needed to be transmitted; and

applying, after determining that the HARQ ACK feedback is needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command after a first slot identified by a first value of n+K0+K1+Np+M, where n is an index of a slot in which the DCI is received, K0 is a first slot offset between the PDCCH and the PDSCH, K1 is a second slot offset between the PDSCH and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) for transmitting the HARQ ACK feedback, Np indicates an approximated delay determined by a Timing Advance (TA) value of the UE, and M indicates a processing delay of the UE.

2. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein Np is ┌ the TA value/P ┐, where P is a positive number larger than 1 and ┌ ┐ refers to a ceiling function.

3. The communication method according to claim 2 , wherein P is 2.

4. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the TA value is a latest UE-specific TA value applied by the UE before the UE applies the MAC CE command.

5. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the TA value is a cell-specific TA value that is included in system information broadcast by the BS.

6. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing delay is configured by the BS as 3 milliseconds (ms) or zero.

7. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing delay is determined by a numerology of the PUCCH.

8. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein after the UE determines that the HARQ ACK feedback is needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command is applied in a first upcoming slot after the first slot.

9. The communication method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

applying, after determining that the HARQ ACK feedback is not needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command after a second slot identified by a second value of n+K0+M,

wherein the MAC CE command is applied in a first upcoming slot after the second slot.

10. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein the DCI is received from the BS via a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).

11. A User Equipment (UE) comprising:

a memory having computer-readable instructions stored thereon; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the UE to:

receive Downlink Control Information (DCI) on a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) from a Base Station (BS), the DCI indicating a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH);

receive a Medium Access Control (MAC) Control Element (CE) command on the PDSCH;

determine, according to the DCI, whether a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) Acknowledgement (ACK) feedback for a data reception on the PDSCH is needed to be transmitted; and

apply, after determining that the HARQ ACK feedback is needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command after a first slot identified by a first value of n+K0+K1+Np+M, where n is an index of a slot in which the DCI is received, K0 is a first slot offset between the PDCCH and the PDSCH, K1 is a second slot offset between the PDSCH and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) for transmitting the HARQ ACK feedback, Np indicates an approximated delay determined by a Timing Advance (TA) value of the UE, and M indicates a processing delay of the UE.

12. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein Np is ┌ the TA value/P ┐, where P is a positive number larger than 1 and ┌ ┐ refers to a ceiling function.

13. The UE according to claim 12 , wherein P is 2.

14. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the TA value is a latest UE-specific TA value applied by the UE before the UE applies the MAC CE command.

15. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the TA value is a cell-specific TA value that is included in system information broadcast by the BS.

16. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the processing delay is configured by the BS as 3 milliseconds (ms) or zero.

17. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the processing delay is determined by a numerology of the PUCCH.

18. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein after the UE determines that the HARQ ACK feedback is needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command is applied in a first upcoming slot after the first slot.

19. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is furhter configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the UE to:

apply, after determining that the HARQ ACK feedback is not needed to be transmitted, the MAC CE command after a second slot identified by a second value of n+K0+M,

wherein the MAC CE command is applied in a first upcoming slot after the second slot.

20. The UE according to claim 11 , wherein the DCI is received from the BS via a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).