A method for MSG3 repeat requests in non-terrestrial networks (NTN)

Abstract

Various techniques are provided for receiving, by a user equipment (UE), an Msg3 repetition request configuration set including a set of resources for Msg1 transmission; determining, by the UE, an indicator associated with a position of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite relative to the UE; determining, by the UE, a subset of the set of resources for the Msg1 transmission based on the indicator; determining, by the UE, whether the repetition request applies; and selecting, by the UE, resources from the subset of the set of resources for the Msg1 transmission in response to determining that the repetition request applies.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present description relates to wireless communications. [Background technology]

[0002] A communication system may be a facility that enables communication between two or more nodes or devices, such as fixed or mobile communication devices. Signals may be carried over wired or wireless carriers.

[0003] An example of a cellular communication system is the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). rd The architecture is standardized by the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Generation Partnership Project. Recent developments in this field are often referred to as the long-term evolution (LTE) of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio access technology. E-UTRA (evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) is the air interface of 3GPP's Long Term Evolution (LTE) upgrade path for mobile networks. In LTE, base stations or access points (APs), called enhanced nodes (eNBs), provide wireless access within a coverage area or cell. In LTE, mobile devices or mobile stations are called user equipments (UEs). LTE has included several improvements or developments. LTE features continue to be improved.

[0004] The development of 5G New Radio (NR) is part of the ongoing evolution of mobile broadband to meet 5G requirements, similar to the evolution of previous 3G and 4G wireless networks. 5G targets emerging use cases in addition to mobile broadband. The goal of 5G is to achieve significant improvements in radio performance, which may include new levels of data rate, latency, reliability, and security. 5G NR may be scaled to efficiently connect the massive Internet of Things (IoT) and provide new types of mission-critical services. For example, ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) devices may require high reliability and extremely low latency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to example embodiments, a device, system, non-transitory computer-readable medium (storing computer-executable program code that may be executed on a computer system), and / or method may perform a process including determining a control resource set (CORESET) frequency location from a punctured synchronization signal block according to example embodiments. The method may include receiving, by a user equipment (UE), an Msg3 repetition request configuration set including a set of resources for Msg1 transmission, determining, by the UE, an indicator associated with a position of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite relative to the UE, determining, by the UE, a subset of the set of resources for the Msg1 transmission based on the indicator, determining, by the UE, whether the repetition request applies, and selecting, by the UE, resources from the subset of the set of resources for the Msg1 transmission in response to determining that the repetition request applies.

[0006] Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the method may further include transmitting Msg1 based on the selected resource. The Msg3 repetition request configuration set may further include a mapping between a range of indicators and a subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission. The resource may be a preamble or a random access channel occasion. The indicator may be a distance from the UE to an NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected at the UE. Determining the distance to the NTN satellite may include calculating an elevation angle of the NTN satellite and calculating the distance to the NTN satellite based on the elevation angle. The distance to the NTN satellite may be

[0007]

number

[0008] According to example embodiments, a device, a system, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (storing computer-executable program code that can be executed on a computer system), and / or a method may perform a process including determining a control resource set (CORESET) frequency location from a punctured synchronization signal block according to example embodiments. The method may include configuring, by a base station, a set of resources for Msg1 transmission; mapping, by the base station, the set of resources for Msg1 transmission to a range associated with an index associated with a position of the base station relative to a user equipment (UE), where the base station is included in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite; generating, by the base station, an Msg3 repetition request configuration set based on the set of resources for Msg1 transmission and the mapped range; and communicating, by the base station, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set to the UE.

[0009] Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the indicator may be a distance from the UE to an NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected at the UE. The resource may be a preamble or a random access channel occasion. The preamble may include at least one physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble sequence. Each set of resources for Msg1 transmission may be associated with a geographical portion of a cell. The UE may be a first UE, and the method may further include detecting, by the base station, a second UE; modifying, by the base station, an Msg3 repetition request configuration set in response to detecting the second UE; and communicating, by the base station, the modified Msg3 repetition request configuration set to the UE. The higher layer signaling may be communicated using higher layer signaling.

[0010] The details of one or more example embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1A] 1 is a block diagram of a wireless network, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 1B] 1 is a block diagram of a wireless network, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an Msg3 repeat configuration, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram of a non-terrestrial network (NTN), according to an example embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram of a satellite geometry, according to an example embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a method of operating user equipment, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram of a method of operating an NTN base station, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio station or wireless node (e.g., AP, BS, gNB, RAN node, relay node, UE or user device, network node, network entity, DU, CU-CP, CU-CP, ..., or other node) according to an example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Figure 1A is a block diagram of a wireless network 130 according to an example embodiment. Figure 1B is a block diagram of a wireless network 140 according to an example embodiment. In the wireless network 130 of Figure 1A and / or the wireless network 140 of Figure 1B, user devices 131, 132, 133, and 135, which may also be referred to as mobile stations (MS) or user equipment (UE), may be connected to (and communicate with) a base station (BS) 134, which may also be referred to as an access point (AP), enhanced Node B (eNB), BS, next-generation Node B (gNB), next generation enhanced Node B (ng-eNB), or network node. The terms user device and user equipment (UE) may be used interchangeably.

[0013] The BS 134 may be referred to as a terrestrial BS. The wireless network 140 may extend the wireless network 130 to further include a non-terrestrial network (NTN) base station (NTN-BS) 160. The NTN-BS 160 may be implemented in a low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite, a high elliptical orbit (HEO) satellite, an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a lighter than air (LTA) UAS, a heavier than air (HTA) UAS, and / or the like. Additionally, the NTN-BS may be located on the ground, with signals routed via satellite.

[0014] A BS (including an NTN-BS) may include a radio access network (RAN) node or may be referred to as a RAN node, and may include a portion of a BS or a portion of a RAN node (e.g., in the case of a split BS, a centralized unit (CU) and / or a distributed unit (DU)). At least a portion of the functionality of a BS (e.g., an access point (AP), base station (BS), NTN base station (NTN-BS), or (e)Node B (eNB), BS, RAN node) may be performed by any node, server, or host that may be operatively coupled to a transceiver, such as a remote radio head or satellite. BS (or AP) 134 provides wireless coverage within cell 136, which includes user devices (or UEs) 131, 132, 133, and 135. NTN-BS 160 can provide wireless coverage within cell 136, within multiple cells (not shown), and / or within a geographic coverage area. Although only four user devices (or UEs) are shown connected to or attached to BS 134 and / or NTN-BS 160, any number of user devices may be provided. BS 134 is also connected to core network 150 via an S1 interface or NG interface 151. NTN-BS 160 is also connected to a UE (shown as UE 131) via a Uu interface 162. NTN-BS 160 is also connected to BS 134 via an SI / NG interface 164. NTN-BS 160 is also connected to core network 150 via an S1 interface or NG interface 166. These are just one simple example of a wireless network; other wireless networks may be used.

[0015] A base station (e.g., BS 134 and / or NTN-BS 160) is an example of a radio access network (RAN) node in a wireless network. A BS (or RAN node) may be or include (or alternatively be considered to be), for example, an access point (AP), a gNB, an eNB, or a portion thereof (e.g., a centralized unit (CU) and / or a distributed unit (DU) in the case of a split BS or split gNB), or other network node. For example, a BS (or gNB) may include a network entity of distributed units (DUs), such as a gNB-distributed unit (gNB-DU), and a centralized unit (CU) that may control multiple DUs. In some cases, for example, a centralized unit (CU) may be divided or separated into a control plane entity such as a gNB-centralized (or central) unit control plane (gNB-CU-CP) and a user plane entity such as a gNB-centralized (or central) unit user plane (gNB-CU-UP). For example, the sub-entities of the CU (gNB-CU-CP, gNB-CU-UP) may run or be provided on the same hardware or server, in the cloud, etc., or may be provided on different hardware, systems, or servers (e.g., may be physically separated or run on different systems, hardware, or servers), or may be provided as different logical entities or different software entities (e.g., as separate or distinct software entities that communicate).

[0016] As mentioned, in a gNB / BS split configuration, the functions of the gNB may be split between a DU and a CU. A distributed unit (DU) may provide or establish wireless communication with one or more UEs. Thus, a DU may provide one or more cells and enable a UE to communicate with and / or establish a connection with the DU to receive wireless services, such as enabling the UE to transmit or receive data. A centralized (or central) unit (CU) may provide control and / or data plane functions to one or more connected DUs, including control functions such as gNB control of user data transfer, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and session management, except for functions exclusively assigned to the DU. The CU may control the operation of the DUs (e.g., the CU communicates with one or more DUs) via a fronthaul (Fs) interface.

[0017] According to one example, a BS node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, ...) or a radio access network (RAN) in general may be part of a mobile telecommunications system. The RAN (Radio Access Network) may include one or more BS or RAN nodes that implement radio access technology, for example, to enable one or more UEs to access a network or a core network. Thus, for example, a RAN (RAN node such as a BS or gNB) may exist between one or more user devices or UEs and the core network. According to example embodiments, each RAN node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, ...) or BS may provide one or more wireless communication services to one or more UEs or user devices, for example, to enable the UEs to wirelessly access the network via the RAN node. Each RAN node or BS may perform or provide wireless communication services, such as, for example, enabling the UEs or user devices to establish a wireless connection with the RAN node and transmitting and / or receiving data to one or more of the UEs. For example, after establishing a connection with a UE, a RAN node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, ...) may forward data received from the network or core network to the UE and / or forward data received from the UE to the network or core network. The RAN node (e.g., BS, eNB, gNB, CU / DU, ...) may perform a wide variety of other wireless functions or services, such as broadcasting control information (e.g., system information, etc.) to the UE, paging the UE when there is data to be delivered to the UE, assisting in handover of the UE between cells, scheduling resources for uplink data transmission from the UE and downlink data transmission to the UE, sending control information to configure one or more UEs, etc. There are several examples of one or more functions that a RAN node or a BS may perform.A base station may be a distributed unit (DU) part of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node (also known as a relay node), which facilitates access link connectivity for the IAB node.

[0018] A user device (e.g., user terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile terminal, handheld wireless device) may refer to a portable computing device, including a wireless mobile communication device that operates with or without a subscriber identification module (SIM) (sometimes called a universal SIM), and examples include, but are not limited to, types of devices such as mobile stations (MS), mobile phones, cell phones, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handsets, devices that use wireless modems (such as alarm or measurement devices), laptop and / or touchscreen computers, tablets, phablets, game consoles, notebooks, vehicles, sensors, and multimedia devices, or any other wireless device. It should be understood that a user device may also be (or include) an almost exclusively uplink-only device, an example of which is a camera or video camera that loads images or video clips into the network. A user device may also be the mobile termination (MT) portion of an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node (also known as a relay node). The MT facilitates the backhaul connection of the IAB nodes.

[0019] In LTE (as an example), the core network 150 may be referred to as an Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which may include a mobility management entity (MME) that may handle or assist mobility / handover of user devices between BSs, one or more gateways that may forward data and control signals between the BSs and a packet data network or the Internet, and other control functions or blocks. Other types of wireless networks, such as 5G (sometimes referred to as New Radio (NR)), may also include a core network (e.g., sometimes referred to as 5GC in 5G / NR).

[0020] Additionally, by way of example, various example embodiments or techniques described herein may be applied to different types of user devices or data service types, or to user devices on which multiple applications, which may be different data service types, can be executed. New Radio (5G) developments may support multiple different applications or multiple different data service types, examples of which include machine type communications (MTC), enhanced machine type communications (eMTC), massive MTC (mMTC), Internet of Things (IoT) and / or Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) user devices, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC). Many of these new 5G (NR)-related applications may generally require higher performance than previous wireless networks.

[0021] The IoT may refer to a growing group of objects that may include internet or network connectivity, allowing them to send information to and receive information from other network devices. For example, many sensor-type applications or devices can monitor physical conditions or states and send reports to servers or other network devices, e.g., when an event occurs. Machine-type communication (MTC or machine-to-machine communication) may be characterized, e.g., by the fully automatic generation, exchange, processing, and action of data between intelligent machines, with or without human intervention. Enhanced Multimedia Broadcasting (eMBB) may support data rates much higher than those currently available with LTE.

[0022] Ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) is a new type of data service or new usage scenario that can be supported for new radio (5G) systems. URLLC enables emerging applications and services such as industrial automation, autonomous driving, vehicle safety, and e-health services. 3GPP, for example, is working on the 10 ー5 The goal is to provide a reliable connection with a block error rate (BLER) of 1 ms and a U-plane (user / data plane) latency of up to 1 ms. Thus, for example, a URLLC user device / UE may require low latency (with or without a simultaneous requirement for high reliability) in addition to a significantly lower block error rate than other types of user devices / UEs. Thus, for example, a URLLC UE (or a URLLC application on a UE) may require much lower latency compared to an eMBB UE (or an eMBB application running on a UE).

[0023] Various example embodiments may be applied to a wide variety of wireless technologies or wireless networks, such as LTE, LTE-A, 5G (New Radio (NR)), centimeter-wave and / or millimeter-wave band networks, IoT, MTC, eMTC, mMTC, eMBB, URLLC, etc., or any other wireless network or wireless technology. These example networks, technologies, or types of data services are provided merely as examples.

[0024] Terrestrial Network (TN) channels can have consistent conditions over long periods of time. In contrast, channel conditions in an NTN can change rapidly and in a semi-predictive manner. Base stations in a TN can be in fixed locations. In contrast, the locations of base stations in an NTN are not necessarily fixed. Therefore, changes in path loss, distance, and elevation angle of a UE on a satellite orbit may need to be considered. Msg3 PUSCH Recurrence Type A is one such communication channel where changes in path loss, distance, and elevation angle of a UE on a satellite orbit may need to be considered.

[0025] Msg3 PUSCH repetition type A may be requested by a coverage extension (CE) UE during the Msg1 PRACH, for example, if the measured SS-RSRP of all SSBs is below a certain threshold as follows: SS-RSRP <rsrp-ThresholdSSB+ / -rsrp-Threshold-Msg3Rep (1)

[0026] A new threshold (e.g., rsrp-Threshold-Msg3Rep) may be defined for the NTN (Equation 1). This new threshold may be configured by the BS, which may be larger or smaller than rsrp-ThresholdSSB. In coverage extension scenarios, different numbers of repetitions are required for each UE to ensure correct reception at the gNB, depending on the channel conditions. Apart from configuring the new threshold to distinguish CE UEs from legacy UEs by applying a different set of preambles (PRACH / preamble) or RACH occasions (dedicated to UEs with CE capabilities) and sending Msg3 repetition requests, the BS may determine the number of repetitions based on, for example, the reception quality of Msg1 transmitted by the CE UE. The maximum number of Msg3 repetitions may be determined based on the extension goal and the scenario context (e.g., BLER expectations for rural, urban, or suburban scenarios) to compensate for coverage gaps.

[0027] The number of CE UEs in a cell requesting Msg3 repetition may increase as the satellite moves toward the horizon. Therefore, the probability of satisfying the requirement of equation (1) for UEs in the cell may increase. This may lead to more CE UEs transmitting requests for Msg3 repetition by selecting a PRACH preamble from the same reserved preamble group. When satellite movement is taken into account, the probability of collisions and the number of requests may increase because more UEs may satisfy the requirement of equation (1) in the cell as the satellite moves toward the horizon. These UEs may be making Msg3 requests at the same time.

[0028] Considering a fixed UE position, the satellite movement itself can cause an increase in the number of Msg3 repetition requests due to large signal fluctuations when passing from nadir to horizon. Therefore, it is necessary to define a solution to optimize the size of the preamble or RACH occasion (RO) set so that PRACH resources are not too scarce when the satellite is far from Earth and not too abundant when the satellite is close to Earth. An exemplary implementation provides an extension to the Msg3 repetition request during PRACH within the NTN, which can reduce the number of PRACH collisions and failures and compensate for the dynamics of channel conditions due to satellite movement and large signal fluctuations.

[0029] An exemplary implementation may introduce a dynamic subset of preambles or ROs for Msg3 repetition requests, derived from a set of preambles or ROs configured by the network. For example, the size of the subset may adapt to the satellite's position relative to the Earth and may be mapped to a range of UE distances from the NTN satellite. In an exemplary implementation, a subset from the set of preambles or ROs may be determined with respect to a calculated distance. For example, if a satellite is located above the UE and the distance is small, a small percentage of repeated preambles or ROs may be available for UE selection for PRACH transmission. For example, if a satellite is located far from the UE and, relative to the calculated elevation angle (e.g., UE φ) is low and the distance is large, a larger percentage of preambles and ROs may be available for UE selection for PRACH transmission. To determine the dynamic subset of preambles or ROs, a Msg3Rep-Preamble set may be configured (e.g., by RRC). In this example, each subset of preambles or ROs in the Msg3Rep-PreambleSubset may be mapped to a range of UE distances defined by the BS (e.g., NTN-BS). This may depend on the relative position of the UE within the satellite beam covering the UE. If the beam size is large enough, different repetition factors may be available for UEs at the edge or center of the beam. This may be taken into account by the BS when assigning a specific number of repetitions to the Msg3. In one example, the configuration of the Msg3Rep-PreambleSubset distance may be cell-specific and may apply to CE NTN UEs within the cell.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating Msg3 repetition configuration according to an exemplary implementation. As shown in FIG. 2, a wireless system may include a UE 205 and a BS 210. The UE 205 and / or the BS 210 may be configured to communicate with each other (e.g., wirelessly communicate). For example, the UE 205 and the BS 210 may be configured to convey messages, signals, and / or the like to each other. For example, the UE 205 and / or the BS 210 may be configured to communicate using a wireless standard, as described above. In an exemplary implementation, at block 215, the BS 120 may determine an Msg3 repetition request configuration set. The Msg3 repetition request configuration set may include a set of resources for Msg1 transmission. The resource may be a preamble or a random access channel occasion. For example, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set may include a subset number, a distance range, and an Msg3 repetition preamble subset range.

[0031] The UE 205 may map the N subsets in the Msg3Rep-Preamble set to a range associated with an index. This index may be related to the position of the NTN satellites, including the BS 210, relative to the UE 205. The UE 205 may map the N subsets in the Msg3Rep-Preamble set to a selected distance range. For example, Table 1 may show exemplary Msg3 repetition request configuration sets mapped to respective distances. The BS 210 may change the Msg3 repetition request configuration set, mapping, and / or respective distances based on a change in the number of UEs and / or the number of UEs in a cell and / or a zone within a cell. At block 220, the BS 210 communicates a message 220 to the UE 205. The message 220 may include the Msg3 repetition request configuration set. In an exemplary implementation, the UE 205 may communicate the message 220 via higher layer signaling (e.g., SIB1). Message 220 may be retransmitted, for example, when the Msg3 repeat request configuration set, mapping, and / or respective distances change.

[0032] [Table 1] Table 1

[0033] In response to receiving the message 220, the UE 205 may calculate an index associated with the location at block 225. The index may be a distance from the UE 205 to the NTN satellites, including the BS 210, or an elevation angle of the NTN satellites detected at the UE 205. In an exemplary implementation, the elevation angle (e.g., the UE φ ) may be calculated using algorithms such as MUSIC and / or ESPRIT, for example. In an example implementation, the distance (d) from the UE 205 to the BS 210 may be calculated as follows:

number

[0034] For example, the time at which the UE calculates / estimates the distance to the satellite for preamble selection can be based on at least one of the transmission time of the random access preamble, the expected reception time of the random access response (e.g., the end of the random access response window), and / or the expected transmission time of Msg3. The expected transmission time of Msg3 can be configured by the base station and / or a hard-coded value at the UE side (e.g., twice the round trip time to the satellite plus a processing delay).

[0035] Next, in block 230, the UE 205 may select and / or determine a subset of Msg3 preambles or ROs based on the distance. For example, if the UE 205 calculates the distance as 870 km, then with reference to Table 1, the UE 205 may select subset number 3. The UE 205 may then select and / or determine a subset of Msg3 preambles or ROs based on the distance. RSRP Block 230 (and block 235) can be executed after evaluating: UE RSRP <rsrp-ThresholdSSB-rsrp-Threshold-Msg3Rep (3) UE RSRP If satisfies the requirements of equation (3), the UE 205 may perform block 230 (and block 235). Otherwise, the UE 205 may not communicate message 235 to make an Msg3 repetition request.

[0036] In block 235, the UE 205 communicates a message 235 to the BS 210. The message 235 can be a Msg3 repeat request communicated using a subset of the Msg1 preamble or RO. Continuing the example, the UE 205 may communicate the message 235 using a subset of the PRACH preamble, PRACH sequences [1]...

[25] . RSRP If does not satisfy the requirements of equation (3), the UE 205 may not perform block 230, and the UE 205 may not communicate message 235 to make an Msg3 repetition request.

[0037] 3 is a diagram of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the NTN includes a BS 160, a cell 305, and geographic regions 310, 315, and 320. In an example implementation, geographic region 310 is associated with a first subset, geographic region 315 is associated with a second subset, and geographic region 320 is associated with a third subset. For example, with reference to Table 1, the first subset can be subset number 1, the second subset can be subset number 2, and the third subset can be subset number 3.

[0038] The cell 305 can cover a distance d (e.g., up to 1000 km). Each geographical region 310, 315, 320 can include multiple UEs (e.g., CE UEs) served by the BS 160 (e.g., as an NTN-BS). The distances of UEs to the BS 160 located in the same region are close to each other. In an exemplary implementation, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set can include a first subset, a second subset, and a third subset associated with the geographical region 310, the geographical region 315, and the geographical region 320, respectively. The Msg3 repetition request configuration set can change as the satellite including the BS 160 moves (e.g., with the rotation of the Earth) and / or as the number of UEs in the geographical region 310, 315, 320 changes. The UEs in the geographical regions 310, 315, 320 can select a subset based on the distance to the satellite including the BS 160, which can be a subset associated with the geographical region 310, 315, 320.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a satellite geometry, according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, a circle 405 represents the Earth, satellites 410 are in orbit around the Earth, and UEs 415 are at locations on the Earth. FIG. 4 can be used to illustrate the variables used in equation (2) above. As shown in FIG. 4, R e denotes the radius of the Earth, h denotes the satellite altitude, φ denotes the elevation angle of the UE, and d denotes the distance from the UE 415 to the satellite 410. Figure 4 can be used to prove equation (2) according to the following proof. First,

[0040]

number

number

number

number

[0041] Example 1 5 is a block diagram of a method of operating user equipment according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, in step S505, a Msg3 repetition request configuration set including a set of resources for Msg1 transmission is received by a user equipment (UE). In step S510, an index associated with a position of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite relative to the UE is determined by the UE. In step S515, a subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission based on the index is determined by the UE. In step S520, it is determined by the UE whether a repetition request applies. In step S525, the UE selects resources from the subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission in response to determining that a repetition request applies.

[0042] Example 2 The method of the first embodiment may further include sending Msg1 based on the selected resource.

[0043] Example 3 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the Msg3 repeat request configuration set may further include a mapping between a range of indicators and a subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission.

[0044] Example 4 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the resource may be a preamble or a random access channel occasion.

[0045] Example 5 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the indicator may be a distance from the UE to an NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected at the UE.

[0046] Example 6 6. The method of example 5, wherein determining the distance to the NTN satellite can include calculating an elevation angle of the NTN satellite and calculating the distance to the NTN satellite based on the elevation angle.

[0047] Example 7 The distance to the NTN satellite is

number

[0048] Example 8 The method of Example 1 may further include, in response to determining that the repetition request does not apply, the UE not making an Msg3 repetition request.

[0049] Example 9 10. The method of embodiment 1, wherein determining whether a repetition request applies may be based on an SSB RSRP threshold.

[0050] Example 10 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein the UE is a coverage enhancement (CE) UE.

[0051] Example 11 6 is a block diagram of a method for operating an NTN base station according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, in step S605, a set of resources for Msg1 transmission is configured by the base station. In step S610, the set of resources for Msg1 transmission is mapped by the base station to a range associated with an index associated with the position of the base station relative to the user equipment (UE), the base station being included in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite. In step S615, an Msg3 repetition request configuration set is generated by the base station based on the set of resources for Msg1 transmission and the mapped range. In step S620, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set is communicated by the base station to the UE.

[0052] Example 12 12. The method of example 11, wherein the indicator can be a distance from the UE to an NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected at the UE.

[0053] Example 13 12. The method of embodiment 11, wherein the resource can be a preamble or a random access channel occasion.

[0054] Example 14 14. The method of embodiment 13, wherein the preamble may include at least one physical random access channel (PRACH) preamble sequence.

[0055] Example 15 12. The method of example 11, wherein each set of resources for Msg1 transmission may be associated with a geographical portion of a cell.

[0056] Example 16 12. The method of example 11, wherein the UE may be a first UE, and the method may further include: detecting, by the base station, a second UE; modifying, by the base station, an Msg3 repetition request configuration set in response to detecting the second UE; and communicating, by the base station, the modified Msg3 repetition request configuration set to the UE.

[0057] Example 17 12. The method of example 11, wherein the higher layer signaling can be conveyed using higher layer signaling.

[0058] Example 18 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing stored instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause a computing system to perform the method of any of Examples 1-17.

[0059] Example 19 An apparatus comprising means for carrying out the method of any one of Examples 1 to 17.

[0060] Example 20 An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least perform the method of any of Examples 1 to 17.

[0061] 7 is a block diagram of a radio station 700 or wireless node or network node 700 according to an example embodiment. The wireless node or radio station or network node 700 may include, for example, one or more of an AP, BS, gNB, RAN node, relay node, UE or user device, network node, network entity, DU, CU-CP, CU-UP, ..., or other node according to an example embodiment.

[0062] A radio station 700 may, for example, include one or more (e.g., two as shown in FIG. 7) radio frequency (RF) or wireless transceivers 702A, 702B, each including a transmitter for transmitting signals and a receiver for receiving signals. The radio station also includes a processor or control unit / entity (controller) 704 for executing instructions or software and controlling the transmission and reception of signals, and a memory 706 for storing data and / or instructions.

[0063] The processor 704 may make decisions, generate frames, packets, or messages for transmission, decode received frames or messages for further processing, and perform other tasks or functions described herein. The processor 704, which may be a baseband processor, may generate, for example, messages, packets, frames, or other signals for transmission via the wireless transceiver 702 (702A or 702B). The processor 704 may control the transmission of signals or messages over the wireless network and may control the reception of signals or messages (e.g., after being downconverted by the wireless transceiver 702) over the wireless network. The processor 704 may be programmable and may be capable of executing software or other instructions stored in memory or other computer media to perform various tasks and functions described above, such as one or more of the tasks or methods described above. The processor 704 may be (or include), for example, hardware, programmable logic, a programmable processor executing software or firmware, and / or any combination thereof. Using other terminology, the processor 704 and the transceiver 702 may together be considered, for example, a wireless transmitter / receiver system.

[0064] Additionally, with reference to FIG. 7, controller (or processor) 708 may execute software and instructions and may provide overall control of wireless station 700, may provide control of other systems not shown in FIG. 7, such as controlling input / output devices (e.g., display, keypad), and / or may execute software for one or more applications that may be provided on wireless station 700, such as, for example, an email program, an audio / video application, a word processor, a voice-over-IP application, or other application or software.

[0065] Additionally, a storage medium containing stored instructions may be provided that, when executed by a controller or processor, may cause the processor 704 or other controller or processor to perform one or more of the functions or tasks described above.

[0066] According to another example embodiment, the RF or wireless transceiver 702A / 702B may receive signals or data and / or transmit signals or data. The processor 704 (and, in some cases, the transceiver 702A / 702B) may control the RF or wireless transceiver 702A or 702B to receive, transmit, or broadcast signals or data.

[0067] However, the example embodiments are not limited to the systems given as examples, and those skilled in the art may apply the solutions to other communication systems. Another example of a suitable communication system is a 5G system. The network architecture in 5G is expected to be quite similar to that of LTE-Advanced. 5G will likely use multiple input - multiple output (MIMO) antennas, more base stations or nodes than LTE (the so-called small cell concept), including macro sites operating in cooperation with smaller base stations, and will likely also employ different radio technologies for better coverage and improved data rates.

[0068] It should be understood that future networks will likely utilize network functions virtualization (NFV), a network architecture concept that proposes virtualizing the functions of network nodes into “building blocks” or entities that can be operably connected or linked together to provide services. A virtualized network function (VNF) may include one or more virtual machines that run computer program code using standard or generic types of servers instead of customized hardware. Cloud computing or data storage may also be utilized. In wireless communications, this may mean that the operation of a node may be performed at least in part on a server, host, or node operably coupled to a remote radio head. It is also possible that the operation of a node may be distributed among multiple servers, nodes, or hosts. It should also be understood that the distribution of work between the operation of the core network and the operation of the base stations may differ from or even not exist in LTE.

[0069] Example embodiments of the various technologies described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or combinations of them. Example embodiments may be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., as a computer program tangibly embodied in an information medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage device) or in a propagated signal, for execution by or to control the operation of a data processing apparatus (e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers). Embodiments may be provided on a computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium, which may be a non-transitory medium. Embodiments of the various technologies may include embodiments provided via a transitory signal or medium and / or embodiments of programs and / or software downloadable via the Internet or other networks (either wired and / or wireless). Additionally, embodiments may be provided via machine-type communications (MTC) or the Internet of Things (IoT).

[0070] The computer program may be in the form of source code, object code, or some intermediate form and may be stored on some kind of carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying a program. Such carriers include, for example, recording media, computer memory, read-only memory, optical-electronic and / or electrical carrier signals, telecommunications signals, and software distribution packages. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed in a single electronic digital computer or distributed among several computers.

[0071] Additionally, example embodiments of the various technologies described herein may use cyber-physical systems (CPSs) (systems of computing elements working together to control physical entities). CPSs may enable the implementation and utilization of vast amounts of interconnected ICT devices (sensors, actuators, processors, microcontrollers, etc.) embedded in objects at various locations. Mobile cyber-physical systems, in which the physical systems in question possess inherent mobility, are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile physical systems include mobile robotics and electronic devices carried by humans or animals. The increasing popularity of smartphones has sparked interest in the area of ​​mobile cyber-physical systems. Accordingly, various embodiments of the technologies described herein may be provided via one or more of these technologies.

[0072] A computer program such as the one described above can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form suitable for use in a computing environment, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit or portion thereof. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers, either at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communications network.

[0073] The method steps may be performed by one or more programmable processors running computer programs or portions of computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The method steps may also be performed by, and an apparatus may be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).

[0074] Examples of processors suitable for executing a computer program include both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer, chip, or chipset. Typically, a processor receives instructions and data from a read-only memory and / or a random-access memory. Elements of a computer may include at least one processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical, or optical disks) for storing data, and / or be operatively coupled to receive or transfer data from such mass storage devices. Information media suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, such as, for example, semiconductor memory devices (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices), magnetic disks (e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks), magneto-optical disks, and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special-purpose logic circuitry.

[0075] To provide for user interaction, embodiments may be implemented on a computer that includes a user interface, such as a display device, e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor, for displaying information to the user, and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) that the user can use to provide input to the computer. Other types of devices may also be used to provide for user interaction. For example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback), and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

[0076] Example embodiments may be implemented in a computing system that includes back-end components, e.g., as a data server, or middleware components, e.g., as an application server, or front-end components (e.g., a client computer that includes a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with the embodiment), or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local-area network (LAN) and a wide-area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet).

[0077] As set forth herein, while certain features of the described embodiments have been illustrated, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the various embodiments.

Claims

1. at least one processor; and at least one memory containing computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, provide the UE with: receiving, by the UE, a Msg3 repetition request configuration set including a set of resources for Msg1 transmission; determining, by the UE, an index associated with a position of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite relative to the UE; determining, by the UE, a subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission based on the indicator; determining, by the UE, whether a repetition request applies; and in response to determining that the repetition request applies, selecting, by the UE, resources from the subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission.

2. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1 , further comprising: transmitting Msg1 based on the selected resource.

3. 2. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the Msg3 repetition request configuration set further includes a mapping between a range of the indicators and a subset of the set of resources for Msg1 transmission.

4. 2. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the resource is a preamble or a random access channel occasion.

5. 2. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a distance from the UE to the NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected at the UE.

6. determining the distance to the NTN satellite calculating the elevation angle of the NTN satellite; and calculating the distance to the NTN satellite based on the elevation angle.

7. The distance to the NTN satellite is: [Equation 1] is calculated as where d is the distance to the NTN satellite; R e is the radius of the Earth, h is the altitude of the NTN satellite, 7. The user equipment (UE) of claim 6, wherein φ is the elevation angle of the UE.

8. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1 , further comprising: in response to determining that the repetition request does not apply, the UE not making an Msg3 repetition request.

9. 10. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the repetition request applies is based on an SSB RSRP threshold.

10. The user equipment (UE) of claim 1 , wherein the UE is a coverage extension (CE) UE.

11. at least one processor; at least one memory containing computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code, together with the at least one processor, configuring, by the base station, a set of resources for Msg1 transmission; mapping, by the base station, the set of resources for Msg1 transmission to a range associated with an index associated with a position of the base station relative to a user equipment (UE), the base station being included in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite; generating, by the base station, a Msg3 repetition request configuration set based on the set of resources for Msg1 transmission and the mapped range; and transmitting, by the base station, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set to the UE.

12. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the indicator is a distance from the UE to the NTN satellite or an elevation angle of the NTN satellite detected by the UE.

13. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the resource is a preamble or a random access channel occasion.

14. The base station of claim 13 , wherein the preamble includes at least one Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preamble sequence.

15. The base station of claim 11 , wherein each set of resources for Msg1 transmission is associated with a geographical portion of a cell.

16. detecting, by the base station, another UE; modifying, by the base station, the Msg3 repetition request configuration set in response to detecting the other UE; and communicating, by the base station, the modified Msg3 repetition request configuration set to the UE.

17. The base station of claim 11, wherein the Msg3 repetition request configuration set is conveyed using higher layer signaling.

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