Active time handling with 2-step granting

1. A method performed by a wireless communications device operating according to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration and configured to receive, from a wireless communications network, two-step grants for scheduling uplink transmissions using a first physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, transmission that indicates a first trigger, which has an associated second trigger that is transmitted in a second PDCCH transmission such that a combination of the first and second PDCCH transmissions grants that the device can perform an uplink transmission, the method comprising:

determining whether the device has received a first trigger of a two-step grant; and

in response to determining that the device has received the first trigger, entering a state in which the device listens on a physical downlink control channel for messages from the network, wherein entering the state comprises waiting a predetermined period of time after receiving the first trigger before entering the state.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the first trigger became invalid; and

in response to determining that the first trigger became invalid, exiting the state.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

starting a timer in response to receiving the first trigger; and

exiting the state only upon expiration of the timer.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein a duration of the timer is received with the first trigger.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the first trigger became invalid;

in response to determining that the first trigger became invalid, starting a timer; and

exiting the state only upon expiration of the timer.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein a duration of the timer is received in Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

7. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising stopping the timer in response to receiving a second trigger of the two-step grant.

8. The method according to of claim 7 , wherein a time in which the device is in the state includes a transmission timing interval (TTI) in which the second trigger was received.

9. The method according to claim 3 , wherein exiting the state only upon expiration of the timer comprises exiting the state before a second trigger of the two-step grant has been received.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the device has received a second trigger of the two-step grant; and

in response to determining that the device has received the second trigger, exiting the state.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the device has received a second trigger of the two-step grant;

in response to determining that the device has received the second trigger, determining whether a particular timer is running; and

in response to determining that the timer is running, exiting the state only after expiration of the timer.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second trigger of the two-step grant; and

exiting the state in response to transmitting an uplink transmission triggered by the second trigger.

13. The method according to of claim 1 , wherein a time in which the device is in the state includes a transmission timing interval (TTI) in which the first trigger was received.

14. A wireless communications device configured to operate according to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration and configured to receive, from a wireless communications network, two-step grants for scheduling uplink transmissions using a first physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, transmission that indicates a first trigger, which has an associated second trigger that is transmitted in a second PDCCH transmission such that a combination of the first and second PDCCH transmissions grants that the device can perform an uplink transmission, the device comprising:

transceiver circuitry configured for communication with the network; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry and configured to:

determine whether the device has received a first trigger of a two-step grant; and

cause the device to enter a state in which the device listens on a physical downlink control channel for messages from the network, in response to determining that the device has received the first trigger, wherein entering the state comprises waiting a predetermined period of time after receiving the first trigger before entering the state.

15. A network node of a wireless communications network, wherein the network node is configured to provide, to a wireless communications device operating according to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) configuration, two-step grants for scheduling uplink transmissions using a first physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, transmission that indicates a first trigger, which has an associated second trigger that is transmitted in a second PDCCH transmission such that a combination of the first and second PDCCH transmissions grants that the device can perform an uplink transmission, the network node comprising:

transceiver circuitry configured for communication with the wireless communications device; and

processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry and configured to:

transmit, via the transceiver circuitry, a first trigger of a two-step grant;

transmit a duration of a timer to be started by the wireless communications device, wherein the device exits the state only upon expiration of the timer; and

prior to transmitting a second trigger of the two-step grant, transmit physical downlink control channel messages to the device to be received during a state in which the device listens on a physical downlink control channel for messages from the network.

16. The network node according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit the second trigger via the transceiver circuitry.

17. The network node according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether the device is configured to enter the state before receiving the second trigger.