阅读说明：本技术 用于新无线技术的定时提前组 (Timing advance groups for new wireless technologies ) 是由 王任秋 陈万士 A·阿明扎德戈哈里 J·B·索里阿加 A·Y·戈罗霍夫 徐浩 季庭方 于 2018-06-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开内容的各方面涉及实现或支持在无线接入网络中配置定时提前的通信系统、装置和方法。该方法包括为采用具有可缩放数字方案的调制方案的无线接入网络定义定时提前配置,确定与用于与无线接入网络通信的用户设备(UE)的定时提前配置一致的定时提前参数,以及在涉及UE的初始接入过程期间或者当UE处于无线接入网络中的连接状态时,向UE发送定时提前参数。定时提前配置可以被定义为适应无线接入网络使用的数字方案。(Aspects of the present disclosure relate to communication systems, apparatuses, and methods that implement or support configuring timing advance in a radio access network. The method includes defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, determining a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network, and transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.)

1. A method for configuring a timing advance, comprising:

defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, wherein the timing advance configuration is defined to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network;

determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network; and

transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a subcarrier spacing group is defined for the radio access network, and wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for subcarrier spacings in the subcarrier spacing group.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the set of subcarrier spacings comprises subcarrier spacings of 15kHz, 30kHz and 60 kHz.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the set of subcarrier spacings comprises subcarrier spacings of 120kHz and 240 kHz.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a cyclic prefix length group is defined for the radio access network, and wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for each cyclic prefix length in the set of cyclic prefix lengths.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

a number of bits configured to represent a timing advance duration in the timing advance parameter that is sent to the UE.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network,

wherein the timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the desired timing advance granularity is determined from a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timeline.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network,

wherein the timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a number of bits for representing a timing advance duration based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a first number of bits to represent a timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UE; and

configuring a second number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) UE.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring a first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UE; and

configuring a second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) UE.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the timing advance configuration comprises:

configuring one or more timing advance step sizes for subcarrier spacing based on a frequency range used by the wireless access network, wherein the wireless access network is configurable to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

16. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, the means adapted to define the timing advance configuration to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network;

means for determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network; and

means for transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a subcarrier spacing group is defined for the radio access network, and wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for subcarrier spacings in the subcarrier spacing group.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a cyclic prefix length group is defined for the radio access network, and wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for each cyclic prefix length in the set of cyclic prefix lengths.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a number of bits used to represent a timing advance duration sent to the UE in the timing advance parameter based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network,

wherein the timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network,

wherein the timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ).

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a first number of bits to represent a timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UE; and

configuring a second number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) UE.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring a first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UE; and

configuring a second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) UE.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for defining the timing advance configuration is adapted to:

configuring one or more timing advance step sizes for subcarrier spacing based on a frequency range used by the wireless access network, wherein the wireless access network is configurable to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

27. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor;

a transceiver communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one is configured to:

defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, wherein the timing advance configuration is defined to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network;

determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network; and

transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein,

a cyclic prefix length group is defined for the radio access network, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

configuring a timing advance step size for each cyclic prefix length in the set of cyclic prefix lengths.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network,

wherein the timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent timing advance duration are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity.

30. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, the computer-executable code comprising code for causing a computer to:

defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, wherein the timing advance configuration is defined to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network;

determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network; and

transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

Technical Field

The technology discussed below relates generally to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to controlling timing of transmissions in a radio access network.

Background

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various telecommunication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, and broadcasting. Typical wireless communication systems may employ multiple-access techniques capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power). These multiple access techniques have been employed in various telecommunications standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a city, country, region, or even global level.

For example, fifth generation (5G) new wireless (NR) communication technologies are envisioned to extend and support various usage scenarios and applications with respect to the current mobile network generation. In one aspect, the 5G communication technology includes: enhanced mobile broadband addressing human-centric use cases for accessing multimedia content, services and data; ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) with stringent requirements, especially in terms of latency and reliability; and for very large numbers of connected devices and large-scale machine-type communications that typically transmit relatively small amounts of non-delay sensitive information.

Wireless communication networks are being used to provide and support even wider services for various types of devices having different capabilities. Although some devices may operate within the available bandwidth of a communication channel, the requirements for an uplink control channel in devices employing NR access techniques may not be met or implemented in conventional network implementations.

As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, research and development continue to advance the development of wireless communication technologies to not only meet the increasing demand for mobile broadband access, but also to enhance and enhance the mobile communication experience for users.

Disclosure of Invention

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects of the disclosure, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure, nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In one example, a method for timing advance in a wireless access network is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: the method includes defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme, determining a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a User Equipment (UE) in communication with the radio access network, and transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

In some cases, a subcarrier spacing group is defined for a radio access network, and defining a timing advance configuration may include configuring a timing advance step size for subcarrier spacings in the subcarrier spacing group. The set of subcarrier spacings may include subcarrier spacings of 15kHz, 30kHz, and 60 kHz. The set of subcarrier spacings may include subcarrier spacings of 120kHz and 240 kHz.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a number of bits used to represent a timing advance duration sent to the UE in the timing advance parameter. Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance value are selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity. The desired timing advance granularity is determined by hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing. Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance value are selected to obtain the maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for HARQ.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a number of bits for representing the timing advance duration based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a first number of bits to represent the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UE and configuring a second number of bits to represent the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an ultra-reliable-low latency communication (URLLC) UE.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring a first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE, and configuring a second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE.

Defining the timing advance configuration may include configuring one or more timing advance step sizes for the subcarrier spacings based on a frequency range used by the radio access network. The wireless access network may be configured to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

In another example, an apparatus for wireless communication comprises: the apparatus generally includes means for defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme, means for determining a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a UE in communication with the radio access network, and means for transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

In another example, an apparatus for wireless communication comprises: the apparatus includes means for defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, the means adapted to define the timing advance configuration to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network, means for determining a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a UE communicating with the radio access network, means for transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

In some cases, a subcarrier spacing group is defined for the radio access network, and the means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for the subcarrier spacings in the subcarrier spacing group. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure a cyclic prefix length for each subcarrier spacing in the subcarrier spacing group.

The means for defining the timing advance configuration may configure a number of bits for representing a timing advance duration sent to the UE in the timing advance parameter based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for HARQ.

In some embodiments, the means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure a first number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and a second number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and to configure the second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure one or more timing advance step sizes for the subcarrier spacings based on a frequency range used by the radio access network. The wireless access network may be configured to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

In another example, an apparatus for wireless communication has a processor, a transceiver communicatively coupled to at least one processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The processor may be configured to: the method includes defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme, determining a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a UE communicating with the radio access network, and transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration is defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

A subcarrier spacing group may be defined for a radio access network, and the processor may be configured to: a timing advance step size is configured for the subcarrier spacing in the subcarrier spacing group. The processor may be configured to: a timing advance step size is configured for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for a radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity.

In another example, a computer-readable medium stores computer-executable code. The code can cause a computer to define a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme, determine a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a UE in communication with the radio access network, and transmit the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood upon reading the following detailed description. Other aspects, features and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. While features of the invention may be discussed below with respect to certain embodiments and figures, all embodiments of the invention can include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. That is, while one or more embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention discussed herein. In a similar manner, although example embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, or method embodiments, it should be understood that such example embodiments may be implemented in a variety of devices, systems, and methods.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an example of a radio access network.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communication system supporting multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the organization of radio resources in an air interface utilizing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

Fig. 5 shows a resource block with a nominal and scaled numerical scheme.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example self-contained time slot, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 illustrates propagation delays in an adaptable radio access network in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 8 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of a scheduling entity, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

Figure 9 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of a scheduled entity, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a process according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to communication systems, apparatuses, and methods that enable or support configuration of timing advance in a radio access network. A timing advance configuration may be defined for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme. Timing advance parameters consistent with the timing advance configuration may be configured for a UE in communication with the radio access network. The timing advance parameter may be sent to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

The various concepts presented throughout this disclosure may be implemented in various telecommunications systems, network architectures, and communication standards. Referring now to fig. 1, a schematic diagram of a radio access network 100 is provided as an illustrative example and not limitation.

The geographic area covered by the radio access network 100 may be divided into multiple cellular regions (cells) that may be uniquely identified by User Equipment (UE) based on an identification broadcast over the geographic area from one access point or base station. Fig. 1 shows macro cells 102, 104, and 106 and small cells 108, each of which may include one or more sectors. A sector is a sub-region of a cell. All sectors within a cell are served by the same base station. A wireless link within a sector may be identified by a single logical identification belonging to the sector. In a cell divided into sectors, multiple sectors within a cell may be formed by groups of antennas, with each antenna being responsible for communication with UEs in a portion of the cell.

Typically, a Base Station (BS) serves each cell. In a broad sense, a base station is a network element in a radio access network, the base station being responsible for radio transmission to and reception from UEs in one or more cells. A BS may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a basic service set (BSs), an Extended Service Set (ESS), an Access Point (AP), a node b (nb), an evolved node b (enb), a next generation node b (gnb), or some other suitable terminology.

In fig. 1, two high power base stations 110 and 112 are shown in cells 102 and 104; and shows a third high power base station 114 controlling a Remote Radio Head (RRH)116 in the cell 106. That is, the base station may have an integrated antenna or may be connected to an antenna or RRH through a feeder cable. In the illustrated example, cells 102, 104, and 106 may be referred to as macro cells because high power base stations 110, 112, and 114 support cells having large sizes. Further, the low power base station 118 is shown in a small cell 108 (e.g., a micro cell, pico cell, femto cell, home base station, home nodeb, home enodeb, etc.) that may overlap with one or more macro cells. In this example, the cell 108 may be referred to as a small cell because the low power base station 118 supports cells having a relatively small size. Cell sizing may be done according to system design and component constraints. It should be understood that the radio access network 100 may include any number of radio base stations and cells. Further, relay nodes may be deployed to extend the size or coverage area of a given cell. The base stations 110, 112, 114, 118 provide wireless access points to a core network for any number of mobile devices.

Fig. 1 also includes a quadcopter or drone 120, which may be configured to act as a base station. That is, in some examples, a cell may not necessarily be stationary, and the geographic area of the cell may move according to the location of a mobile base station, such as the quadcopter 120.

In general, the base station can include a backhaul interface for communicating with a backhaul portion of a network. The backhaul may provide a link between the base stations and the core network, and in some examples, the backhaul may provide interconnection between the various base stations. The core network is part of a wireless communication system and is typically independent of the radio access technology used in the radio access network. Various types of backhaul interfaces may be employed, such as direct physical connections using any suitable transport network, virtual networks, and so forth. Some base stations may be configured as Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes, where the wireless spectrum may be used for access links (i.e., wireless links with UEs) and for backhaul links. This scheme is sometimes referred to as wireless self-backhauling. By using wireless self-backhauling, rather than requiring each new base station deployment to be equipped with its own hardwired backhaul connection, the wireless spectrum used for communication between the base station and the UE can be used for backhaul communication, thereby enabling fast and simple deployment of high-density small cellular networks.

A radio access network 100 is shown supporting wireless communication for a plurality of mobile devices. A mobile device is often referred to as User Equipment (UE) in standards and specifications promulgated by the third generation partnership project (3GPP), but may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a Mobile Station (MS), a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an Access Terminal (AT), a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a terminal, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology. A UE may be a device that provides a user with access to network services.

In this document, a "mobile" device does not necessarily need to have the ability to move, and may be stationary. The term mobile device or mobile equipment generally refers to a wide variety of equipment and technologies. For example, some non-limiting examples of mobile devices include mobile phones, cellular (cell) phones, smart phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, laptops, Personal Computers (PCs), notebooks, netbooks, smartbooks, tablet computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and various embedded systems corresponding to the "internet of things" (IoT), for example. The mobile device may additionally be an automobile or other transportation vehicle, a remote sensor or actuator, a robot or robotic device, a satellite radio, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, an object tracking device, a drone, a multi-axis vehicle, a quadcopter, a remote control device, a consumer and/or wearable device, such as glasses, wearable cameras, virtual reality devices, smart watches, health or fitness trackers, digital audio players (e.g., MP3 players), cameras, game consoles, and so forth. The mobile device may additionally be a digital home or smart home device, such as a home audio, video, and/or multimedia device, appliance, vending machine, smart lighting, home security system, smart meter, and the like. The mobile device may additionally be smart energy equipment, security equipment, solar panels or arrays, municipal infrastructure equipment that controls power (e.g., a smart grid), lighting, water, etc.; industrial automation and enterprise equipment; a logistics controller; agricultural equipment; military defense equipment, vehicles, airplanes, ships, weapons, and the like. Still further, the mobile device may provide connected medical or telemedicine support, i.e. remote healthcare. The remote healthcare devices may include remote healthcare monitoring devices and remote healthcare management devices, the communications of which may be given priority over other types of information processing or access, for example, in terms of priority access for transmitting critical service data and/or associated QoS for transmitting critical service data.

Within the radio access network 100, cells may include UEs that may communicate with one or more sectors of each cell. For example, UEs 122 and 124 may communicate with base station 110; UEs 126 and 128 may communicate with base station 112; UEs 130 and 132 may communicate with base station 114 through RRH 116; UE 134 may communicate with low power base station 118; and UE 136 may communicate with mobile base station 120. Here, each base station 110, 112, 114, 118, and 120 may be configured to provide an access point to a core network (not shown) for all UEs in a corresponding cell. Transmissions from a base station (e.g., base station 110) to one or more UEs (e.g., UEs 122 and 124) may be referred to as Downlink (DL) transmissions, while transmissions from a UE (e.g., UE 122) to a base station may be referred to as Uplink (UL) transmissions. In accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure, the term downlink may refer to point-to-multipoint transmissions originating from a scheduling entity (e.g., the core network 202). Another way to describe this scheme may be to use the term broadcast channel multiplexing. According to further aspects of the disclosure, the term uplink may refer to point-to-point transmissions originating from a scheduled entity.

In some examples, the mobile network node (e.g., the quadcopter 120) may be configured to function as a UE. For example, the quadcopter 120 may operate within the cell 102 by communicating with the base station 110. In some aspects of the invention, two or more UEs (e.g., UEs 126 and 128) may communicate with each other using a peer-to-peer (P2P) or sidelink signal 127 without relaying the communication through a base station (e.g., base station 112). Sidelink signals 127 may include sidelink traffic and sidelink control information. In some examples, the secondary link control information may include a request signal, such as a Request To Send (RTS), a source to send signal (STS), and/or a Direction Select Signal (DSS). The request signal may provide a scheduled entity (e.g., UEs 126 and 128) with a request duration to keep the sidelink channel available for sidelink signal 127. The sidelink control information may further include a response signal such as a Clear To Send (CTS) and/or a Destination Receive Signal (DRS). The response signal may provide the UE 126, 128 to indicate, for example, the availability of the sidelink channel in the requested duration. Exchanging request and response signals (e.g., handshaking) may enable different scheduled entities performing sidelink communications to negotiate the availability of a sidelink channel prior to communication of sidelink traffic information.

In the radio access network 100, the ability of a UE to communicate while moving independent of its location is referred to as mobility. Various physical channels between the UE and the radio access network are typically established, maintained and released under the control of a Mobility Management Entity (MME). In various aspects of the present disclosure, the radio access network 100 may utilize DL-based mobility or UL-based mobility to enable mobility and handover (i.e., transfer of a UE's connection from one radio channel to another). In a network configured for DL-based mobility, a UE may monitor various parameters of signals from its serving cell as well as various parameters of neighboring cells during a call with a scheduling entity or at any other time. Depending on the quality of these parameters, the UE may maintain communication with one or more neighboring cells. During this time, if the UE moves from one cell to another, or if the signal quality from the neighboring cell exceeds the signal quality from the serving cell for a given amount of time, the UE may perform a handover or handoff from the serving cell to the neighboring (target) cell. For example, UE124 (shown as a vehicle, although any suitable form of UE may be used) may move from a geographic area corresponding to its serving cell 102 to a geographic area corresponding to a neighboring cell 106. When the signal strength or quality from a neighbor cell 106 exceeds the signal strength or quality of its serving cell 102 for a given amount of time, the UE124 may send a report message to its serving base station 110 indicating this. In response, UE124 may receive a handover command and the UE may experience a handover to cell 106.

In a network configured for UL-based mobility, UL reference signals from each UE may be utilized by the network to select a serving cell for each UE. In some examples, base stations 110, 112, and 114/116 may broadcast a unified synchronization signal (e.g., a unified Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS), a unified Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), and a unified Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH)). UEs 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, and 132 may receive the unified synchronization signal, derive a carrier frequency and slot timing from the synchronization signal, and transmit an uplink pilot or reference signal in response to the derived timing. The uplink pilot signals transmitted by a UE (e.g., UE 124) may be received simultaneously by two or more cells (e.g., base stations 110 and 114/116) within radio access network 100. Each cell may measure the strength of the pilot signal and the radio access network (e.g., one or more of base stations 110 and 114/116 and/or a central node within the core network) may determine a serving cell for UE 124. As the UE124 moves through the radio access network 100, the network may continue to monitor the uplink pilot signals transmitted by the UE 124. When the signal strength or quality of the pilot signal measured by the neighboring cell exceeds the signal strength or quality measured by the serving cell, the radio access network 100 may handover the UE124 from the serving cell to the neighboring cell, regardless of whether the UE124 is notified.

Although the synchronization signals transmitted by base stations 110, 112, and 114/116 may be uniform, the synchronization signals may not identify a particular cell, but may identify areas of multiple cells operating on the same frequency and/or with the same timing. Since the number of mobility messages that need to be exchanged between the UE and the network may be reduced, the use of zones in a 5G network or other next generation communication network enables an uplink-based mobility framework and improves the efficiency of the UE and the network.

In various embodiments, the air interface in the radio access network 100 may use licensed, unlicensed, or shared spectrum. Licensed spectrum typically provides exclusive use of portions of the spectrum by means of mobile network operators purchasing licenses from government regulators. Unlicensed spectrum provides for shared use of portions of spectrum without the need for government-granted licenses. Generally, any operator or device may obtain access rights, although some technical rules are still generally required to be followed to access the unlicensed spectrum. The shared spectrum may fall between licensed and unlicensed spectrum, where technical rules or restrictions may be needed to access the spectrum, but the spectrum may still be shared by multiple operators and/or multiple RATs. For example, a licensee of a partially licensed spectrum may provide a Licensed Shared Access (LSA) to share the spectrum with other parties, e.g., to gain access through conditions determined by the appropriate licensee.

In some examples, access to the air interface may be scheduled, where a scheduling entity (e.g., a base station) allocates resources for communications between some or all of the devices and equipment within its serving area or cell. Within this disclosure, the scheduling entity may be responsible for scheduling, allocating, reconfiguring, and releasing resources of one or more scheduled entities, as discussed further below. That is, for scheduled communications, the UE or scheduled entity utilizes the resources allocated by the scheduling entity.

The base station is not the only entity that can be used as a scheduling entity. That is, in some examples, a UE may serve as a scheduling entity, scheduling resources for one or more scheduled entities (e.g., one or more other UEs). In other examples, sidelink signals may be used between UEs without having to rely on scheduling or control information from the base station. For example, UE 138 is shown in communication with UEs 140 and 142. In some examples, UE 138 serves as a scheduling entity or primary sidelink device, and UEs 140 and 142 may serve as scheduled entities or non-primary (e.g., secondary) sidelink devices. In yet another example, the UE 138 may serve as a scheduling entity in a device-to-device (D2D), peer-to-peer (P2P), or vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) network and/or a mesh network. In the mesh network example, in addition to communicating with UE 138 serving as a scheduling entity, UEs 140 and 142 may optionally communicate directly with each other.

Thus, in a wireless communication network having scheduled access to time-frequency resources and having a cellular configuration, a P2P configuration, or a mesh configuration, a scheduling entity and one or more scheduled entities may communicate using the scheduled resources. A scheduling entity may broadcast a service (which may be referred to as downlink traffic) to one or more scheduled entities. In a broad sense, a scheduling entity is a node or device responsible for scheduling traffic in a wireless communication network, including downlink transmissions and, in some examples, uplink traffic from one or more scheduled entities to the scheduling entity. In a broad sense, a scheduled entity is a node or device that receives control information including, but not limited to, scheduling information (e.g., grants), synchronization or timing information, or other control information from another entity (e.g., a scheduling entity) in a wireless communication network.

Referring now to fig. 2, various aspects of the disclosure are illustrated with reference to a wireless communication system 200, by way of illustrative example and not limitation. The wireless communication system 200 includes three interaction domains: a core network 202, a Radio Access Network (RAN)204, and a UE (scheduled entity 206). By means of the wireless communication system 200, the UE may be enabled to perform data communication with an external data network 210, such as, but not limited to, the internet.

The RAN 204 may implement any suitable wireless communication technology to provide radio access to UEs. As one example, the RAN 204 may operate in accordance with a third generation partnership project (3GPP) New Radio (NR) specification commonly referred to as 5G or 5G NR. As another example, the RAN 204 may operate in accordance with a hybrid of the 5G NR and evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (eUTRAN) standards commonly referred to as LTE. The 3GPP refers to this hybrid RAN as the next generation RAN or NG-RAN. Of course, many other examples may be used within the scope of the present disclosure.

As shown, the RAN 204 includes a plurality of scheduling entities 208 including one or more base stations. In a broad sense, a base station is a network element in a radio access network, the base station being responsible for radio transmission to and reception from UEs in one or more cells. A base station may also be referred to variously by those skilled in the art as a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a Basic Service Set (BSS), an Extended Service Set (ESS), an Access Point (AP), a node b (nb), an evolved node b (enb), a next generation node b (gnb), or some other suitable terminology, in different technologies, standards, or contexts.

The RAN 204 is further shown to support wireless communications for a plurality of mobile devices. A mobile device may be referred to as User Equipment (UE) in the 3GPP standards, but may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a Mobile Station (MS), a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless communications device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an Access Terminal (AT), a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a terminal, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology. A UE may be a device that provides a user with access to network services.

Wireless communications between the RAN 204 and the UE may be described as utilizing an air interface. Transmissions over the air interface from a scheduling entity 208 (e.g., a base station) to one or more scheduled entities 206 (e.g., one or more UEs) may be referred to as Downlink (DL) transmissions. The term downlink may refer to point-to-multipoint transmission originating from a scheduling entity 208 (described further below; e.g., a base station), in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. Another way to describe this scheme may be to use the term broadcast channel multiplexing. Transmissions from a scheduled entity 206 (e.g., a UE) to a scheduling entity 208 (e.g., a base station) may be referred to as Uplink (UL) transmissions. According to further aspects of the disclosure, the term uplink may refer to point-to-point transmissions originating from a scheduled entity 206 (described further below; e.g., a UE).

In some examples, access to the air interface may be scheduled, where a scheduling entity 208 (e.g., a base station) allocates resources for communications between some or all of the devices and equipment within its serving area or cell. Within this disclosure, the scheduling entity may be responsible for scheduling, allocating, reconfiguring, and releasing resources of one or more scheduled entities, as discussed further below. That is, for scheduled communications, the UE, which may be the scheduled entity 206, may utilize the resources allocated by the scheduling entity.

The base station is not the only entity that can be used as a scheduling entity. That is, in some examples, a UE may serve as a scheduling entity, scheduling resources for one or more scheduled entities (e.g., one or more other UEs).

As shown in fig. 2, a scheduling entity 208 (e.g., a base station) may broadcast downlink traffic 212 to one or more scheduled entities 206. In a broad sense, the scheduling entity 208 is a node or device responsible for scheduling traffic in the wireless communication network, including downlink traffic 212 and, in some examples, uplink traffic 216 from one or more scheduled entities 206 to the scheduling entity 208. Scheduled entity 206, on the other hand, is a node or device that receives downlink control information 214, the downlink control information 214 including, but not limited to, scheduling information (e.g., grants), synchronization or timing information, or other control information from another entity in the wireless communication network, such as scheduling entity 208.

In general, the base station may include a backhaul interface for communicating with a backhaul portion 220 of the wireless communication system. The backhaul portion 220 can provide a link between base stations in the RAN 204 and the core network 202. Further, in some examples, a backhaul network may provide interconnection between various base stations in the RAN 204. Various types of backhaul interfaces may be employed, such as direct physical connections using any suitable transport network, virtual networks, and so forth.

The core network 202 may be part of the wireless communication system 200 and may be independent of the radio access technology used in the RAN 204. In some examples, the core network 202 may be configured according to the 5G standard (e.g., 5 GC). In other examples, the core network 202 may be configured according to a 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) or any other suitable standard or configuration.

The air interface in the radio access network 204 may utilize one or more duplexing algorithms. Duplex refers to a point-to-point communication link where two endpoints can communicate with each other in both directions. Full duplex means that both endpoints can communicate with each other at the same time. Half-duplex means that only one endpoint can send information to another endpoint at a time. In wireless links, full-duplex channels typically rely on physical isolation of the transmitter and receiver and appropriate interference cancellation techniques. Full duplex simulations are often implemented for wireless links by using Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) or Time Division Duplex (TDD). In FDD, transmissions in different directions operate at different carrier frequencies. In TDD, time division multiplexing is used to separate transmissions in different directions on a given channel from each other. That is, at some times the channel is dedicated to transmissions in one direction, and at other times the channel is dedicated to transmissions in the other direction, where the direction may change very rapidly, e.g., several times per slot.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the scheduling entity and/or scheduled entity may be configured for beamforming and/or MIMO techniques. Fig. 3 shows an example of a MIMO-enabled wireless communication system 300. In the wireless communication system 300, the transmitter 302 includes multiple transmit antennas 304 (e.g., N transmit antennas) and the receiver 306 includes multiple receive antennas 308 (e.g., M receive antennas). Thus, there are N × M signal paths 310 from transmit antenna 304 to receive antenna 308. Each of the transmitter 302 and the receiver 306 may be implemented, for example, within a scheduling entity (e.g., the core network 202 of fig. 2), the scheduled entity 206, or any other suitable wireless communication device.

The use of such multiple antenna techniques enables wireless communication systems to exploit the spatial domain to support spatial multiplexing, beamforming, and transmit diversity. Spatial multiplexing may be used to transmit different data streams, also referred to as layers, simultaneously on the same time-frequency resource. The data streams may be transmitted to a single UE to increase the data rate or to multiple UEs to increase the overall system capacity, the latter being referred to as multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO). This is achieved by spatially precoding each data stream (i.e., multiplying the data streams with different weights and phase shifts) and then transmitting each spatially precoded stream over multiple transmit antennas on the downlink. The spatially precoded data streams arrive at the UE with different spatial signatures, which enables each UE to recover one or more data streams destined for the UE. On the uplink, each UE transmits a spatially precoded data stream, which enables the base station to identify the source of each spatially precoded data stream.

The number of data streams or layers corresponds to the rank of the transmission. Generally, the rank of transmission in the MIMO-enabled wireless communication system 300 is limited to the lower of the number of transmit antennas 304 or receive antennas 308. In addition, channel conditions at the UE and other considerations (e.g., available resources at the base station) may also affect the transmission rank. For example, the rank (and thus the number of data streams) allocated to a particular UE on the downlink may be determined based on a Rank Indicator (RI) sent from the UE to the base station. The RI may be determined based on the antenna configuration (e.g., the number of transmit and receive antennas) and the measured signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) on each receive antenna. For example, the RI may indicate the number of layers that can be supported under the current channel conditions. The base station may use the RI as well as resource information (e.g., available resources and data amount to be scheduled for the UE) to allocate a transmission rank to the UE.

In a Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, UL and DL are reciprocal in that they each use different time slots having the same frequency bandwidth. Thus, in a TDD system, a base station may allocate a rank for DL MIMO transmission based on UL SINR measurements (e.g., based on Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) or other pilot signals transmitted from UEs). Based on the assigned rank, the base station may then transmit CSI-RS using separate C-RS sequences for each layer to provide multi-layer channel estimates. According to the CSI-RS, the UE may measure the channel quality across layers and resource blocks and feed back CQI and RI values to the base station for updating the rank and allocating REs for future downlink transmissions.

In the simplest case, a rank-2 spatial multiplexing transmission over a 2x2 MIMO antenna configuration would send one data stream from each transmit antenna 304, as shown in fig. 3. Each data stream follows a different signal path 310 to each receive antenna 308. Receiver 306 may then reconstruct the data streams using the received signals from each receive antenna 308.

In order to transmit over the radio access network 100 to obtain a low block error rate (BLER) while still achieving a very high data rate, channel coding may be used. That is, wireless communications may generally utilize an appropriate error correction block code. In a typical block code, an information message or sequence is divided into Code Blocks (CBs), and an encoder (e.g., CODEC) at the transmitting device then mathematically adds redundancy to the information message. The use of such redundancy in the encoded information message may improve the reliability of the message, thereby enabling the correction of any bit errors that may occur due to noise.

In the 5G NR specification, user data is encoded using a quasi-cyclic Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) with two different basic graphs: one base map is used for larger code blocks and/or higher code rates, while another base map is used in other ways. Control information and a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) are encoded using polar coding based on the nested sequences. For these channels, puncturing, shortening and repetition are used for rate matching.

However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any suitable channel code may be utilized to implement aspects of the present disclosure. Various embodiments of the scheduling entity 208 and scheduled entity 206 may include suitable hardware and capabilities (e.g., encoders, decoders, and/or CODECs) to utilize one or more of these channel codes for wireless communications.

The air interface in the radio access network 100 may utilize one or more multiplexing and multiple access algorithms to enable simultaneous communication of various devices. For example, the 5G NR specification provides multiple access for UL transmissions from UEs 122 and 124 to base station 110 and provides multiplexing for DL transmissions from base station 110 to one or more UEs 122 and 124 using OFDM with Cyclic Prefixes (CPs). In addition, for UL transmission, the 5G NR specification provides support for discrete fourier transform-spread-OFDM with CP (DFT-s-OFDM), also known as single carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA). However, within the scope of the present disclosure, multiplexing and multiple access are not limited to the above schemes and may be provided using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA), Resource Spreading Multiple Access (RSMA), or other suitable multiple access schemes. Further, multiplexed DL transmissions from base station 110 to UEs 122 and 124 may be provided utilizing Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Code Division Multiplexing (CDM), Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), OFDM, Sparse Code Multiplexing (SCM), or other suitable multiplexing schemes.

Various aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to an OFDM waveform 400 schematically illustrated in fig. 4. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to DFT-s-OFDMA waveforms in substantially the same manner as described herein below. That is, although some examples of the disclosure may focus on OFDM links for clarity, it should be understood that the same principles may also be applied to DFT-s-OFDMA waveforms.

Within this disclosure, a frame refers to a duration of 10ms for wireless transmission, where each frame consists of 10 subframes of 1ms each. On a given carrier, there may be one set of frames in the UL and another set of frames in the DL. Referring now to fig. 4, an enlarged view of an exemplary DL subframe 402 is shown, illustrating an OFDM resource grid 404. However, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the PHY transmission structure for any particular application may differ from the examples described herein, depending on any number of factors. Here, time is in the horizontal direction in units of OFDM symbols; and the frequency is in the vertical direction in units of subcarriers or tones.

Resource grid 404 may be used to schematically represent time-frequency resources for a given antenna port. That is, in a MIMO implementation with multiple antenna ports available, a corresponding plurality of resource grids 404 may be used for communication. The resource grid 404 is divided into a plurality of Resource Elements (REs) 406. The RE, which is 1 subcarrier x 1 symbol, is the smallest discrete part of the time-frequency grid and contains a single complex value representing the data or signal from the physical channel. Each RE may represent one or more bits of information, depending on the modulation used in a particular implementation. In some examples, the block of REs may be referred to as a Physical Resource Block (PRB), or more simply as a Resource Block (RB)408, which contains any suitable number of consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain. In one example, an RB may include 12 subcarriers, which is independent of the number of digital schemes used. In some examples, an RB may include any suitable number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain, depending on the digital scheme. Within this disclosure, it is assumed that a single RB, such as RB 408, corresponds entirely to a single direction of communication (transmission or reception by a given device).

The UE typically uses only a subset of the resource grid 404. The RB may be the smallest resource unit that can be allocated to the UE. Thus, the more RBs scheduled for the UE and the higher the modulation scheme selected for the air interface, the higher the data rate for the UE.

In this illustration, RB 408 is shown occupying less than the entire bandwidth of subframe 402, with some subcarriers shown above and below RB 408. In a given implementation, subframe 402 may have a bandwidth corresponding to any number of one or more RBs 408. Further, in this illustration, RB 408 is shown to occupy less than the entire duration of subframe 402, although this is just one possible example.

Each 1ms subframe 402 may consist of one or more adjacent slots. In the example shown in fig. 4, one subframe 402 includes four slots 410 as an illustrative example. In some examples, a slot may be defined in terms of a specified number of OFDM symbols having a given Cyclic Prefix (CP) length. For example, a slot may include 7 or 14 OFDM symbols with a nominal CP. Other examples may include a mini-slot with a shorter duration (e.g., one or two OFDM symbols). These mini-slots may be transmitted in some cases by occupying resources scheduled for ongoing slot transmissions by the same or different UEs.

An enlarged view of one of the time slots 410 shows the time slot 410 including a control region 412 and a data region 414. In general, the control region 412 may carry a control channel (e.g., PDCCH) and the data region 414 may carry a data channel (e.g., PDSCH or PUSCH). Of course, a slot may contain all DL, all UL, or at least one DL portion and at least one UL portion. The simple structure shown in fig. 4 is merely exemplary in nature and different slot structures may be utilized and may include one or more of each of the control region and the data region.

Although not shown in fig. 4, various REs 406 within an RB 408 may be scheduled to carry one or more physical channels, including control channels, shared channels, data channels, and so forth. Other REs 406 within RB 408 may also carry pilots or reference signals including, but not limited to, demodulation reference signals (DMRS), Control Reference Signals (CRS), or Sounding Reference Signals (SRS). These pilot or reference signals may provide a receiving device to perform channel estimation of the corresponding channel, which may enable coherent demodulation/detection of the control and/or data channels within the RB 408.

In a DL transmission, a transmitting device (e.g., scheduling entity 208) may allocate one or more REs 406 (e.g., within control region 412) to carry DL control information 214 including one or more DL control channels (such as PBCH; PSS; SSS; Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH); physical hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) indicator channel (PHICH); and/or Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); etc.) to one or more scheduled entities 206. The PCFICH provides information to assist the receiving device in receiving and decoding the PDCCH. The PDCCH carries Downlink Control Information (DCI) including, but not limited to, power control commands, scheduling information, grants, and/or allocations of REs for DL and UL transmissions. The PHICH carries HARQ feedback transmissions, such as Acknowledgements (ACKs) or Negative Acknowledgements (NACKs). HARQ is a technique well known to those of ordinary skill in the art in which the integrity of a packet transmission may be checked on the receiving side for accuracy, e.g., using any suitable integrity checking mechanism, such as a checksum or Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). An ACK may be sent if the integrity of the transmission is confirmed, and a NACK may be sent if not confirmed. In response to the NACK, the transmitting device may transmit a HARQ retransmission, which may implement chase combining, incremental redundancy, and so on.

In UL transmission, a transmitting device (e.g., scheduled entity 206) may utilize one or more REs 406 to carry UL control information 218 including one or more UL control channels, such as a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), to scheduling entity 208. UL control information 218 may include various packet types and categories, including pilots, reference signals, and information configured to enable or assist in decoding uplink data transmissions. In some examples, the UL control information 218 may include a Scheduling Request (SR), i.e., a request for the scheduling entity 208 to schedule an uplink transmission. Here, in response to the SR transmitted in the PUCCH, the scheduling entity 208 may transmit downlink control information 214 that may schedule resources for uplink packet transmission. The UL control information may also include HARQ feedback, Channel State Feedback (CSF), or any other suitable UL control information.

In addition to control information, one or more REs 406 may be allocated for user data or traffic data (e.g., within data region 414). Such traffic may be carried on one or more traffic channels, such as a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for DL transmissions; or for UL transmission, a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). In some examples, one or more REs 406 within data region 414 may be configured to carry System Information Blocks (SIBs), carrying information that may enable access to a given cell.

The channels or carriers described above and shown in fig. 2 and 4 are not necessarily all channels or carriers that may be used between the scheduling entity 208 and the scheduled entity 206, and one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other channels or carriers, such as other traffic, control, and feedback channels, may be used in addition to those shown.

These physical channels described above are typically multiplexed and mapped to transport channels for processing at the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. The transport channels carry information blocks called Transport Blocks (TBs). Based on the Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) and the number of RBs in a given transmission, the Transport Block Size (TBS), which may correspond to the number of information bits, may be a controlled parameter.

In OFDM, the subcarrier spacing may be equal to the inverse of the symbol period in order to maintain orthogonality of the subcarriers or tones. The digital scheme of the OFDM waveform refers to its specific subcarrier spacing and Cyclic Prefix (CP) overhead. Scalable digital schemes refer to the ability of the network to select different subcarrier spacings and thus utilize the ability of each spacing to select a corresponding symbol duration (including CP length). Using a scalable digital scheme, the nominal subcarrier spacing (SCS) can be scaled up or down by integer multiples. In this way, regardless of CP overhead and the selected SCS, symbol boundaries may be aligned at some common multiple of symbols (e.g., at the boundaries of each 1ms subframe). The scope of the SCS may include any suitable SCS. For example, a scalable digital scheme may support SCS from 15kHz to 480 kHz.

Fig. 5 illustrates certain aspects of a scalable digital scheme 500, wherein a first RB 502 has a nominal digital scheme and a second RB 504 has a scaled digital scheme. As one example, the first RB 502 can have a "nominal" subcarrier spacing (SCS) of 30kHz_n) And a "nominal" symbol duration of 333 mus_n. Here, in the second RB 504, the scaled digital scheme includes twice the nominal SCS or 2 × SCS_nScaled SCS at 60 kHz. This results in a shortened symbol duration carrying the same information, since it provides twice the bandwidth per symbol. Thus, in the second RB 504, the scaled digital scheme includes half of the nominal symbol duration or (symbol duration)_n) Scaled symbol duration of 167 μ s ÷ 2.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, one or more time slots may be structured as self-contained time slots. For example, fig. 6 shows two exemplary structures of self-contained time slots 600 and 650. In some examples, self-contained time slots 600 and/or 650 may be used in place of time slot 410 described above and shown in fig. 4.

In the illustrated example, the DL-centric time slot 600 may be a transmitter-scheduled time slot. The term DL-centric generally refers to a structure in which more resources are allocated for transmissions in the DL direction (e.g., transmissions from scheduling entity 208 to scheduled entity 206). Similarly, UL-centric time slot 650 may be a receiver-scheduled time slot in which more resources are allocated for transmissions in the UL direction (e.g., transmissions from scheduled entity 206 to scheduling entity 208).

Each time slot, e.g., self-contained time slots 600 and 650, may include a transmit (Tx) and a receive (Rx) portion. For example, in a DL-centric time slot 600, the scheduling entity 208 has an opportunity to first transmit control information, e.g., on the PDCCH in the DL control region 602, and then to transmit DL user data or traffic, e.g., on the PDSCH in the DL data region 604. After a Guard Period (GP) region 606 with a suitable duration 610, the scheduling entity 208 has an opportunity to receive UL data and/or UL feedback including any UL scheduling requests, CSFs, HARQ ACKs/NACKs, etc. in UL bursts 608 from other entities using the carrier. Here, when all data carried in the DL data region 604 is scheduled in the DL control region 602 of the same slot; and further, a slot such as the DL-centric slot 600 may be referred to as a self-contained slot when all data carried in the DL data region 604 is acknowledged (or at least opportunistically acknowledged) in the UL burst 608 of the same slot. In this manner, each self-contained time slot may be considered a self-contained entity, without necessarily requiring any other time slot to complete a schedule-transmission-acknowledgement cycle for any given packet.

The GP region 606 may be included to accommodate variability in UL and DL timing. For example, delays due to Radio Frequency (RF) antenna direction switching (e.g., from DL to UL) and transmission path delays may cause scheduled entity 206 to transmit on the UL early to match the DL timing. Such an early transmission may interfere with the symbols received from the scheduling entity 208. Thus, the GP region 606 may allow some amount of time after the DL data region 604 to prevent interference, where the GP region 606 provides an appropriate amount of time for the scheduling entity 208 to switch its RF antenna direction, an appropriate amount of time for over-the-air (OTA) transmissions, and an appropriate amount of time for ACK processing by the scheduled entity.

Similarly, UL-centric time slot 650 may be configured as a self-contained time slot. UL-centric time slot 650 is substantially similar to DL-centric time slot 600, including a guard period 654 provided between a DL control region 652 and an UL data region 656, followed by an UL burst region 658.

The slot structures shown in slots 600 and 650 are merely one example of self-contained slots. Other examples may include a common DL portion at the beginning of each slot and a common UL portion at the end of each slot, with various differences in slot structure between the various portions. Still other examples may be provided within the scope of the present disclosure.

The timing advance is used to synchronize the arrival of signals transmitted from multiple UEs at the base station. Fig. 7 shows an example of a radio access network 700 in which four UEs 704, 706, 708, 710 are in operative communication with a base station 702. Each UE 704, 706, 708, 710 experiences a propagation delay (time) attributable to a characteristic of a respective propagation path 714, 716, 718, 720 between the base station 702 and the UE 704, 706, 708, 710₁-time of day₄). In an example, two UEs 708, 710 are located at substantially the same physical distance as the base station 702, and are further from the base station 702 than the other two UEs 704, 706, with one UE 704 being closest to the base station 702. Maximum propagation delay (time) in this example₄) Associated with propagation path 720, propagation path 720 involves one or more reflections off of building or surface 712. Reflections can be significant in urban environments. The propagation delay may include delays introduced by the relay device and other aspects of the physical environment covered by the radio access network 700.

In various radio access technologies, personalized timing advance information is provided to the UE 704, 706, 708, 710 that causes the UE 704, 706, 708, 710 to advance uplink transmissions. The net effect of the timing advance information and the consequent advance of the uplink transmission will result in the transmissions from each UE 704, 706, 708, 710 arriving at the base station 702 at the same time. Each UE 704, 706, 708, 710 applies a negative offset to its scheduled transmission time, resulting in transmission starting earlier than scheduled.

In the illustrated wireless access network 700, the UE 710 with the largest propagation delay adjusts the timing of its scheduled uplink transmission so that it begins transmitting earlier than UEs 704, 706, 708 associated with smaller propagation delays.

Base station 702 may calculate the timing advance duration based on the round trip time. Each UE 704, 706, 708, 710 may calculate a reference time starting from the arrival time of the downlink subframe. The reference time may then be used to determine an uplink subframe timing schedule and an adjusted transmission schedule based on the corresponding timing advance value of the UE 704, 706, 708, 710. The timing advance may be based on the same propagation delay value for twice the propagation delay under the assumption that downlink and uplink transmissions are applicable.

For example, timing advance in LTE networks provides for UEs 704, 706, 708, 710 to adjust the timing of their respective transmissions with a relative accuracy better than or equal to ± 4 × Ts seconds, where Ts is the basic unit of time defined by 3 GPP. In the LTE example, Ts is 1/(15000 × 2048) seconds. The timing advance command is expressed in terms of 16 × Ts times with respect to the current uplink timing. The LTE network defines a single step size.

A Timing Advance (TA) command is transmitted in a Random Access Channel (RACH) during a random access procedure involving initial access of the UE 704, 706, 708, 710 to the radio access network 700. The TA command is provided by a scheduling entity (base station 702) in a Random Access Response (RAR) that provides a TA value that depends on the cell size.

The TA command sent when the UE 704, 706, 708, 710 is in connected and/or idle state has a granularity of 16 × Ts and the value is represented in 6 bits. The fixed number of bits results in a trade-off between accuracy and maximum range supported by the radio access network 700. A number of factors affect TA step size or granularity, including:

cell size, CP length, and/or tone (subcarrier) spacing.

Use below 6GHZ and millimeter waves.

HARQ timeline.

Different services, e.g. URLLC or eMBB.

The TA duration may vary for each UE 704, 706, 708, 710. For example, the UEs 704, 706, 708, 710 may experience different movement characteristics (speeds) and/or strong path hops.

Timing advance in 5G NR

Certain aspects disclosed herein provide improved timing advance for 5G NR wireless access networks. Timing advance in a 5G NR wireless access network may be subject to further variation and/or limitations with respect to previous wireless access technologies. For example, the 5GNR may support different digital schemes and may be used to implement a radio access network that supports a scalable digital scheme. The radio access network may support non-synchronized long sizes of subcarrier spacing (SCS) (e.g., n × 15kHz) and corresponding scalable CP lengths. Various services may be implemented, including enhanced mobile broadband, and ultra-reliable and low-latency communication. Different HARQ timings can be achieved: n + x timing, where x is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 HARQ.

According to certain aspects, a 5G NR radio access network digital scheme may be handled using a TA step size that may be scaled according to CP length. In an example, one step size may be defined for all SCS. In another example, one step size may be defined for each SCS separately. In yet another example, a step size may be defined for one or more SCS groups. As an example, when defining step sizes for each SCS group, one step size may be defined for the group {15kHz/30kHz/60kHz }, one step size may be defined for the group {120kHz/240kHz }, and one step size may be defined for a single member group {480kHz }. In some other examples, the SCS may be grouped differently.

In some embodiments, different step sizes may be defined for the same SCS (e.g., 60KHz) in below 6GHZ and/or millimeter waves. Different step sizes may be defined for the same SCS in both licensed and unlicensed bands.

According to certain aspects, the number of bits allocated to the TA command may be fixed or variable in a 5G NR wireless access network.

In a first example, the number of bits allocated to the TA command is fixed, and the maximum timing advance value may be reduced when a smaller step size is used. For example, Ts defined in the same manner as LTE, when an 11-bit TA value is defined for initial access, a 5G NR wireless access network may have the following characteristics:

for a 16Ts TA step size of 15kHz SCS, the maximum TA is 667 μ s or 100 km;

for an 8Ts TA step size of 30kHz/60kHz SCS groups, the maximum TA is 333 μ s or 50 km;

maximum TA is 167 μ s or 25km for a 4Ts TA step size of 120kHz/240kHz SCS groups.

When a 6-bit TA value is defined for connected and/or idle state, and a 5G NR wireless access network may have the following characteristics:

for a 16Ts TA step size of 15kHz SCS, the maximum TA is 32.8 μ s

For an 8Ts TA step size of 30kHz/60kHz SCS groups, the maximum TA is 16.4 μ s

For a 4Ts TA step size of 120kHz/240kHz SCS groups, the maximum TA is 8.2 μ s.

A variable TA step size and/or a variable number of bits representing the TA duration may be defined for the 5G NR radio access network. For example, an 8Ts TA step size may be defined for 15kHz SCS, with 12 bits for initial access and/or 8 bits for connection status.

In a second example, the number of bits allocated to the TA command may vary with the digital scheme. That is, different numbers of bits may be used for different digital schemes. In some cases, for 15kHz SCS, TA step size is 16Ts, and 11-bit TA values can be used to provide 667 μ s or 100km maximum TA. For a 30kHz/60kHz SCS TA step size of 8Ts, a 10 bit TA value can be used to provide a maximum TA of 167 μ s or 25 km.

According to certain aspects, timing advance in a 5G NR wireless access network may be configured to accommodate different HARQ timelines. For example, for a shorter HARQ timeline, the maximum TA and/or TA step size may be smaller. In some cases, the HARQ timing may be shorter when transmitting the self-contained slot.

According to certain aspects, timing advance in a 5G NR wireless access network may be configured to accommodate different services. In some embodiments, the maximum TA and/or TA step size may be reduced when URLCC is employed. Even in the same cell, URLLC UEs may have smaller coverage than enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) UEs. Millimeter wave implementations may experience larger timing jumps than lower than 6GHZ implementations. A larger step size or a larger number of bits may be employed to accommodate a larger TA range.

Scheduling entity

Fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of a scheduling entity 800 employing a processing system 814. For example, the scheduling entity 800 may be a User Equipment (UE) as shown in any one or more of fig. 1 or 2 or referred to elsewhere herein. In another example, the scheduling entity 800 may be a base station as shown in any one or more of fig. 1 or 2.

The scheduling entity 800 may be implemented with a processing system 814 that includes one or more processors 804. Examples of processor 804 include microprocessors, microcontrollers, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described throughout this disclosure. In various examples, the scheduling entity 800 may be configured to perform any one or more of the functions described herein. That is, the processor 804 as used in the scheduling entity 800 may be used to implement any one or more of the processes and procedures described below and illustrated in fig. 10.

In this example, the processing system 814 may be implemented with a bus architecture, represented generally by the bus 802. The bus 802 may include any number of interconnecting buses and bridges depending on the specific application of the processing system 814 and the overall design constraints. The bus 802 communicatively couples various circuits including one or more processors (represented generally by processor 804), memory 805, and computer-readable media (represented generally by computer-readable media 806). The bus 802 may also link various other circuits such as timing sources, peripheral components, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, which are well known in the art, and therefore, will not be described any further. A bus interface 808 provides an interface between the bus 802 and a transceiver 810. The transceiver 810 provides a communication interface or unit for communicating with various other apparatus over a transmission medium. Depending on the nature of the device, a user interface 812 (e.g., keypad, display, speaker, microphone, joystick) may also be provided.

In some aspects of the disclosure, processor 804 may include circuitry 840 configured for various functions including, for example, calculating and/or determining a timing advance step size for a radio access network supporting a scalable digital scheme. The processor 804 may include circuitry 842 configured for various functions including, for example, calculating and/or determining a bit length for representing a timing delay for transmission to a UE coupled to the radio access network. For example, the circuitry may be configured to implement one or more of the functions described below, including with respect to fig. 10.

The processor 804 is responsible for managing the bus 802 and general processing, including the execution of software stored on the computer-readable medium 806. The software, when executed by the processor 804, causes the processing system 814 to perform the various functions described infra for any particular apparatus. The computer-readable medium 806 and the memory 805 may also be used for storing data that is manipulated by the processor 804 when executing software.

One or more processors 804 in the processing system may execute software. Software should be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or other terminology. The software may reside on computer-readable medium 806. The computer-readable medium 806 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. By way of example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes a magnetic storage device (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strip), an optical disk (e.g., Compact Disc (CD) or Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)), a smart card, a flash memory device (e.g., card, stick, or key drive), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (prom), an erasable prom (eprom), an electrically erasable prom (eeprom), a register, a removable disk, and any other suitable medium for storing software and/or instructions that may be accessed and read by a computer. The computer-readable medium 806 may reside in the processing system 814, external to the processing system 814, or be distributed across multiple entities including the processing system 814. The computer-readable medium 806 may be embodied in a computer program product. By way of example, a computer program product may include a computer-readable medium in packaging material. Those skilled in the art will recognize how best to implement the described functionality presented throughout this disclosure, depending on the particular application and the overall design constraints imposed on the overall system.

In one or more examples, computer-readable medium 806 may include software configured for various functions including, for example, performing one or more of the functions associated with process 1000 of fig. 10. In one example, the computer-readable medium 806 stores computer- executable code 852, 854, the computer- executable code 852, 854 configured to cause the processing system 814 to define a timing advance configuration for a radio access network using a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme.

Scheduled entity

Fig. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a hardware implementation of an exemplary scheduled entity 900 employing processing system 914. In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, an element, or any portion of an element, or any combination of elements may be implemented with a processing system 914 that includes one or more processors 904. For example, scheduled entity 900 may be a User Equipment (UE) as shown in any one or more of fig. 1 or 2 or referred to elsewhere herein.

The processing system 914 may be substantially the same as the processing system 814 shown in fig. 8, including a bus interface 908, a bus 902, a memory 905, a processor 904, and a computer-readable medium 906. In one or more examples, computer-readable media 906 may include software 952, 954 configured for various functions, including, for example, performing one or more of the functions associated with process 1000 of fig. 10.

Further, the scheduled entity 900 may include a user interface 912 and a transceiver 910 substantially similar to those described above in fig. 8. That is, the processor 904 as used in the scheduled entity 900 may be used to implement any one or more of the processes described below and shown in fig. 10.

In some aspects of the disclosure, processor 904 may include circuitry 940 configured for various functions including, for example, determining a timing advance step size for a radio access network supporting a scalable digital scheme. The processor 904 may include circuitry 942 configured for various functions including, for example, calculating and/or determining a bit length for representing a timing delay for transmission to a UE coupled to a radio access network. For example, the circuitry may be configured to implement one or more of the functions described below, including with respect to fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a process 1000 in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. As described below, in particular implementations within the scope of the present disclosure, some or all of the illustrated features may be omitted, and some illustrated features may not be necessary to implement all embodiments. In some examples, process 1000 may be performed by scheduling entity 800 shown in fig. 8. In one example, the process may be partially or fully implemented using circuitry 840 configured to calculate and/or determine a timing advance step size for a radio access network supporting a scalable digital scheme. In one example, the process may be implemented in part or in whole using circuitry 842 configured to calculate and/or determine a bit length for representing a timing delay for transmitting to a UE coupled to a radio access network. In other examples, process 1000 may be performed by any suitable means or unit for performing the functions or algorithms described below.

At block 1002, a scheduling entity may define a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme. The timing advance configuration may be defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

At block 1004, the scheduling entity may determine a timing advance parameter consistent with a timing advance configuration for a UE in communication with the radio access network.

At block 1006, the scheduling entity may send the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or while the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

The timing advance configuration may be defined by configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance configuration may be defined by configuring a timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

In some cases, a subcarrier spacing group is defined for a radio access network. The timing advance configuration is defined by configuring a timing advance step size for the subcarrier spacing in the subcarrier spacing group. In one example, the set of subcarrier spacings comprises subcarrier spacings of 15kHz, 30kHz and 60 kHz. In another example, the set of subcarrier spacings comprises subcarrier spacings of 120kHz and 240 kHz.

In some cases, a cyclic prefix length group is defined for the radio access network, and a timing advance configuration may be defined by configuring a timing advance step size for each cyclic prefix length in the cyclic prefix length group.

In some examples, defining the timing advance configuration includes configuring a number of bits to represent a timing advance duration sent to the UE in the timing advance parameter. The timing advance configuration may be defined by configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance value may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity. The desired timing advance granularity may be determined by the HARQ timeline. The timing advance configuration may be defined by configuring a timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance value may be selected to obtain the maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for HARQ.

In one example, defining the timing advance configuration includes configuring a number of bits for representing the timing advance duration based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

In one example, defining the timing advance configuration includes configuring a first number of bits to represent the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and configuring a second number of bits to represent the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE.

In one example, defining the timing advance configuration includes configuring a first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and configuring a second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE.

In one example, defining the timing advance configuration includes configuring one or more timing advance step sizes for the subcarrier spacing based on a frequency range used by the radio access network. The wireless access network may be configured to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

According to certain aspects disclosed herein, an apparatus for wireless communication comprises: the apparatus includes means for defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme having a scalable digital scheme, the means adapted to define the timing advance configuration to accommodate a digital scheme used by the radio access network, means for determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a UE in communication with the radio access network, and means for transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network.

In one example, the means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for all subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network.

In various examples, a subcarrier spacing group is defined for a radio access network, and the means for defining a timing advance configuration is adapted to configure a timing advance step size for subcarrier spacings in the subcarrier spacing group. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure a cyclic prefix length for each subcarrier spacing in the subcarrier spacing group.

In some examples, the means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure a number of bits for representing a timing advance duration sent to the UE in the timing advance parameter based on a timing advance step size of one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the timing advance step size for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for the radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain the maximum timing advance duration defined by the radio access network for HARQ.

In some embodiments, the means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure a first number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and a second number of bits for representing the timing advance duration when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure the first timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as an eMBB UE and to configure the second timing advance step size when the UE is configured to operate as a URLLC UE. The means for defining the timing advance configuration may be adapted to configure one or more timing advance step sizes for the subcarrier spacings based on a frequency range used by the radio access network. The wireless access network may be configured to use a bandwidth associated with frequencies below 6GHz and millimeter wavelengths.

According to certain aspects, an apparatus for wireless communication has a processor, a transceiver communicatively coupled to at least one processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The processor may be configured to: the method includes defining a timing advance configuration for a radio access network employing a modulation scheme with a scalable digital scheme, determining a timing advance parameter consistent with the timing advance configuration for a UE in communication with the radio access network, and transmitting the timing advance parameter to the UE during an initial access procedure involving the UE or when the UE is in a connected state in the radio access network. The timing advance configuration is defined as a digital scheme adapted to the radio access network usage.

A subcarrier spacing group may be defined for a radio access network, and the processor may be configured to: a timing advance step size is configured for the subcarrier spacing in the subcarrier spacing group. The processor may be configured to: a timing advance step size is configured for one or more subcarrier spacings defined for a radio access network. The timing advance step size and the number of bits used to represent the timing advance duration may be selected to obtain a maximum timing advance duration or range of the radio access network with a desired timing advance granularity.

Several aspects of a wireless communication network have been presented with reference to exemplary embodiments. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the various aspects described throughout this disclosure may be extended to other telecommunications systems, network architectures, and communication standards.

For example, various aspects may be implemented within other systems defined by 3GPP, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolved Packet System (EPS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and/or global system for mobile communications (GSM). Aspects may also be extended to systems defined by the third generation partnership project 2(3GPP2), such as CDMA2000 and/or evolution-data optimized (EV-DO). Other examples may be implemented within systems employing IEEE 802.11(Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16(WiMAX), IEEE802.20, Ultra Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth, and/or other suitable systems. The actual telecommunications standard, network architecture, and/or communications standard employed will depend on the specific application and the overall design constraints imposed on the system.

In this disclosure, the word "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or aspect described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects of the disclosure. Likewise, the term "aspect" does not require that all aspects of the disclosure include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. The term "coupled" is used herein to refer to a direct or indirect coupling between two objects. For example, if object a physically contacts object B, and object B contacts object C, then objects a and C may still be considered to be coupled to each other-even though they are not in direct physical contact with each other. For example, a first object may be coupled to a second object even though the first object is never in direct physical contact with the second object. The terms "circuit" and "circuitry" are used broadly and are intended to encompass hardware implementations of electrical devices and conductors that when connected and configured are capable of performing the functions described in this disclosure, without limitation as to the type of electronic circuitry, as well as software implementations of information and instructions that when executed by a processor are capable of performing the functions described in this disclosure.

One or more of the components, steps, features and/or functions illustrated herein may be rearranged and/or combined into a single component, step, feature or function or embodied in several components, steps or functions. Additional elements, components, steps, and/or functions may also be added without departing from the novel features disclosed herein. The apparatus, devices, and/or components shown herein may be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features, or steps described herein. The novel algorithms described herein may also be implemented efficiently in software and/or embedded in hardware.

It is to be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed is an illustration of exemplary processes. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods may be rearranged. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented unless specifically indicated herein.