Method and apparatus for random access procedure with spatial setting

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to being provided for supporting a higher data rate beyond a fourth generation (4G) communication system such as long term evolution (LTE) or a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system. A method and apparatus for a random access procedure with spatial setting. A method of operating a user equipment includes receiving a SIB. The SIB indicates a set of CSI-RS resources for CSI-RS, a set of random access occasions (ROs), and a mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources. The method further includes determining a first RO for transmitting a first PRACH from the set of ROs, determining a first spatial setting for the first PRACH transmission based on a first CSI-RS resource from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the first RO, and transmitting the first PRACH in the first RO using the first spatial setting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for a random access procedure utilizing spatial settings. Background Technology

[0002] To meet the increased demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of fourth-generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved fifth-generation (5G) or pre-5G communication systems. Therefore, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are also referred to as "beyond 4G networks" or "post-LTE systems".

[0003] 5G communication systems are considered to be implemented in higher frequency (millimeter wave (mmWave) bands, such as the 60 GHz band, to achieve higher data rates. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive MIMO technologies are discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0004] In addition, in 5G communication systems, development is underway to improve system networks based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, cooperative multipoint (CoMP), and receiver interference cancellation.

[0005] In 5G systems, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) have been developed as advanced coding modulation (ACM), as well as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as advanced access technologies.

[0006] Fifth-generation (5G) or new radio (NR) mobile communications is gaining increasing momentum recently, fueled by global technological activity from a wide range of candidate technologies from industry and academia. Candidate enablers for 5G / NR mobile communications include massive MIMO technologies (from traditional cellular bands to high frequencies) to provide beamforming gain and support increased capacity, new waveforms to flexibly adapt to various services / applications with different needs (e.g., new radio access technologies (RATs)), and new multiple access schemes to support massive connectivity. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] This disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for a random access procedure utilizing spatial settings.

[0009] Problem Solution

[0010] In one embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is provided. The UE includes a transceiver configured to receive a System Information Block (SIB). The SIB indicates a set of Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) resources for CSI-RS, a set of Random Access Occasions (ROs), and a mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources. The UE also includes a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to determine a first RO from the set of ROs for transmitting a first Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), and to determine a first spatial setting for transmitting the first PRACH, the first spatial setting being based on a first CSI-RS resource from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the first RO. The transceiver is further configured to transmit the first PRACH in the first RO using the first spatial setting.

[0011] In another embodiment, a base station (BS) is provided. The BS includes a transceiver configured to transmit an SIB. The SIB indicates a set of CSI-RS resources for CSI-RS, a set of ROs, and a mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources. The BS also includes a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to determine a first RO from the set of ROs for receiving a first PRACH, and to determine a first spatial setting for receiving the first PRACH based on the first CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the first RO. The transceiver is further configured to receive the first PRACH in the first RO using the first spatial setting.

[0012] In another embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving an SIB. The SIB indicates a set of CSI-RS resources for CSI-RS, a set of ROs, and a mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources. The method further includes determining a first RO from the set of ROs for transmitting a first PRACH, determining a first spatial setting for transmitting the first PRACH based on first CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the first RO, and transmitting the first PRACH in the first RO using the first spatial setting.

[0013] Other technical features will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following figures, description and claims.

[0014] Before proceeding with the detailed description below, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “coupled” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, regardless of whether these elements are physically in contact with each other. The terms “transmit,” “receive,” and “communicate,” and their derivatives include both direct and indirect communication. The terms “include” and “comprising,” and their derivatives, mean unrestricted inclusion. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and / or. The phrase “associated” and its derivatives mean including, being included, interconnected, containing, being contained, connected to or connected with, coupled to or coupled with, can communicate, cooperate, interleave, juxtapose, proximate, be combined to or combined with, have, have attributes, be related to or have a relationship with, etc. The term “controller” refers to any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller may be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, local or remote. When used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one" means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and it may be necessary to use only one item from the list. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0015] Furthermore, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each computer program being formed by computer-readable program code and contained in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application program" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof suitable for implementation in appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media includes media that can permanently store data and media that can store data and be rewritten later, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable storage devices.

[0016] Definitions of other specific words and phrases are also provided in this patent document. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in many (if not most) cases, such definitions apply to the prior and future use of the words and phrases defined in this way.

[0017] Beneficial effects of the invention

[0018] According to this disclosure, there are improvements to the random access procedure that utilizes spatial settings, and related improvements. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To gain a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts:

[0020] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 2 An example BS according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 3 An example UE according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example wireless transmission and reception path according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 6 Example methods are shown for a UE to transmit a PRACH preamble and a PUSCH (if applicable) using a 2-step random access (RA) procedure and a 4-step RA procedure with different spatial settings, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 7 An example method is shown for a UE to transmit a PRACH preamble in a set of ROs configured in the SIB based on a 2-step RA procedure and a 4-step RA procedure, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 8 An example method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown for a BS to configure a UE to determine a PRACH preamble and a corresponding RO, the PRACH preamble and the corresponding RO being used for transmission based on a 2-step RA process and a 4-step RA process using different spatial settings;

[0027] Figure 9 An example method is shown for a UE to determine spatial settings for PRACH transmission using a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure, according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0028] Figure 10 An example method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown for sending a random access response (RAR) when the gNB detects the MsgA PRACH preamble, fails to correctly decode the MsgA PUSCH, and also detects the Msg1PRACH preamble.

[0029] Figure 11 An example method is shown for a UE to receive multiple RARs after transmitting multiple PRACH preambles, according to an embodiment of this disclosure; and

[0030] Figure 12 An example method for a UE to transmit MsgA PUSCH according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The MsgA PUSCH includes information about one or more PRACH preamble transmissions performed by the UE, wherein the one or more PRACH preamble transmissions may use a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following discussion Figures 1 to 12 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0032] The following literature and standards descriptions are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein: (i) 3GPP TS 38.211v16.0.0, "NR; Physical channels and modulation"; (ii) 3GPP TS 38.212v16.0.0, "NR; Multiplexing and Channelcoding"; (iii) 3GPP TS 38.213v16.0.0, "NR; Physical Layer Procedures for Control"; (iv) 3GPP TS 38.214v16.0.0, "NR; Physical Layer Procedures" (v) 3GPP TS 38.214v16.0.0, "NR; Physical Layer Procedures for Data"; (v) 3GPP TS 38.321v15.8.0, "NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Specification"; and (vi) 3GPP TS 38.331v15.8.0, "NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification".

[0033] To meet the increased demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of fourth-generation (4G) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) or pre-5G / NR communication systems have been developed and deployed. Therefore, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are also referred to as "beyond 4G networks" or "post-Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems".

[0034] 5G communication systems are considered to be implemented in higher frequency (mmWave) bands (e.g., 28 GHz or 60 GHz bands) to achieve higher data rates, or in lower frequency bands (such as 6 GHz) to achieve robust coverage and mobility support. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and massive MIMO technologies are discussed in 5G communication systems.

[0035] In addition, in 5G communication systems, development is underway to improve system networks based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, cooperative multipoint (CoMP), and receiver interference cancellation.

[0036] The discussion of 5G systems and their associated frequency bands is for reference only, as some embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in 5G systems. However, this disclosure is not limited to 5G systems or their associated frequency bands, and embodiments of this disclosure can be used in conjunction with any frequency band. For example, aspects of this disclosure can also be applied to 5G communication systems, 6G, or even higher versions that may use terahertz (THz) frequency bands.

[0037] Depending on the network type, the term 'base station' (BS) can refer to any component (or set of components) configured to provide radio access to a network, such as a transmitting point (TP), a transmitting and receiving point (TRP), an enhanced base station (eNodeB or eNB), a gNB, a macrocell, a femtocell, a WiFi access point (AP), a satellite, or other wireless enabling device. A base station can provide radio access according to one or more wireless communication protocols, such as 5G 3GPP New Radio Interface / Access (NR), LTE, LTE Advanced (LTE-A), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc. The terms 'BS', 'gNB', and 'TRP' are used interchangeably in this disclosure to refer to network infrastructure components that provide radio access to remote terminals. Furthermore, depending on the network type, the term 'user equipment' (UE) can refer to any component, such as a mobile station, a subscriber station, a remote terminal, a wireless terminal, a receiving point, a vehicle, or user equipment. For example, a UE can be a mobile phone, smartphone, monitoring equipment, alarm equipment, fleet management equipment, asset tracking equipment, automobile, desktop computer, entertainment equipment, infotainment equipment, vending machine, electricity meter, water meter, gas meter, security equipment, sensor equipment, electrical appliances, etc.

[0038] The following Figure 1-3Various embodiments of communication technologies, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), are described in wireless communication systems. Figure 1-3 The description does not imply any physical or architectural limitation on the ways in which different embodiments may be implemented. Different embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged communication system.

[0039] Figure 1 An example wireless network 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment of the wireless network 100 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the wireless network 100 includes a base station BS 101 (e.g., a gNB), BS 102, and BS 103. BS 101 communicates with BS 102 and BS 103. BS 101 also communicates with at least one network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network.

[0041] BS 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to a first plurality of user equipments (UEs) within its coverage area 120. The first plurality of UEs includes UE 111, which may be located in a small business; UE 112, which may be located in an enterprise (E); UE 113, which may be located in a WiFi hotspot (HS); UE 114, which may be located in a first residence (R); UE 115, which may be located in a second residence (R); and UE 116, which may be a mobile device (M), such as a cellular phone, wireless laptop computer, wireless PDA, etc. BS 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to a second plurality of UEs within its coverage area 125. The second plurality of UEs includes UE 115 and UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more of BS 101-103 may communicate with each other and with UE 111-116 using 5G / NR, LTE, LTE-A, WiMAX, WiFi or other wireless communication technologies.

[0042] The dashed lines indicate the approximate extent of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as approximately circular for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It should be clearly understood that, depending on the configuration of the BS and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles, the coverage areas associated with the BS (such as coverage areas 120 and 125) may have other shapes, including irregular shapes.

[0043] As described in more detail below, one or more of UEs 111-116 include circuitry, procedures, or combinations thereof for performing a random access procedure using spatial settings. In some embodiments, one or more of BSs 101-103 include circuitry, procedures, or combinations thereof for a random access procedure having spatial settings.

[0044] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network is shown, but more can be found on... Figure 1 Various modifications can be made. For example, the wireless network can include any number of BSs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. Furthermore, BS 101 can communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide these UEs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each BS 102-103 can communicate directly with network 130 and provide the UEs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. Additionally, BSs 101, 102, and / or 103 can provide access to other or additional external networks, such as external telephone networks or other types of data networks.

[0045] Figure 2 An example BS 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 The embodiment of BS 102 shown is for illustrative purposes only. Figure 1 BS 101 and 103 can have the same or similar configurations. However, BSs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2 This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of any particular implementation of BS.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, BS 102 includes multiple antennas 205a-205n, multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers 210a-210n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 215, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 220. BS 102 also includes a controller / processor 225, a memory 230, and a backhaul or network interface 235.

[0047] RF transceivers 210a-210n receive input RF signals, such as signals transmitted by a UE in wireless network 100, from antennas 205a-205n. RF transceivers 210a-210n down-convert the input RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to RX processing circuitry 220, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. RX processing circuitry 220 sends the processed baseband signal to controller / processor 225 for further processing.

[0048] The TX processing circuit 215 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the controller / processor 225. The TX processing circuit 215 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the output baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceivers 210a-210n receive the processed baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 215 and up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal, which is then transmitted via antennas 205a-205n.

[0049] The controller / processor 225 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the BS 102. For example, the controller / processor 225 may control the reception of uplink channel signals and the transmission of downlink channel signals via RF transceivers 210a-210n, RX processing circuitry 220, and TX processing circuitry 215, according to well-known principles. The controller / processor 225 may also support additional functions, such as more advanced wireless communication functions. For example, the controller / processor 225 may support random access procedures utilizing spatial settings. The controller / processor 225 may support any of a variety of other functions within the BS 102. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 225 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0050] The controller / processor 225 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as an operating system, residing in the memory 230. The controller / processor 225 can move data into or out of the memory 230 as needed for the execution process. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 225 supports random access procedures with space settings. For example, the controller / processor 225 can move data into or out of the memory 230 according to the process being executed.

[0051] The controller / processor 225 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 235. The backhaul or network interface 235 allows the BS 102 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or network. The network interface 235 can support communication via any suitable wired or wireless connection(s). For example, when the BS 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a cellular communication system supporting 5G / NR, LTE, or LTE-A), the network interface 235 can allow the BS 102 to communicate with other BSs via a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the BS 102 is implemented as an access point, the network interface 235 can allow the BS 102 to communicate with a larger network (such as the Internet) via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection. The network interface 235 includes any suitable architecture supporting communication over wired or wireless connections, such as Ethernet or RF transceivers.

[0052] Memory 230 is coupled to controller / processor 225. A portion of memory 230 may include RAM, while another portion of memory 230 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0053] As described in more detail below, the transmit and receive paths of the gNB 102 (implemented using RF transceivers 372a-372n, TX processing circuitry 374, and / or RX processing circuitry 376) support communication with frequency division duplex (FDD) cell and time division duplex (TDD) cell aggregation.

[0054] although Figure 2 An example of BS 102 is shown, but it is possible to compare it with other versions. Figure 2 Various changes can be made. For example, BS 102 may include... Figure 2 Each component can be any number shown. As a specific example, an access point may include multiple network interfaces 235, and the controller / processor 225 may support routing functionality to route data between different network addresses. As another specific example, although shown as a single instance including TX processing circuitry 215 and a single instance including RX processing circuitry 220, BS 102 may include multiple instances of each (such as one per RF transceiver). Furthermore, Figure 2 The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed.

[0055] Figure 3 An example UE 116 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 The embodiment of UE 116 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 UEs 111-115 can have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 3 This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope to any particular implementation of the UE.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, UE 116 includes an antenna 305, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 310, a TX processing circuit 315, a microphone 320, and a receive (RX) processing circuit 325. UE 116 also includes a speaker 330, a processor 340, an input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 345, an input device 350, a display 355, and a memory 360. The memory 360 includes an operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362.

[0057] RF transceiver 310 receives an input RF signal transmitted by a BS of wireless network 100 from antenna 305. RF transceiver 310 down-converts the input RF signal to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 325, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 325 sends the processed baseband signal to speaker 330 (e.g., for voice data) or processor 340 for further processing (e.g., for web browsing data).

[0058] The TX processing circuit 315 receives analog or digital voice data from the microphone 320, or other output baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the processor 340. The TX processing circuit 315 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the output baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The RF transceiver 310 receives the processed baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 315 and up-converts the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal, which is then transmitted via the antenna 305.

[0059] Processor 340 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and executes OS 361 stored in memory 360 to control the overall operation of UE 116. For example, processor 340 may control the reception of downlink channel signals and the transmission of uplink channel signals through RF transceiver 310, RX processing circuitry 325 and TX processing circuitry 315 according to well-known principles. In some embodiments, processor 340 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0060] Processor 340 is also capable of executing other processes and programs residing in memory 360, such as processes for beam management. Processor 340 can move data into or out of memory 360 as needed for the execution process. In some embodiments, processor 340 is configured to execute application 362 based on OS 361 or in response to signals received from BS or operator. Processor 340 is also coupled to I / O interface 345, which provides UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices, such as laptop computers and handheld computers. I / O interface 345 is the communication path between these accessories and processor 340.

[0061] Processor 340 is also coupled to input device 350. An operator of UE 116 can use input device 350 to input data into UE 116. Input device 350 can be a keyboard, touchscreen, mouse, trackball, voice input, or other device capable of acting as a user interface to allow the user to interact with UE 116. For example, input device 350 may include voice recognition processing, thereby allowing the user to input voice commands. In another example, input device 350 may include a touch panel, (digital) pen sensor, button, or ultrasonic input device. The touch panel can recognize touch input in at least one of the following methods: capacitive, pressure-sensitive, infrared, or ultrasonic.

[0062] The processor 340 is also coupled to the display 355. The display 355 may be a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, or other display capable of displaying text and / or at least limited graphics (such as from a website).

[0063] The memory 360 is coupled to the processor 340. A portion of the memory 360 may include random access memory (RAM), while another portion of the memory 360 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0064] although Figure 3 An example of UE 116 is shown, but it is possible to modify it. Figure 3 Make various changes. For example, Figure 3 The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. As a specific example, processor 340 can be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Furthermore, although... Figure 3 The UE 116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, but the UE can be configured to operate as other types of mobile or fixed devices.

[0065] Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example wireless transmission and reception path according to this disclosure is shown. In the following description, Figure 4 The transmission path 400 can be described as being implemented in a gNB (such as BS 102), while Figure 5 The receive path 500 can be described as being implemented in a UE (such as UE 116). However, it is understood that the receive path 500 can be implemented in a BS, and the transmit path 400 can be implemented in a UE. In some embodiments, the receive path 500 is configured to support a random access procedure utilizing spatial settings as described in embodiments of this disclosure.

[0066] like Figure 4The transmission path circuit shown includes a channel coding and modulation block 405, a serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 410, an N-size inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) block 415, a parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 420, a cyclic prefix addition block 425, and an up-converter (UC) 430. Figure 5 The receiver path circuit 500 shown includes a downconverter (DC) 555, a cyclic prefix removal block 560, a serial-to-parallel (SP) block 565, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) block of size N, a parallel-to-serial (PS) block 575, and a channel decoding and demodulation block 580.

[0067] like Figure 4 As shown, channel coding and modulation block 405 receives a set of information bits, applies coding (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding), and modulates the input bits (such as using quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)) to produce a frequency-domain modulated symbol sequence. Serial-to-parallel block 410 sequentially converts (e.g., demultiplexes) the serial modulated symbols into parallel data to produce N parallel symbol streams, where N is the IFFT / FFT size used in BS 102 and UE 116. IFFT block 415 of size N then performs an IFFT operation on the N parallel symbol streams to produce a time-domain output signal. Parallel-to-serial block 420 converts (e.g., multiplexes) the parallel time-domain output symbols from IFFT block 415 of size N to produce a serial time-domain signal. Cyclic prefix addition block 425 inserts a cyclic prefix into the time-domain signal. Upconverter 430 modulates (e.g., upconverts) the output of cyclic prefix block 425 to an RF frequency for transmission via a wireless channel. The signal may also be filtered in baseband before being converted to the RF frequency.

[0068] The RF signal transmitted from BS 102 reaches UE 116 after passing through the wireless channel, and UE 116 performs the opposite operation to that at BS 102.

[0069] like Figure 5 As shown, downconverter 555 downconverts the received signal to the baseband frequency and removes the cyclic prefix block 560 to generate a serial time-domain baseband signal. Serial-to-parallel conversion module 565 converts the time-domain baseband signal into a parallel time-domain signal. FFT block 570 of size N then performs the FFT algorithm to generate N parallel frequency-domain signals. Parallel-to-serial block 575 converts the parallel frequency-domain signals into a sequence of modulated data symbols. Channel decoding and demodulation block 580 demodulates and decodes the modulated symbols to recover the original input data stream.

[0070] Each of BS 101-103 can achieve something similar to what is sent to user equipment 111-116 in the downlink. Figure 4 The transmission path shown can achieve a similar transmission path to that received from UE 111-116 in the uplink. Figure 5 The receiving path is shown. Similarly, each UE in UEs 111-116 can implement a transmission path 400 for sending to BSs 101-103 in the uplink and a receiving path 500 for receiving from BSs 101-103 in the downlink.

[0071] Figure 4 and Figure 5 Each component can be implemented using hardware or a combination of hardware and software / firmware. As a specific example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 At least some components can be implemented in software, while others can be implemented in configurable hardware or a hybrid of software and configurable hardware. For example, FFT block 570 and IFFT block 515 can be implemented as configurable software algorithms, where the value of size N can be modified according to the implementation.

[0072] Furthermore, although described as using FFT and IFFT, this is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Other types of transforms, such as the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) functions, can be used. It will be understood that for the DFT and IDFT functions, the value of the variable N can be any integer (such as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), while for the FFT and IFFT functions, the value of the variable N can be any integer that is a power of 2 (such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.).

[0073] although Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example of a wireless transmit and receive path is shown, but it is possible to modify it further. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Make various changes. For example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. Furthermore, Figure 4 and Figure 5 This example aims to illustrate the types of send and receive paths that can be used in a wireless network. Any other suitable architecture can be used to support wireless communication in a wireless network.

[0074] In some embodiments, the random access (RA) procedure is initiated by Radio Resource Control (RRC) for a System Information (SI) request (if System Information Block 1 (SIB1) includes scheduling information for an on-demand SI request), by Media Access Control (MAC), or by a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) command. The RA procedure can be initiated for various triggers or purposes. For example, for an on-demand SI request, or for handover, the RA procedure can be initiated by the User Equipment (UE) for initial access to establish an RRC connection (in other words, from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED), and to re-establish the RRC connection after a Radio Link Failure (RLF). Furthermore, the RA procedure can be initiated for uplink (UL) synchronization, scheduling requests (SR), location, or link recovery, referred to herein as Beam Failure Recovery (BFR). The RA procedure can also be initiated from the serving base station (gNB) via a PDCCH command.

[0075] RA can operate in at least two modes. The first mode is Contention-Based Random Access (CBRA). In CBRA, UEs within the serving cell can share the same RA resources, thus there is a possibility of RA attempts from different UEs conflicting. The second mode is Contention-Free Random Access (CFRA). In CFRA, UEs have dedicated RA resources indicated by the serving gNB and cannot share them with other UEs, thereby avoiding RA conflicts.

[0076] A 4-step RA procedure, also known as a Type 1 (L1) random access procedure, includes (i) the UE sending a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preamble (Msg1), (ii) the UE attempting to receive a random access response (RAR or Msg2), (iii) the UE sending a contention resolution message (Msg3) for the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), and (iv) the UE attempting to receive a contention resolution message (Msg4). An alternative RA procedure may consist of only two steps, referred to herein as a 2-step RA or a Type 2 L1 random access procedure. In a 2-step RA, Msg1 and Msg3 are combined into MsgA for transmission, and Msg2 and Msg4 are combined into MsgB for reception. MsgA combines the PRACH preamble transmission in the random access channel (RACH) timing (RO) with the PUSCH transmission in the so-called PUSCH timing (PO). This disclosure considers both the 4-step RACH procedure and the 2-step RA procedure.

[0077] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to a random access procedure (RA) for a UE (such as UE 116) to establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a serving gNB. Here, the random access procedure may include the UE transmitting Msg1 PRACH or MsgA PRACH and MsgA PUSCH, the UE receiving RAR in response to the PRACH transmission, and, for contention-based random access, the UE transmitting Msg3 PUSCH for contention resolution.

[0078] Embodiments of this disclosure also relate to determining spatial settings for sending Msg1 PRACH preamble or MsgAPRACH preamble and MsgA PUSCH from the UE to the serving gNB.

[0079] Embodiments of this disclosure also relate to spatial settings determined by a UE (such as UE 116) for transmitting uplink channels.

[0080] Additionally, embodiments of this disclosure relate to a UE (such as UE 116) selecting a RAR from a plurality of RARs to determine subsequent uplink transmissions.

[0081] Additionally, embodiments of this disclosure also involve including information about the transmission of the PRACH preamble in MsgA.

[0082] During the initial cell search, the UE (such as UE 116) acquires / detects synchronization signal / physical broadcast channel (SS / PBCH) blocks transmitted by the gNB (such as BS 102). The gNB may transmit multiple SS / PBCH blocks with different quasi-co-location attributes (beams). The UE typically acquires the SS / PBCH block corresponding to the maximum signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR) or maximum reference signal received power (RSRP) of the synchronization signal. In the case of reciprocal receive / transmit quasi-co-location attributes at the UE, the SS / PBCH block detected by the UE has the quasi-co-location attribute that best matches the transmission from the UE. The UE can then transmit PRACH based on the spatial settings determined from the detected SS / PBCH blocks.

[0083] The gNB (such as BS 102) transmits SS / PBCH blocks with a relatively "wide" beam to cover the corresponding wide area on the cell. Typically, there is a coverage imbalance between downlink (DL) reception and uplink (UL) transmission due to an imbalance in the maximum power available for transmission by the gNB and the UE. To compensate for this coverage imbalance, a UE configured with a 4-step RA can transmit PRACH with a narrow beam or perform scanning on multiple narrow beams to cover a larger spatial area. For CFRA, the gNB assigns a dedicated preamble for PRACH transmission to the UE, and the UE terminates the random access procedure upon receiving the RAR from the gNB. For CBRA, upon receiving the RAR, the UE transmits Msg3 PUSCH based on the UL permission included in the RAR and monitors the PDCCH for scheduling the Msg4 PDSCH to provide a contention resolution solution. When the UE receives the RAR, it transmits Msg3. If the gNB does not receive Msg3 correctly, the UE may have already transmitted Msg3 using a spatial filter that does not provide a sufficiently large SINR at the gNB. The gNB can schedule Msg3 retransmissions from the UE, but Msg3 retransmissions from the UE usually require a spatial filter that provides a sufficiently large SINR in order to be correctly received by the gNB.

[0084] When the UE is configured with a 2-step RA, similar to a 4-step RA procedure, the UE can transmit MsgA using a narrow beam or perform scanning on multiple narrow beams. For CFRA, a dedicated PRACH preamble and PUSCH resources are configured for MsgA transmission, and the UE terminates the random access procedure upon receiving a RAR. For CBRA, if contention resolution is successful upon receiving a RAR, the UE terminates the random access procedure; however, if a backoff indication is received in MsgB (when the gNB receives the PRACH but has not received the PUSCH for MsgA), the UE uses the UL permission included in the backoff indication in MsgB to perform Msg3 transmission and monitors contention resolution.

[0085] The gNB can configure the UE to perform both 4-step RA and 2-step RA, and the UE can perform scanning on multiple narrow beams, transmitting Msg1 or MsgA in each narrow beam to enhance the gNB's robustness to PRACH preamble detection and random access procedures. For example, when channel conditions are more favorable in a specific beam of a particular width, such as when the received reference signal from a specific beam has a higher Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) than from other beams, or when the RSRP is greater than a threshold that can be indicated in the System Information Block (SIB), the UE can initiate a random access procedure with 2-step RA by transmitting MsgA based on such a beam. Using a two-step RA procedure helps reduce latency and control signaling overhead due to the single round-trip cycle between the UE and the gNB. The gNB can detect one or more UE transmissions and transmit one or more RARs.

[0086] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure take into account the need for the UE to be able to determine the spatial settings for MsgA or Msg1 transmission used in the random access procedure.

[0087] The embodiments of this disclosure also take into account the need to enable the UE to perform both 2-step RA procedures and 4-step RA procedures.

[0088] Embodiments of this disclosure also consider the need to provide means for a UE to determine uplink transmission when receiving multiple RARs.

[0089] Embodiments of this disclosure describe a spatial filter determined by the UE for sending MsgA or Msg1 to the serving gNB. Such as Figure 6 The following examples and embodiments describe how the UE determines the spatial filter used to send MsgA or Msg1 to the serving gNB.

[0090] Figure 6 An example method 600 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated for a UE to transmit a PRACH preamble and a PUSCH (if applicable) using a 2-step RA procedure and a 4-step RA procedure with different spatial settings. The steps of method 600 can be... Figure 1 Any of UE 111-116 (such as Figure 3 The UE 116) performs the complementary process, and the complementary process can be performed by the gNB (such as BS102). Figure 6 Method 600 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0091] To enhance the robustness of the RA procedure when the UE performs scans on multiple beams, the UE can use a 2-step RA procedure when transmitting using certain spatial settings and a 4-step RA procedure when transmitting using other spatial settings. The gNB can configure both types of RA procedures for the UE, namely 2-step RA and 4-step RA, and then the UE selects the random access type when the RA procedure is initiated.

[0092] Note that the PRACH preamble configured for the 2-step RA procedure is separate from the PRACH preamble configured for the 4-step RA procedure. For example, the contention-based PRACH preamble for each SS / PBCH block of each valid PRACH timing in the 2-step RA procedure begins after the preamble of the 4-step RA procedure. The RO for the 2-step RA procedure can be common to or separate from the RO for the 4-step RA procedure. When the UE can use either the 2-step or 4-step RA procedure to send the PRACH preamble using different spatial settings, the RO for the 2-step RA procedure can be separate from the RO for the 4-step RA procedure.

[0093] For example, when using a 2-step RA procedure, a UE (such as UE 116) can use the same number of space settings to transmit in N1 ROs the partitions selected from the PRACH preamble used for the 2-step RA procedure. There are several different PRACH preambles, and when using a 4-step RA procedure, the same number of space settings can be used to send data from another partition selected from the PRACH preamble used in the 4-step RA procedure across N² ROs. A different PRACH preamble. Here, the RO used for a 4-step RA can be the same as or different from the RO used for a 2-step RA. The mapping of RO to spatial settings can be provided by an SIB (such as SIB1).

[0094] As another example, a UE (such as UE 116) can also repeatedly transmit the same PRACH preamble multiple times on different ROs by cycling on different spatial settings, where the number of PRACH repetitions can differ for 2-step RA procedures and 4-step RA procedures. For example, for a RO from In the initial two steps of RA, the UE uses a spatially set loop to repeatedly transmit the same PRACH preamble N times in the RO with a time index of modN, where mod() is the modulo function, and for the first In the initial four steps of RA, the UE uses a spatially set cycle to repeatedly transmit the same PRACH preamble M times in ROs with a time index of modM, where N and M can be the same or different. In another example, the UE uses N ROs to transmit N... p A PRACH preamble, where the first... A PRACH preamble is given by the corresponding preamble from N ROs. Send in each RO, and then Each PRACH preamble is in the corresponding follow Transmitted in each RO. The same PRACH preamble can also be used for each spatial setting so that it can be combined in the gNB. This mapping can be applied to the PRACH preamble and RO (and the corresponding PO, if applicable) for a 4-step RA process or a 2-step RA process or both.

[0095] For example, when a UE (such as UE 116) uses a 2-step RA process for transmitting in M ​​ROs and corresponding M POs using M space settings and a 4-step RA process for transmitting in (NM) ROs using (NM) space settings, the mapping of the PRACH preamble to the RO can be a one-to-one mapping or a one-to-many mapping for the 2-step RA process or the 4-step RA process, and can be different for the two RA processes.

[0096] In some embodiments, the gNB configures the UE with a 2-step RA procedure and a 4-step RA procedure. Here, the set of PRACH preambles and the set of ROs associated with the RA procedure type are separate sets. The gNB can also configure the UE to send PRACH preambles using different spatial settings in the set of ROs. In the first example, the UE sends four PRACH preambles using four different spatial settings, and uses the first spatial setting for transmission with the 2-step RA procedure, and uses the second, third, and fourth spatial settings for transmission with the 4-step RA procedure. For the 2-step RA procedure, the UE can send MsgA PUSCH with at least S symbols after PRACH transmission, where S depends on the SCS configuration of the active UL BWP. If the UE will only use the 2-step RA procedure, the UE will send MsgA PUSCH with the corresponding ROs. and Different spatial settings are used to send the PRACH preamble. And MsgAPUSCH. Here, in The PRACH preamble and in The transmission of MsgA PUSCH in i = 1, ..., 4 uses the same spatial settings. If the UE will only use the 4-step RA procedure, then the UE will be in the corresponding Different spatial settings are used to send the PRACH preamble.

[0097] When using the two types of RA procedures in the examples above, the UE will be in the corresponding... and The first space is used to set the PRACH preamble for transmission. And MsgA PUSCH, in the corresponding The second space is used to set the PRACH preamble for transmission. In the corresponding The third space is used to set and send the PRACH preamble. And in the corresponding The fourth space is used to set the PRACH preamble for transmission. Typically, when a UE sends a PRACH preamble using N different spatial settings, the UE can use a 2-step RA procedure to send the PRACH in M ​​ROs and corresponding M POs using M spatial settings, and use a 4-step RA procedure to send the PRACH in (NM) ROs using (NM) spatial settings.

[0098] like Figure 6 As shown, the UE (such as UE 116) transmits the PRACH preamble in multiple ROs by cycling through the same number of spatial settings using 2-step and 4-step RA procedures (step 610). In step 620, for any different spatial setting, the UE determines the RA procedure type for PRACH transmission. In step 630, the UE determines the PRACH preamble and RO for transmission using different spatial settings. In step 640, the UE transmits the PRACH preamble and MsgAPUSCH (if applicable) in the corresponding RO using different spatial settings.

[0099] although Figure 6 Method 600 is shown, but it can be used for... Figure 6 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 6 Method 600 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For example, the steps of method 600 may be executed in different orders.

[0100] Embodiments of this disclosure also describe how the UE determines whether to initiate a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure. The following examples and embodiments describe how the UE determines whether to initiate a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure.

[0101] When a UE (such as UE 116) is configured with 2-step and 4-step RA procedures, the UE can determine which procedure to use based on measurements of DL channel quality. A gNB (such as BS 102) can configure CSI-RS in the SIB, enabling the UE to perform measurements to determine whether to initiate a 2-step RA procedure or a 4-step RACH procedure. The UE can also perform measurements based on received SSBs to determine whether to initiate a 2-step RA procedure or a 4-step RACH procedure.

[0102] Embodiments of this disclosure further describe configuring RO indexes in the SIB for 2-step and 4-step RA. Such as Figure 7 The following examples and embodiments, such as those for 2-step and 4-step RA, describe configuring the RO index in SIB.

[0103] Figure 7 An example method 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown for a UE to send a PRACH preamble from a set of ROs configured in the SIB based on a 2-step RA procedure and a 4-step RA procedure. The steps of method 700 can be... Figure 1 Any UE111-116 (such as Figure 3 UE 116) and / or Figure 1 Any BS 101-103 (such as Figure 2 BS 102) is used to execute. Figure 7 Method 700 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0104] In some embodiments, the gNB (such as BS102) configures RO indexes in the SIB, which the UE can use to send PRACH in a set of N ROs. Here, each set of ROs is configured for use with either a 2-step RA procedure or a 4-step RA procedure. It is also possible for a set of ROs to be used for both 2-step and 4-step RA procedures. When the UE (such as UE 116) selects a set of N ROs and is configured with either a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure, the UE sends a PRACH preamble in the N ROs before receiving the RAR. When the UE is configured with both 2-step and 4-step RA procedures, the UE configures at least two sets of ROs, where the indices within and across sets can be ordered or unordered, and the UE can select one set of ROs for sending in the 2-step RA procedure and another set of ROs for sending in the 4-step RA procedure. Different sets of ROs can have the same or different numbers of ROs. The UE can cycle through N ROs selected from multiple sets configured for the RA procedure type, sending N PRACH preambles in N spatial settings. Alternatively, for a 2-step RA procedure, the UE can cycle through different spatial settings within the ROs, transmitting the same first PRACH preamble, and for a 4-step RA procedure, it can cycle through different spatial settings within the ROs, transmitting the same second PRACH preamble. It is also possible that the UE can be configured to use a set of multiple ROs for a single RA procedure, where the RO indices in the two RO sets can have ordered or unordered indices. When the gNB configures the UE to transmit PRACH in a set of multiple ROs, the UE will transmit the PRACH preamble in all ROs within the set of S ROs before the UE receives the RAR.

[0105] The gNB (such as BS102) can indicate in the SIB, or can be predetermined in system operation, that the UE transmits the same PRACH preamble in multiple ROs used for a Type RA procedure. For example, when the UE (such as UE116) selects a set of N1 ROs from the partitions of ROs used for transmission in a Type 1 RA procedure, and selects a set of N2 ROs from the partitions of ROs used for transmission in a Type 2 RA procedure, the UE cyclically transmits the first identical PRACH preamble in N1 ROs across N1 spatial settings, and cyclically transmits the second identical PRACH preamble in N2 ROs across N2 spatial settings. The spatial settings can be determined based on reception of the corresponding CSI-RS configuration provided in the SIB.

[0106] The gNB (such as BS 102) can also configure RO partitioning in the SIB, where ROs in a set of N ROs can be used by the UE to send multiple PRACH preambles, while other ROs can be used by the UE to send a single PRACH preamble. For ROs used for RA procedure types, this configuration can be done independently.

[0107] The gNB (such as BS 102) can also configure the following PRACH preamble partitioning in the SIB: by cycling over different spatial settings, the UE can use its PRACH preamble to transmit in a set of ROs, and the UE can use its PRACH preamble to transmit in a single RO before receiving the corresponding RAR. For ROs used in RA type procedures, this configuration is done independently.

[0108] like Figure 7 As shown, the gNB configures a set of ROs in the SIB, where each set includes N ROs, and is used for either a Type 1 RA procedure or a Type 2 RA procedure (step 710). In step 720, the UE uses the Type 1 RA procedure to send a PRACH preamble in the N1 ROs of the RO set by cycling over N1 spatial settings. In step 730, the UE uses the Type 2 RA procedure to send a PRACH preamble in the N2 ROs of the RO set by cycling over N2 spatial settings. In step 740, the UE receives a RAR, where the RAR indicates the RO index corresponding to the detected PRACH preamble.

[0109] Alternatively (regarding step 740), the UE may receive more than one RAR. For example, the UE receives one RAR for each transmitted 2-step or 4-step PRACH preamble. In another example, the UE receives one RAR for a 2-step PRACH preamble transmitted in a corresponding RO and one RAR for a 4-step PRACH preamble transmitted in a corresponding RO, wherein the ROs for the 2-step and 4-step PRACH transmissions are selected by the UE from ROs in a set of ROs.

[0110] although Figure 7 Method 700 is shown, but it can be used for... Figure 7 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 7 Method 700 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For example, the steps of method 700 may be executed in different orders.

[0111] Additionally, embodiments of this disclosure describe the configuration of the PRACH preamble and RO. Such as Figure 8The following examples and embodiments illustrate the configuration of the PRACH preamble and RO.

[0112] Figure 8 An example method 800 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated for a gNB to configure a UE to determine a PRACH preamble and a corresponding RO, the PRACH preamble and the corresponding RO being used for transmission using different spatial settings based on a 2-step RA procedure and a 4-step RA procedure. The steps of method 800 can be... Figure 1 Any of BS 101-103 (such as Figure 2 The BS 102) can be used to perform the complementary process, and the complementary process can be performed by the UE (such as UE116). Figure 8 Method 800 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0113] A gNB (such as BS102) can configure sets of PRACH preambles in the SIB. Here, each PRACH preamble set includes N PRACH preambles, and each PRACH preamble can be part of only one set, where each set includes N ROs, and each RO can be part of only one set, along with a mapping of sets of PRACH preambles and ROs. When a gNB is configured with more than one type of RA procedure, the above configuration will be performed for each configuration type of RA procedure.

[0114] For example, when a UE transmits four PRACH preambles using four different spatial settings, and transmits using the first spatial setting with a 2-step RA procedure, and transmits using the second, third, and fourth spatial settings with a 4-step RA procedure, the gNB can configure PRACH preamble sets in the SIB, where each set includes L1 PRACH preambles and corresponding ROs for the 2-step RA procedure, or includes L2 PRACH preambles and corresponding ROs for the 4-step RA procedure. The UE selects N1 PRACH preambles and corresponding ROs from the configured L1 PRACH preambles for transmission with the 2-step RA procedure, and selects N2 PRACH preambles and corresponding ROs from the configured L2 PRACH preambles for transmission with the 4-step RA procedure. Then, the UE transmits N1+N2 PRACH preambles cyclically across the N spatial settings. In the example above, N1=1, N2=3, and N=4. It is also possible that the gNB is configured with a set of N1 PRACH preambles for the 2-step RA process and a set of N2 PRACH preambles for the 4-step RA process, and uses them for PRACH transmission.

[0115] like Figure 8As shown, the gNB (such as BS 102) configures L1 PRACH preambles / ROs for the 2-step RA procedure and L2 PRACH preambles / ROs for the 4-step RA procedure in the SIB (step 810). In step 820, the gNB configures a value N1 for the UE in the SIB to select N1 PRACH preambles / ROs from the L1 configured PRACH preambles / ROs. In step 830, the gNB configures a value N2 for the UE in the SIB to select N2 PRACH preambles / ROs from the L2 configured PRACH preambles / ROs.

[0116] although Figure 8 Method 800 is shown, but it can be used for... Figure 8 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 8 Method 800 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For example, the steps of method 800 may be executed in different orders.

[0117] Embodiments of this disclosure also describe determining spatial settings based on UE measurements. Such as Figure 9 The following examples and embodiments describe determining spatial settings based on UE measurements.

[0118] Figure 9 An example method 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated for a UE to determine spatial settings for PRACH transmission utilizing a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure. The steps of method 900 can be provided by... Figure 1 Any of UE 111-116 (such as Figure 3 UE 116) is used to execute. Figure 9 Method 900 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0119] In some embodiments, the UE (such as UE 116) is configured for 2-step and 4-step RACH. For example, the UE transmits four PRACH preambles using four different spatial settings, and uses a 2-step RA procedure to transmit using two spatial settings, and a 4-step RA procedure to transmit using the other two spatial settings. The UE can determine the spatial settings used for the 2-step or 4-step RA procedure based on measurements of DL channel quality. The gNB can configure and transmit CSI-RS and enable the UE to perform measurements to determine the spatial settings for PRACH transmission. The UE can perform CSI-RS measurements and determine the two spatial settings that give the highest signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR) or highest RSRP for such measurements. The UE then transmits the PRACH preambles using the two spatial settings with the highest ranking in the 2-step RA procedure, and the other two spatial settings are used for the 4-step RA procedure. The UE can also use the highest-ranking spatial setting for the 4-step RA procedure and the lowest-ranking spatial setting for the 2-step RA procedure. Alternatively, the UE may determine a spatial setting for PRACH transmission in a 2-step RACH procedure and a spatial setting for PRACH transmission in a 4-step RACH procedure. Alternatively, the UE may perform measurements based on the SSB configuration to determine the spatial setting for PRACH transmission.

[0120] like Figure 9 As shown, the UE is configured with CSI-RS (step 910). In step 920, the UE performs CSI-RS measurements and sorts the spatial settings based on the highest SINR or highest RSRP of these measurements. In step 930, the UE uses a 2-step RA to send a PRACH preamble using the set of spatial settings in the determined spatial settings. In step 940, the UE uses a 4-step RA to send a PRACH preamble using another set of spatial settings in the determined spatial settings. Alternatively, the UE can perform measurements based on the SSB configuration to determine the spatial settings.

[0121] although Figure 9 Method 900 is shown, but it can be used for... Figure 9 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 9 Method 900 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For instance, the steps of method 900 may be executed in different orders.

[0122] Embodiments of this disclosure also describe the determination of the RO index indicated by the RAR. Such as Figure 10 and 11 The following examples and embodiments describe the determination of the RO index indicated by RAR.

[0123] Figure 10 An example method 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, in which the BS sends a RAR when the gNB detects the MsgAPRACH preamble, fails to decode the MsgA PUSCH correctly, and also detects the Msg1 PRACH preamble. Figure 11 An example method 1100 is shown for a UE to receive multiple RARs after transmitting multiple PRACH preambles according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The steps of method 1000 and method 1100 can be performed by… Figure 1 Any UE 111-116 (such as Figure 3 UE 116) or Figure 1 Any BS 101-103 (such as Figure 2 BS 102) is used to execute. Figure 10 Method 1000 and Figure 11 Method 1100 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0124] When a UE cyclically transmits multiple PRACH preambles in different spatial settings across multiple operating areas (ROs), the gNB can receive multiple PRACH preambles in those ROs. Here, the PRACH preambles may have already been transmitted using a 2-step RA and / or a 4-step RA. The gNB can select one RO from the multiple ROs to indicate the detection of the corresponding PRACH preamble in the RAR. In the example above, where the UE transmits four PRACH preambles using four different spatial settings, using a 2-step RA procedure in the first spatial setting and a 4-step RA procedure in the second, third, and fourth spatial settings, upon detecting the MsgA PRACH preamble transmitted using the first spatial setting and successfully receiving the MsgA PUSCH, the gNB uses the spatial setting used for transmission in the corresponding RO by the detected PRACH preamble to transmit the RAR including an indication of successful MsgA reception. When the gNB detects the MsgA PRACH preamble but fails to decode the MsgA PUSCH correctly, the gNB can send a fallback RAR to the UE. This fallback RAR has a random access preamble ID and an uplink license for MsgAPUSCH retransmission. Alternatively, if the gNB detects at least one of the PRACH preambles sent by the UE using a 4-step RA procedure, such as a PRACH preamble sent using a second spatial setup, the gNB uses the detected PRACH preamble for second spatial setup transmission in the corresponding RO to send a RAR including scheduling information (UL license) for Msg3 PUSCH transmission. If the BS receives multiple PRACH preambles sent using a 4-step RA procedure, the BS selects one of the received PRACH preambles and uses the selected PRACH preamble for spatial setup transmission in the corresponding RO to send a RAR including scheduling information for Msg3 PUSCH transmission.

[0125] like Figure 10 As shown, the gNB (such as BS 102) detects a MsgAPRACH preamble received in the corresponding RO according to a first spatial setting, and fails to correctly decode the associated MsgAPUSCH (step 1010). In step 1020, the BS also detects a PRACH preamble received in the corresponding RO according to a second spatial setting. In step 1030, the gNB uses the detected PRACH preamble for spatial setting in the corresponding RO to transmit a RAR with scheduling information for MsgAPUSCH transmission. Alternatively, in step 1030, the gNB may transmit a RAR to schedule retransmission of MsgAPUSCH.

[0126] In some embodiments, when the gNB detects a MsgAPRACH preamble received in the corresponding RO according to a first spatial setting, the gNB may fail to correctly decode the corresponding MsgAPUSCH and detect a Msg1 PRACH preamble received in the corresponding RO according to a second spatial setting. Here, the gNB transmits a RAR corresponding to the received PRACH preamble, which was received with better channel quality (such as higher SINR or received power). Figure 10 In alternative to step 1030, the gNB, based on the channel quality associated with the reception of the PRACH preamble, transmits a RAR in response to either the MsgAPRACH preamble or the Msg1 PRACH preamble, wherein the channel quality can be estimated by the gNB or indicated by the UE reporting the channel quality.

[0127] In some embodiments, when the gNB detects a MsgA PRACH preamble received in the corresponding RO according to the first spatial setting, the gNB may not correctly decode the corresponding MsgA PUSCH, and it is also possible to detect a PRACH preamble sent using a 4-step RA process and received in the corresponding RO according to the second spatial setting. In this example, the gNB sends a RAR corresponding to the detected MsgA PRACH preamble sent in the corresponding RO using the first spatial setting, indicating an uplink grant for MsgA PUSCH retransmission, and a RAR corresponding to the detected PRACH preamble sent in the corresponding RO with the second spatial setting. When the UE receives multiple RARs, the UE can determine the channel quality for RAR selection, wherein the channel quality is associated with the estimated path loss of the RAR, and / or with the transmit power of the Msg3 transmission corresponding to the received RAR, and / or with the MCS of the Msg3 transmission corresponding to the received RAR.

[0128] like Figure 11 As shown, the UE (such as UE 116) transmits the MsgA PRACH preamble using a first spatial setting and the Msg1 PRACH preamble using a second spatial setting (step 1110). In step 1120, the UE receives the RAR associated with the MsgA PRACH preamble and the RAR associated with the Msg1 PRACH preamble. In step 1130, the UE determines the channel quality associated with the received RAR, such as SINR or path loss, and selects the RAR with the best channel quality (such as lower path loss). In step 1140, the UE determines uplink transmission based on the selected RAR.

[0129] When a UE transmits multiple MsgA PRACH preambles and multiple Msg1 PRACH preambles using different spatial settings, and the UE receives multiple RARs associated with the MsgA PRACH preamble and / or the Msg1 PRACH preamble, the application and... Figure 11 The process is similar to the one described in the text.

[0130] although Figure 10 and 11 Methods 1000 and 1100 are shown, but it is possible to... Figure 10 and 11 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 10 Method 1000 and Figure 11 Method 1100 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For example, the steps of method 1000 may be executed in different orders.

[0131] Embodiments of this disclosure also describe determining the RAR based on information provided by MsgA PUSCH. Such as Figure 12 The following examples and embodiments describe the determination of RAR based on information provided by MsgA PUSCH.

[0132] Figure 12 An example method 1200 for a UE to transmit a MsgA PUSCH according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The MsgA PUSCH includes information about one or more PRACH preamble transmissions performed by the UE, wherein the one or more PRACH preamble transmissions can be performed using a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure. The steps of method 1200 can be... Figure 1 Any of UE 111-116 (such as Figure 3 The UE 116) performs the process, and the complementary process can be performed by the BS (such as BS 102). Figure 12 Method 1200 is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0133] In some embodiments, the UE may include information about the transmission of an additional PRACH preamble sent by the same UE in the first MsgA PUSCH transmitted in the PO associated with the PRACH preamble transmitted in the corresponding first RO. Here, the additional PRACH preamble transmission may be PRACH MsgA or PRACH Msg1. Upon receiving the first MsgA PUSCH and the additional PRACH preamble, as well as the MsgA PUSCH (if applicable), the gNB may transmit a RAR to schedule subsequent uplink transmissions. The gNB may determine the PRACH preamble associated with the transmitted RAR based on the information provided by the first MsgA PUSCH and the reception quality (such as receive power) of the PRACH preamble.

[0134] like Figure 12 As shown, the UE is configured with both a 2-step RA and a 4-step RA procedure (step 1210). In step 1220, the UE transmits a first MsgAPUSCH associated with a first PRACH, which includes information about one or more PRACH transmissions by the UE. In step 1230, the UE transmits one or more PRACH preambles, wherein the transmission of one or more PRACH preambles can be performed using either a 2-step or 4-step RA procedure. In step 1240, the UE receives a RAR associated with the PRACH preamble determined by the gNB, which schedules subsequent UL transmissions.

[0135] although Figure 12 Method 1200 is shown, but it is possible to... Figure 12 Make various changes. For example, although Figure 12 Method 1200 is shown as a series of steps, but these steps may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps. For example, the steps of method 1200 may be executed in different orders.

[0136] The flowchart above illustrates an example method that can be implemented according to the principles of this disclosure, and various modifications can be made to the method shown in the flowchart herein. For example, although shown as a series of steps, the individual steps in each diagram can overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps can be omitted or replaced by other steps.

[0137] Although the accompanying drawings illustrate different examples of user equipment, various changes can be made to the drawings. For example, the user equipment can include any number of each component in any suitable arrangement. Generally, the drawings do not limit the scope of this disclosure to any particular configuration. Furthermore, while the drawings illustrate operating environments in which various user equipment features disclosed in this patent document can be used, these features can be used in any other suitable system.

[0138] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to include such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Nothing described herein should be construed as implying that any particular element, step, or function is essential and must be included within the scope of the claims. The scope of the patent subject matter is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the UE comprising: transceiver; as well as A processor, operatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to: Receive System Information Block (SIB), wherein the SIB includes: The collection of CSI-RS resources used for Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). The set of random access opportunities (ROs), and Mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources; Sure: A first RO from the set of ROs, the first RO being used for a first physical random access channel (PRACH), and A first spatial setting for the first PRACH, the first spatial setting being based on a first CSI-RS resource mapped to the first RO from the set of CSI-RS resources. The first PRACH is sent in the first RO using the first space settings; Sure: A second RO from the set of ROs, the second RO being used for the second PRACH, and A second spatial configuration for the second PRACH, the second spatial configuration being based on second CSI-RS resources mapped to the second RO from the set of CSI-RS resources, and The second PRACH is transmitted in the second RO using the second space settings; and in: The first PRACH is associated with a two-step random access procedure, and The second PRACH is associated with a 4-step random access procedure.

2. The UE according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to: Receive at least two CSI-RS on the corresponding CSI-RS resource including the first CSI-RS resource; and The reference signal received power (RSRP) values ​​of the at least two CSI-RSs are determined, wherein the first CSI-RS resource is associated with the largest RSRP value among the RSRP values.

3. The UE according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is also configured to: After sending the first PRACH, the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is sent, and The PUSCH includes an indication of the first CSI-RS resource.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a Random Access Response (RAR) message using the same spatial settings as the first CSI-RS resource.

5. The UE according to claim 4, wherein, The processor is also configured to: Receive the first CSI-RS on the first CSI-RS resource, and Sure: Based on the path loss of the first CSI-RS, and Power used for the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) based on path loss. The PUSCH is transmitted using the power stated therein; and in: The PUSCH is scheduled by RAR, and The space setting used for the PUSCH is the first space setting.

6. A base station (BS) in a communication system, the BS comprising: transceiver; as well as A processor, operatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to: Send System Information Block (SIB), wherein the SIB includes: The collection of CSI-RS resources used for Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). The set of random access opportunities (ROs), and Mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources; Receive the first physical random access channel PRACH associated with the first spatial configuration; and Receive the second PRACH associated with the second space setting; and The first PRACH is received from the first RO in the set of ROs. The second PRACH is received in the second RO from the set of ROs. The first space setting is based on the first CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources that are mapped to the first RO. Wherein, the second space setting is based on the second CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the second RO, and in: The first PRACH is associated with a two-step random access procedure, and The second PRACH is associated with a 4-step random access procedure.

7. The BS according to claim 6, wherein, The processor is also configured to: After receiving the first PRACH, the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is received, and The PUSCH includes an indication of the first CSI-RS resource.

8. The BS of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to send a Random Access Response (RAR) message using the same spatial settings as the first CSI-RS resource.

9. The BS according to claim 8, wherein, The processor is also configured to: Send the first CSI-RS on the first CSI-RS resource, and Receive Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH); Wherein, the PUSCH is scheduled by RAR; and The space setting used for the PUSCH is the first space setting.

10. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the method comprising: Receive System Information Block (SIB), wherein the SIB includes: The collection of CSI-RS resources used for Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). The set of random access opportunities (ROs), and Mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources; Sure: A first RO from the set of ROs, the first RO being used for a first physical random access channel (PRACH); and A first spatial setting for the first PRACH, the first spatial setting being based on a first CSI-RS resource mapped to the first RO from the set of CSI-RS resources; The first PRACH is sent in the first RO using the first space settings; Sure: A second RO from the set of ROs, the second RO being used for the second PRACH, and A second spatial configuration for the second PRACH, the second spatial configuration being based on second CSI-RS resources mapped to the second RO from the set of CSI-RS resources, and The second PRACH is transmitted in the second RO using the second space settings; and in: The first PRACH is associated with a two-step random access procedure, and The second PRACH is associated with a 4-step random access procedure.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Receive at least two CSI-RS on the corresponding CSI-RS resource that includes the first CSI-RS resource; as well as The reference signal received power (RSRP) values ​​of the at least two CSI-RSs are determined, wherein the first CSI-RS resource is associated with the largest RSRP value among the RSRP values.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: After sending the first PRACH, the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is sent, and The PUSCH includes an indication of the first CSI-RS resource.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a Random Access Response (RAR) message using the same spatial configuration as the first CSI-RS resource.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: Receive the first CSI-RS on the first CSI-RS resource, and Sure: Based on the path loss of the first CSI-RS, and Power used for the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) based on path loss. The PUSCH is transmitted using the power stated therein; and in: The PUSCH is scheduled by RAR, and The space setting used for the PUSCH is the first space setting.

15. A method performed by a base station (BS) in a communication system, the method comprising: Send System Information Block (SIB), wherein the SIB includes: The collection of CSI-RS resources used for Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS). The set of random access opportunities (ROs), and Mapping between the set of ROs and the set of CSI-RS resources; Receive the first physical random access channel PRACH associated with the first spatial configuration; and Receive the second PRACH associated with the second space setting; and The first PRACH is received from the first RO in the set of ROs. The second PRACH is received in the second RO from the set of ROs. The first space setting is based on the first CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources that are mapped to the first RO. Wherein, the second space setting is based on the second CSI-RS resources from the set of CSI-RS resources mapped to the second RO, and in: The first PRACH is associated with a two-step random access procedure, and The second PRACH is associated with a 4-step random access procedure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: After receiving the first PRACH, the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is received, and The PUSCH includes an indication of the first CSI-RS resource.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending a random access response (RAR) message using the same spatial settings as the first CSI-RS resource.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: Send the first CSI-RS on the first CSI-RS resource, and Receive Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH); Wherein, the PUSCH is scheduled by RAR; and The space setting used for the PUSCH is the first space setting.

Images