ZTE with Sanechips extends proposed SCell activation control element

ZTE with Sanechips submitted its earlier proposal to RAN2 #135, a meeting of the radio layer 2 and radio resource control working group. Both papers address New Radio (NR) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Phase 6, and the earlier title identifies release 20. The earlier paper proposes a new medium access control control element (MAC CE) for the secondary cell (SCell) activation command. It would indicate three reference signal (RS) types. The earlier proposal states "a new MAC CE should be designed to indicate all 3 RS types".

Source: R2-2605176, ZTE (with Sanechips), 3GPP TSG RAN WG2 #135. © ZTE, Sanechips.

Those types are aperiodic channel state information reference signal (AP CSI-RS), sounding reference signal (SRS), and tracking reference signal (TRS). The later paper adds uplink (UL) grant information to the proposed new element. The later proposal says "a new MAC CE shall be designed to indicate all three RS types (i.e., AP CSI-RS/SRS/TRS) and the UL grant information". The proposal text does not specify which uplink grant fields the MAC CE would carry. Our reading: moving from should to shall makes the company's wording firmer, not a group agreement. The earlier paper was noted at RAN2 #135, while the later register records no decision at RAN2 #135-bis. Our reading: noted means the group took note of the earlier paper without recording agreement to its proposal.

Source: R2-2607715, ZTE (with Sanechips), 3GPP TSG RAN WG2 #135-bis. © ZTE, Sanechips.