System and method for resource indication

Abstract

Systems and methods for resource indication are presented. A network node may receive at least one of (i) beam information and (ii) time domain information from a wireless communication node. The time domain information may be used to indicate a time interval in which beam information may be applied by a network node.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for resource indication. Background Art

[0002] The third generation partnership project (3GPP), a standardization organization, is currently developing a new radio interface called 5G New Radio (5G NR), as well as the next generation packet core network (NG-CN or NGC). 5G NR will have three main components: 5G access network (5G-AN), 5G core network (5GC) and user equipment (UE). In order to facilitate the realization of different data services and requirements, the components of 5GC (also known as network functions) have been simplified, some of which are software-based and some are hardware-based so that they can be adjusted as needed. Summary of the invention

[0003] The example embodiments disclosed herein are intended to solve problems related to one or more of the problems raised in the prior art, as well as to provide additional features that will become clear by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. According to various embodiments, example systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example, not limitation, and it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art who read this disclosure that various modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the scope of this disclosure.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to the following systems, methods, apparatuses, or computer-readable media. A network node (e.g., a network controlled repeater (NCR), a reconfigurable smart surface (RIS)) can receive at least one of (i) beam information and / or (ii) time domain information (e.g., time resource information for applying a beam) from a wireless communication node. The time domain information can be used to indicate a time interval in which the beam information is to be applied by the network node. In some embodiments, the network node will use or operate one of the following based on the beam information and the time domain information: a first control link from a wireless communication node to a network node; a second control link from a network node to a wireless communication node; a first forwarding link from a wireless communication node to a network node; a second forwarding link from a network node to a wireless communication node; a third forwarding link from a network node to a wireless communication device; or a fourth forwarding link from a wireless communication device to a network node.

[0005] In some embodiments, the beam information may include at least one of the following: an index of the beam, or an index of a source reference signal corresponding to the beam. The time domain information may include at least one of the following: an applicable time defined by multiple parameters, a time offset, or a time domain granularity. The applicable time may be defined by at least one of the following: a start time, a start time and a duration, a start time and an end time, a start and length indicator value (SLIV) representing the start time and the duration, or a bitmap corresponding to multiple time intervals, wherein each bit value of the bitmap may indicate whether the beam information can be applied at a corresponding time interval in the multiple time intervals.

[0006] In some embodiments, the duration may include at least one of: a first value indicating the number of time slots (e.g., Lslot), or a second value indicating the number of symbols (e.g., Lsymbol). The time offset may include at least one of: a time slot offset indicating an offset of a number of time slots from a defined time slot, or a symbol offset indicating an offset of a number of symbols from a defined symbol. The time domain granularity may include at least one of: a flag (e.g., a defined parameter or bit value) indicating whether symbol-level granularity or time slot-level granularity is used for at least one of the applicable time or time offset, or a bitmap of bit values ​​for multiple time slots, wherein each bit value of the bitmap indicates whether symbol-level granularity or time slot-level granularity is used for at least one of the applicable time or time offset in a corresponding time slot among the multiple time slots.

[0007] In some embodiments, the beam information will be applied when the network node receives the beam information (e.g., when the network node receives the beam information or in response to the network node receiving the beam information). The beam information may be applied at a time offset after the time the network node receives the beam information. The beam information may be applied until another beam information is received by the network node.

[0008] In some embodiments, the network node may receive a configuration (e.g., an RRC message) or an indication (e.g., a MAC CE, a DCI message) of an absolute length of a symbol or time slot of a frequency band of at least one forwarding link in a plurality of forwarding links from a wireless communication node (e.g., a BS). The configuration or indication may include a scaling factor for the frequency band, which may be relative to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a control link (or a specific reference link) between the network node and the wireless communication node. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via downlink control information (DCI).

[0009] In some embodiments, the time domain information may also include a period of duration (e.g., a period of valid duration). The network node may receive multiple time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network node may receive the time domain information to be applied from the multiple time domain information from the wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The network node may receive a set of time domain information from the multiple time domain information from the wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The network node may receive the time domain information to be applied from the set from the wireless communication node via a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0010] In some embodiments, the network node may receive multiple time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network node may receive the time domain information to be applied from the multiple time domain information via a downlink control information (DCI) message from the wireless communication node. The time domain information may be associated with the beam information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings or figures. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and depict only example embodiments of the present solution to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present solution. Therefore, the drawings should not be considered as limiting the breadth, scope or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of description, these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0012] Figure 1 illustrates an example cellular communication network in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of example base station and user equipment devices according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 illustrates an example implementation of resource indication according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 4 illustrates an example implementation of a network controlled repeater (NCR) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5 illustrates example time domain resources occupied by at least one synchronization signal block (SSB) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0017] Figure 6 A flow chart of resource indication and / or usage / operation for at least one channel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] 1. Mobile communication technology and environment

[0019] Figure 1 An example wireless communication network and / or system 100 is illustrated in which the techniques disclosed herein may be implemented according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following discussion, the wireless communication network 100 may be any wireless network, such as a cellular network or a narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, and is referred to herein as "network 100." Such an example network 100 includes a base station 102 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 102"; also referred to as a wireless communication node) and a user equipment device 104 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 104"; also referred to as a wireless communication device) that may communicate with each other via a communication link 110 (e.g., a wireless communication channel), and a cluster of cells 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 covering a geographic area 101. Figure 1 1 , BS 102 and UE 104 are contained within respective geographic boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station operating within its allocated bandwidth to provide adequate radio coverage to its intended users.

[0020] For example, BS 102 may operate with the allocated channel transmission bandwidth to provide sufficient coverage to UE 104. BS 102 and UE 104 may communicate via downlink radio frames 118 and uplink radio frames 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 may be further divided into subframes 120 / 127, which may include data symbols 122 / 128. In the present disclosure, BS 102 and UE 104 are described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes", which may generally practice the methods disclosed herein. According to various embodiments of the present solution, such communication nodes may be capable of wireless and / or wired communication.

[0021] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example wireless communication system 200 for sending and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., OFDM / OFDMA signals) according to some embodiments of the present solution is illustrated. The system 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating features that need not be described in detail herein. In an illustrative embodiment, the system 200 may be used in applications such as Figure 1 The data symbols are communicated (eg, sent and received) in a wireless communication environment such as the wireless communication environment 100 of FIG. 1 , as described above.

[0022] System 200 generally includes a base station 202 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 202") and a user equipment device 204 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 204"). BS 202 includes a BS (base station) transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, each of which is coupled to and interconnected with each other via a data communication bus 220 as needed. UE 204 includes a UE (user equipment) transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, each of which is coupled to and interconnected with each other via a data communication bus 240 as needed. BS 202 communicates with UE 204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for data transmission as described herein.

[0023] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the system 200 may also include Figure 2 Any number of other modules outside the modules shown. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the various illustrative blocks, modules, circuits, and processing logic described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, computer-readable software, firmware, or any actual combination thereof. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability and compatibility of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are generally described according to their functions. Whether such functions are implemented as hardware, firmware, or software may depend on specific applications and design constraints imposed on the entire system. People familiar with the concepts described herein can implement such functions in a suitable manner for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as an "uplink" transceiver 230, which includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to an antenna 232. A duplex switch (not shown) may alternatively couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time duplex manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, the BS transceiver 210 may be referred to herein as a "downlink" transceiver 210, which includes an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to an antenna 212. The downlink duplex switch may alternatively couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to the downlink antenna 212 in a time duplex manner. The operation of the two transceiver modules 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time such that the uplink receiver circuitry is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 for reception of transmissions made over the wireless transmission link 250 when the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212. Instead, the operation of the two transceivers 210 and 230 may be coordinated in time such that the downlink receiver is coupled to the downlink antenna 212 for reception of transmissions over the wireless transmission link 250 while the uplink transmitter is coupled to the uplink antenna 232. In some embodiments, there is tight time synchronization with minimal guard times between changes in duplex direction.

[0025] The UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to communicate via a wireless data communication link 250 and cooperate with an appropriately configured RF antenna arrangement 212 / 232 capable of supporting a specific wireless communication protocol and modulation scheme. In some illustrative embodiments, the UE transceiver 210 and the base station transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to application to specific standards and related protocols. Instead, the UE transceiver 230 and the base station transceiver 210 can be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols, including future standards or variants thereof.

[0026] According to various embodiments, for example, BS 202 may be an evolved Node B (eNB), a gNB, a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femtocell or a microcell. In some embodiments, UE 204 may be embodied in various types of user equipment, such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, etc. Processor modules 214 and 236 may be implemented or implemented with a general purpose processor, a content addressable memory, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. In this manner, the processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration.

[0027] In addition, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be directly embodied in hardware, in firmware, in software modules executed by the processor modules 214 and 236, respectively, or in any practical combination thereof. The memory modules 216 and 234 may be implemented as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this regard, the memory modules 216 and 234 may be coupled to the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively, so that the processor modules 210 and 230 may read information from and write information to the memory modules 216 and 234, respectively. The memory modules 216 and 234 may also be integrated into their respective processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, the memory modules 216 and 234 may each include a cache memory for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by the processor modules 210 and 230, respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 may also each include non-volatile memory for storing instructions to be executed by processor modules 210 and 230, respectively.

[0028] The network communication module 218 generally represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic and / or other components of the base station 202 for enabling bidirectional communication between the base station transceiver 210 and other network components and communication nodes configured to communicate with the network base station 202. For example, the network communication module 218 can be configured to support Internet or WiMAX services. In a typical deployment, without limitation, the network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet interface so that the base station transceiver 210 can communicate with a conventional Ethernet-based computer network. In this way, the network communication module 218 can include a physical interface for connection to a computer network (e.g., a mobile switching center (MSC)). The terms "configured for", "configured to" and their variations as used herein with respect to the specified operation or function refer to devices, components, circuits, structures, machines, signals, etc. that are physically constructed, programmed, formatted and / or arranged to perform the specified operation or function.

[0029] The open systems interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "open systems interconnection model") is a concept and logical layout that defines network communications used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) that are open to interconnect and communicate with other systems. The model is divided into seven subcomponents or layers, each of which represents a conceptual set of services provided to the layers above and below it. The OSI model also defines a logical network and effectively describes computer packet transmission by using different layer protocols. The OSI model may also be referred to as a seven-layer OSI model or a seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be a physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be a media access control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be a radio link control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be a radio resource control (RRC) layer. In some embodiments, the sixth layer may be a non-access stratum (NAS) layer or an Internet Protocol (IP) layer, and the seventh layer is another layer.

[0030] Various example embodiments of the present solution are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present solution. As will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art, after reading the present disclosure, various changes or modifications may be made to the examples described herein without departing from the scope of the present solution. Therefore, the present solution is not limited to the example embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. In addition, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein are merely example methods. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps of the disclosed methods or processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present solution. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or actions in an example order, and unless otherwise expressly stated, the present solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. 2. Systems and methods for resource indication and / or use of at least one channel

[0031] As new radio (NR) systems move to higher frequencies (e.g., around 4 GHz for frequency range 1 (FR1) deployments and above 24 GHz for frequency range 2 (FR2) deployments), propagation conditions may degrade compared to lower frequencies, which may exacerbate coverage challenges. Therefore, further densification of cells may be required. While deploying conventional full-stack cells is preferred, this deployment may not always be possible (e.g., backhaul is not available) and / or an economically viable option. In order to provide comprehensive coverage in cellular network deployments at a relatively low cost, radio frequency (RF) repeaters with full-duplex amplification and forwarding operations can be used for 2G, 3G, and 4G systems. However, RF repeaters may not be efficient for 5G NR systems, which may use beam management to facilitate directional transmission in high-frequency bands defined for time division duplexing (TDD). RF repeaters without beam management capabilities may not provide suitable beamforming gain in signal forwarding and may cause unnecessary interference.

[0032] In order to deal with / handle / manage the above problems, a network controlled repeater (NCR) can be considered, which can use control information from the BS to implement intelligent amplification and forwarding operations. The control information may include both beam information and applicable resources. The NCR (sometimes referred to as a network node or intelligent node / repeater) can use the indicated beam (e.g., indicated according to the beam information) and applicable resources (e.g., indicated according to the time resource information) to perform / execute / implement (multiple) amplification and forwarding operations. In the present disclosure, a method for resource information associated with beam information for a wireless network with an NCR is proposed.

[0033] RF repeaters can be used in 2G, 3G, and 4G deployments to supplement the coverage provided by conventional full-stack cells with various transmission power characteristics. RF repeaters can be the simplest most cost-effective method for improving network coverage. The main advantages of RF repeaters are low cost, ease of deployment, and RF repeaters may not increase latency. The main disadvantage may be that RF repeaters amplify signals and noise. Therefore, RF repeaters can increase interference (e.g., signal pollution) in the system. Within an RF repeater, there can be different categories based on the power characteristics and the amount of spectrum that the RF repeater can be configured to amplify (e.g., single band, multi-band). An RF repeater can be a non-regenerative relay node and can simply amplify and forward signals in an omnidirectional manner.

[0034] From a functional point of view, the general structure of NCR is as follows Figure 3 As shown. The NCR controller may maintain a control link (C link) between the BS and the NCR to enable information exchange (e.g., carrying side control information). The NCR-RU (e.g., radio unit) may forward data between the BS and (multiple) UEs using a forwarding link (F link), which may refer to an F link for backhaul (e.g., F link 1 and 2) and an F link for access (e.g., F link 3 and 4). The behavior of the (multiple) F links may be controlled based on the side control information received from the BS.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, the transmission links between BS to NCR and NCR to UE can be defined / described / provided as follows:

[0036] C link 1: control link from BS to NCR CU;

[0037] C link 2: control link from NCR CU to BS;

[0038] F link 1: forwarding link from BS to NCR FU;

[0039] F link 2: forwarding link from NCR FU to BS;

[0040] F link 3: forwarding link from NCR FU to UE; and

[0041] F link 4: Forwarding link from UE to NCR FU.

[0042] A control link may refer to or indicate that a signal from one side can be detected and decoded by the other side, so that the information sent in the control link can be used to control the state of the forwarding link. A forwarding link may indicate that a signal from a BS or UE is unknown to the NCR FU (or not parsed / decoded / checked by the NCR FU). In this case, the NCR FU can amplify and forward the signal without decoding it. For example, the F2 and F4 links may correspond to or be associated with a complete uplink (UL) forwarding link from the UE to the BS, where F2 is an NCR FU UL forwarding link. In addition, the F1 and F3 links may correspond to or be associated with a complete DL forwarding link from the BS to the UE, where F3 is an NCR FU DL forwarding link.

[0043] The NCR may communicate with the BS and / or UE based on information (e.g., time domain information or beam information) from the BS and / or UE. In some embodiments, the NCR may use / need / require resource information associated with the beam of the NCR used on the F link. The beam of the NCR may be represented / identified by a beam index or a source reference signal (e.g., a reference signal in a specific transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state) corresponding to the beam. The resource information may include time domain and / or frequency domain information. In addition, the time domain information in the present disclosure may be used to indicate the applicable time of other operations of the NCR (e.g., power control, switch).

[0044] Resource information (e.g., time domain information of one or more resources) may be sent to the NCR via an indication from the BS and / or the UE. The time domain information may include at least one of the following aspects: (1) (multiple) parameters for defining the applicable time; (2) time offset; or (3) time domain granularity.

[0045] In some embodiments, the (multiple) parameters used to define the applicable time may include at least one of the following: (i) the start time of the beam; (ii) the end time of the beam; or (iii) the duration starting from the start time. In some embodiments, the start time of the beam may be the beginning of the time domain resource. The NCR may use the indicated beam for forwarding operations starting from the start time. In some embodiments, the end time of the beam (and / or the end time of the duration) may be the end of the time domain resource. The NCR may stop using the indicated beam for forwarding operations starting from the end time. In some embodiments, the duration may be a time interval in the forwarding operation of the NCR that is applicable to the indicated beam.

[0046] In some embodiments, the time offset may be a necessary delay, including propagation delay or processing delay of the NCR. The start time of the beam may not be earlier than the time offset. If the start time of the beam is equal to the time offset, one of the two may be omitted.

[0047] In some embodiments, the time domain granularity may be a time unit used in the forwarding operation, which may be a symbol level and / or a slot level. A slot offset may indicate an offset of a number of slots from a defined slot. A symbol offset may indicate an offset of a number of symbols from a defined symbol.

[0048] Implementation Example 1: Time Domain Granularity

[0049] In the forwarding or other operations of the NCR on the channel, the time domain granularity can be symbol level and / or slot level. For example, in beam training, symbol level granularity may be required. In the NR system, the synchronization signal block (SSB) and the channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) can be used for downlink (DL) beam training, and the sounding reference signal (SRS) can be used for uplink (UL) beam training. All these reference signals (RS) can occupy (multiple) symbol-level time domain resources. Therefore, the beam direction change on the F link 3 with symbol-level granularity may be appropriate / necessary. For another example, in normal data transmission, both symbol-level granularity and slot-level granularity may be required / utilized. In the NR system, slot-level scheduling can be used for non-URLLC data transmission. However, for ultra-reliable low-delay communication (URLLC) situations, symbol-level scheduling can be used to meet strict delay requirements. Therefore, both symbol-level granularity and slot-level granularity may be utilized / required to support beam direction changes of the NCR on the F link 3.

[0050] RSs used for beam training can be interleaved in the radio frame. Figure 4 As shown, a 5ms half frame including SSB can be used / utilized as an example. SSB can occupy time slots 0 to 3. In order to facilitate beam training, SSB in time slots 0 to 3 can be transmitted using different beams. Time slot 4 may not include SSB. Time slot 4 can be used for normal data transmission using the same beam on all symbols of time slot 4. For example, the time domain information and corresponding beam information (e.g., beam index or source reference signal index) of time slot 0 and time slot 4 can be as shown in Table 1. The time domain information may include an indication of the time domain resources.

[0051]

[0052] Table 1

[0053] The indication of the time domain resources for time slot 0 and time slot 4 may have different time domain granularity. To help the NCR understand the indication of the time domain resources, the following options are available.

[0054] Option 1: The BS can configure a slot-level bitmap to indicate the granularity

[0055] A slot level bitmap may be used to indicate time domain granularity. For a 5ms half-frame, a slot level bitmap with a value of "11110" may be configured by the BS to the NCR. A value of "1" may represent / indicate that symbol level granularity may be used. A value of "0" may represent / indicate that slot level granularity may be used. Therefore, the NCR may expect / expect symbol level granularity indicated by the time domain resources of the slots marked as "1". The NCR may expect / expect slot level granularity indicated by the time domain resources of the slots marked as "0". In certain embodiments, the BS may configure a slot level bitmap with a value of "11111" to the NCR to maintain flexibility in the scheduling of slot 4. In this case, for example, slot 4 may be used for URLLC, where symbol level granularity may be supported / implemented.

[0056] Option 2: Flags can be used together with time domain information

[0057] A flag may be added to the time domain information. For example, a flag with a value of "1" may indicate that symbol-level granularity may be used for time domain resource indication. A flag with a value of "0" may indicate that slot-level granularity may be used for time domain resource indication.

[0058] Implementation Example 2: Beam Time Offset and Applicable Time

[0059] In some embodiments, the time offset may be a time interval between the transmission of control information by the BS and the earliest forwarding operation of the NCR according to the control information. The time offset may include a propagation delay, such as a processing delay of the NCR. Therefore, the time offset may depend on the capabilities of the NCR. The capabilities of the NCR (including its processing delay) may be reported to the BS. The BS may determine the time offset based on the capabilities of the NCR. The time offset may not point to a time instance later than the start time. If the time instance indicated by the time offset is the same as the start time, one of the two parameters may be omitted.

[0060] The BS may configure the time offset to the NCR. The configurable time offset parameter may be at the slot level and / or the symbol level. The beam information may include an indication of the beam information. For example, the BS may send an indication of the beam information to the NCR. The indicated transmission may end in slot n. The time offset may be symbol K2 in slot n+K1, where K1 may be a configurable time offset with slot-level granularity, and K2 may be a configurable time offset with symbol-level granularity. If slot n+K1 uses slot-level granularity (e.g., slot 4 in implementation example 1), the configuration of K2 may be omitted. If the start time is equal to the time offset and is omitted. The NCR may start forwarding operations using the indicated beam from symbol K2 in slot n+K1. In some implementations, both K1 and K2 may be zero. In this case, the beam may be applied by the NCR (using time domain information) after receiving the beam information (e.g., from slot n).

[0061] In some embodiments, NCR can be deployed in different scenarios. For example, NCR can be used to provide services for coverage holes / gaps. In this scenario, the possible beam directions on F link 3 can be limited (for example, within the coverage area), and the beam direction changes may not be frequent. For another example, NCR can be used to enhance the coverage quality of hot spots. In this scenario, the beam direction changes on F link 3 may be very frequent. In order to efficiently support these scenarios, one or more of the following options can be used.

[0062] Option 1: The applicable time of the beam is indicated by at least one of the start time, end time, or duration

[0063] Sub-option 1

[0064] The start time can be indicated via the start timeslot and / or the start symbol. The BS can send beam information and / or time domain information to the NCR. The beam information may include an indication of the beam. The start time of the beam in the time domain information may include a start timeslot index Sslot and / or a start symbol index Ssymbol. The NCR may use the indicated beam from the symbol Ssymbol in the timeslot Sslot to start the forwarding operation. If the timeslot Sslot uses timeslot-level granularity (for example, timeslot 4 in implementation example 1), the indication of Ssymbol may be omitted. The start time of the beam may not be earlier than the time offset. If the start time is equal to the time offset, the start time indicated by the beam may be omitted.

[0065] The end time can be indicated via the end slot and / or the end symbol. The BS can send beam information, a start slot index Sslot and / or a start symbol index Ssymbol, an end slot index Eslot and / or an end symbol index Esymbol to the NCR. The NCR can start the forwarding operation using the indication beam of the symbol Ssymbol from the time slot Sslot. If the time slot Sslot uses slot-level granularity (for example, time slot 4 in implementation example 1), the indication of Ssymbol can be omitted. The start time can be no earlier than the time offset (the time instance indicated by the time offset). If the start time is equal to the time offset, the start time indication can be omitted. The NCR can stop the forwarding operation using the indication beam of the symbol Esymbol from the time slot Eslot. If the time slot Eslot uses slot-level granularity (for example, time slot 4 in implementation example 1), the indication of Esymbol can be omitted.

[0066] The duration starting from the start time (e.g., the effective duration) can include the number of time slots and / or the number of symbols. According to the period, the corresponding beam can be used periodically within the effective duration. For example, the number of time slots Lslot and the number of symbols Lsymbol can be included in the time domain information indicated by the duration. For example, the duration indicating the beam can be Lslot time slots plus Lsymbol symbols. If the duration does not exceed one time slot, the parameter Lslot can be omitted. If the duration is in units of time slots (e.g., Lsymbol = 0), the parameter Lsymbol can be omitted.

[0067] Sub - option 2

[0068] The start time and the duration can be indicated by combining parameters. Some examples can be provided below. Start and length indicator values (SLIV) can be defined for a duration with a predefined maximum time length.

[0069] If the duration does not exceed one time slot, the start symbol Ssymbol and the duration (e.g., the number of symbols Lsymbol) can be indicated using the start and length indicator values (SLIV), for example as illustrated / shown below.

[0070] If (Lsymbol - 1) ≤ Nsymbol / 2

[0071] Then SLIV = Nsymbol·(Lsymbol - 1) + Ssymbol

[0072] Otherwise SLIV = Nsymbol·(Nsymbol - Lsymbol + 1) + (Nsymbol - 1 - Ssymbol), where 0 < Lsymbol ≤ Nsymbol - Ssymbol, and Nsymbol can refer to the number of symbols contained in a time slot. The valid SLIV can satisfy Ssymbol + Lsymbol ≤ Nsymbol.

[0073] If the duration has a time - slot - level granularity and does not exceed a sub - frame, the start time slot Sslot and the duration (e.g., the number of symbols Lslot) can be indicated using the SLIV defined below.

[0074] If (Lslot - 1) ≤ Nslot / 2

[0075] Then SLIV = Nslot·(Lslot - 1) + Sslot

[0076] Otherwise SLIV = Nslot·(Nslot - Lslot + 1) + (Nslot - 1 - Sslot),

[0077] where 0 < Lslot ≤ Nslot - Sslot, and Nslot may refer to the number of time slots included in a subframe. A valid SLIV can satisfy Sslot + Lslot ≤ Nslot.

[0078] Option 2: The applicable duration of the beam is indicated by dynamic signaling

[0079] The start time can be indicated via the start time slot and / or the start symbol. The BS sends beam information, the start time slot index Sslot, and / or the start symbol index Ssymbol to the NCR. The NCR uses the indication of the beam (e.g., identified via the beam information) from symbol Ssymbol in time slot Sslot to start the forwarding operation. If time slot Sslot uses time slot - level granularity (e.g., time slot 4 in Embodiment 1), the indication of Ssymbol can be omitted.

[0080] In some embodiments, the duration can be implicitly determined by a change in the beam information. For example, the beam information can be indicated by the BS, and the NCR can use the indicated beam according to the jointly indicated start time. The NCR can maintain / keep or continue to use the indicated beam until a new start time corresponding to a new indication providing another beam information is received. Another example is that if the start time of the beam is equal to the time offset and is omitted in the indication from the BS, the NCR can continue to use the indicated beam until a time offset corresponding to a new indication providing another beam information is received. Still another example is that if the time offset is zero, the time - domain information can be omitted in the indication from the BS, and the NCR can continue to use the indicated beam until a new indication including another beam information is received.

[0081] Option 3: The applicable time of the beam is indicated by a bitmap

[0082] The applicable time can be indicated by a bitmap. The BS can send beam information and a bitmap indicating the applicable time of the beam to the NCR. For example, for Figure 5 the 5 - ms half - frame shown, a time - slot - level bitmap with a value of "00001" can be indicated by the BS to the NCR. The value "1" can indicate that time slot 4 can be the applicable time of the beam. The value "0" can indicate that time slots 0 - 3 may not be applicable to the beam.

[0083] Implementation Example 3: The absolute length of a time slot / symbol

[0084] In some embodiments, the NCR may communicate with the BS using the C link and may forward UL / DL signals using the F link. The carriers used by the C link and the F link may be different. For example, FR1 may be used on the C link to ensure robust control signaling reception, and FR2 may be used on the F link to provide sufficient bandwidth. In this case, the subcarrier spacing (SCS) used on the C link and the F link may be different, which may result in different symbol lengths.

[0085] Since the NCR forwards the signal on the F-link without processing, the absolute length of the slot / symbol can be determined by the SCS used on the C-link. If the NCR supports multiple bands on the F-link, the absolute length of the slot / symbol length on each band can be different. To support this case, the following options can be used.

[0086] Option 1: Configure the scaling factor for each band (e.g., via Radio Resource Control (RRC))

[0087] If the F link and C link use different SCSs, the BS can configure a scaling factor for each NCR band on the F link. For example, the NCR can use FR1 on the C link, where the SCS is 15kHz. The NCR can have 2 bands on the F link. One of these bands can use a 30kHz SCS. The other band can use a 60kHz SCS. In this case, the BS can configure a scaling factor list to the NCR [2,4]. The NCR can determine the absolute length of the time slot / symbol used on the corresponding band on the F link as Tsymbol_F = Tsymbol_c / scaling factor.

[0088] Option 2: Dynamically indicate the scaling factor for each frequency band (e.g., via Medium Access Control Element (MACCE) and / or Downlink Control Information (DCI))

[0089] If the F link and C link use different SCS, the BS may indicate a scaling factor for one of the NCR bands on the F link. For example, the NCR may use FR1 on the C link with an SCS of 15 kHz. The NCR may have 2 bands on the F link. The BS may indicate band index 1 and scaling factor 2 together with the beam information. In this case, the NCR may determine the absolute length of the slot / symbol used on band 1 on the F link as Tsymbol_F = Tsymbol_c / scaling factor.

[0090] Implementation Example 4: Signaling for Time Domain Information

[0091] The BS may use various signaling in resource indication to balance signaling cost and indication efficiency. For example, a UE-dedicated channel may be sent using semi-static resources (e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service) or dynamically scheduled resources. For semi-static resource indication, RRC configuration may be considered. For dynamically scheduled resource indication, MAC CE and / or DCI may be more efficient / timely. To support different signaling methods, one or more of the following options may be used.

[0092] Option 1: Radio Resource Control (RRC) only, Medium Access Control Element (MAC CE) only, or Downlink Control Information (DCI) only

[0093] The time domain information (eg, an indication of the time domain resources) may be, for example, a new information element (IE) in the RRC configuration corresponding to the beam information.

[0094] The time domain granularity may be a bit flag. For example, a flag with a value of "1" may indicate that symbol-level granularity may be used for time domain information. A flag with a value of "0" may indicate that slot-level granularity may be used for time domain information.

[0095] The time offset may be configured as described in implementation example 2. The start time may be configured as described in implementation example 2. The end time may be configured as described in implementation example 2. The duration may be configured as described in implementation example 2. The duration may be implicitly determined by the reception of a new beam indication (e.g., via RRC reconfiguration). The period of the duration cannot be shorter than the duration. The corresponding beam may be used periodically within the duration according to the period of the duration. In some implementations, the duration may be undefined / indefinite. In this case, the period of the duration may be omitted. The time domain information configuration may remain unchanged, or continue to be used by the corresponding beam, until a new configuration is received (e.g., via RRC, MAC CE, or DCI).

[0096] Option 2: RRC+MAC CE, RRC+DCI, or MAC CE+DCI

[0097] The time domain information list may be included in the RRC / MAC CE corresponding to the beam information. Each element of the list may be time domain information, which may be determined using the method in Option 1 of Implementation Example 4. The BS may indicate the time domain information selected from the configured time domain information indication list and the beam information to the NCR via a MAC CE / DCI message.

[0098] Option 3: RRC+MAC CE+DCI

[0099] The time domain information list may be included in the RRC configuration corresponding to the beam information. Each element of the list may be time domain information, which may be determined using the method in option 1 of implementation example 4. The BS may indicate to the NCR via a MACCE message which subset (e.g., one or more) of the time domain information of the configured time domain information list may be included. The BS may indicate the beam information and one of the time domain information in the subset via a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0100] Implementation Example 5: Association of Beam Information and Time Domain Information

[0101] The BS may configure a beam information list and a time domain information list to the NCR. The BS may indicate the association between the beam information and the time domain information to the NCR via an RRC / MAC CE / DCI message. The association may refer to (1) via the same signaling used for beam indication (e.g., beam information) or (2) having a defined mapping relationship. For example, the BS may indicate a 1-to-N (where N≥1) mapping between beam information and time domain information. For another example, if the NCR supports communication with multiple beams simultaneously, the BS may indicate an N-to-1 (where N≥1) mapping between beam information and time domain information. It should be understood that one or more features from the above-described embodiments are not exclusive to specific implementation examples, but may be combined in any manner (e.g., in any priority and / or order, simultaneously or otherwise).

[0102] Figure 6 A flow chart of a method 900 for resource indication is shown. The method 600 may be used in conjunction with Figure 1-Figure 2 The method 600 may be implemented by any one or more of the components and devices described in detail. In summary, in some embodiments, the method 600 may be performed by a network node. Depending on the embodiment, more, fewer, or different operations may be performed in the method 600. At least one aspect of the operation involves a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium.

[0103] A network node (e.g., a network control repeater (NCR)) may receive at least one of (i) beam information and (ii) time domain information (e.g., time resource information for applying a beam) from a wireless communication node. The time domain information may be used to indicate a time interval in which the beam information is to be applied by the network node. In some embodiments, the network node may use or operate one of the following based on the beam information and the time domain information: a first control link from a wireless communication node to a network node; a second control link from a network node to a wireless communication node; a first forwarding link from a wireless communication node to a network node; a second forwarding link from a network node to a wireless communication node; a third forwarding link from a network node to a wireless communication device; or a fourth forwarding link from a wireless communication device to a network node.

[0104] In some embodiments, the beam information may include at least one of the following: an index of the beam (e.g., an identifier), or an index of a source reference signal corresponding to the beam (or using the beam). The time domain information may include at least one of the following: an applicable time defined by multiple parameters, a time offset, or a time domain granularity. The applicable time may be defined by at least one of the following: a start time, a start time and a duration (e.g., a valid / applicable duration of a beam or beam information), a start time and an end time, a start and length indicator value (SLIV) representing the start time and duration, or a bitmap corresponding to multiple time intervals, wherein each bit value of the bitmap may indicate whether the beam information may be applied at a corresponding time interval in the multiple time intervals.

[0105] In some embodiments, the duration may include at least one of: a first value indicating the number of time slots (e.g., Lslot), or a second value indicating the number of symbols (e.g., Lsymbol). The time offset may include at least one of: a time slot offset indicating an offset of a number of time slots from a defined time slot, or a symbol offset indicating an offset of a number of symbols from a defined symbol. The time domain granularity may include at least one of: a flag indicating whether symbol-level granularity or time slot-level granularity is used for at least one of applicable time or time offset, or a bitmap of bit values ​​for multiple time slots, wherein each bit value of the bitmap indicates whether symbol-level granularity or time slot-level granularity is used for at least one of applicable time or time offset in a corresponding time slot of the multiple time slots.

[0106] In some embodiments, the beam information will be applied when the network node receives the beam information. The beam information will be applied at a time offset after the time the network node receives the beam information. The beam information may be applied / maintained / used until another beam information is received by the network node.

[0107] In some embodiments, the network node may receive from a wireless communication node (e.g., a BS) a symbol or an absolute length of a time slot of a frequency band of at least one forwarding link in a plurality of forwarding links (e.g., an RRC message) or an indication (e.g., a DCI message). The configuration or indication may include a scaling factor for the frequency band, which may be relative to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a control link between the network node and the wireless communication node. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The network may receive time domain information from the wireless communication node via downlink control information (DCI).

[0108] In some embodiments, the time domain information may also include a period of duration (e.g., a period of valid duration). The network node may receive multiple time domain information from a wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network node may receive time domain information to be applied from multiple time domain information from a wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The network node may receive a set of time domain information from multiple time domain information from a wireless communication node via a media access control control element (MAC CE) message. The set may be a subset of multiple time domain information. The network node may receive (identification of) the time domain information to be applied in the set from the wireless communication node via a downlink control information (DCI) message.

[0109] In some embodiments, the network node may receive multiple (e.g., a list / set) of time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message. The network node may receive (an identification of) the time domain information to be applied from the multiple time domain information from the wireless communication node via a downlink control information (DCI) message. The time domain information may be associated with the beam information.

[0110] Although various embodiments of the present solution have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented only by way of example rather than by way of limitation. Similarly, various figures may depict example architectures or configurations, which are provided to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the example features and functions of the present solution. However, these people will understand that the present solution is not limited to the example architectures or configurations shown, but can be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. In addition, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, one or more features of an embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment described herein. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-mentioned illustrative embodiments.

[0111] It should also be understood that any reference to an element using names such as "first," "second," etc., herein generally does not limit the number or order of these elements. Instead, these names can be used herein as a convenient means of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element. Therefore, reference to a first element and a second element does not mean that only two elements can be used, or that the first element must precede the second element in some way.

[0112] In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different methods and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols, etc., that may be referenced in the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0113] Those of ordinary skill in the art will further understand that any of the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, processors, devices, circuits, methods, and functions described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of the two), firmware, various forms of programs or design codes in conjunction with instructions (which, for convenience, may be referred to herein as "software" or "software modules"), or any combination of these technologies. In order to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware, firmware, and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functions. Whether such functions are implemented as hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these technologies depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the entire system. A skilled technician may implement the described functions in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions will not result in a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0114] In addition, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein may be implemented or performed within an integrated circuit (IC), which may include a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, or any combination thereof. The logic blocks, modules, and circuits may also include antennas and / or transceivers to communicate with various components within a network or within a device. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other suitable configuration for performing the functions described herein.

[0115] If implemented in software, these functions can be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, the steps of the method or algorithm disclosed herein can be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include both computer storage media and communication media, including any medium that can transfer a computer program or code from one place to another. The storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access. As an example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer.

[0116] In this document, the term "module" as used herein refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements for performing the relevant functions described herein. In addition, for the purpose of discussion, various modules are described as discrete modules; however, as is clear to one of ordinary skill in the art, two or more modules can be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions according to an embodiment of the present solution.

[0117] In addition, memory or other storage devices and communication components can be used in the embodiment of the present solution. It should be understood that, for the sake of clarity, the above description has described the embodiment of the present solution with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it is clear that any suitable functional distribution between different functional units, processing logic elements or domains can be used without departing from the present solution. For example, the functions performed by a separate processing logic element or controller can be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Therefore, reference to a specific functional unit is only a reference to an appropriate manner for providing the described function, rather than representing a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

[0118] Various modifications to the embodiments described in this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be consistent with the broadest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein, as described in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving, by the network node, at least one of (i) beam information and (ii) time domain information from the wireless communication node, The time domain information is used to indicate a time interval in which the beam information is to be applied by the network node.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network node uses or operates one of the following items according to the beam information and the time domain information: a first control link from the wireless communication node to the network node; a second control link from the network node to the wireless communication node; a first forwarding link from the wireless communication node to the network node; a second forwarding link from the network node to the wireless communication node; a third forwarding link from the network node to the wireless communication device; or A fourth forwarding link from the wireless communication device to the network node.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the beam information comprises at least one of the following: The index of the beam, or The index of the source reference signal corresponding to the beam.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the time domain information comprises at least one of the following: The applicable time is defined by multiple parameters. Time offset, or Time domain granularity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the applicable time is defined by at least one of: Start time, the start time and duration, The start time and end time, a start and length indicator value (SLIV) indicating the start time and the duration, or A bitmap corresponding to a plurality of time intervals, wherein each bit value of the bitmap indicates whether the beam information is applied at a corresponding time interval of the plurality of time intervals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the duration comprises at least one of: a first value indicating the number of time slots, or A second value indicating the number of symbols.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the time offset comprises at least one of the following: A slot offset, which indicates an offset in number of slots from a defined slot, or Symbol offset, which indicates the offset of a number of symbols from a defined symbol.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the time domain granularity comprises at least one of the following: a flag indicating whether symbol-level granularity or slot-level granularity is used for the at least one of the applicable time or time offset, or A bitmap of bit values ​​for a plurality of time slots, wherein each bit value of the bitmap indicates whether symbol level granularity or slot level granularity is used for at least one of the applicable time or the time offset in a corresponding time slot of the plurality of time slots.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam information is to be applied when the network node receives the beam information.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the beam information is to be applied at the time offset after the time at which the network node receives the beam information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam information is applied until another beam information is received by the network node.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising: The network node receives, from the wireless communication node, a configuration or indication of an absolute length of a symbol or a time slot of a frequency band of at least one forwarding link among a plurality of forwarding links.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the configuration or the indication comprises a scaling factor for the frequency band relative to a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a control link between the network node and the wireless communication node.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising: receiving, by the network node, the time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message; or The network node receives the time domain information from the wireless communication node via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) message; or The time domain information is received by the network node from the wireless communication node via downlink control information (DCI). The method according to claim 5 , wherein the time domain information further comprises a period of the duration.

16. The method according to claim 1, comprising: The plurality of time domain information is received by the network node from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising: The network node receives time domain information to be applied from the wireless communication node via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) message.

18. The method according to claim 16, comprising: Receiving, by the network node, a set of time domain information from the plurality of time domain information from the wireless communication node via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) message; as well as The time domain information to be applied from the set is received by the network node from the wireless communication node via a downlink control information (DCI) message.

19. The method according to claim 1, comprising: receiving, by the network node, a plurality of time domain information from the wireless communication node via a radio resource control (RRC) message, and The time domain information to be applied from among the plurality of time domain information is received by the network node from the wireless communication node via a downlink control information (DCI) message.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the time domain information is associated with the beam information.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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