GB2642489A

GB2642489A - Method, apparatus and computer program

Info

Publication number: GB2642489A
Application number: GB2410027.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Caporal Del Barrio Samantha; Hakola Sami-Jukka; Pekka Karjalainen Juha; Koskela Timo
Original assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Current assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
Priority date: 2024-07-10
Filing date: 2024-07-10
Publication date: 2026-01-14
Also published as: GB202410027D0; WO2026012632A1

Abstract

Beam failure recovery configuration information is provided to a User Equipment, UE, from a network access node, the configuration used when the UE is performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, mTRPs. The UE determines that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and The UE performs, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP. The indication may be a capability indication of the UE to support simultaneous transmission/reception or may be an indication of a beam index of a beam provided by the second TRP. The indication may be comprised in a Msg3 or MsgA as part of 4-step or 2-step random access procedures.

Description

[0001] METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

[0002] FIELD

[0003] The present application relates to method(s), apparatus(es), and computer program(s) for performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points (TRPs) that at least partially overlap in time.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] A communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communication sessions between two or more entities such as user terminals, base stations and/or other nodes by providing carriers between the various entities involved in the communications session. A communication system can be provided for example by means of a communication network and one or more compatible communication devices. The communication sessions may comprise, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, video, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and/or content data and so on. Non-limiting examples of services provided comprise two-way or multi-way calls, data communication or multimedia services and access to a data network system, such as the Internet.

[0006] The communication system and associated devices typically operate in accordance with a given standard or specification which sets out what the various entities associated with the system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved. Communication protocols and/or parameters which shall be used for the connection are also typically defined. One example of a communications system is UTRAN (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service terrestrial radio access network (e.g., 3G radio)). Other examples of communication systems are the longterm evolution (LTE) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology and so-called 5G or New Radio (NR) networks. NR is being standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

[0007] SUMMARY

[0008] According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and concurrently performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0009] According to a second aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to perform: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and concurrently performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0010] According to a third aspect, there is provided a method for an apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and concurrently performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: obtaining circuitry for obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining circuitry for determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing circuitry for concurrently performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0012] The following may apply in respect of any (e.g. one or more, including all) of the above first to fourth aspects.

[0013] The determining that at least one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred may comprise determining that both the first beam failure and the second beam failure has occurred, and the apparatus may be further caused to, in response to said determining, causing beam failure recovery to be performed for both of the first and second beams.

[0014] The determining that at least one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred may comprise determining that only one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred, and the apparatus may further be caused to, in response to said determining, causing beam failure recovery to be performed for both of the first and second beams.

[0015] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; [0012] an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

[0016] The at least one preamble may comprise a first preamble and a second preamble, and the concurrently performing the first and second random access procedures may comprise: providing the first preamble to the first TRP during the first random access procedure; and providing the second preamble to the second TRP during the second random access preamble.

[0017] The concurrently performing a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure further may comprise: detecting a plurality of synchronization signal blocks transmitted by multiple TRPs; using said indication of the mapping to identify a first set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks and/or a second set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks, wherein the first set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the first TRP and the second set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the second TRP; selecting a first beam provided by the first TRP from the first set of synchronization signal blocks and/or a second beam provided by the second TRP from the second set of synchronization signal blocks; and performing the first random access procedure using the first beam, and/or performing the second random access procedure using the second beam.

[0018] The apparatus may be caused to select the first beam based on which beam in the first set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a first quality threshold; and/or select the second beam based on which beam in the second set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a second quality threshold.

[0019] The apparatus may, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determine that the first and second TRPs are located in the at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration is available and/or that the first and second TRPs transmit reference signals in a time-aligned manner.

[0020] The apparatus may, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determine whether the apparatus is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception.

[0021] The first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system.

[0022] The concurrently performing the first random access procedure with the first TRP and the second random access procedure with the second TRP may comprise: triggering the first random access procedure with the first TRP; and triggering the second random access procedure with the second TRP before completion of the first random access procedure.

[0023] The apparatus may be caused to transmit, to the network access node, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus.

[0024] The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

[0025] The BFR information may be transmitted via one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC messages, or one or more Medium Access Control Control elements, MAC CEs.

[0026] The apparatus may be comprised in a user equipment, and/or the network access node may comprise a gNB.

[0027] According to a fifth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message in accordance with the beam failure recovery configuration.

[0028] According to a sixth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to perform: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message in accordance with the beam failure recovery configuration.

[0029] According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a method for an apparatus, the method comprising: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message in accordance with the beam failure recovery configuration. [0027]According to an eighth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: providing circuitry for providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining circuitry for obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message in accordance with the beam failure recovery configuration.

[0030] The following may apply in respect of any (e.g., one or more, including all) of the above fifth to eighth aspects.

[0031] The first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system.

[0032] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an indication of at least one preamble for transmission by the user equipment when the user equipment performs multiple random access procedures concurrently.

[0033] The apparatus may be caused to obtain, during a random access procedure, the at least one preamble; and identifying from the at least one preamble that the user equipment is concurrently performing another random access procedure with a TRP. [0032]The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

[0034] The apparatus may be comprised in a network access node and/or a gNB.

[0035] The apparatus may be caused to obtain, from the user equipment, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment.

[0036] The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

[0037] According to a ninth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP.

[0038] According to a tenth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to perform: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP.

[0039] According to an eleventh aspect, there is provided a method for an apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP. [0039]According to a twelfth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: obtaining circuitry for obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining circuitry determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing circuitry for performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP.

[0040] The following may apply in respect of any (e.g., one or more, including all) of the above ninth to twelfth aspects.

[0041] The indication may comprise a beam index of a beam provided by the second TRP.

[0042] The indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission may be comprised in a Msg3 or a MsgA.

[0043] The apparatus may be caused to, subsequent to providing the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission, perform: obtaining, from the first TRP or the second TRP, a trigger that causes the apparatus to initiate a random access procedure with the second TRP; and responsive to said trigger, initiating a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0044] The second random access procedure may be initiated before the first random access procedure has completed.

[0045] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

[0046] The at least one preamble may comprise a first preamble and a second preamble, and the performing the first and second random access procedures may comprise: providing the first preamble to the first TRP during the first random access procedure; and providing the second preamble to the second TRP during the second random access preamble.

[0047] The performing a first random access procedure with the first TRP may comprise: detecting a plurality of synchronization signal blocks transmitted by multiple TRPs; using said indication of the mapping to identify a first set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks and/or a second set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks, wherein the first set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the first TRP and the second set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the second TRP; selecting a first beam provided by the first TRP from the first set of synchronization signal blocks and a second beam provided by the second TRP from the second set of synchronization signal blocks; and performing the first random access procedure using the first beam, wherein the indication of the mapping indicates information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus.

[0048] The apparatus may be caused to: select the first beam based on which beam in the first set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a first quality threshold; and/or select the second beam based on which beam in the second set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a second quality threshold.

[0049] The apparatus may be caused to, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, perform determining that the first and second TRPs are located in the at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration is available and/or that the first and second TRPs transmit reference signals in a time-aligned manner.

[0050] The apparatus may be caused to, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, perform determining whether the apparatus is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception.

[0051] The first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system.

[0052] The apparatus may be caused to perform providing, to the network access node, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus.

[0053] The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

[0054] The apparatus may be comprised in a user equipment, and/or the network access node comprises a gNB.

[0055] According to a thirteenth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment with the first TRP and the second TRP.

[0056] According to a fourteenth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising code that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment with the first TRP and the second TRP.

[0057] According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a method for an apparatus, the method comprising: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an identifier of the second TRP.

[0058] According to a sixteenth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: providing circuitry for providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining circuitry for obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an identifier of the second TRP [0059]The following may apply in respect of any (e.g one or more, including all) of the above thirteenth to sixteenth aspects.

[0059] The first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system.

[0060] The apparatus may be caused to perform at least one of: providing, to the user equipment, a trigger for causing the user equipment to perform a random access procedure with the second TRP; or providing, to the second TRP, an indication to perform a random access procedure with the user equipment.

[0061] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

[0062] The apparatus may be comprised in a network access node and/or a gNB. [0064]The apparatus may be caused to perform obtaining, from the user equipment, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment.

[0063] The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

[0064] The following may apply in respect of any (e.g., one or more, including all) of the above-mentioned ninth to sixteenth aspects.

[0065] The indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission may indicate that the user equipment and/or apparatus is able to concurrently perform the first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0066] The following may apply in respect of any of the above-mentioned aspects (e.g., one or more, including all, of the first to sixteenth aspects).

[0067] The beam failure recovery configuration may be signalled using at least one of: radio resource control signalling; Media Access Control -Control Element signalling; Downlink Control Information, DCI; or a beam failure recovery message.

[0068] The beam failure recovery configuration may be an initial beam failure recovery configuration, or the beam failure recovery configuration may have replaced a previously configured beam failure recovery configuration.

[0069] According to an aspect, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform at least the method according to any of the preceding aspects.

[0070] In the above, many different embodiments have been described. It should be appreciated that further embodiments may be provided by the combination of any two or more of the embodiments described above.

[0071] DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0072] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which: [0074]Figure 1 shows a representation of a network system according to some example embodiments; [0075]Figure 2 shows a representation of a control apparatus according to some example embodiments; [0076]Figure 3 shows a representation of an apparatus according to some example embodiments; [0077]Figures 4A and 4B illustrate example random access procedures; [0078]Figure 5 illustrates example beam failure recovery procedures for multi-TRP; [0079]Figures 6 and 7 illustrate example signalling; and [0080]Figures 8 to 11 illustrate example methods that may be performed by apparatus described herein.

[0073] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] The following describes operations that may be performed in relation to a user equipment that concurrently performs random access (RA) procedures with each multiple TRPs as part of a beam failure recovery (BFR) procedure.

[0075] In more detail, a TRP configures a user equipment (UE) with parameters that defines how the UE is to proceed in the event of a beam failure when the UE is connected to multiple TRPs via respective beams.

[0076] As detailed below, a UE as described below is provided with a beam failure recovery (BFR) configuration as pad of a radio resource control (RRC) configuration that details how to, after determining that a beam has failed when the UE is connected to multiple TRP via respective beams, select a new beam to use in place of the failed beam, and connect on that new beam via a random access procedure.

[0077] In more detail, the UE as described below is caused to perform at least part of a random access procedure with each TRP of the multiple TRP such that at least one random access procedure is still ongoing (e.g., has not completed) when another of the random access procedures has started. Stated differently, the UE may be caused to concurrently perform at least part of respective random access procedures for different TRP.

[0078] Moreover, the UE may be configured to either initiate the multiple random access procedures itself, or to initiate one of the random access procedures with a first TRP and be triggered to perform another random access procedure with a second TRP following signalling from the first TRP. In this latter case, the trigger may be received during the random access procedure with the first TRP (e.g., before the random access procedure with the first TRP has terminated).

[0079] The BFR configuration may provide the UE with at least one preamble to use as part of the random access procedure. This at least one preamble may be specifically designated for use only when multiple random access procedures are to be performed concurrently (e.g., simultaneously). The UE may be provided with at least one other preamble for cases in which random access procedures are to be performed sequentially.

[0080] Before discussing these features in more detail, an example communication environment in which the present disclosure may be implemented is illustrated with respect to Figures 1 to 3. It is understood that this is merely an example, and that the presently described examples may be implemented in other types of access networks. [0088] It is further understood in the following that any reference to an apparatus "providing" any information may be understood to mean that apparatus transmitting said information. In such a context, the terms "providing", "provide", and the like may be understood as "transmitting", "transmit", and the like. Analogously, any reference in the following to an apparatus "obtaining" any information may be understood to mean that apparatus receiving said information. In such a context, the terms "obtaining", "obtain", and the like may be understood as "receiving", "receive", and the like.

[0081] Figure 1 illustrates an example communication environment in which examples of the present disclosure can be implemented.

[0082] Figure 1 shows an example communication environment 100 in which example embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented.

[0083] In the communication environment 100, a plurality of communication devices, comprising user devices 110 and 115 (also referred to herein as a "terminal" or "terminal device") and a network device 120 (also referred to herein as a "network access node"), can communicate with each other. The network device 120 may serve a coverage area, called a cell 125. The user device 110 may have access to a communication network via the cell 125. In some example embodiments, both the user device 110 and the network device 120 may be configured to implement a beamforming technique and communicate with each other via a plurality of beams. [0092]The term "terminal device" refers to any end device that may be capable of wireless communication. In the following, the term "terminal device" is used interchangeably with "user equipment" or "UE". By way of example rather than limitation, a terminal device may also be referred to as a communication device, user equipment (UE), a Subscriber Station (SS), a Portable Subscriber Station, a mobile device, a Mobile Station (MS), or an Access Terminal (AT). The terminal device may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, voice over IF (VolP) phones, wireless local loop phones, a tablet, a wearable terminal device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), portable computers, desktop computer, image capture terminal devices such as digital cameras, gaming terminal devices, music storage and playback appliances, vehicle-mounted wireless terminal devices, wireless endpoints, mobile stations, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, smart devices, wireless customer-premises equipment (CPE), a machine-type communications (MTC) device, an Internet of Things (loT) device, a watch or other wearable, a head-mounted display (HMD), a vehicle, a drone, a medical device and applications (e.g., remote surgery), an industrial device and applications (e.g., a robot and/or other wireless devices operating in an industrial and/or an automated processing chain contexts), a consumer electronics device, a device operating on commercial and/or industrial wireless networks, and the like. The terminal device may also correspond to a Mobile Termination (MT) part of an IAB node (e.g., a relay node). In the following description, the terms "terminal device", "communication device", "terminal", "user device", "user equipment" and "UE" may be used interchangeably. An example terminal device is illustrated below in Figure 3.

[0084] As used herein, the term "network device" is used interchangeably with "network access node", "TRP", and "network access apparatus", and refers to at least part of a node in a communication network via which a terminal device accesses the network and receives services therefrom. The network device may refer to a base station (BS) or an access point (AP), for example, a node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), an NR NB (also referred to as a gNB), a Remote Radio Unit (RRU), a radio header (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a relay, an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, a low power node such as a femto, a pico, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) or non-ground network device such as a satellite network device, a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite and a geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) satellite, an aircraft network device, and so forth, depending on the applied terminology and technology. In some example embodiments, radio access network (RAN) split architecture comprises a Centralized Unit (CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU) at an IAB donor node. An IAB node comprises a Mobile Terminal (IAB-MT) part that behaves like a UE toward the parent node, and a DU part of an IAB node behaves like a base station toward the next-hop IAB node.

[0085] In some example embodiments, a link from the network device 120 to the user device 110 or 115 is referred to as a DL, while a link from the user device 110 or 115 to the network device 120 is referred to as a UL. Links are also referred to herein as "channels". In DL, the network device 120 is a Tx device (or a transmitter), and the user device 110 or 115 is a Rx device (or a receiver). In UL, the user device 110 or 115 is a Tx device (or a transmitter), and the network device 120 is a Rx device (or a receiver). A link between the user device 110 and another user device (not shown) is referred to as a sidelink (SL). In SL, one of the user devices is a Tx device (or a transmitter), and the other of the user devices is a Rx device (or a receiver).

[0086] Communications in the communication environment 100 may be implemented according to any proper communication protocol(s), comprising, but not limited to, cellular communication protocols of the first generation (1G), the second generation (2G), the third generation (3G), the fourth generation (4G), the fifth generation (5G), the sixth generation (6G), and the like, wireless local network communication protocols such as Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 and the like, and/or any other protocols currently known or to be developed in the future. Moreover, the communication may utilize any proper wireless communication technology, comprising but not limited to: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Duplex (FDD), Time Division Duplex (TDD), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple (OFDM), Discrete Fourier Transform spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) and/or any other technologies currently known or to be developed in the future. The UE of Figure 1 often communicates with network nodes of Figure 1 using Beamforming. Beamforming is a signal processing technique that uses highly directional beams for signalling.

[0087] In 5G New Radio (NR), initial cell search, and initial time and frequency synchronization acquisition are based on a UE (such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3) searching and detecting a synchronisation signal block (SSB) from a network access node (such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2).

[0088] The SSB comprises a synchronisation signal part and a broadcast part. The synchronisation signal part comprises a Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and a Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), which are collectively referred to herein as synchronisation signals. The broadcast part comprises a Physical broadcast channel (PBCH) and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for PBCH demodulation. Demodulation of the PBCH may comprise a system information block (SIB), such as SIB1.

[0089] In more detail, performing, by a UE, a cell search on parts of an SSB may comprise performing at least one of the following features: [0099]PSS detection: A PSS is a predetermined sequence modulated with a predetermined binary phase shift keying (BPSK) scheme. The PSS serves as a flag that shows where to find network access node information in the time-frequency grid. Therefore, a UE may use a detected PSS to assist in locating network access node information in the time-frequency grid.

[0090] SSS detection: An SSS is another predetermined sequence modulated using a BPSK scheme. The time-frequency location of the SSS can be determined from information gathered from the PSS reception. The UE may also use a detected SSS to assist in locating network access node information in the time-frequency grid.

[0091] DMRS detection for physical broadcast channel (PBCH): The DMRS is a type of signal whose time-frequency position and content are known at both the network access node and UE sides, once the physical cell identity (PCI) of a cell on which the SSB is transmitted is known at the UE side. The PBCH allows the UE to determine the effect of the wireless channel on a signal's amplitude and phase so that it can be predicted and reverted for related received signals of unknown content. DMRS detection helps the UE to correctly demodulate signals on the physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

[0092] PBCH demodulation: The PBCH physical channel comprises information/signals located in multiple locations of time and frequency. By using the estimations of the wireless channel computed from the PBCH DM-RSs, information broadcast on the PBCH may be demodulated and decoded. This information may comprise a master information block (MIB), and at least one System information block (SIB).

[0093] The MIB and at least one SIB are cumulatively referred to as "system information" (SI).

[0094] In more detail, system Information (SI) may be considered to comprise a MIB and a number of SIBs, which are divided into Minimum system information and Other system information (051).

[0095] Minimum system information comprises basic information required by a UE for initial cell access and information for acquiring the Other system information. The Minimum system information comprises both the MIB and a first SIB (SIB1).

[0096] The MIB comprises cell barred status information and essential physical layer information of the cell required to receive further system information, e.g. CORESET#0 configuration. MIB is periodically broadcast on the cell's broadcast channel (BCH). [0107]SIB1 defines the scheduling of other system information blocks and comprises information required by a UE for initially accessing the cell. SIB1 is also referred to as Remaining Minimum SI (RMSI) and is periodically broadcast on the downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) or sent in a dedicated manner on the DL-SCH to UEs that are in a radio resource control (RRC) connected state (RRC CONNECTED) with the network access node.

[0097] After the cell search procedure has been performed, the UE may initiate a random access procedure to the network access node. The random access procedure may be a contention based random access (CBRA) procedure or a contention free random access (CFRA) procedure. Although these are described further below, it is understood that the presently described techniques may be applied in respect of any of these types of random access procedures.

[0098] Some random access procedure configuration information may be provided via an SIB. For example, a second SIB (5IB2) comprises random access configuration information (e.g., a random access configuration) that indicates the resources that the UE is to use to communicate with the network access node during a random access procedure. The random access configuration information may indicate, for example, the resources allocated by the network access node for a Physical random access channel (PRACH) procedure. For example, the random access configuration may indicate the resources allocated by the network for the UE to transmit a PRACH preamble and to receive a random access response. The random access configuration may also indicate the size of a random access response window during which the UE is to monitor for a response to a PRACH preamble. The random access configuration may further specify that the random access response window starts a certain number of sub-frames after the end of the PRACH preamble in some examples. After obtaining the MIB, the RMSI and/or the OSI, the UE may thus perform a random access procedure for initial access to the RAN.

[0099] Example random access procedures are illustrated with respect to Figures 4A and 4B. In more detail, Figure 4A illustrates a 4 step random access procedure, and Figure 4B illustrates a 2 step random access procedure. The concurrent random access procedures may be based on either a 2 step or a 4 step random access procedure. Each of these two concurrent random access procedures may include an RRC request message in Msg3 or MsgA and RRC response message in Msg4 or MsgB.

[0100] Figure 4A illustrates signalling that may be performed between a UE 401 and a network access node 402 [0112]During 4001, the UE 401 signals the network access node 402. This signalling may comprise a message known as "message 1" (Msg1) of a random access channel (RACH) procedure. In some examples, Msg1 is a Physical RACH (PRACH) preamble. RACH Msgl may be referred to as PRACH. As mentioned above, the UE 504 may transmit a PRACH preamble on resources specified by a RACH configuration included in SIB2. Throughout the following, the terms "RACH" and "random access" (RA) will be used interchangeably.

[0101] During 4002, the network access node 402 signals the UE 401. This signalling may comprise a response to the PRACH preamble. The signalling of 4002 may comprise a message known as a message 2 (Msg2) of the random access procedure. The RACH Msg2 may be referred to as a random access response (RAR). The time difference between the network access node 402 receiving Msg 1 and transmitting Msg2 is known as a RAR window.

[0102] In some examples, the UE monitors for the RACH Msg2 on resources specified by the random access configuration during the RAR window specified by the random access configuration. In some examples, the UE 401 may decode a downlink control information (DCI) signalling carried on a Physical downlink control Channel (PDCCH) that includes scheduling information of RAR information. in RAR information such as, for example, an UL grant for the UE to transmit a message 3 (Msg3) of the random access procedure during 4003. The UE 401 receives RAR information for transmitting Msg 3 via Msg 2, which provides an uplink grant.

[0103] During 4003, the UE 401 signals the network access node 402. This signalling may comprise a message known as a message 3 (Msg3) of the random access procedure. In some examples, the RACH Msg3 is a connection request.

[0104] During 4004, the network access node 402 signals the UE 401. This signalling may be a response to Msg3. This signalling may comprise a message known as a message 4 (Msg4) of the random access procedure. In some examples, the Msg 4 is a contention resolution message. The time between receipt of Msg3 at the network access node and transmission of Msg 4 by the network access node is known as a contention resolution window.

[0105] Although not shown, subsequent to Msg4 being received by the UE 401, the UE 401 and the network access node 402 may establish an RRC connection and enter an active operational phase where data may be exchanged. Stated differently, after Msg4 is received by the UE, the network access node may schedule the UE for UL communication and/or DL communication on the cell through which the UE connects to the network access node.

[0106] Further, for the Random Access procedure of Figure 4A, as part of during transmission of msg1 there are certain parameters that the UE uses to determine the target power. These include, for example, a time to wait for a response from the network (ra-ResponseWindow), a maximum number of retransmissions of Msg1 (preambleTransMax), a power ramping factor between retransmissions of Msgl (powerRampingStep), and a target receive power of Msgl (preambleReceivedTargetPower).

[0107] Figure 4B illustrates another type of random access procedure that may be performed between a UE 401' and a network access node 402'.

[0108] During 4001', the UE 401' signals the network access node 402'. This signalling may comprise a first message known as a "Message A" (MsgA). This signalling may be sent on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). This signalling on 4001' may comprise a payload transmission.

[0109] During 4002', the network access node 402' signals the UE 401'. This signalling may comprise a message known as a "Message B" (MsgB). MsgB may be considered as a contention resolution message in that it distinguishes between UE accessing the cell. MsgB may be signalled in response to the signalling of 4001'. MsgB may be considered as a combination of Msg2 and Msg4 in that it responds to a MsgA, and performs a contention resolution function.

[0110] The time taken between receive of MsgA during 4001' and transmission, by the network access node, of MsgB during 4002', is the sum of an RAR window and a contention resolution window, and is normally less that the time between 4001 and 4004 in Figure 4.

[0111] Assum ing the contention resolution of 4002' is successful, the UE 401' and the network access node 402' may establish an RRC connection and enter an active operational phase where data may be exchanged. Stated differently, after MsgB is successfully received by the UE, the network access node may schedule the UE for UL communication and/or DL communication on the cell through which the UE connects to the network access node.

[0112] In the event that the procedure of Figure 4B is unsuccessful, the UE may instead be caused to perform the procedure of Figure 4A. For example, the UE may, in response to (e.g., based on) determining that a preconfigured number of MsgA transmissions have been performed without successfully receiving a Msg B, switch to transmitting a Msgl. As another example, the network access node may instruct the UE to switch to transmitting a Msg1 when the network access node determines that there is a problem in transmitting a MsgB and/or in receiving MsgA.

[0113] As mentioned above, although these examples of Figures 4A and 4B illustrate contention-based random access procedures, the presently described techniques may be applied in respect of contention-free random access procedures.

[0114] Figure 2 illustrates an example of a control apparatus 200 for causing a network device 120 (such as the network device described in Figure 1) to perform its operations. The control apparatus may comprise at least one random access memory (RAM) 211a, at least on read only memory (ROM) 211b, at least one processor 212, 213 and an input/output interface 214. The at least one processor 212, 213 may be coupled to the RAM 211a and the ROM 211b. The at least one processor 212, 213 may be configured to execute an appropriate software code 215. The software code 215 may for example allow to perform one or more steps to perform one or more of the present aspects. The software code 215 may be stored in the ROM 211b. The control apparatus 200 may be interconnected with another control apparatus 200 controlling another function of the network device. In some embodiments, each function of the network device comprises a control apparatus 200. In some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus 200 may be implemented at the network device 120 or may be the network device 120.

[0115] Figure 3 illustrates an example of a terminal 300, such as the user device 110, 115 illustrated on Figure 1. The terminal 300 may be provided by any device capable of sending and receiving radio signals, such as the user device described herein. The terminal 300 may provide, for example, communication of data for carrying communications. The communications may be one or more of voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia, data, machine data and so on.

[0116] The terminal 300 may receive signals over an air or radio interface 307 via appropriate apparatus for receiving and may transmit signals via appropriate apparatus for transmitting radio signals. In Figure 3 transceiver apparatus is designated schematically by block 306. The transceiver apparatus 306 may be provided for example by means of a radio part and associated antenna arrangement. The antenna arrangement may be arranged internally or externally to the mobile device.

[0117] The terminal 300 may be provided with at least one processor 301, at least one memory ROM 302a, at least one RAM 302b and other possible components 303 for use in software and hardware aided execution of tasks it is designed to perform, including control of access to and communications with access systems (such as a network access system provided by the network device described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2) and other communication devices. The at least one processor 301 is coupled to the RAM 302b and the ROM 302a. The at least one processor 301 may be configured to execute an appropriate software code 308. The software code 308 may for example allow to perform one or more of the present aspects. The software code 308 may be stored in the ROM 302a.

[0118] The processor, storage and other relevant control apparatus can be provided on an appropriate circuit board and/or in chipsets. This feature is denoted by reference 304. The device may optionally have a user interface such as key pad 305, touch sensitive screen or pad, combinations thereof or the like. Optionally one or more of a display, a speaker and a microphone may be provided depending on the type of the device.

[0119] In some exemplary embodiments, the terminal 300 may be an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a user device 110, 115 to perform examples or embodiments described in this document.

[0120] The presently described techniques provide a method for use during a beam failure recovery procedure. Beam failure recovery procedures are performed using a beam failure recovery configuration that is received after a UE has successfully completed an initial random access procedure with a network access node for forming an RRC connection with that network access node. Beam failure, and its associated recovery procedure(s), will be illustrated with reference to the following. As mentioned above, it is understood that the terms "network access node" and "TRP" are being used interchangeably.

[0121] During use, a beam that is currently being used by the UE to communicate with a network access node may degrade to the extent that the UE can no longer receive signalling from a network access node according to a minimum defined signal quality level. This may be the case, for example, when a UE is indoors, when a UE is being moved, and/or when a user of the UE reorientates the UE and/or blocks part of the signalling to and/or from the UE. In general, beam failure occurs when a UE loses a link from one beam of a network access node, but is still able to make a link to another beam of that network access node by performing a successful random access procedure on that another beam.

[0122] The UE detects beam failure and performs beam recovery using a Beam failure Recovery (B FR) procedure that was configured at the UE by a network access node (e.g., the network access node of the failed beam). The BFR procedure may be configured at the UE using RRC signalling. In particular, the BFR procedure may be configured at the UE after the UE has initially performed a connection procedure with the network access node (e.g., after an initial random access procedure has been performed, as described above in relation to Figures 1 to 4). The BFR procedure is performed by a UE's physical and media access control protocol layers, and does not involve signalling using higher layer protocol layers.

[0123] In more detail, a beam failure recovery configuration (which is provided in an RRC configuration, but which is not provided in SIB2) includes parameters for defining how to perform detection of a beam failure between a UE and a TRP, how to select "best" candidate beams to reconnect to that TRP using an alternative beam (using a synchronisation signal block (SSB) or a Channel State Indicator-reference signal (CSI-RS)), and a beam recovery method for connecting to that TRP using one of the selected "best" candidate beams.

[0124] An overview of these aspects is provided below.

[0125] Beam failure detection is performed by a combination of processes on both the physical layer (PHY, layer 1, L1) and the MAC layer (MAC, layer 2, L2). In more detail, the physical layer provides the MAC layer indications of beam failure instances (BF Is). The MAC layer counts the indications and declares failure when configured maximum number of BFI indications has been reached. For example, whenever the PHY layer detects that a received signal quality metric (e.g., the received signal reference power (RSRP) of the Reference signal of the serving beam goes below a preconfigured threshold, the PHY triggers a Beam failure instance (BFI) message and sends it to the MAC.

[0126] The MAC starts a timer as soon as it receives a BFI. The MAC increments the counter by 1 for every BFI. When a certain threshold of BFI is reached (e.g., when the value of the BFI counter is larger than a preconfigured value (beamFailurelnstanceMaxCount)), the MAC triggers Beam Failure and will start the recovery procedure. The MAC may also decrement the counter and/or restart the timer if no BFI is received from the PHY within a predetermined duration. When the timer is restarted or otherwise expires, the counter value may be reset to its initial value.

[0127] The UE may be provided with the values for such thresholds and preconfigured values via radio resource control signalling. Stated differently, there may be RRC parameters for beam failure detection.

[0128] The UE may also be provided with a set of resources for the beam recovery procedure via an RRC message. In particular, the UE may be provided with a set of resources for beam recovery in an RRC field known as "BeamFailureRecoveryConfig". [0141]The beam failure recovery is performed by performing a random access procedure on a "best" candidate beam that is selected during the Beam failure recovery procedure.

[0129] The random access procedure may comprise a contention-based recovery procedure (e.g., contention based random access (CBRA)), such as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B herein) or a contention-free recovery procedure (e.g., contention-free random access (CFRA)). The CFRA differs from the CBRA in that: a) the contention resolution messages are not transmitted (e.g., 403 and 404 are not transmitted), and the random access response of msg2 is scrambled using a different identifier relative to CBRA. It is understood in the following that the presently described techniques may be used for any of CFRA and CBRA, even when only one of these random access techniques is mentioned.

[0130] The network access node may also configure the UE a dedicated CORESET configuration for Beam Failure recovery (called CORESET-BFR), which the UE monitors after transmitting the RACH preamble.

[0131] In general, a UE is configured with a CORESET-BFR that defines resources to be used for performing beam recovery, and is further configured with dedicated preambles to be used for BFR.

[0132] When a UE detects a beam failure On accordance with its BFR configuration), the UE starts a "Best Beam" selection procedure according to criteria stored at the UE for selecting a single beam out of a plurality of beams for reconnecting to the network access node of the failed beam.

[0133] When the best beam is within any of the beams configured in the beam failure recovery configuration, the UE may elect to perform a CFRA procedure. If the best beam is not one of the beams configured in the beam failure recovery configuration, the UE may elect to perform a CBRA procedure.

[0134] The BFR procedure may be extended to the example when a UE is communicating with multiple TRP simultaneously (multi-TRP). For example, in NR multi-TRP deployment, the UE needs to first establish an RRC connection via single TRP, before proceeding to establish an RRC connection with another TRP for multiTRP connection. This is because, currently in 3GPP radio access network procedures, only a single random access procedure can be initiated during a single time window. Further, current 3GPP standards only allow one random access attempt at a time and the UE has to initiate the timer (ra-ResponseWindow, as described in 3GPP TS 38.321) and wait for a response/failure detection before triggering another random access transmission. This may result in a relatively large delay to initiate multi-TRP deployments. This is illustrated in the signalling of Figure 5.

[0135] Figure 5 illustrates signalling that may be performed between a UE 501, a first TRP 502, and a second TRP 503 when the UE 501 implements beam recovery procedures. The figures are message flow diagrams illustrating various messages that may be transmitted, and operations that may be performed, for efficiently establishing multi TRP communication between the terminal device and the network via the first and second TRPs but it may be extended for establishing mTRP communications with more TRPs in the cell.

[0136] The concurrent random access procedure information and beam recovery procedure information from the network may be transmitted by means of system information, dedicated MAC CE signalling, or dedicated RRC signalling.

[0137] During 5001, the UE 501 and the first TRP 502 exchange signalling. This signalling may comprise an indication of the UE's capabilities. For example, this signalling may comprise an indication indicating whether the UE 501 supports 2 timing advance (21A). Timing Advance (TA) is a command sent by network access node to a UE to cause the UE to adjust its uplink transmission timing in order to synchronise uplink reception from multiple UE. Stated differently, TA can be used a network access node to control the timings of uplink transmissions made by multiple UE so that the network access node receives uplink transmissions in a timing aligned manner, which reduces the likelihood of interference. A UE that is capable of supporting 2TA is capable of supporting two timing advance values simultaneously, which means that they can communicate with multiple network access nodes at a same time.

[0138] During 5002, the UE 501 and the first TRP exchanges signalling when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) Idle state and/or in an RRC inactive state.

[0139] During 5003, the UE 501 detects TRP and identifies the strongest of those detected TRP. The UE also detects those SSBs of the TRPs that are "strongest". Whether or not something is "strongest" may be assessed relative to measurements made on other TRP/SSB, and/or in absolute terms (e.g., having a corresponding signal metric value that is more than a threshold amount). Stated differently, the UE may use criteria configured at the UE for determining a "strongest" beam.

[0140] During 5004, the UE 501 performs a random access procedure with the first TRP 502. This may be as described above in any of Figures 4A and/or 4B.

[0141] During 5005, the UE 501 is considered to be an RRC connected state with the first TRP 502. Consequent to this, the UE 501 and the first TRP 502 exchange signalling over the downlink (e.g., the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and/or the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)) and the uplink (e.g., the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and/or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)).

[0142] During 5006, the UE 501 receives signalling from the first TRP 502. This signalling may comprise a configuration for configuring a multi-TRP (mTRP) configuration at the UE 501 that involves both the first TRP 502 and the second TRP 503.

[0143] During 5007, the UE 501 detects the strongest beams from the second TRP 503 that can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission in combination with beams currently used for communication between the UE 501 and the first TRP 502.

[0144] During 5008, the UE 501 signals the first TRP 502. This signalling may indicate that group-based beam reporting will be performed for simultaneous downlink and/or uplink transmission to the first TRP 502 and the second TRP 503.

[0145] During 5009, the UE performs a random access procedure with the second TRP 502. This may be as described above in any of Figures 4A and/or 4B.

[0146] During 5010, the UE 501 is considered to be respective RRC connected states with each of the first TRP 502 and the second TRP 503. Consequent to this, the UE 501 and the first TRP 502 exchange signalling over the downlink (e.g., the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and/or the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)) and the uplink (e.g., the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and/or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)). Further consequent to this, the UE 501 and the second TRP 503 exchange signalling over the downlink (e.g., the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and/or the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)) and the uplink (e.g., the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and/or the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)).

[0147] The example of Figure 5 illustrates that, in the event of beam failure, the UE attempts to recover by attempting a random access procedure on a single TRP first. [0161]The UE of Figure 5 performs sequential random access procedures to connect to multiple TRP as a result of the fact that the UE needs to receive information on how to perform Group-based beam reporting from the UE, which is only configured after the UE is RRC Connected. In more details, for the UE to report the beams groups that may be concurrently received and/or concurrently transmitted on, UE needs to have information on which synchronization signal block (SSB) beams belong to which TRP. This association is currently provided to the UE via receipt of a "CoresetPoollndex" configuration from a network access node. "CoresetPoollndex" is also only provided to the UE when the UE is in an RRC Connected mode with that network access node. In current 3GPP specifications, the frequency domain, a CORESET is a set of contiguous or distributed physical resource blocks (PRBs) within which a UE attempts to blindly decode a DCI transmitted by a network access node. In current 3GPP specifications, in the time domain, a CORESET spans 1, 2, or 3 contiguous orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) symbols. The CoresetPoollndex provides an index value that identifies those resources used for the CORESET.

[0148] The following aims to address at least one of the above-mentioned issues.

[0149] In particular, the following aims to provide a mechanism by which a UE can concurrently perform random access procedures with multiple TRPs as part of a beam recovery procedure. Concurrently performing random access procedures with multiple TRPs as part of a beam recovery procedure may include, for example, performing the multiple random access procedures in parallel, simultaneously and/or interleaving random access messages of the random access procedures. In another example, concurrently performing random access procedures with multiple TRPs may include performing the multiple random access procedures over different resource blocks of the same time slot or same time slots but different time slots and/or different resource blocks.

[0150] In particular, the following describes methods in which a UE is configured with a beam failure recovery configuration that contains parameters characterising when and how a UE may perform concurrently perform random access procedures with multiple TRPs as part of a beam recovery procedure. As discussed above, this beam configuration information may be provided in RRC signalling outside of a pre-connection stage. For example, this beam configuration information may be provided in RRC signalling outside of SIB1 or SIB2 signalling.

[0151] The following will provide examples of how the presently described methods may be implemented by different apparatus, with reference to Figures 8 to 11, before examples of how the presently described techniques may be implemented in 3GPP systems are provided in Figures 6 to 7.

[0152] Figures 8 to 11 illustrate ways in which the presently described principles may be implemented by methods performed by different apparatus.

[0153] In particular, Figures 8 to 9 illustrate a first set of interacting apparatus (e.g., a UE, such as described in Figures 1 and 3, and a network access node, such as described in Figures 1 and 2), and Figures 10 to 11 illustrate a second set of interacting apparatus (e.g., a UE, such as described in Figures 1 and 3, and a network access node, such as described in Figures 1 and 2).

[0154] In more detail, Figures 8 to 9 illustrate a first example in which a UE is caused to initiate (without additional signalling from a network access node), concurrent random access procedures with two different TRPs (where the network access node may provide at least one of the two different TRPs).

[0155] Further, Figures 10 to 11 illustrate a second example in which a UE is caused to initiate a random access procedure with a first TRP, and provide information to the first TRP during that random access procedure that may cause the first TRP to trigger the UE to perform a random access procedure with another (e.g., second) TRP. The first TRP may trigger the UE either directly (e.g., by signalling a trigger to the UE for causing the UE to start a random access procedure with the second TRP) or indirectly (e.g., by signalling information to the second TRP that may be used by the second TRP to send a trigger to the UE for causing the UE to start a random access procedure with the second TRP. As per the previous example, a network access node may provide at least one of the first and/or second TRPs.

[0156] It is understood that although Figures 8 to 9 and 10 toll illustrate respective interacting apparatus, that the apparatus of Figures 8 and 10 and or Figures 9 to 11 may be the same apparatus operating according to its beam failure recovery configuration at different times. It is thus understood that features described in relation to Figures 8 to 9 may be applied in respect of Figures 10 to 11, and vice versa.

[0157] It is further understood in the following that, as discussed above, the terms "receiving" and "obtaining" are used synonymously. Further, the terms "transmitting" and "providing are used synonymously.

[0158] Figure 8 illustrates a method that may be performed by an apparatus. The apparatus may comprise a user equipment, such as described in relation to Figure 1 and/or Figure 3.

[0159] During 801, the apparatus obtains, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs. The network access node may be configured to operate as described below in Figure 9.

[0160] A TRP may be identified by a coresetpoolindex, as described above.

[0161] The beam failure recovery configuration may be a configuration that defines how an apparatus responds to a determined beam failure. The beam failure recovery information may be provided via a radio resource control signalling operation that is performed when the UE is in an RRC connected state.

[0162] It is understood that the beam failure recovery configuration may change over time. Stated differently, when an apparatus is initially configured with a first beam failure recovery configuration, the apparatus may replace the first beam failure recovery configuration with a subsequently received second beam failure recovery configuration. The first and second beam failure recovery configurations may be different to each other.

[0163] During 802, the apparatus determines that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell.

[0164] The first and/or second cell may be any type of cell. The first cell may be identified by a first cell identifier, and the second cell may be identified by a second cell identifier. At least one of the first and second cells may be a primary cell (PCell), and the other of the first and second cells may be a secondary cell (SCell) and/or a Primary Secondary Cell (PSCell).

[0165] The network access node may be configured to provide at least one of the TRPs of the multiple TRPs. For example, the network access node may be configured to provide the first TRP. As another example, the network access node may be configured to provide the second TRP. Stated differently, the network access node may be configured to provide at least one of the first and the second cells. As discussed below, the first cell and the second cell may be the same cell, or the first cell and the second cell may be different cells to each other.

[0166] The apparatus may determine that a beam failure has occurred according to any suitable method. For example, as described above, a beam failure may be detected by the physical and MAC protocol layers interacting by exchanging beam failure indicators. It is understood that how the apparatus determines that a beam failure has occurred does not affect the remaining method performed by the apparatus. [0181]Prior to 802, the apparatus may have been receiving and/or transmitting signalling using the first beam of the first TRP, and been receiving and/or transmitting signalling using the second beam of the second TRP.

[0167] During 803, the apparatus concurrently performs, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0168] The apparatus may be understood to perform the first and second random access procedures simultaneously when one of those random access procedures is still ongoing (e.g., has not completed) when the other random access procedure is initiated. For example, the first random access procedure may be started and be ongoing when the second random access procedure is initiated by transmission of a Msg1 or a MsgA (or any other message initiating a random access procedure).

[0169] Stated differently, the apparatus may be understood to perform at least part of the first random access procedure simultaneously (e.g., overlapping in time) with at least part of the second random access procedures.

[0170] The apparatus may cause 803 to be performed without receipt of instruction from the first and second TRPs to perform the random access procedures. For example, the apparatus may autonomously cause 803 to be performed.

[0171] The concurrent performance of the first and second random access procedures may be performed regardless of whether only one of the first or second beams has been determined to have failed, or whether both of the first and second beams has been determined to have failed.

[0172] For example, when the determining of 802 determines that only one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred comprises determining that only one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred, the apparatus responds to said determining by causing beam failure recovery to be performed for both of the first and second beams (e.g., by selecting candidate beams for the first and second TRPs (as described above) and initiating the first and second random access procedures to be performed in respect of the candidate beams).

[0173] For example, when the determining of 802 determines that both of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred comprises determining that only one of the first beam failure or the second beam failure has occurred, the apparatus responds to said determining by causing beam failure recovery to be performed for both of the first and second beams (e.g., by selecting candidate beams for the first and second TRPs (as described above) and initiating the first and second random access procedures to be performed in respect of the candidate beams).

[0174] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one parameter for characterising a beam failure recovery operation to be performed by the apparatus. For example, the beam failure recovery many comprise at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

[0175] In light of these potential parameters, the following is noted.

[0176] The at least one preamble may comprise a first preamble and a second preamble. In such a case, the concurrently performing the first and second random access procedures may comprise transmitting the first preamble to the first TRP during the first random access procedure; and transmitting the second preamble to the second TRP during the second random access preamble.

[0177] The first and the second preambles may be the same preamble, or different preambles. For example, the first and second preambles may be the same preamble when the preambles are configured such that each preamble corresponds to a respective TRP grouping. As another example, the first and second preambles may be different preambles when the preambles are configured such that each preamble corresponds to a specific SSB and/or SSB group of a TRP.

[0178] As mentioned above, the beam failure recovery configuration may be used for selecting at least one candidate beam for which the first and second random access procedures are performed.

[0179] For example, the concurrently performing a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure may comprise: detecting a plurality of synchronization signal blocks transmitted by multiple TRPs; using said indication of the mapping to identify a first set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks and/or a second set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks, wherein the first set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the first TRP and the second set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the second TRP; selecting a first beam provided by the first TRP from the first set of synchronization signal blocks and/or a second beam provided by the second TRP from the second set of synchronization signal blocks; and performing the first random access procedure using the first beam, and/or performing the second random access procedure using the second beam.

[0180] In such a situation, the apparatus may further be caused to select the first beam based on which beam in the first set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a first quality threshold; and/or select the second beam based on which beam in the second set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a second quality threshold. The first and second quality thresholds may be defined by a 3GPP specification, an operator, and/or in the beam failure recovery configuration.

[0181] In addition to the above, the apparatus may further be able to determine whether the apparatus is able to support different timing advance values, and/or whether the first and second TRPs are aligned in their reception timing. For example, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determining that the first and second TRPs are located in the at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration is available and/or that the first and second TRPs transmit reference signals in a time-aligned manner.

[0182] The apparatus may, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determine whether the apparatus is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception. This may be considered to be a dynamic assessment. For example, whether the apparatus is able to currently perform mTRP may depend on the current location of the apparatus, the current mobility of the apparatus, the orientation of the apparatus, and/or a physical contact of a user with the apparatus. The apparatus may be caused to only proceed with the above-mentioned concurrent random access procedures of 803 when the apparatus determines that it is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception on multiple beams.

[0183] The apparatus may further provide information to the network access node that indicates a requirement and/or a capability of the apparatus for performing beam failure recovery. Stated differently, the apparatus may transmit (e.g., provide), to the network access node, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus. The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission. The BFR information may be transmitted via one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC messages, or one or more Medium Access Control Control elements, MAC CEs.

[0184] Figure 9 illustrates a method that may be performed by an interacting apparatus to the apparatus of Figure 8. The apparatus of Figure 9 may comprise a network access node (as described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2). For example, the apparatus of Figure 9 may comprise a gNB.

[0185] During 901, the apparatus provides, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP. The beam failure recovery configuration may be as described above in relation to Figure 8. The TRPs may be as described above in relation to Figure 8.

[0186] During 902, the apparatus obtains from the user equipment, a random access procedure message in accordance with the beam failure recovery configuration. For example, when the apparatus comprises the first TRP, the apparatus may obtain a random access procedure message as part of the above-mentioned first random access procedure of Figure 8. As another example, when the apparatus comprises the second TRP, the apparatus may obtain a random access procedure message as part of the above-mentioned second random access procedure of Figure 8. There may be another apparatus that performs the method of 902 concurrently with the apparatus of Figure 9.

[0187] Similar to as discussed above, the first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system, [0203]The beam failure recovery configuration may be as described above. For example, the beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an indication of at least one preamble for transmission by the user equipment when the user equipment performs multiple random access procedures concurrently.

[0188] The apparatus may obtain, during a random access procedure performed with the user equipment, the at least one preamble. The apparatus may identify, from the at least one preamble, that the user equipment is concurrently performing another random access procedure with a TRP. Stated differently, the at least one preamble (which may be as described above in relation to Figure 8) may be used only when the user equipment performs multiple concurrent random access procedures with respective TRPs, and other preambles may be used when the user equipment performs random access procedures sequentially with different TRPs.

[0189] The beam failure configuration may comprise at least one of the parameters described above in relation to Figure 8.

[0190] The apparatus of Figure 9 may receive the BFR information from the user equipment, as described above. Stated differently, the apparatus may receive, from the user equipment, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment. The BFR information may comprise an indication of at least one requirement and/or criteria for the user equipment to perform mTRP.

[0191] For both of the above examples of Figures Band 9, the beam failure recovery configuration may be signalled using at least one of: one or more radio resource control signallings; one or more Media Access Control -Control Elements signallings; one or more Downlink Control Informations, DC's; or one or more a beam failure recovery messages.

[0192] Further as discussed above, for both of the above examples of Figures 8 and 9, the beam failure recovery configuration may be an initial beam failure recovery configuration, or wherein the beam failure recovery configuration replaces a previously configured beam failure recovery configuration.

[0193] Figures 10 and 11 illustrate methods performed by another set of interacting apparatus.

[0194] Figure 10 illustrates a method that may be performed by an apparatus. The apparatus may comprise a user equipment, such as described in relation to Figure 1 and/or Figure 3.

[0195] During 1001, the apparatus obtains, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs.

[0196] This may be as described above with reference to 801. The network access node may correspond to the network access node of Figure 11.

[0197] During 1002, the apparatus determines that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell. This may be as described as per 802.

[0198] During 1003, the apparatus performs, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP. Throughout the following, it is understood that this indication may comprise be comprised in a field of signalling that is designated for this purpose. For example, the indication may be an explicit (e.g., enumerated) indication. Example indications are discussed below. The indication may comprise a beam index of a beam provided by the second TRP. Stated differently, the indication may identify (e.g., explicitly identify) a beam provided by the second TRP. The identified beam may be a "best beam" of the second TRP, such as described above. The indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission may be comprised in a Msg3 or a MsgA of the first random access procedure.

[0199] The apparatus may, subsequent to providing the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission to the first TRP: obtain, from the first TRP or the second TRP, a trigger that causes the apparatus to initiate a random access procedure with the second TRP. The apparatus may, responsive to said trigger, initiate a second random access procedure with the second TRP. The initiated second random access procedure may be performed before the first random access procedure has completed. Alternatively, the initiated second random access procedure may be performed after the first random access procedure has completed. This latter case may still be quicker than prior known techniques as the first TRP is provided with information in relation to the second TRP sooner.

[0200] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of the parameters described above with reference to Figure 8.

[0201] Similar to Figure 8, when the at least one preamble comprises a first preamble and a second preamble, and the performing the first and second random access procedures may comprise: providing the first preamble to the first TRP during the first random access procedure; and providing the second preamble to the second TRP during the second random access preamble.

[0202] Similar to Figure 8, performing a first random access procedure with the first TRP may comprise: detecting a plurality of synchronization signal blocks transmitted by multiple TRPs; using said indication of the mapping to identify a first set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks and/or a second set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks, wherein the first set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the first TRP and the second set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the second TRP; selecting a first beam provided by the first TRP from the first set of synchronization signal blocks and a second beam provided by the second TRP from the second set of synchronization signal blocks; and performing the first random access procedure using the first beam, wherein the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission comprises an index value identifying the second beam. The apparatus may select the first beam based on which beam in the first set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a first quality threshold; and/or select the second beam based on which beam in the second set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a second quality threshold. The identification of the second TRP mentioned in 1003 may be an identification (e.g., an index value corresponding to) the second beam.

[0203] In addition to the above, the apparatus may further be able to determine whether the apparatus is able to support different timing advance values, and/or whether the first and second TRPs are aligned in their reception timing. For example, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determining that the first and second TRPs are located in the at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration is available and/or that the first and second TRPs transmit reference signals in a time-aligned manner.

[0204] The apparatus may, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determine whether the apparatus is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception. This may be considered to be a dynamic assessment. For example, whether the apparatus is able to currently perform mTRP may depend on the current location of the apparatus, the current mobility of the apparatus, the orientation of the apparatus, and/or a physical contact of a user with the apparatus. The apparatus may be caused to only proceed with the above-mentioned concurrent random access procedures of 803 when the apparatus determines that it is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception on multiple beams.

[0205] The apparatus may further provide information to the network access node that indicates a requirement and/or a capability of the apparatus for performing beam failure recovery. Stated differently, the apparatus may transmit (e.g., provide), to the network access node, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus. The BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission. The BFR information may be transmitted via one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC messages, or one or more Medium Access Control Control elements, MAC CEs.

[0206] Figure 11 illustrates a method that may be performed by an interacting apparatus to the apparatus of Figure 10. The apparatus of Figure 11 may comprise a network access node (as described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2). For example, the apparatus of Figure 11 may comprise a gNB.

[0207] During 1101, the apparatus provides, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP. The beam failure recovery configuration may be as described above in relation to Figure 10. The TRPs may be as described above in relation to Figure 10. The first TRP and second TRP may be as described above in relation to Figure 10. The user equipment may correspond to the apparatus of Figure 10.

[0208] During 1102, the apparatus obtains from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous transmission from the user equipment to the first TRP and the second TRP. The random access procedure message may be as described above in relation to Figure 10. The indication indicating information may be as described above in relation to Figure 10.

[0209] The first TRP and the second TRP may be in a same cell of a communication system. The first. TRP and the second TRP may be in different cells of a communication system The celis may be as described above in relation to Figure 8. [0226]The apparatus may cause, whether directly or indirectly, the user equipment to initiate a random access procedure with the second TRP. For example, the apparatus may provide, to the user equipment, a trigger for causing the user equipment to perform a random access procedure with the second TRP. As another example, the apparatus may provide, to the second TRP, an indication to perform a random access procedure with the user equipment.

[0210] The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise at least one of the parameters described above in relation to Figure 8.

[0211] The apparatus may obtain, from the user equipment, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment. The beam failure recovery information may be as indicated in Figure 10. For example, the BFR information may comprise at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission. Similar to the apparatus of Figure 9, the apparatus of Figure 11 may use the BFR information for determining whether to trigger the user equipment to perform the random access procedure with the second TRP.

[0212] As discussed above, the beam failure recovery configuration may be an initial beam failure recovery configuration, or the beam failure recovery configuration may replace a previously configured beam failure recovery configuration.

[0213] In the examples of Figures 10 and/or 11, the indication indicating information may comprise a set of candidate reference signal identifiers to be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission. The apparatus of Figure 11 may select at least one of: a beam of the first TRP; a beam of the second TRP; or the second TRP using this set of candidate reference signal identifiers. The selected entity may be subsequently used by the UE of Figure 10 for simultaneous (e.g., concurrent) transmission and/or reception with the first and second TRPs.

[0214] In the examples of Figures 10 and 11, the indication indicating information may be comprised in a MAC-control element message in Msg3 of the first 4-step RA procedure performed by the UE as part of a BFR operation, and/or in Msg A of a the first 2-step RA procedure performed by the UE as part of a BFR operation.

[0215] The beam failure recovery configuration may be signalled using at least one of: radio resource control signalling; Media Access Control -Control Element signalling; Downlink Control Information, DCI; or a beam failure recovery message.

[0216] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate different examples of how the presently described principles may be implemented.

[0217] Figure 6 illustrates signalling that may be performed between a UE 601, a first TRP 602, and a second TRP 603.

[0218] During 6001, the UE 601 is in an RRC connected state with the first TRP 602 and with the second TRP 603. This may be, for example, subsequent to the UE performing random access procedures with the first and second TRPs.

[0219] During 6002, the first TRP 602 signals the UE 601. This signalling may comprise RRC configuration information. This signalling may be performed as part of an RRC update, RRC (re-)establishment procedure and/or RRC reconfiguration procedure.

[0220] This signalling may comprise a plurality of information for beam recovery. Stated differently, the signalling may comprise a beam failure recovery configuration. [0238]The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP. For example, the beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an SSB index (SSBindex) that associates SSBs to a respective TRP. This may be useful to the UE when the UE later measures the strength of received SSBs for identifying a strong beam provided by a TRP.

[0221] An another example, the signalling of 6002 may comprise an indication as to whether 2-timing advance configuration is available for at least one cell in which the first TRP and/or the second TRP is located.

[0222] As another example, the signalling of 6002 may comprise an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure.

[0223] There may be at least one first preamble that corresponds to the first TRP 602 and at least one second preamble that corresponds to the second TRP 603. For example, the at least one preamble may be unique per synchronization signal block transmitted by a TRP.

[0224] As another example, there may be a third preamble that corresponds to a group of TRP, such as a third preamble that corresponds to both the first TRP 602 and the second TRP 603.

[0225] The at least one preamble may be specific to multiple concurrent random access channel procedures. For example, the at least one preamble may only be used for situations in which multiple random access procedures are performed concurrently. The UE may be provided with at least one other preamble for use when random access procedures are to be performed sequentially instead of concurrently. Stated differently, a network access node may be able to distinguish between when a UE is performing concurrent random access procedures with that network access node and another access node and when a UE is performing a sequential random access procedure with another node based on the preamble received from that UE during the random access procedure.

[0226] As the UE has connected to the first and second TRPs, it is assumed that during 6003, the first and second TRPs communicate with the UE 601 on their respective downlink channels (e.g., on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and/or on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)), and on their respective uplink channels (e.g. on the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and/or on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)). This signalling may be any type of signalling.

[0227] During 6004, the UE detects a beam failure on the first TRP 602. This may be detected based on a quality metric of the failed beam. For example, the UE 601 may detect that a beam has failed on the first TRP 602 as a received power for that beam has dropped below a predetermined threshold. As another example, the UE 601 may detect that a beam has failed on the first TRP 602 as a signal-to-interference-andnoise ratio (SINR) for that beam has dropped below a predetermined value.

[0228] During 6005, the UE detects a beam failure on the second TRP 603. This may be detected based on a quality metric of the failed beam. For example, the UE 601 may detect that a beam has failed on the second TRP 603 as a received power for that beam has dropped below a predetermined threshold. As another example, the UE 601 may detect that a beam has failed on the second TRP 603 as a signal-tointerference-and-noise ratio (SINR) for that beam has dropped below a predetermined value.

[0229] Although the present example illustrates a scenario in which beams for both the first and second TRP has failed, it is understood that this is merely an example, and that the presently described techniques may be deployed when a beam for only one of the first and second TRPs has failed. In such a case, the UE may determine to reconnect to both the first and second TRPs (e.g., effectively treat the other TRP as having a failed beam, regardless of whether the beam of that other TRP has failed or not).

[0230] During 6006, the UE detects TRPs from which the UE can receive signalling, and identifies N TRPs from those detected TRPs that can be received from simultaneously and be considered strong. A TRP may be considered to be "strong" when a received signal metric is above a predetermined threshold. Two TRPs may be received from simultaneously when the UE 601 can receive at least one SSB per TRP with a received signal metric above a predetermined threshold.

[0231] During 6007, the UE 601 determines whether the UE is able to perform concurrent reception, and/or concurrent transmission.

[0232] The determination of whether the UE 601 is able to perform concurrent transmission to multiple TRPs and/or concurrent reception from multiple TRPs may involve dynamic factors. For example, whether or not a UE 601 is able to receive from and/or transmit to multiple TRPs concurrently (e.g., simultaneously) may depend on, for example, at least one of: current channel dynamics between the UE and the different TRPs, an orientation of the UE 601, an indication of any barriers between the UE and the different TRPs (e.g., a user's hand location on the UE 601), a current location of the UE 601 relative to the different TRPs, etc. [0251] It may be determined that the UE 601 is able to perform concurrent reception from multiple TRPs when received signalling from the TRPs being considered have similar received signal metrics (e.g., similar downlink reference signal received power values and/or similar downlink SINR values), where two received signal metrics are considered to be similar when they are within a predetermined range of each other (e.g., within 5% of the higher valued metric). The value of the predetermined range may be set by a network operator and/or by a 3GPP specification.

[0233] It may be determined that the UE 601 is able to perform concurrent transmission to multiple TRPs when the UE has a power amplifier, PA on all antennas of the UE 61 and sufficient power headroom (PH).

[0234] During 6008, the UE 601 determine whether the cell(s) in which the TRPs being considered belong supports 2-TA and/or whether the downlink-reference signals received from the different TRPs are otherwise timing-aligned. This is because a UE can simultaneously initiate two random access procedures when the cell(s) have aligned transmission timing and/or known offsets.

[0235] The determinations of 6006 to 6008 are performed to determine whether simultaneous random access procedures are possible to the first TRP 602 and the second TRP 603. For example, 6006 effectively determines that the first and second TRPs are still a good choice of TRPs for receiving signalling from, 6007 determines whether the UE can currently concurrently receive from and/or concurrently transmit to the first and second TRPs, and 6008 determines whether there is a known timing relationship between downlink transmissions on the first and second TRPs.

[0236] When it is determined that the first and second TRPs are still good choices for TRPs, the UE proceeds to 6009. Stated differently, when the UE 601 determines that the first TRP 602 and second TRP 603: can be received from concurrently and/or transmitted to concurrently, with the received signals having a received signal threshold above a predetermined threshold and being within a predetermined range of each other, and that the first and second TRPs have an established timing relationship therebetween, then the signalling proceeds to 6009. When the UE determines from 6006 to 6008 that this is not the case, then the UE may perform beam recovery operations sequentially instead.

[0237] 6009 to 6016 illustrate concurrent random access procedures according to a 4-step random access procedure. It is understood that although the following provides examples of an order of signalling, that this is not limiting. In particular, two random access procedures may be considered to be concurrent when both of the two random access procedures have started before one of those two random access procedures has finished. Consequently, as another example of the below signalling, 6009 may be followed by 6011, followed by 6010, followed by 6012, etc. [0257]During 6009, the UE 601 signals a Msg1 to the first TRP 602. Stated differently, during 6009, the UE 601 sends a preamble to the first TRP 602. The preamble sent during 6009 may be the above-mentioned first preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured.

[0238] During 6010, the UE 601 signals a Msgl to the second TRP 603. Stated differently, during 6010, the UE 601 sends a preamble to the second TRP 603. The preamble sent during 6010 may be the above-mentioned second preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured.

[0239] During 6011, the first TRP 602 signals a Msg2 to the UE 601.

[0240] During 6012, the second TRP 603 signals a Msg2 to the UE 601.

[0241] During 6013, the UE 601 signals a Msg3 to the first TRP 602. The Msg3 may comprise a preamble. The preamble sent during 6013 may be the above-mentioned first preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured. This preamble may indicate whether multi-TRP is available for uplink transmission, downlink reception, or both uplink transmission and downlink reception. [0262] During 6014, the UE 601 signals a Msg3 to the second TRP 603. The Msg3 may comprise a preamble. The preamble sent during 6014 may be the above-mentioned second preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured. This preamble may indicate whether multi-TRP is available for uplink transmission, downlink reception, or both uplink transmission and downlink reception.

[0242] During 6015, the first TRP 602 signals a Msg4 to the UE 601.

[0243] During 6016, the second TRP 603 signals a Msg4 to the UE 601.

[0244] As the UE has connected to the first and second TRPs, it is assumed that during 6017, the first and second TRPs communicate with the UE 601 on their respective downlink channels (e.g., on the PDCCH and/or on the PDSCH), and on their respective uplink channels (e.g. on the PUCCH and/or on the PUSCH). This signalling may be any type of signalling.

[0245] Figure 7 illustrates signalling that may be performed between a UE 701, a first TRP 702, and a second TRP 703.

[0246] During 7001, the UE 701 is in an RRC connected state with the first TRP 702 and with the second TRP 703. This may be, for example, subsequent to the UE performing random access procedures with the first and second TRPs.

[0247] During 7002, the first TRP 702 signals the UE 701. This signalling may comprise RRC configuration information. This signalling may be performed as part of an RRC update, RRC (re)establishment procedure and/or RRC reconfiguration prcedure.

[0248] This signalling may comprise a plurality of information for beam recovery. Stated differently, the signalling may comprise a beam failure recovery configuration. [0270]The beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP. For example, the beam failure recovery configuration may comprise an SSB index (SSBindex) that associates SSBs to a respective TRP. This may be useful to the UE when the UE later measures the strength of received SSBs for identifying a strong beam provided by a TRP.

[0249] An another example, the signalling of 7002 may comprise an indication as to whether 2-timing advance configuration is available for at least one cell in which the first TRP and/or the second TRP is located.

[0250] An another example, the signalling of 7002 may comprise an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure.

[0251] There may be at least one first preamble that corresponds to the first TRP 702 and at least one second preamble that corresponds to the second TRP 703. For example, the at least one preamble may be unique per synchronization signal block transmitted by a TRP.

[0252] As another example, there may be a third preamble that corresponds to a group of TRP, such as a third preamble that corresponds to both the first TRP 702 and the second TRP 703.

[0253] The at least one preamble may be specific to multiple concurrent random access channel procedures. For example, the at least one preamble may only be used for situations in which multiple random access procedures are performed concurrently. The UE may be provided with at least one other preamble for use when random access procedures are to be performed sequentially instead of concurrently. Stated differently, a network access node may be able to distinguish between when a UE is performing concurrent random access procedures with that network access node and another access node and when a UE is performing a sequential random access procedure with another node based on the preamble received from that UE during the random access procedure.

[0254] As the UE has connected to the first and second TRPs, it is assumed that during 7003, the first and second TRPs communicate with the UE 701 on their respective downlink channels (e.g., on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and/or on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)), and on their respective uplink channels (e.g. on the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and/or on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)). This signalling may be any type of signalling.

[0255] During 7004, the UE detects a beam failure on the first TRP 702. This may be detected based on a quality metric of the failed beam. For example, the UE 701 may detect that a beam has failed on the first TRP 702 as a received power for that beam has dropped below a predetermined threshold. As another example, the UE 701 may detect that a beam has failed on the first TRP 702 as a signal-to-interference-andnoise ratio (SINR) for that beam has dropped below a predetermined value.

[0256] During 7005, the UE detects a beam failure on the second TRP 703. This may be detected based on a quality metric of the failed beam. For example, the UE 701 may detect that a beam has failed on the second TRP 703 as a received power for that beam has dropped below a predetermined threshold. As another example, the UE 701 may detect that a beam has failed on the second TRP 703 as a signal-tointerference-and-noise ratio (SINR) for that beam has dropped below a predetermined value.

[0257] Although the present example illustrates a scenario in which beams for both the first and second TRP has failed, it is understood that this is merely an example, and that the presently described techniques may be deployed when a beam for only one of the first and second TRPs has failed. In such a case, the UE may determine to reconnect to both the first and second TRPs (e.g., effectively treat the other TRP as having a failed beam, regardless of whether the beam of that other TRP has failed or not).

[0258] During 7006, the UE detects TRPs from which the UE can receive signalling, and identifies N TRPs from those detected TRPs that can be received from simultaneously and be considered strong. A TRP may be considered to be "strong" when a received signal metric is above a predetermined threshold. Two TRPs may be received from simultaneously when the UE 701 can receive at least one SSB per TRP with a received signal metric above a predetermined threshold.

[0259] During 7007, the UE 701 determines whether the UE is able to perform concurrent reception, and/or concurrent transmission.

[0260] The determination of whether the UE 701 is able to perform concurrent transmission to multiple TRPs and/or concurrent reception from multiple TRPs may involve dynamic factors. For example, whether or not a UE 701 is able to receive from and/or transmit to multiple TRPs concurrently (e.g., simultaneously) may depend on, for example, at least one of: current channel dynamics between the UE and the different TRPs, an orientation of the UE 701, an indication of any barriers between the UE and the different TRPs (e.g., a user's hand location on the UE 701), a current location of the UE 701 relative to the different TRPs, etc. [0283] It may be determined that the UE 701 is able to perform concurrent reception from multiple TRPs when received signalling from the TRPs being considered have similar received signal metrics (e.g., similar downlink reference signal received power values and/or similar downlink SINR values), where two received signal metrics are considered to be similar when they are within a predetermined range of each other (e.g., within 5% of the higher valued metric). The value of the predetermined range may be set by a network operator and/or by a 3GPP specification.

[0261] It may be determined that the UE 701 is able to perform concurrent transmission to multiple TRPs when the UE has a PA on all antennas of the UE 61 and sufficient power headroom (PH).

[0262] During 7008, the UE 701 determine whether the cell(s) in which the TRPs being considered belong supports 2-TA and/or whether the downlink-reference signals received from the different TRPs are otherwise timing-aligned. This is because a UE can simultaneously initiate two random access procedures when the cell(s) have aligned transmission timing and/or known offsets.

[0263] The determinations of 7006 to 7008 are performed to determine whether simultaneous random access procedures are possible to the first TRP 702 and the second TRP 703. For example, 7006 effectively determines that the first and second TRPs are still a good choice of TRPs for receiving signalling from, 7007 determines whether the UE can currently concurrently receive from and/or concurrently transmit to the first and second TRPs, and 7008 determines whether there is a known timing relationship between downlink transmissions on the first and second TRPs.

[0264] When it is determined that the first and second TRPs are still good choices for TRPs, the UE proceeds to 7009. Stated differently, when the UE 701 determines that the first TRP 702 and second TRP 702: can be received from concurrently and/or transmitted to concurrently, with the received signals having a received signal threshold above a predetermined threshold and being within a predetermined range of each other, and that the first and second TRPs have an established timing relationship therebetween, then the signalling proceeds to 7009. When the UE determines from 7006 to 7008 that this is not the case, then the UE may perform beam recovery operations sequentially instead.

[0265] 7009 to 7012 illustrate concurrent random access procedures according to a 4-step random access procedure. It is understood that although the following provides examples of an order of signalling, that this is not limiting. In particular, two random access procedures may be considered to be concurrent when both of the two random access procedures have started before one of those two random access procedures has finished. Consequently, as another example of the below signalling, 7009 may be followed by 7011, followed by 7010, followed by 7012, etc. [0289] During 7009, the UE 701 signals a MsgA to the first TRP 702. Stated differently, during 7009, the UE 701 sends a preamble to the first TRP 702. The preamble sent during 7009 may be the above-mentioned first preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured.

[0266] During 7010, the UE 701 signals a MsgA to the second TRP 703. Stated differently, during 7010, the UE 701 sends a preamble to the second TRP 703. The preamble sent during 7010 may be the above-mentioned second preamble or the above-mentioned third preamble, depending on how the UE is configured.

[0267] During 7011, the first TRP 702 signals a MsgB to the UE 701.

[0268] During 7012, the second TRP 703 signals a MsgB to the UE 701.

[0269] As the UE has connected to the first and second TRPs, it is assumed that during 7013, the first and second TRPs communicate with the UE 701 on their respective downlink channels (e.g., on the PDCCH and/or on the PDSCH), and on their respective uplink channels (e.g. on the PUCCH and/or on the PUSCH). This signalling may be any type of signalling.

[0270] The presently described methods have a plurality of advantages. For example, the presently described examples enable a UE to perform random access procedures with multiple TRPs in a manner that at least partially overlaps.

[0271] Stated differently, the presently described examples enable concurrent mTRP random access procedures for BFR use cases. In particular, the presently described method comprises activation and parameters for concurrent multiple random access procedures during BFR in the CFRA configuration and/or CBRA configuration.

[0272] Stated differently, a UE receives a BFR configuration that comprises parameters characterising the multi-random access procedure as part of the BFR configuration. The UE actions resulting from such a received BFR configuration means that, when a UE detects beam failure on one or both TRPs, the UE can concurrently recover on multiple (e.g., two) TRPs, which speeds up the beam recovery process. [0297]As described above, a BFR configuration comprised in an RRC Configuration for CFRA may define how a receiving UE is to implement a multi-random access procedure configuration. For example, the BFR configuration may comprise an indication of a mapping between at least one downlink reference signal (DL-RS) of the resources allocated for CFRA and a respective set of more than 1 TRPs. The mapped DL-RS per set of TRP is also known as a beam failure detection-reference signal (BFD-RS) set, and indicates those reference signals that a UE should measure following detection of beam failure.

[0273] Such a mapping may be extended to provide a configuration that extends to all configured TCI states in a Unified TCI configuration.

[0274] The above methods further describe preambles that are dedicated to mTRP PRACH procedures, each preamble being associated with (or otherwise being mapped to) candidate beams for respective BFD-RS set.

[0275] As mentioned above, in the event that the UE is unable to perform multiple concurrent random access procedures with multiple TRPs, the UE may be configured to fallback mechanism to performing a single TRP BFR method.

[0276] As another example, a UE may, after initiating beam failure recovery for one TRP after that TRP fails, carry out the above-mentioned multiple concurrent random access procedures with multiple TRPs when the UE has not successfully carried out RA procedure to recover the failed TRP and the second TRP also fails (i.e. all the TRPs of the cell have failed and not recovered).

[0277] As another example, initiating multi-random access procedure may cause the UE to cancel the current RA procedure initiated for beam failure recovery.

[0278] Also as discussed above, in an example, a UE may be configured to select N downlink reference signals that have been measured by the UE to have a signal quality metric value that is above a preconfigured threshold level, where the UE performs such signal quality metric measurements on beams from the candidate beam reference signal lists of the respective BFD-RS sets. The UE may determine whether the UE can select at least one SSB above the threshold for each failed BFD-RS set and whether the selected SSB can be received and/or used as spatial relation for simultaneous reception/transmission. When the selected SSB can be received and/or used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission and there is at least one SSB above the threshold for each beam mapped to the BFD-RS set being considered, the UE triggers said concurrent random access procedure. When the UE cannot select DL RS for each failed BFD RS set so that simultaneous transmission and/or reception can be indicated, the UE may select only one of the N reference signals and trigger a random access procedure for the selected reference signal.

[0279] In an example related to CBRA-based concurrent BFR configurations, the UE may be configured to indicate the UE's simultaneous reception and/or transmission capability to a TRP during part of the random access procedure that the UE is performing with that TRP. Similar to the contention free case, the UE may be configured to select N DL RS that have a signal quality metric value that is above a preconfigured threshold level, where the UE performs such signal quality metric measurements on beams from the candidate beam reference signal lists of the respective BFD-RS sets. The UE may determine whether the UE can select at least one SSB above the threshold for each failed BFD-RS set and whether the selected SSB can be received and/or used as spatial relation for simultaneous reception/transmission. When the selected SSB can be received and/or used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission and there is at least one SSB above the threshold for each beam mapped to the BFD-RS set being considered, the UE triggers said concurrent random access procedure. When the UE cannot select DL RS for each failed BED RS set so that simultaneous transmission and/or reception can be indicated, the UE may select only one of the N reference signals and trigger a random access procedure for the selected reference signal. As part of that random access procedure, the UE may indicate at least the N selected DL reference signals to the TRP as being candidate RS IDs in the MAC CE providing BFR information, wherein the MAC CE may further comprise an indication (e.g., an explicit value) that the selected candidates can be used for simultaneous transmission and/or reception. If the UE is not able to select DL RS for simultaneous transmission and/or reception, the indication indicates that selected candidates cannot be used for simultaneous transmission and/or reception.

[0280] The UE may trigger the concurrent performance of multiple random access procedures by selecting preambles corresponding to the selected DL RS. As part of the random access procedure (e.g. msg.3 or msg.A) the UE provisions the information that random access procedure was triggered for BFR, as part of both RA procedures. The selected DL RS for random access procedures indicate the selected candidates' reference signal to network.

[0281] The presently described methods may speed up multi-TRP connection setup during BFR. This is because the multi-TRP connection can be established during a random access procedure phase of the BFR process. Further, the presently described techniques may be applied in respect of, for example, CFRA and/or CBRA.

[0282] It is further noted that it is advantageous to provide multi-TRP process parameters in a BFR configuration as, in the event of beam failure, the UE maintains its RRC Configuration.

[0283] It should be understood that the apparatuses may comprise or be coupled to other units or modules etc., such as radio parts or radio heads, used in or for transmission and/or reception. Although the apparatuses have been described as one entity, different modules and memory may be implemented in one or more physical or logical entities.

[0284] It is noted that whilst some embodiments have been described in relation to 5G networks, similar principles can be applied in relation to other networks and communication systems. Therefore, although certain embodiments were described above by way of example with reference to certain example architectures for wireless networks, technologies and standards, embodiments may be applied to any other suitable forms of communication systems than those illustrated and described herein. [0310] It is also noted herein that while the above describes example embodiments, there are several variations and modifications which may be made to the disclosed solution without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0285] As used herein, "at least one of the following: <a list of two or more elements>" and "at least one of <a list of two or more elements>" and similar wording, where the list of two or more elements are joined by "and" or "or", mean at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all the elements.

[0286] In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuitry, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects of the disclosure may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the disclosure is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the disclosure may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0287] As used in this application, the term "circuitry" may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry) and (b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable): (c) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit(s) with software/firmware and (d) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and (e) hardware circuit(s) and or processor(s), such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.

[0288] This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

[0289] The embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented by computer software executable by a data processor of the mobile device, such as in the processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. Computer software or program, also called program product, including software routines, applets and/or macros, may be stored in any apparatus-readable data storage medium and they comprise program instructions to perform particular tasks. A computer program product may comprise one or more computer-executable components which, when the program is run, are configured to carry out embodiments. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portions of it. [0316] Further in this regard it should be noted that any blocks of the logic flow as in the Figures may represent program steps, or interconnected logic circuits, blocks and functions, or a combination of program steps and logic circuits, blocks and functions. The software may be stored on such physical media as memory chips, or memory blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media such as for example DVD and the data variants thereof, CD. The physical media is a non-transitory media.

[0290] The term "non-transitory," as used herein, is a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not a signal) as opposed to a limitation on data storage persistency (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0291] The memory may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. The data processors may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may comprise one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), FPGA, gate level circuits and processors based on multi core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.

[0292] Embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit modules. The design of integrated circuits is by and large a highly automated process. Complex and powerful software tools are available for converting a logic level design into a semiconductor circuit design ready to be etched and formed on a semiconductor substrate.

[0293] The scope of protection sought for various embodiments of the disclosure is set out by the independent claims. The embodiments and features, if any, described in this specification that do not fall under the scope of the independent claims are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0294] The foregoing description has provided by way of non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this disclosure will still fall within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. Indeed, there is a further embodiment comprising a combination of one or more embodiments with any of the other embodiments previously discussed.

Claims

1. CLAIMS1) An apparatus comprising means for: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first IRE', wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP.

2. 2) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indication further comprises a beam index of a beam provided by the second TRP.

3. 3) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission is comprised in a Msg3 or a MsgA.

4. 4) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for, subsequent to providing the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission to the first IRE': obtaining, from the first TRP or the second IRE', a trigger that causes the apparatus to initiate a random access procedure with the second TRP; and responsive to said trigger, initiating a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

5. 5) An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second random access procedure is initiated before the first random access procedure has completed.

6. 6) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration comprises at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

7. 7) An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 when dependent on any of claims 4 to 5, wherein the at least one preamble comprises a first preamble and a second preamble, and the means for performing the first and second random access procedures comprises means for: providing the first preamble to the first TRP during the first random access procedure; and providing the second preamble to the second TRP during the second random access preamble.

8. 8) An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 7, wherein the means for performing a first random access procedure with the first TRP further comprises means for: detecting a plurality of synchronization signal blocks transmitted by multiple TRPs; using said indication of the mapping to identify a first set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks and/or a second set of synchronization signal blocks of the detected synchronization signal blocks, wherein the first set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the first TRP and the second set of synchronization signal blocks are provided by the second TRP; selecting a first beam provided by the first TRP from the first set of synchronization signal blocks and a second beam provided by the second TRP from the second set of synchronization signal blocks; and performing the first random access procedure using the first beam, wherein the indication of the mapping indicates information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus.

9. 9) An apparatus a claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for: selecting the first beam based on which beam in the first set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a first quality threshold; and/or selecting the second beam based on which beam in the second set of synchronization signals blocks is stronger than a second quality threshold.

10. 10)An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, further comprising means for, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determining that the first and second TRPs are located in the at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration is available and/or that the first and second TRPs transmit reference signals in a time-aligned manner.

11. 11)An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for, subsequent to said determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, determining whether the apparatus is currently able to perform concurrent transmission and/or concurrent reception.

12. 12)An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first TRP and the second TRP are in a same cell of a communication system, or wherein the first TRP and the second TRP are in different cells of a communication system.

13. 13) An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for, providing, to the network access node, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus.

14. 14)An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the BFR information comprises at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

15. 15)An apparatus comprising means for: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment with the first TRP and the second TRP.

16. 16)An apparatus as claimed in claim 15: wherein either the first TRP and the second TRP are in a same cell of a communication system, or the first TRP and the second 'FRP are in differe.nt cells of a c,orttrnunication system.

17. 17)An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 16, further comprising means for performing at least one of: providing, to the user equipment, a trigger for causing the user equipment to perform a random access procedure with the second TRP; or providing, to the second TRP, an indication to perform a random access procedure with the user equipment.

18. 18)An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration comprises at least one of: an indication of a mapping indicating which synchronization signal blocks are provided by which TRP; an indication of whether the first TRP and/or the second TRP are located in at least one cell in which a 2-timing advance configuration available; an indication of at least one preamble to be used during the first random access procedure and/or the second random access procedure; an indication of a set of physical random access channel(s) that can be used for multiple concurrent random access channel procedures; an indication of, for each of the first and second TRPs, a respective at least one reference signal to be used for beam failure detection on that TRP; an indication as to whether the multiple concurrent random access procedures comprise a 4-step random access procedure or a 2-step random access procedure; or an indication of candidate beam information set.

19. 19)An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 18, further comprising means for, obtaining, from the user equipment, beam failure recovery, BFR information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment.

20. 20)An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the BFR information comprises at least one of: an indication of a capability of simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus; one or more beam identifiers that identify at least one beam transmitted by the first TRP and/or the second TRP; or an indication of whether at least one beam identified by one or more beam identifiers can be used for simultaneous reception and/or transmission.

21. 21)An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration is signalled using at least one of: radio resource control signalling; Media Access Control -Control Element signalling; Downlink Control Information, DCI; or a beam failure recovery message.

22. 22)An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration is an initial beam failure recovery configuration, or wherein the beam failure recovery configuration replaces a previously configured beam failure recovery configuration.

23. 23)An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission indicates that the apparatus and/or user equipment is able to concurrently perform a first random access procedure with the first TRP and a second random access procedure with the second TRP.

24. 24)A method for an apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining, from a network access node, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the apparatus to use when performing concurrent random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs; determining that at least one of a first beam failure or a second beam failure has occurred, wherein the first beam failure is a failure of a first beam of at least a first TRP of a first cell and the second beam failure is a failure of a second beam of at least a second TRP of a second cell; and performing, based on the beam failure recovery configuration, a first random access procedure with the first TRP, wherein the first random access procedure comprises providing an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the apparatus with the first TRP and the second TRP.

25. 25)A method for an apparatus, the method comprising: providing, to a user equipment, a beam failure recovery configuration, wherein the beam failure recovery configuration provides information for the user equipment to use when performing random access procedures with multiple transmit-receive points, TRPs, wherein the multiple TRPs comprises a first TRP and a second TRP; and obtaining from the user equipment, a random access procedure message using a first beam provided by the first TRP, wherein the random access procedure message comprises an indication indicating information for enabling simultaneous reception and/or transmission by the user equipment with the first TRP and the second TRP.