Method and apparatus for information transmission and information reception

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and devices for transmitting and receiving information in a wireless communication system. In the method for transmitting information, the information includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. The method includes: transmitting the reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units, wherein the reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period. Therefore, interference to other systems or nodes can be limited, and if these signals are transmitted on an unlicensed spectrum, the number of LBTs required for the transmission of these signals can be reduced.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application with application number 201680087751.9, application date July 20, 2016, and invention name “Method and device for information transmission and information reception”. Technical Field

[0002] Non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of wireless communication technology, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for transmitting information and a method and apparatus for receiving information. Background Art

[0003] With the continuous growth of wireless data services, the licensed carrier resources are limited and it is difficult to cope with the growing data traffic. Therefore, it is recommended to use unlicensed carrier resources for data transmission, which can provide a large amount of frequency resources in a cost-effective manner.

[0004] Recently, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) organization has begun to standardize Licensed Assisted Access, which introduces data offloading from licensed carrier resources to unlicensed carrier resources on small cells to deliver data speed boost to terminal devices. For data transmission on unlicensed carriers, it should perform a Listen Before Talk (LBT) operation to detect whether the channel is idle. Only when the LBT result shows that the channel is idle, can the transmission on the unlicensed carrier be performed; otherwise, the transmission will not be performed on the unlicensed carrier. Therefore, due to LBT, the transmission opportunities in the unlicensed spectrum are limited.

[0005] Typically, reference signals (such as discovery signals (DRS)) and radio resource control (RRC) messages (such as system information, paging messages, etc.) need to be transmitted to terminal devices such as user equipment (UE). These signals usually have different transmission periods and different time offsets, and may have some dependencies between them. For example, DRS, Mater Information Block (MIB), System Information Block (SIB) and paging messages in traditional LTE systems have different periods and different time offsets, and DRS / MIB / SIB / paging are dependent on each other. This means that the successful decoding of one signal may depend on the decoding of another signal, and therefore if some information cannot be successfully received, the UE cannot obtain complete system information. In this case, it will greatly affect the user experience. In addition, there may also be energy consumption issues and inter-node interference issues.

[0006] In the US application publication number US20160165638A1, a solution for enhanced system access for E-UTRAN is disclosed, in which a two-stage system information transmission solution and a reduced paging cycle are proposed. In particular, in the application, in the first stage, first system information common to each cell of a group of cells in the area is first broadcast; then second system information that can vary between cells in the group can be broadcast; and the second system information is broadcast more frequently than the first system information.

[0007] In technical document RP-160870, New WI: Work items on standalone LTE operation and dual connectivity operation in unlicensed spectrum, Ericsson, 3GPP RANP#72 meeting, it discloses a standard LAA to support scheduling of DRS, MIB and SIB in common subframes.

[0008] However, if the reference signal and the RRC message are transmitted at different time instances, multiple LBT attempts will still be required for the transmission of the reference signal and the RRC message over the unlicensed spectrum, and there may still be interference to other systems due to these information transmissions. Summary of the invention

[0009] In the present disclosure, a new solution is provided for information transmission and information reception in a wireless communication system to alleviate or at least mitigate at least part of the problems in the prior art.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for transmitting information in a wireless communication system is provided, wherein the information includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. The method includes transmitting the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units, wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have transmission periods that are different multiples of a predetermined period.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method for receiving information is provided, wherein the information includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. The method includes receiving the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units, wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a device for transmitting information in a wireless communication system is provided, wherein the information includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. The device includes an information transmission module, which is configured to transmit the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units, wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is different multiples of a predetermined period.

[0013] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a device for receiving information is provided, wherein the information includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. The device includes an information receiving module, which is configured to receive the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units, wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0014] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program code is embodied. The computer program code is configured to: when it is executed, cause an apparatus to perform actions in the method according to any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0015] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program code is embodied, and the computer program code is configured to: when it is executed, enable an apparatus to perform actions in the method according to any embodiment of the second aspect.

[0016] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer program product comprising the computer-readable storage medium according to the fifth aspect.

[0017] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer program product comprising the computer-readable storage medium according to the sixth aspect.

[0018] With the embodiments of the present disclosure, a new solution for information transmission and reception is provided, in which a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages are transmitted using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units. In this way, all information to be transmitted will be transmitted in the same or close time units, and thus interference to other systems or nodes can be limited, and if these signals are transmitted on an unlicensed spectrum, the number of LBTs required for transmission of these signals can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The above and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent through detailed description of the embodiments, as illustrated in the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference numerals represent the same or similar components, and wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 The invention schematically illustrates a flow chart of a method for transmitting information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 2 schematically illustrates example information transmission timing according to example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 3 schematically illustrates example paging timing for different UE groups according to example embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an example flow chart of information reception in a wireless communication system according to certain implementations of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 5 schematically illustrates another example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 6 schematically illustrates an example flow chart of information reception in a wireless communication system according to another specific implementation of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 7 schematically illustrates another example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 8 schematically illustrates an example flow chart of information reception in a wireless communication system according to another specific implementation of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig. 9 schematically illustrates yet another example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Fig.10Schematically illustrates an example flow chart of information reception in a wireless communication system according to yet another specific implementation of the present disclosure;

[0030] Fig.11 The invention schematically illustrates a flow chart of a method for receiving information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Fig.12 A block diagram schematically illustrates an apparatus for transmitting information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0032] Fig.13 A block diagram schematically illustrates an apparatus for receiving information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Fig.14 Further illustrated are simplified block diagrams of apparatus 1410 and apparatus 1420 in a wireless network described in the present disclosure, wherein apparatus 1410 may be implemented as or included in a UE, and apparatus 1420 may be implemented as or included in a base station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, the solution provided in the present disclosure will be described in detail by way of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these embodiments are presented only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0035] In the accompanying drawings, various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated with block diagrams, flow charts and other figures. Each block in the flow chart or block can represent a part of a module, program or code, which contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function, and in the present disclosure, non-essential blocks are represented by dotted lines. In addition, although these blocks are illustrated in a specific sequence for performing method steps, in fact, they may not necessarily be strictly executed in the illustrated order. For example, they can be executed in reverse order or simultaneously, depending on the nature of each operation. It should also be noted that each block and combination thereof in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system for performing a specified function / operation or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0036] In general, unless otherwise expressly defined herein, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field. All references to "a / an / the / [element, device, component, part, step, etc.]" will be publicly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, part, unit, step, etc., without excluding a plurality of such devices, components, parts, units, steps, etc., unless otherwise expressly stated. In addition, the indefinite article "a / an" used herein does not exclude a plurality of such steps, units, modules, devices, objects, etc.

[0037] Additionally, in the context of the present disclosure, a user equipment (UE) may refer to a terminal, a mobile terminal (MT), a subscriber station (SS), a portable subscriber station (PSS), a mobile station (MS), or an access terminal (AT), and may include some or all functions of a UE, a terminal, a MT, a SS, a PSS, a MS, or an AT. In addition, in the context of the present disclosure, the term "BS" may refer to, for example, a Node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a relay, or a low-power node (such as a femto, a pico, etc.).

[0038] As described above, in the existing solutions, the reference signal and RRC message transmission still require multiple LBT attempts and also cause interference to other systems. Therefore, in the present disclosure, a new information transmission and reception solution is provided to solve these problems. In the present disclosure, it is recommended to transmit the reference signal and the RRC message together as much as possible so that the requirements for LBT can be reduced and the interference to other systems or nodes can be reduced. In the following, the solution for information transmission and reception will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings provided in the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 1 The flowchart of a method 100 for data transmission in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. The method 100 may be performed at a serving node, such as a BS, such as a Node B (NodeB or NB).

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, first in step S101, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages are transmitted by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units. In particular, the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same time offset or different time offsets, and the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same transmission period or have transmission periods that are different multiples of a predetermined period.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal may include, for example, a discovery signal, a cell reference signal (CRS), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or any other type of reference signal.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the RRC message may include RRC information elements, security control information elements, mobility control information elements, measurement information elements, other information elements, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) information elements, Single Cell Point-to-Multipoint (SC-PTM) information elements, side link information elements, System Information Block (SIB), Master Information Block (MIS), paging messages, and any other RRC messages newly defined in the future.

[0043] In the following, for illustration only, DRS and MIB, SIB and paging messages will be described as examples of reference signals and RRC messages, respectively; however, those skilled in the art should note that the present disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments and may also be applied to any other types of reference signals and RRC messages.

[0044] In the present disclosure, it is recommended to transmit the reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages in the same time unit, or to be transmitted in two or more consecutive time units. It should be noted that being transmitted in the same time unit or consecutive time units does not mean that they are always transmitted in the same subframe or consecutive time unit, but only means that if any of this information needs to be sent, they will be transmitted in the same subframe or consecutive time unit. In other words, the reference signal and the RRC message can be transmitted in the same or close subframes as much as possible to reduce interference to other networks or systems and reduce the requirements for LBT. The time unit used in this article may include, for example, a subframe or any other suitable time unit.

[0045] The period of the reference signal and the RRC message has the same transmission period or has a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period, and their time offsets may be the same or different. Different combinations of period and time offset may result in different transmission timings for these information. Several examples of transmission timing will be described in the following context.

[0046] Next, refer to Figure 2 , which schematically illustrates example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, DRS, MIB, SIB, and paging messages have the same period as a conventional system, i.e., DRS and MIB have a period of 40ms, SIB has a period of 80ms, and paging messages have a period of 120ms. In other words, they have periods of different multiples of a predetermined period of 40ms.

[0047] In the illustrated diagram, the MIB, SIB, and paging messages are transmitted in the same time unit (such as a subframe) as the DRS, and they have the same time offset, which means that if any of them are transmitted, they will be transmitted in the same subframe. As shown in the figure, the DRS, MIB, SIB, and paging messages are transmitted in subframe 0, the DRS and MIB are transmitted in subframe 40, the DRS, MIB, and SIB are transmitted in subframe 80, and the DRS, MIB, and paging messages are transmitted in subframe 120.

[0048] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the paging cycle may be greater than the paging cycle of the DRS so that paging messages for different UEs may be carried at different DRS times. As an example only, different DRS subframes may be allocated to different UEs for carrying paging messages based on the UE's identifier (e.g., the UE's International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or any other suitable identifier). Therefore, the available time domain resources for paging messages are limited to DRS subframes, i.e., subframes carrying DRS, rather than all subframes.

[0049] Figure 3 Schematically illustrates example paging timing for different UE groups according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, UEs are divided into different UE groups based on identifiers (e.g., IMSI), including UE group 1, UE group 2, UE group 3, etc. For UEs in UE group 1, paging messages are transmitted in subframe 0, for UEs in UE group 2, paging messages are transmitted in subframe 120; for UEs in UE group 3, paging messages are transmitted in subframe 240. Therefore, UEs in different UE groups can receive paging messages in DRS subframes determined based on their IMSIs.

[0050] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the MIB may be carried by, for example, a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) or any other suitable channel. In another embodiment, the SIB may be carried by, for example, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (or any other suitable channel), and the common search space physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (or any other suitable channel) is scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) or any other suitable identifier. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the paging message may be carried by, for example, a PDSCH (or any other suitable channel), and the common search space PDCCH (or any other suitable channel) is scrambled by a paging-RNTI (P-RNTI) or any other suitable identifier.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the SIB / paging system bandwidth may be predetermined in the LTE specification, or alternatively carried by the MIB. Additionally or alternatively, the use of the MIB to carry the SIB timing configuration information may also be considered. Further additionally or alternatively, if there are additional DRSs such as enhanced DRSs in addition to the basic DRS, the MIB may also be used to indicate some DRS bandwidths.

[0052] Figure 4 An example flow chart of receiving information according to a specific implementation of the present disclosure is illustrated. Method 400 may be performed at a terminal device (e.g., a UE) or other similar terminal device. It should be noted that although the example flow chart is mainly described in the case where the MIB / SIB / paging message is transmitted in the same subframe with the DRS, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may also be combined with other cases.

[0053] like Figure 4 As shown, in step 401, the UE buffers the received data for the maximum possible system bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz). Then, in step 402, the UE blindly decodes the DRS based on the buffered data within one or more predefined bandwidths. The predefined bandwidth may be defined, for example, in a specification (e.g., an LTE specification), such as the center 6RB. If the DRS is successfully decoded, time / frequency synchronization information may be obtained. Therefore, in step 403, based on the obtained time / frequency synchronization information, the UE decodes the corresponding MIB within another one or more predetermined bandwidths or within another one or more bandwidths as indicated in the DRS. In step 404, if the bandwidth for the SIB and the paging message is predetermined, at least one of the SIB and the paging message may be decoded in another one or more predetermined bandwidths. In this case, steps 403 and 404 may be performed in a different order, such as in the opposite order or in parallel. In case the bandwidth is indicated in any of the MIB and the DRS, after obtaining the information therefrom, at least one of the SIB and the paging message may be decoded within the additional bandwidth or bandwidths as indicated in at least one of the MIB and the DRS.

[0054] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, different time offsets may be orthogonally utilized for cell differentiation. That is, the paging information received by the UE is transmitted in a time unit, for example, predetermined based on an identifier of a cell serving the UE.

[0055] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, at least two of the reference signal and more than one RRC message are grouped into at least two groups, and the information in these at least two groups will be transmitted in at least two consecutive time units respectively. The information in the same group has the same time offset and has the same transmission period or has a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period. Therefore, in another embodiment, at least two consecutive time units will be transmitted in two or more consecutive time units, and the reference signal and more than one RRC message will be allocated to these time units. The information in the same group will be set to have the same offset so that they can be transmitted in the same time unit.

[0056] Figure 5 The example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, DRS, MIB, SIB and paging messages have the same period as the conventional system, i.e., DRS and MIB have a period of 40ms, SIB has a period of 80ms, and paging messages have a period of 120ms. However, they are transmitted in two consecutive subframes, and their offsets are adjusted to take into account the DRS time domain position. Figure 5 In the example, DRS belongs to the first signal group, and MIB, SIB and paging message belong to the second signal group, and the first signal group and the second signal group are transmitted in two adjacent subframes respectively. Figure 5 As shown, for adjacent subframes 0 and 1, DRS is transmitted in subframe 0, and MIB, SIB, and paging information are transmitted in subframe 1; for adjacent subframes 40 and 41, DRS is transmitted in subframe 40, and MIB is transmitted in subframe 41; for adjacent subframes 80 and 81, DRS is transmitted in subframe 80, and MIB and SIB are transmitted in subframe 81; for adjacent subframes 120 and 121, DRS is transmitted in subframe 120, and MIB and paging information are transmitted in subframe 121. Therefore, it is obvious in this embodiment that DRS is transmitted separately in a subframe, and at least two of MIB, SIB, and paging message are transmitted in a subsequent subframe.

[0057] In this embodiment, the MIB, SIB, paging message bearer, SIB / paging bandwidth indication and cell differentiation can be similar to reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Those described, and therefore, for the sake of simplicity, will not be described in detail herein.

[0058] Figure 6An example flowchart of receiving information according to another specific implementation of the present disclosure is illustrated. Method 600 may be performed at a terminal device (e.g., UE) or other similar terminal devices. It should be noted that although the example flowchart is mainly described in the case where the DRS, MIB / SIB / Paging message are transmitted twice in succession and the DRS is transmitted alone, the example flowchart may also be combined with other cases.

[0059] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 4 Different, in step 601, the UE first blindly decodes the DRS within a predefined bandwidth. The predefined bandwidth can be defined, for example, in a specification (such as an LTE specification), such as the center 6RB. Then in step 602, the UE buffers the received data in the next subframe for the maximum possible system bandwidth (e.g., 20MHz). If the DRS is successfully decoded, the time / frequency synchronization information can be obtained. Therefore, in step 603, based on the obtained time / frequency synchronization information and the buffered data, the UE decodes the corresponding MIB in another predetermined bandwidth or another one or more bandwidths, as shown in the DRS. In step 604, if the bandwidth for the SIB and the paging message is predetermined, at least one of the SIB and the paging message can be decoded in one or more predetermined bandwidths. In this case, steps 603 and 604 can be performed in different orders, such as being performed in reverse order or in parallel. In the case where the bandwidth for SIB and paging messages is indicated in either the MIB and the DRS, after obtaining the information therefrom, at least one of the SIB and the paging message can be decoded within a further bandwidth or bandwidths indicated in at least one of the MIB and the DRS.

[0060] Figure 7 Another example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is further schematically illustrated. In this embodiment, DRS, MIB, SIB and paging messages have the same period as the conventional system, i.e., DRS and MIB have a period of 40ms, SIB has a period of 80ms, and paging messages have a period of 120ms. These signals are transmitted in two consecutive subframes, and their offsets are adjusted to take into account the DRS time domain position. Figure 5 Different from the above, DRS and MIB are divided into a first signal group, and SIB and paging message are divided into a second signal group. Figure 7As shown, for adjacent subframes 0 and 1, DRS and MIB are transmitted in subframe 0, and SIB and paging information are transmitted in subframe 1; for subframe 40, DRS and MIB are transmitted in subframe 40; for adjacent subframes 80 and 81, DRS and MIB are transmitted in subframe 80, and SIB is transmitted in subframe 81; for adjacent subframes 120 and 121, DRS and MIB are transmitted in subframe 120, and paging information is transmitted in subframe 121. Therefore, it is obvious in this embodiment that DRS and MIB are transmitted in the same subframe, and if SIB and paging message need to be transmitted, SIB and paging message are transmitted in subsequent subframes. In other words, Figure 7 The timing shown in Figure 5 The difference between the timing shown in is that the reference signal and the RRC message are divided differently in two consecutive subframes.

[0061] In this embodiment, the carrying of MIB, SIB, paging message, SIB / paging bandwidth indication and cell differentiation may also be similar to reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Those described, and therefore, for the sake of simplicity, will not be described in detail herein.

[0062] Figure 8 An example flowchart of receiving information according to another specific implementation of the present disclosure is illustrated. Method 800 may be performed at a terminal device (e.g., UE) or other similar terminal devices. It should be noted that although the example flowchart is mainly described in the case where the MIB / SIB / Paging message is transmitted together with the DRS in two adjacent subframes and the DRS and the MIB are divided into the same group, the example flowchart may also be combined with other cases.

[0063] like Figure 8 As shown, in step 801, the UE buffers the received data for the maximum possible system bandwidth, such as 20MHz. Then in step 802, the UE blindly decodes the DRS and MIB based on the buffered data within one or more predefined bandwidths. One or more predefined bandwidths for DRS and MIB can be defined, for example, in a specification (such as an LTE specification), which can be the same or different for DRS and MIB. In step 803, if one or more bandwidths for SIB and paging messages are predetermined, at least one of the SIB and paging messages can be decoded in further one or more predetermined bandwidths. In the case where one or more bandwidths are indicated in any one of the MIB and DRS, after obtaining the information therefrom, at least one of the SIB and paging messages can be decoded in further one or more bandwidths indicated in at least one of the MIB and DRS.

[0064] In the above, DRS, MIB, SIB, and paging messages all have the same periodicity as the conventional system; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In another different embodiment, the periodicity may be changed to accommodate information transmission. For example, MIB and SIB may be combined together as new system information so that they have the same periodicity. In addition, paging messages may additionally share the same periodicity with the new system information combining MIB and SIB, which means that they may have the same periodicity. The periodicity of the new system information and paging messages may be the same as the periodicity of DRS or a multiple of the periodicity of DRS.

[0065] The timing information for DRS, new system message and paging message can be configured by the network node (such as BS) by means of RRC signaling, or predefined in the LTE specification. They can occupy one or more subframes, which means they can be transmitted in the same subframe or in consecutive subframes.

[0066] For illustrative purposes, Fig. 9 A block diagram of an apparatus for receiving information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. In the illustrated figure, the period of the new system information and the paging message is the same as the period of the DRS, and they are all transmitted in the same subframe, which means that they also have the same offset.

[0067] although Fig. 9 Schematically illustrates another example information transmission timing according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 9 In the DRS, all information has the same period and the same time offset and is transmitted in the same subframe; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In fact, the period of the new system information and paging message may also be 2, 3, or 4 times the DRS period; or the information may be grouped into different groups with different time offsets so that they can be transmitted in more than one subframe.

[0068] In addition, the content of the MIB / SIB / Paging message can be changed so that it is different from the traditional message. For example, they can be simplified from the traditional message. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the paging message can be simplified to indicate the location where the UE in the group is paged or not paged.

[0069] Fig.10 An example flowchart of receiving information according to another specific implementation of the present disclosure is illustrated. Method 1000 may be performed at a terminal device (e.g., UE) or other similar terminal devices. It should be noted that although the example flowchart is mainly described in the case where MIB / SIB / Paging messages have the same period and time offset and they are transmitted in the same subframe together with DRS, the example flowchart may also be combined with other cases.

[0070] like Fig.10 As shown, in step 1001, the UE buffers the received data for the maximum possible system bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz). Then in step 1002, the UE blindly decodes the DRS based on the buffered data within one or more predefined bandwidths. The predefined bandwidth for DRS can be defined, for example, in a specification (such as an LTE specification), such as the center 6RB. In step 803, if the bandwidth for new system information and paging messages is predetermined, at least one of the new system information and paging messages is decoded in a further one or more predetermined bandwidths based on the time / frequency synchronization obtained from the DRS. In the case where the bandwidth is indicated in the DRS, after obtaining the information therefrom, at least one of the new system information and paging messages can be decoded within the further one or more bandwidths indicated in the DRS.

[0071] exist Fig.11 In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a flow chart of a method for receiving information in a wireless communication system is provided. It should be noted that Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 The methods shown in are specific implementations for different situations, and as Fig.11 The solution shown is a general solution for information reception, which can be used for the general case of transmission timing.

[0072] In such Fig.11 In the method 1100 shown, the information to be received includes a reference signal and at least two of more than one radio resource control (RRC) messages. In the figure shown, first in step 1101, the reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages are received by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units. In particular, the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets; the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0073] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages may be received in the same time unit, and the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same offset.

[0074] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages may be grouped into at least two groups transmitted in at least two consecutive time units, wherein the information in the same group may have the same time offset and may have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0075] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the UE may further decode at least two of the reference signal and more than one RRC message. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal may include a discovery signal (DRS), and the more than one RRC message includes at least a master information block (MIB), a system information block (SIB), and a paging message. In this case, the decoding may also include: when the DRS is received, decoding the DRS within one or more predetermined bandwidths; decoding the MIB within another one or more predetermined bandwidths or another one or more bandwidths indicated in the DRS based on the time / frequency synchronization information decoded from the DRS; and decoding at least one of the SIB and the paging message within a further one or more predetermined bandwidths or further one or more bandwidths indicated in at least one of the MIB and the DRS.

[0076] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, paging information for a terminal device may be received in a time unit determined based on an identifier of the terminal device; and / or at least one of a reference signal and more than one RRC message may be buffered before obtaining information sufficient to decode them.

[0077] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, decoding the DRS may include decoding the DRS to obtain an indicator as to whether the UEs in the group are paged.

[0078] It should be noted that method 1100 is a general solution for information reception and is based at least on Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 Specific implementations described in, and therefore for Fig.11 For more details on the steps shown, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 The content described.

[0079] In the above, a method for information transmission and reception as proposed in the present disclosure is described. In addition, in the present disclosure, a solution for paging message indication is also disclosed, which can be used in combination with information transmission or reception as proposed herein, or used with a conventional system or other systems. As described above, in existing systems, paging messages are periodically transmitted for each UE and are usually configured separately with the DRS. The paging message carries detailed paging information, so that the UE needs to decode the paging information even if there is no update information, which means inefficiency and consumption of processing resources. Therefore, in the present disclosure, it is recommended to use DRS to indicate whether the UE is paged. In other words, the DRS may include paging indication information.

[0080] Different UEs may be allocated to different DRS time domain resources, and therefore, an indicator in the DRS time domain position may be used to indicate whether a UE group is paged. In other words, it may transmit a DRS containing an indication of whether a UE is paged.

[0081] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the duplex mode indicator in the DRS may be reused to indicate whether the UE is being paged. In the DRS, it generally includes a duplex mode indicator, such as an FDD / TDD indicator, which may be reused to indicate whether the UE is being paged.

[0082] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the cyclic prefix type indicator can be reused in the DRS to indicate whether the UE is paged. In the DRS, it usually includes a cyclic prefix type indicator, such as a normal CP / extended CP indicator, which can also be reused to indicate whether the UE is being paged.

[0083] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, it can reuse a specific cell index in the DRS to indicate whether the UE is paged. Each cell has a cell id, which can be used to indicate whether the UE is paged. For example, cell id 504 is used as a specific cell id to indicate paging information. When the UE receives a DRS indicating a cell id other than 504, it interprets it as a real cell id. When the UE receives a DRS indicating cell id 504 in the current time instance and the UE receives a cell id x (where x is not 504) in the previous most recent time instance, it interprets the cell id x as a valid cell, and at the same time it learns that the UE is paged.

[0084] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a change in a specific indicator may also be used to indicate whether the UE is paged. For example, the paging cycle of the UE is 360ms and the paging offset is 0. If the DRS in subframe 0 indicates a normal CP and in subframe 360 ​​it indicates an extended CP, the UE knows that it is paged. In addition, other indicators may also be selected as specific indicators, and a change in the indicator may be used to indicate whether the UE is paged.

[0085] In this way, paging indication can be implemented in a simple manner, and a single channel access opportunity is sufficient for DRS and paging information.

[0086] In addition, in the present disclosure, an apparatus for information transmission and reception is also provided in a wireless communication system, and reference will be made to Fig.12 and Fig.13 Describe it.

[0087] Fig.12 A block diagram of an apparatus for transmitting information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0088] In such Fig.12 In the illustrated embodiment, the information includes at least two of a reference signal and more than one radio resource control (RRC) message. Fig.12 As shown, the apparatus 1200 includes an information transmission module 1201. The information transmission module may be configured to transmit a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units. In particular, the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same time offset or different time offsets, and the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages have the same transmission period or have transmission periods that are different multiples of a predetermined period.

[0089] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages may be transmitted in the same time unit, and the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same offset.

[0090] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the period of the paging message may be greater than the period of the reference signal, so that the paging messages for different UEs may be carried in different reference signal time units, and different reference signal time units may be allocated to different UEs based on the UE identifier for carrying the paging messages.

[0091] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of one or more RRC messages may be grouped into at least two groups, which are transmitted in at least two consecutive time units, wherein information in the same group may have the same time offset and may have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0092] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, more than one RRC message may include a master information block (MIB), a system information block (SIB), and a paging message, and an indication of the bandwidth for the SIB and the paging message may be carried in at least one of the MIB and the reference signal, or the bandwidth is one or more predetermined bandwidths; and / or wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have different time offsets for different cells.

[0093] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal may include an indicator to indicate whether the UE in the group is paged.

[0094] Fig.13 The block diagram of the apparatus for receiving information in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. Fig.13 In the illustrated embodiment, the information includes at least two of a reference signal and more than one radio resource control (RRC) message. Fig.13 As shown, the apparatus 1300 includes an information receiving module 1301, which is configured to receive a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages by using the same time unit or at least two consecutive time units. In particular, the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same time offset or different time offsets, and wherein the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0095] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages may be received in the same time unit, and the reference signal and at least two of the more than one RRC messages may have the same offset.

[0096] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a reference signal and at least two of more than one RRC messages may be grouped into at least two groups, which are transmitted in at least two consecutive time units, wherein information in the same group may have the same time offset and may have the same transmission period or have a transmission period that is a different multiple of a predetermined period.

[0097] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal may include a discovery signal (DRS), and wherein the more than one RRC message may include at least a master information block (MIB), a system information block (SIB), and a paging message. The apparatus 1300 may further include an information decoding module 1320. The information decoding module 1320 may be configured to: decode the DRS within one or more predetermined bandwidths when the DRS is received; decode the MIB within another one or more predetermined bandwidths or another one or more bandwidths as indicated in the DRS based on the time / frequency synchronization information decoded from the DRS; and decode the SIB and the paging message within a further one or more predetermined bandwidths or further one or more bandwidths indicated in at least one of the MIB and the DRS.

[0098] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the information receiving module 1310 may also be configured to perform at least one of the following: receiving paging information for a terminal device in a time unit determined based on an identifier of the terminal device; and buffering a reference signal and at least one of more than one RRC messages before obtaining sufficient information to decode them.

[0099] In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the information decoding module 1320 may also be configured to decode the DRS to obtain an indicator of whether the UE in the group is paged.

[0100] In the above, reference Fig.12 and Fig.13 The apparatus 1200 and the apparatus 1300 are described. Note that the apparatus 1200 and the apparatus 1300 may be configured to implement the Figures 1 to 11 Therefore, for details on the operation of the modules in these devices, reference may be made to the reference Figures 1 to 11 The individual steps of the method are carried out as described.

[0101] It should also be noted that the components of the apparatus 1200 and the apparatus 1300 may be embodied as hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination thereof. For example, the components of the apparatus 1200 and the apparatus 1300 may be implemented by circuits, processors, or any other suitable selection devices, respectively. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing examples are for illustration only and not limitation, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto; many variations, additions, deletions, and modifications of the teachings provided herein may be readily envisioned, and all such variations, additions, deletions, and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0102] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, apparatus 1200 and apparatus 1300 may include at least one processor. By way of example, at least one processor suitable for use with embodiments of the present disclosure may include both general-purpose processors and special-purpose processors that are known or developed in the future. Apparatus 1200 and apparatus 1300 may also include at least one memory. The at least one memory may include, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices. The at least one memory may be used to store a program of computer executable instructions. The program may be written in any high-level and / or low-level compilable or interpretable programming language. According to an embodiment, the computer executable instructions may be configured together with at least one processor to cause apparatus 1200 and apparatus 1300 to perform at least one operation according to the embodiments described in reference to the present disclosure. Figures 1 to 11 The methods discussed perform the operations separately.

[0103] It should be understood that although DRS, MIB, SIB and paging messages are described above, these signals are given as examples for illustration purposes only, and in fact the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The concept of the present disclosure can also be applied to any other reference signal (such as CRS, CSI-RS, PSS, SSS, etc.), and any other RRC message, such as RRC information element, security control information element, mobility control information element, measurement information element, other information element, MBMS information element, SC-PTM information element, side link information element and other RRC messages newly defined in the future.

[0104] Although the description is described with reference to two consecutive time units, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and more consecutive time units may be used to transmit the signals.

[0105] Although the present disclosure is primarily described using unlicensed spectrum and provides significant benefits, the present disclosure is not limited to unlicensed spectrum, but can be applied to normal communications and provide the benefits of reduced interference.

[0106] In addition, in another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for reference signal transmission is also provided. The method includes transmitting a reference signal including an indicator to indicate whether a UE in a group is paged. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal includes at least a discovery signal (DRS). In another embodiment of the present disclosure, whether a UE in a group is paged is indicated by any one of the following: reusing a duplex mode indicator in a DRS; reusing a cyclic prefix type indicator in a DRS; reusing a specific cell index in a DRS; using a change in a specific indicator in a DRS.

[0107] In another aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for reference signal transmission is provided. The apparatus may include a reference signal transmission unit configured to transmit a reference signal including an indicator indicating whether a UE in a group is paged. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference signal includes at least a discovery signal (DRS). In another embodiment of the present disclosure, whether a UE in a group is paged is indicated by any one of the following: reusing a duplex mode indicator in a DRS; reusing a cyclic prefix type indicator in a DRS; reusing a specific cell index in a DRS; using a change in a specific indicator in a DRS.

[0108] Fig.14 Also illustrated are simplified block diagrams of apparatus 1410 and apparatus 1420, where apparatus 1410 may be specifically implemented as a terminal device (such as a UE) in a wireless network or included in a terminal device (such as a UE) in a wireless network, and apparatus 1420 may be specifically implemented as a base station (such as a NB or an eNB) or included in a base station (such as a NB or an eNB), as described herein.

[0109] The device 1410 includes at least one processor 1411, such as a data processor (DP), and at least one memory (MEM) 1412 coupled to the processor 1411. The device 1410 may also include a transmitter TX and a receiver RX 1413 coupled to the processor 1411, which may be operable to be communicatively connected to the device 1420. The MEM 1412 stores a program (PROG) 1414. The PROG 1414 may include instructions that, when executed on the associated processor 1411, enable the device 1410 to operate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, to perform any of the methods 400, 600, 800, and 1100. The combination of the at least one processor 1411 and the at least one MEM 1412 may form a processing component 1415 suitable for implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0110] The device 1420 includes at least one processor 1421 (such as a DP) and at least one MEM 1422 coupled to the processor 1421. The device 1420 may also include a suitable TX / RX 1423 coupled to the processor 1421, which TX / RX1423 may be operable for wireless communication with the device 1410. The MEM 1422 stores a PROG 1424. The PROG 1424 may include instructions that, when executed on the associated processor 1421, enable the device 1420 to operate according to embodiments of the present disclosure, for example to perform the method 100. The combination of the at least one processor 1421 and the at least one MEM 1422 may form a processing component 1425 suitable for implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0111] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by a computer program, which may be executed by one or more of the processors 1411 , 1421 , software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0112] MEMs 1412 and 1422 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology such as, by way of non-limiting examples, semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory.

[0113] Processors 1411 and 1421 may be of any type suitable for the local technical environment, and may include one or more of the following: a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor DSP, and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.

[0114] In addition, the present disclosure may also provide a carrier containing the computer program as described above, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal or a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, an optical compact disk or an electronic memory device (such as RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), flash memory), a magnetic tape, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, etc.

[0115] The techniques described herein may be implemented by various components, so that a device that implements one or more functions of a corresponding device described by an embodiment includes not only prior art components, but also components for implementing one or more functions of a corresponding device described by the embodiment, and it may include separate components for each separate function, or may be configured as components that perform two or more functions. For example, these techniques may be implemented in hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or a combination thereof. For firmware or software, implementation may be performed by modules (e.g., programs, functions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein.

[0116] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations of the methods and devices. It will be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations and the combination of blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations can be implemented by various components including computer program instructions, respectively. These computer program instructions can be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable data processing device create components for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart blocks (or multiple blocks).

[0117] Although this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of any implementation or content that may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that are peculiar to a particular embodiment of a particular implementation. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable sub-combination. In addition, although the above features may be described as working in certain combinations, and even initially claimed to be so, in some cases, one or more features from the claimed combinations may be deleted from the combination, and the claimed combination may involve sub-combinations or variations of sub-combinations.

[0118] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The above embodiments are given to describe rather than limit the present disclosure, and it should be understood that modifications and variations may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as readily understood by those skilled in the art. These modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. The scope of protection of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network device, comprising: In the first time unit, a primary synchronization signal PSS, a secondary synchronization signal SSS and a physical broadcast channel PBCH are transmitted to the terminal device; as well as transmitting a system information block SIB in a second time unit, the second time unit being adjacent to and subsequent to the first time unit, wherein the SIB is carried by a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH, and the PDSCH is scheduled by a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI, The PSS, the SSS and the PBCH are transmitted in the same transmission period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the PBCH comprises a master information block (MIB). 3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the SIB is transmitted in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first time unit and the second time unit are two different subframes.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the PSS and the SSS include an indicator to indicate whether a terminal device in a group is paged.

6. A method performed by a terminal device, comprising: In a first time unit, receiving a primary synchronization signal PSS, a secondary synchronization signal SSS and a physical broadcast channel PBCH from a network device; as well as receiving a system information block SIB in a second time unit, the second time unit being adjacent to the first time unit and subsequent to the first time unit, wherein the SIB is carried by a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH, and the PDSCH is scheduled by a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI, The PSS, the SSS and the PBCH have the same transmission period. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the PBCH comprises a master information block (MIB). The method according to claim 6 , wherein the SIB is transmitted in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first time unit and the second time unit are two different subframes.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the PSS and SSS include indicators as to whether terminal devices in a group are paged.

11. A network device comprising: A processor, the processor being configured to: Transmitting a primary synchronization signal PSS, a secondary synchronization signal SSS and a physical broadcast channel PBCH to a terminal device in a first time unit; as well as transmitting a system information block SIB in a second time unit, the second time unit being adjacent to and subsequent to the first time unit, wherein the SIB is carried by a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH, and the PDSCH is scheduled by a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI, The PSS, the SSS and the PBCH are transmitted in the same transmission period.

12. The network device according to claim 11, wherein the PBCH comprises a master information block (MIB). 13 . The network device according to claim 11 , wherein the SIB is transmitted in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). The network device according to claim 11 , wherein the first time unit and the second time unit are two different subframes.

15. A terminal device, comprising: A processor, the processor being configured to: In a first time unit, receiving a primary synchronization signal PSS, a secondary synchronization signal SSS and a physical broadcast channel PBCH from a network device; as well as receiving a system information block SIB in a second time unit, the second time unit being adjacent to the first time unit and subsequent to the first time unit, wherein the SIB is carried by a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH, and the PDSCH is scheduled by a physical downlink control channel PDCCH scrambled by a system information radio network temporary identifier SI-RNTI, The PSS, the SSS and the PBCH have the same transmission period.

16. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the PBCH includes a master information block (MIB).

17. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the SIB is transmitted in a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

18. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the first time unit and the second time unit are two different subframes.

19. The terminal apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the PSS and the SSS include an indicator as to whether terminal devices in a group are paged.

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