Systems and methods for synchronization signal block enhancements

Abstract

Systems and methods for synchronization signal block (SSB) enhancements are presented. A wireless communication device can receive signaling. The wireless communication device can determine, from the signaling, at least one of a periodicity of a SSB pattern, a burst offset of the SSB pattern, or a number of bursts of the SSB pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, including but not limited to systems and methods for enhancing Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs). Background Technology

[0002] The standardization organization Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is currently developing a new radio interface called 5G New Radio (5G NR) and the Next Generation Packet Core Network (NG-CN or NGC). 5G NR will consist of three main components: the 5G Access Network (5G-AN), the 5G Core Network (5GC), and User Equipment (UE). To facilitate the implementation of different data services and needs, the elements of the 5GC (also known as network functions) have been simplified, with some elements being software-based and others hardware-based, allowing these elements to be adapted as needed. Satellite communication is one of the typical scenarios for non-terrestrial networks in 3GPP standardization. Furthermore, in 6th Generation mobile communication technology (6G), satellites will play an increasingly crucial role in providing coverage and resilience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are intended to address problems related to one or more issues presented in the prior art, and to provide additional features that will readily become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Exemplary systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are disclosed herein according to various embodiments. However, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example and not as limiting, and that various modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the scope of this disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art who have read this disclosure.

[0004] At least one aspect relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium. A wireless communication device (e.g., User Equipment (UE)) can receive signaling (e.g., System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). The wireless communication device can determine, based on the signaling, at least one of the period of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) pattern, the burst offset of an SSB pattern, or the number of bursts of an SSB pattern (e.g., SSB burst #). In some embodiments, an SSB pattern may include a plurality of alternating SSB bursts. At least one of the plurality of alternating SSB bursts may include information different from the other SSB bursts. The signaling may include at least one of System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

[0005] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-burstNumber) of an SSB pattern via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSB bursts within a period. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-PositionsInBurst) of an SSB burst (e.g., the last SSB burst) via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSBs (e.g., the actual SSBs transmitted) in that SSB burst. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., a list of ssb-PositionsInBurst) of an SSB pattern via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSBs in each SSB burst of the SSB pattern.

[0006] In some embodiments, an SSB pattern may include multiple SSB groups. The period of each SSB group may differ from that of the other SSB groups. A wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., one or more SSB indices) for the multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the boundaries of the multiple SSB groups based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include at least one SSB index.

[0007] In some embodiments, a wireless communication device may receive configuration information (e.g., a bitmap) for multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the number of SSB groups based on this configuration information. The configuration information may include a bitmap. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-periodicityServingCell or scaling factor) for multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the period of each SSB group based on this configuration information. The configuration information may include at least one scaling factor for the period.

[0008] In some embodiments, a wireless communication node (e.g., a base station (BS)) may send signaling (e.g., System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling) to a wireless communication device (e.g., a user equipment (UE)). The wireless communication device may then determine, based on this signaling, at least one of the period of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) pattern, the burst offset of an SSB pattern, or the number of bursts in an SSB pattern. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the present solution is based on the accompanying figures and diagrams. These figures are provided for illustrative purposes only and depict only exemplary embodiments of the present solution to aid the reader's understanding. Therefore, these figures should not be construed as limiting the breadth, scope, or applicability of the present solution. It should be noted that these figures are not necessarily drawn to scale for clarity and ease of explanation.

[0010] Figure 1 An example of a cellular communication network that can implement the techniques disclosed herein, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown. Figure 2 Example block diagrams of a base station and a user equipment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; Figure 3 Examples of beam layouts for 5G or communication systems according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; Figure 4 Examples of implementation structures for Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) enhancement according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; Figure 5 An example of an SSB pattern for SSB enhancement according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 Examples of SSB patterns for SSB enhancement according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown; Figure 7A flowchart of an example method for SSB enhancement according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0011] 1. Mobile communication technology and environment Figure 1 An example wireless communication network and / or system 100 that can implement the techniques disclosed herein is illustrated according to embodiments of this disclosure. In the following discussion, wireless communication network 100 can 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 base stations (BS) 102 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 102", also called wireless communication nodes) and user equipment 104 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 104", also called wireless communication devices) that can communicate with each other via communication links 110 (e.g., wireless communication channels), and a cluster of cells 126, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 covering a geographic area 101. Figure 1 In this context, BS 102 and UE 104 are contained within the corresponding geographical boundaries of cell 126. Each of the other cells 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, and 140 may include at least one base station that operates with its allocated bandwidth to provide sufficient wireless coverage to its intended users.

[0012] For example, BS 102 can operate with allocated channel transmission bandwidth to provide sufficient coverage to UE 104. BS 102 and UE 104 can communicate via downlink (DL) radio frame 118 and uplink (UL) radio frame 124, respectively. Each radio frame 118 / 124 can also be divided into subframes 120 / 127, which can include data symbols 122 / 128. In this disclosure, BS 102 and UE 104 are generally described herein as non-limiting examples of "communication nodes" that can practice the methods disclosed herein. According to various embodiments of this solution, these communication nodes may be capable of wireless and / or wired communication.

[0013] Figure 2A block diagram of an example wireless communication system 200 for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals (e.g., Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) / Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDMA) signals) according to some embodiments of this solution is shown. System 200 may include components and elements configured to support known or conventional operating characteristics that do not need to be described in detail herein. In one exemplary embodiment, system 200 may be used in the aforementioned wireless communication environment (e.g., Figure 1 In a wireless communication environment 100, data symbols are transmitted (e.g., sent and received).

[0014] System 200 typically includes a base station 202 (hereinafter referred to as "BS 202") and a user equipment 204 (hereinafter referred to as "UE 204"). BS 202 includes a BS transceiver module 210, a BS antenna 212, a BS processor module 214, a BS memory module 216, and a network communication module 218, each module being coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 220. UE 204 includes a UE transceiver module 230, a UE antenna 232, a UE memory module 234, and a UE processor module 236, each module being coupled and interconnected with each other as needed via a data communication bus 240. BS 202 communicates with UE 204 via a communication channel 250, which can be any wireless channel or other medium suitable for the data transmission described herein.

[0015] As those skilled in the art will understand, system 200 may also include, in addition to Figure 2 Any number of modules other than those shown herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary 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 practical combination thereof. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability and compatibility of hardware, firmware, and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether this functionality is implemented as hardware, firmware, or software may depend on the specific application and design constraints imposed on the system as a whole. Those skilled in the art can implement this functionality appropriately for each specific application; however, such implementation decisions should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0016] According to some embodiments, UE transceiver 230 may be referred to herein as "uplink" transceiver 230, which includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to antenna 232. A duplex switch (not shown) may alternately couple the uplink transmitter or receiver to the uplink antenna in a time-division duplex manner. Similarly, according to some embodiments, BS transceiver 210 may be referred herein as "downlink" transceiver 210, which includes an RF transmitter and an RF receiver, each of which includes circuitry coupled to antenna 212. A downlink duplex switch may alternately couple the downlink transmitter or receiver to downlink antenna 212 in a time-division duplex manner. The two transceiver modules 210 and 230 can operate in time coordination, such that while the downlink transmitter is coupled to the downlink antenna 212, the uplink receiver circuitry is coupled to the uplink antenna 232 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. Conversely, the two transceivers 210 and 230 can operate in time coordination, such that while the uplink transmitter is coupled to the uplink antenna 232, the downlink receiver is coupled to the downlink antenna 212 to receive transmissions via the wireless transmission link 250. In some embodiments, there is tight time synchronization with the shortest guard time between changes in the duplex direction.

[0017] UE transceiver 230 and base transceiver 210 are configured to communicate via wireless data communication link 250 and cooperate with appropriately configured RF antenna arrangements 212 / 232 capable of supporting specific wireless communication protocols and modulation schemes. In some exemplary embodiments, UE transceiver 210 and base transceiver 210 are configured to support industry standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and emerging 5G standards. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not necessarily limited to the application of specific standards and related protocols. Rather, UE transceiver 230 and base transceiver 210 may be configured to support alternative or additional wireless data communication protocols (including future standards or variations thereof).

[0018] According to various embodiments, BS 202 may be, for example, an evolved Node B (eNB), a serving eNB, a target eNB, a femto base station, or a pico base station. In some embodiments, UE 204 may be embodied in various types of user equipment, such as mobile phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, laptops, wearable computing devices, etc. Processor modules 214 and 236 may be implemented or realized by components designed to perform the functions described herein, such as general-purpose processors, content-addressable memory, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), any suitable programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof. In this way, the processor may be implemented as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of multiple computing devices, such as a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors incorporating a digital signal processor core, or any other combination of such configurations.

[0019] Furthermore, the steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be directly implemented in hardware, firmware, software modules executed by processor modules 214 and 236 respectively, or any practical combination thereof. Memory modules 216 and 234 can be implemented as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable disks, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this respect, memory modules 216 and 234 can be coupled to processor modules 210 and 230 respectively, such that processor modules 210 and 230 can read information from and write information to memory modules 216 and 234 respectively. Memory modules 216 and 234 may also be integrated into their respective processor modules 210 and 230. In some embodiments, memory modules 216 and 234 may each include cache memory for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by 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.

[0020] Network communication module 218 broadly represents the hardware, software, firmware, processing logic, and / or other components of base station 202 that ensure bidirectional communication between base station transceiver 210 and other network components and communication nodes configured to communicate with base station 202. For example, network communication module 218 may be configured to support Internet or World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) services. In a typical but non-limiting deployment, network communication module 218 provides an 802.3 Ethernet interface, enabling base station transceiver 210 to communicate with traditional Ethernet-based computer networks. In this way, network communication module 218 may include a physical interface for connecting to a computer network (e.g., a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)). The terms “configured for,” “configured to,” and their variations, used in this document in relation to a 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.

[0021] The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model (referred to herein as the "OSI model") is a conceptual and logical layout that defines network communications used by systems (e.g., wireless communication devices, wireless communication nodes) for interconnecting and communicating with other systems. The model is divided into seven sub-components or layers, each representing a conceptual set of services provided to its upper and lower layers. The OSI model also defines logical networks and efficiently describes computer packet transmission using different layer protocols. The OSI model may also be referred to as the seven-layer OSI model or the seven-layer model. In some embodiments, the first layer may be the physical layer. In some embodiments, the second layer may be the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. In some embodiments, the third layer may be the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. In some embodiments, the fourth layer may be the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer. In some embodiments, the fifth layer may be the 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 in this context.

[0022] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates various exemplary embodiments of this solution to enable those skilled in the art to create and use it. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be made to the examples described herein after reading this disclosure without departing from the scope of this solution. Therefore, this solution is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and applications described and illustrated herein. Furthermore, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed herein is merely exemplary. Based on design preferences, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed methods or processes can be redeployed while remaining within the scope of this solution. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that the methods and techniques disclosed herein present various steps or actions in an exemplary order, and unless otherwise expressly stated, this solution is not limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0023] 2. Systems and methods for enhancing Synchronous Signal Blocks (SSBs) To improve the utilization of New Radio (NR) access technology, establishing 5G connectivity via satellite and / or airborne vehicles is an effective application. New Radio-non-terrestrial networks (NR-NTN) and Internet of Things-non-terrestrial networks (IoT-NTN) can be supported through Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs). Specifically, the number of supported SSBs can be, for example, {4, 8, 64}.

[0024] It supports two beam configuration options. For example... Figure 3 As shown, a satellite cell can include multiple beams, each of which can be associated with a dedicated frequency band (e.g., BWP#x) to facilitate frequency reuse schemes. The SSB can be transmitted in an initial BWP#0, which may be different from the BWP#x used for data transmission. In Option 1, the SSB (in BWP#0) can be transmitted via a narrow beam whose coverage area can be the same as that of the BWP#x beam. The SSB can be transmitted using Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), where the BWP#0 beam scans the coverage area of ​​all beams. In Option 2, the beam layout can be hierarchical. The SSB in the initial BWP#0 can be transmitted via an umbrella beam that covers the union of multiple beams (e.g., ...). Figure 3 As shown, all beams are contained within this (and concentrated). Option 1 allows the SSB (and other common channels) to transmit simultaneously using the same beam configuration parameters (e.g., antenna gain and frequency offset compensation) as the data transmission on the dedicated Bandwidth Part (BWP). Therefore, Option 1 can achieve better SSB coverage compared to Option 2.

[0025] In NTN scenarios, the number of satellite beams may exceed 64 for the following reasons: (a) The beam area is limited by the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) design. For example, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite at an altitude of 600 km can cover a circular area with a radius of approximately 1000 km. To reuse the PRACH design of terrestrial networks, a single beam can support a maximum radius of 100 km. Therefore, the number of beams can reach approximately 100. The higher the satellite's orbital altitude, the more beams are required for satellite coverage. (b) The beam area may be limited by the satellite's link budget and transmit power. Unlike terrestrial base stations, the transmit power of satellite base stations is limited by solar panels. Furthermore, to cope with the high path loss in satellite communications, directional antennas with extremely narrow beams can be used to meet the link budget.

[0026] Current SSB designs are insufficient to support satellite cells with more than 64 beams. To address this issue, this disclosure proposes a novel SSB pattern. Furthermore, uneven load distribution is quite common in very large satellite cells, and considering the power limitations of the satellite payload, using the same SSB period for all beams may be inefficient. Therefore, this disclosure also introduces a multi-period SSB transmission method. Figure 4 Examples of implementation structures for enhancing Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs) according to some embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0027] The SSBs of a terrestrial network (TN) can be directly reused, which will be introduced below.

[0028] 1. Modes: Different modes may have different subcarrier spacing (SCS), which can be applied to various frequency bands. Based on the SSB mode, the number of supported SSB indices can be {4, 8, 64}. Under these conditions, the UE can assume that multiple SSBs transmitted at the same center frequency location with the same block index are quasi-co-located (QCL) in terms of Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain, average delay, delay spread, and applicable Receive (Rx) parameters. Multiple SSBs are considered to be quasi-co-located (QCL) when using the same synchronization signal block (SSB) index. When using the same beamout, 64 SSB indices may not be sufficient. Additional methods are needed to indicate time-division multiplexing of the same SSB index (e.g., transmitting the same SSB index using different beams at different times).

[0029] 2. Periodic Configuration: NR SSBs can be transmitted periodically. For each serving cell, a half-frame period for receiving SSBs from that serving cell can be provided to the UE based on the ssb-periodicityServingCell. If no specific half-frame period for receiving SSBs is configured for the UE, the UE can assume a default period of half a frame, which is equivalent to 5 milliseconds (ms). The UE can assume that all SSBs within the serving cell have the same period. For initial cell selection, the UE can assume that half-frames containing SSBs occur at a period of 2 frames (equivalent to 20 ms). Due to the wide satellite coverage, it is possible that some areas have a dense distribution of UEs, while other areas have a sparse distribution of UEs. In this case, allocating a smaller SSB period to densely populated UE areas can be beneficial, as it can provide more System Information (SI) and Random Access Channel Occasion (RACH occasion or RO), thus effectively meeting the requirements of high-load areas. However, the problem is that not all SSBs have the same period. This disclosure provides a method for indicating multiple SSB periods.

[0030] 3. Signaling: SSB configuration can be provided through cell-specific signaling and UE-specific signaling. For example, ssb-periodicityServingCell can be provided through System Information Block (SIB) signaling (e.g., SIB1 (cell-specific signaling)) and / or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling (e.g., RRCSetup or RRCReconfiguration (UE-specific signaling)).

[0031] Example 1 of implementation: SSB enhancement using the same beam layout for both SSB (BWP#0) and data (BWP#x) Figure 3 Option 1 allows simultaneous transmission of data between the SSB (and other common channels) and the dedicated BWP, using the same beam configuration parameters. Figure 3 Compared to Option 2, the narrower beam results in higher antenna gain. Furthermore, beam hopping can be naturally utilized in SSB transmission to address the power limitations of the satellite payload. Therefore, better SSB coverage is expected. However, the number of data beams may exceed 64, and the current SSB index is insufficient to distinguish all of them. To address this issue, a method is proposed below.

[0032] (1) SSB drawing A single SSB burst occupies 5 ms and can hold up to 64 SSBs. If the number of beams in a satellite cell exceeds 64, an SSB pattern with alternating SSB bursts can be used to support more than 64 beams. Figure 5 An example is shown. If a satellite cell has 256 beams, four (256 divided by 64) SSB bursts can be transmitted within 20 ms. Each SSB burst can occupy 5 ms and can include 64 SSBs indexed from #0 to #63. The period of each SSB burst can be 20 ms. The four SSB bursts can be transmitted in an alternating pattern. In some embodiments, at least one of the alternating SSB bursts can contain information different from the other SSB bursts. Within the 20 ms period, the offsets (called ssbBurstOffset) of the multiple SSB bursts can be {0, 5, 10, 15} ms respectively. Using this SSB pattern with alternating SSB bursts, more than 64 beams can be supported in a cell. Figure 5 Examples of synchronization signal block (SSB) patterns with alternating SSB bursts are shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] (2) Quasi-co-located (QCL) rule Because the same SSB index can be used in different SSB bursts, the UE cannot assume that multiple SSBs transmitted at the same center frequency location with the same block index are quasi-co-located in terms of Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain, average delay, delay spread, and, where applicable, spatial reception parameters. Instead, the UE can receive signaling. Based on this signaling, the UE can determine the period and burst offset of the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) pattern. Based on this period and burst offset, the UE can determine the number of bursts in the SSB pattern (e.g., SSB burst #). For example, the UE can obtain the SSB period and determine the ssbBurstOffset of the received SSB burst. SSBs at the same center frequency location with the same block index and the same ssbBurstOffset can be assumed to be quasi-co-located. Thus, more than 64 beams can be distinguished using the combination {SSB index, ssbBurstOffset}.

[0034] (3) Signaling For initial cell selection, the UE can assume that SSB bursts occur at a predefined period. For example, this predefined period could be 20 ms. For satellite cells, the number of beams can be very large (e.g., hundreds or even thousands). Therefore, the predefined period for NTN can be set to a value greater than 20 ms, which can be implicitly determined from the serving network type (e.g., TN or NTN).

[0035] For each serving cell, a 5-millisecond (ms) period can be provided to the UE for SSB bursts (via ssb-periodicityServingCell). To support SSB patterns with alternating SSB bursts, the number of SSB bursts within a period can be determined by the UE to facilitate SSB measurement. This can be achieved using the following methods.

[0036] ① The number of SSB bursts within a cycle can be provided to the UE via a parameter (e.g., named ssb-burstNumber). This parameter can be carried in cell-specific signaling (e.g., SIB19) or UE-specific signaling (e.g., RRCSetup or RRCReconfiguration). Figure 5 For example, in the example above, an SSB burst #m can have an offset with a value of ssbBurstOffset, where ssbBurstOffset = (m - 1). 5 ms. The maximum value of ssb-burstNumber can be determined by dividing ssb-periodicityServingCell by 5 (i.e., ssb-periodicityServingCell / 5).

[0037] ② The step size of ssbBurstOffset can be provided to the UE through a parameter (e.g., named ssb-burstOffsetStep (units are the same as ssb-periodicityServingCell)). Within a period, the number of SSB bursts can be determined by dividing ssb-periodicityServingCell by ssb-burstOffsetStep (i.e., ssb-periodicityServingCell / ssb-burstOffsetStep). Figure 5 For example, the number of SSB bursts can be equal to 4 (equivalent to 20 divided by 5).

[0038] ③ The number of SSB bursts can be indicated using a bitmap. The size of the bitmap is determined by dividing ssb-periodicityServingCell by ssb-burstOffsetStep (i.e., ssb-periodicityServingCell / ssb-burstOffsetStep), where ssb-burstOffsetStep can be a predefined value if it is not configured. For example, if ssb-periodicityServingCell equals 20 ms and ssb-burstOffsetStep equals 5 ms, a 4-bit (20 divided by 5) bitmap can be used. Each bit can be associated sequentially with one SSB burst. Figure 5 For example, in the example, the bitmap can be "1111", where a bit set to "1" indicates that the corresponding SSB burst has been sent. If no SSB burst is sent, the corresponding bit can be set to "0". The number of SSB bursts is the number of "1"s in the bitmap. The burst position of the sent SSBs can also be provided through the bitmap.

[0039] In actual satellite cells, the number of beams is not always an integer multiple of 64. For example, if a satellite cell has 169 beams (e.g., an 8-layer beam layout), and each SSB burst can include 64 SSBs, then the number of SSB bursts can be 3 (equal to the quotient of 169 divided by 64 rounded up (i.e., ceiling(169 / 64))). In this case, the number of SSB bursts can be provided via ssb-burstNumber. The actual number of SSBs transmitted can be provided via ssb-PositionsInBurst, a parameter carried in SIB1 or UE-specific RRC signaling and used for downlink rate matching. If multiple SSB bursts are transmitted, the actual number of SSBs transmitted in each SSB burst can be indicated. This can be done using the following methods.

[0040] ① In some embodiments, the UE can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-PositionsInBurst) of an SSB burst (e.g., the last SSB burst) via signaling from a wireless communication node. The UE can determine the number of SSBs (e.g., the actual SSBs transmitted) in the SSB burst based on this configuration information. For example, ssb-PositionsInBurst can be used to indicate the actual SSBs transmitted in the last SSB burst. The UE can assume that all SSBs used in the remaining SSB bursts except the last one were actually transmitted. This has the advantage of allowing the original signaling to be reused through reinterpretation without incurring additional signaling overhead.

[0041] ② In some embodiments, the UE can receive configuration information of the SSB pattern (e.g., an ssb-PositionsInBurst list) via signaling from the wireless communication node. The UE can determine the number of SSBs in each SSB burst within the SSB pattern based on this configuration information. For example, the ssb-PositionsInBurst list can be provided to the UE via cell-specific signaling and / or UE-specific signaling. The number of ssb-PositionsInBursts in the list can be equal to the ssb-burstNumber. Each ssb-PositionsInBurst in the list can be sequentially associated with each SSB burst among multiple SSB bursts within a period.

[0042] Example 2 of implementation: Multiple SSB cycles for unevenly loaded beams Because satellite coverage is typically very large, multiple beams with beam hopping can be used to address the power limitations of the satellite payload. It is common for beams to have different loads within the same satellite's coverage area. In this case, it is advantageous to use a smaller SSB period for high-load areas (or areas with high UE density) and a larger SSB period for low-load areas (or areas with low UE density).

[0043] (1) Multiple cycles All SSBs within the serving cell can use the same SSB cycle. Therefore, some enhancement measures can be adopted to better serve scenarios with uneven beam load. Without loss of generality, Figure 6 A satellite cell containing 64 SSBs and employing two cycles is shown.

[0044] In some embodiments, the SSB pattern may include multiple SSB groups. Each SSB group may have a different period than the other SSB groups. In one scenario, high-load areas are served by synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) #0~#31 with a period of 10 ms, and low-load areas are served by SSBs #32~#63 with a period of 20 ms; all SSBs may be divided into multiple groups. A period may be indicated for each SSB group by a wireless communication node (e.g., a base station (BS)). Figure 6 Examples of synchronization signal block (SSB) patterns with multiple periods are shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] (2) Signaling For each serving cell, the 5 ms SSB burst period of that serving cell can be provided to the UE via ssb-periodicityServingCell. To support multiple SSB periods, multiple SSBs need to be grouped. This can be done in the following way.

[0046] ① The UE can receive configuration information (e.g., one or more SSB indices) for multiple SSB groups via signaling from the wireless communication node. The UE can determine the boundaries of multiple SSB groups based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include at least one SSB index. For example, one or more SSB indices can be used to indicate the boundaries of SSB groups. Figure 6 In the example, you can indicate SSB index 31 (the last SSB index in its group) or SSB index 32 (the first SSB index in its group), which means that SSB#0~#31 is one group, and SSB#32~#63 is another group. The number of SSB groups (named ssb-GroupNumber) can be equal to the number of indicated SSB indices (named ssb-IndexBoundaryNumber) plus one. For example, ssb-GroupNumber equals ssb-IndexBoundaryNumber plus one (i.e., ssb-GroupNumber = ssb-IndexBoundaryNumber + 1).

[0047] ② The UE can receive configuration information (e.g., a bitmap) for multiple SSB groups via signaling from the wireless communication node. The UE can determine the number of SSB groups based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include a bitmap. For example, if two groups are used, a bitmap can be used to indicate the group to which each SSB belongs. Figure 6 In the example, a 64-bit bitmap can be used. In this bitmap, bits #0 to #31 are set to 0, and bits #32 to #63 are set to 1. In some embodiments, if multiple groups are used, the group indication for each SSB can be multiple bits.

[0048] ③ The UE can receive configuration information (e.g., multiple SSB lists) for multiple SSB groups via signaling from the wireless communication node. The UE can determine the index of each SSB in the multiple SSB groups based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include at least one SSB list. For example, multiple SSB lists can be used to indicate the SSB index in each group. Figure 6 In the example, two lists can be used. The first list can be {0, 1, ..., 31}, and the second list can be {32, 33, ..., 63}.

[0049] In some embodiments, different cycles can be used for each SSB group. This can be achieved using the following methods.

[0050] ① The UE can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-periodicityServingCell or scaling factor) for multiple SSB groups via signaling. The UE can determine the period for each SSB group based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include at least one scaling factor for the period. For example, the UE can be provided with / sent / configured with ssb-periodicityServingCell and one or more scaling factors for ssb-periodicityServingCell. Figure 6 In the example, ssb-periodicityServingCell can be specified as 10 ms with a scaling factor of 2. A 10 ms ssb-periodicityServingCell applies to the first SSB group (including SSB#0~#31). The period for the second SSB group (including SSB#32~#63) is 20 ms (equal to ssb-periodicityServingCell). Scaling factor = 10 ms 2). The number of SSB periodic scaling factors (named ssb-PeriodicityScalingFactorNumber) can be equal to ssb-GroupNumber, or the difference between ssb-GroupNumber and 1 (i.e., sb-GroupNumber - 1). If ssb-PeriodicityScalingFactorNumber equals ssb-GroupNumber, each scaling factor is used sequentially by each SSB group. If ssb-PeriodicityScalingFactorNumber equals (ssb-GroupNumber - 1), each scaling factor can be used sequentially by each SSB group (except the first group).

[0051] ② Multiple values ​​for ssb-periodicityServingCell can be provided to the UE. Figure 6 In the example, two values ​​for ssb-periodicityServingCell can be specified (10 ms, 20 ms). The value of each ssb-periodicityServingCell can be used by the respective SSB groups in sequence.

[0052] It should be understood that one or more features in the above / below implementation examples are not specific to any particular implementation example, but can be combined in any way (e.g., with any priority and / or order, simultaneously or otherwise).

[0053] Figure 7 A flowchart of a method 700 for enhancing a synchronization signal block (SSB) is shown. Method 700 can be used in conjunction with this document. Figures 1 to 6 It may be implemented by any one or more of the components and devices described in detail. Generally, in some embodiments, method 700 may be performed by a wireless communication device (e.g., UE). Depending on the embodiment, additional operations, fewer operations, or different operations may be performed in method 700. At least one aspect of these operations relates to a system, method, apparatus, or computer-readable medium.

[0054] Wireless communication equipment (e.g., user equipment (UE)) can receive signaling (e.g., System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling). The wireless communication equipment can determine, based on (or using / from) the signaling, at least one of the following: the period of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) pattern, the burst offset of an SSB pattern, or the number of bursts in an SSB pattern (e.g., SSB burst #). In some embodiments, an SSB pattern may include multiple alternating SSB bursts. At least one of the multiple alternating SSB bursts may contain information different from the other SSB bursts. The signaling may include at least one of System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

[0055] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-burstNumber) of an SSB pattern via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSB bursts within the aforementioned period (one period). In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-PositionsInBurst) of an SSB burst (e.g., the last SSB burst) via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSBs (e.g., the actual SSBs transmitted) in that SSB burst. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-PositionsInBurst list) of an SSB pattern via signaling. Based on this configuration information, the wireless communication device can determine the number of SSBs in each SSB burst of the SSB pattern.

[0056] In some embodiments, an SSB pattern may include multiple SSB groups. Each SSB group may have a different period than the other SSB groups. A wireless communication device can receive configuration information (e.g., one or more SSB indices) for the multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the boundaries of the multiple SSB groups based on this configuration information. This configuration information may include at least one SSB index.

[0057] In some embodiments, a wireless communication device may receive configuration information (e.g., a bitmap) for multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the number of SSB groups based on this configuration information. The configuration information may include a bitmap. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may receive configuration information (e.g., ssb-periodicityServingCell or scaling factor) for multiple SSB groups via signaling. The wireless communication device can determine the period for each SSB group based on this configuration information. The configuration information may include at least one scaling factor for the period.

[0058] In some embodiments, a wireless communication node (e.g., a base station (BS)) may send signaling (e.g., System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling) to a wireless communication device (e.g., a user equipment (UE)). The wireless communication device may determine, based on this signaling, at least one of the following: the period of a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) pattern; the burst offset of an SSB pattern; or the number of bursts in an SSB pattern.

[0059] While various embodiments of the present solution have been described above, it should be understood that these embodiments are presented as examples only and not as limitations. Similarly, the various figures may depict example architectures or configurations, provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand the example features and functionality of the present solution. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the solution is not limited to the example architectures or configurations shown, but can be implemented using various alternative architectures and configurations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that one or more features in one embodiment may be combined with one or more features in another embodiment described herein. Therefore, the breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited to any of the exemplary embodiments described above.

[0060] It should also be understood that any reference to elements using names such as "first," "second," etc., in this document generally does not restrict the number or order of these elements. Rather, these names may simply be used as a convenient means of distinguishing two or more elements, or multiple instances of a single element. Therefore, a reference to the first element and the second element does not imply that only two elements can be used, nor does it imply that the first element must somehow precede the second element.

[0061] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that information and signals can be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols referenced in the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or light particles, or any combination thereof.

[0062] Those skilled in the art will further understand that any of the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, processors, means, circuits, methods, and functions described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware (e.g., digital implementation, analog implementation, or a combination of both), firmware, various forms of program or design code in conjunction with instructions (which, for convenience, may be referred to herein as "software" or "software module"), or any combination of these technologies. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware, firmware, and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been generally described above in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of these technologies, depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the system as a whole. Those skilled in the art can implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions will not depart from the scope of this disclosure.

[0063] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, devices, components, and circuits described herein can be implemented in or executed by an integrated circuit (IC). This IC 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 devices, or any combination thereof. Logic blocks, modules, and circuits may also include antennas and / or transceivers for communicating with various components within a network or device. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, it may be any conventional processor, controller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of multiple computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors incorporating a DSP core, or any other suitable configuration for performing the functions described herein.

[0064] If these functions are implemented in software, they can be stored as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Therefore, the steps of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be implemented as software stored on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media include computer storage media and communication media, including any medium capable of transferring computer programs or code from one place to another. Storage media can be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage devices, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the required program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer.

[0065] In this document, the term "module" as used herein refers to software, firmware, hardware, and any combination of these elements used to perform the associated functions described herein. Furthermore, for purposes of discussion, various modules are described as separate modules; however, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, according to embodiments of this solution, two or more modules may be combined to form a single module that performs the associated functions.

[0066] Furthermore, in embodiments of this solution, memory or other storage and communication components may be employed. It should be understood that, for clarity, the above description has referenced various functional units and processors in describing embodiments of this solution. However, it will be apparent that any appropriate allocation of functionality can be used among different functional units, processing logic elements, or domains without diminishing the effectiveness of this solution. For example, a function shown to be performed by multiple independent processing logic elements or controllers may be performed by the same processing logic element or controller. Therefore, references to specific functional units are merely references to suitable means for providing the described functionality and do not indicate a strict logical or physical structure or organization.

[0067] Various modifications to the embodiments described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can 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 is to be endowed with the broadest scope consistent with the novel features and principles disclosed herein, as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: Signaling is received by wireless communication equipment; as well as The wireless communication device determines at least one of the following based on the signaling: The period of the synchronization signal block SSB pattern; The sudden shift in the SSB pattern; or The number of bursts in the SSB pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The SSB pattern includes multiple alternating SSB bursts.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, At least one of the plurality of alternating SSB bursts includes information that is different from the other SSB bursts.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The signaling includes at least one of System Information Block (SIB) signaling or Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the SSB pattern via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the number of SSB bursts within a period based on the configuration information.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the SSB burst via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the number of SSBs in the SSB burst based on the configuration information.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the SSB pattern via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the number of SSBs in each SSB burst in the SSB pattern based on the configuration information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The SSB pattern comprises multiple SSB groups, and the period of each SSB group is different from that of the other SSB groups.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the multiple SSB groups via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the boundaries of the plurality of SSB groups based on the configuration information; The configuration information includes at least one SSB index.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the multiple SSB groups via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the number of multiple SSB groups based on the configuration information; The configuration information includes a bitmap.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising: The wireless communication device receives the configuration information of the multiple SSB groups via the signaling. as well as The wireless communication device determines the period of each SSB group among the plurality of SSB groups based on the configuration information.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The configuration information includes at least one scaling factor for the period.

13. A method comprising: The wireless communication node sends signaling to the wireless communication device; Wherein, the wireless communication device determines at least one of the following based on the signaling: The period of the synchronization signal block SSB pattern; The sudden shift in the SSB pattern; or The number of bursts in the SSB pattern.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, 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 13.

15. An apparatus comprising: At least one processor is configured to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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