Over-the-air test method for dual timing advance in multi-trp scenarios

Abstract

Example embodiments provide test methods for over-the-air double timing advance in multi-TRP scenarios. One method includes receiving a configuration from a test device, the configuration indicating that multi-transmission and reception point operation is enabled with double timing advance feature, detecting a first reference signal from a first transmission path and detecting a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are detected with a timing difference, determining that the timing difference between the first reference signal and the second reference signal is not greater than a threshold, and when the timing difference is not greater than the threshold, adjusting at least one of a first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal or a second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal. Devices, methods, and computer programs are disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to information technology. Some example embodiments of this application relate to a test method for verifying the ability of a device under test to support dual timing advance. Background Technology

[0002] Uplink transmissions from client devices (e.g., User Equipment, UE) to network devices (e.g., Next Generation Node B gNB) may require timing adjustments for alignment. One example mechanism for controlling uplink transmission timing is timing advance, where the uplink transmission is synchronized with the network device based on a timing advance value received by the client device from the network node. However, with the evolution of communication systems, further development of timing solutions is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a series of concepts further described below in the detailed embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] The example embodiments enable verification of whether the device under test conforms to the dual timing advance feature when configured with multiple transmit and receive points. This can be achieved through the features in the independent claims. Further implementations are provided in the dependent claims, the specification, and the drawings.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a method is provided, comprising: receiving a configuration from a test device indicating that multiple transmission and reception point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled; detecting a first reference signal from a first transmission path and detecting a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected having a timing difference; determining that the timing difference between the first and second reference signals is not greater than the first threshold; and when the timing difference is not greater than the first threshold, adjusting at least one of: adjusting a first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal, or adjusting a second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal. This method may be performed, for example, by the device under test.

[0006] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the adjustment includes at least one of the following: performing progressive adaptation by applying multiple autonomous adjustments, or applying adjustments based on a received advance timing command.

[0007] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the method includes: detecting that the timing difference is caused by a delay of one of the first or second reference signals; and performing a stepwise adaptation by applying a plurality of autonomous adjustments based on a first uplink transmission timing based on a delay detected for the first reference signal or a second uplink transmission timing based on a delay detected for the second reference signal.

[0008] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the method includes: detecting that the timing difference is caused by a first delay of a first reference signal and a second delay of a second reference signal; and, in response to the detected delay, performing a gradual adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing by applying multiple autonomous adjustments.

[0009] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the method includes: receiving a timing advance command from a test device, the timing advance command notifying a timing advance value for a first transmission path; after applying the timing advance command, determining that the timing difference between a first uplink transmission and a second uplink transmission is not greater than a second threshold; and if the second threshold is not exceeded, adjusting the timing of the first uplink transmission according to the timing advance command, while the timing of the second uplink transmission remains unchanged.

[0010] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the method includes: receiving one or more timing advance commands from a test device, the one or more timing advance commands notifying a timing advance value for a first transmission path and a timing advance value for a second transmission path; after applying the one or more timing advance commands, determining that the timing difference between a first uplink transmission and a second uplink transmission is not greater than a second threshold; and if the second threshold is not exceeded, adjusting both the timing of the first uplink transmission and the timing of the second uplink transmission according to the one or more timing advance commands.

[0011] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

[0012] According to an example embodiment of the first aspect, the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with a first reference signal to be used for a first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with a second reference signal to be used for a second uplink transmission.

[0013] According to a second aspect, a method is provided, comprising: sending a configuration to a device under test (DUT) indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled; sending a first reference signal to the DUT via a first transmission path and a second reference signal to the DUT via a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are sent with a relative delay such that a timing difference between the first and second reference signals to be detected by the DUT is no greater than a first threshold; and monitoring uplink transmissions of the DUT on the first and second transmission paths to verify that the DUT can perform one or more timing adjustments. This method can be performed, for example, by a test device.

[0014] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, monitoring includes verifying that the device under test can apply at least one of progressive adaptation of uplink transmission timing or timing advance command for expected uplink transmission without affecting the accuracy of other uplink transmissions.

[0015] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the relative delay is caused by transmitting a first reference signal with delay and transmitting a second reference signal without delay, and the method further includes adjusting the delay such that the timing difference between the successive transmissions of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until a first threshold is met; and verifying that the device under test performs a stepwise adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing in response to the relative delay, while maintaining the second uplink transmission timing.

[0016] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the relative delay is caused by transmitting a first reference signal with a first delay and transmitting a second reference signal with a second delay, and the method further includes adjusting both the first delay and the second delay such that the timing difference between the successive transmissions of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until a first threshold is met; and verifying that the device under test performs a gradual adaptation of both the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing in response to the first delay and the second delay.

[0017] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, at least one of the first delay or the second delay is determined based on at least one of the following: a first threshold, a timing error limit of the device under test, or the accuracy of setting at least one of the first delay or the second delay.

[0018] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the method includes determining a timing advance value for a first transmission path, wherein the timing advance value is determined such that the timing difference between a first uplink transmission timing and a second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold; sending a timing advance command to the device under test notifying it of the determined timing advance value for the first transmission path; and monitoring that the device under test can adjust the first uplink transmission timing according to the timing advance command, while the second uplink transmission timing remains unchanged.

[0019] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the method includes: determining timing advance values ​​for a first transmission path and for a second transmission path, wherein the timing advance values ​​are determined such that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold; sending one or more timing advance commands to the device under test notifying it of the timing advance values ​​for the first transmission path and the timing advance values ​​for the second transmission path; and monitoring that the device under test is capable of adjusting the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing according to the one or more timing advance commands.

[0020] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the timing advance value is further determined based on at least one of a first threshold, a relative delay, or a timing error limit.

[0021] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

[0022] According to an example embodiment of the second aspect, the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with a first reference signal to be used for a first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with a second reference signal to be used for a second uplink transmission.

[0023] According to a third aspect, an apparatus may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a configuration from a test apparatus indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled; detect a first reference signal from a first transmission path and detect a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected having a timing difference; determine that the timing difference between the first and second reference signals is not greater than a first threshold; and when the timing difference is not greater than the first threshold, adjust at least one of the following: adjust a first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal, or adjust a second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal.

[0024] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the adjustment includes at least one of the following: performing progressive adaptation by applying multiple autonomous adjustments, or applying adjustments based on a received advance timing command.

[0025] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: detect that the timing difference is caused by a delay of one of the first or second reference signals; and perform a stepwise adaptation by applying a plurality of autonomous adjustments based on a first uplink transmission timing based on a delay detected for the first reference signal or a second uplink transmission timing based on a delay detected for the second reference signal.

[0026] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: detect that the timing difference is caused by a first delay of a first reference signal and a second delay of a second reference signal; and, in response to the detected delay, perform a gradual adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing by applying a plurality of adjustments.

[0027] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: receive a timing advance command from a test device, the timing advance command indicating a timing advance value for a first transmission path; after applying the timing advance command, determine that the timing difference between a first uplink transmission and a second uplink transmission is not greater than a second threshold; and if the second threshold is not exceeded, adjust the timing of the first uplink transmission according to the timing advance command, while the timing of the second uplink transmission remains unchanged.

[0028] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: receive one or more timing advance commands from a test device, the one or more timing advance commands notifying a timing advance value for a first transmission path and a timing advance value for a second transmission path; after applying the one or more timing advance commands, determine that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission is not greater than a second threshold; and if the second threshold is not exceeded, adjust both the timing of the first uplink transmission and the timing of the second uplink transmission according to the one or more timing advance commands.

[0029] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

[0030] According to an example embodiment of the third aspect, the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with a first reference signal to be used for a first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with a second reference signal to be used for a second uplink transmission.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect, an apparatus may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: send a configuration to a device under test (DUT) indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation is enabled using a dual timing advance feature; send a first reference signal to the DUT via a first transmission path and a second reference signal to the DUT via a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are sent with a relative delay such that a timing difference between the first and second reference signals to be detected by the DUT is no greater than a first threshold; and monitor uplink transmissions of the DUT on the first and second transmission paths to verify that the DUT is capable of performing one or more timing adjustments.

[0032] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, monitoring includes verifying that the device under test can apply at least one of progressive adaptation of uplink transmission timing or timing advance command for expected uplink transmission without affecting the accuracy of other uplink transmissions.

[0033] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the relative delay is caused by transmitting a first reference signal with delay and transmitting a second reference signal without delay, and the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to adjust the delay such that the timing difference between the successive transmissions of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until a first threshold is met; and verify that the device under test performs a stepwise adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing in response to the relative delay, while maintaining the second uplink transmission timing.

[0034] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the relative delay is caused by transmitting a first reference signal with a first delay and transmitting a second reference signal with a second delay, and the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to adjust both the first delay and the second delay such that the timing difference between the successive transmissions of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until a first threshold is met; and to verify that the device under test performs a gradual adaptation of both the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing in response to the first delay and the second delay.

[0035] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, at least one of the first delay or the second delay is determined based on at least one of the following: a first threshold, a timing error limit of the device under test, or the accuracy of setting at least one of the first delay or the second delay.

[0036] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: determine a timing advance value for a first transmission path, wherein the timing advance value is determined such that the timing difference between a first uplink transmission timing and a second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold; send a timing advance command to the device under test notifying it of the determined timing advance value for the first transmission path; and monitor that the device under test is able to adjust the first uplink transmission timing according to the timing advance command while the second uplink transmission timing remains unchanged.

[0037] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the device to: determine timing advance values ​​for a first transmission path and for a second transmission path, wherein the timing advance values ​​are determined such that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold; send one or more timing advance commands to the device under test notifying it of the timing advance values ​​for the first transmission path and the timing advance values ​​for the second transmission path; and monitor that the device under test is capable of adjusting the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing according to the one or more timing advance commands.

[0038] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the timing advance value is further determined based on at least one of a first threshold, a relative delay, or a timing error limit.

[0039] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

[0040] According to an example embodiment of the fourth aspect, the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with a first reference signal to be used for a first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with a second reference signal to be used for a second uplink transmission.

[0041] According to a fifth aspect, a computer program can be configured to, when executed by a processor, cause a device to perform at least the following: receiving configuration from a test device, the configuration indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled; detecting a first reference signal from a first transmission path and detecting a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected having a timing difference; determining that the timing difference between the first and second reference signals is not greater than a first threshold; and when the timing difference is not greater than the first threshold, adjusting at least one of the following: adjusting a first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal, or adjusting a second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal. The computer program may also include instructions for causing the device to perform any example embodiment of the method of the first aspect.

[0042] According to a sixth aspect, an apparatus may include: components for receiving configuration from a test device, the configuration indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled; components for detecting a first reference signal from a first transmission path and a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected having a timing difference; components for determining that the timing difference between the first and second reference signals is not greater than a first threshold; and components for adjusting a first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal or adjusting a second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal when the timing difference is not greater than the first threshold. The apparatus may also include components for performing any example embodiment of the method of the first aspect.

[0043] According to a seventh aspect, a computer program may include instructions for causing a device to perform at least the following: sending a configuration to a device under test (DUT) indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation is enabled using a dual timing advance feature; sending a first reference signal to the DUT via a first transmission path and a second reference signal to the DUT via a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are sent with a relative delay such that a timing difference between the first and second reference signals to be detected by the DUT is no greater than a first threshold; and monitoring uplink transmissions of the DUT on the first and second transmission paths to verify that the DUT is capable of performing one or more timing adjustments. The computer program may also include instructions for causing the device to perform any example embodiment of the method of the second aspect.

[0044] According to an eighth aspect, an apparatus may include: components for transmitting a configuration to a device under test (DUT) indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation is enabled using a dual timing advance feature; components for transmitting a first reference signal to the DUT via a first transmission path and a second reference signal to the DUT via a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are transmitted with a relative delay such that a timing difference between the first and second reference signals to be detected by the DUT is no greater than a first threshold; and components for monitoring uplink transmissions of the DUT on the first and second transmission paths to verify that the DUT is capable of performing one or more timing adjustments. The apparatus may also include components for performing any example embodiment of the method of the second aspect.

[0045] Many of the relevant features become easier to understand and thus clearer when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below. Attached Figure Description

[0046] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the exemplary embodiments and form part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, help to explain these exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

[0047] Figure 1 The illustration shows an example of a test system for over-the-air testing of a dual timing advance loop in a multi-TRP scenario, according to an example embodiment.

[0048] Figure 2 The illustration shows an example of a group of devices configured to practice one or more example embodiments;

[0049] Figure 3 The illustration depicts an example process for verifying support for two downlink reference timings for a dual-timing advance loop, according to an example embodiment.

[0050] Figure 4 An example of a method for over-the-air testing according to an exemplary embodiment is illustrated;

[0051] Figure 5 An example of another method for over-the-air testing according to an example embodiment is illustrated.

[0052] The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are used to refer to the same parts. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provided below, in conjunction with the drawings, is intended as a description of this example and is not intended to represent the only form in which this example can be constructed or utilized. This description illustrates the functionality of the example and the possible sequences of operations for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functionality and sequences can be implemented through different examples.

[0054] In the development of the 3GPP New Radio (NR) physical layer, there is a concept of multiple transmit and receive points (multiple TRPs or mTRPs) for uplink (UL) transmission. These have two distinct operating modes focused on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH): single downlink control information (single DCI) and multiple downlink control information (multiple DCIs or mDCIs). Single DCI supports scenarios where ideal backhaul is available between TRPs, allowing for joint scheduling decisions. MultiDCI supports scenarios with non-ideal backhaul between TRPs, where each TRP can independently schedule downlink data transmission using its own DCI. Furthermore, multiTRP schemes have also been introduced for PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel), and PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel).

[0055] Furthermore, in the case of multiple TRPs, dual TA commands can be used for UL multi-DCI. Timing advance can refer to a special command (notification) from the gNB to the UE, enabling the UE to adjust its uplink transmission. This timing advance command typically includes a timing advance value and an indication of which TRP the TA value should be applied to. Dual TA features can be designed for scenarios where the UE is transmitting to two TRPs in the UL, where each TA command is used to independently control the UL timing for both TRPs. When using dual TA, the UE can be configured to monitor reference signals from each TRP. For multi-TRP operation based on multi-DCI with dual TA, for each TAG (Timing Advance Group), the uplink transmission timing can precede the downlink timing associated with the UL / Joint TCI state. It happened, among which Indicates the timing advance value, This indicates a fixed timing advance offset value, and This indicates the basic timing unit. The UL / Joint TCI state can be associated with a control resource set pool index corresponding to a TAG. For each TAG, there exists a reference timing that will be associated with each TRP.

[0056] If the UE has received a synchronization signal block (SSB) for a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of less than or equal to 240 kHz within the past 160 ms, the UE may need to transmit with an error of less than or equal to ±Te (Te being a timing error limit). The UE may need components to support autonomous UE timing adjustment, for example, to account for clock drift between the UE and the network, and also to account for small-scale movements that can be adjusted without network-initiated TA commands. Adjustments can be performed such that the ±Te timing error limit (e.g., based on Table 7.1.2-1 of 3GPP TS 38.133) is respected. Adjustments may be constrained by two variables:

[0057] Tq: The maximum amount of timing change during an adjustment every 200ms (100ms for SCS≥480kHz).

[0058] Tp: Minimum aggregate adjustment per second.

[0059] Furthermore, timing advance adjustments may need to be performed with a specific level of accuracy. An example of timing advance adjustment accuracy is specified in Section 7.3.2.2 of 3GPP TS 38.133, which defines timing error limits after the UE receives the TAC (Timing Advance Command). The UE may need to utilize relative accuracy to adjust the timing of its transmissions, which is better than or equal to the UE timing advance adjustment accuracy requirements set for the UL subcarrier spacing.

[0060] In addition to UL timing accuracy, maximum receive timing difference (MRTD) and maximum transmit timing difference (MTTD) requirements can also be considered. These two requirements are specified for carrier aggregation and dual connectivity to account for timing differences between cells. In those cases, MRTD / MTTD requirements may apply to serving cells operating at different center frequencies. These requirements can have a direct impact on deployment, as they may limit the maximum distance between cells.

[0061] MRTD / MTTD requirements can also be used for multi-TRP operations. The UE can have the capability to support simultaneous transmission across multiple panels (STxMP) and also support RTD > CP (Receive Timing Difference > Cyclic Prefix). Considering possible combinations of UE capabilities, the following table shows the MRTD / MTTD requirements for multi-DCI multi-TRP operations with dual TAs, where FR1 refers to the first frequency range and FR2 refers to the second frequency range:

[0062] These requirements are enforceable: In multi-TRP multi-DCI scenarios, when the transmission timing difference (TTD) between two UL transmissions is within the limit (i.e., TTD ≤ MTTD), it is possible for dual TAs to perform two UL transmissions for the UE (each corresponding to a TAG). TTD can depend on the following parameters:

[0063] RTD: The timing difference received from two TRPs (e.g., TRP1 and TRP2). RTD can be calculated or monitored at the UE. RTD can primarily depend on the propagation delay difference of the communication links towards these two TRPs. Typically, RTD is unknown at the network side.

[0064] TAE: Transmission Alignment Error, which indicates that the transmission timing between two TRPs is misaligned.

[0065] TA1: Timing advance value from TRP1.

[0066] TA2: Timing advance value from TRP2.

[0067] It can be assumed that the RTD portion of the TTD is the main contributor to the overall reception timing difference on the UE side.

[0068] UL transmission timing errors can be verified using Radio Resource Management (RRM) test cases. For example, a Test Equipment (TE) can be configured to behave as a gNB and monitor UE transmission timing to verify that the UL transmission timing error does not exceed the limits specified by the TE.

[0069] First, the test may include a setup and configuration phase, where the TE configures the PCell (primary cell) for use in the test and begins transmitting SSBs. During this step, the device under test (DUT) (i.e., the UE) may also be configured with an SRS (Sound Reference Signal), which the TE can use to determine timing accuracy. During the test, the TE may be configured to act as a gNB, meaning it can be transmitting SSBs and control signaling messages, which are omitted in the description.

[0070] Subsequently, the test may include a UL timing monitoring phase. The TE can be configured to monitor UL transmissions and verify whether the UL transmissions meet the target requirements. For 5G NR, this target requirement may be: UL transmissions are under limited... to For example, as specified in Section 7.1.2 of 3GPP TS 38.133.

[0071] The TE can be configured to adjust the DL path by applying a constant time offset to it. The intention of the adjustment is to cause a sudden change in the DL timing reference for the DUT, and for the TE to observe the DUT's behavior thereafter.

[0072] The DUT is expected to gradually adjust the UL transmit timing by applying adjustments within the timing adjustment step size Tq and the minimum aggregation adjustment rate Tp. The TE can monitor whether the DUT is able to apply gradual timing adjustments.

[0073] The TE can monitor UL transmissions from the DUT and verify that the UL transmissions meet the target requirements (i.e., the UL timing error is less than Te). After the DUT is able to adjust for sudden changes in the timing of the DL path applied by the TE, it is expected that the DUT will... to Send UL internally.

[0074] RRM requirements regarding UE transmission timing (e.g., as defined in Section 7.1.2 of 3GPP TS 38.133), UE timer accuracy (e.g., as defined in Section 7.2.2 of 3GPP TS 38.133), and timing advance (e.g., as defined in Section 7.3.2 of 3GPP TS 38.133) may not be applicable to dual TA. When using the dual TA feature, the UE can be configured to receive, for example, multiple MAC CE (Media Access Control Element) TA commands from the gNB, which adjust the transmission timing of one or more ULs for that UE. The TA command can be configured to inform the UE of the relative adjustment. The dual TA feature can also be referred to as a dual TA loop because there may be a continuous set of TA commands from the gNB. Since test methods corresponding to such conventional RRM requirements are not designed for dual TA loop scenarios, they may be insufficient to demonstrate compliance. One object of this disclosure is to provide a new test method designed for the dual timing advance feature.

[0075] An example embodiment provides an over-the-air testing method configured to verify whether the behavior of a UE conforms to dual TA loop characteristics. This method can be used to verify that a UE configured with mDCI mTRP supports two DL reference timings (one DL-RS indexed for each control resource set pool), adjusts the UL transmission timing of each PUSCH according to received TA commands, and implements support and adjustment functions within MRTD and MTTD.

[0076] According to an example embodiment, a test system may include two probes configured to simulate two different time-return periods (TRPs). The test system may also include a UE configured with dual time-return (TA) loops, where each probe is transmitting a reference signal associated with one of the TA loops. These reference signals may be transmitted by a gNB through each of these probes with a relative delay between them. This relative delay can be adjusted for each probe. During the test, the delay of at least one probe is adjusted to verify whether the UE can follow the reference signals of one TA group without affecting the UL timing accuracy of the other TA group.

[0077] Figure 1 An example of a test system 100 for over-the-air testing of dual timing advance loops in a multi-TRP scenario is illustrated according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0078] The test system 100 can be located in a controlled environment. This controlled environment may include, for example, an anechoic chamber 120. The controlled environment may also include, but is not limited to, a compact antenna test range chamber or a plane wave chamber.

[0079] Test system 100 may include a device under test (DUT) 102. The DUT may be configured to simulate a UE entity in a 3GPP system, such as LTE or 5G-NR. The DUT 102 may be placed on a non-reflective surface, such as a polystyrene foam platform 122. The DUT 102 may be positioned to meet far-field 2D standards. 2 At a distance of / λ, where D refers to the maximum dimension of the antenna being tested, and λ refers to the wavelength of the wave.

[0080] Test system 100 may include at least two antenna arrays 112 and 114. Each of antenna arrays 112 and 114 may be configured to simulate a different Transmitter Point (TRP). For example, the first antenna array 112 may be configured to simulate a first Transmitter Point (TRP1). The second antenna array 114 may be configured to simulate a second Transmitter Point (TRP2). Test system 100 may also include wireless communication links configured to couple DUT 102 to antenna arrays 112 and 114. Antenna arrays 112 and 114 may be configured to transmit a downlink beam 116 to DUT 102. DUT 102 may be configured to transmit an uplink beam 118 to each of antenna arrays 112 and 114. Typically, communication between DUT 102 and the first antenna array 112 may be performed via a first transmission path, and communication between DUT 102 and the second antenna array 114 may be performed via a second transmission path. A transmission path may refer to a transmission channel followed by data communication between two nodes of a network. The transmission path can refer to the physical cable or radio link connecting nodes on the network.

[0081] Test system 100 may include test equipment 104. Antenna arrays 112 and 114 may be coupled to test equipment 104. Test equipment may also be referred to as test apparatus (TE). Test equipment 104 may be configured to simulate gNB entity 106. Test equipment 104 may be configured to transmit reference signals to DUT 102 via antenna arrays 112 and 114. Test equipment 104 may be configured to configure additional delays τ1110 and τ2108 for corresponding reference signals transmitted via different antenna arrays 112 and 114.

[0082] Figure 2 An example of a device group 200, 212 configured to practice one or more example embodiments is illustrated.

[0083] Device 200 may be a DUT (e.g., DUT 102) configured to simulate the functions of a node or element (such as a UE, mobile station, mobile device, fixed device, IoT device, etc.) in or associated with a communication network. Although device 200 is illustrated as a single device, it should be understood that, where applicable, the functions of device 200 may be distributed across multiple devices.

[0084] Device 200 may include at least one processor 202. At least one processor 202 may include one or more of various processing devices, such as coprocessors, microprocessors, controllers, digital signal processors (DSPs), processing circuitry systems with or without a matching DSP, or various other processing devices, including integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microcontroller units (MCUs), hardware accelerators, dedicated computer chips, etc.

[0085] Device 200 may also include at least one memory 204. Memory 204 may be configured to store, for example, computer program code 206, such as operating system software and application software. Memory 204 may include one or more volatile storage devices, one or more non-volatile storage devices, and / or combinations thereof. For example, memory 204 may be implemented as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard disk drive, magnetic tape, etc.), an optical storage device, or a semiconductor memory (such as a mask ROM, PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory), etc.).

[0086] Device 200 may also include one or more communication interfaces 208 configured to enable device 200 to send information to other devices (such as device 212). Communication interface 208 may also be configured to enable device 200 to receive information from other devices (such as device 212). Communication interface 208 may be configured to provide at least one wireless radio connection, such as, for example, a 3GPP mobile broadband connection (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, or above). However, communication interface 208 may be configured to provide one or more other types of connections, such as wireless local area network (WLAN) connections, such as those standardized by the IEEE 802.11 series or the Wi-Fi Alliance; short-range wireless network connections, such as, for example, Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), or RFID connections; wired connections, such as, for example, local area network (LAN) connections, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections, or optical network connections; or wired internet connections. Communication interface 208 may include at least one antenna, or be configured to be coupled to at least one antenna, to transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals. One or more of the various types of connections can also be implemented as a separate communication interface, which can be coupled to or configured to be coupled to multiple antennas.

[0087] Device 200 may also include a user interface 210, which includes input devices and / or output devices. Input devices may take various forms, such as a keyboard, a touchscreen, or one or more embedded control buttons. Output devices may include, for example, a display, a speaker, a vibration motor, etc.

[0088] Device 212 may be a test device (e.g., test device 104) configured to simulate the functionality of a network, core network element, or element (such as a gNB) in or associated with such a network. Although device 212 is shown as a single device, it should be understood that, where applicable, the functionality of device 212 may be distributed across multiple devices.

[0089] Device 212 may include at least one processor 214. The at least one processor 214 may include one or more of various processing devices, such as coprocessors, microprocessors, controllers, digital signal processors (DSPs), processing circuitry systems with or without a matching DSP, or various other processing devices, including integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microcontroller units (MCUs), hardware accelerators, dedicated computer chips, etc.

[0090] Device 212 may also include at least one memory 216. Memory 216 may be configured to store, for example, computer program code 218, such as operating system software and application software. Memory 216 may include one or more volatile storage devices, one or more non-volatile storage devices, and / or combinations thereof. For example, memory 216 may be implemented as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard disk drive, magnetic tape, etc.), an optical storage device, or a semiconductor memory (such as a mask ROM, PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory), etc.).

[0091] Device 212 may also include one or more communication interfaces 220 configured to enable device 212 to send information to other devices (such as device 200). Communication interface 220 may also be configured to enable device 212 to receive information from other devices (such as device 200). Communication interface 220 may be configured to provide at least one wireless radio connection, such as, for example, a 3GPP mobile broadband connection (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, or above). However, communication interface 220 may also be configured to provide one or more other types of connections, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, such as those standardized by the IEEE 802.11 series or the Wi-Fi Alliance; a short-range wireless network connection, such as, for example, Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), or RFID connections; a wired connection, such as, for example, a local area network (LAN) connection, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, or an optical network connection; or a wired internet connection. Communication interface 220 may include or be configured to be coupled to at least one antenna to transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals. One or more of the various types of connections can also be implemented as a separate communication interface, which can be coupled to or configured to be coupled to multiple antennas.

[0092] Device 212 may also include a user interface 222, which includes input devices and / or output devices. Input devices may take various forms, such as a keyboard, a touchscreen, or one or more embedded control buttons. Output devices may include, for example, a display screen, a speaker, a vibration motor, etc.

[0093] When a device (e.g., device 200 and / or device 212) is configured to perform a certain function, one or more components of the device (such as, for example, at least one processor and / or at least one memory) may be configured to perform that function. Furthermore, when at least one processor is configured to perform a certain function, that function may be implemented using, for example, instructions included in the at least one memory.

[0094] For example, device 200 can be configured to receive an instruction from device 212 as follows: multiple transmission and reception point operation is enabled in advance using dual timing; a first reference signal from a first transmission path and a second reference signal from a second transmission path are detected, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected with a relative delay between them; a timing difference between the first and second reference signals is determined to be no greater than a threshold; and when the timing difference is no greater than the threshold, a first uplink transmission timing is adjusted based on the detection of the first reference signal, or a second uplink transmission timing is adjusted based on the detection of the second reference signal.

[0095] For example, device 212 can be configured to: send a configuration to device 200 indicating that: multiple transmission and reception point operation is enabled in advance using dual timing; send a first reference signal to device 200 via a first transmission path and a second reference signal to device 200 via a second transmission path, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are sent with a relative delay to each other, such that the timing difference between the first reference signal and the second reference signal detected by device 200 is not greater than a threshold; and monitor uplink transmissions from device 200 to verify that device 200 can adjust at least one of: a first uplink transmission timing based on the first reference signal and / or a second uplink transmission timing based on the second reference signal.

[0096] The functions described herein can be performed at least in part by one or more computer program product components, such as software components. According to embodiments, a device (e.g., device 200 and / or device 212) includes a processor or processor circuitry (such as, for example, a microcontroller) configured by program code that, when executed, performs embodiments of the operations and functions described herein. Alternatively, or further, the functions described herein can be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. Illustrative types of hardware logic components that can be used, such as but not limited to, include: Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Application Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-Chip (SoCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs).

[0097] According to example embodiments, a device (e.g., device 200 and / or device 212) may include components for performing at least one method described herein. In one example, the component includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory including program code configured to cause the device to perform the method when executed by the at least one processor.

[0098] Figure 3Illustrates an example of a process for verifying support for two downlink reference timings in a dual timing advance loop. The process can be performed, for example, using the test system 100 shown in Figure 1 . The process can include: first performing an initial configuration 300, then performing tests 302 for the two DL reference timings, and finally performing tests 304 for the dual TA loop latency and accuracy.

[0099] At 306, the DUT and the two TRPs can be deployed in an anechoic chamber, such as DUT 102 and TRP1 and TRP2 simulated by antenna arrays 112, 114. The reference signals used by the DUT as downlink reference timings for UL transmissions can be configured to be the first synchronization signal block (SSB1) for TRP1 and the second synchronization signal block (SSB2) for TRP2. The DUT and the antenna arrays 112, 114 can be positioned such that the distance between the DUT and TRP1 is the same as the distance between the DUT and TRP2. The DUT can be connected to TRP1 and TRP2 using wireless communication links, i.e., via a first transmission path and a second transmission path. The actual propagation delays between the DUT and the two TRPs can be assumed to be approximately the same.

[0100] During the initial configuration 300, at 308, the test equipment (e.g., test equipment 104) can be configured to determine the MRDT and MTTD requirements for the DUT. These MRDT and MTTD requirements can depend on the DUT capabilities.

[0101] At 310, the test equipment can be configured to introduce additional delays for the reference signals. For example, the test equipment can configure a delay τ1 for the SSB1 sent by TRP1 and a delay τ2 for the SSB2 sent by TRP2. The test equipment can be configured to control the additional delays. The test equipment can be configured to change the additional delays during the test process.

[0102] For example, for the initial configuration, the test equipment can configure τ1 = τ2 = 0, such that the propagation delays experienced by the DUT from the two TRPs can be approximately the same (RTD ≈ 0), and such that RTD < MRTD. Another example for the initial configuration can be to configure τ1 = T 0 and τ2 = - T 0, where 2T 0 < MRTD.

[0103] When compared with the first example (τ1 = τ2 = 0), the second example for the initial configuration (τ1 = T 0 and τ2 = - TThe advantage of (0) is that assuming that in consecutive measurements, the difference between τ1 and τ2 will increase, a faster test can be performed to reach the MRTD limit. The (multiple) delays can be adjusted by the test equipment during the test such that the MRTD limit is reached so that the DUT can achieve the dual TA feature under the requirements for dual TA (i.e., RTD < MRTD).

[0104] At 312, the test equipment can be configured to start transmitting SSB1 and SSB2 signals. The UL frame transmission towards each TRP can occur before the reception of the first detected path (in time) of the corresponding DL frame. to For the PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel), N TA can be defined as 0.

[0105] At 314, the test equipment can be configured to configure the DUT with multi-DCI and dual TA loops. The test equipment can also be configured to indicate two TCI states to the DUT. The first TCI state (TCI-state1) can include the quasi co-location (QCL) with SSB1 as the reference signal. The second TCI state (TCI-state2) can include the quasi co-location with SSB2 as the reference signal. Other types of reference signals such as CSI-RS (Channel State Information Reference Signal) can also be configured. Although multi-DCI can be used in this step, the DUT can also be configured with single DCI and dual TA loops.

[0106] During the test 302 for two DL reference timings, at 316, the test equipment can be configured to adjust the additional delay τ1 for SSB1 and the additional delay τ2 for SSB2. For example, the test equipment can be configured to not change the delay τ1 and adjust the delay τ2 = βMRTD , where the margin β ≤ 1. The test equipment can be configured to perform these adjustments such that it ensures that the DUT does not violate MRTD and MTTD. The margin β can be calculated by the test equipment, taking into account at least T e and the accuracy of the test equipment when setting τ1 and τ2. Alternatively, the test equipment can be configured to not change the delay τ2 and configure the delay τ1 = β MRTD . Here, the initial value of the delay may already be τ1 = τ2 = 0.

[0107] Alternatively, the test equipment can be configured to select τ1 = βMRTD / 2 and τ2 = - βMRTDAdjust the additional delay by τ / 2. Compared with the process of using only one controllable delay (e.g., adjusting one of τ1 or τ2 to βMRTD ), the advantage of the process where the test equipment uses two controllable time delays (e.g., τ1 = βMRTD / 2 and τ2 = - βMRTD / 2) for TRP1 and TRP2 is the reduction of the overall test duration. In fact, for a given time adjustment step Tq << MRTD, with two additional delays, it takes approximately half the time to make the RTD span between 0 and MRTD.

[0108] According to the time adjustment step Tq, the test equipment may need to repeat the adjustment of the additional delay several times before making the RTD reach MRTD. It is expected that the DUT gradually adjusts the UL transmission timing, e.g., by applying an adjustment with a maximum autonomous time adjustment step Tq and a minimum aggregation adjustment rate Tp (e.g., as specified in Section 7.1.2.1 of TS 38.133).

[0109] In the case where the delay τ2 is not adjusted and the delay τ1 is adjusted (e.g., τ2 is kept at 0 and τ1 is adjusted by the test equipment to β MRTD ), it is expected that the DUT adjusts the UL transmission timing of the UL transmission towards TRP1. In the case where the delay τ1 is not adjusted and the delay τ2 is adjusted (e.g., τ1 is kept at 0 and τ2 is adjusted by the test equipment to βMRTD ), it is expected that the DUT adjusts the UL transmission timing of the UL transmission towards TRP2. In the case where both the delays τ1 and τ2 are adjusted by the test equipment, it is expected that the DUT adjusts the UL transmission timing of both the UL transmissions towards TRP1 and TRP2.

[0110] At 318, the test equipment can be configured to monitor whether the DUT can apply a gradual timing adjustment to the (multiple) expected UL transmissions. For example, the test equipment can be configured to monitor the transmission timing of the signals sent by the DUT by measuring the UL reception timing at TRP1 and / or TRP2.

[0111] At 320, the test equipment can be configured to verify that if τ i ≠0, i = 1, 2, then the DUT adjusts the UL transmission timing of the UL transmission towards TRP i .

[0112] At 322, the test equipment can be configured to verify that if τ j =0, j = 1, 2, then the DUT does not adjust the UL transmission timing of the UL transmission towards TRPj.

[0113] During test 304, which tests the dual TA loop delay and accuracy, at point 324, the test equipment can be configured to send a MAC-CE TA command, which is configured to notify the TCI-state1 / SSB1 in time slot n. N TA1 Value. The test equipment can be configured to select N TA1 The value is chosen such that the DUT does not violate the MRTD and MTTD. For example, the MAC-CE TA command can be selected to make... Where the margin λ ≤ 1. Similar to operation 316, the margin λ can also be at least based on the timing accuracy of the UL transmission. T e Or, it can be assumed that the timing error needs to be adjusted in advance.

[0114] The DUT can be configured to adjust the UL transmission timing towards TRP1 at time slot n+k+1. The value of k can be defined, for example, according to Section 4.2 of 3GPP TS 38.213. The DUT can also be configured to not change the UL transmission timing towards TRP2 at the same or next time slot dedicated to TRP2 transmission after time slot n+k+1.

[0115] At 326, the test equipment can be configured to monitor whether the DUT is able to precisely adjust the UL transmission timing toward TRP1 at time slot n+k+1 (while not changing the UL transmission timing toward TRP2 in the same / next time slot). For example, the test equipment can be configured to monitor the DUT transmission timing by measuring the UL reception timing at TRP1 and / or TRP2.

[0116] At 328, the test equipment can be configured to verify that the DUT adjusts the UL transmission timing toward TRP1 within time slot n+k+1 within the configured constraints.

[0117] At 330, the test equipment can be configured to verify that the DUT does not adjust the UL transmission timing of the UL transmission toward TRP2.

[0118] In the example of test 304 described for dual TA loop delay and accuracy, the timing advance command is sent only for TRP1. However, similar tests can be designed where the timing advance command is sent only for TRP2, or one or more timing advance commands are sent for both TRP1 and TRP2 in the same time slot.

[0119] Figure 4An example of a method 400 for over-the-air testing according to an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The method may be performed, for example, by a device under test (such as device 200).

[0120] At 402, the method may include receiving a configuration from a test device indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled. The test device may include, for example, device 212.

[0121] At 404, the method may include detecting a first reference signal from a first transmission path and detecting a second reference signal from a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are detected with a timing difference. For example, the configuration received at 402 may include TCI status information associated with the first and second transmission paths. This TCI status information may include, for example, a first QCL associated with a first reference signal (e.g., a first SSB) to be used for a first uplink transmission and a second QCL associated with a second reference signal (e.g., a second SSB) to be used for a second uplink transmission.

[0122] At 406, the method may include determining that the timing difference between the first reference signal and the second reference signal is not greater than a first threshold. This first threshold may be based, for example, on a maximum receive timing difference requirement for device 200.

[0123] After determining that the timing difference is not greater than a threshold, the method may, at 408, adjust at least one of the following: adjust the first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of a first reference signal, or adjust the second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of a second reference signal. This adjustment may include: depending on which of the first or second reference signal is delayed, or if both reference signals are delayed, performing a gradual decrease or increase of at least one of the first or second UL transmission timing by applying multiple adjustments. The multiple adjustments may be performed autonomously by device 200. The gradual decrease and / or gradual increase of the UL timing may also be referred to as a gradual adaptation of the UL timing. The adjustment may also include applying a timing advance value received from the test device to at least one of the uplink transmission timings. If one of the reference signals is not delayed, or no timing advance value is received for the reference signal, the method may include keeping the associated UL transmission timing unchanged.

[0124] Figure 5 An example of another method 500 for over-the-air testing according to an example embodiment is illustrated. This method can be performed, for example, by a test device (such as device 212).

[0125] At 502, the method may include sending a configuration to the device under test (DUT) indicating that multi-transmit and receive point operation utilizing dual timing advance features is enabled. The DUT may include, for example, device 200.

[0126] At 504, the method may include transmitting a first reference signal to the device under test (DUT) via a first transmission path and a second reference signal via a second transmission path, wherein the first and second reference signals are transmitted with a relative delay. This relative delay may be determined by the test equipment such that the timing difference between the first and second reference signals detected by the DUT is no greater than a first threshold. The first threshold may be based on, for example, a maximum receive timing difference requirement of the DUT. The threshold may also be based on at least one of the DUT's UL transmission timing error limit or the accuracy required for setting the relative delay by the test equipment. The relative delay may be based on at least one of a first delay set by the test equipment for the first reference signal or a second delay set by the test equipment for the second reference signal. The test equipment may be configured to: change the first delay for the transmitted first reference signal while keeping the second delay constant; change the second delay for the transmitted second reference signal while keeping the first delay constant; or change both the first and second delays. The adjusted relative delay may vary such that the timing difference has a value approximately between zero and the MRTD. The first reference signal may include a first synchronization signal block. The second reference signal may include a second synchronization signal block.

[0127] At 506, the method may include monitoring uplink transmissions to verify that the device under test is capable of performing one or more timing adjustments, such as adjusting at least one of the following: a first uplink transmission timing based on a first reference signal, or a second uplink transmission timing based on a second reference signal.

[0128] For example, the method may include verifying that the device under test can perform progressive adaptation of at least one of a first uplink transmission timing or a second uplink transmission timing based on relative delays (e.g., adjusting the first uplink transmission timing when a first reference signal is transmitted with a first delay, while the second UL transmission timing remains unchanged when a second reference signal is transmitted without delay (i.e., second delay = 0). This verification can be performed by monitoring the UL receive timing at the first and second transmission paths.

[0129] The method may further include verifying that the device under test (DUT) can adjust at least one of the first UL transmission timing or the second UL transmission timing according to a TAC sent by the DUT by measuring the UL reception timing at the first transmission path and the second transmission path. If the TAC notification TA value is applied only to one of the first UL transmission timing or the second UL transmission timing, the method may further include verifying that the DUT does not adjust the UL transmission timing toward a transmission path not indicated by the TAC.

[0130] Further features of the method are derived directly from the functions and parameters of the device, as described in the appended claims and the entire specification, and therefore will not be repeated here. It should be noted that one or more operations of the method may be performed in different orders.

[0131] For example, a test device or a device under test may be configured to perform any aspect of the methods(s) described herein or to cause performance of any aspect of the methods(s) described herein. Furthermore, a computer program may include instructions for causing the device to perform any aspect of the methods(s) described herein when executed. Additionally, the device may include components for performing any aspect of the methods(s) described herein. According to an example embodiment, such components include: at least one processor; and memory including program code configured to cause performance of any aspect of the methods(s) when executed by the at least one processor.

[0132] Any ranges or device values ​​given herein may be extended or modified without losing the desired effect. Furthermore, unless expressly prohibited, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment.

[0133] Although the subject matter has been described herein in language specific to structural features and / or actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed merely as examples of implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and actions are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

[0134] It will be understood that the above benefits and advantages may relate to one embodiment or several embodiments. These embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will be further understood that a reference to “an” can refer to one or more of those items.

[0135] Although a topic may be referred to as the "first" or "second" topic, this does not necessarily indicate any order or importance of the topics. Rather, such attributes may be used simply for the purpose of distinguishing between topics.

[0136] The methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Furthermore, individual blocks can be deleted from any of these methods without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any embodiment in the foregoing embodiments can be combined with aspects of any embodiment in other embodiments to form further embodiments without losing the desired effects.

[0137] The term “comprising” is used in this document to mean that an identified method, block or element is included, but such block or element does not include an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may include additional blocks or elements.

[0138] As used herein, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) a hardware circuit implementation (such as an implementation of analog and / or digital circuits only), and (b) a combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (if applicable): (i) a combination of (multiple) analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware; and (ii) any portion of (multiple) hardware processors (including (multiple) digital signal processors), software, and (multiple) memories having software, which work together to enable a device (such as a mobile phone or a server) to perform various functions; and (c) (multiple) hardware circuitry and / or (multiple) processors, such as (multiple) microprocessors or portions thereof, which require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but may be absent when the software is not required to operate. This definition of circuit system applies to all uses of the term herein, including in any claims.

[0139] As another example, as used herein, the term "circuit system" also encompasses implementations of hardware circuitry or processors (or processors in general) and their associated software and / or firmware. For example, and if applicable to a particular claim element, the term "circuit system" also encompasses baseband integrated circuits or processor integrated circuits for mobile devices, or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices, or other computing or network devices.

[0140] It will be understood that the above description is given by way of example only and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a particular degree of specificity or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art can make many changes to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device under test, comprising: Receive configuration from test equipment, the configuration indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation is enabled using dual timing advance features; A first reference signal from a first transmission path and a second reference signal from a second transmission path are detected, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are detected with a timing difference. Determine that the timing difference between the first reference signal and the second reference signal is not greater than a first threshold. as well as When the timing difference is not greater than the first threshold, at least one of the following is adjusted: adjusting the first uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the first reference signal, or adjusting the second uplink transmission timing based on the detection of the second reference signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes at least one of the following: performing a gradual adaptation by applying multiple autonomous adjustments, or applying adjustments based on a timing advance command received from the test device.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises: The timing difference is detected as being caused by a delay in one of the first or second reference signals; as well as A progressive adaptation is performed by applying multiple autonomous adjustments to either: a first uplink transmission timing based on the delay detected for the first reference signal, or a second uplink transmission timing based on the delay detected for the second reference signal.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises: The timing difference is detected as being caused by a first delay of the first reference signal and a second delay of the second reference signal; as well as In response to the detected delay, a gradual adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing is performed by applying multiple autonomous adjustments.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: Receive a timing advance command from the test device, the timing advance command indicating a timing advance value for the first transmission path; After applying the timing advance command, it is determined that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission is not greater than the second threshold. as well as If the second threshold is not exceeded, the first uplink transmission timing is adjusted according to the timing advance command, while the second uplink transmission timing remains unchanged.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: The test device receives one or more timing advance commands, which notify the timing advance value for the first transmission path and the timing advance value for the second transmission path. After applying the one or more timing advance commands, it is determined that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission is not greater than the second threshold. as well as If the second threshold is not exceeded, then both the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing are adjusted according to the one or more timing advance commands.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with the first reference signal to be used for the first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with the second reference signal to be used for the second uplink transmission.

9. A method performed by a test device, comprising: Send a configuration to the device under test, the configuration indicating that multitransmit and receive point operation is enabled using dual timing advance features; A first reference signal is transmitted to the device under test via a first transmission path and a second reference signal is transmitted via a second transmission path, wherein the first reference signal and the second reference signal are transmitted with a relative delay, such that the timing difference between the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is not greater than a first threshold. as well as Monitor the uplink transmission of the device under test on the first transmission path and the second transmission path to verify that the device under test can perform one or more timing adjustments.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the monitoring comprises: Verify that the device under test can apply at least one of progressive adaptation of uplink transmission timing or timing advance command for expected uplink transmission without affecting the accuracy of other uplink transmissions.

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the relative delay is caused by transmitting the first reference signal with a delay and transmitting the second reference signal without delay, and the method further comprises: The delay is adjusted such that the timing difference between the continuous transmission of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until the first threshold is met. as well as Verify that the device under test performs a gradual adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing in response to the relative delay, while maintaining the second uplink transmission timing.

12. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the relative delay is caused by transmitting the first reference signal with a first delay and transmitting the second reference signal with a second delay, and the method further comprises: The first delay and the second delay are adjusted such that the timing difference between the continuous transmission of the first reference signal and the second reference signal to be detected by the device under test is increased until the first threshold is met. as well as The device under test is verified to respond to the first delay and the second delay by performing a gradual adaptation of the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein at least one of the first delay or the second delay is determined based on at least one of the following: the first threshold, the timing error limit of the device under test, or the accuracy of setting at least one of the first delay or the second delay.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, comprising: A timing advance value is determined for the first transmission path, wherein the timing advance value is determined such that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold. Send a timing advance command to the device under test, the timing advance command notifying the determined timing advance value for the first transmission path; as well as The device under test is monitored to adjust the first uplink transmission timing according to the timing advance command, while the second uplink transmission timing remains unchanged.

15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, comprising: Determine timing advance values ​​for the first transmission path and for the second transmission path, wherein the timing advance values ​​are determined such that the timing difference between the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing is not greater than a second threshold. Send one or more timing advance commands to the device under test, the one or more timing advance commands notifying the timing advance value for the first transmission path and the timing advance value for the second transmission path; as well as The device under test is monitored to adjust the first uplink transmission timing and the second uplink transmission timing according to one or more timing advance commands.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the timing advance value is further determined based on at least one of the first threshold, the relative delay, or the timing error limit.

17. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 16, wherein the reference signal includes a synchronization signal block or a channel state information reference signal.

18. The method of any one of claims 9 to 17, wherein the configuration indicates two transmission configuration indicator states, the first transmission configuration indicator state including a first quasi-co-address with the first reference signal to be used for the first uplink transmission, and the second transmission configuration indicator state including a second quasi-co-address with the second reference signal to be used for the second uplink transmission.

19. An apparatus (200) comprising components for performing at least the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

20. An apparatus (212) comprising components for performing at least the method according to any one of claims 9 to 18.

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