Transmitting device, and communication method

Abstract

To provide a transmitting device capable of achieving appropriate MAC CE (MAC Control Element) operation start timing control processing in an NTN system.SOLUTION: A terminal 100 includes: a wireless receiving unit 106 that receives the MAC CE and the offset value (KMAC_ACTION, etc.); and a control unit 110 that sets a slot to start operation based on the MAC CE control command on the basis of the offset value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transmitting device and a communication method. [Background technology]

[0002] In the standardization of 5G, new radio access technology (NR) was discussed at 3GPP, and the NR Release 15 (Rel. 15) specification was published.

[0003] In 5G NR, the Rel. 15 standard specifies the timing (hereinafter referred to as "MAC CE operation start timing") to start operation (hereinafter referred to as "MAC CE operation") according to a control command transmitted by a MAC Control Element (MAC CE). MAC CE is information / signal processed (transmitted) in the Medium Access Control layer.

[0004] In addition, the extension of NR to non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), such as communications using satellites and / or high-altitude platform stations (HAPSs), is being considered (e.g., Non-Patent Document 1).

[0005] Compared to terrestrial cellular systems, the NTN system has a longer communication distance between the base station and the terminal, resulting in larger propagation delays. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] 3GPP, TR38.821 V16.0.0 “Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN) (Release 16)” Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The timing for starting the NTN MAC CE operation has not yet been specified in the standard. However, because NTN has a large propagation delay, it is not necessarily optimal to make the timing for starting the NTN MAC CE operation common with NR.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure contributes to providing a transmitting device, a receiving device, a transmitting method, and a receiving method that can realize appropriate MAC CE operation start timing control processing in an NTN system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A receiving device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a receiving circuit that receives a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) and an offset value, and a control circuit that sets a slot at which to start operation based on a control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value.

[0010] A transmitting device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control circuit that sets a slot at which an operation based on a control command of a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) is to be started based on an offset value, and a transmitting circuit that transmits the offset value and the MAC CE.

[0011] In a receiving method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a receiving device receives a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) and an offset value, and sets a slot for starting operation based on a control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value.

[0012] In a transmission method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a transmitting device sets a slot at which to start operation based on a control command of a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) based on an offset value, and transmits the offset value and the MAC CE.

[0013] These comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a recording medium, or may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, appropriate MAC CE operation start timing control processing can be realized in an NTN system.

[0015] Further advantages and benefits of certain aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or benefits may be provided by some of the embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, respectively, but not necessarily all of them may be provided to obtain one or more identical features. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of timing adjustment based on terminal position information and satellite orbit information; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of transmission slot timing. [Figure 3] A diagram explaining considerations regarding MAC CE operation start timing [Figure 4] A diagram explaining considerations regarding MAC CE operation start timing [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of a terminal according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of a base station according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a terminal according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a base station according to a first embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 shows a MAC CE operation slot setting method 1-1 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 shows a MAC CE operation slot setting method 1-2 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 shows a MAC CE operation slot setting method 2-1 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 shows a MAC CE operation slot setting method 2-2 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] Schematic diagram showing functional separation between NG-RAN and 5GC [Figure 14] Sequence diagram of RRC connection setup / reconfiguration procedure [Figure 15] Schematic diagram showing usage scenarios for enhanced Mobile BroadBand (eMBB), massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC), and Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC). [Figure 16] Block diagram illustrating an exemplary 5G system architecture for a non-roaming scenario DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0018] <Knowledge that led to this disclosure> The findings that led to this disclosure will be described below.

[0019] [MAC CE operation start timing in NR] In a wireless communication system such as NR, a terminal (also referred to as UE (User Equipment)) controls Timing Advance to match the downlink timing of a base station (also referred to as gNB). The terminal adjusts the transmission timing of an uplink signal based on, for example, a TA value included in a TA command received from the base station. Uplink channels include a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) used for data transmission, a PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) used for control information transmission, and a PRACH (Physical Random Access Channel) used for initial access transmission. An uplink signal also includes an SRS (Sounding Reference Signal). Downlink channels also include a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) used for data transmission and a PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) used for control information transmission.

[0020] In addition, in 5G NR, the timing of transmission slots is specified in Rel. 15.

[0021] Furthermore, in 5G NR, Rel. 15 specifies control commands transmitted by MAC CE. For example, as described in TS38.321V15.8.0, the control commands include TCI states (beam) activation / deactivation, CSI-RS resource activation / deactivation, and SRS activation / deactivation. After confirming that the MAC CE has been received by the terminal, the base station starts MAC CE operation, i.e., reflecting the control command transmitted by the MAC CE.

[0022] In a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process, a terminal transmits a response signal (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "HARQ-ACK") to a base station in response to a PDSCH. The response signal includes an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK).

[0023] In 5G NR, Rel.15, for example, TS38.213 V15.8.0 specifies that the MAC CE operation start timing is 3 ms after the base station receives the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH including MAC CE, that is, the timing when the contents of the notified MAC CE control command are reflected. Since the subframe length is 1 ms, the MAC CE operation start timing is 3 ms after the HARQ-ACK slot. slot subframe After the slot. slot subframe is the number of slots per subframe and varies depending on the subcarrier spacing, etc. This allows the base station to start MAC CE operation after receiving HARQ-ACK (acknowledgment), i.e., after confirming that MAC CE has been correctly received by the terminal.

[0024] [Expansion to NTN] The extension of NR to NTN, such as communications using satellites and / or HAPS, is being considered (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0025] In an NTN environment, a satellite's coverage area (e.g., one or more cells) for a terrestrial or aircraft terminal is formed by beams from the satellite. The round-trip time for radio wave propagation between the terminal and the satellite is determined by the satellite's altitude (e.g., up to approximately 36,000 km) and / or the angle as seen from the terminal, i.e., the relative positions of the satellite and the terminal. When a base station is installed in a terrestrial gateway (GW), the round-trip time for radio wave propagation between the base station and the terminal is the sum of the round-trip time for radio wave propagation between the satellite and the terrestrial gateway.

[0026] For example, satellites form cells with a diameter of several hundred kilometers. Cells formed by satellites are larger than the cells formed by terrestrial gateway base stations, which have a diameter of several kilometers. Therefore, the difference in propagation delay between a terminal and the satellite becomes large depending on the location of the terminal within the cell formed by the satellite.

[0027] For example, NTN discloses in Non-Patent Document 1 that the round trip time (RTT) of radio wave propagation between a base station and a terminal is approximately 540 ms at most. Non-Patent Document 1 also discloses that a maximum delay difference of approximately 10 ms occurs depending on the location of the terminal within the beam (within the cell). The maximum delay difference refers to, for example, the difference between the round trip time between the terminal located farthest from a satellite and the satellite within the beam (within the cell) and the round trip time between the terminal located closest to the satellite and the satellite.

[0028] For example, NTN is considering calculating propagation delay based on the distance between the terminal and a satellite, which is estimated using terminal location information obtained from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) such as GPS (Global Positioning System) and satellite location information obtained from satellite orbital information (satellite ephemeris), and allowing the terminal to autonomously adjust timing.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of timing adjustment based on UE location information and satellite ephemeris.

[0030] Figure 1 illustrates downlink (DL) transmission slots and uplink (UL) reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). Note that the horizontal axis in Figure 1 represents the time axis.

[0031] Fig. 1 shows that the propagation delay from the transmission timing of a certain signal at a base station to the reception timing of the signal at a terminal is expressed by the propagation delay of a feeder link (Feeder link delay) and the propagation delay of a service link (Service link delay). Fig. 1 also shows that the terminal adjusts the transmission timing of the signal using a TA determined based on the terminal's location information and satellite orbit information. In Fig. 1, the TA corresponds to, for example, twice the propagation delay of the service link.

[0032] However, terminal timing adjustment based on the distance between the satellite and the terminal only corrects the delay between the terminal and the satellite (i.e., the service link), but not the delay between the satellite and the base station located at the terrestrial gateway (GW) (i.e., the feeder link). Furthermore, in a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment between the satellite and the terminal, the propagation delay calculated using location information may differ from the actual propagation delay, including reflections and / or diffractions that occur in the non-line-of-sight environment. This can result in a timing difference between the downlink and uplink signals, as shown in Figure 1.

[0033] [NTN's considerations regarding timing for starting MAC CE operations] Figure 2 shows an example of transmission slot timing. Figure 2 shows an example of transmission slot timing for terrestrial cellular defined in Rel. 15 (left diagram of Figure 2) and an example of transmission slot timing considered by NTN (right diagram of Figure 2).

[0034] 2 illustrates DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). Note that the horizontal axis in FIG. 2 represents the time axis.

[0035] In Rel.15, the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH transmitted in slot (n) is transmitted from the terminal in slot (n + K1) and received by the base station. K1 is the slot correction value for the HARQ-ACK. The slot number is set based on the slot timing at the base station.

[0036] In contrast, NTN uses an offset value (K offset ) and the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH transmitted in slot (n) is added to the offset ) is being considered for transmission from the terminal so that it can be received by the base station. offset is broadcast for each cell.

[0037] 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining consideration of MAC CE operation start timing. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of the base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of the terminal (UE) are illustrated. The horizontal axis in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 indicates the time axis. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, 3N slot subframe is listed as X.

[0038] K offset Considering this, for the slot (n) in which PDSCH including MAC CE is transmitted (hereinafter referred to as "PDSCH slot"), the slot in which MAC CE operation starts (hereinafter referred to as "MAC CE operation slot") is slot (n + K1 + K offset + 3N slot subframe ) (star slot in Figure 3). Note that n' = n +K1+ K offset Therefore, the MAC CE operation slot for the slot (n') in which HARQ-ACK is transmitted from the terminal and received by the base station (hereinafter referred to as "HARQ-ACK slot") is slot (n' + 3N slot subframe )

[0039] When there is a timing difference between downlink and uplink, the MAC CE operation slot is set to slot (n + K1 + K offset + 3N slot subframe ) (slot (A) marked with a star in FIG. 4), for downlink, MAC CE operation starts before receiving HARQ-ACK.

[0040] Furthermore, if the downlink MAC CE operation slot is the slot immediately following the HARQ-ACK slot (slot (B) marked with a star in Figure 4), the terminal will not be able to accurately determine the start timing of MAC CE operation because it does not know the downlink / uplink timing difference.

[0041] The present inventors have focused on this issue and have come up with the present disclosure. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a technique for realizing appropriate MAC CE operation start timing control processing in an NTN system is described.

[0042] (Embodiment 1) [Communication System Overview] A communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes terminal 100 and base station 200. In the following description, base station 200 (corresponding to a transmitting device) transmits a PDSCH including a MAC CE, and terminal 100 (corresponding to a receiving device) receives the PDSCH. Furthermore, terminal 100 transmits a HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH, and base station 200 receives the HARQ-ACK. Then, terminal 100 starts uplink MAC CE operation after transmitting the HARQ-ACK (acknowledgement). Furthermore, base station 200 starts downlink MAC CE operation after receiving the HARQ-ACK (acknowledgement).

[0043] 5 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In terminal 100 shown in FIG. 5, wireless receiving unit 106 receives MAC CE and offset value (K MAC_ACTIONThe control unit 110 receives the offset value, and sets a slot at which to start an operation based on the MAC CE control command, based on the offset value.

[0044] 6 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of a base station 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the base station 200 shown in FIG. 6, a control unit 209 controls an offset value (K MAC_ACTION The radio transmitting unit 208 sets a slot for starting an operation based on a MAC CE control command based on the MAC CE control command, etc. The radio transmitting unit 208 transmits the MAC CE and the offset value to the terminal 100.

[0045] [Device configuration] 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of terminal 100 according to the first embodiment. Terminal 100 includes HARQ-ACK generation section 101, data generation section 102, data transmission processing section 103, radio transmission section 104, antenna 105, radio reception section 106, data reception processing section 107, location information acquisition section 108, and timing control section 109. HARQ-ACK generation section 101, data generation section 102, data transmission processing section 103, data reception processing section 107, location information acquisition section 108, and timing control section 109 may be included in control section 110.

[0046] The HARQ-ACK generation unit 101 generates a response signal (for example, an ACK / NACK signal sequence) for the received PDSCH based on the error detection result input from the data reception processing unit 107. The HARQ-ACK generation unit 101 outputs the response signal to the data transmission processing unit 103.

[0047] The data generation unit 102 generates an uplink data signal to be transmitted using time-frequency resources for data transmission and an MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme) allocated by the base station 200. The time-frequency resources and MCS may be notified by downlink control information (DCI or PDCCH) or by RRC signaling (Configured Grant). The data generation unit 102 outputs the uplink data signal to the data transmission processing unit 103.

[0048] The data transmission processing unit 103 performs coding processing and modulation processing on the response signal output from the HARQ-ACK generation unit 101 and the uplink data signal output from the data generation unit 102, and outputs the modulated baseband uplink signal to the radio transmission unit 104.

[0049] The radio transmitting unit 104 performs transmission processing such as D / A conversion and up-conversion on the baseband uplink signal output from the data transmission processing unit 103, and transmits the radio frequency uplink signal obtained by the transmission processing to the base station 200 via the antenna 105. In addition, the radio transmitting unit 104 adjusts the transmission timing of the uplink signal according to instructions from the timing control unit 109.

[0050] The radio receiving unit 106 performs reception processing such as down-conversion and A / D conversion on the radio frequency downlink signal received from the base station 200 via the antenna 105, and outputs the baseband downlink signal obtained by the reception processing to the data reception processing unit 107. The radio receiving unit 106 also adjusts the reception timing of the downlink signal according to instructions from the timing control unit 109.

[0051] The data reception processing unit 107 demodulates and decodes the downlink signal output from the radio reception unit 106 to obtain downlink data and downlink control information. The data reception processing unit 107 may perform channel estimation and timing estimation based on the received reference signal. The data reception processing unit 107 also outputs timing information (e.g., common TA, dedicated TA, offset value) or MAC CE control information included in the demodulated and decoded downlink control information to the timing control unit 109. The PDCCH of the downlink signal includes PDSCH allocation information, PUSCH allocation information, etc. The PDSCH of the downlink signal may include RRC control information, MAC CE control information, a RACH response (msg2), a TA command, etc. in addition to user data.

[0052] The location information acquisition unit 108 acquires location information (information such as latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the terminal 100 and location information of the satellite with which the terminal is communicating using a GNSS function such as GPS, calculates the distance between the terminal 100 and the satellite, and outputs distance information indicating the calculated distance to the timing control unit 109. Note that the location information acquisition unit 108 may obtain the satellite location information by previously acquiring orbital information and time information called satellite ephemeris.

[0053] The timing control unit 109 calculates the distance information output from the position information acquisition unit 108 and the radio wave propagation speed (approximately 3×10 8 The timing control unit 109 then instructs the radio transmitting unit 104 on the timing of transmitting uplink signals and instructs the radio receiving unit 106 on the timing of receiving downlink signals, based on the propagation delay time, a timing adjustment value common to the cell notified by the base station, the TA value of the terminal 100 notified by the base station, and the like. Note that the timing adjustment value may differ depending on the channel (for example, PUSCH, PUCCH, PRACH, SRS).

[0054] Furthermore, the timing control unit 109 controls each unit to start MAC CE operation at a predetermined timing based on the offset value when, for example, MAC CE control information is input from the data reception processing unit 107. The method for setting the MAC CE operation start timing will be described later in detail.

[0055] [Base station configuration] 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of base station 200 according to this embodiment. Base station 200 includes antenna 201, radio receiving section 202, data reception processing section 203, timing control information generating section 204, MAC CE control section 205, data generating section 206, data transmission processing section 207, and radio transmitting section 208. Data reception processing section 203, timing control information generating section 204, MAC CE control section 205, data generating section 206, and data transmission processing section 207 may be included in control section 209.

[0056] The radio receiving unit 202 performs receiving processing such as down-conversion and A / D conversion on the radio frequency downlink signal received from the terminal 100 via the antenna 201, and outputs the baseband uplink signal obtained by the receiving processing to the data receiving processing unit 203.

[0057] The data reception processing unit 203 performs demodulation and decoding processing on the uplink signal output from the radio reception unit 202 to obtain downlink data and downlink control information. The data reception processing unit 203 also performs channel estimation and timing estimation based on the received data signal, and outputs timing information indicating the estimated timing to the timing control information generation unit 204. The data reception processing unit 203 also outputs the received HARQ-ACK to the MAC CE control unit 205.

[0058] The timing control information generating unit 204 generates a TA command for the terminal 100 based on the timing estimated by the data reception processing unit 203. The timing control information generating unit 204 also generates a timing adjustment value and an offset value (K offset , K. MAC_ACTIONThe timing control information generator 204 generates timing control information for each cell, such as the size of the cell formed by the satellite beam and the length and delay of the feeder link. The timing control information generator 204 outputs this timing control information to the data transmission processor 207.

[0059] The MAC CE control unit 205 generates a MAC CE and outputs it to the data transmission processing unit 207. Furthermore, when a HARQ-ACK (acknowledgment) for a PDSCH including a MAC CE is input from the data reception processing unit 203, the MAC CE control unit 205 controls each unit to start MAC CE operation at a predetermined timing based on an offset value. Note that a method for setting the MAC CE operation start timing will be described later in detail.

[0060] The data generating unit 206 generates a downlink data signal including user data, system information, individual control information, etc. The data generating unit 206 outputs the generated downlink data signal to the data transmission processing unit 207.

[0061] The data transmission processing unit 207 performs encoding processing and modulation processing on the timing control information output from the timing control information generating unit 204, the MAC CE output from the MAC CE control unit 205, and the downlink data signal output from the data generating unit 206, respectively, maps the modulated baseband downlink signal to radio resources, and outputs it to the radio transmitting unit 208.

[0062] The radio transmission unit 208 performs transmission processing such as D / A conversion and up-conversion on the baseband downlink signal output from the data transmission processing unit 207, and transmits the radio frequency downlink signal obtained by the transmission processing to the terminal 100 via the antenna 201.

[0063] [How to set the MAC CE operation start timing] Next, a method for setting the MAC CE operation start timing according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0064] Setting method 1-1 Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a MAC CE operation slot setting method 1-1. Fig. 9 illustrates DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). The horizontal axis in Fig. 9 indicates the time axis.

[0065] In this method, the downlink MAC CE operation slot is set based on the uplink MAC CE operation slot, and an offset value (K MAC_ACTION1 ) based on the

[0066] The base station 200 may set an offset value (K MAC_ACTION1 ) is notified. MAC_ACTION1 is set to a granularity of slot units, and the downlink / uplink timing difference is rounded up to the next slot length unit. MAC_ACTION1 may be transmitted within the target MAC CE, or may be transmitted by another MAC CE, RRC signaling, DCI, etc.

[0067] The terminal 100 and the base station 200 set the uplink MAC CE operation slot based on the HARQ-ACK slot (slot (A) marked with a star in FIG. 9). The uplink MAC CE operation slot for the HARQ-ACK slot (n') is set to slot (n' + 3N slot subframe ) (When X=3)

[0068] Furthermore, the terminal 100 and the base station 200 calculate an offset value (K MAC_ACTION1 ) is set as the downlink MAC CE operation slot (slot (B) marked with a star in Figure 9). Therefore, the downlink MAC CE operation slot for the HARQ-ACK slot (n') is slot (n' + 3N slot subframe + K MAC_ACTION1 )

[0069] The relationship between PDSCH slot (n) and HARQ-ACK slot (n') is n' = n + K1 + K offset Therefore, the uplink MAC CE operation slot for PDSCH slot (n) is slot (n + 3N slot subframe + K1+ K offset ) and the downlink MAC CE operation slot for PDSCH slot (n) is slot (n + 3N slot subframe + K1+ K offset + K MAC_ACTION1 ) In other words, the notified offset K MAC_ACTION1 is used only to specify the MAC CE operating slot timing in the downlink, and is not used to specify the MAC CE operating slot timing in the uplink.

[0070] According to this method, even if there is a difference between the downlink and uplink timing, the terminal 100 can accurately grasp the start timing (slot) of the downlink MAC CE operation, and therefore it is possible to prevent discrepancies in transmission and reception parameters between the base station 200 and the terminal 100. MAC_ACTION1 By appropriately setting, it is possible to allow sufficient time for base station 200 to start MAC CE operation after receiving HARQ-ACK (acknowledgment), and therefore MAC CE operation can be started after confirming that MAC CE has been correctly received in terminal 100. Furthermore, in base station 200, the start timing of MAC CE operation in downlink and the start timing of MAC CE operation in uplink can be set to the same or close to each other, which simplifies control in base station 200.

[0071] In this method, K MAC_ACTION1 does not necessarily need to be set to a value that matches the downlink / uplink timing difference, and may be set to a value that allows for a margin that takes into account the processing time in base station 200, for example.

[0072] Setting method 1-2 Fig. 10 is a diagram showing MAC CE operation slot setting method 1-2. Fig. 10 illustrates DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). The horizontal axis in Fig. 10 indicates the time axis.

[0073] In this method, the MAC CE operation slot of the downlink is determined based on the PDSCH slot by an offset value (K MAC_ACTION2 ) based on the

[0074] The base station 200 calculates a value obtained by adding a correction value (K1) to an offset value corresponding to the downlink-uplink timing difference at the time of transmitting the MAC CE as K MAC_ACTION2 Notify as.

[0075] Terminal 100 and base station 200 set the uplink MAC CE operation slot based on the PDSCH slot (slot (A) marked with a star in FIG. 10). The uplink MAC CE operation slot for the HARQ-ACK slot (n') for the PDSCH including the MAC CE is set to slot (n' + 3N slot subframe ), and the uplink MAC CE operation slot for PDSCH slot (n) is slot (n + 3N slot subframe + K offset + K1) (when X=3)

[0076] Furthermore, terminal 100 and base station 200 set the downlink MAC CE operation slot based on the PDSCH slot (slot (B) marked with a star in FIG. 10). The downlink MAC CE operation slot for PDSCH slot (n) is set to slot (n + 3N slot subframe + K offset + K MAC_ACTION2) Therefore, terminal 100 can set the downlink MAC CE operation slot without considering the HARQ-ACK timing correction value (K1).

[0077] According to this method, the terminal 100 can accurately grasp the start timing (slot) of the downlink MAC CE operation, and therefore it is possible to prevent discrepancies between the base station 200 and the terminal 100 with respect to transmission and reception parameters, etc. MAC_ACTION2 By appropriately setting, it is possible to allow sufficient time for base station 200 to start MAC CE operation after receiving HARQ-ACK (acknowledgment), and therefore MAC CE operation can be started after confirming that MAC CE has been correctly received in terminal 100. Furthermore, in base station 200, the start timing of MAC CE operation in downlink and the start timing of MAC CE operation in uplink can be set to the same or close to each other, which simplifies control in base station 200.

[0078] Furthermore, since MAC CE operation slots are defined based on PDSCH slots for both the uplink and downlink, terminal 100 can identify each MAC CE operation slot independently, which simplifies processing.

[0079] In this method, K MAC_ACTION2 does not necessarily have to be set to a value that matches the sum of the downlink / uplink timing difference and the correction value (K1), and may be set to a value that has some leeway in consideration of the processing time in base station 200, for example.

[0080] [effect] In the first embodiment described above, it is possible to prevent discrepancies in transmission and reception parameters and the like from occurring between the base station 200 and the terminal 100. Furthermore, the base station 200 can start MAC CE operation after confirming that the MAC CE has been correctly received by the terminal 100. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to realize appropriate MAC CE operation start timing control processing in the NTN system.

[0081] (Embodiment 2) In this second embodiment, a case will be described in which a base station starts downlink MAC CE operation without waiting for reception of a HARQ-ACK slot. Note that the configurations of a terminal and a base station in this embodiment are the same as those of terminal 100 and base station 200 described in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0082] [How to set the MAC CE operation start timing] Next, a method for setting the MAC CE operation start timing according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0083] Setting method 2-1 Figure 11 is a diagram showing MAC CE operation slot setting method 2-1. Figure 11 illustrates DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). The horizontal axis in Figure 11 represents the time axis.

[0084] In this method, the downlink MAC CE operation slot is set based on the PDSCH slot by an offset value (K MAC_ACTION_DL ), and the uplink MAC CE operation slot is set based on the HARQ-ACK slot by an offset value (K MAC_ACTION_UL ) based on the

[0085] The base station 200 determines the uplink offset value (K MAC_ACTION_UL ) and the downlink offset value (K MAC_ACTION_DL ) is notified. MAC_ACTION_UL and / or KMAC_ACTION_DL may be a fixed value determined by the specifications, or may be a value notified by the base station in an SIB or by terminal-specific signaling. MAC_ACTION_DL It may be transmitted within the target MAC CE transmission, or may be notified in advance by SIB or RRC signaling, or may be notified by DCI. MAC_ACTION_UL The same is true for , but since the uplink value depends on the processing capacity of the terminal or base station and does not need to be changed frequently, it is desirable to notify it by SIB or RRC signaling.

[0086] The terminal 100 and the base station 200 set the uplink MAC CE operation slot based on the HARQ-ACK slot (slot (A) marked with a star in FIG. 11). The uplink MAC CE operation slot for the HARQ-ACK slot (n') is set as slot (n' + K MAC_ACTION_UL )

[0087] Furthermore, terminal 100 and base station 200 set the downlink MAC CE operation slot based on the PDSCH slot (slot (B) marked with a star in FIG. 11). The downlink MAC CE operation slot for PDSCH slot (n) is set to slot (n + K MAC_ACTION_DL )

[0088] According to this method, terminal 100 can accurately grasp the start timing (slot) of downlink MAC CE operation, thereby preventing discrepancies in transmission and reception parameters, etc., between base station 200 and terminal 100. Furthermore, downlink MAC CE operation can be started without waiting for reception of an HARQ-ACK slot, thereby shortening the time until MAC CE operation starts. Furthermore, in terminal 100, downlink and uplink MAC CE operation start timings can be set to the same or close to each other, thereby simplifying timing adjustment in the terminal.

[0089] In addition, in this method, the range of the offset value to be notified is at most a few slots, so the offset value can be notified with a few bits. Therefore, in this method, the number of bits required for notification can be reduced compared to setting methods 1-1 and 1-2 described in the first embodiment above.

[0090] In this method, there is a possibility that the base station 200 starts MAC CE operation without confirming that the MAC CE has been correctly received by the terminal 100. However, as will be explained below, this may not be a major problem depending on the operation of the NTN.

[0091] Generally, in NTN, propagation delay is extremely large, and therefore, transmission relying on HARQ retransmission may result in an extremely long delay time until packet transmission is completed. Therefore, a robust MCS (i.e., an MCS with a low modulation level and coding rate) may be used to ensure a high probability (e.g., 99.99%) of reception in the initial transmission. Therefore, even if base station 200 starts downlink MAC CE operation without waiting for reception of HARQ-ACK, the probability that terminal 100 will receive the MAC CE incorrectly is low, and therefore the probability of a discrepancy occurring between base station 200 and terminal 100 is extremely low. Furthermore, even if a discrepancy occurs (i.e., ACK is not received), base station 200 can recognize the discrepancy at the time ACK is not received. Therefore, the discrepancy can be resolved by retransmitting the signal transmitted between MAC CE transmission and reception of the HARQ-ACK.

[0092] Also, K MAC_ACTION_DL By setting K to a large value, it is also possible to start downlink MAC CE operation at a timing later than the timing of receiving HARQ-ACK at base station 200. For example, when a PDSCH for transmitting MAC CE is transmitted using a robust MCS (for example, when transmitted together with data with strict delay requirements), the probability of an error in the PDSCH is low, so K MAC_ACTION_DLis set to a small value, and MAC CE operation starts without waiting for HARQ-ACK. On the other hand, when the PDSCH that transmits MAC CE is transmitted with normal MCS (for example, when transmitting together with data that is tolerant to delay), the probability of the PDSCH being in error increases, so K MAC_ACTION_DL Set a large value and wait for HARQ-ACK reception before starting MAC CE operation. MAC_ACTION_DL By controlling the value of K, flexible operation becomes possible. MAC_ACTION_UL Regarding , it may be set to a large value if the base station starts MAC CE operation after waiting for reception of HARQ-ACK, and may be set to a small value otherwise.

[0093] Also, for example, if a MAC CE is transmitted in an HARQ process configured not to perform HARQ-ACK feedback, K MAC_ACTION_DL By setting a small value, MAC CE operation can be started before the HARQ-ACK reception timing, and if MAC CE is transmitted in an HARQ process configured to perform HARQ-ACK feedback, MAC CE operation can be started after HARQ-ACK feedback. In this case, two K MAC_ACTION_DL The value of K may be notified to the terminal in advance. Alternatively, multiple values ​​may be notified to the terminal in advance, and the base station may specify (notify) the value to be used to the terminal each time MAC CE is transmitted. MAC_ACTION_UL Regarding K MAC_ACTION_DL Similarly, the two values ​​may be notified to the terminal in advance.

[0094] Setting method 2-2 Fig. 12 is a diagram showing MAC CE operation slot setting method 2-2. Fig. 12 illustrates DL transmission slots and UL reception slots of a base station (gNB), and DL reception slots and UL transmission slots of a terminal (UE). The horizontal axis in Fig. 12 indicates the time axis.

[0095] In this method, the MAC CE operation slots for the uplink and downlink are set by an offset value (K MAC_ACTION ) based on the

[0096] The base station 200 sets the offset value (K MAC_ACTION ) is notified. MAC_ACTION may be transmitted within the target MAC CE or by another MAC CE. MAC_ACTION may be a fixed value determined by the specifications, or may be a value notified by base station 200 to terminal 100 in an SIB, or may be a value notified by terminal-specific signaling or DCI.

[0097] The terminal 100 and the base station 200 receive K MAC_ACTION The slots delayed by K are set as the MAC CE operation slots for the uplink and downlink (slots (A) and (B) marked with stars in FIG. 12). The MAC CE operation slots for the uplink and downlink for the terminal's HARQ-ACK transmission slot (n') are both slots (n' + K MAC_ACTION ) The downlink MAC CE operating slot is the same as the uplink MAC CE operating slot (n' + K MAC_ACTION ) may be defined as the earliest slot equal to or after the

[0098] Note that the base station 200 calculates the downlink MAC CE operation start timing taking into consideration the managed uplink-downlink timing difference, etc. For example, the base station 200 calculates the downlink MAC CE operation start timing by taking into consideration the managed uplink-downlink timing difference, etc. DL-UL + K1+ K MAC_ACTION is calculated as the MAC CE operation start timing. DL-UL represents the uplink / downlink timing difference rounded to the nearest slot, and n is the MAC CE transmission slot.

[0099] According to this method, the terminal 100 can accurately grasp the start timing (slot) of downlink MAC CE operation, thereby preventing discrepancies between the base station 200 and the terminal 100 regarding transmission and reception parameters, etc. Furthermore, since downlink MAC CE operation can be started without waiting for reception of an HARQ-ACK slot, the time until MAC CE operation starts can be shortened. Furthermore, since only one parameter is used, the overhead required for notification can be reduced. Furthermore, as with the above-mentioned setting method 2-1, downlink MAC CE operation can be started at a timing after the HARQ-ACK reception timing at the base station 200, or downlink MAC CE operation can be started at a timing before the HARQ-ACK reception timing, thereby shortening the time until MAC CE operation starts. Furthermore, since the terminal 100 can set the downlink and uplink MAC CE operation start timings to be the same or close to each other, timing adjustment in the terminal 100 can be simplified.

[0100] [effect] In the second embodiment described above, it is possible to prevent discrepancies in transmission and reception parameters and the like between the base station 200 and the terminal 100. Furthermore, since the base station 200 can start downlink MAC CE operation without waiting for reception of a HARQ-ACK slot, it is possible to shorten the time until the MAC CE operation starts. Therefore, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to realize appropriate MAC CE operation start timing control processing in an NTN system.

[0101] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above.

[0102] In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, a cell may be an area defined by the received power of an SSB (Synchronization Signal / PBCH Block) or CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal) transmitted by a base station (satellite), or may be an area defined by a geographical location.

[0103] Although the above-described embodiments have been described using an NTN environment (e.g., a satellite communication environment) as an example, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure may be applied to other communication environments (e.g., an LTE and / or NR terrestrial cellular environment).

[0104] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which GNSS such as GPS (i.e., position detection using satellite signals) is used, but position detection using terrestrial cellular base stations, Wi-Fi signals and / or Bluetooth (registered trademark) signals, an acceleration sensor, or a combination of these may also be performed. Furthermore, altitude information may be obtained from a barometric pressure sensor, etc.

[0105] Note that a cell may be an area defined by the received power of SSB and / or CSI-RS transmitted by a base station (or satellite), or may be an area defined by a geographical location. Also, the cell in the above embodiment may be replaced with a beam defined by SSB.

[0106] Satellite ephemeris information, which is information about the position of a satellite, may be broadcast in system information or the like, or may be held in advance by a terminal (or a base station). The terminal (or a base station) may also update the satellite ephemeris information when communication is possible. The terminal (or a base station) may also identify the position of a satellite using other information.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the case where location information can be used has been described, but for terminals without GNSS functionality and / or terminals that cannot acquire information about satellite locations, timing control may be performed in accordance with timing control information common to the cell broadcast from the base station instead of timing control based on location information. In this case, the base station may transmit timing control information corresponding to the amount of propagation delay near the center of the cell.

[0108] The base station may be referred to as a gNodeB or a gNB, and the terminal may be referred to as a UE.

[0109] The slot may be replaced with a time slot, a minislot, a frame, a subframe, or the like.

[0110] The response signal may be written as "ACK / NACK" in addition to being written as "HARQ-ACK".

[0111] In the above embodiment, 3 ms after the HARQ-ACK slot, that is, 3N slot subframe The time after the slot is set as the MAC CE operation slot, but it may be reflected in a longer or shorter time. slot subframe It can also be generalized as post-slot.

[0112] In the above embodiment, the MAC CE operation start timing has been described as the timing to start operation in accordance with the control command transmitted by the MAC CE, but it may also be the timing to reflect the state in accordance with the control command transmitted by the MAC CE.

[0113] The uplink MAC CE in the above embodiment is a command related to uplink transmission and status, for example: Timing Advance Command MAC CE, SCell Activation / Deactivation MAC CE PUCCH spatial relation Activation / Deactivation MAC CE SP CSI reporting on PUCCH Activation / Deactivation MAC CE SP SRS Activation / Deactivation MAC CE SRS Pathloss Reference RS Update MAC CE PUSCH Pathloss Reference RS Update MAC CE Serving Cell Set based SRS Spatial Relation Indication MAC CE In addition, an SCell Activation / Deactivation MAC CE for an uplink SCell may also be included.

[0114] The downlink MAC CE in the above embodiment is a command related to downlink transmission and status, for example: SCell Activation / Deactivation MAC CE SP ZP CSI-RS Resource Set Activation / Deactivation MAC CE TCI States Activation / Deactivation for UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE Aperiodic CSI Trigger State Sub-selection MAC CE SP CSI-RS / CSI-IM Resource Set Activation / Deactivation MAC CE DRX Command MAC CE It may be either of the following.

[0115] Also, depending on the command, for example, the value of X or K MAC_ACTIONBy changing the value of , the MAC CE operation timing can be changed. It can be operated at an appropriate timing depending on the content and priority of the command.

[0116] In the first embodiment, the uplink MAC CE operation start timing is based on the HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH including MAC CE (that is, for HARQ-ACK slot n', the MAC CE operation start timing is slot (n' + 3N slot subframe )) and the timing is the same as that of NR Rel. 15. Therefore, K is used as an offset to control the downlink MAC CE operation start timing. MAC_ACTION In addition, K may be reported as the same or a different MAC CE in the same PDSCH as the downlink MAC CE. MAC_ACTION may be notified.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the offset value K indicating the MAC CE reflection timing MAC_ACTION (K MAC_ACTION1 , K. MAC_ACTION2 However, it is also possible to notify only the difference from a value notified separately, for example, an offset value broadcast in the cell to correct the round trip delay. The offset value for correcting the round trip delay may be the offset value used for Timing Advance, or the K offset That's fine too.

[0118] Offset value K indicating the MAC CE reflection timing MAC_ACTION may be broadcast as a value common to cells or beams using SIB or the like, or may be notified by individual RRC signaling. Also, it may be notified as MAC CE or may be notified by DCI (or PDCCH).

[0119] In the case of GEO (geostationary satellite), the downlink / uplink timing difference is a constant value (or a value that hardly changes), but in the case of LEO (non-geostationary satellite), the downlink / uplink timing difference changes with the movement of the satellite. For this reason, in the case of GEO, it is notified by SIB or RRC signaling, and in the case of LEO, it is notified by the base station using the K calculated at the time of sending MAC CE. MAC_ACTION The SIB, RRC signaling, and MAC CE may be used in combination, such as notifying the MAC CE by SIB or RRC signaling. The value notified by MAC CE may be a difference value from the value notified by RRC signaling. In this case, the number of notification bits in MAC CE can be reduced.

[0120] In the above-described embodiments, the MAC CE operation start timing may be switched for each terminal or operation scenario, or the MAC CE operation start timing to be used may be specified by the SIB. Also, different MAC CE operation timings may be used for HARQ processes in which HARQ-ACK feedback is enabled (HARQ-feedback enabled) and HARQ processes in which HARQ-feedback is disabled (HARQ-feedback disabled). For example, when a MAC CE is transmitted in an HARQ process that does not perform HARQ-ACK feedback, MAC CE may be reflected before the HARQ-ACK timing using MAC CE reflection timing setting method 3 or 4 (embodiment 2), and when a MAC CE is transmitted in an HARQ process that performs HARQ-ACK feedback, MAC CE may be reflected after HARQ-ACK feedback using MAC CE reflection timing setting method 1 or 2 (embodiment 1).

[0121] HARQ-ACK may include ACK, NACK, and DTX (not transmitted). The terminal reflects MAC CE at a predetermined timing when transmitting ACK, but does not reflect MAC CE when transmitting NACK for PDSCH including MAC CE or when DTX is transmitted, that is, when the PDSCH including MAC CE could not be correctly decoded or when the allocation of the PDSCH was not noticed (PDCCH was not received). Also, the base station does not reflect MAC CE when it receives NACK or when it receives neither ACK nor NACK.

[0122] In the above embodiment, for example, the HARQ-ACK is reflected three (or X) slots after the timing at which the terminal transmits the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH including the MAC CE. On the other hand, when an HARQ process with HARQ-feedback disabled is used, the HARQ-ACK is not transmitted. In this case, the HARQ-ACK may be reflected three slots after the timing at which the HARQ-ACK is not actually transmitted but is assumed to be transmitted (for example, a virtual HARQ-ACK timing). Furthermore, the transmission timing of the HARQ-ACK is determined using the value of K1 (offset value from the PDSCH slot) notified by DCI during PDSCH scheduling. However, even if the HARQ-ACK is not actually transmitted, the notified value of K1 may be used to determine the virtual HARQ-ACK timing. Furthermore, when HARQ-feedback is disabled, the value of K1 is essentially unnecessary, so there is a possibility that the value of K1 is not notified by DCI, may be used for other purposes, or may be treated as an invalid field. In this case, the minimum or maximum value from the values ​​configured as candidates for the K1 value may be used. In addition, the value to be used as the K1 value when HARQ-feedback is disabled can be configured, or a default value can be determined as a specification. This uniquely defines the operation timing of the MAC CE, allowing for the base station and terminal to share the same understanding.

[0123] In the above embodiment, in the case where there is no difference in the timing between the uplink and downlink, K MAC_ACTION It is also possible to set K to zero and notify the terminal. MAC_ACTION In this case, there is no case where there is no timing difference between the uplink and downlink. MAC_ACTION In addition, by notifying the terminal of timing offset information common to the cell or beam, the terminal may perform timing control (for example, timing advance) to prevent a difference in downlink and uplink timing. When timing offset information common to the cell or beam is not notified, K MAC_ACTION The user may be notified of the above.

[0124] Furthermore, the notation "··· part" in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with other notations such as "··· circuitry," "··· device," "··· unit," or "··· module."

[0125] <5G NR system architecture and protocol stack> 3GPP is working on the next release of fifth-generation cellular technology (also known as 5G), which includes the development of New Radio Access Technology (NR) operating in the frequency range up to 100 GHz. The first version of the 5G standard was completed at the end of 2017, allowing for the prototyping and commercial deployment of 5G NR compliant devices (e.g., smartphones).

[0126] For example, the system architecture assumes a Next Generation - Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) with gNBs. The gNBs provide UE-side termination of NG radio access user plane (SDAP / PDCP / RLC / MAC / PHY) and control plane (RRC) protocols. The gNBs are connected to each other via an Xn interface. The gNBs are also connected to a Next Generation Core (NGC) via a Next Generation (NG) interface, more specifically to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) (e.g., a specific core entity that performs AMF) via an NG-C interface, and to a User Plane Function (UPF) (e.g., a specific core entity that performs UPF) via an NG-U interface. The NG-RAN architecture is shown in Figure 13 (see, for example, 3GPP TS 38.300 v15.6.0, section 4).

[0127] The NR user plane protocol stack (see, for example, 3GPP TS 38.300, section 4.4.1) includes the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) sublayer (see, for example, TS 38.300, section 6.4), the Radio Link Control (RLC) sublayer (see, for example, TS 38.300, section 6.3), and the Medium Access Control (MAC) sublayer (see, for example, TS 38.300, section 6.2), which are terminated on the network side at the gNB. A new Access Stratum (AS) sublayer (Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP)) has also been introduced on top of PDCP (see, for example, 3GPP TS 38.300, section 6.5). A control plane protocol stack has also been defined for NR (see, for example, TS 38.300, section 4.4.2). An overview of Layer 2 functions is given in Section 6 of TS 38.300. The functions of the PDCP sublayer, RLC sublayer, and MAC sublayer are listed in clauses 6.4, 6.3, and 6.2 of TS 38.300, respectively. The functions of the RRC layer are listed in clause 7 of TS 38.300.

[0128] For example, the Medium-Access-Control layer handles logical channel multiplexing and scheduling and scheduling-related functions, including handling various numerologies.

[0129] For example, the physical layer (PHY) is responsible for coding, PHY HARQ processing, modulation, multi-antenna processing, and mapping of signals to appropriate physical time-frequency resources. The physical layer also handles mapping of transport channels to physical channels. The physical layer provides services to the MAC layer in the form of transport channels. A physical channel corresponds to a set of time-frequency resources used for transmitting a specific transport channel, and each transport channel is mapped to a corresponding physical channel. For example, physical channels include the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH), the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), and the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) as uplink physical channels, and the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), and the Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) as downlink physical channels.

[0130] NR use cases / deployment scenarios may include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communication (mMTC), which have diverse requirements in terms of data rate, latency, and coverage. For example, eMBB is expected to support peak data rates (20 Gbps in the downlink and 10 Gbps in the uplink) and effective (user-experienced) data rates that are approximately three times higher than those offered by IMT-Advanced. On the other hand, URLLC imposes stricter requirements for ultra-low latency (0.5 ms user-plane latency for UL and DL, respectively) and high reliability (1-10-5 within 1 ms). Finally, mMTC preferably requires high connection density (1,000,000 devices / km in urban environments). 2 ), wide coverage in adverse environments, and extremely long battery life (15 years) for low-cost devices may be desired.

[0131] Therefore, OFDM numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing, OFDM symbol length, cyclic prefix (CP) length, number of symbols per scheduling interval) suitable for one use case may not be valid for another use case. For example, low-latency services may preferably require a shorter symbol length (and therefore a larger subcarrier spacing) and / or fewer symbols per scheduling interval (also referred to as TTI) than mMTC services. Furthermore, deployment scenarios with large channel delay spreads may preferably require a longer CP length than scenarios with small delay spreads. Subcarrier spacing may be optimized accordingly to maintain similar CP overhead. NR may support one or more subcarrier spacing values. Correspondingly, subcarrier spacings of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz, etc. are currently considered. The symbol length Tu and subcarrier spacing Δf are directly related by the equation Δf = 1 / Tu. Similar to LTE systems, the term "resource element" can be used to mean the smallest resource unit consisting of one subcarrier for the length of one OFDM / SC-FDMA symbol.

[0132] In the new radio system 5G-NR, a resource grid of subcarriers and OFDM symbols is defined for each numerology and each carrier in the uplink and downlink. Each element of the resource grid is called a resource element and is specified based on a frequency index in the frequency domain and a symbol position in the time domain (see 3GPP TS 38.211 v15.6.0).

[0133] <Functional separation between NG-RAN and 5GC in 5G NR> Figure 13 shows the functional separation between NG-RAN and 5GC. The logical node of NG-RAN is gNB or ng-eNB. 5GC has logical nodes AMF, UPF, and SMF.

[0134] For example, the gNB and ng-eNB host the following main functions: - Radio Resource Management functions such as Radio Bearer Control, Radio Admission Control, Connection Mobility Control, dynamic allocation (scheduling) of resources to UEs in both uplink and downlink; - IP header compression, encryption, and integrity protection of data; - AMF selection at UE attach time if routing to the AMF cannot be determined from the information provided by the UE; - Routing of user plane data towards UPF; - Routing of control plane information towards AMF; - Setting up and tearing down connections; - scheduling and sending of paging messages; - Scheduling and transmission of system broadcast information (originating from AMF or Operation, Admission, Maintenance (OAM) Function); - Configuring measurements and measurement reporting for mobility and scheduling; - Transport level packet marking in the uplink; - Session management; - Network slicing support; - QoS flow management and mapping to data radio bearers; - Support for UEs in RRC_INACTIVE state; - NAS message delivery function; - Sharing of radio access networks; - Dual connectivity; - Close cooperation between NR and E-UTRA.

[0135] The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) hosts the following main functions: - Ability to terminate Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling; - NAS signaling security; - Access Stratum (AS) security control; - 3GPP Core Network (CN) inter-node signaling for mobility between access networks; - Reachability to idle mode UEs (including control and execution of paging retransmissions); - Managing the registration area; - Support for intra-system and inter-system mobility; - Access authentication; - Access authorization, including checking roaming privileges; - Mobility management control (subscription and policy); - Network slicing support; - Selection of Session Management Function (SMF).

[0136] Additionally, the User Plane Function (UPF) hosts the following main functions: - Anchor points for intra-RAT / inter-RAT mobility (if applicable); - External PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session points for interconnection with data networks; - Packet routing and forwarding; - Packet inspection and policy rule enforcement for the user plane part; - Traffic usage reporting; - uplink classifier to support routing of traffic flows to the data network; - Branching Point for supporting multi-homed PDU sessions; - QoS processing for the user plane (e.g., packet filtering, gating, UL / DL rate enforcement); - Verification of uplink traffic (mapping to QoS flows of SDFs); - Buffer for downlink packets and trigger function for downlink data notification.

[0137] Finally, the Session Management Function (SMF) hosts the following main functions: - Session management; - IP address allocation and management for the UE; - Selection and control of UPF; - Traffic steering setting function in the User Plane Function (UPF) for routing traffic to the appropriate destination; - Enforcement of control plane policies and QoS; - Notification of downlink data.

[0138] <Procedures for RRC connection setup and reconfiguration> Figure 14 shows some of the interactions between the UE, gNB, and AMF (5GC entities) in the NAS part when the UE transitions from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED (see TS 38.300 v15.6.0).

[0139] RRC is a higher layer signaling protocol used to configure the UE and the gNB. With this transition, the AMF prepares UE context data (including, for example, PDU session context, security keys, UE radio capabilities, and UE security capabilities) and sends it to the gNB with an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST. The gNB then activates AS security together with the UE. This is done by the gNB sending a SecurityModeCommand message to the UE, and the UE responding with a SecurityModeComplete message. The gNB then sends an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE, and upon receiving an RRCReconfigurationComplete from the UE, the gNB reconfigures the UE to set up a Signaling Radio Bearer 2 (SRB2) and a Data Radio Bearer (DRB). For signaling-only connections, the RRCReconfiguration steps are omitted because SRB2 and DRB are not set up. Finally, the gNB notifies the AMF that the setup procedure is complete with an INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE.

[0140] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a 5th Generation Core (5GC) entity (e.g., AMF, SMF, etc.) that includes: control circuitry that, in operation, establishes a Next Generation (NG) connection with a gNodeB; and a transmitter that, in operation, transmits an initial context setup message to the gNodeB via the NG connection so that a signaling radio bearer between the gNodeB and a user equipment (UE) is set up. Specifically, the gNodeB transmits Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling that includes a resource allocation configuration information element (IE) to the UE via the signaling radio bearer. Then, the UE performs uplink transmission or downlink reception based on the resource allocation configuration.

[0141] <IMT usage scenarios from 2020 onwards> Figure 15 shows some use cases for 5G NR. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project New Radio (3GPP NR) is considering three use cases envisioned by IMT-2020 to support a wide variety of services and applications. The first phase of specifications for enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) has been completed. Current and future work includes standardization for ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC), in addition to expanding support for eMBB. Figure 15 shows some example use scenarios envisioned for IMT beyond 2020 (see, for example, Figure 21 of ITU-R M.2083).

[0142] URLLC use cases have stringent performance requirements, such as throughput, latency, and availability. URLLC use cases are envisioned as one of the enabling technologies for future applications, such as wireless control of industrial production or manufacturing processes, remote medical surgery, automated power transmission and distribution in smart grids, and road safety. URLLC's ultra-high reliability is supported by identifying technologies that meet the requirements set by TR 38.913. Key requirements for NR URLLC in Release 15 include a target user plane latency of 0.5 ms on the uplink (UL) and 0.5 ms on the downlink (DL). The overall URLLC requirement for a single packet transmission is a block error rate (BLER) of 1E-5 for a 32-byte packet size at a user plane latency of 1 ms.

[0143] From a physical layer perspective, reliability can be improved in many possible ways. Current reliability improvement room includes defining a separate CQI table for URLLC, more compact DCI formats, PDCCH repetition, etc. However, this room can be expanded to achieve ultra-high reliability as NR (with respect to the key requirements of NR URLLC) becomes more stable and developed. Specific use cases for NR URLLC in Release 15 include augmented reality / virtual reality (AR / VR), e-health, e-safety, and mission-critical applications.

[0144] Additionally, technology enhancements targeted by NR URLLC aim to improve latency and reliability. Technology enhancements for latency improvement include configurable numerology, non-slot-based scheduling with flexible mapping, grant-free (configured grant) uplink, slot-level repetition in the data channel, and preemption in the downlink. Preemption means that a transmission with previously allocated resources is stopped and the allocated resources are used for another transmission with a later requested lower latency / higher priority requirement. Thus, a previously allowed transmission is preempted by a later transmission. Preemption is applicable regardless of the specific service type. For example, a transmission of service type A (URLLC) may be preempted by a transmission of service type B (eMBB, etc.). Technology enhancements for reliability improvement include dedicated CQI / MCS tables for a target BLER of 1E-5.

[0145] The use case for massive machine-type communication (mMTC) is characterized by a very large number of connected devices that typically transmit relatively small amounts of data that are not sensitive to latency. These devices are required to be low cost and have very long battery life. From an NR perspective, using very narrow bandwidth portions is one solution that saves power and allows for long battery life from the UE perspective.

[0146] As mentioned above, the scope of reliability improvement in NR is expected to be broader. One of the key requirements for all cases, for example for URLLC and mMTC, is high or ultra-high reliability. Several mechanisms can improve reliability from a radio perspective and a network perspective. Generally, there are two to three key areas that can help improve reliability. These areas include compact control channel information, data channel / control channel repetition, and diversity in the frequency, time, and / or spatial domains. These areas are generally applicable to reliability improvement regardless of the specific communication scenario.

[0147] For NR URLLC, further use cases with more stringent requirements are envisioned, such as factory automation, transportation, and power distribution: high reliability (up to 10-6 level), high availability, packet sizes up to 256 bytes, and time synchronization down to a few μs (depending on the use case, the value can be 1 μs or a few μs depending on the frequency range and low latency in the 0.5 ms to 1 ms range (e.g., 0.5 ms latency on the targeted user plane)).

[0148] Furthermore, for NR URLLC, several technical enhancements are possible from the perspective of the physical layer. These technical enhancements include enhancements to the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) related to compact DCI, repetition of the PDCCH, and increased monitoring of the PDCCH. Also, the enhancement of Uplink Control Information (UCI) is related to the enhancement of enhanced Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) and CSI feedback. In addition, there may be enhancements to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) related to mini-slot level hopping, and enhancements to retransmission / repetition. The term "mini-slot" refers to a Transmission Time Interval (TTI) that contains fewer symbols than a slot (a slot has 14 symbols).

[0149] <QoS Control> The 5G Quality of Service (QoS) model is based on QoS flows and supports both QoS flows that require a guaranteed flow bit rate (Guaranteed Bit Rate QoS flows, GBR) and QoS flows that do not require a guaranteed flow bit rate (non-GBR QoS flows). Therefore, at the NAS level, a QoS flow is the finest granularity of QoS differentiation within a PDU session. A QoS flow is identified within a PDU session by a QoS Flow ID (QFI) that is carried in an encapsulation header over the NG-U interface.

[0150] For each UE, the 5GC establishes one or more PDU sessions. For each UE, the NG-RAN establishes at least one Data Radio Bearer (DRB) for each PDU session, e.g., as shown above with reference to Figure 14. Additional DRBs for the QoS flows of that PDU session can be configured later (when this is up to the NG-RAN). The NG-RAN maps packets belonging to different PDU sessions to different DRBs. NAS-level packet filters in the UE and the 5GC associate UL and DL packets with QoS flows, while AS-level mapping rules in the UE and the NG-RAN associate UL and DL QoS flows with DRBs.

[0151] Figure 16 shows the non-roaming reference architecture for 5G NR (see TS 23.501 v16.1.0, section 4.23). An Application Function (AF) (e.g., an external application server hosting 5G services, as illustrated in Figure 15) interacts with the 3GPP core network to provide services. For example, it accesses a Network Exposure Function (NEF) to support applications that affect traffic routing, or interacts with a policy framework (see Policy Control Function (PCF)) for policy control (e.g., QoS control). Based on the operator's deployment, Application Functions that are considered trusted by the operator can interact directly with the relevant Network Functions. Application Functions that are not authorized by the operator to directly access Network Functions interact with the relevant Network Functions using an external exposure framework via the NEF.

[0152] Figure 16 further illustrates further functional units of the 5G architecture, namely, Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), Network Repository Function (NRF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), and Data Network (DN, e.g., operator-provided services, Internet access, or third-party services). All or part of the core network functions and application services may be deployed and run in a cloud computing environment.

[0153] Therefore, the present disclosure provides an application server (e.g., an AF in a 5G architecture) comprising: a transmitter that, in operation, sends a request including QoS requirements for at least one of a URLLC service, an eMMB service, and an mMTC service to at least one of 5GC functions (e.g., an NEF, an AMF, an SMF, a PCF, an UPF, etc.) to establish a PDU session including a radio bearer between a gNodeB and a UE according to the QoS requirements; and a control circuit that, in operation, performs a service using the established PDU session.

[0154] The present disclosure can be realized by software, hardware, or software linked to hardware. Each functional block used in the description of the above embodiments may be partially or entirely realized as an LSI, which is an integrated circuit, and each process described in the above embodiments may be partially or entirely controlled by a single LSI or a combination of LSIs. The LSI may be composed of individual chips, or may be composed of a single chip that includes some or all of the functional blocks. The LSI may have data input and output. Depending on the degree of integration, the LSI may be called an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI.

[0155] The integrated circuit method is not limited to LSI, but may be realized by a dedicated circuit, a general-purpose processor, or a dedicated processor. Also, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that can be programmed after LSI manufacturing, or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells within the LSI, may be used. The present disclosure may be realized as digital processing or analog processing.

[0156] Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or other derivative technologies, it is natural that such technology can be used to integrate functional blocks. The application of biotechnology is also a possibility.

[0157] The present disclosure may be implemented in any type of apparatus, device, or system (collectively referred to as a communications apparatus) that has a communications function. The communications apparatus may include a wireless transceiver and processing / control circuitry. The wireless transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter, or both functions. The wireless transceiver (transmitter and receiver) may include a radio frequency (RF) module and one or more antennas. The RF module may include an amplifier, an RF modulator / demodulator, or the like. Non-limiting examples of communication devices include telephones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (e.g., laptops, desktops, notebooks), cameras (e.g., digital still / video cameras), digital players (e.g., digital audio / video players), wearable devices (e.g., wearable cameras, smartwatches, tracking devices), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine devices, communication-enabled vehicles or mobile transportation (e.g., cars, airplanes, ships), and combinations of the above devices.

[0158] Communications equipment is not limited to portable or mobile equipment, but also includes non-portable or fixed equipment, devices, and systems of any kind, such as smart home devices (such as appliances, lighting equipment, smart meters or metering devices, control panels, etc.), vending machines, and any other "things" that may exist on an IoT (Internet of Things) network.

[0159] Communications include data communications via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, communications satellite systems, etc., as well as data communications via combinations of these.

[0160] A communications apparatus also includes devices such as controllers and sensors connected or coupled to a communications device that performs the communications functions described in this disclosure, such as controllers and sensors that generate control and data signals used by the communications device to perform the communications functions of the communications apparatus.

[0161] The communication apparatus also includes infrastructure facilities, such as base stations, access points, and any other apparatus, device, or system that communicates with or controls the various apparatuses listed above, but are not limited to these.

[0162] A receiving device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a receiving circuit that receives a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) and an offset value, and a control circuit that sets a slot at which to start operation based on a control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value.

[0163] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control circuit sets a slot at which to start the downlink operation based on the slot at which to start the uplink operation and the offset value.

[0164] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control circuit sets a slot for starting the uplink operation based on a transmission timing of response information to a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE.

[0165] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control circuit sets a slot for starting the downlink operation based on the offset value and a reception timing of a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE.

[0166] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control circuit sets slots for starting the uplink and downlink operations based on transmission timing of response information to a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE.

[0167] A transmitting device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control circuit that sets a slot at which an operation based on a control command of a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) is to be started based on an offset value, and a transmitting circuit that transmits the offset value and the MAC CE.

[0168] In a receiving method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a receiving device receives a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) and an offset value, and sets a slot for starting an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value.

[0169] In a transmission method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a transmission device sets a slot for starting an operation based on a control command of a MAC Control Element (MAC CE) based on an offset value; The offset value and the MAC CE are transmitted.

[0170] This application claims priority to patent application No. 2020-022830, filed with the Japan Patent Office on February 13, 2020. The contents of patent application No. 2020-022830 are incorporated herein by reference. [Industrial Applicability]

[0171] One aspect of the present disclosure is useful in wireless communication systems. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 100 devices 101 HARQ-ACK generation section 102, 206 Data generation unit 103 Data transmission processing unit 104, 208 Radio transmitter 105, 201 Antenna 106, 202 Radio receiving unit 107, 203 Data receiving processing unit 108 Location information acquisition unit 109 Timing control section 110, 209 Control section 200 base stations 204 Timing control information generator 205 MAC CE control section 207 Data transmission processing unit

Claims

1. a transmission circuit that transmits a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element), a first offset value for correcting propagation delay in an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), and a second offset value indicating a MAC CE reflection timing; a control circuit that sets a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in an uplink, and a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in a downlink, based on the first offset value and the second offset value; A transmitting device comprising:

2. The control circuit sets a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE of the uplink based on a transmission timing of response information after the second offset value from the reception of a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE. The transmitting device according to claim 1 .

3. a transmission circuit that transmits a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element), a first offset value for correcting propagation delay in an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), and a second offset value indicating a MAC CE reflection timing; a control circuit that sets a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in downlink, based on a reception timing of a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE, the first offset value, and the second offset value; A transmitting device comprising:

4. a transmitting circuit for transmitting a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element) and an offset value; a control circuit that sets a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in downlink, based on the offset value and a transmission timing of response information for a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE, and that sets a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in uplink, based on the transmission timing of the response information for the PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE, without using the offset value; A transmitting device comprising:

5. a transmitting circuit for transmitting a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element) and an offset value; a control circuit that sets a timing for applying an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value; Equipped with When the downlink timing does not match the uplink timing in a base station of an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), the offset value provides Transmitting device.

6. The transmitting device Transmitting a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element), a first offset value for correcting propagation delay in an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), and a second offset value indicating a MAC CE reflection timing; setting a timing to apply an operation based on the control command of the MAC CE in an uplink, and a timing to apply an operation based on the control command of the MAC CE in a downlink, based on the first offset value and the second offset value; Communication method.

7. setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE of the uplink based on a transmission timing of response information after the second offset value from the reception of a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE; The communication method according to claim 6.

8. The transmitting device Transmitting a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element), a first offset value for correcting propagation delay in an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), and a second offset value indicating a MAC CE reflection timing; setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command for the MAC CE in downlink based on a reception timing of a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE, the first offset value, and the second offset value; Communication method.

9. The transmitting device Send a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element) and an offset value; setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command of the MAC CE in a downlink based on a transmission timing of response information for a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE and the offset value; setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command for the MAC CE in uplink without using the offset value, based on a transmission timing of the response information for a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE; Communication method.

10. The transmitting device Send a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element) and an offset value; setting a timing for applying an operation based on the control command of the MAC CE based on the offset value; When the downlink timing does not match the uplink timing in a base station of an NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network), the offset value provides Communication method.

11. A process of transmitting a MAC CE (Medium Access Control Element) and an offset value; and a process of setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command for the MAC CE in downlink based on the transmission timing of response information for a PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) including the MAC CE and the offset value, and setting a timing to apply an operation based on a control command for the MAC CE in uplink based on the transmission timing of the response information without using the offset value. Integrated circuit.

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