Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals between a reader and a device

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate. An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving a signal between a reader and a device. A method for an Internet of Things (IoT) device to communicate with a reader includes receiving a first signal, the first signal indicating a start of a Reader-to-Device (R2D) reception, receiving a second signal, the second signal providing synchronization for a Physical Reader-to-Device Channel (PRDCH) reception, and receiving the PRDCH. The first signal and the second signal are patterns including on / off states in a time domain. The PRDCH includes at least one of control information related to the R2D reception or a Device-to-Reader (D2R) transmission, and a payload providing R2D data. The method further includes determining parameters related to the D2R transmission based on the reception of the PRDCH, including a size of a payload providing D2R data, transmitting a third signal, the third signal providing synchronization for a Physical Device-to-Reader Channel (PDRCH) reception, and transmitting the PDRCH including the payload providing the D2R data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically, to apparatus and methods for transmitting and receiving signals between a reader and a device. Background Technology

[0002] 5G mobile communication technology defines a wide frequency band, enabling high transmission rates and new services. It can be implemented not only in the "below 6 GHz" band, such as 3.5 GHz, but also in the "above 6 GHz" band, including 28 GHz and 39 GHz, known as mmWave. Furthermore, 6G mobile communication technology (referred to as "super 5G systems") is being considered in terahertz bands (e.g., the 95 GHz to 3 THz band) to achieve transmission rates fifty times faster than 5G and ultra-low latency one-tenth that of 5G.

[0003] At the outset of 5G mobile communication technology development, standardization was underway regarding beamforming and massive MIMO to support services and meet performance requirements associated with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC). This standardization aimed to mitigate radio wave path loss in millimeter waves and increase radio wave transmission distance; support parameter sets for dynamic operation (e.g., operating multiple subcarrier spacings) to efficiently utilize millimeter wave resources and time slot formats; initial access technologies to support multi-beam transmission and broadband; the definition and operation of bandwidth portions (BWP); new channel decoding methods (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes for large data transmissions and polar codes for highly reliable transmission of control information); L2 preprocessing; and network slicing for providing dedicated networks for specific services.

[0004] Currently, given the services supported by 5G mobile communication technology, discussions are underway regarding improvements and performance enhancements to the initial 5G mobile communication technology. Physical layer standardization for technologies such as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is also in place, designed to assist autonomous vehicle driving decisions based on information about the vehicle's location and status transmitted by the vehicle, and to enhance user convenience. This includes NR-U (New Radio Unlicensed) and NR UE Energy Saving (NTN), which are UE-satellite direct communication technologies used to provide coverage and positioning in areas where communication with terrestrial networks is unavailable.

[0005] Furthermore, standardization is ongoing for technologies within the air interface architecture / protocol, such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for supporting new services through interoperability and convergence with other industries, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) for providing nodes for network service area extension by supporting wireless backhaul and access links in an integrated manner, mobility enhancements including conditional handover and Dual Active Protocol Stack (DAPS) handover, and two-step random access (two-step RACH for NR) for simplifying the random access process. Standardization is also underway for 5G baseline architectures (e.g., service-based architectures or service-based interfaces) for combining Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, as well as system architectures / services for Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) based on UE location reception services.

[0006] With the commercialization of 5G mobile communication systems, the number of connected devices will increase exponentially, necessitating enhanced functionality and performance of 5G mobile communication systems and integrated operation of connected devices. To this end, new research related to extended reality (XR) has been initiated to effectively support augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), etc., by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), AI service support, metaspace service support, and drone communication to improve 5G performance and reduce complexity.

[0007] Furthermore, this development of 5G mobile communication systems will not only serve as the foundation for developing new waveforms for providing terahertz band coverage in 6G mobile communication technologies, such as multi-antenna transmission technologies like full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and massive MIMO; metamaterial-based lenses and antennas for improving terahertz band signal coverage; high-dimensional spatial multiplexing technologies using orbital angular momentum (OAM); and reconfigurable smart surfaces (RIS); it will also serve as the foundation for developing full-duplex technologies to improve the frequency efficiency of 6G mobile communication technologies and enhance system networks; AI-based communication technologies to achieve system optimization by leveraging satellites and AI from the design phase and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions; and next-generation distributed computing technologies to achieve services with complexity levels exceeding the operational capabilities of UEs by utilizing ultra-high-performance communication and computing resources.

[0008] Furthermore, wireless communication is one of the most successful innovations in modern history. Recently, the number of subscribers to wireless communication services surpassed 5 billion and continues to grow rapidly. The demand for wireless data traffic is growing rapidly due to the increasing prevalence of smartphones and other mobile data devices (such as tablets, laptops, netbooks, e-book readers, and machine-type devices) among consumers and businesses. To meet the rapid growth of mobile data traffic and support new applications and deployments, improving the efficiency and coverage of radio interfaces is crucial. To meet the increased demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of 4G communication systems and to enable various vertical applications, 5G communication systems have been developed and are being deployed. Summary of the Invention

[0009] [Technical Issues]

[0010] This disclosure relates to sending and receiving signals between a reader and a device.

[0011] Solution to the problem

[0012] In one embodiment, a method for communication between an Internet of Things (IoT) device and a reader is provided. The method includes: receiving a first signal indicating the start of reader-to-device (R2D) reception; receiving a second signal providing synchronization for reception of a physical reader-to-device channel (PRDCH); and receiving a PRDCH. The first and second signals are patterns including on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time. The second signal follows the first signal. The PRDCH includes at least one of: control information relating to R2D reception or device-to-reader (D2R) transmission, and a payload providing R2D data. The control information is provided as R2D data in the payload via Layer 1 (L1) signaling in a separate field or via higher-layer signaling. The method further includes: determining parameters relating to D2R transmission based on the reception of the PRDCH, including the size of the payload providing D2R data; transmitting a third signal providing synchronization for reception of the physical device-to-reader channel (PDRCH); and transmitting the PDRCH. The PDRCH includes a payload providing D2R data. PDRCH follows the third signal.

[0013] In another embodiment, an IoT device is provided. The IoT device includes a transceiver configured to: receive a first signal indicating the start of R2D reception; receive a second signal providing synchronization for PRDCH reception; and receive a PRDCH. The first and second signals are patterns including on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time. The second signal follows the first signal. The PRDCH includes at least one of: control information relating to R2D reception or D2R transmission, and a payload providing R2D data. The control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via L1 signaling or via higher-layer signaling. The IoT device also includes processing circuitry operatively coupled to the transceiver. The processing circuitry is configured to determine parameters relating to D2R transmission based on the reception of the PRDCH, including the size of the payload providing D2R data. The transceiver is further configured to: transmit a third signal providing synchronization for PRDCH reception; and transmit the PRDCH. The PRDCH includes a payload providing D2R data. PDRCH follows the third signal.

[0014] In another embodiment, a reader is provided. The reader includes a transceiver configured to: transmit a first signal indicating the start of R2D transmission; transmit a second signal providing synchronization for PRDCH transmission; and transmit the PRDCH. The first and second signals are a pattern including on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time. The second signal follows the first signal. The PRDCH includes at least one of: control information relating to R2D or D2R reception, and a payload providing R2D data. The control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via L1 signaling or via higher-layer signaling. The reader also includes a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to determine parameters relating to D2R reception based on the PRDCH, including the size of the payload providing D2R data. The transceiver is further configured to: receive a third signal providing synchronization for PRDCH reception; and receive the PRDCH. The PDRCH includes a payload that provides D2R data, and it follows the third signal.

[0015] Before proceeding with the detailed description below, it may be advantageous to define certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “coupled” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, regardless of whether these elements are physically in contact with each other. The terms “transmit,” “receive,” and “communicate,” and their derivatives include both direct and indirect communication. The terms “comprise” and “include,” and their derivatives mean including but not limited to. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning “and / or.” The phrase “associated with,” and its derivatives mean including, being included in, interconnected with, containing, contained within, connected or linked to, coupled or coupled with, communicating with, cooperating with, intertwined, juxtaposed, proximate, bound or bound to, having, possessing a certain characteristic, related or associated with, etc. The term “controller” means any device, system, or part thereof used to control at least one operation. Such a controller may be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, local or remote. The phrase “at least one of…” when used with a list of items means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and that only one item from the list may be required. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0016] Furthermore, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each computer program being formed by computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application program" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or portions thereof suitable for implementation in appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, optical disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media does not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media includes media that can permanently store data as well as media that can store data and subsequently overwrite it, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices.

[0017] This patent document provides definitions for certain other words and phrases throughout. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in many cases (if not most), such definitions apply to the prior and future use of the words and phrases thus defined.

[0018] [Beneficial effects of the invention]

[0019] According to embodiments of this disclosure, efficient communication can be achieved. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To gain a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals denote similar parts:

[0021] Figure 1 An exemplary wireless network according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 An exemplary gNodeB (gNB) is shown according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 An exemplary UE is shown according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4a Examples of wireless transmission and reception paths according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0025] Figure 4b Examples of wireless transmission and reception paths according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0026] Figure 5 An example of a transmitter structure using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 6 An example of a receiver structure using OFDM according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 7 An exemplary encoding structure for the downlink control information (DCI) format according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 An exemplary decoding structure for the DCI format according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 9a A diagram illustrating an exemplary type 1 backscattering structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 9bA diagram illustrating an exemplary type 1 backscattering structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 10 A diagram illustrating an exemplary impedance matching circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 11a A diagram illustrating an exemplary type 2 backscattering structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 11b A diagram illustrating an exemplary type 2 backscattering structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 12a A diagram illustrating an exemplary type 2 active structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 12b A diagram illustrating an exemplary type 2 active structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 13 A timeline for reader-triggered asynchronous system timing synchronization is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 14 A timeline of timing synchronization of a reader-triggered local synchronization system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0039] Figure 15 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving a reader-to-device (R2D) signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 16 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for generating a device-to-reader (D2R) signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 17 A diagram illustrating an exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 18 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving an R2D signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 19 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for generating and transmitting D2R signals according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 20A diagram illustrating an exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0045] Figure 21 A diagram illustrating an exemplary R2D / D2R signal architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 22 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving an R2D signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 23 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 1 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 24 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2a for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 25 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2a for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 26 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2a for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 27 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2b for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0052] Figure 28 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2b for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] Figure 29 A diagram illustrating the structure of an exemplary device 2b for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] Figure 30 An exemplary system for device-to-reader (D2R) / reader-to-device (R2D) transmission according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, including an intermediate node;

[0055] Figure 31 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving a reader-to-device (R2D) preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0056] Figure 32 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for generating a device-to-reader (D2R) preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0057] Figure 33A diagram illustrating an exemplary physical reader-to-device (R2D) channel (PRDCH) / physical device-to-reader (D2R) channel (PDRCH) signal structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0058] Figure 34 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for receiving a preamble in R2D according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] Figure 35 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for generating a guide code in D2R according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0060] Figure 36 A diagram illustrating an exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure with a middle preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0061] The following discussion Figures 1 to 36 The various non-limiting embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

[0062] To meet the increased demand for wireless data traffic since the deployment of 4G communication systems and to enable various vertical applications, 5G / NR communication systems have been developed and are being deployed. 5G / NR communication systems are implemented in higher frequency (millimeter wave) bands (e.g., 28 GHz or 60 GHz bands) to achieve higher data rates, or in lower frequency bands (such as 6 GHz) to achieve robust coverage and mobility support. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance, beamforming, massive MIMO, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and large antenna technologies in 5G / NR communication systems are discussed.

[0063] In addition, in 5G / NR communication systems, system network improvements are being developed based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, coordinated multipoint (CoMP), receiver interference cancellation, and location based on radio access technology (RAT).

[0064] The discussion of 5G systems and associated frequency bands is for informational purposes only, as some embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in 5G systems. However, this disclosure is not limited to 5G systems or associated frequency bands, and embodiments of this disclosure can be used in conjunction with any frequency band. For example, aspects of this disclosure can also be applied to the deployment of 5G communication systems, 6G, or even higher versions that may use terahertz (THz) frequency bands.

[0065] The following documents and standards are incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth herein: [Reference 1] 3GPP TS 38.211 v17.6.0, “NR; Physical channels and modulation”; [Reference 2] 3GPP TS 38.212 v17.6.0, “NR; Multiplexing and channelcoding”; [Reference 3] 3GPP TS 38.213 v17.6.0, “NR; Physical layer procedures for control”; [Reference 4] 3GPP TS 38.214 v17.6.0, “NR; Physical layer procedures for data”; [Reference 5] 3GPP TS 38.331 v17.5.0, “NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification”; and [Reference 6] 3GPP TS 38.321v17.5.0, “NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification”.

[0066] The following Figures 1 to 3 Various embodiments of communication technologies, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), are described in wireless communication systems. Figures 1 to 3 The description herein does not imply any physical or architectural limitation on the implementation of the different embodiments. The different embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged communication system.

[0067] Figure 1 An exemplary wireless network 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1The illustrated embodiment of the wireless network 100 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, the wireless network 100 includes gNB 101 (e.g., a base station BS), gNB 102, and gNB 103. gNB 101 communicates with gNB 102 and gNB 103. gNB 101 also communicates with at least one network 130 (such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network).

[0069] gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to a first group of multiple user equipments (UEs) within its coverage area 120. The first group of UEs includes: UE 111, which may be located in a small business; UE 112, which may be located in a business unit; UE 113, which may be a WiFi hotspot; UE 114, which may be located in a first residence; UE 115, which may be located in a second residence; and UE 116, which may be a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, wireless laptop, wireless PDA, etc. gNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 to a second group of multiple UEs within its coverage area 125. The second group of UEs includes UE 115 and UE 116. In some embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 may communicate with each other and with UEs 111-116 using 5G / NR, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-A Advanced, WiMAX, WiFi, or other wireless communication technologies.

[0070] Depending on the network type, the term "base station" or "BS" can refer to any component (or set of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network, such as a transmitting point (TP), a transmitting and receiving point (TRP), an enhanced base station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G / NR base station (gNB), a macrocell, a femtocell, a WiFi access point (AP), or other wireless-enabled equipment. A base station can provide wireless access according to one or more wireless communication protocols, such as 5G / NR 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) NR, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-A Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc. For convenience, the terms "BS" and "TRP" are used interchangeably in this patent document to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access to remote terminals. Furthermore, depending on the network type, the term "user equipment" or "UE" can refer to any component, such as a "mobile station," "subscriber station," "remote terminal," "wireless terminal," "receiving point," or "user equipment." For convenience, the terms “user equipment” and “UE” are used in this patent document to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses a BS, whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is generally considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer or vending machine).

[0071] The dashed lines indicate the approximate extent of coverage areas 120 and 125, and are shown as approximately circular for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It should be clearly understood that, depending on the configuration of the gNB and variations in the radio environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles, the coverage areas associated with the gNB (such as coverage areas 120 and 125) may have other shapes, including irregular shapes.

[0072] As described in more detail below, one or more UEs in UEs 111-116 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof for transmitting and receiving signals between a reader and a device (e.g., a UE acting as an IoT device). In some embodiments, one or more gNBs in gNBs 101-103 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof for providing signal transmission and reception between a reader (e.g., a gNB acting as a reader) and a device.

[0073] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network is shown, but more can be found on... Figure 1Various modifications can be made. For example, wireless network 100 can include any number of gNBs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. Furthermore, gNB 101 can communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide these UEs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each gNB 102-103 can communicate directly with network 130 and provide UEs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. Additionally, gNBs 101, 102, and / or 103 can provide access to other or additional external networks, such as external telephone networks or other types of data networks.

[0074] Figure 2 An exemplary gNB 102 is shown according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 The embodiment of gNB 102 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 gNBs 101 and 103 can have the same or similar configurations. However, gNBs come in a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2 This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope to any particular implementation of gNB.

[0075] like Figure 2 As shown, gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 205a-205n, multiple transceivers 210a-210n, a controller / processor 225, a memory 230, and a backhaul or network interface 235.

[0076] Transceivers 210a-210n receive incoming radio frequency (RF) signals, such as signals transmitted by a UE in wireless network 100, from antennas 205a-205n. Transceivers 210a-210n down-convert the incoming RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are processed by receive (RX) processing circuitry in transceivers 210a-210n and / or controller / processor 225, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. Controller / processor 225 can further process the baseband signals.

[0077] The transmit (TX) processing circuitry in transceivers 210a-210n and / or controller / processor 225 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, network data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 225. The TX processing circuitry encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. Transceivers 210a-210n up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal, which is then transmitted via antennas 205a-205n.

[0078] The controller / processor 225 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the gNB 102. For example, the controller / processor 225 may control the transceivers 210a-210n to receive uplink (UL) channel signals and transmit downlink (DL) channel signals according to well-known principles. The controller / processor 225 may also support additional functions, such as more advanced wireless communication capabilities. For example, the controller / processor 225 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, where outgoing / incoming signals from / to multiple antennas 205a-205n are weighted differently to effectively direct outgoing signals in the desired direction. The controller / processor 225 may support any of a variety of other functions within the gNB 102.

[0079] The controller / processor 225 is also capable of executing programs and other processes residing in the memory 230, such as providing signal transmission and reception between the reader and the device. The controller / processor 225 can move data into or out of the memory 230 as needed for the execution process.

[0080] The controller / processor 225 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 235. The backhaul or network interface 235 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or network. The backhaul or network interface 235 can support communication via any suitable wired or wireless connection(s). For example, when the gNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as a cellular communication system supporting 5G / NR, LTE, or LTE-a), the backhaul or network interface 235 can allow the gNB 102 to communicate with other gNBs via a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the gNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the backhaul or network interface 235 can allow the gNB 102 to communicate via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection to a larger network (such as the Internet). The backhaul or network interface 235 includes any suitable structure that supports communication via wired or wireless connections (such as Ethernet or transceivers).

[0081] Memory 230 is coupled to controller / processor 225. A portion of memory 230 may include RAM, and another portion of memory 230 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0082] although Figure 2 An example of gNB 102 is shown, but it is possible to see more. Figure 2 Various changes can be made. For example, gNB 102 can include... Figure 2 Each component, in any number as shown. Furthermore, Figure 2The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed.

[0083] Figure 3 An exemplary UE 116 is shown according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 The embodiment of UE 116 shown is for illustrative purposes only, and Figure 1 UEs 111-115 can have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 3 This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope to any particular implementation of the UE.

[0084] like Figure 3 As shown, UE 116 includes antenna(s) 305, transceivers(s) 310, and microphone(s) 320. UE 116 also includes speaker(s) 330, processor(s) 340, input / output (I / O) interface(IF) 345, input(s) 350, display(s) 355, and memory(s) 360. Memory(s) 360 includes operating system(OS) 361 and one or more applications(s) 362.

[0085] Multiple transceivers 310 receive incoming RF signals transmitted by a gNB of the wireless network 100 from multiple antennas 305. The multiple transceivers 310 down-convert the incoming RF signals to generate intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are processed by an RX processing circuit in the multiple transceivers 310 and / or processor 340, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. The RX processing circuit sends the processed baseband signal to a speaker 330 (e.g., for voice data) or to the processor 340 (e.g., for web browsing data).

[0086] The TX processing circuitry in (multiple) transceivers 310 and / or processor 340 receives analog or digital voice data from microphone 320, or other outgoing baseband data (such as network data, email, or interactive video game data) from processor 340. The TX processing circuitry encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The (multiple) transceivers 310 up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal, which is transmitted via (multiple) antennas 305.

[0087] Processor 340 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and executes OS 361 stored in memory 360 to control the overall operation of UE 116. For example, processor 340 may control transceiver(s)(s)310 to receive DL channel signals and transmit UL channel signals according to well-known principles. In some embodiments, processor 340 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0088] Processor 340 is also capable of executing other processes and programs residing in memory 360. For example, processor 340 can execute processes for sending and receiving signals between the reader and the device, as described in embodiments of this disclosure. Processor 340 can move data into or out of memory 360 as needed for the execution of the process. In some embodiments, processor 340 is configured to execute application 362 based on OS 361 or in response to signals received from gNB or operator. Processor 340 is also coupled to I / O interface 345, which provides UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices, such as laptops and handheld computers. I / O interface 345 is the communication path between these accessories and processor 340.

[0089] The processor 340 is also coupled to an input 350 (which includes, for example, a touchscreen, a keyboard, etc.) and a display 355. An operator of the UE 116 can use the input 350 to input data into the UE 116. The display 355 may be a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, or other display capable of displaying text and / or at least limited graphics (such as from a website).

[0090] The memory 360 is coupled to the processor 340. A portion of the memory 360 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of the memory 360 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0091] although Figure 3 An example of UE 116 is shown, but it is possible to see... Figure 3 Make various changes. For example, Figure 3 The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. As a specific example, processor 340 can be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). In another example, transceivers 310 can include any number of transceivers and signal processing chains and can be connected to any number of antennas. Furthermore, although... Figure 3 The UE 116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, but the UE can be configured to operate as other types of mobile or fixed devices.

[0092] Figure 4a and Figure 4b Examples of wireless transmit and receive paths 400 and 450 according to embodiments of the present disclosure are shown respectively. For example, transmit path 400 may be described as being implemented in a gNB (such as gNB 102), while receive path 450 may be described as being implemented in a UE (such as UE 116). However, it should be understood that receive path 450 may be implemented in a gNB, and transmit path 400 may be implemented in a UE. In some embodiments, transmit path 400 and / or receive path 450 may perform the transmission and reception of signals between a reader and a device, as described in embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0093] like Figure 4a As shown, the transmit path 400 includes a channel coding and modulation block 405, a serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 410, an N-size inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) block 415, a parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 420, a cyclic prefix addition block 425, and an up-converter (UC) 430. The receive path 450 includes a down-converter (DC) 455, a cyclic prefix removal block 460, a serial-to-parallel (S-to-P) block 465, an N-size fast Fourier transform (FFT) block 470, a parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 475, and a channel decoding and demodulation block 480.

[0094] In transmit path 400, channel coding and modulation block 405 receives a set of information bits, applies coding (such as low-density parity-check (LDPC) coding), and modulates the input bits (such as using quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)) to generate a frequency-domain modulated symbol sequence. Serial-to-parallel block 410 converts (e.g., demultiplexes) the serial modulated symbols into parallel data to generate N parallel symbol streams, where N is the IFFT / FFT size used in gNB 102 and UE 116. IFFT block 415 of size N performs an IFFT operation on the N parallel symbol streams to generate a time-domain output signal. Parallel-to-serial block 420 converts (e.g., multiplexes) the parallel time-domain output symbols from IFFT block 415 of size N to generate a serial time-domain signal. Cyclic prefix addition block 425 inserts a cyclic prefix into the time-domain signal. Upconverter 430 modulates (e.g., upconverts) the output of the added cyclic prefix block 425 to an RF frequency for transmission via a wireless channel. The signal can also be filtered at baseband before being converted to the RF frequency.

[0095] like Figure 4bAs shown, downconverter 455 downconverts the received signal to the baseband frequency, and cyclic prefix removal block 460 removes the cyclic prefix to generate a serial time-domain baseband signal. Serial-to-parallel block 465 converts the time-domain baseband signal into a parallel time-domain signal. FFT block 470 of size N performs an FFT algorithm to generate N parallel frequency-domain signals. Parallel-to-serial (P-to-S) block 475 converts the parallel frequency-domain signals into a modulated data symbol sequence. Channel decoding and demodulation block 480 demodulates and decodes the modulated symbols to recover the original input data stream.

[0096] Each of gNBs 101-103 can implement a transmission path 400 similar to that sent to UEs 111-116 in the downlink, and a reception path 450 similar to that received from UEs 111-116 in the uplink. Similarly, each of UEs 111-116 can implement a transmission path 400 for sending to gNBs 101-103 in the uplink, and a reception path 450 for receiving from gNBs 101-103 in the downlink.

[0097] Figure 4a and Figure 4b Each component can be implemented using only hardware or a combination of hardware and software / firmware. As a specific example, Figure 4a and Figure 4b At least some components can be implemented in software, while others can be implemented through configurable hardware or a hybrid of software and configurable hardware. For example, FFT block 470 and IFFT block 415 can be implemented as configurable software algorithms, where the value of size N can be modified depending on the implementation.

[0098] Furthermore, although the description uses FFT and IFFT, this is merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Other types of transforms, such as the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) functions, can be used. It should be understood that for DFT and IDFT functions, the value of variable N can be any integer (such as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), while for FFT and IFFT functions, the value of variable N can be any integer that is a power of 2 (such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.).

[0099] although Figure 4a and Figure 4b Examples of wireless transmission path 400 and reception path 450 are shown respectively, but it is possible to... Figure 4a and Figure 4b Make various changes. For example, Figure 4a and Figure 4bThe various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. Furthermore, Figure 4a and Figure 4b This example aims to illustrate the types of send and receive paths that can be used in a wireless network. Any other suitable architecture can be used to support wireless communication in a wireless network.

[0100] Internet of Things (IoT) devices include ambient-powered IoT (A-IoT) devices, which are ultra-low-complexity devices with very small form factors and low-cost designs that operate without the need for conventional batteries that can be manually replaced or recharged. Conversely, A-IoT devices can be battery-free or use small batteries (such as small capacitors) that operate based on energy harvested from RF waveforms or other ambient energy sources. For the limited size and complexity required for practical applications of battery-free devices without energy storage capabilities or devices with limited energy storage that do not require manual replacement or recharging, the output power of the energy harvester is typically from 1 mg to several hundred mg.

[0101] Throughout the various embodiments of this disclosure, the UE or device may be referred to as an A-IoT device or A-IoT UE based on energy harvesting with ultra-low complexity and power consumption for low-end IoT applications. For example, the UE may have limited (or no) energy storage or battery capacity (e.g., capacitors), such as energy storage units for amplifying reception at the UE or transmissions performed by the UE, or energy storage units for other UE operations (such as power-on, warm-up, storage, internal processing, etc.) or operations using backscatter communication.

[0102] An A-IoT device can be an IoT device (or a variation thereof) that meets one or more of the following criteria:

[0103] - Powered by energy harvesting, without batteries or with limited energy storage capacity (e.g., using capacitors), and powered by harvesting radio waves (including RF waveforms), light (including sunlight or indoor light), motion, pressure, heat, or any other suitable source of energy;

[0104] - Compared to previously defined 3GPP IoT devices (e.g., NB-IoT / enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) devices), it features low complexity, small size, low capability, and low power consumption;

[0105] - Maintenance-free and can have a long lifespan (e.g., more than 10 years).

[0106] A-IoT can communicate directly with the base station / gNB (e.g., operating as a reader), or indirectly with the base station / gNB through intermediate / auxiliary nodes such as handheld devices / UEs (e.g., "reader" UEs that scan A-IoT devices), relays, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes, repeaters (e.g., network control repeaters (NCRs)), etc.). Communication can be single static, where the transmitter node to the A-IoT UE is the same as the receiver node from the A-IoT UE, or it can be bistatic (or multistatic), where the transmitter node to the A-IoT UE can be different from the receiver node from the A-IoT UE.

[0107] In various embodiments, A-IoT devices operate with energy storage and power management capabilities. These devices are characterized by ultra-low power consumption and employ energy harvesting mechanisms such as solar, radio frequency, and kinetic energy, thus eliminating the need for frequent battery replacements or swapping. In various embodiments, A-IoT devices operate with energy harvesting (EH) or limited (or no) energy storage / battery capabilities (such as capacitors), such as energy storage units for amplifying reception at the UE or transmissions performed by the UE, or for other UE operations (such as power-on, warm-up, storage, internal processing, etc.) or operations using backscatter communication.

[0108] In various embodiments, A-IoT devices operate with RF envelope detection to receive amplitude shift keying (ASK), such as OOK (on-off detection), modulated signals. RF envelope detection is a key function enabling environmental IoT devices to filter and analyze RF signals. This technology is applied to receive modulated RF signals to extract information from them, thereby enabling efficient and low-power communication between devices. RF envelope detection is one of the most important technologies used in many low-power wireless communication protocols employed in environmental IoT systems.

[0109] In various embodiments, A-IoT devices can operate with impedance matching. Impedance matching can be used in passive environment IoT devices to backscatter externally provided CW signals.

[0110] Figure 5 An example of a transmitter structure 500 using OFDM according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, the transmitter structure 500 using OFDM can... Figure 1 This is implemented in gNB 102. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0111] Information bits, such as DCI bits or data bits 510, are encoded by encoder 520, rate-matched with allocated time / frequency resources by rate matcher 530, and modulated by modulator 540. Subsequently, the modulated coded symbols and demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) 550 are mapped to RE 560, and an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) is performed by filter 570. BW selector unit 565, filter 580, radio frequency (RF) amplifier 590, and transmit signal 595 are also included.

[0112] Figure 6 An example of a receiver structure 600 using OFDM according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, the receiver structure 600 using OFDM can be constructed by... Figure 1 This can be implemented using any of the UEs 111-116. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0113] The received signal 610 is filtered by filter 620, the CP removal unit removes CP 630, filter 640 applies Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), RE demapping unit 650 demaps the RE selected by BW selector unit 655, the received symbols are demodulated by channel estimator and demodulator unit 660, rate dematcher 670 restores rate matching, and decoder 680 decodes the obtained bits to provide information bits 690.

[0114] Reference Figure 5 This illustrates an exemplary transmitter structure using OFDM according to the present disclosure.

[0115] Reference Figure 6 This illustrates an exemplary receiver structure using OFDM according to the present disclosure.

[0116] Figure 7 An exemplary encoding structure 700 for a downlink control information (DCI) format according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, it can be... Figure 1 This is implemented in gNB 102. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0117] The gNB (e.g., BS 102) encodes and transmits each DCI format separately in the corresponding Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). Where applicable, the DCI format is intended to mask the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) of the DCI format codeword in the Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) for the UE (e.g., UE 116) so that the UE can recognize the DCI format. For example, the CRC may include 24 bits, and the RNTI may include 16 or 24 bits. The CRC of the (uncoded) DCI format bit 710 is determined using CRC calculation unit 720, and the CRC is masked using an XOR operation unit 730 between the CRC bit and the RNTI bit 740. The XOR operation is defined as XOR(0,0) = 0, XOR(0,1) = 1, XOR(1,0) = 1, XOR(1,1) = 0. The masked CRC bit is appended to the DCI format information bit using CRC append unit 750. Encoder 760 performs channel coding, such as polar coding, and then rate matching is performed on the allocated resources by rate matcher 770. Interleaving and modulation unit 780 applies interleaving and modulation, such as QPSK, and output control signal 790 is transmitted.

[0118] Figure 8 An exemplary decoding structure 800 for the DCI format is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the decoding structure 800 for the DCI format may be provided by... Figure 1 This can be implemented using any of the UEs 111-116. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0119] The received control signal 810 is demodulated and deinterleaved by the demodulator and deinterleaver 820. The rate matching applied at the gNB transmitter is recovered by the rate matcher 830, and the resulting bits are decoded by the decoder 840. After decoding, the CRC extractor 850 extracts the CRC bits and provides DCI format information bits 860. The DCI format information bits are demasked 870 by an XOR operation with RNTI 880 (where applicable), and the CRC check is performed by unit 890. When the CRC check is successful (checksum is zero), the DCI format information bits are considered valid. When the CRC check is unsuccessful, the DCI format information bits are considered invalid.

[0120] DCI can be used for a variety of purposes. The DCI format includes multiple fields or information elements (IEs) and is typically used to schedule Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmissions (DL DCI format) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmissions (UL DCI format). The DCI format includes Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) bits to allow the UE to confirm correct detection. The DCI format type is identified by a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) that scrambles the CRC bits. For DCI formats scheduling PDSCH or PUSCH for a single UE with an RRC connection to the gNB, the RNTI is either a Cell RNTI (C-RNTI) or another RNTI type (such as a Modulation and Coding Scheme Cell RNTI (MCS-C-RNTI)). For DCI formats scheduling PDSCH that transmits System Information (SI) to a group of UEs, the RNTI is a System Information RNTI (SI-RNTI). For DCI formats scheduling PDSCH that respond to Random Access (RA) from a group of UEs, the RNTI is a Random Access (RA-RNTI). For the DCI format of PDSCH that provides contention resolution in Msg4 of the RA procedure, the RNTI is the Temporary C-RNTI (TC-RNTI). For the DCI format of PDSCH that paging a group of UEs, the RNTI is the Paging RNTI (P-RNTI). For the DCI format that provides Transmission Power Control (TPC) commands to a group of UEs, the RNTI is the TPC-RNTI, and so on. Each RNTI type is configured to the UE via higher-layer signaling. The UE typically decodes at multiple candidate locations for PDCCH reception determined by the associated search space set.

[0121] Reference Figure 7 This illustrates an exemplary encoding process according to the DCI format of this disclosure.

[0122] Reference Figure 8 This illustrates an exemplary decoding process for a DCI format used with a UE, according to the present disclosure.

[0123] It is projected that by 2030, the number of connected devices will reach approximately 500 billion, roughly 59 times the projected world population at that time (approximately 8.5 billion). Mobile devices will adopt various form factors, such as augmented reality (AR) glasses, virtual reality (VR) headsets, and holographic devices, while the majority of devices will be Internet of Things (IoT) devices to improve productivity and enhance quality of life. As the number of IoT devices grows exponentially, these IoT devices will dominate next-generation wireless communication systems, such as fifth-generation (5G) advanced systems and sixth-generation (6G) systems.

[0124] With the explosive growth in the number of IoT devices, powering them with batteries that require manual replacement or charging can be challenging, leading to high maintenance costs. Automation and digitalization across industries necessitate new IoT technologies to support battery-free devices without energy storage capabilities or energy storage devices that do not require manual replacement or charging. In this disclosure, this type of device is collectively referred to as Ambient IoT (A-IoT), which is powered by various renewable energy sources such as radio waves, light, motion, or heat. Use cases for A-IoT devices include asset inventory / tracking and remote environmental monitoring. The following list provides exemplary use cases for A-IoT devices:

[0125] ●Indoor inventory

[0126] Automated warehousing

[0127] Medical device inventory management and positioning

[0128] ○ Non-public logistics network

[0129] Automobile manufacturing

[0130] ○ Airport terminal / shipping port

[0131] ○ Smart laundry

[0132] ○ Automated supply chain distribution

[0133] Fresh food supply chain

[0134] End-to-end logistics

[0135] Flower Auction

[0136] ○ Electronic shelf label

[0137] ●Indoor sensor

[0138] Smart Home

[0139] ○ Monitoring of Base Station Equipment Room Environment

[0140] ○ Smart laundry

[0141] ○ Smart Agriculture

[0142] ○ Smart Pig Farm

[0143] ○Cowshed

[0144] ●Indoor positioning

[0145] ○ Searching for remotely lost items

[0146] Location services

[0147] ○Measuring distance at home

[0148] ○Personal Items Search

[0149] ○ Positioning of the shopping mall

[0150] Museum Guide

[0151] ●Indoor Command

[0152] ○ Modify medical device status online

[0153] ○ Device activation and deactivation

[0154] ○ Health care for the elderly

[0155] ○Permanently deactivate the device

[0156] ○ Electronic shelf label

[0157] ●Outdoor storage

[0158] Medical device inventory management and positioning

[0159] ○ Non-public logistics network

[0160] ○ Airport terminal / shipping port

[0161] ○ Automated supply chain distribution

[0162] ●Outdoor sensor

[0163] ○ Smart Grid

[0164] Forest fire monitoring

[0165] ○ Dairy industry

[0166] ○ Intelligent manhole cover safety monitoring

[0167] ○ Intelligent bridge health monitoring

[0168] ●Outdoor positioning

[0169] ○ Searching for remotely lost items

[0170] Location services

[0171] ○Personal Items Search

[0172] ●Outdoor Command

[0173] ○ Modify medical device status online

[0174] ○ Device activation and deactivation

[0175] ○ Health care for the elderly

[0176] ○ Controllers in smart agriculture

[0177] The limited size and low complexity required for practical applications of A-IoT devices, with output power typically ranging from 1 μW to several hundred μW from harvested energy from ambient power sources—orders of magnitude lower than the peak power consumption of typical user equipment (UEs) exceeding 10 mW—need to necessitate a new wireless access technology for A-IoT devices, which existing cellular systems, including low-power IoT technologies such as NB-IoT and eMTC, cannot meet.

[0178] Wireless communication is one of the most successful innovations in modern history. Recently, the number of subscribers to wireless communication services surpassed 5 billion and continues to grow rapidly, as predicted in this article. The demand for wireless data traffic is growing rapidly among consumers and businesses due to the increasing prevalence of smartphones and other mobile data devices, such as tablets, laptops, netbooks, e-readers, and machine-type devices (including A-IoT devices). To meet this rapid growth in mobile data traffic and support new applications, deployments, and device types, improving radio interface efficiency and coverage is crucial. In 5G communication systems, system network improvements are being developed based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RAN), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, mobile networks, cooperative communication, coordinated multipoint (CoMP), and receiver interference cancellation. This technological evolution will continue in the next generation of 6G systems.

[0179] In the following text, italicized names of parameters indicate that the parameter is provided by a higher layer.

[0180] DL or UL transmissions can be based on OFDM waveforms, which include variants using DFT precoding, known as DFT spread spectrum OFDM, and are typically used for UL transmissions.

[0181] In the following text, a subframe (SF) refers to a transmission time unit in the LTE RAT, and a slot refers to a transmission time unit in the NR RAT. For example, the slot duration may be an approximation of the SF duration. NR may use DL or UL slot structures that differ from the LTE SF structure. Differences may include the structure used for transmitting the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), the location and structure of the demodulation reference signal (DM-RS), transmission duration, etc. Furthermore, eNB refers to a base station serving a UE operating using the LTE RAT, and gNB refers to a base station serving a UE operating using the NR RAT. Exemplary embodiments consider the same numerics (including the subcarrier spacing (SCS) configuration and cyclic prefix (CP) length of OFDM symbols) for transmissions using the LTE RAT and NR RAT. In this case, the OFDM symbols used for the LTE RAT are the same as those used for the NR RAT, and the subframes are the same as the slots; for brevity, the term slot will be used subsequently in the remainder of this disclosure.

[0182] The unit used for DL ​​or UL signaling on a cell is called a time slot and may include one or more symbols. The bandwidth (BW) unit is called a resource block (RB). An RB includes multiple subcarriers (SCs). For example, a time slot may have a duration of one millisecond, and an RB may have a bandwidth of 180 kHz and include 12 SCs, with a 15 kHz interval between the SCs. The subcarrier spacing (SCS) can be configured via the SCS. Determined as kHz. A subcarrier cell on a symbol is called a resource element (RE). An RB cell on a symbol is called a physical RB (PRB).

[0183] DL signaling includes: the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for transmitting information content, the PDCCH for transmitting DL control information (DCI), and the Reference Signal (RS). The PDCCH can be transmitted on a variable number of time slot symbols (including one time slot symbol) and on multiple CCEs from a predetermined number of control channel elements (CCEs) (called the CCE aggregation level within a control resource set (CORESET), as described in the following references: 3GPP TS 36.211 [Reference 1] v17.6.0, “NR; Physical channels and modulation”, and 3GPP TS 38.213 [Reference 3] v17.6.0, “NR; Physical Layer procedures for control”.

[0184] For each DL bandwidth portion (BWP) indicated to the UE in the serving cell, the UE can provide it via higher-layer signaling. Each control resource set (CORESET) is provided to the UE. For each CORESET, a CORESET index p is provided. The parameters include: DM-RS scrambling sequence initialization value; precoder granularity of multiple resource element groups (REGs) in the frequency domain (the UE may expect to use the same DM-RS precoder); number of consecutive symbols in the CORESET; a set of resource blocks (RBs) in the CORESET; mapping parameters from control channel elements to resource element groups (CCE-to-REG); quasi-co-location of antenna ports from a set of quasi-co-location antenna ports (indicating quasi-co-location information of DM-RS antenna ports for PDCCH reception in the corresponding CORESET); and indication of the presence or absence of the Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) field of DCI format 1_1 sent by PDCCH in CORESET p.

[0185] For each DL BWP configured for the UE in the serving cell, the UE is provided by a higher layer. There are s search space sets. For each of the s search space sets, a search space set index s(s, s, s) is provided to the UE. The association between the search space set s and CORESET p The PDCCH monitoring cycle for each time slot and PDCCH monitoring offset for each time slot, PDCCH monitoring mode within the time slot (indicating the first symbol of (multiple) CORESETs within the time slot used for PDCCH monitoring), The duration of each time slot (indicating the number of time slots in the search space set s), and the PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level L. The quantity, and an indication of whether the search space set s is a common search space (CSS) set or a UE-specific search space (USS) set. When the search space set s is a CSS set, the UE monitors the PDCCH to detect DCI format 2_x, where x ranges from 0 to 7, as described in TS 38.212 [Reference 2] v17.6.0, or the DCI format related to scheduling broadcast / multicast PDSCH reception, as well as DCI format 0_0 and DCI format 1_0.

[0186] The UE determines the PDCCH monitoring timing on the active DLBWP based on the PDCCH monitoring period, PDCCH monitoring offset, and PDCCH monitoring mode within the time slot. For a search space set s, the UE determines that multiple PDCCH monitoring timings exist within a frame. In the time slot, if Then the frame has a number UE targeting A series of consecutive time slots (from time slot) (Start) Monitor the PDCCH candidates in the search space set s, and for subsequent individual... The PDCCH candidates for continuous time slots are not monitored in the search space set s. The UE determines the CCE for monitoring the PDCCH based on the search space equation according to the search space set, as described in TS 38.213 [Reference 3] v17.6.0.

[0187] The UE expects to monitor PDCCH candidates for up to four DCI format sizes, including up to three DCI format sizes (where each serving cell is scrambled by C-RNTI for CRC). The UE counts the number of DCI format sizes for each serving / scheduled cell based on multiple PDCCH candidates in the corresponding search space set of the corresponding active DL BWP. In the following text, for the sake of brevity, the constraint on the number of DCI format sizes will be referred to as the DCI size limit. When the DCI size limit would exceed the UE based on the configuration of the DCI formats (for the UE to monitor PDCCH), the UE will align some DCI format sizes, as described in TS38.212 [Reference 2] v17.6.0, so that the DCI size limit is not exceeded.

[0188] For each scheduled cell, the UE does not need to monitor the active DL BWP, where the SCS configuration of the scheduled cell in each time slot is... more than PDCCH candidates or more There are non-overlapping CCEs, among which and These are the maximum number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs in the scheduled cell, respectively. and These are the total number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs of the scheduled cell, as described in TS 38.213 [Reference 3] v17.6.0.

[0189] In addition to the CSS set used for multicast PDSCH scheduling, the UE does not expect to be configured with the following CSS sets: those CSS sets that cause the total number of monitored PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs on each slot of the primary cell, or the number of scheduled cells per slot, to exceed the corresponding maximum number for each slot. For the USS set or the CSS set associated with multicast PDSCH scheduling, when the number of PDCCH candidates or non-overlapping CCEs in a slot will exceed the limit / maximum number of each slot used for scheduling on the primary cell as mentioned herein, the UE selects the USS set or CSS set to monitor the corresponding PDCCH in ascending order of the corresponding search space set index until PDCCH monitoring will cause the search space set index to exceed the maximum number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs used for scheduling on the PCell per slot, as described in TS 38.213 [Reference 3] v17.6.0.

[0190] For intra-cell scheduling or cross-carrier scheduling, where the scheduling cell and the scheduled cell have the same SCS configuration. For DL ​​BWP, the UE will not expect the number of PDCCH candidates and the corresponding number of non-overlapping CCEs in each time slot of the subcell to be greater than the corresponding number that the UE can monitor in each time slot of the subcell. For cross-carrier scheduling, the number of PDCCH candidates used for monitoring and the number of non-overlapping CCEs in each time slot are counted separately for each scheduled cell.

[0191] The UE can be configured to operate using carrier aggregation (CA) for PDSCH reception (DL CA) on multiple cells or PUSCH transmission (UL CA) on multiple cells. The UE can also configure multiple transmit-receive points (TRPs) for each cell via an indication (or no indication) of the coresetPoolIndex of CORESET, whereby the UE receives PDCCH / PDSCH from the corresponding TRP, as described in TS 38.213 [Reference 3] v17.6.0 and TS 38.214 [Reference 4] v17.6.0.

[0192] MIMO technology plays a crucial role in improving the system throughput of both NR and LTE, and this role will continue and expand in future generations of wireless technologies. For MIMO operation, antenna ports are defined such that the channel transmitting symbols on that antenna port can be inferred from the channel transmitting another symbol on the same antenna port. There is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between antenna ports and antenna elements, and multiple antenna elements can be mapped to a single antenna port.

[0193] Figure 9a and Figure 9bA diagram illustrating exemplary Type 1 backscattering structures 900 and 950 for Internet of Things (IoT) devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example, backscattering structures 900 and 950 can be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 3 The UE 116 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0194] like Figure 9a As shown, the Type 1 backscattering structure 900 includes an antenna 902, an RF energy harvesting module 904, an energy storage and power management module 905, an RF BPF 906, an RF envelope detector 908, a comparator / analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 910, a baseband 912, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a sensor 916, a local oscillator (LO) 918, a mixer 920, a modulator (impedance matching) 922, and an antenna 924.

[0195] like Figure 9b As shown, the Type 1 backscattering structure 950 includes an antenna 902, an RF energy harvesting module 904, an energy storage and power management module 905, a processing circuit 913, and a communication subsystem 960. The communication subsystem 960 includes a BPF 956, an RF envelope detector 908, a comparator / ADC 910, a digital baseband 962, a memory 914, and a modulator (impedance matching) 922.

[0196] In various embodiments, processing circuitry 913 may be a full-power processor (such as that included in UE 116), a low-power microprocessor or microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or logic circuitry. Processing circuitry 913 may control the overall operation of the IoT device, including determining receive and / or transmit timing. Processing circuitry 913 may be powered via energy storage and power management 905. Signal receiving and transmitting processing circuitry included in the IoT device (such as RF BPF 906, RF envelope detector 908, comparator / analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 910, baseband 912, LO 918, mixer 920, modulator (impedance matching) 922) may be referred to as transceivers, which may receive and transmit using separate antennas 902 and 924, or may use a common antenna (such as antenna 902) for both transmission and reception. One or more implementations described herein also include other variations, such as separate Tx-Rx antennas versus a common Tx-Rx antenna, the use of sensors, etc. These implementations should be understood as examples, not limitations.

[0197] Several different types of A-IoT devices can be evaluated. One device type has a peak power consumption of approximately 1μW, energy storage, and up to 10...X The initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) is ppm, and the device has neither DL (e.g., R2D) nor UL (e.g., D2R) amplification, where the device's D2R transmission is backscattered on an externally provided carrier (CW). In this disclosure, this type of device is referred to as a Type 1 backscattering device, or simply a Type 1 device. Another type of device has Peak power consumption of several hundred μW, energy storage, up to 10 X The initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) of ppm, the device has both R2D and / or D2R amplification, wherein the device’s D2R transmission can be generated internally by the device or backscattered on an externally provided CW, referred to as a type 2 active device and a type 2 backscatter device, respectively.

[0198] Figure 9a and Figure 9b An exemplary type 1 backscattering device structure is shown.

[0199] RF energy harvesting can be a viable solution to power Type 1 backscattering devices that require approximately 1 μW of peak power consumption. An R2D signal or an externally provided CW signal for backscattering can be used for RF energy harvesting. The CW is provided externally by a gNB or a dedicated source. The source of the CW signal (e.g., a gNB or dedicated node) should be independent of the A-IoT device. For example, energy harvested using a rectifier can be stored using capacitors, supercapacitors, or energy storage devices in general.

[0200] The R2D signal is demodulated using a low-complexity envelope detector and comparator, with its output serving as input to the baseband circuitry. Considering the low power consumption and low complexity requirements of Type 1 backscattering devices, RF envelope detection can be a viable solution for the receiver architecture compared to heterodyne architectures with IF envelope detection or homodyne architectures with baseband envelope detection (which require a LO and mixer for down-conversion). In implementation B, the input RF signal passes through an RF bandpass filter (BPF) for adjacent channel interference suppression, and then, depending on the modulation scheme, the filtered RF signal is directly converted to a digital signal using an RF envelope detector and an n-bit comparator.

[0201] For D2R backscatter transmission, the following cases can be evaluated:

[0202] ●Case 1) CW is provided at the DL spectrum and backscattered, that is, CW at the DL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the DL spectrum.

[0203] ●Case 2) CW is provided at the UL spectrum and backscattered, that is, CW at the UL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the UL spectrum.

[0204] ●Case 3) CW is provided at the DL spectrum, the frequency is shifted to the UL spectrum, and then backscattering occurs, i.e., CW at the DL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the UL spectrum.

[0205] The TDD spectrum can be evaluated similarly to either case 1) or case 2), i.e., CW and D2R backscattering at the same frequency. Case 3) of the frequency division duplex (FDD) spectrum requires a frequency shifter because the duplex spacing requires an LO and a mixer. The duplex spacing of the FDD spectrum ranges from at least 10 MHz to several hundred MHz, depending on the carrier frequency.

[0206] Implementation A (Desired Case 3) states that if the CW is provided at a frequency different from the D2R carrier frequency, the D2R signal transmission is performed via backscattering of the externally provided CW, which involves a frequency shifter. Type 1 backscattering can also operate in the TDD spectrum. In this case, the device does not require a frequency shifter to achieve the desired frequency shift. Considering that A-IoT devices aim for low complexity and low power consumption, the following options can be evaluated as exemplary methods of frequency shifting:

[0207] ● Ultra-low power local oscillator (LO), whose output frequency is multiplied in one or more stages using a frequency multiplier to obtain the desired frequency shift.

[0208] ● A calibrated RC (resistance-capacitor) oscillator that uses the CW frequency as the input to an RC oscillator with a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit.

[0209] ● CW signal provided with D2R carrier frequency; in this case, no frequency shifter is required.

[0210] ● Use the harmonic frequency of the CW signal or the intermodulation frequency of the two-tone CW signal.

[0211] Implementation method B is expected to be either case 1 or case 2), which does not require a frequency shifter.

[0212] Implementations A and B also include other variations, such as separate Tx-Rx antennas versus a shared Tx-Rx antenna, and the use of sensors. These implementations should be understood as examples, not limitations.

[0213] Figure 10 A diagram illustrating an exemplary impedance matching circuit 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, the impedance matching circuit 1000 may be implemented in the modulator (impedance matching) 922 of an IoT device. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0214] Figure 10 An exemplary impedance matching circuit for D2R modulation of a backscattering device is shown.

[0215] Here is a simple example of impedance matching operation:

[0216] ● Open circuit: The received CW signal is totally reflected in the same phase. This can be used for on-off keying (OOK) modulation with matching circuitry.

[0217] ● Short circuit: Total reflection of the received CW signal when it is out of phase. This can be used for phase shift keying (PSK) modulation.

[0218] ● Matching circuit: No reflection because the impedance matches the load, i.e., absorption. This can be used for energy harvesting, Rx mode, or modulation with other matching states.

[0219] ●Multi-stage matching circuits: such as Figure 10 As shown. Multi-stage impedance matching is applied to the log2(L) bits Z1, Z2, ..., Zn of each symbol's ASK modulation. L .

[0220] Depending on the matched load impedance, the matching circuit can backscatter input CW signals with different reflection coefficients in both amplitude and phase. Typically, impedance matching circuits can be used to support ASK / PSK / Frequency Shift Keying (FSK). As the simplest modulation scheme, OOK can be evaluated for A-IoT due to its low complexity. The UE can indicate its modulation capability or impedance matching capability to the network (e.g., network 130), or certain requirements can be predefined in the system operating specifications.

[0221] Figure 11a and Figure 11b A diagram illustrating exemplary Type 2 backscattering structures 1100 and 1150 for Internet of Things (IoT) devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example, Type 2 backscattering structures 1100 and 1150 can be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 3 The UE 116 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0222] like Figure 11aAs shown, the Type 2 backscattering structure 1100 includes an antenna 902, an RF energy harvesting module 904, an energy storage and power management module 905, a bandpass filter (BPF) 956, an amplifier 1102, an RF envelope detector 908, a comparator / ADC 910, a baseband 912, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a sensor 916, an LO 918, a mixer 920, a modulator (impedance matching) 922, an amplifier 1104, and an antenna 924.

[0223] like Figure 11b As shown, the Type 2 backscattering structure 1150 includes an antenna 902, an energy harvesting module 1154, an energy storage and power management module 905, a BPF 956, an amplifier 1152, an RF envelope detector 908, an amplifier 1153, a comparator / ADC 910, a digital baseband 962, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, an FDD frequency shifter 1155, a modulator (impedance matching) 922, and an amplifier 1104.

[0224] Figure 11a and Figure 11b An exemplary type 2 backscattering device structure is shown.

[0225] Since D2R transmission is still based on backscattering of an externally provided CW, a Type 2 backscattering device can be structurally similar to a Type 1 device, while a Type 2 backscattering device may differ from a Type 1 device in the following ways.

[0226] Type 2 devices have The peak power consumption is several hundred μW, and the device simultaneously incorporates R2D and / or D2R amplification. In this case, as shown in Implementation A, as an alternative to harvesting RF energy from the R2D signal or an externally provided CW signal, other renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, thermal, kinetic, etc.) can be evaluated for energy harvesting, as shown in Implementation B. From a system design perspective, it can be assumed that a certain energy harvesting capability exists for a certain renewable energy source.

[0227] Type 2 devices can be equipped with both R2D and / or D2R amplification. Considering power consumption requirements, i.e. For a few hundred μW, type 2 devices, R2D / D2R amplification may be based on an architecture different from the common MOSFET-based power amplifier (PA) and low-noise amplifier (LNA). In some exemplary low-power / complexity forward amplification (for R2D reception) and reflection amplification (for D2R backscattering) architectures, a single bipolar transistor terminated in a microstrip configuration can be used. The R2D amplification can be RF amplification before the envelope detector, as shown in implementation A, or baseband amplification before the comparator / ADC, as shown in implementation B; this is one implementation option.

[0228] An additional difference between Type 2 and Type 1 devices may be the use of an FDD frequency shifter. With peak power consumption of several hundred μW, some low-power LO architectures with mixers can be envisioned for Case 3).

[0229] Figure 12a and Figure 12b A diagram illustrating exemplary Type 2 active structures 1200 and 1250 for Internet of Things (IoT) devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example, Type 2 backscattering active structures 1200 and 1250 can be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 3 The UE 116 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0230] like Figure 12a As shown, the Type 2 active structure 1200 includes an antenna 902, an energy harvesting module 1154, an energy storage and power management module 905, a BPF 956, an amplifier 1152, an RF envelope detector 908, an amplifier 1153, a comparator / ADC 910, a baseband 912, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a modulator 1172, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 1174, an LO 918, a mixer 920, and an amplifier 1102.

[0231] like Figure 12b As shown, the Type 2 active structure 1250 includes an antenna 902, an energy harvesting module 1154, an energy storage and power management module 905, a BPF 956, an amplifier 1152, a mixer 1186, an envelope detector 1158, a comparator / ADC 910, a baseband 912, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a modulator 1172, a DAC 1174, an LO 1178, a mixer 1177, and an amplifier 1102.

[0232] Figure 12a and Figure 12b An exemplary type 2 active device structure is shown.

[0233] Except that the D2R signal is generated internally using a LO instead of backscattering an externally provided CW, Type 2 active devices are structurally similar to Type 2 passive devices. The exemplary architecture shown in Figure 11 is based on a common active transmitter chain, in which D2R data is modulated, converted to an analog signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and then up-converted to the D2R carrier frequency using a LO and a mixer, followed by an amplifier.

[0234] In implementation A, the R2D receiver chain remains based on an RF envelope detector, as in the previous architecture. In implementation B, the R2D receiver chain is based on intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband (BB) envelope detection. In the heterodyne architecture, the RF signal is down-converted to IF and then detected using an envelope detector. In the zero-difference / zero-IF architecture, the RF signal is directly down-converted to baseband and then detected using an envelope detector.

[0235] Figures 9 through 12 should be understood for illustrative purposes only. Other components not explicitly shown in the figures may exist, such as switches, duplexers, and filters, or certain components may be replaced with different options. Furthermore, these devices can operate in both TDD and FDD spectrum, and the actual architecture may differ from the conceptual illustrations in the figures depending on the operating spectrum.

[0236] When deploying A-IoT devices, different topology options can be evaluated. Examples of topology options are provided below:

[0237] ●Topology 1: BS A-IoT devices

[0238] ○ A-IoT devices communicate directly and bidirectionally with the base station. Communication between the base station and the A-IoT devices includes A-IoT data and / or signaling. This topology involves the BS sending data to the A-IoT devices that is different from the BS receiving data from the A-IoT devices.

[0239] ●Topology 2: BS intermediate nodes Environmental IoT devices

[0240] ○ Bidirectional communication between A-IoT devices and intermediate nodes between devices and base stations. In this topology, intermediate nodes can be relays, IAB nodes, UEs, repeaters, etc., capable of A-IoT. The intermediate nodes transmit A-IoT data and / or signaling between the BS and the A-IoT devices. In this disclosure, the intermediate node is referred to as an I-node.

[0241] ●Topology 3: BS auxiliary nodes Environmental IoT devices BS

[0242] ○ An A-IoT device sends data / signaling to the base station and receives data / signaling from the auxiliary node; or an A-IoT device receives data / signaling from the base station and sends data / signaling to the auxiliary node. In this topology, the auxiliary node can be a relay, IAB, UE, repeater, etc., capable of A-IoT.

[0243] ●Topology 4: UE Environmental IoT devices

[0244] ○ The A-IoT device communicates bidirectionally with the UE. The communication between the UE and the A-IoT device includes A-IoT data and / or signaling.

[0245] This disclosure applies to at least the following deployment scenarios:

[0246] ●Scenario 1: The device is indoors, and the BS is indoors.

[0247] ●Scenario 2: The equipment is indoors, and the BS is outdoors.

[0248] ●Scenario 3: The device is indoors, using a UE-based reader.

[0249] ●Scenario 4: The equipment is outdoors, and the BS is outdoors.

[0250] ●Scenario 5: The device is outdoors, using a UE-based reader.

[0251] A-IoT deployments can be carried out at the same sites as existing 3GPP deployments corresponding to the BS type, such as macro cells, micro cells, pico cells, etc. In some embodiments, it can be assumed that A-IoT deployments can be carried out at new sites without assuming existing 3GPP deployments. Deployment can be based on licensed or unlicensed TDD or FDD spectrum, which can be within the frequency band of existing deployments, within the guard band of existing deployments, or within independent frequency bands. Different traffic types can be supported, including device termination (DT) and device initiation (DO), where DO traffic can be further divided into DO autonomous (DO-A) and DO device termination triggered (DO-DTT) types.

[0252] A-IoT devices are a type of UE. The embodiments in this disclosure can generally be applied to other types of UEs, such as smartphones, AR / VR devices, or any other type of IoT device.

[0253] Any operation performed by the BS in this disclosure can also be performed by the I node instead of the BS, and each interface or part of the interface is transparent to the A-IoT device.

[0254] For precise synchronization, the SFO (Simultaneous Time Optimization) requirement for NR (Normally Interrupted) is within ±0.1 PPM (parts per million). In contrast, using RFID as a reference, the SFO for A-IoT might be ±10-20 PPM. Considering the low complexity and low power consumption requirements of A-IoT devices, it's clear that the oscillators equipped with A-IoT devices will be far less powerful than those equipped with ordinary NR UEs. Therefore, assuming that A-IoT devices have precise timing capabilities is impractical, as this capability is typically assumed to be present in ordinary NR UEs. Furthermore, given that A-IoT devices are powered by harvested energy, they may periodically run out of power, resulting in a loss of timing—that is, a lack of timing maintenance capability.

[0255] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure recognize the need to define processes and methods for A-IoT devices to send D2R signals and receive R2D signals in the absence of frame synchronization.

[0256] Embodiments of this disclosure also recognize that it is necessary to define R2D / D2R signal structures for reception in systems lacking frame synchronization.

[0257] Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure recognize the need to define processes and methods for determining errors in received R2D / D2R signals.

[0258] This disclosure relates to a communication system. This disclosure relates to defining the functions and procedures for communicating with A-IoT devices that may lack precise timing capabilities and may operate in passive or active D2R transmission modes.

[0259] This disclosure relates to defining the functions and processes for A-IoT devices to transmit D2R signals and receive R2D signals in the absence of frame synchronization.

[0260] This disclosure also relates to defining R2D / D2R signal structures for reception in systems lacking frame synchronization.

[0261] This disclosure further relates to defining functions and procedures for determining errors in received R2D / D2R signals.

[0262] The following pages provide a description of exemplary embodiments.

[0263] The text and accompanying drawings are provided by way of example only to help the reader understand the contents of this disclosure. They are not intended and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any way. Although certain embodiments and examples have been provided, those skilled in the art will understand, based on the disclosure herein, that changes can be made to the illustrated embodiments and examples without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0264] The following flowcharts illustrate exemplary methods that can be implemented according to the principles of this disclosure, and various modifications can be made to the methods shown in the flowcharts herein. For example, although shown as a series of steps, the individual steps in each diagram may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps.

[0265] The following summarizes embodiments of this disclosure for communicating with A-IoT devices, which may lack precise timing capabilities and may operate in passive or active D2R transmission modes.

[0266] ●Methods and apparatus for defining the functions and processes by which A-IoT devices transmit D2R signals and receive R2D signals in the absence of frame synchronization.

[0267] ●Methods and apparatus for defining R2D / D2R signal structures for reception in systems lacking frame synchronization.

[0268] ●Methods and apparatus for defining functions and processes for determining errors in received R2D / D2R signals.

[0269] Figure 13 The diagram illustrates a timeline for a reader-triggered asynchronous system timing synchronization 1300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the reader-triggered asynchronous system timing synchronization 1300 can be... Figure 1 The process is triggered by gNB 102 and / or network 130 in wireless network 100, followed by the IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0270] Figure 14 The diagram illustrates a timeline of reader-triggered local synchronization system timing synchronization 1400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, reader-triggered local synchronization system timing synchronization 1400 can be achieved by… Figure 1 The process is triggered by gNB102 and / or network130 in wireless network 100, followed by the IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0271] Figure 13 An exemplary reader-triggered asynchronous system with relative timing is shown according to this disclosure.

[0272] exist Figure 13In this context, A-IoT is deployed within the frequency band of the existing deployment of the synchronous system, where coexistence issues exist between A-IoT devices and other general-purpose UEs. Time / frequency resources used for A-IoT communication sessions can be reserved for other general-purpose UEs, preventing them from receiving any periodic R2D signals or channels (such as PDCCH, semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) PDSCH, any type of RS (e.g., CSI-RS, Position Reference Signal (PRS), Tracking Reference Signal (TRS), Phase Tracking Reference Signal (PT-RS)) and transmitting any periodic D2R signals or channels (such as Scheduling Request (SR), Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgment (HARQACK), CSI Report, Configured Granted PUSCH (CG-PUSCH), Probe Reference Signal (SRS)). The serving cell can provide the general UE with a set of parameters related to frequency domain reserved resources (e.g., RB / Resource Block Group (RBG) index, RB / RBG range, BWP or frequency range) and a set of parameters related to time domain reserved resources (e.g., periodicity, offset, duration).

[0273] From the perspective of an A-IoT device, it may or may not be aware of its coexistence with other general-purpose UEs. In cases where the A-IoT device is independent of other general-purpose UEs, in-band coexistence is maintained by the reader. This can be achieved by encapsulating asynchronous A-IoT communication sessions within a synchronous system frame structure, since any D2R transmission is triggered by a reader with a relative timing relationship. In standalone deployments, A-IoT sessions can be continuous.

[0274] If an A-IoT device detects a paging signal, it may expect R2D reception or D2R transmission. Otherwise, if no paging signal is detected for a certain period of time, the A-IoT device may assume that the A-IoT communication session has ended or that there is no gNB nearby (e.g., gNB 102). Therefore, in this case, the paging signal serves as a wake-up signal for the A-IoT device.

[0275] Paging signals can also provide system information. In this case, control information indicates that subsequent payloads include system information. Some system information that can be considered for provision includes the Physical Cell ID (PCI), channel BW, and parameters related to random access. Paging signals can also be used for R2D path loss measurement and D2R power control.

[0276] Figure 14 An example of a reader-triggered local synchronization system according to this disclosure is shown.

[0277] The network initiates an A-IoT communication session by sending a paging message. Once a paging message is received from the gNB, assuming the paging message serves as a timing reference signal, the A-IoT device expects the transmission interval between consecutive paging messages to be constant, at least during the current A-IoT session. Considering the achievable SFO (Simultaneous Start-Off) of the A-IoT device, there may be a non-negligible clock drift between two consecutive paging messages.

[0278] ● Determine the paging interval such that the timing drift within the paging interval is less than ±X% of the time slot duration.

[0279] ●Provide protection time between time slots, taking into account timing drift.

[0280] ● Add a preamble signal to R2D / D2R transmission so that each signal provides its own timing information.

[0281] The paging interval and / or protection time are provided to the UE in the paging message itself, in system information (e.g., UE116), or predefined in the system operation specifications. The interval / protection time can be an absolute time, such as in milliseconds, or an integer multiple of a time unit, such as a basic time unit, symbol duration, or chip duration. When indicated, it can be indicated by its absolute value or as an index to a set of predefined values.

[0282] The addition of a preamble to an R2D / D2R transmission can be predefined in the system operation specifications or indicated to the UE, for example, in a paging message or system information.

[0283] Figure 15 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 1500 for receiving an R2D signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 1500 may be performed by an IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0284] The process begins at step 1510, where the A-IoT device detects a delimiter indicating the start of a signal. At step 1520, the A-IoT device detects a preamble and obtains timing synchronization for signal demodulation. At step 1530, the A-IoT device reads the control element and obtains information related to one or more subsequent payloads. At step 1540, the A-IoT device reads one or more payloads based on the information obtained from the control element. At step 1550, the A-IoT device detects a delimiter indicating the end of a signal.

[0285] Figure 16A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 1600 for generating an uplink (UL) signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 1600 may be performed by an A-IoT device, such as IoT devices 900, 950, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, or 2900. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0286] The process begins at 1610, where the A-IoT device generates a delimiter indicating the start of the signal. At 1620, the A-IoT device generates a preamble signal. At 1630, the A-IoT device generates control elements providing information related to one or more subsequent payloads. At 1640, the A-IoT device generates one or more payloads based on the generated control elements. At 1650, the A-IoT device generates a delimiter indicating the end of the signal.

[0287] Figure 15 An exemplary flowchart for receiving R2D signals by an A-IoT device according to this disclosure is shown.

[0288] Figure 16 An exemplary flowchart for generating D2R signals for A-IoT devices according to this disclosure is shown.

[0289] Figure 17 A diagram illustrating an exemplary R2D / D2R signal architecture 1700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the R2D / D2R signal architecture 1700 can send / receive signals to / from gNB 102 and / or network 130 and... Figure 1 The wireless network 100 and the IoT device described herein are used for transmission / reception. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0290] An R2D / D2R signal can consist of one or more of the following: a start delimiter, a preamble, one or more inodes and associated payload, a postamble, and an end delimiter. In one example, the signal does not include a start delimiter and an end delimiter. In this case, the A-IoT device uses the preamble of the R2D signal to detect the start of the signal. Depending on the payload size, one or more inodes and postodes may or may not be present.

[0291] Figure 17 An example of a basic R2D / D2R signal structure according to this disclosure is shown.

[0292] When evaluating the low complexity requirements of A-IoT devices, R2D signals / channels and D2R signals / channels can be based on common R2D signal structures and common D2R signal structures, respectively. These can be reused for transmitting or receiving different types of R2D / D2R information. For example, for R2D transmission, the control element (CE) in the signal can indicate whether the signal is at least for R2D control information, system information (SI), or R2D data. Similarly, for D2R transmission, the CE can indicate whether the signal is at least for D2R control information or D2R data. For this purpose, only one physical channel can be defined for the downlink and only one physical channel can be defined for the uplink; these can be referred to as:

[0293] ●Physical Reader to Device Channel (PRDCH):

[0294] From the perspective of NR, PRDCH serves the purposes of PDSCH, PDCCH, and Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

[0295] ●Physical Device to Reader Channel (PDRCH):

[0296] From NR's perspective, PDRCH serves the purposes of PUSCH, PUCCH, and PRACH.

[0297] The expectation is that reusing common signal structures and using CE to indicate different signal types will greatly simplify baseband processing for A-IoT devices, rather than defining multiple different types of physical channels as in NR.

[0298] Depending on the type of signal or channel, the signal / channel may include only a subset of the fields in the diagram.

[0299] ● Delimiter: Indicates the start and end of a signal. Compared to the preamble, it may be used for a shorter, less complex signal to be detected. In some designs, the preamble can also serve this purpose, therefore the delimiter may not be present; that is, the preamble includes a signal start delimiter.

[0300] ● Preamble: A signal used for low-complexity presence detection, which can be implemented, for example, using a shift register. The preamble signal can be a sequence transmitted in the time and / or frequency domains, and can be its simplest form of a switch-time pattern. The preamble signal also provides timing synchronization for the demodulation of subsequent fields, such as CE and one or more payloads. It can also be used for channel estimation, for example, to set automatic gain control (AGC), etc. The preamble immediately follows the start-of-signal delimiter without any time interval, or the start-of-signal delimiter is part of the preamble, placed at the beginning of the preamble, and another synchronization signal follows immediately after it. The preamble is immediately followed by the PRDCH. For D2R, there may not be a separate start-of-signal delimiter, and the preamble is immediately followed by the PDRCH.

[0301] ● Control Element (CE): The CE field carries information required for R2D reception or D2R transmission, similar to the NR DCI format. Some additional control information can be included in the payload, and its processing can be similar to that of the NR MAC CE and MAC Service Data Unit (SDU). The CE can consist of the following sub-elements.

[0302] ○ Signal type: An indicator of the type of signal transmitted in the payload, such as R2D control information, D2R control information, R2D data, D2R data, SI, etc.

[0303] ○Source ID: The transmitter ID of the signal. For R2D, it is the reader's ID, i.e., PCI. For D2R, it is the device ID, which can be an ID assigned by the gNB or an ID associated with the device itself.

[0304] ○ Destination ID: The ID of the intended receiver for the signal. For D2R, it is the reader's ID, i.e., PCI. For R2D, it can indicate the association ID of a specific A-IoT device or the group ID of a specific set of A-IoT devices. For broadcast information (such as system information), this field can indicate NULL or PCI, intended for reception by devices served by the gNB.

[0305] ○ Length: This field indicates the length of the subsequent payload, for example, in bits, symbols or chips, or a time span. In another example, the payload size is fixed and predefined by the system operation specifications. In this case, if the information bits are less than the fixed payload size, the UE appends 0s to match the size.

[0306] ● Payload: Based on the signal type indicated in the CE, it can be R2D control information, D2R control information, R2D data, D2R data, SI, etc.

[0307] Figure 18 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 1800 for receiving an R2D signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 1800 may be performed by an IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0308] The process begins at 1810, where the A-IoT device detects the preamble of the signal. At 1820, the A-IoT device determines the inclusion of one or more intermembs and one or more corresponding payloads, as well as the inclusion of the postamble. At 1830, the A-IoT device obtains timing synchronization from the preamble, one or more intermembs, and the postamble (if present). At 1840, the A-IoT device reads one or more payloads.

[0309] Figure 18 An exemplary flowchart is shown for receiving an R2D signal comprising one or more mid-prefix / payload and post-prefix in an A-IoT device, according to the present disclosure.

[0310] Figure 19 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 1900 for generating and transmitting D2R signals according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 1900 may be performed by an A-IoT device, such as IoT devices 900, 950, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, or 2900. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0311] The process begins in 1910, where the A-IoT device determines the inclusion of one or more preambles and one or more corresponding payloads, as well as the inclusion of a postamble. In 1920, the A-IoT device generates a signal including a preamble, the determined one or more preambles and one or more corresponding payloads, and a postamble. In 1930, the A-IoT device transmits the generated signal.

[0312] Figure 19 An exemplary flowchart is shown for generating and transmitting D2R signals including one or more mid-prefix / payload and post-prefix signals for A-IoT devices, according to this disclosure.

[0313] Figure 20 A diagram illustrating an exemplary R2D / D2R signal architecture 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, the R2D / D2R signal architecture 2000 can be... Figure 1The wireless network 100 and the IoT devices described herein transmit / receive data to / from gNB 102 and / or network 130. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0314] Figure 21 A diagram illustrating an exemplary R2D / D2R signal architecture 2100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, the R2D / D2R signal architecture 2100 can be... Figure 1 The wireless network 100 and the IoT devices described herein transmit / receive data to / from gNB 102 and / or network 130. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0315] Figure 20 An example of an R2D / D2R signal structure with a postcode according to this disclosure is shown.

[0316] In one example, the presence of the postamble in R2D transmission is indicated in the CE. In another example, if the payload size is greater than a predetermined value (e.g., in bits, symbols, or chips, or a time span), the A-IoT device expects the presence of the postamble in the system operation specification, in the paging configuration, or in the system information. Otherwise, the A-IoT device does not expect the presence of the postamble. The postamble can be the same sequence as the preamble, a time-reversed preamble, a complex conjugate of the preamble, or simply a delimiter.

[0317] The same rules apply to D2R transmissions, as disclosed herein. Alternatively, A-IoT devices may be instructed to append a postcode from the reader to a previous R2D transmission scheduled for a D2R transmission.

[0318] Depending on the length of the payload field, the receiver may lose chip synchronization for data demodulation due to timing drift or consecutive 0s and 1s, depending on the modulation scheme. Therefore, mid-introduction codes may need to be considered to help the receiver maintain synchronization, as illustrated in the accompanying figures.

[0319] Figure 21 An example of an R2D / D2R signal structure with a mid-lead code according to this disclosure is shown. In a first structure, the signal includes a CE only at the beginning, while in a second structure, the signal includes one or more CEs corresponding to one or more respective payloads. In the first structure, the CE provides control information for the subsequent one or more payloads. In the second structure, each CE provides control information for the associated payload.

[0320] In one example, the presence of an inode and / or the number of inodes and payloads included in the R2D transmission are indicated in the CE. For the second structure in the diagram, the CE field provides a count of the remaining number of subsequent inodes and payloads. For example, for a transmission consisting of a total of N payloads and inodes, the first CE indicates N, and the second CE indicates N-1. In another example, if the total payload size is greater than a predetermined value (e.g., expressed in bits, symbols, or chips, or a time span), the A-IoT device expects the presence of one or more inodes and corresponding payloads in the system operation specification, the paging configuration value, or the system information. For example, if the indicated payload size is S... total The maximum payload size for any given payload is S. max Then the UE assumes that the total number of payloads and associated preambles is determined by... Given: The intermediate code can be the same sequence as the preamble, a time-reversed version of the preamble, a complex conjugate of the preamble, or simply a shorter delimiter. The intermediate code can have alternating signals between the nth and (n+1th)th intermediate codes, where n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

[0321] The same rules apply to D2R transmissions, as disclosed herein. Alternatively, the A-IoT device may be instructed regarding payload segmentation, such as the maximum block size that can be encoded within a single payload. If the total payload size exceeds the indicated maximum payload size, the A-IoT should encode the transport blocks into multiple payloads of the specified maximum size. Furthermore, the A-IoT device may also be instructed the maximum number of payloads that it can transmit in a single transmission.

[0322] If the R2D / D2R signal does not include a signal end delimiter, the A-IoT device can assume zero padding for R2D reception or perform zero padding for D2R transmission to match the size of the single payload or the last payload (if the signal includes multiple payloads) as indicated or predefined.

[0323] In one example, if the payload size is less than a first threshold, the signal consists only of a preamble. In another example, if the payload size is greater than the first threshold but less than a second threshold, the signal consists of both a preamble and a postamble. In yet another example, if the payload size is greater than the second threshold, the signal consists of one or more intermezzos and an associated payload, in addition to the preamble or both preamble and postamble.

[0324] Standards with postcodes or midcodes can be provided in the paging message and / or as part of the system information.

[0325] Figure 22 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 2200 for receiving an R2D signal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 2200 may be performed by an IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0326] The process begins at 2210, where the A-IoT device determines the inclusion of an error detection code in the signal for use with one or more corresponding payloads. At 2220, the A-IoT device reads one or more payloads and, if it determines that an error detection code is included, determines whether a payload with an error has been received.

[0327] Figure 22 An exemplary flowchart is shown for receiving R2D signals for an A-IoT device according to the present disclosure, the R2D signals including one or more payloads with corresponding error detection codes.

[0328] In one example, the R2D / D2R signal includes error detection codes, such as parity bits or cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits. In one example, it is assumed that error detection codes are included when the payload size is greater than a certain threshold. In another example, it is assumed that N1 CRC bits are appended for payload sizes less than a certain threshold, and N2 CRC bits are appended for payload sizes greater than or equal to a certain threshold. In these examples, the certain threshold for payload size may be predefined in the system operation specification, or indicated to the A-IoT device, for example, in paging and / or as part of the SI. In yet another example, for D2R transmissions, the reader indicates to the A-IoT device that error detection codes were included in previous R2D transmissions.

[0329] Furthermore, R2D / D2R transmissions can be encoded using error-correcting codes, such as a block code, like a Hamming code or a convolutional code. Similar rules, including those disclosed, can be applied to error detection codes, such that A-IoT devices expect error detection codes to depend on the payload size or each indication from the reader.

[0330] Several different types of A-IoT devices can be evaluated as follows.

[0331] ● Device 1: Approximately 1 μW peak power consumption with energy storage, initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) up to 10X ppm, and no R2D or D2R amplification in the device. The device's D2R transmission is backscattered on an externally provided carrier.

[0332] ●Equipment 2a: With a peak power consumption of several hundred μW, energy storage, and an initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) of up to 10Xppm, the device incorporates both R2D and / or D2R amplification. The device's D2R transmission is backscattered onto an externally provided carrier.

[0333] ●Equipment 2b: With a peak power consumption of several hundred μW, energy storage, and an initial sampling frequency offset (SFO) of up to 10Xppm, the device incorporates both R2D and / or D2R amplification. The device's D2R transmission is generated internally.

[0334] These devices can operate in FDD or TDD spectrum, which can be licensed or unlicensed.

[0335] The following text provides a reference architecture for the device types discussed in this article, which should be understood as examples rather than limitations.

[0336] Figure 23 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 1 structure 2300 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, device 1 structure 2300 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE 111 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0337] like Figure 23 As shown, the device 1 structure 2300 includes an antenna 902, a matching network 2302, an RF energy harvester 2304, a phase measurement unit (PMU) 2306, an energy storage device 2308, an RF BPF 906, an RF envelope detector 908, a BB low-pass filter (LPF) 2310, a comparator 2314, a clock generator 2312, a BB stream 2316, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, and a backscattering (impedance matching) 2322.

[0338] Figure 23 An exemplary type 1 backscattering device structure according to this disclosure is shown.

[0339] RF energy harvester 2304 converts RF signals into DC power and supplies it to the device. R2D signals or externally provided CW signals for backscattering can be used for RF energy harvesting. The CW is provided externally by a gNB or a dedicated source. The source of the CW signal (e.g., a gNB or dedicated node) may or may not be independent of the A-IoT device. For example, energy harvested using a rectifier can be stored using capacitors, supercapacitors, or energy storage devices in general. Antenna 902 can be shared or separate for the RF energy harvester and receiver / transmitter. Matching network 2302 is used to match the impedance between the antenna and other components. PMU 2306 manages the storage of energy from the energy harvester to the energy storage device and supplies power to active component blocks that require power. Clock generator 2312 provides the required clock signals to one or more components in the IoT device (including, for example, but not limited to, memory 914, processing circuitry 913, BB logistics 2316, and / or PMU 2306) and is directly or indirectly connected to these components.

[0340] The R2D signal is demodulated using a low-complexity envelope detector and comparator, with its output provided as input to the baseband circuitry. Considering the low power and low complexity requirements of Type 1 backscattering devices, RF envelope detection can be a viable solution for the receiver architecture compared to heterodyne architectures with IF envelope detection or null-difference architectures with baseband envelope detection (which require LO and mixers for downconversion). The input RF signal passes through an RF bandpass filter (BPF) for adjacent channel interference suppression, and then the filtered RF signal is directly converted to baseband using an RF envelope detector, followed by a baseband low-pass filter (LPF) for filtering out harmonics and high-frequency components, and an n-bit comparator, where n can be 1, 2, 4, 8, ... The use of filters (e.g., BPF only, LPF only, or both) can be a choice of implementation method.

[0341] For D2R backscatter transmission, any of the following can be used:

[0342] ●Case 1) CW is provided at the DL spectrum and backscattered, that is, CW at the DL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the DL spectrum.

[0343] ●Case 2) CW is provided at the UL spectrum and backscattered, that is, CW at the UL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the UL spectrum.

[0344] ●Case 3) CW is provided at the DL spectrum, the frequency is shifted to the UL spectrum, and then backscattering occurs, i.e., CW at the DL spectrum and D2R backscattering at the UL spectrum.

[0345] In one example, for device 1, either case 1) or case 2) is evaluated, i.e., CW and D2R backscattering at the same frequency, and therefore no frequency shifter (FS) is required.

[0346] Figure 10 An exemplary impedance matching circuit for D2R modulation of a backscattering device is shown according to the present disclosure.

[0347] Here is a simple example of impedance matching operation:

[0348] ● Open circuit: The received CW signal is totally reflected in the same phase. This can be used for on-off keying (OOK) modulation with matching circuitry.

[0349] ● Short circuit: Total reflection of the received CW signal when it is out of phase. This can be used for phase shift keying (PSK) modulation.

[0350] ● Matching circuit: No reflection because the impedance matches the load, i.e., absorption. This can be used for energy harvesting, Rx mode, or modulation with other matching states.

[0351] ●Multi-stage matching circuits: such as Figure 10 As shown. Multi-stage impedance matching is applied to the log2(L) bits Z1, Z2, ..., Zn of each symbol's ASK modulation. L .

[0352] Depending on the matched load impedance, the matching circuit can backscatter input CW signals with different reflection coefficients in both amplitude and phase. Typically, ASK / PSK / FSK can be supported using impedance matching circuits. OOK is considered as the simplest modulation scheme. The device can indicate its modulation capability or impedance matching capability to the network, or certain requirements can be predefined in the system operation specifications.

[0353] Figure 24 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2 structure 2400 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2 structure 2400 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE 112 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0354] like Figure 24As shown, the device 2 structure 2400 includes an antenna 902, a matching network 2302, an RF energy harvester 2304, a PMU 2306, an energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, an energy storage device 2308, an RF BPF 906, an LNA 2313, an RF envelope detector 908, a BB amplifier 2402, a BB LPF 2310, a comparator / ADC 910, a clock generator 2312, a BB stream 2316, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a frequency shifter 2404, a backscatter (impedance matching) 2406, and a reflection amplifier 2408.

[0355] Figure 25 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2a structure 2500 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2a structure 2500 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE (113) implementation may be used, or it may be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0356] like Figure 25 As shown, the device 2a structure 2500 includes an antenna 902, a matching network 2302, an RF energy harvester 2304, a PMU 2306, an energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, an energy storage device 2308, an RF BPF 906, an LNA 2313, a mixer 920, an LO 918, an IF amplifier / BPF 2502, an IF ED 2504, a BB amplifier / LPF 2506, a comparator / ADC 910, a clock generator 2312, a BB stream 2316, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a frequency shifter 2404, a backscatter (impedance matching) 2406, and a reflection amplifier 2408.

[0357] Figure 26 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2a structure 2600 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2a structure 2600 for an IoT device may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE 114 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0358] like Figure 26As shown, the device 2a structure 2600 includes an antenna 902, a matching network 2302, an RF energy harvester 2304, a PMU 2306, an energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, an energy storage device 2308, an RF BPF 906, an LNA 2313, a mixer 920, an LO 918, a BB amplifier 2402, a BB LPF 2310, a comparator / ADC 910, a clock generator 2312, a BB stream 2316, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a frequency shifter 2404, a backscatter (impedance matching) 2406, and a reflection amplifier 2408.

[0359] Figure 27 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2b structure 2700 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2b structure 2700 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE (115) implementation may be used, or it may be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0360] like Figure 27 As shown, the device 2b structure 2700 includes an antenna 902, a matching network 2302, an RF energy harvester 2304, a PMU 2306, an energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, an energy storage device 2308, an RF BPF 906, an LNA 2313, an RF envelope detector 908, a mixer 920, an LO 918, a BB amplifier 2402, a BB LPF 2310, a comparator / ADC 910, a clock generator 2312, a BB stream 2316, a memory 914, a processing circuit 913, a modulator 1172, a DAC 1174, and a PA 1176.

[0361] Figure 28 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2b structure 2800 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2b structure 2800 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 1 The UE 116 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0362] like Figure 28As shown, device 2b structure 2800 includes antenna 902, matching network 2302, RF energy harvester 2304, PMU 2306, energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, energy storage device 2308, RF BPF 906, LNA 2313, mixer 920, LO 918, IF amplifier / BPF 2502, IF ED 2504, BB amplifier / LPF 2506, comparator / ADC 910, clock generator 2312, BB stream 2316, memory 914, processing circuitry 913, modulator 1172, DAC 1174, mixer 2802, and PA 1176.

[0363] Figure 29 A diagram illustrating an exemplary device 2b structure 2900 for an IoT device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the device 2b structure 2900 may be provided by a UE (such as...) Figure 3 The UE 116 can be implemented, or it can be a device with fewer components and functions than the UE. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0364] like Figure 29 As shown, device 2b structure 2900 includes antenna 902, matching network 2302, RF energy harvester 2304, PMU 2306, energy harvester (excluding RF) 2307, energy storage device 2308, RF BPF 906, LNA 2313, mixer 920, LO 918, BB amplifier 2402, BB LPF 2310, comparator / ADC 910, clock generator 2312, BB stream 2316, memory 914, processing circuit 913, modulator 1172, DAC 1174, mixer 2802, and PA 1176.

[0365] Figure 24 An exemplary device 2a architecture based on RF envelope detection according to this disclosure is shown.

[0366] Since D2R transmission is still based on backscattering of externally provided CW, device 2a can be structurally similar to device 1, while device 2a may differ from device 1 in the following aspects.

[0367] Device 2a has The peak power consumption is several hundred μW, and the device simultaneously incorporates R2D and / or D2R amplification. In this case, as an alternative to harvesting RF energy from the R2D signal or an externally supplied CW signal, other renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, thermal, kinetic, etc.) can be considered for energy harvesting. From a system design perspective, it can be assumed that a certain energy harvesting capability of a certain renewable energy source exists. The use of an energy harvester (e.g., RF energy harvester only, other energy harvesters only, or both) can be a choice of implementation method.

[0368] Device 2a can be equipped with both R2D and / or D2R amplification. Considering power consumption requirements, i.e. At a power consumption of several hundred μW, the R2D / D2R amplification of device 2a may be based on an architecture different from that of common power amplifiers (PAs) and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs). In some exemplary low-power / complex architectures, a single bipolar transistor terminated in a microstrip configuration can be used for the forward amplifier used for reader-to-device (R2D) reception and the reflective amplifier used for device-to-reader (D2R) transmission. Receiver amplification can be RF amplification before the envelope detector, baseband amplification after the envelope detector, or both, depending on the implementation choice. In one example, the reflective amplifier is used for both R2D (e.g., PRDCH) reception and D2R (e.g., PDRCH) transmission, and the LNA may or may not be present. In another example, the reflective amplifier is used only for D2R transmission, and the LNA is used for R2D reception amplification.

[0369] In one example, the reflective amplifier can only be used for backscattering, i.e., unidirectional amplification. In another example, the reflective amplifier can be used for both backscattering and receiving, i.e., bidirectional amplification. For reflective amplifiers, it can be assumed that a gain of 10 to 25 dB can be achieved with a power consumption of tens to hundreds of microwatts. It is worth noting that the exact power consumption value will be highly dependent on the implementation. On the other hand, the stability of the amplifier is a function of the input impedance and the operating frequency. Since A-IoT devices are expected to be deployed for a certain operating frequency and are not expected to adapt to another frequency after deployment, the implementation can ensure stable operation of the amplifier at the target frequency.

[0370] An additional difference between device 2a and device 1 might be the use of FS. With peak power consumption in the hundreds of μW range, some low-power LO architectures with mixers can be considered for case 3). For FS, it can be assumed that CW is provided at a frequency different from the UL carrier frequency. Considering that A-IoT devices aim for low complexity and low power consumption, the following options can be considered as exemplary methods of frequency shifting:

[0371] ● Ultra-low power local oscillator (LO), whose output frequency is multiplied in one or more stages using a frequency multiplier to obtain the desired frequency shift.

[0372] ● A calibrated RC (resistance-capacitor) oscillator that uses the CW frequency as the input to an RC oscillator with a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit.

[0373] ● CW signal provided with UL carrier frequency; in this case, no frequency shifter is required.

[0374] ● Use the harmonic frequency of the CW signal or the intermodulation frequency of the two-tone CW signal.

[0375] The receiver architecture of device 2a can be based on an RF envelope detector, an intermediate frequency (IF) envelope detector (i.e., a heterodyne receiver), or a zero-IF receiver, as demonstrated for device 2b.

[0376] Figure 25 An exemplary device 2a architecture based on IF envelope detection according to this disclosure is shown.

[0377] Figure 26 An exemplary device 2a architecture based on baseband detection according to this disclosure is shown.

[0378] Figure 27 An exemplary device 2b architecture based on RF envelope detection according to this disclosure is shown.

[0379] Figure 28 An exemplary device 2b architecture based on a heterodyne / IF-ED receiver according to this disclosure is shown.

[0380] Figure 29 An exemplary device 2b architecture based on a zero-difference / zero-IF receiver according to this disclosure is shown.

[0381] Except that the D2R signal is generated internally using LO instead of backscattering the externally provided CW, device 2b is structurally similar to device 2a. Figures 25 to 27 The exemplary architecture shown is based on a common active transmitter chain, in which D2R data is modulated, converted to an analog signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and then upconverted to the UL carrier frequency using an LO and a mixer, followed by an amplifier.

[0382] exist Figure 25 In this architecture, the R2D receiver chain remains based on an RF envelope detector, as in previous architectures. Figure 26 In this R2D receiver chain, a heterodyne receiver with an IF envelope detector is used. In the heterodyne architecture, the RF signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) and then detected using an envelope detector. Figure 27In this architecture, the R2D receiver is based on a zero-difference receiver, i.e., zero intermediate frequency (IF). In a zero-difference / zero IF architecture, the RF signal is directly down-converted to a baseband signal and then detected using a comparator / ADC.

[0383] Figure 23 , Figure 10 and Figures 24 to 27 This should be understood for illustrative purposes only. Other components not explicitly shown in the diagram may exist, such as switches, duplexers, and filters, or certain components may be replaced with different options. Furthermore, these devices can operate in both TDD and FDD spectrum (licensed or unlicensed), and the actual architecture may differ from the conceptual illustration in the diagram depending on the operating spectrum.

[0384] When deploying A-IoT devices, different topology options can be considered. Examples of topology options are provided below:

[0385] ●Topology 1: BS A-IoT devices

[0386] ○ A-IoT devices communicate directly and bidirectionally with the base station. Communication between the base station and the A-IoT devices includes A-IoT data and / or signaling. This topology involves the BS sending data to the A-IoT devices that is different from the BS receiving data from the A-IoT devices.

[0387] ●Topology 2: BS intermediate nodes Environmental IoT devices

[0388] ○ Bidirectional communication between A-IoT devices and intermediate nodes between devices and base stations. In this topology, intermediate nodes can be relays, IAB nodes, UEs, repeaters, etc., capable of A-IoT. The intermediate nodes transmit A-IoT data and / or signaling between the BS and the A-IoT devices. In this disclosure, the intermediate node is referred to as an I-node.

[0389] ●Topology 3: BS auxiliary nodes Environmental IoT devices BS

[0390] ○ An A-IoT device sends data / signaling to the base station and receives data / signaling from the auxiliary node; or an A-IoT device receives data / signaling from the base station and sends data / signaling to the auxiliary node. In this topology, the auxiliary node can be a relay, IAB, UE, repeater, etc., capable of A-IoT.

[0391] ●Topology 4: UE Environmental IoT devices

[0392] ○ The A-IoT device communicates bidirectionally with the UE. The communication between the UE and the A-IoT device includes A-IoT data and / or signaling.

[0393] This disclosure applies to at least the following deployment scenarios:

[0394] ●Scenario 1: The device is indoors, and the BS is indoors.

[0395] ●Scenario 2: The device is indoors, and the BS is outdoors.

[0396] ●Scenario 3: The device is indoors, using a UE-based reader.

[0397] ●Scenario 4: The equipment is outdoors, and the BS is outdoors.

[0398] ●Scenario 5: The device is outdoors, using a UE-based reader.

[0399] A-IoT deployments can be carried out at the same sites as existing 3GPP deployments corresponding to the BS type, such as macro cells, micro cells, pico cells, etc. In some embodiments, it can be assumed that A-IoT deployments can be carried out at new sites without assuming existing 3GPP deployments. Deployment can be based on licensed or unlicensed TDD or FDD spectrum, which can be within the frequency band of existing deployments, within the guard band of existing deployments, or within independent frequency bands. Different traffic types can be supported, including device termination (DT) and device initiation (DO), where DO traffic can be further divided into DO autonomous (DO-A) and DO device termination triggered (DO-DTT) types.

[0400] A-IoT devices are a type of UE. The embodiments in this disclosure can generally be applied to other types of UEs, such as smartphones, AR / VR devices, or any other type of IoT device.

[0401] Figure 30 An exemplary system 3000 for D2R / R2D transmission according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, including an intermediate node. For example, system 3000 can... Figure 1 This is implemented in a wireless network 100. This example is for illustration only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0402] Figure 30 The diagram illustrates a topology involving intermediate nodes, where an intermediate node (I-node) can be any of a UE, relay, repeater, dedicated node, reader, or gNB. Any operation performed by the BS can also be performed by the I-node instead of the BS, and each interface or part of the interface is transparent to A-IoT devices.

[0403] Entities that communicate directly with devices or tags are collectively referred to as readers, which can be such as... Figure 28 The intermediate nodes, auxiliary nodes, UEs, readers, or BSs that communicate directly with the device are shown.

[0404] This disclosure applies to any of the following spectrum options, wherein the reader can be any of the BS, intermediate node, auxiliary node, or UE in any previously disclosed topology or scenario:

[0405] ●Scenarios where the reader is an intermediate node, auxiliary node, or UE

[0406] ○CW is transmitted on the DL spectrum, and D2R is transmitted on the DL spectrum or moved to the UL spectrum.

[0407] ○CW is transmitted on the UL spectrum, and D2R is transmitted on the UL spectrum or moved to the DL spectrum.

[0408] ○ R2D transmissions performed by the reader are conducted on the DL spectrum or UL spectrum.

[0409] ○ The node that sends CW can be a node inside the topology (e.g., BS, intermediate node, auxiliary node, or UE) or a node outside the topology (e.g., a dedicated CW source).

[0410] ○ The reader receiving D2R transmissions can be the same as or different from the reader sending R2D transmissions.

[0411] As an example, CW is transmitted on the DL spectrum, and D2R transmission is moved to the UL spectrum, where the node transmitting CW is either inside or outside the topology, and the reader transmitting R2D can be the same as or different from the reader receiving D2R.

[0412] As another example, CW is transmitted on the DL or UL spectrum, and D2R is transmitted on the same spectrum as the CW, wherein the node transmitting CW is either inside or outside the topology, and the reader transmitting R2D can be the same as or different from the reader receiving D2R.

[0413] In this disclosure, the physical channel used for reader-to-device transmission is referred to as the Physical Reader-to-Device (R2D) Channel (PRDCH), and the physical channel used for device-to-reader transmission is referred to as the Physical Device-to-Reader (D2R) Channel (PDRCH).

[0414] For PRDCH and PDRCH transmissions, a timing capture signal (e.g., a preamble) immediately precedes the PRDCH or PDRCH, and provides functions such as timing capture and transmission start indication in the time domain, respectively.

[0415] As described in this article, there may be timing relationships between transmissions:

[0416] ● T R2D_min T R2D_max The shortest / longest time between an R2D transmission and its subsequent corresponding D2R transmission.

[0417] ● T D2R_min T D2R_max The shortest / longest time between a D2R transmission and its subsequent corresponding R2D transmission.

[0418] ● T R2D_R2D_min T R2D_R2D_max The shortest / longest time between two consecutive different R2D transmissions to the same A-IoT device.

[0419] ● T D2R_D2R_min T D2R_D2R_max The shortest / longest time between two consecutive different D2R transmissions from the same A-IoT device.

[0420] Given the low complexity and low power consumption requirements of A-IoT devices, it's clear that oscillators equipped with A-IoT devices will be far less powerful than those equipped with typical NR UEs. Therefore, assuming A-IoT devices possess precise timing capabilities is impractical, as this is typically assumed in typical NR UEs. Furthermore, since A-IoT devices are powered by harvested energy, they may periodically run out of power, resulting in a loss of timing—that is, a lack of timing maintenance capability.

[0421] When assuming asynchronous communication between the reader and the device, the receiving node needs to identify the signaling for signal reception and the start of timing synchronization. Therefore, it is necessary to define the procedures and methods for the device to receive preambles for R2D signal reception. It is also necessary to define the procedures and methods for the device to generate and transmit preambles for D2R signal transmission.

[0422] When clock synchronization cannot be reliably assumed during the reception of large payloads in an A-IoT system, receiving nodes are required to maintain clock synchronization. Therefore, it is necessary to define procedures and methods for devices to determine the presence of the midpoint preamble in R2D signal reception and receive the R2D signal accordingly. It is also necessary to define procedures and methods for devices to determine the insertion of the midpoint preamble in D2R signal transmission and transmit the D2R signal accordingly.

[0423] The transmission length may be unknown or known, but the timing at the receiver may drift. Therefore, it is necessary to define the procedures and methods for the device to receive the postcode used for R2D signal reception and determine the end of the R2D signal. It is also necessary to define the procedures and methods for the device to determine the addition of the postcode in the D2R signal transmission and transmit the D2R signal accordingly.

[0424] This disclosure relates to a communication system. This disclosure relates to defining the functions and procedures for communicating with A-IoT devices that may lack precise timing capabilities and may operate in passive or active D2R transmission modes.

[0425] This disclosure relates to defining the functions and processes for enabling A-IoT devices to asynchronously transmit D2R signals and receive R2D signals in the absence of precise synchronization maintenance capabilities.

[0426] This disclosure also relates to defining the functions and procedures for A-IoT devices to receive preambles for R2D signal reception.

[0427] This disclosure also relates to defining the functions and processes for A-IoT devices to generate and transmit preambles for D2R signal transmission.

[0428] This disclosure further relates to defining the function and process for an A-IoT device to determine the presence of a preamble in the R2D signal reception and to receive the R2D signal accordingly.

[0429] This disclosure also relates to defining the function and process for A-IoT devices to determine the insertion of a preamble in the transmission of D2R signals and to transmit D2R signals accordingly.

[0430] This disclosure further relates to defining the functions and procedures for an A-IoT device to receive a postcode for R2D signal reception and to determine the end of the R2D signal.

[0431] This disclosure also relates to defining the function and process of adding a preamble to the D2R signal transmission after the A-IoT device determines it, and transmitting the D2R signal accordingly.

[0432] The following summarizes embodiments of this disclosure for communicating with A-IoT devices, which may lack precise timing capabilities and may operate in passive or active D2R transmission modes.

[0433] ●Methods and apparatus for defining the functions and processes for A-IoT devices to receive preambles for R2D signal reception.

[0434] ●Methods and apparatus for defining the functions and processes for A-IoT devices to generate and transmit preambles for D2R signal transmission.

[0435] ● A method and apparatus for defining the function and process of enabling A-IoT devices to determine the presence of a preamble in R2D signal reception and to receive the R2D signal accordingly.

[0436] ● A method and apparatus for defining the function and process of determining the insertion of a preamble in the transmission of a D2R signal for an A-IoT device and transmitting the D2R signal accordingly.

[0437] ●Methods and apparatus for defining the functions and processes for an A-IoT device to receive a postcode for R2D signal reception and to determine the end of the R2D signal.

[0438] ● A method and apparatus for defining the function and process of adding a preamble to the D2R signal transmission after it is determined by an A-IoT device and transmitting the D2R signal accordingly.

[0439] Figure 31 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 3100 for receiving a reader-to-device (R2D) preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 3100 may be performed by an A-IoT device, such as IoT devices 900, 950, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, or 2900. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0440] The process begins at 3110, where the device receives the start indicator portion of the preamble from the reader, during which monitoring of the preamble is performed continuously or intermittently. At 3120, the device wakes up the radio, receives the clock acquisition portion of the preamble from the reader, and achieves clock synchronization. At 3130, the device receives the remaining R2D transmission from the reader.

[0441] Figure 32 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 3200 for generating a device-to-reader (D2R) preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 3200 may be performed by an IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0442] The process begins at 3210, where the device receives parameters from the reader related to the D2R transmission in the previous R2D transmission. At 3220, the device determines the type of preamble to be generated for the D2R transmission based on the received parameters. At 3230, the device generates a preamble that includes at least a clock acquisition portion based on the determined preamble type. At 3240, the device transmits a D2R signal including the generated preamble.

[0443] Figure 33 A diagram illustrating an exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure 3300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure 3300 can be sent to / received from a reader and the IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0444] Figure 31 An exemplary flowchart for receiving R2D preambles in an A-IoT device is shown according to this disclosure.

[0445] Figure 32 An exemplary flowchart for generating D2R preambles for A-IoT devices is shown in accordance with this disclosure.

[0446] Figure 33 An exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH structure according to this disclosure is shown.

[0447] For R2D, the preamble includes a start indicator portion and a clock acquisition portion, with no gap, such as... Figure 33 As shown. In one example, the start indicator (i.e., delimiter) can be a fixed-length low-voltage signal. The start indicator field can also be used for wake-up signal (WUS) purposes to keep the device in sleep mode until the start indicator field is detected. Therefore, in another example, the start indicator field may not be a simple fixed-length low-voltage signal, but could be a short sequence that facilitates signal detection for WUS purposes. As an example, it could be a high / low voltage pattern of a signal over a certain duration. In another example, it is encoded with multiple bits, such as 00, 01, 10, or 11. In another example, the start indicator portion is the encoded signal 10101011.

[0448] For D2R, the preamble may not include a start indicator portion because D2R transmission is triggered by the reader, and therefore the reader knows the timing of the start of the D2R transmission. In another example, the D2R preamble also includes a start indicator portion, where the design of the start indicator portion can be similar to that of the R2D preamble.

[0449] The clock acquisition section can be a sequence transmitted in the time domain that provides timing synchronization for the demodulation of subsequent fields such as the header and payload. It can also be used for channel estimation and setting up AGC, among other things. The design of the clock acquisition section will depend on the coding scheme used. For example, in the case of PIE coding, the clock acquisition section needs to provide calibration for the pulse durations of the signals for bits 0 and 1, since the pulse duration for bit 1 is different from that for bit 0. In the case of Manchester coding, the clock acquisition section can consist of a sufficient number of alternations between 0 and 1 to provide synchronization, while the signals for bits 0 and 1 have fixed lengths. In one example, the clock acquisition section is the coded signal 10101010.

[0450] For R2D, since the preamble is the first signal received by the device without prior knowledge, in one example the preamble signal structure is fixed, which does not require blind detection on the device side.

[0451] Similarly, for D2R, the design of the clock capture section will depend on the encoding scheme used, namely Manchester, FM0, and Miller encoding schemes. Since D2R transmission is triggered by the reader, the reader can indicate the format of the clock capture section (e.g., long format and short format) to the device in the preceding R2D control information, which will be used in subsequent D2R transmissions. The use of different formats (e.g., long format and short format) can be predefined in the specification based on some condition (e.g., packet length, D2R transmission duration, or type, etc.). As an example, if the payload size is greater than a certain predefined threshold, the device will append a long preamble format. Otherwise, the device will append a short preamble format. In another example, if the D2R message type belongs to one of a set of predefined message types, the device will append a long preamble. Otherwise, the device will append a long preamble format. In one example, the preamble format indication in the R2D control information overrides the predefined rules for applying long or short preambles. In another example, the device follows the predefined rules regardless of the indication. In other words, if certain conditions are met, the device will use a predefined format, regardless of the presence or value of the indication.

[0452] In one example, when using PIE encoding, the clock capture section consists of 0s and 1s, followed by a pulse for D2R transmission to provide device-to-reader calibration, where the D2R calibration signal may or may not be present. As an example, the device may assume that the D2R calibration is present in the preamble of a certain set of PRDCH message types, while the D2R calibration is not present in the preamble of some other PRDCH message types.

[0453] When using FM0 encoding, the clock acquisition portion consists of multiple alternations of 1s and 0s, followed by v1, where v is a low voltage state for a given chip duration. In one example, the clock acquisition portion is 1010v1, i.e., the short format. In another example, 1010v1 is preceded by multiple zeros, i.e., the long format. For D2R preambles, the type of the preamble is indicated in the preceding R2D control information or determined by the device based on predefined conditions as described above.

[0454] In one example, when using Miller encoding, the clock acquisition section begins with multiple zeros, followed by a sequence of 0s and 1s. In one example, the clock acquisition section begins with a first number of zeros, followed by 010111, i.e., the short format. In another example, the clock acquisition section begins with a second number of zeros, followed by 010111, i.e., the long format. For D2R preambles, the type of the preamble is indicated in the preceding R2D control information, or determined by the device based on predefined conditions as described above.

[0455] The device continuously or intermittently monitors the start indicator portion of the preamble from the reader. In one example, the device continuously monitors the preamble as long as it has power to operate. When the device runs out of power, it enters an energy harvesting and charging mode, and resumes monitoring when fully charged (e.g., when the stored energy level exceeds a certain threshold). In another example, the device monitors the preamble in a certain time pattern with on and off durations. The periodicity and on / off durations used to monitor the preamble can be based on device-specific charging and discharging times, which can be pre-programmed during implementation or calculated during operation. The periodicity and on / off durations, as well as the offset used to determine the timing for monitoring the preamble, may be assumed solely by the device itself. In another example, the reader may request the device to report parameters related to the duty cycle, as disclosed herein, and the device may respond accordingly. In yet another example, when the device first communicates with the reader, it periodically or intermittently (when parameters are updated) reports parameters related to the duty cycle to the reader.

[0456] Figure 34 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 3400 for receiving an R2D preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 3400 may be performed by an A-IoT device, such as IoT devices 900, 950, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, or 2900. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0457] The process begins at 3410, where the device receives the R2D signal and determines the presence of the intermolecular preamble either explicitly based on an indication or implicitly based on predefined rules. At 3420, if the device determines that the intermolecular preamble is present in the corresponding R2D, it determines the number of intermolecular preamble and payload segments. At 3430, the device receives the intermolecular preamble and decodes the subsequent payload segments, where each payload segment may be appended with its own CRC, or a single CRC may be appended for multiple payload segments at the end of the R2D signal.

[0458] Figure 35 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 3500 for generating a D2R preamble according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. For example, process 3500 may be performed by an IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0459] The process begins at 3510, where the device receives parameters from the reader related to the D2R transmission in a previous R2D transmission. At 3520, the device explicitly determines the insertion of the indices based on control information provided in the previous R2D transmission or implicitly based on predefined rules. At 3530, if the device determines that indices have been inserted, it generates a D2R signal comprising a determined number of indices and a payload segment. At 3540, the device transmits the generated D2R signal.

[0460] Figure 36 A diagram illustrating an exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure 3600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. For example, the PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure 3600 can be sent to / received from a reader and the IoT device described herein. This example is for illustrative purposes only, and other embodiments may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0461] Figure 34 An exemplary flowchart for receiving R2D preambles in an A-IoT device is shown according to this disclosure.

[0462] Figure 35 An exemplary flowchart for generating D2R preambles for A-IoT devices is shown in accordance with this disclosure.

[0463] For D2R transmissions, the reader can explicitly indicate the insertion of the midprefix in a previous R2D transmission (e.g., a PRDCH providing control information). In one example, this could be a simple on / off indication, and if the midprefix is ​​indicated to be on, the device performs payload segmentation, assuming the payload size for each segment is predefined. In another example, the R2D control information could provide multiple midprefixes, multiple payload segments, and / or the payload size for each segment.

[0464] The insertion of the intermolecular code can also be implicit, as described for PDRCH, i.e., based on the PDRCH message type and / or PDRCH payload size.

[0465] Figure 36 An exemplary PRDCH / PDRCH signal structure with a middle preamble is shown according to this disclosure.

[0466] For R2D transmission, the target device can be aware of the presence of the intermezzal (INF) explicitly or implicitly. As an example of explicit indication, the PRDCH header fields can provide indications about the INF, such as the number of payload segments and the size of each payload segment; these indications can be identical. Each payload segment, except the first, is immediately preceded by an INF. The first payload segment is not accompanied by an INF because it follows the preamble. Implicit indication can be based on the PRDCH message type and / or the payload size indicated in the PRDCH header.

[0467] For example, if the PRDCH message type belongs to one of a set of predefined message types, or if the indicated payload size is greater than a certain predefined threshold, the device expects to segment the payload based on the predefined payload segment size and the corresponding multiple intermezoids.

[0468] For D2R transmissions, the reader can explicitly indicate the insertion of the midprefix in a previous R2D transmission (e.g., a PRDCH providing control information). In one example, this could be a simple on / off indication, and if the midprefix is ​​indicated to be on, the device performs payload segmentation, assuming the payload size for each segment is predefined. In another example, the R2D control information could provide multiple midprefixes, multiple payload segments, and / or the payload size for each segment.

[0469] The insertion of the intermolecular code can also be implicit, as described for PDRCH, i.e., based on the PDRCH message type and / or PDRCH payload size.

[0470] For both R2D and D2R transmissions, the control field (i.e., the header) can be appended with a separate CRC, such as CRC-6.

[0471] For both R2D and D2R transmissions, each payload segment can be appended with a separate CRC, which facilitates sequential decoding of the payload without waiting for the signal reception to end and requires less storage buffer size at the receiver.

[0472] Figure 33The basic PRDCH / PDRCH structure including a postcode is shown. A postcode can be beneficial in facilitating end-of-signal (EOS) detection, whether the packet length is known based on an indication in the header or for certain message types with a fixed length, because clock synchronization may not be perfectly maintained until the end of signal reception. On the other hand, depending on the receiver implementation, further clock synchronization obtained from the postcode may or may not be used for clock refinement. In particular, it is unlikely to be used on the device side because synchronization obtained from the postcode requires additional signal processing (such as interpolation), and decoding requires waiting until the end of signal reception. Therefore, the postcode can be designed to only support the EOS indication as an end-of-signal delimiter with short sequences.

[0473] In one example, for an R2D transmission, the device expects a postcode to be appended if the indicated payload size is greater than a predefined threshold, if the R2D message type belongs to one of a set of predefined types, or if the appending of a postcode is explicitly indicated in the R2D control information. Otherwise, the device assumes that the corresponding R2D transmission does not have a postcode appended.

[0474] In another example, for a D2R transmission, if the payload size indicated for the D2R transmission in the preceding R2D control message is greater than a certain predefined threshold, if the D2R message type belongs to one of a set of predefined types, or if the appending of a postcode is explicitly indicated in the R2D control message, then the device expects to append a postcode to its D2R transmission. Otherwise, the device assumes that no postcode will be appended to the corresponding D2R transmission.

[0475] In one example, for line coding schemes (e.g., Manchester, PIE, FMO, and Miller coding), the postcode is a waveform generated from the sequence 01, 00, 10, or 11.

[0476] The above flowcharts illustrate exemplary methods that can be implemented according to the principles of this disclosure, and various modifications can be made to the methods shown in the flowcharts herein. For example, although shown as a series of steps, the individual steps in each diagram may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, a step may be omitted or replaced by another step.

[0477] Although the accompanying drawings illustrate different examples of user equipment, various changes can be made to the drawings. For example, the user equipment can include any number of each component in any suitable arrangement. Generally, the drawings do not limit the scope of this disclosure to any particular configuration(s). Furthermore, while the drawings illustrate operating environments in which the various user equipment features disclosed in this patent document can be used, these features can be used in any other suitable system.

[0478] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Nothing described in this application should be construed as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element that must be included within the scope of the claims. The scope of the patent subject matter is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a reader in a communication system, performed by an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the method comprising: Receive the first signal, which indicates the start of reader-to-device (R2D) reception; A second signal is received, which provides synchronization for the physical reader-to-device channel (PRDCH) reception, wherein: The first and second signals are patterns that include on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time, and The second signal follows the first signal; Receive PRDCH, where: PRDCH includes at least one of the following: (i) control information related to R2D receiving or device-to-reader (D2R) transmission, and (ii) a payload providing R2D data. Control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via Layer 1 (L1) signaling or via higher layer signaling; Based on the reception of PRDCH, parameters related to D2R transmission are determined, including the size of the payload that provides D2R data; A third signal is transmitted, which provides synchronization for the physical device to receive data via the reader channel (PDRCH); and Send PDRCH, where: PDRCH includes a payload that provides D2R data, and PDRCH follows the third signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Determining parameters related to D2R transmission also includes: inserting a fourth signal within the PDRCH. The fourth signal provides additional synchronization for PDRCH reception, and The insertion of the fourth signal is: (i) indicated in the control information of the PDRCH, or (ii) determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH, and Sending a PDRCH also includes sending a PDRCH with a fourth signal inserted within it. The control information related to D2R transmission provides parameters related to D2R transmission, including at least one of the following: Signal type, Target device identifier, and Information related to the size of the payload that provides D2R data.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Determining the parameters related to D2R transmission also includes: segmenting the payload providing D2R data, wherein the parameters related to D2R transmission include multiple payload segments; and Sending a PDRCH also includes sending the PDRCH in more than one transmission to facilitate the transmission of multiple payload segments. in: PRDCH includes Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), which (i) has a first number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is less than a first threshold, and (ii) has a second number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is greater than or equal to the first threshold. The PDRCH includes a CRC, which (i) has a third number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is less than a second threshold, and (ii) has a fourth number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is greater than or equal to the second threshold. The first and third quantities are positive integers or zero. The second and fourth quantities are positive integers, and are greater than the first and third quantities, respectively. The first and second thresholds are positive integers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes, and Encoding parameters: (i) are fixed, (ii) are indicated in the control information related to D2R transmission in the PRDCH, or (iii) are determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data. in: The PRDCH is attached with a fourth signal that indicates the end of PRDCH reception, and the presence of the fourth signal is: (i) mandatory, (ii) indicated in control information related to R2D reception, or (iii) determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing R2D data or the transmission duration of the PRDCH, or The PDRCH is preceded by a fifth signal, which indicates the end of the PDRCH transmission and the addition of the fifth signal: (i) is mandatory, (ii) is indicated in the control information related to the D2R transmission in the PDRCH, or (iii) is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH.

5. An Internet of Things (IoT) device in a communication system, the IoT device comprising: The transceiver is configured as follows: Receive the first signal, which indicates the start of reader-to-device (R2D) reception; A second signal is received, which provides synchronization for the physical reader-to-device channel (PRDCH) reception, wherein: The first and second signals are patterns that include on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time, and The second signal follows the first signal; and Receive PRDCH, where: PRDCH includes at least one of the following: (i) control information related to R2D receiving or device-to-reader (D2R) transmission, and (ii) a payload providing R2D data. Control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via Layer 1 (L1) signaling or via higher-layer signaling; and The processor, coupled to the transceiver, is configured to determine parameters related to D2R transmission based on the reception of the PRDCH, including the size of the payload providing the D2R data. The transceiver is further configured as follows: A third signal is transmitted, which provides synchronization for the physical device to receive data via the reader channel (PDRCH); and Send PDRCH, where: PDRCH includes a payload that provides D2R data, and PDRCH follows the third signal.

6. The IoT device according to claim 5, wherein: The processor is further configured to insert a fourth signal within the PDRCH. The fourth signal provides additional synchronization for PDRCH reception. The insertion of the fourth signal is (i) indicated in the control information of the PDRCH, or (ii) determined based on predefined rules relating to the size of the payload providing D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH. The transceiver is further configured to transmit a PDRCH with a fourth signal inserted within it, and Control information related to D2R transmission provides parameters related to D2R transmission, including at least one of the following: Signal type, Target device identifier, and Information related to the size of the payload that provides D2R data.

7. The IoT device according to claim 5, wherein: The processor is further configured to segment the payload that provides D2R data. Parameters related to D2R transmission include the number of payload segments. The transceiver is further configured to transmit the PDRCH in more than one transmission for transmitting multiple payload segments. PRDCH includes Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), which (i) has a first number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is less than a first threshold, and (ii) has a second number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is greater than or equal to the first threshold. The PDRCH includes a CRC, which (i) has a third number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is less than a second threshold, and (ii) has a fourth number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is greater than or equal to the second threshold. The first and third quantities are positive integers or zero. The second and fourth quantities are positive integers, and are greater than the first and third quantities, respectively. The first and second thresholds are positive integers.

8. The IoT device according to claim 5, wherein: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes, and Encoding parameters: (i) are fixed, (ii) are indicated in the control information related to D2R transmission in the PRDCH, or (iii) are determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data. in: The PRDCH is attached with a fourth signal, which indicates the end of PRDCH reception and the presence of the fourth signal: (i) it is mandatory, (ii) it is indicated in control information related to R2D reception, or (iii) it is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing R2D data or the transmission duration of the PRDCH, or The PDRCH is preceded by a fifth signal, which indicates the end of the PDRCH transmission and the addition of the fifth signal: (i) is mandatory, (ii) is indicated in the control information related to the D2R transmission in the PDRCH, or (iii) is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH.

9. A reader in a communication system, the reader comprising: The transceiver is configured as follows: Send a first signal, which indicates the start of reader-to-device (R2D) transmission; A second signal is sent, which provides synchronization for transmission from the physical reader to the device channel (PRDCH), wherein: The first and second signals are patterns that include on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time, and The second signal follows the first signal; and Send PRDCH, where: PRDCH includes at least one of the following: (i) control information relating to R2D reception or device-to-reader (D2R) reception, and (ii) a payload providing R2D data. Control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via Layer 1 (L1) signaling or via higher-layer signaling; and The processor, coupled to the transceiver, is configured to determine parameters related to D2R reception based on the PRDCH, including the size of the payload providing the D2R data. The transceiver is further configured as follows: Receive a third signal, which provides synchronization for physical device-to-reader channel (PDRCH) reception; and Receive PDRCH, where: PDRCH includes a payload that provides D2R data, and PDRCH follows the third signal.

10. The reader according to claim 9, wherein: The fourth signal is inserted into the PDRCH. The fourth signal provides additional synchronization for PDRCH reception. The insertion of the fourth signal is (i) indicated in the control information of the PDRCH, or (ii) based on predefined rules relating to the size of the payload providing D2R data or the reception duration of the PDRCH, and The transceiver is further configured to receive a PDRCH with a fourth signal inserted within it. in: Control information related to D2R reception provides parameters related to D2R reception, including at least one of the following: Signal type, Target device identifier, and Information related to the size of the payload that provides D2R data.

11. The reader according to claim 9, wherein: The payload providing D2R data is segmented. Parameters related to D2R reception include the number of payload segments. The transceiver is further configured to receive PDRCH in more than one reception for receiving multiple payload segments. in: PRDCH includes Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), which (i) has a first number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is less than a first threshold, and (ii) has a second number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is greater than or equal to the first threshold. The PDRCH includes a CRC, which (i) has a third number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is less than a second threshold, and (ii) has a fourth number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is greater than or equal to the second threshold. The first and third quantities are positive integers or zero. The second and fourth quantities are positive integers, and are greater than the first and third quantities, respectively. The first and second thresholds are positive integers.

12. The reader according to claim 9, wherein: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes. Encoding parameters: (i) are fixed, (ii) are indicated in the control information related to D2R transmission in the PRDCH, or (iii) are determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data. in: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes. The PRDCH is attached with a fourth signal, which indicates the end of PRDCH reception and the presence of the fourth signal: (i) it is mandatory, (ii) it is indicated in control information related to R2D reception, or (iii) it is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing R2D data or the transmission duration of the PRDCH, or The PDRCH is preceded by a fifth signal, which indicates the end of PDRCH transmission and the addition of the fifth signal: (i) is mandatory, (ii) is indicated in the control information related to D2R transmission in the PDRCH, or (iii) is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH.

13. A method performed by a reader in a communication system, the method comprising: Send a first signal, which indicates the start of reader-to-device (R2D) transmission; A second signal is sent, which provides synchronization for transmission from the physical reader to the device channel (PRDCH), wherein: The first and second signals are patterns that include on / off states in the time domain. The first signal has a fixed duration in time, and The second signal follows the first signal; and Send PRDCH, where: PRDCH includes at least one of the following: (i) control information relating to R2D reception or device-to-reader (D2R) reception, and (ii) a payload providing R2D data. Control information is provided as R2D data in the payload in a separate field via Layer 1 (L1) signaling or via higher-layer signaling; and The parameters related to D2R reception are determined based on the PRDCH, including the size of the payload that provides D2R data; Receive a third signal, which provides synchronization for physical device-to-reader channel (PDRCH) reception; and Receive PDRCH, where: PDRCH includes a payload that provides D2R data, and PDRCH follows the third signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a PDRCH into which a fourth signal is inserted, in: The fourth signal is inserted into the PDRCH. The fourth signal provides additional synchronization for PDRCH reception. The insertion of the fourth signal is (i) indicated in the control information of the PDRCH, or (ii) based on predefined rules relating to the size of the payload providing D2R data or the reception duration of the PDRCH, and in: Control information related to D2R reception provides parameters related to D2R reception, including at least one of the following: Signal type, Target device identifier, and Information related to the size of the payload that provides D2R data.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a PDRCH in more than one reception for receiving multiple payload segments. in: The payload providing D2R data is segmented. Parameters related to D2R reception include the number of payload segments. in: PRDCH includes Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), which (i) has a first number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is less than a first threshold, and (ii) has a second number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the R2D data is greater than or equal to the first threshold. The PDRCH includes a CRC, which (i) has a third number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is less than a second threshold, and (ii) has a fourth number of CRC bits when the size of the payload providing the D2R data is greater than or equal to the second threshold. The first and third quantities are positive integers or zero. The second and fourth quantities are positive integers, and are greater than the first and third quantities, respectively. The first and second thresholds are positive integers. in: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes. Encoding parameters: (i) are fixed, (ii) are indicated in the control information related to D2R transmission in the PRDCH, or (iii) are determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data. in: PDRCH is encoded using convolutional codes. The PRDCH is attached with a fourth signal, which indicates the end of PRDCH reception and the presence of the fourth signal: (i) it is mandatory, (ii) it is indicated in control information related to R2D reception, or (iii) it is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing R2D data or the transmission duration of the PRDCH, or The PDRCH is preceded by a fifth signal, which indicates the end of the PDRCH transmission and the addition of the fifth signal: (i) is mandatory, (ii) is indicated in the control information related to the D2R transmission in the PDRCH, or (iii) is determined based on predefined rules related to the size of the payload providing the D2R data or the transmission duration of the PDRCH.

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