Method for enhanced synchronization block design in wireless communication

Abstract

Various solutions for enhanced synchronization block design in wireless communications are described. An apparatus can receive a synchronization block associated with a beam index from a network node. The synchronization block can include a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and an instance of at least one of a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the physical broadcast channel. The apparatus can accumulate the instance of the at least one of the primary synchronization signal, the physical broadcast channel, and the secondary synchronization signal within the synchronization block. The apparatus can then synchronize with the network node based on the accumulation.

Description

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This disclosure is part of a non-provisional application that claims priority to PCT application No. PCT / CN2024 / 125483, filed on October 17, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to the design of enhanced synchronization blocks (SyncBlocks) in wireless communication. Background Technology

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

[0005] Wireless communication technologies have experienced exponential growth over the years. Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems offer high peak data rates, low latency, increased system capacity, and low operating costs due to simplified network architecture. LTE systems, also known as 4G systems, can seamlessly integrate with older wireless networks such as GSM, CDMA, and UMTS. In LTE systems, the Enhanced Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) comprises multiple enhanced node Bs (eNodeBs, eNBs) that communicate with multiple mobile stations (called user equipment (UEs)). 3GPP networks typically include a hybrid of 2G / 3G / 4G systems. The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Board has decided to focus future NGMN activities on defining the end-to-end requirements for 5G (5G) new radio (NR) systems and 6G systems.

[0006] In wireless communication, a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) received by the receiver (e.g., UE) often occurs due to poor background conditions or long-distance communication. For example, in non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems, the distance between the UE and the satellite is large, and the radio conditions between them may change rapidly due to the movement of both the satellite and the UE. Therefore, a low SNR will lead to a reduced success rate in signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding at the receiver.

[0007] Therefore, an appropriate solution is needed to address this problem. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The following summary is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting. That is, the following summary aims to introduce the concepts, key points, benefits, and advantages of the novel and non-obvious techniques described herein. Some embodiments will be further described in the detailed description below. Therefore, the following summary is not intended to identify the essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to define the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] One objective of this disclosure is to provide schemes, concepts, designs, systems, methods, and apparatus related to the design of enhanced synchronization blocks 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.

[0010] In one aspect, a method may involve an apparatus receiving a synchronization block (SyncBlock) associated with a beam index from a network node, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the physical broadcast channel. The method may also involve an apparatus accumulating one or more instances of the at least one of the primary synchronization signal, the physical broadcast channel, and the secondary synchronization signal within the synchronization block. The method may further involve an apparatus synchronizing with the network node based on the accumulation.

[0011] In one aspect, a method may involve a network node generating a synchronization block associated with a beam index, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of a primary synchronization signal, a physical broadcast channel, and a secondary synchronization signal multiplexed into the physical broadcast channel. The method may also involve the network node transmitting the synchronization block to a device.

[0012] It is worth noting that although the descriptions provided herein may be made in the context of certain radio 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 proposed concepts, schemes, and any variations / derivatives thereof can be implemented, used, and implemented by other types of radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings are included in this specification to further understand this disclosure and form part of this disclosure. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as some components may be shown out of proportion to actual implementations for clarity of the concepts of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of the time-frequency structure of the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) in 5G NR.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of a communication environment that can implement various solutions and schemes of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating example scenarios of wide-beam and narrow-beam NTN cells according to an implementation of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario design of an enhanced synchronization block (SyncBlock) according to an implementation of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 5 The diagram illustrates an example scenario of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure to describe an implementation of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of SSS and PBCH multiplexing within a 3 MHz synchronization block, according to an implementation of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 9 The diagram illustrates another example scenario of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure to illustrate an implementation of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of SSS and PBCH multiplexing within a 3 MHz synchronization block, according to an implementation of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of a 5 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of a 5 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example scenario of a 5 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of SSS and PBCH multiplexing within a 5 MHz synchronization block, according to an implementation of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example scenario of a SyncBlock time index indication, illustrating an implementation of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 17 An example block diagram is provided to illustrate a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 18 An example flowchart is provided to illustrate a communication system according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0032] Figure 19Another example flowchart illustrating an implementation of this disclosure is provided. Detailed Implementation

[0033] This specification discloses detailed embodiments and implementations of the claimed subject matter. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the claimed subject matter, which can be implemented in various forms. This disclosure can be embodied in 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 thorough and complete, and to fully convey 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.

[0034] Overview

[0035] According to embodiments of this disclosure, various techniques, methods, schemes, and / or solutions for enhancing synchronization block design in wireless communication are disclosed. Several possible solutions can be implemented individually or in combination according to this disclosure. That is, although these possible solutions are described individually below, two or more of them can be implemented in one or another combination.

[0036] In this disclosure, a non-terrestrial network (NTN) refers to a network that uses radio frequency (RF) and information processing resources carried by high-, medium-, and low-Earth orbit satellites or other high-altitude communication platforms to provide communication services to user equipment (UE). 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 has processing capabilities such as modulation / demodulation, encoding / decoding, switching, and routing.

[0037] As mentioned earlier, a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) leads to a low success rate in signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding at the receiver (e.g., UE). In 5G New Radio (NR), the synchronization signal block (SSB) is a critical signal for UE synchronization with the network. Figure 1 Example scenario 100 illustrates the time-frequency structure of the SSB in 5G NR. For example... Figure 1As shown, the SSB can consist of a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), each occupying one symbol and 127 subcarriers, as well as a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) spanning three orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols and 240 subcarriers. To address the low success rate of UE signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding due to low SNR, some time-domain or frequency-domain signal accumulation techniques can be employed. Specifically, the transmitter (e.g., a base station (BS) or satellite) can repeatedly transmit the same signal (e.g., the SSB), and the UE can accumulate all repeated signals for detection, demodulation, and / or decoding, or accumulate the detection or demodulation results of each repeated signal as the final result. However, in the scenario of repeated time-domain signals from the BS or satellite, signal repetition at different time intervals may affect the success rate of UE signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding, thus affecting the downlink (DL) synchronization process.

[0038] In view of the above, this disclosure proposes several schemes for enhancing synchronization block design in wireless communication. According to the schemes of this disclosure, various designs for synchronization block (SyncBlock) structures with bandwidths of 3 MHz and 5 MHz are proposed, along with a time index indication design for the synchronization block. Specifically, the synchronization block can be associated with a beam index and includes one or more instances (also referred to as repetitions or samples) of at least one of the primary synchronization signal (PSS), physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the PBCH (e.g., in the frequency domain). That is, the synchronization block allows for multiple items selected from a group consisting of PSS, PBCH, and SSS. In this way, the UE can accumulate instances of PSS, PBCH, and / or SSS within a synchronization block to synchronize with the base station, without waiting for SSB repetitions transmitted at different time intervals as in traditional 5G NR SSB designs. Therefore, by applying the schemes of this disclosure, the success rate of UE signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding can be improved, enabling fast initial cell search and ensuring better communication performance.

[0039] It should be noted that the term "synchronization block" may also be replaced by "SSB" (or enhanced SSB) or any other suitable term, as long as the term reflects the characteristics of the enhanced synchronization block design described in this disclosure.

[0040] Figure 2Example scenario 200 of a communication environment is illustrated, illustrating various solutions and schemes that can be implemented according to embodiments of this disclosure. Scenario 200 involves UE 210 wirelessly communicating with network 220 (e.g., a wireless network including NTN and terrestrial network (TN)) via terrestrial network node 222 (e.g., base station (BS), such as enhanced Node-B (eNB), next-generation Node-B (gNB), transceiver point (TRP), or gateway) and / or non-terrestrial network node 224 (e.g., satellite). For example, terrestrial network node 222 and non-terrestrial network node 224 can form an NTN serving cell to wirelessly communicate with UE 210. In such a communication environment, UE 210, network 220, and terrestrial network node 222 and / or non-terrestrial network node 224 can implement schemes for enhanced synchronization block designs in various wireless communications described below. It is worth noting that although various proposed schemes may be described separately or individually below, in practice, some or all of the proposed schemes may be used in combination or implemented. Of course, each proposed scheme can also be used or implemented individually.

[0041] Figure 3 Example scenario 300 of wide-beam and narrow-beam NTN cells according to embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 3 As shown, each satellite (e.g., SAT#1 or SAT#4) can form an NTN cell, which may include multiple wide-beam and / or narrow-beam coverages used by the satellite. Additionally, or optionally, a satellite (e.g., SAT#2) may use a narrow beam to form beam coverage, which may or may not overlap with the beam / cell coverage of another satellite (e.g., SAT#1).

[0042] Figure 4 An example scenario 400 of an enhanced synchronization block design according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 4 As shown, a SyncBlock burst within a synchronization block period can include multiple synchronization block beam sets (denoted as Beam_SyncBlock_set#1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set#N), each associated with the same or different beam indices. Additionally, or optionally, each synchronization block beam set can include multiple synchronization block repetitions (denoted as SyncBlock_rep#1 to SyncBlock_rep#R), for example, to further improve the success rate of UE signal detection, demodulation, and / or decoding.

[0043] Under the first embodiment of this disclosure, a synchronization block structure design for 3 MHz is proposed, wherein a synchronization block can occupy 4, 5, 6, or 26 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs), thereby repeatedly creating space within a synchronization block for the primary synchronization signal (PSS), the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and the secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the PBCH. Furthermore, or optionally, a synchronization block may also include one or more symbols, which may be empty or include content other than the PSS, PBCH, and SSS.

[0044] Figure 5 An example scenario 500 of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Scenario 500 describes a synchronization block occupying 26 symbols across 16 PRBs. Within this block, there are 8 PSS instances, each occupying 1 symbol across 12 PRBs, 6 PBCH instances, each occupying 3 symbols across 16 PRBs, and multiple SSS instances multiplexed into the PBCH instances. In this example, there are 6 SSS instances, each occupying the same 3 symbols in one PBCH instance. Alternatively, in another example, there may be 18 SSS instances, each occupying one symbol in a PBCH instance. Furthermore, one or more of these PSS / SSS instances may include negative PSS / SSS (i.e., symbol inversion of PSS / SSS), and the resulting symbol set of the PSS / SSS instances can be used to further indicate its purpose. Figure 5 As shown, N is the maximum number of beams used for beam scanning, and R is the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for a beam. In scenario 500, if the satellite does not apply beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N all correspond to the same beam (index)), then the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within one synchronization block period (the length is denoted as the synchronization block periodicity) is M=N. R. Otherwise, if the satellite applies beam scanning (i.e., each of Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N corresponds to a different beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for a beam within a synchronization block period is R.

[0045] Figure 6An example scenario 600 of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Scenario 600 describes the same synchronization block structure as scenario 500, except that a beam does not repeat within a synchronization block period. In scenario 600, if the satellite does not apply beam scanning, the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within a synchronization block period (the length of which is denoted as synchronization block periodicity) is M=N. Alternatively, if the satellite applies beam scanning, there is only one synchronization block per beam within a synchronization block period (i.e., R=1).

[0046] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 8 for frequency range 1 (FR1), and 64 for frequency range 2 (FR2) and frequency range 3 (FR3) with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds, where FR3 requires at least 4 user equipment (UE) antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements. In one example, different PSS instance symbol sets can be used to indicate different beam indices within a synchronization block period. In another example, different SSS instance symbol sets can be used to indicate different beam indices within a synchronization block period (e.g., symbol set = {1,1,1} indicates beam index = 1, and symbol set = {1,1,-1} indicates beam index = 2).

[0047] In some embodiments, the value of R can be predefined or indicated in different ways. In one example, the value of R can be predefined in the 3GPP specification for different frequency bands and / or different radio systems. In another example, the value of R can be indicated by a set of symbols for three SSS instances (e.g., symbol set = {1,1,1} indicates R=1, or symbol set = {1,1,-1} indicates R=2 for that beam index). In yet another example, the value of R can be indicated by a synchronization assisting signal (SAS), which is a broadcast signal used by user equipment to narrow down the possible frequency positions of the synchronization block during the initial cell search process. In yet another example, the value of R can be indicated by different PSS sequence candidates.

[0048] Figure 7An example scenario 700 of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Scenario 700 describes a synchronization block occupying 6 symbols in 16 PRBs. Within this synchronization block, there are 2 PSS instances, each occupying 1 symbol in 12 PRBs, 1 PBCH instance occupying 4 symbols in 16 PRBs, and 1 SSS instance multiplexed into the PBCH instance. Furthermore, one or more of these PSS / SSS instances may include negative PSS / SSS (i.e., symbol inversion of PSS / SSS), and the resulting symbol set of the PSS / SSS instances can be used for further indication of purpose. In scenario 700, if the satellite does not apply beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N all correspond to the same beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within a synchronization block period (the length of which is denoted as synchronization block periodicity) is M=N. R. Otherwise, if the satellite applies beam scanning (i.e., each of Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N corresponds to a different beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for a beam within a synchronization block period is R.

[0049] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 32 for FR1, 256 for FR2, and 128 for FR3, with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 8 UE antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements. Alternatively, the value of N can be 32 for FR1, and 256 for FR2 and FR3 with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 4 UE antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements.

[0050] In some implementations, the value of R can be predefined or indicated in different ways. For example, the value of R can be predefined for different frequency bands and / or different radio systems (e.g., in the 3GPP specification). In another example, the value of R can be indicated by a set of symbols for two instances of primary synchronization signals (PSS) (e.g., symbol set = {1,1} indicates R=1, or symbol set = {1,-1} indicates R=2, used for beam indexing). In another example, the value of R can be indicated by a set of symbols for three or four instances of secondary synchronization signals (SSS) (e.g., symbol set = {1,1,1,1} indicates R=1, or symbol set = {1,1,1,-1} indicates R=2, used for beam indexing). In another example, the value of R can be indicated by synchronization assist signals (SAS), i.e., broadcast signals used by user equipment (UE) to narrow down the possible frequency positions of synchronization blocks during the initial cell search. In yet another example, the value of R can be indicated by different primary synchronization signal (PSS) sequence candidates.

[0051] Figure 8 An example scenario 800 of SSS and PBCH multiplexing within a 3 MHz next synchronization block is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Scenario 800 describes the same situation as scenario 700, where a synchronization block occupies 6 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs). Within the synchronization block, there are 2 primary synchronization signal (PSS) instances, each occupying 1 symbol in 12 PRBs, 1 physical broadcast channel (PBCH) instance occupying 4 symbols in 16 PRBs, and 1 secondary synchronization signal (SSS) instance multiplexed into the PBCH instance. Figure 8 As shown, SSS and PBCH multiplexing can employ different alternatives. In alternative one, a 255-character SSS sequence is used at resource element (RE) index = 3. The (n-1)+O_offset1 position occupies 4 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 4 symbols at 513 REs, with a coding rate of 0.049. Here, n=1, 2, …, corresponding to the length of the SSS sequence; O_offset1 corresponds to the offset between the start of the PRB and the RE occupied by the synchronization block; O_offset2 corresponds to the offset between the end of the PRB and the RE occupied by the synchronization block; and O_offset1 / O_offset2=0, 1, or 2. In alternative method two, two SSS sequences of length 127 occupy RE index = 3. The (n-1)+1 position occupies 4 symbols, and PBCH occupies 4 symbols at 510 REs, with a coding rate of 0.049, where O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 0, 1, or 2. In alternative mode three, four SSS sequences of length 63 occupy RE indices at each symbol N_sym = 3. The n-1 position occupies 4 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 4 symbols at 512 REs, with a coding rate of 0.049. N_sym corresponds to the symbol index of the SSS and PBCH multiplexing, from 1 to the symbol length of the SSS and PBCH multiplexing, and O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 0, 1 or 2.

[0052] Figure 9 An example scenario 900 of a 3 MHz synchronization block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Scenario 900 describes a synchronization block occupying 4 symbols in 16 Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs). Within the synchronization block, one Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) instance occupies 1 symbol in the 16 PRBs, one Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) instance occupies 3 symbols in the 16 PRBs, and one Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) instance is multiplexed into the PBCH instance. In scenario 900, if the satellite does not apply beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N all correspond to the same beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within a synchronization block period (the length of which is denoted as the synchronization block periodicity) is M = N. R. Otherwise, if the satellite uses beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N correspond to different beams (indices)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for each beam within a synchronization block period is R.

[0053] In some implementations, the value of N can be 32 for FR1, 256 for FR2, and 128 for FR3, with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds. FR3 requires at least 8 user equipment (UE) antenna elements, and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements. Alternatively, the value of N can be 32 for FR1 and 256 for both FR2 and FR3, with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds. FR3 requires at least 4 UE antenna elements, and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements.

[0054] In some implementations, the value of R can be predefined or indicated in different ways. For example, the value of R can be predefined for different frequency bands and / or different radio systems (e.g., in 3GPP specifications). In another example, the value of R can be indicated by a Synchronization Assist Signal (SAS), a broadcast signal used by a User Equipment (UE) to narrow down the possible frequency locations of a synchronization block during the initial cell search. In yet another example, the value of R can be indicated by different Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) sequence candidates.

[0055] Figure 10An example scenario 1000 of SSS and PBCH multiplexing within a 3 MHz next synchronization block is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Scenario 1000 describes the same situation as scenario 900, where a synchronization block occupies 4 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs). Within the SyncBlock, one primary synchronization signal (PSS) instance occupies 1 symbol in the 16 PRBs, one physical broadcast channel (PBCH) instance occupies 3 symbols in the 16 PRBs, and one secondary synchronization signal (SSS) instance is multiplexed into the PBCH instance. Figure 10 As shown, SSS and PBCH multiplexing can employ different alternatives. In alternative one, two SSS sequences of length 63 are used at RE index = 3 for each symbol N_sym. The (n-1)th position occupies 2 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 3 symbols at 446 REs, with a coding rate of 0.056. Here, n = 1, 2, ... represents the index of each unit in the SSS sequence. O_offset1 corresponds to the offset between the start of the PRB and the RE occupied by the synchronization block, and O_offset2 corresponds to the offset between the end of the PRB and the RE occupied by the synchronization block. O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 0, 1, or 2. In alternative method two, the three SSS sequences of length 127 occupy RE index = 6. The n-1 position occupies 3 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 3 symbols at 479 REs, with a coding rate of 0.052, where O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

[0056] Figure 11 An example scenario 1100 for a 3 MHz synchronization block structure is illustrated in this disclosure. Scenario 1100 describes a synchronization block occupying 5 symbols in 16 Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs). Within this synchronization block, one Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) instance occupies 1 symbol in the 16 PRBs, one Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) instance occupies 4 symbols in the 16 PRBs, and one Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) instance multiplexed into the PBCH instance. In scenario 1100, if the satellite does not apply beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N all correspond to the same beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within a synchronization block period (the length of which is denoted as the synchronization block periodicity) is M = N. R. Otherwise, if the satellite uses beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N correspond to different beams (indices)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for each beam within a synchronization block period is R.

[0057] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 32 for FR1, 256 for FR2, and 128 for FR3, with a SyncBlock period of 40 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 8 user equipment (UE) antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements. Alternatively, the value of N can be 32 for FR1 and 256 for both FR2 and FR3, with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 4 UE antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements.

[0058] In some embodiments, the value of R may be predefined or indicated in different ways. In one example, the value of R may be predefined in the 3GPP specification for different frequency bands and / or different radio systems. In another example, the value of R may be indicated by a set of symbols for one PSS instance (e.g., symbol set = {1} indicates R=1, or symbol set = {-1} indicates R=2, for beam indexing). In another example, the value of R may be indicated by a set of symbols for three or four SSS instances (e.g., symbol set = {1,1,1,1} indicates R=1, or symbol set = {1,1,1,-1} indicates R=2, for beam indexing). In another example, the value of R may be indicated by a synchronization assist signal (SAS), i.e., a broadcast signal used by user equipment to narrow down the possible frequency positions of the synchronization block during the initial cell search process. In yet another example, the value of R may be indicated by different PSS sequence candidates.

[0059] According to the second aspect of this disclosure, a synchronization block structure design for 5 MHz is proposed, in which a synchronization block may occupy 5 or 26 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs, thereby creating space for the primary synchronization signal (PSS), physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and / or secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the PBCH to be repeated within a synchronization block. Additionally, or optionally, a synchronization block may also include one or more symbols, which may be empty or include content other than the PSS, PBCH, and SSS.

[0060] Figure 12 Example scenario 1200 for a 5 MHz synchronization block structure is shown in this disclosure. Scenario 1200 describes a synchronization block structure similar to scenario 500, except that a synchronization block occupies 26 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs, and the six PBCH instances each occupy 3 symbols in 22 / 24 PRBs. Further details regarding the synchronization block structure can be found in the description of scenario 500.

[0061] Figure 13An example scenario 1300 for a 5 MHz synchronization block structure is shown in this disclosure. Scenario 1300 describes the same synchronization block structure as scenario 1200, except that each beam does not repeat within a synchronization block period. Further details regarding the synchronization block structure can be found in the description of scenario 600.

[0062] Figure 14 An example scenario 1400 for a 5 MHz synchronization block structure is illustrated in this disclosure. Scenario 1400 describes a synchronization block occupying 5 symbols across 22 or 24 PRBs. Within this block, there are two PSS instances, each occupying 1 symbol across 12 PRBs, one PBCH instance occupying 3 symbols across 22 or 24 PRBs, and one SSS instance multiplexed into the PBCH instance. Furthermore, one or more PSS / SSS instances may include negative PSS / SSS (i.e., symbol inversion of PSS / SSS), and the resulting set of PSS / SSS instance symbols can be used for further indication. In scenario 1400, if beam scanning is not applied to the satellite (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N all correspond to the same beam (index)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions within a synchronization block period (length denoted as synchronization block periodicity) is M = N. R. Otherwise, if the satellite uses beam scanning (i.e., Beam_SyncBlock_set #1 to Beam_SyncBlock_set #N correspond to different beams (indices)), the maximum number of synchronization block repetitions for each beam within a synchronization block period is R.

[0063] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 32 for FR1, 256 for FR2, and 128 for FR3, with a synchronization block period of 20 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 8 UE antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements. Alternatively, the value of N can be 32 for FR1 and 256 for both FR2 and FR3, with a synchronization block period of 40 milliseconds, wherein FR3 requires at least 4 UE antenna elements and FR2 requires at least 64 UE antenna elements.

[0064] In some embodiments, the value of R may be predefined or indicated in different ways. In one example, the value of R may be predefined in the 3GPP specification for different frequency bands and / or different radio systems. In another example, the value of R may be indicated by a set of symbols for two PSS instances (e.g., symbol set = {1, 1} indicates R = 1, or symbol set = {1, -1} indicates R = 2, for beam indexing). In yet another example, the value of R may be indicated by a synchronization assist signal (SAS), i.e., a broadcast signal used by user equipment to narrow down the possible frequency positions of the synchronization block during the initial cell search. In yet another example, the value of R may be indicated by different PSS sequence candidates.

[0065] Figure 15 An example scenario 1500 of this disclosure illustrates the multiplexing of SSS and PBCH within a 5 MHz synchronization block. Scenario 1500 describes the same situation as scenario 1400, where a synchronization block occupies 5 symbols in 22 Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs). Within this synchronization block, there are 2 Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) instances, each occupying 1 symbol in 12 PRBs, 1 Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) instance occupying 3 symbols in 22 PRBs, and 1 Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) instance multiplexed into this PBCH instance. Figure 15 As shown, the multiplexing of SSS and PBCH can be performed through different alternative methods. In alternative method one, an SSS sequence of length 255 has an index of 3 for each symbol. (n+85 The resource element (RE) of (N_sym-1)+O_offset1+1 occupies 3 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 3 symbols on 516 REs, with a coding rate of 0.048. Here, n=1, 2, …, corresponding to one-third of the SSS sequence length. O_offset1 corresponds to the offset between the PRB start and the RE occupied by the synchronization block, and O_offset2 corresponds to the offset between the PRB end and the RE occupied by the synchronization block. Furthermore, O_offset1 / O_offset2=3 or 4. In alternative method two, two SSS sequences of length 127 occupy REs at symbol indices 1 and 3 with indices 2 and 3 respectively. n + O_offset1 - 1 occupies 2 symbols, PBCH occupies 3 symbols over 511 REs, with a coding rate of 0.049, where O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 4 or 5. In alternative mode three, the three 63-sequence SSS sequences have an index of 4 in each symbol N_sym. The n REs occupy 3 symbols, and the PBCH occupies 3 symbols across 576 REs, with a coding rate of 0.043. N_sym corresponds to the symbol index multiplexed by the SSS and PBCH, starting from 1 and extending to the length of the multiplexed symbol, and O_offset1 / O_offset2 = 0, 1, or 2. The values ​​of O_offset1 and O_offset2 can be determined based on predefined values.

[0066] Under the third scheme of this disclosure, a time index indication design for the synchronization block is proposed, enabling the user equipment (UE) to determine the timing position at the start of the synchronization block. Specifically, the time index (i.e., the timing position or position in the time domain) of the synchronization block can be determined by the following process: finding the target system frame number (SFN) of the synchronization block, the target subframe within the target SFN, the target time slot within the target subframe or the target SFN, and the target symbol within the target time slot.

[0067] Figure 16 An example scenario 1600 of the synchronization block time index indication in an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated. Scenario 1600 describes a synchronization block occupying 5 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs, within which there are 2 PSS instances, each occupying 1 symbol in 12 PRBs, 1 PBCH instance occupying 3 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs, and 1 SSS instance multiplexed into the PBCH instance. Figure 16 As shown, a synchronization block is repeated 4 times for a beam, with a two-symbol interval between each two synchronization block repetitions. A synchronization block burst consists of multiple (denoted as N)2-slot (e.g., 2 slots = 28 symbols) cycles, and a synchronization block is transmitted for one of the N beams within each cycle. Specifically, the UE can determine the timing position of the synchronization block for that beam as follows.

[0068] First, the UE can determine the target SFN of the synchronization block based on the beam index and the initial SFN (denoted as SFN_initial) of the synchronization block period (the length of which is denoted as SyncBlock periodicity), as shown in Formula 1 below.

[0069] (1)

[0070] Secondly, the UE can determine the target time slot of the synchronization block within the target SFN based on the beam index. In one example, the target time slot of the synchronization block can be determined by first determining the target subframe and then determining the target time slot, as shown in Formulas 2 and 3 below.

[0071] , (2) , (3) In another example, the target time slot of the synchronization block can be determined directly, as shown in Formula 4 below.

[0072] , (4)

[0073] Finally, the UE can determine the target symbol of the synchronization block within the target time slot based on the offset of the starting symbol of the target time slot, as shown in Formula 5 below.

[0074] (5)

[0075] In some implementations, the value of this offset can be determined based on a predefined synchronization block mode, i.e., indicated by the mode of the current synchronization block.

[0076] In some implementations, the starting system frame number (i.e., SFN_initial) of the synchronization block period can be indicated by the PBCH.

[0077] Example Implementation

[0078] Figure 17 An example communication system 1700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, including an example communication device 1710 and an example network device 1720. The communication device 1710 and the network device 1720 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes and methods related to enhanced synchronization block design in wireless communication described herein, including the above-described scenarios / schemes and processes 1800 and 1900 described below.

[0079] The communication device 1710 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a UE (User Equipment), such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. For example, the communication device 1710 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 notebook computer. The communication device 1710 may also be part of a machine-type device, which may be an Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) 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 1710 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 1710 may be implemented in the form of 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 1710 may include... Figure 17 The communication device 1710 may include at least some of the components shown, such as processor 1712. It may also include one or more other components unrelated to this disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device), and therefore, these components of the communication device 1710 are... Figure 17 This is not shown in the text and is not described below, in order to simplify and refine the content.

[0080] Network device 1720 may be part of an electronic device, which may be a network node, such as a satellite, base station (BS), cell, router, or gateway for a 4G / 5G / B5G / 6G, NR, Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), or non-terrestrial network (NTN) network. For example, network device 1720 may be implemented in an eNB / gNB / TRP in a satellite or 4G / 5G, NR, IoT, NB-IoT, IIoT, or NTN network. Alternatively, network device 1720 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 1720 may include... Figure 17 The network device 1720 may include at least some of the components shown, such as processor 1722. The network device 1720 may also include one or more other components unrelated to this disclosure (e.g., internal power supply, display device, and / or user interface device), and therefore these components of the network device 1720 are... Figure 17 This is not shown in the text and is not described below, in order to simplify and refine the content.

[0081] In one aspect, processor 1712 and processor 1722 may each 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 processor 1712 and processor 1722, according to embodiments of this disclosure, each of processor 1712 and processor 1722 may include multiple processors in some embodiments and a single processor in other embodiments. In another aspect, each of processor 1712 and processor 1722 may be implemented in hardware (and optionally firmware) including, 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 processor 1712 and processor 1722 is a dedicated machine specifically designed, arranged, and configured to perform specific tasks of various embodiments of this disclosure in devices (e.g., represented by communication device 1710) and network nodes (e.g., represented by network device 1720).

[0082] In some embodiments, communication device 1710 may further include a transceiver 1716 coupled to processor 1712 and capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, transceiver 1716 may be capable of wireless communication with wireless networks of different types of user equipment (UE) and / or different radio access technologies (RATs). In some embodiments, transceiver 1716 may be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), for example, four antenna ports. That is, transceiver 1716 may be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas for beamforming and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication. In some embodiments, network device 1720 may also include a transceiver 1726 coupled to processor 1722. Transceiver 1726 may include a transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, transceiver 1726 may be capable of wireless communication with different types of UEs of different RATs. In some embodiments, transceiver 1726 may be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), for example, four antenna ports. In other words, transceiver 1726 can be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas for beamforming and MIMO wireless communication.

[0083] In some embodiments, the communication device 1710 may further include a memory 1714 coupled to the processor 1712 and capable of being accessed by the processor 1712 and storing data. In some embodiments, the network device 1720 may further include a memory 1724 coupled to the processor 1722 and capable of being accessed by the processor 1722 and storing data. Each of the memories 1714 and 1724 may include a random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), thyristor RAM (T-RAM), and / or zero-capacitor RAM (Z-RAM). Alternatively, or additionally, each of the memories 1714 and 1724 may include a read-only memory (ROM), such as a mask ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and / or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). Alternatively, each of memories 1714 and 1724 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.

[0084] Each of the communication device 1710 and the network device 1720 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 1710 as a UE and the capabilities of the network device 1720 as a network node are described below in conjunction with procedures 1800 and 1900.

[0085] Example Process

[0086] Figure 18The example illustrates an example flow 1800 under the embodiments of this disclosure. Flow 1800 may be part or all of the example embodiments of the above scenarios / solutions, designed for enhanced synchronization blocks in wireless communication. Flow 1800 may represent one aspect of the functional implementation of communication device 1710. Flow 1800 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions, as shown in one or more flow blocks 1810 to 1830 of flow 1800. Although represented as discrete flow blocks, the flow blocks of flow 1800 may be divided into more flow blocks, merged into fewer flow blocks, or omitted according to the desired implementation. Furthermore, the flow blocks of flow 1800 may be arranged according to... Figure 18 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 1800 can be implemented by communication device 1710 or any applicable UE or machine type device. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 1800 is described below in the context of communication device 1710 as the UE and network device 1720 as the network node. Process 1800 may begin with process block 1810.

[0087] In process block 1810, process 1800 may involve the processor 1712 of communication device 1710 receiving, via transceiver 1716, a synchronization block associated with a beam index from network device 1720, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the PBCH. Process 1800 may proceed from process block 1810 to process block 1820.

[0088] In process block 1820, process 1800 may involve processor 1712 accumulating one or more instances of at least one of the PSS, PBCH, and SSS within the synchronization block. Process 1800 may proceed from process block 1820 to process block 1830.

[0089] In process block 1830, process 1800 may involve processor 1712 synchronizing with network device 1720 based on the accumulation.

[0090] In some implementations, process 1800 may also involve processor 1712 determining the target SFN of the synchronization block based on the beam index and the starting system frame number (SFN) of the synchronization block period, wherein the starting SFN is indicated by the PBCH. Furthermore, process 1800 may also involve processor 1712 determining the target time slot of the synchronization block within the target SFN based on the beam index, and determining the target symbol of the synchronization block within the target time slot based on the offset of the starting symbol of the target time slot, wherein the offset is indicated by the mode of the synchronization block or is predefined.

[0091] In some implementations, the synchronization block may occupy 4, 5, 6, or 26 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs), or 5 or 26 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs.

[0092] In some implementations, the synchronization block may include at least one of the following: (i) one or more PSS instances, each occupying one symbol; (ii) one or more PBCH instances, each occupying multiple symbols; (iii) one or more SSS instances, each occupying one or more or all of the multiple symbols of a PBCH instance; and (iv) one or more symbols that are empty or include content other than the PSS, the PBCH and the SSS.

[0093] In some implementations, each SSS instance may include an SSS sequence that is mapped to several subcarriers in one or more symbols occupied by each PBCH instance.

[0094] In some implementations, each of one or more of the PSS or SSS instances may include a sign inversion of the PSS or SSS, while each of the remaining PSS or SSS instances may include the PSS or SSS.

[0095] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the PSS or SSS instance in each repetition may be associated with a different beam index.

[0096] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and each repetition may be associated with the same or different beam indices.

[0097] In some implementations, the number of repetitions can be predefined for different frequency bands or wireless systems, or the number can be indicated by a synchronization assisting signal (SAS) or different sequence candidates of the PSS.

[0098] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the PSS or SSS instance in each repetition may indicate the number of repetitions.

[0099] Figure 19Flow 1900 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is illustrated by way of example. Flow 1900 can serve as an exemplary implementation of the above-described scenario / solution, whether partially or entirely, for an enhanced synchronization block design in wireless communication. Flow 1900 can represent one aspect of an implementation of the features of network device 1720. Flow 1900 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in flow blocks 1910 and 1920. Although shown as discrete flow blocks, the individual flow blocks of flow 1900 may be divided into more flow blocks, merged into fewer flow blocks, or omitted depending on the desired implementation. Furthermore, the flow blocks of flow 1900 may be arranged according to... Figure 19 The process can be executed in the order shown, or in a different order. Process 1900 can be implemented by network device 1720 or any variant thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation, process 1900 is described below in the context of communication device 1710 as the UE and network device 1720 as the network node. Process 1900 may begin at process block 1910.

[0100] In process block 1910, process 1900 may involve processor 1722 of network device 1720 generating a synchronization block associated with a beam index, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the PBCH. Process 1900 may continue from process block 1910 to process block 1920.

[0101] In process block 1920, process 1900 may involve processor 1722 sending the synchronization block to communication device 1710 via transceiver 1726.

[0102] In some implementations, the PBCH may indicate the starting system frame number (SFN) of the synchronization block period, and the mode of the synchronization block may indicate the offset of the starting symbol of the target time slot of the synchronization block, or the offset may be predefined.

[0103] In some implementations, the synchronization block may occupy 4, 5, 6, or 26 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs), or 5 or 26 symbols in 22 or 24 PRBs.

[0104] In some implementations, the synchronization block may include at least one of the following: (i) one or more PSS instances, each occupying one symbol; (ii) one or more PBCH instances, each occupying multiple symbols; (iii) one or more SSS instances, each occupying one or more or all of the multiple symbols of a PBCH instance; and (iv) one or more symbols that are empty or include content other than the PSS, the PBCH and the SSS.

[0105] In some implementations, each SSS instance may include an SSS sequence that is mapped to several subcarriers in one or more symbols occupied by each PBCH instance.

[0106] In some implementations, each of one or more of the PSS or SSS instances may include a sign inversion of the PSS or SSS, while each of the remaining PSS or SSS instances may include the PSS or SSS.

[0107] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the PSS or SSS instance in each repetition may be associated with a different beam index.

[0108] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and each repetition may be associated with the same or different beam indexes.

[0109] In some implementations, the number of repetitions is predefined for different frequency bands or wireless systems, or the number is indicated by a synchronization assist signal (SAS) or different sequence candidates of the PSS.

[0110] In some implementations, one or more repetitions of the synchronization block may be sent by the network device 1720 within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the PSS or SSS instance in each repetition may indicate the number of repetitions.

[0111] Additional notes

[0112] The subjects described in this specification sometimes demonstrate different components included in or connected to other different components. It should be understood that such illustrated 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 herein to achieve a particular function can be considered “associated with each other” 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 components and / or logically interactive and / or logically interactive components.

[0113] Furthermore, regarding the use of almost all plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can appropriately convert plural to singular and / or singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. Various singular / plural arrangements are explicitly listed herein for clarity.

[0114] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the terms commonly used herein, particularly in appended claims, such as the body portion of appended claims, are generally intended as “open” terms; for example, “comprising” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” “having” should be interpreted as “at least having,” and so on. Those skilled in the art will also understand that if a specific number of claim elements is explicitly expressed in the claim, then that intention is explicitly expressed in the claim; if not, then there is no such intention. For example, for ease of understanding, the following appended claims may include the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as limiting any particular claim that includes that element to including only one of that element, even if the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “one,” for example, “a” and / or “one” should be interpreted as “at least one” or “one or more”; the same applies to definite articles used to introduce claim elements. Furthermore, even when a specific number of elements incorporating a claim is explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that the expression should be interpreted as at least the stated number. For example, expressing "two elements" without any other modifiers indicates at least two elements, or two or more elements. Additionally, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, and C, etc.", this structure is generally intended to be interpreted in a manner understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, systems with only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and systems with A, B, and C, etc. Similarly, when using conventions such as "at least one A, B, or C, etc.", this structure is generally intended to be interpreted in a manner understood by those skilled in the art. For example, "a system having at least one A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, systems with only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and systems with A, B, and C, etc. Those skilled in the art will further understand that almost all extractives and / or phrases presenting two or more alternative terms in the specification, claims, or drawings should be understood to include one, any, or both terms. For example, "A or B" should be understood as including the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0115] As can be seen from the foregoing, various embodiments of this disclosure have been described herein for illustrative purposes, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, and the true scope and spirit are indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: The processor of the device receives a synchronization block SyncBlock associated with a beam index from a network node, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of a primary synchronization signal PSS, a physical broadcast channel PBCH, and a secondary synchronization signal SSS multiplexed into the physical broadcast channel. The processor accumulates one or more instances of at least one of the primary synchronization signal, the physical broadcast channel, and the secondary synchronization signal within the synchronization block; and The processor synchronizes with the network node based on the accumulated data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The processor determines the target system frame number of the synchronization block based on the beam index and the start system frame number (SFN) of the synchronization block period, wherein the start system frame number is indicated by the physical broadcast channel. The processor determines the target time slot of the synchronization block within the target system frame number based on the beam index; and The processor determines the target symbol of the synchronization block within the target time slot based on the offset of the starting symbol of the target time slot, wherein the offset is indicated by the mode of the synchronization block or is predefined.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, The synchronization block occupies 4, 5, 6, or 26 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs), or 5 or 26 symbols in 22 or 24 synchronization blocks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The synchronization block includes at least one of the following: One or more instances of the master synchronization signal, each occupying one symbol; One or more physical broadcast channel instances, each occupying multiple symbols; One or more instances of subsynchronous signals, each occupying one or more or all of the symbols of that physical broadcast channel instance; as well as One or more symbols, which may be empty or include content other than the primary synchronization signal, the physical broadcast channel, and the secondary synchronization signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, Each instance of the subsynchronization signal includes a subsynchronization signal sequence that is mapped to several subcarriers in one or more symbols occupied by each physical broadcast channel instance.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein, Each of one or more instances of the primary or secondary synchronization signal includes a sign inversion of the primary or secondary synchronization signal, while each of the remaining instances of the primary or secondary synchronization signal includes the primary or secondary synchronization signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the primary or secondary synchronization signal instance in each repetition is associated with a different beam index.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and each repetition is associated with the same or different beam index.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The number of repetitions is predefined for different frequency bands or wireless systems, or indicated by different sequence candidates of the synchronization auxiliary signal SAS or the main synchronization signal.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and the set of symbols of the primary or secondary synchronization signal instance in each repetition indicates the number of repetitions.

11. A method comprising: The network node's processor generates a synchronization block (SyncBlock) associated with the beam index, wherein the synchronization block includes one or more instances of at least one of the primary synchronization signal (PSS), the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) multiplexed into the physical broadcast channel; and The processor sends the synchronization block to the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, The physical broadcast channel indicates the starting system frame number (SFN) of the synchronization block period, and the mode of the synchronization block indicates the offset of the starting symbol of the target time slot of the synchronization block, or the offset is predefined.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, The synchronization block occupies 4, 5, 6, or 26 symbols in 16 physical resource blocks (PRBs), or 5 or 26 symbols in 22 or 24 physical resource blocks.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, The synchronization block includes at least one of the following: One or more instances of the master synchronization signal, each occupying one symbol; One or more physical broadcast channel instances, each occupying multiple symbols; One or more instances of subsynchronous signals, each occupying one or more or all of the symbols of that physical broadcast channel instance; as well as One or more symbols, which may be empty or include content other than the primary synchronization signal, the physical broadcast channel, and the secondary synchronization signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, Each instance of the subsynchronization signal includes a subsynchronization signal sequence that is mapped to several subcarriers in one or more symbols occupied by each physical broadcast channel instance.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, Each of one or more instances of the primary or secondary synchronization signal includes a sign inversion of the primary or secondary synchronization signal, while each of the remaining instances of the primary or secondary synchronization signal includes the primary or secondary synchronization signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and the symbol set of the primary or secondary synchronization signal instance in each repetition is associated with a different beam index.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and each repetition is associated with the same or different beam index.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, The number of repetitions is predefined for different frequency bands or wireless systems, or indicated by different sequence candidates of the synchronization auxiliary signal SAS or the main synchronization signal.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein, One or more repetitions of the synchronization block are sent by the network node within the synchronization block period, and the set of symbols of the primary or secondary synchronization signal instance in each repetition indicates the number of repetitions.

Images