Methods for enhanced beam configuration with beam hop control in wireless communications

Abstract

The present disclosure describes various solutions for enhanced beam configuration and beam hopping control in wireless communications. A network node can configure a cell with one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams. The one or more wide beams can be associated with a first hopping ratio and the one or more narrow beams can be associated with a second hopping ratio. The network node can activate a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams at different time intervals based on the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio, thereby hopping between the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams over time.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing

[0002] This disclosure is part of a non-provisional application claiming priority to PCT application number PCT / CN2024 / 123361 (filed on October 8, 2024), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communications, and more specifically, to enhanced beam configurations with beam hopping control in wireless communications. Background Technology

[0004] Unless otherwise stated, the methods described in this section are not prior art as claimed in the following claims, and are not considered prior art simply because they are included in this section.

[0005] In 3GPP Release 17, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) was introduced as a direct terminal-satellite communication technology based on the New Radio (NR) interface. With the convergence of satellite networks and terrestrial cellular networks (such as 5G networks), NTN can provide ubiquitous coverage unrestricted by terrain and topography. As NTN continues to evolve in the 5G-Advanced phase, it has become an important component of the 3GPP Release 18 work plan. Currently, NTN can include two working groups: Internet-of-Things (IoT) NTN and New Radio (NR) NTN. IoT NTN focuses on supporting satellite IoT services for low-complexity enhanced Machine-Type Communication (eMTC) and Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) User Equipment (UE). NR NTN utilizes the 5G NR framework to enable direct connectivity between satellites and smartphones to provide voice and data services.

[0006] In satellite communication systems, system resources such as bandwidth and transmission power are inherently limited. However, under the current NTN framework specified by 3GPP, it is generally assumed that beams are continuously active (i.e., always on), which negatively impacts energy efficiency. Furthermore, due to limited system bandwidth and the requirement for a single satellite to simultaneously support a large number of beams to ensure sufficient coverage, satellite communication systems also face significant common signaling overhead. Therefore, how to enhance satellite beam configuration to reduce signaling overhead and save power has become a crucial issue for modern wireless communication systems. Thus, it is necessary to provide appropriate solutions to address this problem. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following abstract is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, the following abstract aims to introduce the concepts, key points, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Some embodiments will be further elaborated in the detailed description below. Therefore, the following abstract is not intended to identify the essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] One objective of this disclosure is to provide schemes, concepts, designs, systems, methods, and apparatus related to enhanced beam configurations with beam hopping control in wireless communications. It is believed that by implementing one or more of the schemes proposed herein, the aforementioned problems can be avoided or mitigated.

[0009] In one aspect, a method may involve a network node configuring a cell having one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams, wherein the one or more wide beams are associated with a first hopping ratio and the one or more narrow beams are associated with a second hopping ratio. The method may also involve the network node hopping between the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams over time by activating a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams at different time intervals based on the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio. The method further involves the network node transmitting at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), common channel signaling, and data to a device on the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

[0010] In one aspect, a method may involve a device searching for cells formed by network nodes, wherein the cells are configured with one or more wide beams associated with a first hopping ratio and one or more narrow beams associated with a second hopping ratio. The method may also involve a device detecting at least one active beam from a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams, wherein different portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams are activated in a hopping manner at different time intervals based on the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio. The method further involves a processor receiving at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), common channel signaling, and data from the network node on the at least one active beam.

[0011] It is worth noting that although the content described herein may be set in the context of certain wireless access technologies, networks, and network topologies, such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, 5th Generation (5G), New Radio (NR), Internet of Things (IoT), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Beyond 5G (B5G), and 6th Generation (6G), the concepts, schemes, and any variations / derivatives thereof proposed can be implemented, applied to, and realized in other types of wireless access technologies, networks, and network topologies. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings are intended to further understand this disclosure and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this disclosure. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, in conjunction with the description, are used to explain the principles of the disclosure. It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as some components may be shown out of proportion to their actual dimensions in order to clearly illustrate the concepts of the disclosure.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of satellite beam configuration in an NTN system.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication environment in which various solutions and mechanisms of this disclosure can be implemented.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of an enhanced satellite beam configuration that flexibly schedules common signaling and data over wide and narrow beams according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of scheduling on wide beams and narrow beams according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of DRX operation is provided, where the discontinuous reception (DRX) period is calculated based on the hopping ratio.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of a control resource set (CORESET) having an extended duration, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an example communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating an example process according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating another example process according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Detailed embodiments and implementations of the subject matter of the claims are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the subject matter of the claims and may be implemented in various forms. This disclosure may take many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments and implementations set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments and implementations are provided to make the description of this disclosure exhaustive and complete, and to fully communicate the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the following description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments and implementations.

[0023] Overview

[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to various techniques, methods, schemes, and / or solutions for enhanced beam configuration with beam hopping control in wireless communication. According to this disclosure, multiple possible solutions can be implemented individually or in combination. That is, although these possible solutions are described separately below, two or more of them can be implemented in some combination.

[0025] In this disclosure, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) refers to a network that provides communication services to user equipment (UE) by utilizing radio frequency (RF) and information processing resources carried by high-Earth orbit, medium-Earth orbit, and low-Earth orbit satellites or other high-altitude communication platforms. Depending on the payload capabilities of the satellite, there are two typical scenarios: transparent payload and regenerative payload. In transparent payload mode, the satellite does not process the signals and waveforms in the communication service, but only acts as an RF amplifier to forward data. In regenerative payload mode, in addition to RF amplification, the satellite also possesses processing capabilities such as modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, switching, and routing.

[0026] Due to the limited transmission power of satellites, it is desirable to activate satellite beams only for a short period of time, followed by deactivation, using a low hopping ratio. The "hopping ratio" referred to here is the ratio between the number of activated beams within a given time interval and the total number of wide / narrow beams configured. Figure 1 Example scenario 100 of satellite beam configuration in an NTN system is shown. Figure 1 As shown, a satellite cell can be configured with N=256 wide beams and N Four narrow beams, with each wide beam overlapping the four narrow beams. If the satellite system is augmented to support beam activation and deactivation, and assuming only 16 beams can be activated simultaneously, the hopping ratio of the wide beams can be estimated at 6.25% (i.e., 16 / 256). 100), the narrow beam hopping ratio is 1.56% (i.e., 16 / 1024). (100). In this case, the signaling overhead of SSB and common channels (e.g., CORESET #0 and at least System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1)) exceeds 100% when transmitted on narrow beams and is approximately 95.1% when transmitted on wide beams. Therefore, a new beam configuration design is needed to enable satellite beams to be turned on and off at configurable hopping rates to save power and reduce common signaling overhead.

[0027] In view of the above, this disclosure is inspired by, but not limited to, the NTN scenario, and proposes various schemes related to enhanced beam configurations with beam hopping control in wireless communication. According to the schemes of this disclosure, various designs related to enhanced beam configurations that achieve beam hopping control through configurable hopping ratios are proposed. Specifically, a satellite cell can be configured with wide beams and narrow beams, each associated with a different hopping ratio. This beam configuration enables the satellite to hop between the configured wide and narrow beams over time by activating a portion of the configured wide and narrow beams at different time intervals based on different hopping ratios, allowing SSB, common channel signaling (e.g., CORESET #0 and at least SIB1), and / or data to be transmitted to the UE on said portions of the configured wide and narrow beams. Therefore, by applying the schemes of this disclosure, common signaling overhead can be reduced and power consumption savings can be improved, thereby ensuring better communication performance.

[0028] Figure 2 An example scenario 200 of a communication environment is illustrated, in which various solutions and schemes of this disclosure can be implemented. Scenario 200 involves a UE 210 wirelessly communicating with a network 220 (e.g., a wireless network including NTN and terrestrial network (TN)) via a terrestrial network node 222 (e.g., a base station (BS), such as an evolved Node-B (eNB), a next-generation Node-B (gNB), or a transceiver point (TRP)) and / or a non-terrestrial network node 224 (e.g., a satellite). For example, the terrestrial network node 222 and / or the non-terrestrial network node 224 may form a TN / NTN serving cell for wireless communication with the UE 210. In this communication environment, the UE 210, network 220, terrestrial network node 222, and non-terrestrial network node 224 can implement various schemes related to enhanced beam configuration with beam hopping control in wireless communication. It is worth noting that although the various proposed schemes may be described separately below, in actual implementation, some or all of the proposed schemes may be used in combination or implemented. Of course, each proposed scheme may also be used or implemented individually.

[0029] Under the first scheme proposed in this disclosure, a hopping ratio can be configured on a narrow beam to transmit SSBs, common channels, and data, thereby reducing signaling overhead and increasing the average throughput per beam. The hopping ratio can be configured for a given satellite constellation and / or satellite frequency band, with each narrow beam hopping having at least one SSB cycle. The UE can attempt to detect the SSB of a given satellite frequency band, acquire system information (e.g., Master Information Block (MIB), SIB1, and SIB Type 19 (SIB19)) on a narrow beam, and access the satellite cell for data transmission in connected mode (e.g., RRC_CONNECTED mode) via a random access procedure.

[0030] For example, consider a satellite cell configured with N3 = 1008 narrow beams to provide near 100% coverage, with 16 beams active simultaneously (i.e., a hop ratio of 16 / 1008 = 0.016). When the narrow beams are configured with an extended SSB period of 160 ms for each narrow beam hop, the total common signaling overhead is 46.8%, and the average throughput per narrow beam is 7.2 kilobits per second (Kbps). When the narrow beams are configured with an extended SSB period of 320 ms for each narrow beam hop, the total common signaling overhead is 23.4%, and the average throughput per narrow beam is 10.3 Kbps.

[0031] In another example, consider a satellite cell configured with N3 = 252 narrow beams to provide less than 100% coverage, with 16 beams active simultaneously (i.e., a hop ratio of 16 / 252 = 0.063). When the narrow beams are configured with an extended SSB period of 160 milliseconds for each narrow beam hop, the total common signaling overhead is 11.7%, and the average throughput per narrow beam is 47.5 Kbps. In other words, compared to the previous example, applying a larger hop ratio significantly reduces the total common signaling overhead and significantly increases the data rate on a single narrow beam.

[0032] It is important to note that an SSB period greater than 160 milliseconds may have a significant impact on 3GPP specifications and backward compatibility. This is due to the requirements for SSB measurement accuracy (such as reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR)), as well as the corresponding extension of the timing periods for MIB, SIB1, channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), tracking reference signal (TRS), paging channel, and physical random access channel (PRACH).

[0033] According to the second proposed scheme of this disclosure, a hopping ratio can be configured on a wide beam to transmit SSBs and common channels, and on a narrow beam to transmit data, thereby reducing signaling overhead and increasing the average throughput of each beam. Each hopping ratio can be configured such that each wide beam hopping has at least one SSB cycle. User equipment (UE) can attempt to detect the SSB of a given satellite frequency band, obtain system information, and access the satellite cell through a random access procedure on a wide beam. Then, the network (e.g., satellite and / or gNB) switches to the narrow beam for data transmission in connected mode based on narrow beam measurements and reports.

[0034] In one example, a satellite cell can be configured with N2 = 256 wide beams and N3 narrow beams to provide near 100% coverage, with 16 beams active simultaneously (i.e., the hopping ratio of the wide beams is 16 / 256 = 0.063). When the wide beams are configured with an 80-millisecond extended SSB period for each wide beam hop, the total common signaling overhead is 23.8%, and the average throughput per wide beam is 40.3 Kbps. When the narrow beams are configured with a 160-millisecond extended SSB period for each wide beam hop, the total common signaling overhead is 11.9%, and the average throughput per narrow beam is 46.6 Kbps. For N3=752, the average throughput of each narrow beam is 18 Kbps (i.e., the hopping ratio of the narrow beam is 16 / 752 = 0.021); for N3=32, the average throughput of each narrow beam is 423.2 Kbps (i.e., the hopping ratio of the narrow beam is 16 / 32 = 0.5), and it is independent of the SSB period.

[0035] In some implementations, downlink (DL) beamforming loss on wide beams can be mitigated by allocating higher equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) to each beam on the satellite, with the same EIRP density assumption applied to both wide and narrow beams.

[0036] According to the third proposed scheme of this disclosure, wide beams and narrow beams can be multiplexed in the time domain, wherein (only) one narrow beam overlapping with the same wide beam can be activated at a given time interval when there is no ongoing transmission on the wide beam. Nearly 100% coverage can be achieved by configuring a sufficiently low hopping ratio for either the wide or narrow beam.

[0037] Figure 3 An example scenario 300 of enhanced satellite beam configuration according to an implementation of this disclosure is shown, in which common signaling and data are flexibly scheduled on wide and narrow beams. Figure 3Part (A) describes the satellite forming a multi-beam cell with N=256 wide beams and 256 There are 1024 narrow beams, where each wide beam overlaps with four narrow beams. Assume that at any given time, either 16 wide beams or 16 narrow beams can be active, and that the wide and narrow beams are time-domain multiplexed (TDM). The hopping ratio for the wide beams is 16 / 256 = 0.063, and the hopping ratio for the narrow beams is 16 / 1024 = 0.0156. Figure 3 Part (B) describes the scheduling of common channel signaling and data on wide beams. Typically, each wide and narrow beam covers a geographic area where one or more UEs may reside. For example, a wide beam may cover a large area for transmitting SSBs (e.g., cell-defining SSBs, CD-SSBs) containing the physical cell identity (PCI) and common channel signaling (e.g., at least SIB1 and / or SIB19) to enable UEs within that area to perform downlink synchronization, system information acquisition, and / or initial access. An SSB burst can be used by four wide beams; for example, an SSB burst may consist of multiple SSBs, each identified by an SSB index and transmitted on the corresponding wide beam. A narrow beam may cover a smaller area, providing data transmission services to UEs within that area. In one example, data transmission on a narrow beam is scheduled only if there are no ongoing SSB and / or common channel signaling transmissions on the overlapping wide beams. In another example, data may also be transmitted on wide beams.

[0038] Figure 4 An example scenario 400 is shown, illustrating scheduling on wide and narrow beams according to an implementation of this disclosure. Scenario 400 describes scheduling on N=256 wide beams and N... The scenario involves scheduling common signaling and data on four narrow beams configured with an extended SSB period of 80 milliseconds, where each wide beam overlaps with four narrow beams. (Example:) Figure 4 As shown, within a given time interval, Y=16 wide beams (out of a total of 256 wide beams) can be activated to transmit SSB and / or common channel signaling within one extended SSB period = 80 milliseconds, while Y can also be activated simultaneously. Four narrow beams (out of a total of 1024 narrow beams) are activated to transmit data within the same time interval. Specifically, data transmission on the narrow beams is scheduled only if there is no ongoing SSB and / or common channel signaling transmission on the overlapping wide beams. Similarly, SSB and / or common channel signaling transmission on the wide beams is scheduled only if there is no ongoing data transmission on the overlapping narrow beams. That is, if an SSB and / or common channel signaling transmission is scheduled on a wide beam at a given time, and this happens to overlap with data transmission on one of the narrow beams within that wide beam, then the SSB and / or common channel signaling transmission on that wide beam at that time is prohibited (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (As indicated by the cross in the text).

[0039] Under the fourth scheme of this disclosure, the satellite service time of a wide beam / narrow beam can be calculated based on the hopping ratio. Specifically, assuming the hopping ratio of the wide beam / narrow beam is denoted as Hr and the SSB period is denoted as P, the satellite service time of a specific wide beam / narrow beam (i.e., the potential service time of a specific user equipment (UE) within the specific wide beam / narrow beam) can be calculated by the following formula:

[0040] For example, if there are a total of 256 beams, and 16 beams can be activated simultaneously (i.e., Hr=16 / 256), and the SSB period is 80ms, then the service time of a specific UE within the specified wide / narrow beam is 5ms (i.e., ).

[0041] In some implementations, if the service time of wide beam / narrow beam is not evenly distributed among all configured beams, and the beam hopping pattern is pre-configured or provided to the UE, an additional factor α, representing a specific narrow beam / wide beam service time ratio, can be applied to update the formula as follows:

[0042] For example, if there are a total of 256 beams, and 16 beams can be activated simultaneously (i.e., Hr = 16 / 256), the SSB period is 80ms, and α = 0.5, then the service time of a specific UE within the specified wide / narrow beam is 2.5ms (i.e., ).

[0043] Furthermore, the beam service period and discontinuous reception (DRX) period can be calculated based on the hopping ratio of the wide beam / narrow beam to enhance the power saving effect of the UE. Specifically, assuming the hopping ratio of the wide beam / narrow beam is denoted as Hr, the SSB period is denoted as P, and the number of SSB opportunities is denoted as Nssb, then the satellite service period of a specific wide beam / narrow beam (i.e., the potential service period of a specific UE within the specific wide beam / narrow beam) can be calculated by the following formula:

[0044] For example, if there are a total of 256 beams, and 16 beams can be activated simultaneously (i.e., Hr=16 / 256), the SSB period is 80ms, and there are 16 SSB opportunities within one SSB period, then the service period for a specific UE within the specific wide / narrow beam is 80ms (i.e., Note that this example applies to the default beam hopping mode (i.e., assuming the beam hopping order remains unchanged and the beam service time is equal across beams).

[0045] Subsequently, to enhance the power-saving effect of the UE, the DRX period can be calculated using the following formula:

[0046] Figure 5 This example illustrates a DRX operation scenario 500 where the DRX cycle is calculated based on the jump ratio according to an embodiment of this disclosure. For example... Figure 5 As shown, when the satellite beam provides service to other areas, the UE can be in an inactive state (e.g., RRC_INACTIVE or RRC_IDLE mode) and can periodically... Entering an active state (e.g., RRC_CONNECTED mode) during service time The UE attempts to detect and decode the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). If the UE successfully detects and decodes the PDCCH within the service time, the UE can remain in an active state until the inactive timer expires (i.e., no more PDCCH or Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) is received).

[0047] In some implementations, for cases where the wide-beam / narrow-beam service time is not evenly distributed among all configured beams and the beam hopping pattern is pre-configured or provided to the UE, the DRX period... It can be calculated based on beam hopping mode information.

[0048] Under the fifth scheme of this disclosure, a PDCCH enhancement method is proposed (e.g., due to link budget constraints) to support control resource sets (CORESET) with extended symbol lengths, such as 4 or 8 symbols, instead of the 1, 2, or 3 symbols in traditional 5G NR designs. Specifically, the parameter “CORESET duration” can be configured to one of {1, 2, 3, 4, 8} symbols, the parameter “reg-BundleSize” can be configured to {4, 8, 12, 24} REGs (i.e., the number of REGs within a REG bundle), and the parameter “AggregationLevel” can be configured to one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32}. For example, when the CORESET duration is 4 symbols, reg-BundleSize = {4,12}; when reg-BundleSize = {4}, interleaverSize = {2,3,6}; when reg-BundleSize = {12}, interleaverSize = {2}; when the CORESET duration is 8 symbols, reg-BundleSize = {8,24}; when reg-BundleSize = {8}, interleaverSize = {2,3,6}; when reg-BundleSize = {24}, interleaverSize = {2}.

[0049] Figure 6 An example scenario 600 of a CORESET with an extended control resource set (CORESET) duration according to an embodiment of this disclosure is provided. Scenario 600 shows the configuration of the CORESET with CORESET size = 24 RB, CORESET duration = 4 symbols, interleaverSize = 2, reg-BundleSize = 4, and AggregationLevel = 16.

[0050] Example Implementation

[0051] Figure 7 An example communication system 700 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated, the communication system having an example communication device 710 and an example network device 720. Each of the communication device 710 and the network device 720 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes and methods related to enhanced beam configuration for beam hopping control in wireless communication described herein, including the scenarios / schemes described above and processes 800 and 900 described below.

[0052] The communication device 710 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a user equipment (UE), such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 710 may be implemented in a smartphone, smartwatch, personal digital assistant, electronic control unit (ECU) in a vehicle, digital camera, or computing device (such as a tablet, laptop, or mobile phone). The communication device 710 may also be part of a machine-type device, which may be an Internet of Things (IoT), narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), bandwidth-reduced low complexity (BL), or coverage-enhanced (CE) UE, such as a non-movable or fixed device, a home device, a roadside unit (RSU), a wired communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 710 may be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart refrigerator, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker, or a home control center. Alternatively, the communication device 710 may be implemented as one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, or one or more complex instruction set computing (CISC) processors. The communication device 710 may include Figure 7 The communication device 710 may also include at least some of the components shown, such as processor 712. It may also include one or more other components unrelated to the present disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device), and therefore, these components of the communication device 710 are not... Figure 7 This is shown in the text and not described below, in order to simplify and refine the explanation.

[0053] Network device 720 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a network node, such as a satellite, base station (BS), small cell, router, or gateway in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) system. For example, network device 720 may be implemented in an eNB / gNB / TRP in a satellite or 4G / 5G, NR, IoT, NB-IoT, or IIoT network. Alternatively, network device 720 may be implemented as one or more IC chips, such as, but not limited to, one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more RISC or CISC processors. Network device 720 may include... Figure 7 The network device 720 may include at least some of the components shown, such as processor 722. It may also include one or more other components unrelated to the present disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device), and therefore, these components of the network device 720 are not... Figure 7 This is shown in the text and not described below, in order to simplify and refine the explanation.

[0054] In one aspect, each of processors 712 and 722 may be implemented as one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more CISC processors. That is, although the singular term "processor" is used herein to refer to processors 712 and 722, each of processors 712 and 722 may comprise multiple processors according to certain embodiments of this disclosure, or a single processor according to other embodiments. In another aspect, each of processors 712 and 722 may be implemented in hardware (and optionally firmware) comprising, for example, but not limited to, one or more transistors, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more memristors, and / or one or more transformers, these electronic components being configured and arranged to achieve a specific purpose of this disclosure. In other words, in at least some embodiments, each of processors 712 and 722 is a dedicated machine specifically designed, arranged, and configured to perform specific tasks in devices (e.g., represented by communication device 710) and network nodes (e.g., represented by network device 720) according to various embodiments of this disclosure, including initial access in wireless communication with enhanced beam configuration.

[0055] In some embodiments, the communication device 710 may further include a transceiver 716 coupled to the processor 712 and capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, the transceiver 716 may be capable of wireless communication with wireless networks of different types of UEs and / or different Radio Access Technologies (RATs). In some embodiments, the transceiver 716 may be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), such as four antenna ports. That is, the transceiver 716 may be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas for beamforming and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication. In some embodiments, the network device 720 may further include a transceiver 726 coupled to the processor 722. The transceiver 726 may include a transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, the transceiver 726 may be capable of wireless communication with different types of UEs of different RATs. In some embodiments, the transceiver 726 may be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), such as four antenna ports. That is, the transceiver 726 may be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas for beamforming and MIMO wireless communication.

[0056] In some embodiments, the communication device 710 may further include a memory 714 coupled to and accessible by the processor 712 for storing data. In some embodiments, the network device 720 may further include a memory 724 coupled to and accessible by the processor 722 for storing data. Each of the memories 714 and 724 may include a random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), thyristor RAM (T-RAM), and / or zero-capacitance RAM (Z-RAM). Alternatively, each of the memories 714 and 724 may include a read-only memory (ROM), such as a mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and / or electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). Alternatively, each of the memories 714 and 724 may include a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), such as flash memory, solid-state memory, ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), and / or phase-change memory.

[0057] Each of the communication device 710 and the network device 720 can be a communication entity capable of communicating with each other according to various proposed schemes of this disclosure. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, the capabilities of the communication device 710 as a user equipment (UE) and the network device 720 as a network node (e.g., a satellite or base station (BS)) are described below in conjunction with procedures 800 and 900.

[0058] Explanatory process

[0059] Figure 8 An example flow 800 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Flow 800 may be an example implementation of some or all of the above-described scenarios / solutions, for an enhanced beam configuration with beam hopping control in wireless communication. Flow 800 may represent one aspect of a characteristic embodiment of network device 720. Flow 800 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in blocks 810 to 830. Although shown in discrete block form, the individual blocks of flow 800 may be divided into more blocks, merged into fewer blocks, or omitted, depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the individual blocks of flow 800 may be arranged according to... Figure 8 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 800 can be implemented by network device 720 or any variant thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 800 is described below in the context of communication device 710 as user equipment (UE) and network device 720 as a network node (e.g., a satellite or base station (BS)). Process 800 may begin at block 810.

[0060] At 810, process 800 may involve configuring a processor 722 of network device 720 with one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams, wherein the one or more wide beams are associated with a first hopping ratio and the one or more narrow beams are associated with a second hopping ratio. Process 800 may continue from block 810 to block 820.

[0061] At 820, process 800 may involve processor 722, via transceiver 726, activating a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams at different time intervals based on a first hopping ratio and a second hopping ratio, thereby hopping between the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams over time. Process 800 may continue from block 820 to block 830.

[0062] At 830, process 800 may involve processor 722 transmitting, via transceiver 726, at least one of synchronization signal blocks (SSBs), common channel signaling, and data to communication device 710 on the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

[0063] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio may represent a first ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more wide beams, and the second hopping ratio may represent a second ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more narrow beams.

[0064] In some implementations, the SSB, the common channel signaling, and the data may be transmitted on at least one narrow beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

[0065] In some implementations, the SSB and the common channel signaling may be transmitted on at least one wide beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams, while the data may be transmitted on at least one narrow beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

[0066] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio can be configured according to the satellite constellation or satellite frequency band used by the network device 720 and the communication device 710.

[0067] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio may be configured such that each narrow beam hopping has at least one SSB cycle, and / or the second hopping ratio may be configured such that each wide beam hopping has at least one SSB cycle.

[0068] In some implementations, the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams can be multiplexed in the time domain, and in the absence of ongoing transmission on the wide beam, one of the narrow beams overlapping the wide beam is activated at a given time interval.

[0069] In some implementations, process 800 may also involve processor 722 determining a first service time length for each active beam in the portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on the SSB period and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio. Alternatively, process 800 may also involve processor 722 determining a second service time length for a specific active beam in the portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on a factor, the SSB period, and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio.

[0070] In some implementations, process 800 may also involve processor 722 determining a beam service period based on an SSB period, the number of SSB opportunities within the SSB period, and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio.

[0071] In some implementations, process 800 may also involve processor 722 sending a configuration to communication device 710 via transceiver 726, wherein the configuration indicates that the duration of the control resource set (CORESET) is 4 symbols or 8 symbols.

[0072] Figure 9 An example flow 900 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Flow 900 may be an example implementation of the above-described scenario / solution, whether partially or entirely, for an enhanced beam configuration with beam hopping control in wireless communication. Flow 900 may represent one aspect of a characteristic embodiment of communication device 710. Flow 900 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in blocks 910 to 930. Although shown in discrete block form, the individual blocks of flow 900 may be divided into more blocks, merged into fewer blocks, or omitted depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the blocks of flow 900 may be arranged according to... Figure 9 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 900 can be implemented by communication device 710 or any variant thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 900 is described below in the context of communication device 710 as a user equipment (UE) and network device 720 as a network node (e.g., a satellite or base station (BS)). Process 900 may begin at block 910.

[0073] At 910, process 900 may involve the processor 712 of communication device 710 searching for cells formed by network device 720 via transceiver 716, wherein the cells are configured with one or more wide beams associated with a first hopping ratio and one or more narrow beams associated with a second hopping ratio. Process 900 may proceed from block 910 to block 920.

[0074] At 920, process 900 may involve processor 712 detecting at least one active beam from a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams via transceiver 716, wherein different portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams are activated in a hopping manner at different time intervals based on a first hopping ratio and a second hopping ratio. Process 900 may proceed from block 920 to block 930.

[0075] At 930, process 900 may involve processor 712 receiving, via transceiver 716, at least one of synchronization signal block (SSB), common channel signaling, and data from network device 720 on the at least one active beam.

[0076] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio may represent a first ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more wide beams, and the second hopping ratio may represent a second ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more narrow beams.

[0077] In some implementations, the at least one active beam may include one of the one or more narrow beams, and the SSB, the common channel signaling, and the data may be received on the narrow beam.

[0078] In some implementations, the at least one active beam may include one of the one or more wide beams and one of the one or more narrow beams, and the SSB and the common channel signaling may be received on the one wide beam, while the data may be received on the one narrow beam.

[0079] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio can be configured according to the satellite constellation or satellite frequency band used by the network device 720 and the communication device 710.

[0080] In some implementations, the first hopping ratio may be configured such that each narrow beam hopping has at least one SSB cycle, and / or the second hopping ratio may be configured such that each wide beam hopping has at least one SSB cycle.

[0081] In some implementations, the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams can be multiplexed in the time domain, and in the absence of an ongoing transmission on the wide beam, one of the narrow beams overlapping the wide beam can be activated at a given time interval.

[0082] In some implementations, process 900 may further involve processor 712 determining a first service time length for each active beam in the portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on the SSB period and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio. Alternatively, process 900 may further involve processor 712 determining a second service time length for a specific active beam in the portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on a factor, the SSB period, and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio.

[0083] In some implementations, process 900 may further involve processor 712 determining a discontinuous reception (DRX) period based on the SSB period, the number of SSB opportunities within the SSB period, and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio.

[0084] In some implementations, process 900 may further involve processor 712 receiving configuration from network device 720 via transceiver 716, wherein the configuration indicates that the duration of the control resource set (CORESET) is 4 symbols or 8 symbols.

[0085] Additional notes

[0086] The topics described herein sometimes demonstrate that different components are contained within or connected to other different components. It should be understood that such architectures are merely examples, and many other architectures can actually be implemented to achieve the same functionality. Conceptually, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” to achieve the desired function. Therefore, any two components combined in this document to achieve a specific function can be considered “associated” to achieve the desired function, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two such associated components can also be considered “operationally connected” or “operationally coupled” to achieve the desired function, and any two components that can be suchly associated can also be considered “operationally coupled” to achieve the desired function. Specific examples of operational coupling include, but are not limited to, physically matable and / or physically interactive components and / or wirelessly interactive and / or logically interactive components.

[0087] Furthermore, regarding the use of almost all plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can convert from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations and combinations may be explicitly listed herein.

[0088] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that terms commonly used herein, particularly in appended claims, such as the body portion of appended claims, are generally intended as “open-ended” terms. For example, the word “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the word “having” should be interpreted as “at least having,” and the word “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will also further understand that if a particular quantity introduced in a claim is intentional, that intention will be explicitly stated in the claim; if no such statement is made, then that intention does not exist. For example, for ease of understanding, the appended claims below may contain the use of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce the content of the claim. However, the use of such phrases should not be interpreted as limiting any specific claim containing the content of the claim to containing only one instance of that content when the indefinite article “a” is used to introduce the content of the claim. Even if the same claim contains the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a,” for example, “a” should be interpreted as “at least one” or “one or more”; the same applies when the content of the claim is introduced with definite articles. Furthermore, even if a specific quantity is explicitly stated in the claims, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should be interpreted as at least the stated quantity. For example, stating "two items" alone, without further modification, indicates at least two items, or two or more items. Additionally, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, and C," such structures are generally intended for those skilled in the art to understand the meaning of the convention. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and systems having both A, B, and C. Similarly, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, or C," such structures are generally intended for those skilled in the art to understand the meaning of the convention. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and systems having both A, B, and C. Those skilled in the art will further understand that virtually any extractive word and / or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to include the possibility of including only one term, either term, or both terms simultaneously. For example, the phrase "A or B" would be understood to mean "including A," "including B," or "including both A and B."

[0089] As can be seen from the foregoing, this document describes various embodiments of the present disclosure for illustrative purposes, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Therefore, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope and spirit are defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: A cell with one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams is configured by the processor of a network node, wherein the one or more wide beams are associated with a first hopping ratio and the one or more narrow beams are associated with a second hopping ratio; The processor hops between one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams over time in such a way that, based on the first hop ratio and the second hop ratio, a portion of the one or more wide beams and one or more narrow beams are activated at different time intervals. as well as The processor transmits at least one of a synchronization signal block, common channel signaling, and data to the device on the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hopping ratio represents a first ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more wide beams, and the second hopping ratio represents a second ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more narrow beams.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal block, the common channel signaling, and the data are transmitted on at least one narrow beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal block and the common channel signaling are transmitted on at least one wide beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams, and the data is transmitted on at least one narrow beam of the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio are configured according to the satellite constellation or satellite frequency band used by the network node and the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first switching ratio is configured such that each narrow beam switching has at least one synchronization signal block period, or the second switching ratio is configured such that each wide beam switching has at least one synchronization signal block period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams are multiplexed in the time domain, and in the absence of ongoing transmission on the wide beam, one of the narrow beams overlapping the wide beam is activated at a given time interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The processor determines a first service time length for each active beam in the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on the synchronization signal block period and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio; or The processor determines a second service time length for a specific active beam in the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on a factor, the period of the synchronization signal block, and one of the first transition ratio and the second transition ratio.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The processor determines the beam service period based on the synchronization signal block period, the number of synchronization signal block opportunities within the synchronization signal block period, and one of the first transition ratio and the second transition ratio.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The processor sends a configuration to the device, wherein the configuration indicates that the duration of the control resource set is 4 symbols or 8 symbols.

11. A method comprising: The device's processor searches for cells formed by network nodes, wherein the cells are configured with one or more wide beams associated with a first hopping ratio and one or more narrow beams associated with a second hopping ratio. The processor detects at least one active beam from a portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams, wherein different portions of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams are activated in a hopping manner at different time intervals based on a first hopping ratio and a second hopping ratio; as well as The processor receives at least one of a synchronization signal block, common channel signaling, and data from the network node on the at least one active beam.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first hopping ratio represents a first ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more wide beams, and the second hopping ratio represents a second ratio between the number of active beams in a given time interval and the total number of the one or more narrow beams.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one active beam comprises one of the one or more narrow beams, and the synchronization signal block, the common channel signaling, and the data are received on the narrow beam.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one active beam comprises one of the one or more wide beams and one of the one or more narrow beams, and the synchronization signal block and the common channel signaling are received on the one wide beam, while the data is received on the one narrow beam.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio are configured according to the satellite constellation or satellite frequency band used by the network node and the device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first switching ratio is configured such that each narrow beam switching has at least one synchronization signal block period, or the second switching ratio is configured such that each wide beam switching has at least one synchronization signal block period.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams are multiplexed in the time domain, and in the absence of an ongoing transmission on the wide beam, one of the narrow beams overlapping the wide beam is activated at a given time interval.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The processor determines a first service time length for each active beam in the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on the synchronization signal block period and one of the first hopping ratio and the second hopping ratio; or The processor determines a second service time length for a specific active beam in the portion of the one or more wide beams and the one or more narrow beams based on a factor, the period of the synchronization signal block, and one of the first transition ratio and the second transition ratio.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The processor determines the discontinuous reception period based on the synchronization signal block period, the number of synchronization signal block opportunities within the synchronization signal block period, and one of the first transition ratio and the second transition ratio.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising: The processor receives a configuration from the network node, wherein the configuration indicates that the duration of the control resource set is 4 symbols or 8 symbols.

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