Enhanced provision of timing advance data

Abstract

A method may include receiving, at a user equipment, a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element. The method may also include performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element. The method may also include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 930,909, filed on November 5, 2019. The contents of that prior-filed application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Some example embodiments may relate generally to mobile or wireless telecommunication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology, or may relate to other communication systems. For example, certain embodiments may relate to apparatus, systems and / or methods for enhancing the provision of timing advance data. Background Art

[0004] Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunication systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), Advanced LTE (LTE-A), MulteFire, LTE-A Pro, and / or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or new radio (NR) access technology. The fifth generation (5G) wireless system refers to the next generation (NG) radio system and network architecture. 5G is mainly built on the new radio (NR), but 5G (or NG) networks can also be built on the E-UTRAN radio. It is estimated that NR can provide bit rates of 10-20Gbit / s or higher, and can support at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) and massive machine type communication (mMTC). NR is expected to provide ultra-wideband and ultra-robust low latency connections and large-scale networks to support the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications become more and more common, the need for networks that can meet the requirements of low power consumption, low data rates and long battery life will continue to grow. Note that in 5G, a node that can provide radio access functions to user equipment (i.e., similar to a Node B in UTRAN or an eNB in ​​LTE) is named gNB when built on NR radio and is named NG-eNB when built on E-UTRAN radio. Summary of the invention

[0005] Some example embodiments relate to a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element. The method may also include performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element. The method may also include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0006] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least receive a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element. The apparatus may also be caused to perform a distance measurement from the apparatus to the network element. The apparatus may also be caused to determine a sector of a cell coverage area in which the apparatus is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0007] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for receiving a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element. The apparatus may also include means for performing a distance measurement from a user equipment to the network element. The apparatus may also include means for determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0008] According to other example embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, may perform a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, a broadcast from a network element including network-wide marker data. The method may also include performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element. The method may also include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0009] Other example embodiments may be directed to a computer program product for performing a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, a broadcast from a network element including network-wide marker data. The method may also include performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element. The method may also include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0010] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to receive a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to perform a distance measurement from the apparatus to the network element. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to determine a sector of a cell coverage area in which the apparatus is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0011] Certain example embodiments may be directed to a method. The method may include determining, by a network element, network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The method may also include calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. The method may also include determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the method may include sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

[0012] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least determine network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The apparatus may also be caused to calculate a timing advance value for a user equipment. The apparatus may also be caused to determine a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the apparatus may be caused to send a timing advance index value to the user equipment.

[0013] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus. The apparatus may include means for determining network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The apparatus may also include means for calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. The apparatus may also include means for determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the apparatus may include means for sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

[0014] According to other example embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable medium may be encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, may perform a method. The method may include determining, by a network element, network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The method may also include calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. The method may also include determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the method may include sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

[0015] Other example embodiments may be directed to a computer program product for performing a method. The method may include determining, by a network element, network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The method may also include calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. The method may also include determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. Furthermore, the method may include sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

[0016] Other example embodiments may be directed to an apparatus that may include circuitry configured to determine network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to calculate a timing advance value for a user equipment. The apparatus may also include circuitry configured to determine a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the apparatus may include circuitry configured to send a timing advance index value to the user equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] For a proper understanding of the example embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 The uplink to downlink timing adjustment principle is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A scenario with three user equipments at different distances within a cell is shown according to an example embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3 According to an example embodiment, Figure 2 Some values ​​for the scenario shown.

[0021] Figure 4 A global positioning system based timing advance is shown according to an example embodiment.

[0022] Figure 5 A scenario with three user equipments at different distances within a cell is shown according to an example embodiment.

[0023] Figure 6 Timing advance index values ​​provided by an eNB for three exemplary user equipments according to an example embodiment are shown.

[0024] Figure 7 Explicit sector selection according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0025] Figure 8 A signaling diagram illustrating timing advance resolution enhancement with time of arrival based verification according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0026] Fig. 9 Timing advance resolution enhancement in a non-terrestrial network according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0027] Fig.10 A flow chart of a method according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0028] Fig.11 A flow chart of another method according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0029] FIG. 12( a ) shows an apparatus according to an example embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 12( b ) shows another apparatus according to an example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] It will be readily appreciated that the components of certain example embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein may be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations.The following is a detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for enhancing the provision of timing advance data.

[0032] The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. For example, use of the phrases "certain embodiments," "example embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases "certain embodiments," "example embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification does not necessarily all refer to the same set of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments.

[0033] In addition, if desired, the different functions or steps discussed below may be performed in different orders and / or simultaneously with each other. In addition, if desired, one or more of the described functions or steps may be optional or may be combined. Therefore, the following description should be considered as merely illustrating the principles and teachings of certain example embodiments, rather than limiting them.

[0034] A timing advance based method can be used for uplink (UL) channel synchronization. The third generation partnership project (3GPP) technical specification (TS) has described the timing adjustment principle and the physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble. These TS may include, for example, 3GPP TS 36.213 or TS 36.211. In addition, user equipment (UE) UL channel synchronization and maintenance may be enabled by a timing advance (TA) command. For example, the TA command may be in the form of equation 1 as shown below.

[0035] N TA =T A *16*T S [Equation 1]

[0036] As shown in Equation 1, T A It can represent the timing advance index value provided by the eNB and can be in the form of 11 bits.S Can represent the basic time unit, N TA May indicate UL timing adjustment.

[0037] In a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) update for UE mobility processing, the following Equation 2 may be provided.

[0038] N TA，new =N TA，old +(T A -31)*16 [Equation 2]

[0039] As shown in Equation 2, T A Can represent 6 bits (0, ..., 63), N TA，new Can represent the new timing adjustment value, N TA，old Can indicate the current timing adjustment. A The value may be provided by the eNB in ​​the MAC CE TA Update.

[0040] Figure 1 The UL to downlink (DL) timing adjustment principle is shown. In particular, the UL to DL timing adjustment principle may comply with 3GPP TS 36.211. Figure 1 As shown, DL radio frame i may be offset from UL radio frame i by (N TA +N TA offset )*T S In an example embodiment, based on the TOA principle, the propagation delay distance D(Ts) between the UE and the eNB may be calculated using Equation 3 as shown below.

[0041] D(T S )=C*(T1(T S )-T0(T S ))[m] [Equation 3]

[0042] In Equation 3, T0 may represent the reference signal physical transmission time of the eNB, T1 may represent the reference signal reception time of the UE, c may represent the speed of light, and T s It can represent the basic time unit and its measurement defines the precision. D(Ts) can represent the signal propagation delay distance.

[0043] In an example embodiment, the distance D(Ts) may be represented by an index value TA d (Ts) as shown in Equation 4 below.

[0044]

[0045] In equation 4, D(Ts) can represent the signal propagation delay distance, 1T ACan represent 78 meters (m) (minimum step length), TA d (Ts) may represent the TOA-based equivalent of the TA index value.

[0046] In certain example embodiments, the TA command may indicate a change in UL timing relative to the current UL timing as 16*T s Multiples of 16*T s may be the current minimum TA step size and may correspond to a distance of 78 m, as shown in Equation 5 below. In Equation 5, T s Can represent basic time units.

[0047] 1T A =16*T S =78m [Equation 5]

[0048] Using the TA command of Equation 5, there may be a trade-off between sufficient timing accuracy and the required signaling word length (TA command, 11 bits) given the maximum cell range. In addition, more accurate UL to DL timing adjustment can improve the quality of signal detection. In an application, this may be limited by the 1T A Resolution limitations.

[0049] Another challenge may be that the TA-related word length of 11 bits for the TA command and 6 bits for the MAC CE TA update may explicitly address the TA correction within the defined maximum range. In an example embodiment, explicitly addressing the TA correction may mean that a given TA value provided by the eNB may be unique for a given UE distance. For example, at a given distance from the eNB, other TA values ​​cannot be used to provide the required TA for the UE. To this end, a 100km cell radius requires an 11-bit word length. In an example embodiment, the defined maximum range may be approximately 100km for the TA command and 5km for the MAC CE update. This may limit the maximum cell range where the eNB can provide clear information about the TA. However, as discussed herein, certain example embodiments may use a shorter TA word length for the same coverage range. Although this may create some ambiguity because the same TA value may address two or more distances, certain example embodiments may provide independent TOA measurements to be used, and the combination of these two values ​​may provide a clear value for the TA.

[0050] Figure 2 A scenario with three UEs at different distances within a cell is shown according to an example embodiment. Figure 2 As shown, the eNB can provide omnidirectional coverage and can be divided into three (3) 120 degree cells. In some example embodiments, the total cell range can be from R min =0 to Rmax =100 km (values ​​may be of illustrative nature). In addition, the maximum TA index value may be 1282, for example 1282*78m=99,996m, where 1TA=78m, which may be the current minimum TA step size used as a reference value.

[0051] According to certain example embodiments, the UE may support TOA-based measurements and may report the TOA-based distance D(Ts) to the eNB. Figure 2 As shown in the example of , there may be three UEs, including, for example, UE 1 (TA = 473; D (Ts) = 36.9 km), UE 2 (TA = 670; D (Ts) = 52.3 km) and UE 3 (TA = 1,114; D (Ts) = 86.9 km). The three UEs can be detected by the eNB at various TA values, for which the UEs can also measure the TOA distance D (Ts) with a measurement accuracy of T S It should be noted that the example embodiments are not limited to only these UEs, as multiple UEs may be included according to other example embodiments.

[0052] Figure 3 According to an example embodiment, Figure 2 Some values ​​for the scenario shown. In particular, Figure 3 TA step size and TOA measurement with respect to distance are shown. According to an example embodiment, an 11-bit TA command may be used during a random access response (RAR) and may be used by the UE for uplink timing adjustment. [Equation 1], followed by a 6-bit MAC CE TA update mechanism, [Equation 2] may be applied for continuous UL to DL channel synchronization.

[0053] In certain example embodiments, potential TA resolutions may have the following considerations: 11-bit word length (i.e., 10100000010 (bits) is 1282; if 99996 km is divided by 1282, then there may be a step size of 78 m, which is a conventional solution); 11-bit word length (i.e., 11111111111 (bits) is 2047; if 99996 km is divided by 2047, then there may be a step size of 48.85 m, which is the maximum step size of 11-bit word length). maximum resolution); 12-bit word length (i.e., 111111111111 (bits) is 4095; if 99996km is divided by 4095, then the step size is 24.42m, which is the maximum resolution of the 12-bit word length); 15-bit word length (i.e., 101000000100000 (bits) is 20512; if 9996 is divided by 20512, then the step size is 4.875m (Ts), which is the maximum resolution of the 15-bit word length.

[0054] From the above considerations, it can be seen that for the same maximum cell range, improving the accuracy of the TA index value may require a longer word length of bits, which may further require additional radio resources for signaling. In addition, the eNB can determine the TA with a resolution of the basic time unit Ts, but as a compromise between accuracy and signaling bit word length, a minimum step size of 16*Ts can be used for TA. In addition, the required extension of the TA-related word length may not be considered an ideal solution because it may require more signaling data on the radio interface. Another challenge may be related to the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) positioning data to determine the initial or dedicated TA correction, especially in non-terrestrial network (NTN) applications.

[0055] Figure 4 FIG. 1 shows a GPS-based TA according to an example embodiment. In particular, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 As shown, it can be assumed that the location of the eNB, eNB NTN and UE can be determined using GPS or other satellite-based positioning systems. Based on this data, the eNB can determine the geometric distance between the eNB and the UE based on the received UE location. This can be represented as D0, where D0 can be considered as a straight-line line-of-sight distance. In addition, under normal circumstances, D0 can correspond to the microwave signal path, which means that it can also correspond to the TA value in the RRC connection.

[0056] However, in some cases, the RRC connection may be established through multipath propagation, or reflected signals may be used. For example, a microwave signal may propagate a distance D1+D2, which may be longer than D0. In example embodiments, this may not be a problem for the RRC connection because the TA calculation may reflect the true path, which in this case may be D1+D2. Furthermore, this may be a common behavior for ground-based eNBs and NTNs. Additionally, in some example embodiments, the eNB may not have information about the selected path, as this may be determined by UE measurements.

[0057] The establishment of the above RRC connection may result in errors if the location-based distance is compared to the reflected signal path distance, especially if the difference is significantly higher than the 1TA minimum distance. For example, for LTE this may be 78m. Therefore, in this case, an inaccurate TA correction may be provided to the UE, or this approach may only provide a rough TA estimate.

[0058] In addition, the traditional TA method is specified in the relevant 3GPP standard, which may define the current solution for UL channel synchronization. For example, in NTN, by using the GPS positioning of the UE, an initial TA may be provided for the UE. However, the UE may need to report its location to the eNB.

[0059] According to certain example embodiments, UE UL channel timing adjustment throughout the cell may be maintained by an explicit TA index value provided by the eNB, which may have a resolution defined by Equation 5. In addition, an example embodiment may provide a method that increases the resolution of the TA index value provided by the eNB to 1Ts. According to an example embodiment, this may be 16 times that of a conventional TA without the need for TA-related word length extension (i.e., an 11-bit TA command or a 6-bit MAC CETA update). In this case, the entire cell coverage may be divided into sectors, and unique TA index values ​​may be provided for the sectors. For example, in an example embodiment, TOA distance measurements may be used to resolve any potential ambiguity associated with the interpretation of the received TA index value. According to certain example embodiments, this may be beneficial for time division duplexing (TDD), where the level of interference between UL and DL transmissions may be reduced.

[0060] Another example embodiment may provide a method that allows for the use of shorter TA-related word lengths. For example, since the cell coverage may be divided into sectors, the TA index value range may be customized for each sector size. In an example embodiment, if the TA resolution does not change, a smaller number of index values ​​may be required to cover the entire sector. Therefore, a shorter word length may be used, thereby saving radio resources.

[0061] According to other example embodiments, a method using TOA distance measurement as a reference may be provided. For example, the TOA distance may correspond to a true microwave path and may include any reflected signal paths. Thus, it may correspond to a TA, which may enable higher accuracy of timing adjustments based on location. Furthermore, the UE may not have to report its location to the eNB or eNB NTN to receive an initial or accurate TA.

[0062] Figure 5 An example scenario with three UEs at different distances within a cell is shown according to an example embodiment. Figure 5 As shown, the cell coverage can be divided into two sectors, n=1 and n=2. In certain example embodiments, a method can be provided that enables the eNB to broadcast or transmit a TA range marker (TARM(X)) that is represented as a traditional TA step size (resolution 78m). In an example embodiment, the TARM(X) marker indicates the cell sector starting point. According to an example embodiment, this can define a cell range sector, for example, Figure 5 Two sectors are shown.

[0063] In an example embodiment, the eNB may calculate the TA of the UE according to a conventional procedure based on the RACH preamble format and a guard period. The eNB may then use TARM(X) as a reference point and omit the distance covered by the TARM(X) signature. Thus, instead of a complete TA index value, the eNB may transmit the remaining distance from a given TARM(X) signature to a given UE location as a TA index value. In this way, for example, a shorter TA-related word length may be used to provide the necessary timing index value for the remaining distance. This in turn may therefore require less radio resources for signaling. In another example embodiment, a higher resolution TA may be provided and the data may be controlled by the eNB.

[0064] According to an example embodiment, the UE may unambiguously determine the sector the UE is located in. This may be done by the UE based on a TOA distance measurement (and represented in index form) and evaluated by a received TA index value. The UE may then apply the correct timing adjustment based on the received TA value and the static offset indicated by a given TARM(X).

[0065] Certain example embodiments may be applied to any synchronization standard that may require UL channel synchronization, such as GSM, LTE, 5G, or NTN. Other example embodiments may provide unique advantages in GPS-based initial timing adjustments used in NTN, and may be applied in terrestrial mobile networks using TDD, for example. Certain example embodiments may also provide more accurate timing adjustments that may reduce cross-channel interference.

[0066] According to certain example embodiments, Figure 5 shows a scenario where the TA resolution can be increased to 39m instead of 78m. In addition, the cell range (with respect to Figure 2 ) In this case, it can be divided into two sectors N = 2, which are represented as n = 1 and n = 2. Here, N refers to the maximum number of sectors, and the sector size can be the same or customized according to the needs of the operator.

[0067] Figure 6 FIG. 4 shows TA index values ​​provided by an eNB for three example UEs according to an example embodiment. In particular, the TA index values ​​may correspond to Figure 3 The data presented in Figure 6 The TA step size and TOA measurement with respect to range are shown. Figure 3 and Figure 6Exemplary data is shown. For example, sector n=1 is from 0m (inclusive) to 1282*39m, i.e., 49998m (50km) (inclusive), and covers a TA index value range from 0 to 641. In addition, sector n=2 is from 49998m (not included) to 2*1282*39m, i.e., 99996m (100km) (inclusive), and covers a Ta index value range from 642 to 1282.

[0068] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, UE 1 at a TOA distance D(UE1)=36.9 km may have a TA index value TA(UE1)=473 (473*78 m=36.9 km).

[0069] In another example embodiment, Figure 6 , UE1 at a TOA distance D(UE1)=36.9 km is in sector n=1. In addition, UE1 may have a TA index value TA(UE1)=946 (946*39m=36.9 km).

[0070] According to an example embodiment, Figure 3 , UE 2 is at a TOA distance D(UE2)=52.3 km and may have a TA index value TA(UE2)=670 (670*78 m=52.3 km).

[0071] In addition, Figure 6 , UE 2 is at a TOA distance D(UE2) = 52.3 km and in sector n = 2. In addition, UE 2 may have a TA index value TA(UE2) = 59. However, in an example embodiment, TA = 1341, ie, 1282*39m+59*39m = 52.3 km.

[0072] In addition, Figure 3 , UE 3 may be at a TOA distance D(UE3)=86.9 km and may have a TA index value TA(UE3)=1114 (1114*78 m=86.9 km).

[0073] In addition, Figure 6 UE 3 may be at a TOA distance D(UE3) = 86.9 km and may be in sector n = 2. UE 3 may also have a TA index value TA(UE3) = 946. However, in an example embodiment, the TA may be 2224, i.e., 1282*39m+946*39m=86.9 km.

[0074] According to certain example embodiments, for Figure 6In the scenario shown, the TA index value (59) of UE 2 may be lower than the TA value (946) of UE 1. However, if these values ​​are interpreted together with the TOA distance value, the UEs may explicitly apply the necessary timing correction, i.e., TA = 946 for UE 1 and TA = 1282 + 59 for UE 2, where 1TA = 39m. In this way, according to certain example embodiments, a higher TA resolution may be provided without changing the TA related word length.

[0075] In an example embodiment, if a higher TA resolution is not required (e.g., 78m), then in sectors n=1 and n=2, the TA index value range may be 641. This means that only 641 different index values ​​may need to be addressed by the eNB, as opposed to 1282. Furthermore, to address 641 values, in an example embodiment, a word length of 10 bits may be sufficient, as opposed to the 11 bits that may be required to address 1282 unique values.

[0076] According to certain example embodiments, sectors may also be divided in various ways to which different TA-related word lengths may be applied. In addition, the principle of TA resolution improvement may be determined by Ts (Equation 5), which may correspond to a distance of 4,875 m and may be considered as the minimum TA step size. Therefore, according to certain example embodiments, the TA accuracy improvement rate x16 may be considered as the maximum possible improvement.

[0077] In certain example embodiments, using an 11-bit word length and 1282 index values ​​(e.g., 1TA=4,875m), a distance of 6249.75m can be explicitly addressed. For example, in a reference cell of 1TA=78m, a distance of 99996m can be covered. This may mean that using Figure 5 and Figure 6 The same concept shown, the entire cell range can be divided into N = 16 sectors, where 2 sectors are established. The TOA distance measurement (Equations 3, 4) performed by the UE can be used to determine the correct sector n where the UE is located, which enables the correct interpretation of the provided TA value. In some example embodiments, 1282 may not be the maximum value, because 11 bits provide the ability to address 2048 index values ​​(0 to 2047).

[0078] In addition, in another example embodiment, a 6-bit word length and 64 index values ​​(0 to 63) with a step size of 1TA=78m can explicitly address a distance of 4992m. For example, in a reference cell of 1TA=78m, a distance of 99996m can be covered. This may mean that using Figure 5 and Figure 6The same concept shown, the entire cell range can be divided into at least N=20 sectors, where two sectors are established. In addition, in another example embodiment, the TOA distance measurement (Equations 3, 4) performed by the UE can be used to determine the correct sector n where the UE is located, which provides a correct understanding of the provided TA value.

[0079] In certain example embodiments, TA accuracy may be improved and TA word length may be reduced. In other example embodiments, the UE may be able to correctly determine the received TA index value based on the TOA distance measurement. Furthermore, in certain example embodiments, the TA word length may be sector dependent.

[0080] According to an example embodiment, the 11-bit TA command may be replaced with a 6-bit word length for explicit TA interpretation and TOA measurement (Equations 3, 4). To support this, the eNB may broadcast or transmit TARM(X), where X identifies the start of a given sector. In addition, TARM(X) may be expressed in terms of a conventional TA step size (i.e., 1TA=78m).

[0081] In an example embodiment, for a 6-bit TA-related word length, TARM(X) may be 0, 64, 128, 192, or 256. In this case, the following parameters may apply: TARM(0) = 0*78m = 0m; TARM(64) = 64*78m = 4992m. In certain example embodiments, the TARM(X) marker may be used as a reference or starting point (offset) for each sector and may be interpreted together with the TA value provided from the eNB in ​​order to appropriately adjust the UL timing.

[0082] According to an example embodiment, TARM(0) may be the starting point of sector n=1, and TARM(64) may be the starting point of sector n=2. In an example embodiment, the selection of the starting point may be operator specific. For example, the distance between two consecutive TARM(X) markers may need to be covered by a TA index value with a given TA word length (e.g., 6 bits). A 6-bit word length can provide 64 unique TA values ​​(0-63). If the TA minimum step size remains unchanged (i.e., 78m, 63*78m=4914m), the next sector may start after 1TA, which means 64, because 64*78m=4992m. In this example embodiment, TARM(0) and TARM(64) may determine the starting point of the sector. In addition, in certain example embodiments, the TARM(X) markers may be evenly distributed (as in this example), or may be set independently by the operator. The TARM(X) marker may also be part of a system information block (SIB), which means that such a broadcast may be received by any UE within the coverage of a given cell. In an example embodiment, a UE in RRC IDLE or RRC CONNECTED state within the cell coverage may receive TOA data from the broadcast. According to an example embodiment, the broadcast may include T0 time (physical reference signal transmission time, where the reference signal may be any frame, subframe or symbol selected by the operator). In addition, the UE may receive such a reference signal at time T1 and may perform the TOA measurement specified in equations 3 and 4.

[0083] According to an example embodiment, TOA accuracy may be similar to TA. However, since TOA measurements are used together with TA values ​​for unambiguous TA interpretation, even measurements with poorer accuracy may be sufficient to correctly determine a given n-sector. In another example embodiment, in RRC idle state, since the UE does not request radio resources, no additional action may be required. In addition, once the UE initiates a RACH preamble, it may send a Msg 1 to the eNB. According to an example embodiment, the eNB may determine the T of a given UE. A Index value.

[0084] In an example embodiment, at the eNB site, the eNB may use Equation 6 to convert T A Compare with TARM(X) marking:

[0085] TARM(X)≤T A ≤TARM(X+1) [Equation 6]

[0086] In Equation 6, TARM(X) may represent the TA-based range flag for the sector, and TARM(X+1) may represent the TA-based range flag for the next sector. AIt can represent the TA calculated by the eNB for a given UE (1TA=78m).

[0087] According to an example embodiment, if a given UE's T A Determined as T A =80, the UE may be at a distance of 6240m, where 1TA = 78m. Therefore, TARM(X) = TARM(64) and TARM(X+1) = TARM(128), which means that the UE is in sector n = 2. Therefore, according to certain example embodiments, the eNB may obtain the traditional T A The index value (80) is converted to the index value of sector n=2. A The index value can be subtracted from the previous TARM(64) to determine the T A (X) of TA, as specified in Eq. 7.

[0088] T A (X) = T A -TARM(X) [Equation 7]

[0089] In Equation 7, TARM(X) may represent the TA-based range flag for the sector. A It can represent the TA calculated by the eNB for a given UE (1TA=78m), T A (X) may represent the remaining TA (1TA=78m) calculated by the eNB for a given UE.

[0090] According to an example embodiment, for example, data T A (X) = 80-64 = 16, where 6240 = 64*78 + 16*78 = 4992 + 1248. In this case, the distance 4992m can be derived from TARM (64) in terms of the required TA offset. The remainder (1248m) can be equal to T A (X), and Equation 7 can be recalculated by the eNB into indexed form with a defined TA resolution for a given sector X (TAR(X)), defined by Equations 8 and 8a shown below.

[0091]

[0092]

[0093] In equations 8 and 8a, TARM(X) may represent the TA-based range flag for the sector, and TARM(X+1) may represent the TA-based range flag for the next sector. Amax may represent the maximum number of unique index values ​​used for TA signaling, for example, the TA-related word length. A It can represent the minimum TA step length (1TA=78m).

[0094] In an example embodiment, the following data may be provided: TARM(X)=64; TARM(X+1)=128; T A max=64;(1TA=78m); and 6-bit word length. Therefore,

[0095]

[0096] As shown above, the TA resolution remains unchanged (Equation 8) and can be equal to 78m (Equation 8a).

[0097] According to another example embodiment, if a 7-bit TA word length is used for the same sector boundary, then:

[0098]

[0099] In the above equations, the TA resolution can be 2 times better (Equation 8) and can be equal to 39m (Equation 8a). Therefore, T A (X) (Equation 7) can be expressed as a ratio of new index values ​​for a given sector, as indicated in Equation 9 shown below.

[0100] T A (X)=(T A -TARM(X))*TAR(X) [Equation 9]

[0101] In Equation 9, TARM(X) may represent the TA-based range flag for the sector, T A It can represent the TA calculated by the eNB for a given UE, in terms of the traditional T A The minimum step size (1TA = 78m) is expressed. In addition, TAR(X) can represent the TA resolution sector in n, T A (X) may represent a TA index value with a minimum step size specified for a given sector n.

[0102] Another example embodiment may include the following data: TARM(X)=64; TAR(X)=1; T A =80(1TA=78m); and 6-bit word length. When applied to equation 9, the following equation is obtained.

[0103] T A (X) = (80 - 64) * 1 = 16 [Equation 9]

[0104] This may indicate that the index value T A(X) = 16 needs to be encoded with a 6-bit word length, for example: 6 bits = T A (X)=010000, step length 78m.

[0105] Another example embodiment may include the following data: TARM(X)=64; TAR(X)=1; T A =80(1TA=78m); and 7-bit word length. When applied to equation 9, the following equation is obtained.

[0106] T A (X) = (80-64) * 0, 5 = 8 [Equation 9]

[0107] This may indicate that the index value T A (X) = 8 needs to be encoded with a 7-bit word length, for example: 7 bits: T A (X) = 000 1000, step size 39m. As shown above, the TA index value may be provided to a given UE as a TA command, and the TA index value may be supported and compared to the traditional TA 11-bit convention (i.e., for T A =80 and 11 bits) have different values. This can be expressed by the following equation: 11 bits: T A (X) = 0000 10 10000, step length 78m. This indicates that the UE may need to correctly interpret the received TA command for timing adjustment in Msg 2. If the TA command is misinterpreted, the UE may not be able to establish an RRC connection. In an example embodiment, MSG 2, which may be a random access response, may include a TA command that may be 11 bits long. The TA command may also include a TA index value calculated by the eNB for the UE.

[0108] In certain example embodiments, the TA command may be shorter (e.g., 6 bits instead of 11 bits), or the 1TA step size may have a different value (e.g., 78m). According to example embodiments, the selection may be operator specific and the configuration may be broadcast as part of the SIB data, or they may be standardized.

[0109] According to an example embodiment, at the UE site, the UE may receive a TA correction in a TA command. It may be agreed whether to provide or allow a shortened TA-related word length as a means of addressing some of the issues described herein. Additionally, the same conventional word length may be provided, but the TA resolution may be changed, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6According to an example embodiment, the UE may determine the distance to the eNB through TOA measurement (Equations 3, 4). In addition, when the UE sends a RACH preamble, the UE may determine the eNB sector based on the broadcasted or transmitted TARM(X) signature and using the TOA-based position (1TA=78m) represented in index form, as indicated in Equation 10 shown below.

[0110] TARM(X)≤TA d (T S )≤TARM(X+1) [Equation 10]

[0111] In Equation 10, TARM(X) may represent the TA-based range flag for the sector received from the eNB. In addition, TARM(X+1) may represent the TA-based range flag for the next sector received from the eNB, and TA d (Ts) may represent the TOA-based equivalent of the TA index value.

[0112] In an exemplary embodiment, the above configuration of the UE may be applied to the eNB part. d (Ts) value can be compared with T A However, TA d (Ts) accuracy may still be sufficient to determine the correct sector n, since the received T A The (X) value can provide insight into which sector the UE should belong to by solving the equation described in Equation 10. This can be a problem at sector boundaries, with higher T for sector n. A The (X) value may indicate that the UE belongs to the previous sector, i.e., sector n-1, while a smaller T A The (X) value may indicate that it is for the next sector, denoted as n+1. According to an example embodiment, the UE may not set the TA d The (Ts) value is used for RRC, but it can be used for T A (X) value to a given sector. Thus, in an example embodiment, the eNB may still be responsible for providing TA correction.

[0113] According to an example embodiment, the UE may A The value is used for UL to DL channel timing adjustment. However, since the received TA index value may be sector-specific, a new equation may be used instead of Equation 1, for example, as shown in Equation 11 below.

[0114] N TA (X) = TARM(X)*16*T S +int|[T A (X);TAd (TS)]*TAR(X)*16*T S |

[0115] [Equation 11]

[0116] As shown in Equation 11, TARM(X) may represent a TA-based range marker in the form of an index for the sector, and Ts may represent a basic time unit. A (X) may represent the TA index value with the minimum step size specified for a given sector n, and TAR(X) may represent the TA resolution ratio in sector n. d (Ts) may represent the TOA-based equivalent of the TA index value determined for sector n, N TA (X) may represent the timing adjustment of the UE in a given sector n.

[0117] In an example embodiment, TARM(X) may be received from an eNB broadcast (SIB) or transmission, or may be provided to the UE during the RRC connected state, where TARM(X) may be triggered at a later time. A Resolution optimization. In addition, T A (X) can be received as a TA command and its value can be determined by the UE and the TA d The (Ts) index value is interpreted together for explicit sector n selection. In addition, in an example embodiment, TAR(X) can be derived from a received eNB broadcast (SIB) or transmission, or can be provided directly. This can also contain information about the TA-related word length. Therefore, it may be necessary to provide both the sector boundary and the TA-related word length to the UE.

[0118] Example embodiments may provide: int|[T A (X);TA d (T S )]*TAR(X)*16*T S |. This indicates the possibility that TAR(X) may have different and fluent ratios, and suggests that the integer form can be retained for multiple Ts selections in timing adjustment. In an example embodiment, TAR(X) can be quantized into an allowed form, such as the form shown in Equation 12.

[0119]

[0120] Furthermore, Equation 11 can be simplified to Equation 11a as shown below.

[0121] N TA (X) = TARM(X)*16*T S +[T A(X);TA d (T S )]*TAR(X)*16*T S

[0122] [Equation 11a]

[0123] For TARM(X)*16*T S , which may provide an indication of a static offset. The static offset may be handled with a conventional 1TA=78m step size and may be related to an initial TA that may be set by the UE based on its location within a defined cell sector (Equation 10).

[0124] For some [T A (X);TA d (T S )]*TAR(X)*16*T S , after receiving the TA index value and explicit sector selection, the UE may apply TA correction with a higher resolution than the legacy resolution if indicated by the eNB. This may also affect the minimum correction step size at the UE (Equation 5), which may be changed to Equation 8a, as it may correspond to 16*Ts.

[0125] Certain example embodiments may provide for explicit selection of TA index values ​​through the TOA method. For example, if the method is supported, the UE may receive a T decoded with a shortened TA-related word length (e.g., 6 bits). A Correction. Then, by equation 10, the UE is able to determine in which sector the UE is located relative to the distance from the eNB. According to example embodiments, in order to determine the correct sector n, a reference distance measurement such as a propagation delay time may need to be of good quality. However, in some example embodiments, the quality of the reference distance measurement may be poor, and the reference distance measurement may still be sufficient for an unambiguous sector n selection.

[0126] In an example embodiment, the reference distance measurement accuracy should not be less than half the sector size, which for a 6-bit TA related word length may mean that the reference distance (or position) accuracy may be better than approximately 2500m, since a TA on 6 bits can cover a distance of 49992m, where 1TA=78m.

[0127] Figure 7 Explicit sector selection according to an example embodiment is shown. For example, Figure 7A scenario is shown where four UEs may receive a 6-bit TA index value, which may need to be explicitly assigned to a given sector (n-1, n, n+1). In an example embodiment, it may be assumed that the TOA measurement quality is poor, but the TA index value received from the eNB is always correct. In another example embodiment, the eNB may broadcast TARM(X) data with a specified sector starting point.

[0128] like Figure 7 As shown, the 6-bit TA indicates that the TA index value may be only clear in one sector, while in the opposite sector, the value may be repeated cyclically. According to an example embodiment, the benefit may be that the T in the radio interface may be expected to be A The associated signaling word length is reduced (eg, from 11 bits to 6 bits). At the same time, the TOA distance measurement calculated by each UE can be represented with the traditional 11 bits, since here, this data may not be visible over the radio interface.

[0129] For example, in one example embodiment, for UE 1, the eNB may calculate the TA of UE 1 to be equal to TA=66 (11 bits). However, the eNB may send T on 6 bits. A =02 as the TA command in the RAR, 66=64+2, where 64 can be covered by TARM(64) and indicates sector n. UE 1 can receive T A =02 and can also receive broadcasts with TARM(X) data. UE 1 can also perform TOA distance measurement to determine the TOA distance. UE 1 can then compare its distance TOA=66 with the TARM(X) flag.

[0130] According to an example embodiment, the comparison may show that the UE 1 TOA distance is between TARM(64) and TARM(128), which may indicate that UE 1 is within sector n. In addition, the TA index value received from the eNB may be small, which may indicate that the timing correction is for the beginning of sector n. In an example embodiment, UE 1 may then add the static offset TARM(64) to the received T A Index value. This means that the effective T A It may be equal to 64+02=66, which matches the value determined by the eNB for UE 1.

[0131] In an example embodiment, for UE 2, the eNB may use the same algorithm as for UE 1. In addition, UE 2 may be located near the defined boundary of sectors n-1 and n. In this case, the quality of the reference distance measurement may be poor (TOA=62), which represents sector n-1, and sector n-1 is indicated for UE 2. However, the TA index value received by UE 2 may be low TA=00 on the 6th bit, which may indicate that it may be used for the beginning of the sector. However, since the accuracy error required by the TOA method may not exceed 2500m, this may not be possible. This indicates that UE 2 may be assigned to sector n because the TA index value is more accurate in this case. Therefore, according to an example embodiment, UE 2 can apply the correct TA, which may be equal to 64+00=64, the same as specified by the eNB.

[0132] According to an example embodiment, for UE 3, a mirroring case for UE 2 may be described. However, in this case, the TOA distance may be high (TOA=130, TA=126). In an example embodiment, by using the TOA value as a reference and using the TA index value to determine the start or end portion, the correct sector may be determined by UE 3 and the correct timing correction may be applied. For UE 4, a failure case may be described (TA=65, TOA=129). The reference distance accuracy error may be exceeded, which may result in the selection of the wrong sector (n+1 instead of n). This may not be detected by the TA index value assignment (start or end). In an example embodiment, assuming that the reference distance accuracy error is allowed within tolerance, sector verification may be made easier when the UE is in the middle of the TA index value range (not shown).

[0133] In an example embodiment, the correct sector can be unambiguously determined from the sector indicated by the eNB through the TARM(X) flag by a combination of reference distance measurements (based on TOA) and TA index value evaluation (start or end of TA range). Appropriate TA corrections can also be assigned using shorter TA correlation word lengths.

[0134] According to an example embodiment, UE mobility handling with 6-bit MAC CE TA update may be provided. For example, MAC CE TA update (Equation 2) may be optimized for a 6-bit TA related word length, which may be considered optimal. However, the modified Equation 2 may also support higher TA resolutions, which may be specified as shown in Equation 13 or Equation 13a if TAR(X) meets the criteria of Equation 12.

[0135] N TA (X) new =N TA (X) old +int|([TA (X);TA d (T S )]-31)*16*TAR(X)|

[0136] [Equation 13]

[0137] N TA (X) new =N TA (X) old +([T A (X);TA d (T S )]-31)*16*TAR(X)

[0138] [Equation 13a]

[0139] As shown in Equation 13 and Equation 13a, TARM(X) may represent a TA-based range tag in the form of an index for the sector, and Ts may represent a basic time unit. A (X) may represent the TA index value with the minimum step size specified for a given sector n, TAR(X) may represent the TA resolution in sector n, and TA d (Ts) may represent the TOA-based equivalent of the TA index value determined for sector n. TA (X) old Indicates the current timing adjustment (if the method is supported), N TA (X) new represents the new timing adjustment (if the method is supported). Therefore, according to certain example embodiments, the UE may achieve a smaller timing adjustment increment, which may depend on the TAR(X) ratio (Equation 8).

[0140] Figure 8 FIG. 4 shows a signaling diagram of TA resolution enhancement using TOA-based verification according to an example embodiment. Figure 8 As shown, at 100, the UE may be in an RRC idle state. In addition, at 102, the eNB may provide TOA data (T0 time) that may be considered a prerequisite by providing a TARM(X) flag. According to an example embodiment, these data may be broadcast (e.g., as part of a SIB) (for UEs in an RRC idle / connected state), or transmitted directly to a given UE (for UEs in an RRC connected state). In addition, in an example embodiment, the eNB may provide information about the TA-related word length, or this may be predetermined. According to an example embodiment, the TARM(X) flag and the TA-related word length may be static or dynamically changed. In addition, other parameters (e.g., sector size and TA resolution enhancement) may be derived based on these two data.

[0141] like Figure 8 As shown, at 104, the UE may receive a broadcast with all required data from the eNB. At 106, using the received information, the UE may perform a TOA distance measurement. However, if the UE is in an RRC idle state, no other action may be taken. In addition, at 108, the UE may decide to switch from RRC idle to RRC connected. At 110, the UE may receive the latest TARM(X) and TA-related word length configuration from the eNB. In addition, similar to 106, at 112, the UE may perform a TOA distance measurement. Then, at 114, the UE may initiate a RACH preamble by sending a preamble to the eNB. In an example embodiment, for example, the TOA distance measurement is supplied by Equation 3 or Equation 4, or by supplying a TOA status information element, which may be the first possible moment for the UE to indicate its TOA-related capabilities. In an example embodiment, these data may be part of any other UL data, which means that the TA modification may take effect after such data is provided.

[0142] like Figure 8 As further shown, at 116, the eNB may receive a UE RACH preamble and a confirmation that the UE can support TA precision enhancement or shortened TA-related word length. The eNB may then recalculate the traditional TA value based on the last valid TARM(X) marking scheme, where the only remaining part may be transmitted as the TA index value for the given UE. At 118, the eNB may send a message to the UE, which may be a RAR. The message may contain a TA index value specified according to a defined rule. Alternatively, in an example embodiment, the eNB may provide some status data that may reflect, for example, the accuracy of a reference distance measurement (based on data received from the UE). In an example embodiment, the status data may include, for example, a TARM(X) marking configuration or an indicated TA-related word bit length. According to an example embodiment, the solution may be applied in place of a SIB broadcast. Alternatively, in other example embodiments, the status data may include verifying whether the TOA distance matches the TA distance. In addition, the eNB may use the status data to approve a change from a traditional TA (11 bits, 78m) timing adjustment rule to a new specific rule (including, for example, 6 bits, 39m).

[0143] Upon receiving the message from 118, at 120, the UE may d The reference distance and timing advance T in (Ts) A The UE may then determine the correct sector number at 122. A At 124, the UE may use T for a given sector. A(X) resolution performs UL channel timing adjustments and applies the correct timing adjustments.

[0144] exist Figure 8 At 126, the UE may switch to an RRC connected state. Once in the RRC connected state, the UE may receive new settings, which may be included in a message sent at 128, which may be a broadcast of a dedicated transmission. In an example embodiment, the new settings may include a new TA resolution applicable to the next timing adjustment related signaling (e.g., switching from 78m to 39m), or a new TARM(X) scheme may be enforced. These new settings may also modify the rules for TA calculation and interpretation. Then, at 130, the UE may recalculate the related settings without losing the connection. In an example embodiment, the new setting rules may be applied. For example, TARM(64) that may be used for sector n may be changed to TARM(32). Thus, the received TA correction T A (X) may have a different value. This may mean that the UE needs to recalculate the value accordingly (determine the sector and then interpret the received TA value).

[0145] like Figure 8 As shown, at 132, the UE may send a dedicated message, or a portion of a regular UL transmission range, which may contain relevant data that may be used by the eNB. According to an example embodiment, this may lead to a decision as to whether UE mobility should also be handled as specified herein. At 134, the eNB may synchronize the UE. Additionally, this step may refer to mobility and continuous synchronization, where MAC CE TA updates (6 bits) are used. Additionally, timing aspects may not be covered and conventional triggers may be used for MAC CE TA update transmissions. In an example embodiment, in the case of mobility, TA enhancement may also be proposed in the case where the relative distance between the UE and the eNB may change. Here, a decision may be made on how to proceed further, which may be similar to 116. Additionally, at 136, the eNB may confirm whether UE mobility should be handled as specified herein, and may provide a MAC CE TA update, including, for example, T A (X) and TAR(X) for a given sector. This may be similar to 118, where the eNB may approve or change certain settings.

[0146] like Figure 8 As further shown, at 138, the UE may determine the sector based on TARM(X), D(Ts), and TA. Additionally, at 140, the UE may determine the correct T for mobility. A (X) value, and at 142, determine the T with a given sector A(X) resolution mobility UL channel timing adjustment. In addition, at 144, the UE can send other UL data to the eNB through the UL timing adjustment. According to an example embodiment, if necessary, the initial setting can be modified in terms of TA enhancement resolution or TA related bit length to ensure optimal performance.

[0147] Certain example embodiments may provide support for NTN. For example, certain example embodiments may be particularly effective for NTN applications. Figure 4 As shown, there may be multipath propagation or connections via reflected signals in NTN operation. In addition, due to high-speed scenarios, proper timing adjustment may be challenging. In an example embodiment, the TOA distance may correspond to T A distance, as both can be based on the same microwave signal. This can provide benefits with respect to positioning based timing adjustments (GPS).

[0148] Fig. 9 FIG. 1 shows TA resolution enhancement in NTN according to an example embodiment. In particular, for NTN, additional benefits may be related to more efficient radio interface signaling, such as Fig. 9 those shown. For example, in an NTN cell pointing toward the surface of the earth, most UEs may be located near the surface, as shown by UE 1. UE 2 may be considered very rare, which may indicate that most of the NTN cell range may not need to be assigned a TA index value, which may only be required when certain UEs (UE 2) will be detected by the eNB NTN during the RACH preamble. Therefore, the TARM(X) marking can divide the NTN unit on sectors, such as TARM(X)=0, 7500, 7564, 7618, etc., where 7500*78=58500m. According to an example embodiment, the sector boundary can be defined, for example, as: for n=1: (0m, 585000m) or in TA: (0, 7500); for n=2: (585000m, 58992m), or in TA: (7500, 7563).

[0149] According to certain example embodiments, based on Equation 8a, in sector n=1, the TA resolution may be very poor, but since there may be no UE, there may be no problem. In an example embodiment, once UE 2 is detected, the TARM(X) structure may be modified separately. The new TARM(X) scheme may then be broadcast or transmitted to the UE. In addition, the UEs within the coverage may then recalculate the TA-related settings accordingly. In another exemplary embodiment, UEs outside sector n=1 may apply 7500 as a static offset to the timing adjustment, as specified in Equation 11 or Equation 11a. In certain example embodiments, this may mean that it may not be necessary to define or assign index values ​​to cover the entire cell range, and if not required, such data may not need to be transmitted. In addition, as previously described, this may improve TA accuracy.

[0150] Fig.10 A flow chart of a method according to an example embodiment is shown. In some example embodiments, Fig.10 The flowchart may be executed by a mobile station and / or a UE, for example, similar to the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 12( a). According to an exemplary embodiment, Fig.10 The method may include: initially, at 200, receiving a broadcast including network-wide marker data from a network element at a UE. The method may also include: at 205, performing a distance measurement from the UE to the network element. In addition, at 210, the method may include sending a random access channel preamble code including a distance measurement to the network element. At 215, the method may include receiving a timing advance index value from the network element. In addition, at 220, the method may include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the UE is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance. At 225, the method may include receiving a new setting at the UE, and at 230, the method may include applying a corrected timing adjustment based on the resolution of the sector based on the distance measurement and the index value.

[0151] In an example embodiment, the UE may be in an RRC idle state or an RRC connected state. In another example embodiment, the distance measurement may be performed by a TOA measurement, and the TOA measurement may be represented in index form. According to another example embodiment, the sector may be determined based on a reference signature broadcasted or transmitted by at least one sector, and a TOA measurement represented in index form.

[0152] Fig.11 A flow chart of another method according to an example embodiment is shown. In an example embodiment, Fig.11 The method may be performed by a telecommunications network, a network entity, or a network node in a 3GPP system (such as LTE or 5G-NR). For example, in an example embodiment, Fig.11The method can be performed by a base station, an eNB or a gNB, an MCG, an SCG, a PCell or a PSCell, for example, similar to the device 20 shown in Figure 12(b).

[0153] According to an example embodiment, Fig.11 The method may include: initially, at 300, determining network-wide marking data, the network-wide marking data dividing the cell coverage into sectors. The method may also include: at 305, calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. At 310, the method may include determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, at 315, the method may include sending the timing advance index value to the UE for channel timing adjustment.

[0154] According to an example embodiment, the method may further include: at 320, sending a broadcast including network-wide marker data to the UE. In addition, the method may include: at 325, receiving the arrival time related capability of the UE in response to the broadcast. The method may further include: at 330, determining the timing advance resolution of a given sector. In addition, the method may include: at 335, providing an updated timing index value and an updated timing resolution to the user UE. In an example embodiment, the arrival time related capability may be received via a random access channel preamble. In another example embodiment, the timing advance index value may be sent via a random access response. According to another example embodiment, the random access response may include status data reflecting the accuracy of the arrival time related capability.

[0155] FIG. 12( a) shows an apparatus 10 according to an example embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a node or element in a communication network or associated with such a network, such as a UE, mobile equipment (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device, a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may be alternatively referred to as, for example, a mobile station, a mobile equipment, a mobile unit, a mobile device, a user equipment, a subscriber station, a wireless terminal, a tablet computer, a smart phone, an IoT device, a sensor, or a NB-IoT device, etc. As an example, the apparatus 10 may be implemented in, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, etc.

[0156] In some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modems, transceivers, etc.), and / or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and / or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 10 may include components or features not shown in FIG. 12( a).

[0157] As shown in the example of Figure 12(a), the device 10 may include or be coupled to a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general or special purpose processor. In fact, for example, the processor 12 may include one or more of the following: a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 12 is shown in Figure 12(a), according to other embodiments, multiple processors may be used. For example, it should be understood that in certain example embodiments, the device 10 may include two or more processors that may form a multi-processor system that may support multi-processing (e.g., in this case, the processor 12 may represent a multi-processor). According to certain example embodiments, the multi-processor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

[0158] Processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of device 10, including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of device 10, including Figures 1 to 10 The process shown in .

[0159] The device 10 may also include or be coupled to a memory 14 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 12, and which is used to store information and instructions that can be executed by the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and of any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 14 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory memory or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program codes that, when executed by the processor 12, enable the device 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0160] In one embodiment, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store data for execution by the processor 12 and / or the device 10 to perform the Figures 1 to 10 A computer program or software comprising any of the methods described herein.

[0161] In some embodiments, the device 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 for receiving downlink signals and for operating from the device 10 via an uplink. The device 10 may also include a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 18 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 15. The radio interface may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including GSM, LTE, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB, etc. The radio interface may include other components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols carried by the downlink or uplink, such as OFDMA symbols.

[0162] For example, the transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 15, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of the device 10. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the device 10 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices). In some embodiments, the device 10 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

[0163] In one embodiment, the memory 14 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by the processor 12. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality for the device 10. The components of the device 10 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, the device 10 may optionally be configured to communicate with the device 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology such as NR.

[0164] According to certain example embodiments, the processor 12 and the memory 14 may be included in or may form part of processing circuitry or control circuitry. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in or may form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0165] As described above, according to some example embodiments, the device 10 may be, for example, a UE. According to some embodiments, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in one embodiment, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive a broadcast including network-wide marking data from a network element. The device 10 may also be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform a distance measurement from a user equipment to a network element. The device 10 may also be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to determine the sector of the cell coverage area where the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marking data and the measured distance. In addition, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive a timing advance index value from the network element. In addition, the device 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to apply a corrected timing adjustment based on the resolution of the sector based on the distance measurement and the index value. The device 10 may also be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to send a random access channel preamble including a distance measurement to the network element. The device 10 may also be controlled by the memory 14 and processor 12 to receive new settings and apply the correct timing adjustments according to the resolution of the sector based on the index value.

[0166] FIG12( b) shows an apparatus 20 according to an example embodiment. In an example embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a RAT, a node, a host, or a server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the apparatus 20 may be a base station, a node B, an evolved node B (eNB), a 5G node B or access point associated with a radio access network (RAN) such as an LTE network, 5G or NR, a next generation node B (NG-NB or gNB), and / or a WLAN access point. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the apparatus 20 may include components or features not shown in FIG12( b).

[0167] As shown in the example of Figure 12 (b), the device 20 may include a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 22 may be any type of general or special processor. For example, the processor 22 may include one or more of the following: a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 is shown in Figure 12 (b), multiple processors may be used according to other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the device 20 may include two or more processors that may form a multi-processor system that can support multi-processing (for example, in this case, the processor 22 may represent a multi-processor). In some embodiments, the multi-processor system may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (for example, to form a computer cluster).

[0168] According to certain example embodiments, processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of apparatus 20, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain / phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming communication messages, formatting of information, and overall control of apparatus 20, including Figures 1 to 9 and Fig.11 The process shown.

[0169] The device 20 may also include or be coupled to a memory 24 (internal or external), which may be coupled to the processor 22, and which is used to store information and instructions that can be executed by the processor 22. The memory 24 may be one or more memories, and may be of any type suitable for the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. For example, the memory 24 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), or any other type of non-transitory memory or computer-readable medium. The instructions stored in the memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program codes that, when executed by the processor 22, enable the device 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

[0170] In one embodiment, the device 20 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, the external computer-readable storage medium may store data for execution by the processor 22 and / or the device 20 to perform the Figures 1 to 9 and Fig.11 A computer program or software for the method shown.

[0171] In certain example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for transmitting signals and / or data to and receiving signals and / or data from the apparatus 20. The apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 28 may include, for example, a plurality of radio interfaces that may be coupled to (a plurality of) antennas 25. The radio interfaces may correspond to a variety of radio access technologies, including one or more of the following: GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB), MulteFire, etc. The radio interfaces may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, fast Fourier transform (FFT) modules, etc., to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., via uplinks).

[0172] Thus, the transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by the antenna(s) 25, and to demodulate information received via the antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of the apparatus 20. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include input and / or output devices (I / O devices).

[0173] In one embodiment, memory 24 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. The modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, to provide additional functionality to device 20. The components of device 20 may be implemented in hardware, or as any suitable combination of hardware and software.

[0174] According to some embodiments, processor 22 and memory 24 may be included in or may form part of processing circuitry or control circuitry.Furthermore, in some embodiments, transceiver 28 may be included in or may form part of transceiver circuitry.

[0175] As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to a hardware circuit implementation only (e.g., analog and / or digital circuitry), a combination of hardware circuitry and software, a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, any portion of a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor) with software that works together to cause a device (e.g., devices 10 and 20) to perform various functions, and / or hardware circuits and / or processors or portions thereof that operate using software but may not be present when the software is not required for operation. As a further example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" may also encompass an implementation of a hardware circuit or processor (or processors), or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor, and its accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry may also encompass, for example, a baseband integrated circuit in a server, cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

[0176] As described above, in some embodiments, the device 20 may be a radio resource manager, RAT, node, host, or server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the device 20 may be a satellite, base station, Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), 5G Node B or access point, next generation Node B (NG-NB or gNB), and / or WLAN access point associated with a radio access network (RAN) such as an LTE network, 5G or NR. According to some embodiments, the device 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein.

[0177] For example, in one embodiment, the device 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to determine network-wide marking data that divides the cell coverage into sectors. The device 20 may also be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to calculate a timing advance value for the UE. In addition, the device 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to determine a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. In addition, the device 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to send a timing advance index value to the UE for channel timing adjustment. The device 20 may also be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to send a broadcast including the network-wide marking data to the UE. In addition, the device 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to receive the arrival time related capabilities of the UE in response to the broadcast. The device 20 may also be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to determine the timing advance resolution of a given sector. The device 20 may also be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to provide an updated timing index value and an updated timing resolution to the UE.

[0178] Certain example embodiments described herein provide several technical improvements, enhancements and / or advantages. In some example embodiments, TA accuracy can be enhanced, where the eNB can still be responsible for providing and maintaining timing correction for UEs within coverage without the need for longer TA-related word lengths. In addition, the eNB can deliver TA index values ​​with an accuracy of up to 1Ts, which can be 4,875m for LTE. According to other example embodiments, the required TA-related word length for TA correction can be reduced, for example, from an 11-bit TA command in the RAR to a 6-bit TA command. Therefore, a 5-bit shortened word length can be used, which enables saving radio resources.

[0179] In other example embodiments, a combination of the above advantages may be achieved and may be tailored to the specific needs of a given sector. This may then improve UL timing adjustments, which may be beneficial, for example, to reduce UL to DL interfaces in TDD. Furthermore, in other example embodiments, the TARM(X) concept may be efficient in NTNs where most cells are unoccupied.

[0180] According to other example embodiments, the UE may not be required to calculate or provide its positioning data to the eNB to receive the initial timing adjustment. Therefore, user privacy can be protected. In addition, the process described herein can be simplified, where fewer radio resources may be required for related signaling. Other example embodiments can be applied to any synchronization standard, including, for example, GSM, LTE, 5G, and NTN, where UL channel synchronization may be required. This is especially true when TDD is used, and more accurate timing adjustments can reduce cross-channel interference.

[0181] The computer program product may include one or more computer executable components that are configured to perform some example embodiments when the program is run. The one or more computer executable components may be at least one software code or part thereof. Modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed as (multiple) routines, which may be implemented as (multiple) added or updated software routines. (Multiple) software routines may be downloaded to the device.

[0182] As an example, the software or computer program code or part thereof may be in source code form, object code form or some intermediate form, and it may be stored in some carrier, distribution medium or computer readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, such carriers may include recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optoelectronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals and software distribution packages. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or distributed among multiple computers. The computer readable medium or computer readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

[0183] In other example embodiments, the functions may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in a device (e.g., device 10 or device 20), such as by using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable gate array (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other hardware and software combination. In yet another example embodiment, the functions may be implemented as signals, i.e., intangible components that may be carried by electromagnetic signals downloaded from the Internet or other networks.

[0184] According to example embodiments, an apparatus such as a node, a device or a corresponding component may be configured as a circuit system, a computer or a microprocessor, such as a single-chip computer element, or as a chipset, including at least a memory for providing storage capacity for arithmetic operations and an operation processor for performing arithmetic operations.

[0185] A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order and / or with hardware elements in a configuration different from that disclosed. Therefore, although the present invention has been described based on these exemplary embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be clear while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments. Although the above embodiments relate to 5G NR and LTE technologies, the above embodiments may also be applied to any other current or future 3GPP technologies, such as Advanced LTE and / or fourth generation (4G) technologies.

[0186] A first embodiment relates to a method that may include receiving, at a user equipment, a broadcast from a network element that includes network-wide marker data. The method may also include performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element. The method may also include determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network-wide marker data and the measured distance.

[0187] In one variation, the method may further comprise receiving a timing advance index value from a network element.

[0188] In one variation, the method may further include applying a corrective timing adjustment according to a resolution of the sector based on the range measurement and the index value.

[0189] In one variation, the method may further comprise sending a random access channel preamble comprising the range measurement to the network element.

[0190] In one variation, the method may further include receiving new settings at the user equipment.

[0191] In one variation, the user equipment may be in a radio resource control idle state or a radio resource control connected state.

[0192] In one variation, the distance measurement may be performed by a time of arrival measurement, and the time of arrival measurement may be represented in an indexed form representation.

[0193] In one variation, the sectors may be determined based on a broadcasted or transmitted reference signature of at least one sector and an arrival time measurement represented in indexed form.

[0194] A second embodiment may be directed to a method that may include determining, by a network element, network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors. The method may also include calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment. The method may also include determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data. The method may also include sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment for channel timing adjustment.

[0195] In one variation, the method may further comprise sending, from the network element to the user equipment, a broadcast comprising the network-wide marking data.

[0196] In one variation, the method may further comprise receiving, in response to the broadcast, the time-of-arrival related capabilities of the user equipment.

[0197] In one variation, the method may further comprise determining a timing advance resolution for a given sector.

[0198] In one variation, the method may further include providing the updated timing index value and the updated timing resolution to the user equipment.

[0199] In one variation, the arrival time-dependent capabilities may be received via a random access channel preamble.

[0200] In one variation, the timing advance index value may be sent via a random access response.

[0201] In one variation, the random access response may include status data reflecting the accuracy of the arrival time correlation capability.

[0202] Another embodiment relates to an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code can be configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least the method according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment or any variant thereof described above together with the at least one processor.

[0203] Another embodiment relates to an apparatus which may include circuitry configured to perform a method according to the first or second embodiment or any variation thereof.

[0204] Another embodiment relates to an apparatus which may include means for performing the method according to the first or second embodiment or any variation thereof.

[0205] Another embodiment relates to a computer-readable medium including program instructions stored thereon for performing at least a method according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment or any variation thereof.

[0206] Partial Glossary

[0207] eNB: Enhanced Node B

[0208] gNB: 5G or NR base station

[0209] LTE: Long Term Evolution

[0210] MAC: Media Access Control

[0211] MAC CE: MAC Command Element

[0212] NTN: Non-Terrestrial Network

[0213] NR: New Radio

[0214] PRACH: Physical Random Access Channel

[0215] RAR: Random Access Response

[0216] TA: Timing ahead

[0217] TAR: Timing Advance Resolution

[0218] TARM: Timing Advance Range Marker

[0219] TDD: Time Division Duplex

[0220] TOA: Time of Arrival

[0221] UE: User Equipment

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising: receiving, at a user equipment, from a network element a broadcast including network-wide marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors and indicates a starting point for the sector; performing a distance measurement from the user equipment to the network element; Determining a sector of a cell coverage area where the user equipment is located according to the network range marker data and the measured distance; receiving, at the user equipment, from the network element, a timing advance index value, the timing advance index value being determined based on a timing advance value of the user equipment and the network-wide marking data; as well as Based on the range measurement and the timing advance index value, a corrected timing adjustment is applied at the user equipment according to a resolution of the sector.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: A random access channel preamble including the range measurement is sent to the network element.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: A setting at the user equipment is received.

4. A method of communication, comprising: determining, by a network element, network range marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors and indicates a starting point for the sector; sending a broadcast including the network-wide marking data from the network element to user equipment; calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment; determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network range marking data; as well as Sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Receiving the arrival time related capabilities of the user equipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the arrival time correlation capability is received via a random access channel preamble.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Determine the timing advance resolution for a given sector.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: An updated timing advance index value and an updated timing advance resolution ratio are provided to the user equipment.

9. An apparatus for communication, comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least receiving a broadcast from a network element including network-wide marker data that divides cell coverage into sectors and indicates a starting point for the sector; performing a distance measurement from the device to the network element; Determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the device is located based on the network range marker data and the measured distance; receiving, at a user equipment, a timing advance index value from the network element, the timing advance index value being determined based on a timing advance value of the user equipment and the network-wide marking data; as well as Based on the range measurement and the timing advance index value, a corrected timing adjustment is applied at the user equipment according to a resolution of the sector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: send a random access channel preamble including the range measurement to the network element.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a setting at the apparatus.

12. An apparatus for communication, comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, together with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least determining network range marking data that divides cell coverage into sectors and indicates starting points of the sectors; sending a broadcast including the network-wide marking data from the network element to user equipment; calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment; determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network range marking data; as well as Sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a time-of-arrival related capability of the user equipment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the arrival time correlation capability is received via a random access channel preamble.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: determine a timing advance resolution for a given sector.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: provide an updated timing advance index value and an updated timing advance resolution to the user equipment.

17. An apparatus for communication, comprising: means for receiving, at a user equipment, from a network element a broadcast including network-wide marking data dividing cell coverage into sectors and indicating starting points of the sectors; means for performing distance measurement of the user equipment to the network element; means for determining a sector of a cell coverage area in which the user equipment is located based on the network range marker data and the measured distance; means for receiving, at the user equipment, from the network element, a timing advance index value, the timing advance index value being determined based on a timing advance value of the user equipment and the network wide marking data; as well as means for applying, at the user equipment, a corrected timing adjustment according to a resolution of the sector based on the range measurement and the timing advance index value.

18. An apparatus for communication, comprising: means for determining, by a network element, network-wide marking data dividing cell coverage into sectors and indicating starting points of said sectors; means for sending a broadcast including said network-wide marking data from said network element to user equipment; means for calculating a timing advance value for a user equipment; means for determining a timing advance index value based on the calculated timing advance value and the network-wide marking data; as well as A component for sending the timing advance index value to the user equipment.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions being used to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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