Methods and apparatus for signaling guard symbols in integrated access and backhauling

1. A method of wireless communication by an integrated access and backhauling node in a network, comprising:

receiving a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) indicating one or more sets of guard symbol values associated with a mobile termination (MT) and a distributed unit (DU);

receiving a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating association of each set of the one or more sets of guard symbol values with a corresponding MT cell or a corresponding DU cell or both, wherein the corresponding MT cell is among one or more MT cells associated with the MT and the corresponding DU cell is among one or more DU cells associated with the DU;

identifying, for an MT cell and a DU cell, a set of guard symbol values from the one or more sets of guard symbol values, based on the association indicated by the RRC message;

transitioning from first communication via the MT cell to second communication via the DU cell or from the second communication via the DU cell to the first communication via the MT cell during at least a guard symbol signaled by a guard symbol value of the set of guard symbol values; and

transmitting or receiving information via the transitioned MT cell or the transitioned DU cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the MAC CE comprises one or more MT identifications (ID) for the one or more MT cells associated with the MT and one or more DU IDs for the one or more DU cells associated with the DU.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises one or more MT indices identifying the one or more MT cells and one or more DU indices identifying the one or more DU cells, and wherein the one or more sets of guard symbol values are associated with the one or more MT indices and the one or more DU indices.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the MAC-CE comprises a plurality of bits indicating the one or more sets of guard symbol values associated with a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells; and

the radio resource control (RRC) message indicates association between bit positions of a subset of the plurality of bits indicating a set of guard symbol values and a corresponding pair of MT cell and DU cell of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with a second pair of MT cell and DU cell, of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells, different from the pair of MT cell and DU cell.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises a plurality of indices each associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cell and DU cell; and

wherein receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving one or more indices, of the plurality of indices, associated with the one or more pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the MT cell and a plurality of DU cells.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving the MAC CE from a cell associated with a timing advance group, a master cell group, or a secondary cell group; and

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the timing advance group, the master cell group, or the secondary cell group.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE further comprises receiving a DU group index identifying a DU cell group.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving a flag indicating whether the set of guard symbol values is associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells or one of a MT cell group, a timing advance group, or a DU cell group.

11. A integrated access and backhauling node, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions;

a transceiver; and

one or more processors coupled with the memory and the transceiver, the one or more processors configured to execute instructions in the memory to:

receive a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) indicating one or more sets of guard symbol values associated with a mobile termination (MT) and a distributed unit (DU);

receive a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating association of each set of the one or more sets of guard symbol values with a corresponding MT cell or a corresponding DU cell or both, wherein the corresponding MT cell is among one or more MT cells associated with the MT and the corresponding DU cell is among one or more DU cells associated with the DU;

identify, for an MT cell and a DU cell, a set of guard symbol values from the one or more sets of guard symbol values, based on the association indicated by the RRC message;

transition from first communication via the MT cell to second communication via the DU cell or from the second communication via the DU cell to the first communication via the MT cell during at least a guard symbol signaled by a guard symbol value of the set of guard symbol values; and

transmit or receive information via the transitioned MT cell or the transitioned DU cell.

12. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

the MAC CE comprises one or more MT identifications (ID) for the one or more MT cells associated with the MT and one or more DU IDs for the one or more DU cells associated with the DU.

13. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises one or more MT indices identifying the one or more MT cells and one or more DU indices identifying the one or more DU cells, and wherein the one or more sets of guard symbol values are associated with the one or more MT indices and the one or more DU indices.

14. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

the MAC-CE comprises a plurality of bits indicating the one or more sets of guard symbol values associated with a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells; and

the radio resource control (RRC) message indicates association between bit positions of a subset of the plurality of bits indicating a set of guard symbol values and a corresponding pair of MT cell and DU cell of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

15. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 14 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with a second pair of MT cell and DU cell, of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells, different from the pair of MT cell and DU cell.

16. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises a plurality of indices each associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cell and DU cell; and

wherein receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving one or more indices, of the plurality of indices, associated with the one or more pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

17. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the MT cell and a plurality of DU cells.

18. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving the MAC CE from a cell associated with a timing advance group, a master cell group, or a secondary cell group; and

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the timing advance group, the master cell group, or the secondary cell group.

19. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE further comprises receiving a DU group index identifying a DU cell group.

20. The integrated access and backhauling node of claim 11 , wherein:

receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving a flag indicating whether the set of guard symbol values is associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells or one of a MT cell group, a timing advance group, or a DU cell group.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors of an integrated access and backhauling node, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) of indicating one or more sets guard symbol values associated with a mobile termination (MT) and a distributed unit (DU);

receive a radio resource control (RRC) message indicating association of each set of the one or more sets of guard symbol values with a corresponding MT cell or a corresponding DU cell or both, wherein the corresponding MT cell is among one or more MT cells associated with the MT and the corresponding DU cell is among one or more DU cells associated with the DU;

identify, for an MT cell and a DU cell, a set of guard symbol values from the one or more sets of guard symbol values, based on the association indicated by the RRC message;

transition from first communication via the MT cell to second communication via the DU cell or from the second communication via the DU cell to the first communication via the MT cell during at least a guard symbol signaled by a guard symbol value of the set of guard symbol values; and

transmit or receive information via the transitioned MT cell or the transitioned DU cell.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein:

the MAC CE comprises one or more MT identifications (ID) for the one or more MT cells associated with the MT and one or more DU IDs for the one or more DU cells associated with the DU.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 ,

wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises one or more MT indices identifying the one or more MT cells and one or more DU indices identifying the one or more DU cells, and wherein the one or more sets of guard symbol values are associated with the one or more MT indices and the one or more DU indices.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein:

the MAC-CE comprises a plurality of bits indicating the one or more sets of guard symbol values associated with a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells; and

the radio resource control (RRC) message indicates association between bit positions of a subset of the plurality of bits indicating a set of guard symbol values and a corresponding pair of MT cell and DU cell of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with a second pair of MT cell and DU cell, of the plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells, different from the pair of MT cell and DU cell.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 ,

wherein the radio resource control (RRC) message comprises a plurality of indices each associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cell and DU cell; and

wherein receiving the MAC CE comprises receiving one or more indices, of the plurality of indices, associated with the one or more pairs of MT cells and DU cells.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein:

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the MT cell and a plurality of DU cells.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein:

the instructions for receiving the MAC CE comprises instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive the MAC CE from a cell associated with a timing advance group, a master cell group, or a secondary cell group; and

the set of guard symbol values is associated with the timing advance group, the master cell group, or the secondary cell group.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions for receiving the MAC CE further comprising instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a DU group index identifying a DU cell group.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions for receiving the MAC CE further comprising instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a flag indicating whether the set of guard symbol values is associated with a pair of MT cell and DU cell of a plurality of pairs of MT cells and DU cells or one of a MT cell group, a timing advance group, or a DU cell group.