Uplink scheduling mechanism for IoT NTN in TDD mode
A periodic pattern for uplink and downlink subframes in NB-IoT NTN devices addresses signal interference and propagation delays, improving power efficiency and timing accuracy, thereby expanding IoT connectivity in non-terrestrial networks.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing wireless communication networks face challenges in efficiently managing uplink and downlink signals in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) using time division duplexing (TDD) mode, particularly for narrowband Internet of Things (IoT) devices, due to signal interference and propagation delays, which affect power consumption and timing accuracy.
Implementing a periodic subset of uplink and downlink subframes in a specific pattern within radio frames for NB-IoT NTN devices, allowing for half-duplex operation and synchronization based on a fixed periodicity, without assuming blind detection, to manage uplink and downlink communications effectively.
This approach enhances power efficiency and timing accuracy for NB-IoT devices in NTN networks, enabling broader coverage and connectivity, including polar regions, by optimizing resource utilization and reducing interference.
Smart Images

Figure CN2024123213_09042026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
UPLINK SCHEDULING MECHANISM FOR IOT NTN IN TDD MODEFIELD
[0001] The present disclosure is related to wireless technology and uplink scheduling mechanisms for internet of things (IoT) for non-terrestrial network enhancements in a time division duplexing (TDD) mode.BACKGROUND
[0002] As the number of mobile devices within wireless networks, and the demand for mobile data traffic, continue to increase, changes are made to system requirements and architectures to better address current and anticipated demands. For example, some wireless communication networks may be developed to implement fifth generation (5G) or new radio (NR) technology, sixth generation (6G) technology, and so on. An aspect of such technology includes addressing how wireless devices wireless resources may be allocated to communications between user equipment (UEs) and base stations (which may include one or more cells) .
[0003] Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) include communication nodes that are located above the earth’s surface. These nodes may orbit the earth, or move over some region of the earth. Mobile communication in the next generation wireless communication system, 5G, or new radio (NR) network will provide ubiquitous connectivity and access to information, as well as ability to share data, around the globe. For example, some wireless communication networks (e.g., fifth generation (5G) or new radio (NR) networks and beyond) may be developed to include non-terrestrial networks (NTN) comprising one or more satellites. In such scenarios, the satellites may operate as transparent network nodes linking user equipment (UEs) with a ground-based portions of the network, such as base stations and core network (CN) or operate independently as a base station (BS) itself.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an example non-terrestrial network (NTN) configuration for uplink (UL) scheduling for internet of things (IoT) in narrowband and time division duplexing (TDD) mode in accordance with various aspects.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects.
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects.
[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates an example process flow for NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates another example process flow for NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0011] FIG. 8 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects.
[0012] FIG. 9 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0013] FIG. 10 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0014] FIG. 11 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0015] FIG. 12 illustrates another example NTN configuration for UL scheduling enhancement in accordance with various aspects or examples.
[0016] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary block diagram illustrating an example of UEs or narrowband IoTs communicatively coupled in a NTN network with network components useable in connection with various aspects described herein.
[0017] FIG. 14 illustrates an example simplified block diagram of a UE wireless communication device or other network device / component (e.g., NTN satellite, base station, eNB, gNB) in accordance with various aspects.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar features, elements, operations, etc. Additionally, the present disclosure is not limited to the following description as other implementations may be utilized, and structural or logical changes made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0019] Mobile communication networks may include one or more types and / or generations of wireless communication networks, such as 4th generation (4G) (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE) ) networks, 5th generation (5G) or new radio (NR) networks, etc. Such networks may include user equipment (UEs) and base stations (BSs) that communicate with one another wirelessly. As an example, UEs can communicate directly with terrestrially located BSs. As another example, a UE can communicate with a satellite orbiting the Earth as part of a non-terrestrial network (NTN) . The satellite can communicate with a ground station or another satellite. Communication from a UE can be further exchanged via one or more ground stations or one or more other satellites. As an example, a satellite can serve as a BS, with backhaul from the satellite to the Earth or to another satellite. As another example, a satellite can need not provide the functionality of a BS but may receive and relay a signal or information from a user equipment (UE) to or through another satellite or to a ground station, providing flexibility in the location of the BS functionality in space or on Earth.
[0020] A satellite may have one or more radio-frequency (RF) bands, such as a ground station uplink band and a ground station downlink band, for communication with one or more ground stations or one or more other satellites. Optionally, a satellite may have one or more RF bands for inter-satellite communication. A satellite may have one or more RF bands, such as a mobile station downlink band and a mobile station uplink band, for communication with one or more mobile stations, such as UEs. If only one band is available for communication with mobile stations or if communications for both downlink and uplink between a satellite and a mobile station is otherwise desired, a time-division duplexing (TDD) technique can be used to separate the downlink and uplink signals in time from one another, especially where uplink and downlink utilize the same band in TDD operation.
[0021] RF receivers are capable of receiving weak signals, and RF transmitters are capable of transmitting strong signals. If a stronger signal is at or near the same frequency as a weaker signal, the stronger signal may interfere with reception of the weaker signal. To implement TDD, transmission at a device of RF signals can occur at times distinct from times at which the device receives RF signals. For example, uplink signals from a UE to a satellite can be transmitted by the UE at times different from times during which the UE receives downlink signals from the satellite. Because satellites, even those in low earth orbit (LEO) , are a considerable distance from the UEs with which they can communicate, a considerable propagation delay can exist between transmission and reception of a RF signal in either the downlink or uplink direction. Accordingly, a method and apparatus for uplink scheduling in a TDD mode in a NTN is provided.
[0022] Various enhancements include features that enable the operator to use the radio resources in a periodic subset of uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) subframes in a number of N radio frames to achieve time division duplexing TDD operation in the satellite access node (SAN) and internet of things (IoT) NTN UE, thus limiting power consumption. In particular, this feature enables extending 3GPP narrowband (NB) -IoT NTN operation with support for additional Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) satellite system. Using radio resources in a periodic subset of UL and DL subframes to achieve TDD operation in the SAN can extend the deployment of narrow band (NB) -IoT NTN, by extending support to additional existing, in-orbit satellite resources, in particular additional existing NGSO systems, and including enabling additional lower-complexity satellite payloads, such as implementations without diplexer. With this proposed feature, there is a significant opportunity to further expand global NB-IoT NTN service coverage. This includes providing connectivity to polar regions.
[0023] NB-IoT NTN devices can be further configured for leveraging commonalities with the NB-IoT full division duplexing (FDD) NTN operation, for NGSO operating in 1616-1626.5MHz, especially where this band is defined as unpaired spectrum in 3GPP. This can define a TDD mode for NB-IoT NTN systems, where NB-IoT NTN devices as UE devices are communicatively coupled with an NTN satellite as a base station in part, in whole with one or more components of a base station, or as an intermediary messenger.
[0024] Various aspects herein are directed to enhancements for NB-IoT NTN to enable NTN operation with a NB-IoT TDD mode leveraging commonalities with half-duplex NB-IoT FDD NTN, by defining an NB-IoT TDD mode for NTN based on minimum changes to the NB-IoT NTN FDD frame structure and procedures for the NB-IoT operation in the targeted mobile satellite service (MSS) allocated band. This can include a standalone deployment with anchor and non-anchor carriers (i.e. operating in carrier (s) used only for NB-IoT) within, for example, the 1616-1626.5 MHz MSS allocated band, or potentially other bands. The NTN satellite can include, for example, a LEO satellite (e.g., at about 600 km, or at about 1200 km orbit) with set-1 satellite parameters as reference scenarios operating with Earth fixed Tracking area, with either Earth fixed cells or Earth moving cells for NGSO.
[0025] The NB-IoT NTN TDD mode can be configured for the usage of radio resources in the MSS allocated band with a periodic subset of the UL and DL subframes in N radio frames in a periodic pattern, where N can be an integer greater than zero (e.g., two or more) . This periodic pattern can include non-overlapping set of usable contiguous UL subframes and set of usable contiguous DL subframes, and guard periods, which is periodic every N radio frames, with N=9 as a baseline, for example, but can be another number (e.g., 10 radio frames or other integer more than zero) . No blind detection is assumed to be performed at the UE side. The value of N and the configuration of the periodic pattern can be fixed per band, where N can be referred to herein as a selective availability periodicity where only some radio frames (referred to also as frames) are valid / active radio frames configured for use for NB-IoT NTN in a periodic pattern that can be repetitive. Thus, aspects of uplink for NB-IoT NTN devices operating in TDD mode are described herein. These aspects include synchronization of NB-IoT NTN TDD communications associated with uplink signaling according to this periodic pattern and associated UE procedures in combination or alone, especially where the UE is an NB-IoT NTN device or other network device.
[0026] When the NB-IoT NTN (UE or device) operates in a TDD band for operation with an NTN satellite uplink and the downlink operations use the same band (e.g., 116-1625.5 MHz) . This can mean that the base station or NTN satellite does not transmit and receive at the same time, and thus, switches between transmission and reception at the network side. The NB-IoT TDD mode (or TDD mode) with the NTN enables configuring the usage of the radio resource in the targeted band with a periodic subset of uplink and the downlink subframe in N radio frames in a periodic pattern so every N radio frames includes valid (active) uplink and downlink subframes in a valid radio frame that are usable.
[0027] In particular with the uplink transmissions, the uplink scheduling can involve a narrowband physical uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 with an acknowledgement / non-acknowledgement (A / N) , an NPUSCH format 1, a message three (Msg 3) of a random access (RA) procedure, or an early data transmission (EDT) based transmission timing adjustment; each provided in response to a downlink reception at the NB-IoT. The NB-IoT has to determine which valid uplink radio frame or subframe to transmit the uplink transmission for an associated downlink transmission within the NTN, including starting times and durations of the uplink transmission.
[0028] Additionally, or alternatively, the NB-IoT can determine monitoring times for downlink reception, such as a paging timing within the NTN based on the periodic pattern in TDD mode. Here, the NB-IoT can utilize an extension of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle (T) upon which to base such determinations, for example, as further described below. However, the NB-IoT potentially faces similar issues with timing and power efficiency to effectively determine which valid radio frame in uplink or downlink to monitor or utilize.
[0029] Additionally, or alternatively, the NB-IoT determines appropriate or valid radio frames when switching between uplink and downlink communications based on the periodic pattern such as for an RA response window, a contention resolution timer, or a narrowband physical downlink control channel search space monitoring for a preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) . Similarly, the NB-IoT has to be configured to be able to determine which radio frame (s) or subframes are valid or active among the N radio frames of the periodic pattern.
[0030] In an aspect, a NB-IoT UE can operate as an NB-IoT NTN device in whole or in part with associated components that can be in operation with or communicatively coupled to an NTN satellite. The UE can include a memory with instructions and processing circuitry with one or more processors having the memory. The processing circuitry of the UE can operate to receive a downlink transmission from the NTN satellite and generate an uplink transmission based on the periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames. The UE can then transmit the uplink transmission based on whether a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission and a timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames in the periodic pattern.
[0031] For example, when a downlink radio frame and a timing adjustment overlap with a valid uplink radio frame of the periodic pattern, the NB-IoT can transmit an uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission among two or more valid uplink radio frames in the valid uplink radio frame. Additionally, or alternatively, in response the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, the NB-IoT can delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission among two or more valid uplink radio frames by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay.
[0032] In another example, the NB-IoT can monitor paging frames from the NTN satellite based on the periodic pattern so that the paging frames align with valid downlink radio frames of a UE downlink timing based on an extension of a DRX cycle (T) . This extension of the DRX cycle can be based on a multiple (Np) of a number of paging frames in the DRX cycle and a maximum of a duration of the DRX cycle and a period (e.g., 10*N) of the valid downlink radio frames. Alternatively, or additionally, the extension of the DRX cycle can be based on Np and a least common multiple of T and the period (e.g., 10*N) of the valid downlink radio frames. Alternatively, or additionally, the extension of the DRX cycle can be based on T and a function (S) of number of paging frames.
[0033] In an aspect, the NB-IoT can extend a random access response (RAR) window, or a contention resolution timer, based on whether an absolute timing offset in addition to a subframe (n) are in a valid uplink radio frame is within a valid downlink radio frame. The absolute timing offset, for example, can include a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite and a predefined number of subframes based on a preamble format and a number of narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) repetitions.
[0034] In another aspect, the NB-IoT can operation to extend a PUR response window based on whether a switching time offset and the subframe n of receiving the PUR is within a valid downlink radio frame. The switching time offset can be based on a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite plus a constant, and wherein n is an integer. Other various aspects related to a UE for NB-IoT with an NTN satellite in the NTN based on a periodic pattern are further described herein with reference to the figures.
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates an example NTN network 100 with a periodic pattern 104 and an NTN satellite 160. The NTN satellite 160 can include at least one or more components of a base station (e.g., an on-board gNB or other network device / component) , as well be a satellite access node (SAN) . The NTN satellite 160 can operate to provide coverage to a NTN satellite cell 102 for an NB-IoT 110 that may be in idle mode, connect mode or other radio resource control (RRC) state within coverage of the cell. The NTN satellite 160, the NB-IoT 110, or both can operate in full duplexing division (FDD) mode of signaling 101 with the downlink transmissions 106 and downlink transmission 108 that are in two different two different frequency locations. These devices, therefore, can operate in parallel in the FDD band.
[0036] A low capability device, however, operates in a half-duplex FDD mode, including reduced capability (RedCap or NR-Light) devices. One or more UEs 110 may include such devices as well as internet of things (IoT) devices that may comprise a network access layer designed for low-power IoT applications utilizing short-lived UE connections. Additionally, or alternatively, an IoT may utilize one or more types of technologies, such as machine-to-machine (M2M) communications or machine-type communications (MTC) (e.g., to exchanging data with an MTC server or other device via a public land mobile network (PLMN) ) , proximity-based service (ProSe) or device-to-device (D2D) communications, sensor networks, IoT networks, and more. Depending on the scenario, an M2M or MTC exchange of data may be a machine-initiated exchange, and an IoT network may include interconnecting IoTs (which may include uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices with a processor or processing circuitry within an Internet infrastructure) with short-lived connections. In some scenarios, IoTs may execute background applications (e.g., keep-alive messages, status updates, etc. ) to facilitate the connections of an IoT network.
[0037] To integrate IoTs into further networks such as NTN networks the MSS band (e.g., 1616-1626.5 MHz) can be utilized with anchor and non-anchor carriers (operating carrier (s) specific for narrowband (NB) IoT) in a standalone deployment with NTN satellite 160 in a TDD mode of operation. The TDD mode enables configuring usage of radio resources in the MSS allocated band with a periodic subset of uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) subframes within N radio frames (e.g., 10 or other positive integer) in a periodic pattern 104. The periodic pattern 104 comprises a non-overlapping set of usable contiguous UL subframes and a set of usable contiguous DL subframes, and guard periods, which are periodic within every N radio frames. The number of N radio frames can be referred to as a selective availability periodicity, so that in every N radio frames includes a number of usable UL radio frames and DL radio frames with subframes, respectively, which are considered active or valid for UL or DL for the NB-IoT 110. The value of N for N radio frames and the configuration of the periodic pattern is fixed per band.
[0038] Various aspects are disclosed for NB-IoT 110 operating in an NB-IoT NTN TDD mode configured for a periodic pattern 104 with the NTN satellite 160 and the NB-IoT 110. The NB-IoT 110 operates in the MSS band (e.g., 1616-1626.5 MHz) , which is a TDD band. Although radio frames 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119 of an DL transmission 106 and radio frames 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129 of an UL transmission 108 area aligned and without a timing advance for synchronization for reception from the base station (BS) or NTN satellite 160 as with an FDD mode, the operating band with the NTN satellite 160 and NB-IoT 110 operates in a TDD mode so that either device, the NTN satellite or NB-IoT 110 either transmits or receives at a time, rather than transmitting and receiving in parallel.
[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates the periodic pattern 104 including an example of a radio frame configuration, which is configured so that instead of every radio frame being usable / active / valid for the DL 106 or UL 108, a radio frame is usable / active / valid for every N radio frames, wherein N can be a positive integer (e.g., 9, 10 or other number of N radio frames) in the DL transmission 106 or for the UL transmission 108. Here, radio frames 111 thru 119 can represent one period of N radio frames for reception of DL transmission 106, and radio frames 121 thru 129 can represent one period of N radio frames for the UL transmission 108. As such, the NB-IoT 110, along with the NTN satellite 160, does not use every radio frame for the DL transmission 106, for example. The NB-IoT 110, for example, receives the DL transmission in a valid downlink radio frame 111 (as system frame number 0 (SFN 0) ) for every N radio frames. Likewise, for the UL transmission 108 radio frame 123 (SFN2) can be used for UL. The DL and UL can have more than one valid or active radio frame in a period of N radio frames or one radio frame can be valid or active for use in each period of N radio frames, such as valid radio frame 111 (SFN0) as well as valid radio frame 117 (SFN N-1) for DL 106 and valid radio frame 123 (SFN2) as well as valid radio frame 129 for UL 108. Each radio frame can include a set of subframes (not shown) , such as 10 subframes or other number, for example.
[0040] Consequently, upon multiplexing the two transmission 106 and 108 in an NB-IoT NTN TDD mode, from the network or NTN satellite 160 point-of-view radio frame 111 (SFN0) is configured as the downlink, and radio frame 112 (SFN1) is configured as a switching period from DL to UL with no transmission or reception. Radio frame 123 (SFN2) is the valid uplink radio frame SFN2, and is separate in time from the beginning of the valid DL radio frame 111 by an offset, dl-ul offset 130. In this example, the dl-ul offset 130 includes a duration of two radio frames, and for the NB-IoT NTN TDD mode the valid DL radio frame 111 is not able to be used for both uplink 108 and downlink 106 to compensate for a switching time between UL and DL transmission by the NTN network.
[0041] Such compensation can take on various configurations in associated UE procedures for the NB-IoT 110 when operating in NB-IoT NTN TDD mode because only a subset of radio frames are used for the DL transmission 106 or the UL transmission 108. Accordingly, every N radio frame, the NB-IoT 110 has one valid radio frame that is used for the downlink transmission 106, for example. Similarly, the NB-IoT 110 has one radio frame for the uplink transmission 108 that is based on an offset (e.g., dl-ul offset 130) .
[0042] As such, the NB-IoT 110 can start as if it were operating in an FDD mode kind of UE, but from the UE point-of-view it can begin receiving signals such as synchronization signals in any radio frame and once it does receive the downlink transmission 106, operate according to the periodic pattern 104 at every N radio frame based on a modified UE behavior. As such, the UE can then operate with a modified behavior such that it could not receive paging or other messaging in DL at radio frame 113 (e.g., SFN2) , for example, but must wait until a next valid radio frame 117 (e.g., SFN N-1) . Rather than assuming that every SFN is for downlink, the UE or NB-IoT 110 can be configured based on the periodic pattern for the NB-IoT NTN TDD mode of operation. This periodic pattern includes a selective availability periodicity every N radio frames. N can be predefined as is equal to 9, but could be other values as envisioned, as a fixed value per band. The periodic pattern 104 can also include the downlink uplink offset 108 (dl-ul offset) , which is an SFN difference between an uplink radio frame and a downlink radio frame as a scheduling offset used in the UL / DL timing relationship in the periodic pattern 104.
[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates an example DL / UL signaling 200 for NB-IoT narrowband physical uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission for an NTN network operating in the NB-IoT NTN TDD mode with the periodic pattern. In the DL / UL signaling 200, an example narrowband physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH) 202 can be received in DL by the NB-IoT 110 from the NTN satellite 160 of FIG. 1. An example narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH) 204 can be received in DL by the by the NB-IoT 110 from the NTN satellite 160, where the NPDSCH 204 is offset by a time offset 210. The NB-IoT 110 can then transmit a narrowband physical uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) 206 in UL to the NTN satellite 160 after an offset 212 from the end of the NPDSCH 204. Then after a guard period or gap 214, the NB-IoT 110 can monitor another search space for another NPDCCH 208 in DL, for example.
[0044] The NPUSCH 206 can comprise an NB-IoT NPUSCH format 2 transmission with a one-bit acknowledgement (ACK) / non-acknowledgment (NACK) (A / N) carried on the NPUSCH format 2 using a single-tone transmission with a p / 2-binary phase shift key (BPSK) modulation. Upon detection of the NPDSCH 204 ending in an IB-IoT subframe of the radio frame for the NB-IoT 110 and for which an A / N is to be provided, the NPUSCH 206 with the A / N can begin after the offset 212.
[0045] The offset 212 can include a time gap between the NPDSCH 204 and the NPUSCH 206 with the A / N. For example, the offset 212 can start upon detection of the NPDSCH 204 transmission ending in the NB-IoT subframe n (e.g., 12 ms or other time) plus a time offset k0 plus Koffset –1 DL subframe for TDD signaling operation. The offset 212 can thus be represented as follows: n + k0 + Koffset. The time offset k0 can be provided to the NB-IoT 110 in “HARQ-ACK resource” field in a downlink control information (DCI) according to predefined standard, for example, and can be between 13 subframes and 21 subframes at a 3.75 kHz subcarrier spacing (SCS) (corresponding to 0 or 8 ms) or 18 frames at a 15 kHz SCS corresponding to 0, 2, 4, 5 ms. A predefined set of numbers of repetitions for an A / N resource unit can be {1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128} . The other offset Koffset accounts for NTN environments for IoT over NTN to further compensate for a larger propagation delay. For a terrestrial network (TN) , Koffset is equal to zero.
[0046] In various aspects, the NB-IoT 110 is further configured to generate the NPUSCH 206 as an NPUSCH format 2 transmission with the A / N based on the periodic pattern for NB-IoT radio frames, where the uplink transmission 106 of FIG. 1 has only one radio frame per N radio frames for UL scheduling. In particular, the NB-IoT 110 can be configured to determine UL scheduling for the UL transmission 108 of FIG. 1 based on the selective availability periodicity N and a DL / UL offset separation in time based on the periodic pattern.
[0047] The NB-IoT 110 can receive the DL transmission 106 from the NTN satellite, then generate the UL transmission based on the periodic pattern of UL radio frames and DL radio frames for UL scheduling in NTNs. The NB-IoT 110 can transmit the UL transmission 108 based on a determination of whether a DL radio frame of the downlink transmission and a timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame (e.g., valid UL radio frame 123 (SFN2) of the UL radio frames 121 to 129 of the UL transmission 108.
[0048] Depending on whether the network or NTN satellite 160 knows the UE’s (e.g., NB-IoT 110) full timing advance based on NTN conditions or the like, the UE can configure various UL scheduling behavior. If the NW does know the UE’s fulling or complete TA for NTN, the timing adjustment can be figured based on the determination of overlap. In an aspect, when the DL radio frame of the DL transmission 106 along with the timing adjustment overlap with the valid UL radio frame 123, NB-IoT 110 can transmit the UL transmission 108 with the NPUSCH transmission 206 as a format 2 transmission or A / N.
[0049] Alternatively, or additionally, the NPUSCH transmission 206 can be configured as an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid UL radio frame 123, which is further discussed below in subsequent figures.
[0050] Additionally, or alternatively, when the DL radio frame of the DL transmission 106 with the timing adjustment does not overlap with the valid UL radio frame (e.g., valid UL radio frame 123) , NB-IoT 110 can delay the UL transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment further with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid UL radio frame (e.g., radio frame 129 of the index SFN N+1) of the UL radio frames, which can be subsequent in the periodic pattern for the UEs UL timing.
[0051] Additionally, or alternatively, the NB-IoT 110 can receive and determine from the DL transmission 106 from the NTN satellite 160 an explicit indication of a system frame number (SFN) offset between a last SFN that corresponds to the DL transmission 106 as an NPDSCH transmission and an SFN for transmitting an NPUSCH format 2 transmission. When the downlink transmission 106 is a DCI format N_0 with the SFN offset, the UE can use the SFN offset as the timing adjustment for determining UE behavior for a PUSCH format 1 transmission. Likewise, when the downlink transmission 106 includes a random access response (RAR) UL grant in a message 2 (Msg) , for example, the NB-IoT 110 can use the SFN offset received for determining UE behavior for an Msg3 transmission. The same can apply for an EDT transmission in the UL transmission, for example. The NB-IoT 110 can then transmit the UL transmission in the SFN based on the timing adjustment being a function of the SFN offset or the SFN offset.
[0052] The NB-IoT 110 can receive the explicit indication of the SFN offset in a UE specific configuration via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) or a radio resource control (RRC) message, or in a cell specific configuration, via a system information block (SIB) , for example. The SFN offset can include comprises a first value or a second value setting. For example, the first value can indicate that the SFN comprises a downlink-uplink offset of subframes from the last subframe n of a valid radio frame SFN corresponding to the NPDSCH, and the second value can indicate the downlink-uplink offset plus a number of radio frames for the valid uplink radio frame from a subframe of a valid radio frame with the NPDSCH.
[0053] Alternatively, or additionally, the NB-IoT 110 can operate to re-interpret the K zero (K0) delay in a HARQ-ACK resource field of a DL control information (DCI) to a re-interpreted K0 that indicates a subframe number within the valid UL radio frame having values from 0 to 9. The NB-IoT 110 can then transmit an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the UL transmission at a starting time within the valid UL radio frame based on the re-interpreted K0, wherein the re-interpreted K0 indicates a delay from a start of the valid UL radio frame to the indicated subframe number of the valid UL radio frame.
[0054] In an aspect, the NB-IoT 110 can operate to determine a duration of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback or A / N of an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the UL transmission. The duration can be based on a number of transport blocks, a number of repetitions, and a number of slots. For example, the NB-IoT 110 can generate a comparison of the duration to a time budget. The time budget can be based on a multiple (e.g., 10) and a number of consecutive radio frames (B) for the UL transmission for an absolute transmission (e.g., 10*B) . When the time budget is less than the duration, the NB-IoT 110 can skip the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission. If the NB-IoT 110 determines that that the UL transmission is within the valid UL radio frame it can transmit the UL transmission accordingly. When the NB-IoT 110 determines that the UL transmission is only partly within the valid UL radio frame it can skip the UL transmission or transmit the UL transmission in subframes in the valid UL radio frame. Alternatively, or additionally, if the NB-IoT 110 determines that an NPUSCH transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission is only partly in the valid UL radio frame, the NB-IoT 110 can split the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission among two or more valid UL radio frames, or delay starting the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission to a next valid UL radio frame for a continuous UL transmission in a single valid UL radio frame for a continuous UL transmission 108, for example.
[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates an example UL scheduling enhancement for UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 300 based on the periodic pattern 104 for the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN. Here, a UE DL timing with DL radio frames 306 and a UE UL timing with UL radio frames 308 in NB-IoT NTN TDD mode are offset by a timing advance (TA) 332 that can be known by the NTN or NTN satellite 160, in contrast to the timing in FIG. 1. As such, the UE DL timing for valid DL and UL radio frames is not only offset by a dl-ul offset 330, similar to the dl-ul offset 130 of FIG. 1, but also the TA 332, which can be a UE specific TA plus common TA.
[0056] Similar to FIG. 1, UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 300 includes a radio frame configuration, which is configured for the periodic pattern so that instead of every radio frame being valid for DL or UL, a radio frame is valid for reception / transmission every N radio frames, wherein N can be a positive integer (e.g., 9, 10 or other number of N radio frames) . Radio frames 311 thru 314 can represent one period of N radio frames for reception of DL transmission, while radio frames 321 thru 324 can represent one period of N radio frames for UL transmission. Each radio frame can include a set of subframes (not shown) , such as 10 subframes or other number, for example. Not every radio frame for the DL transmission 106 is used for DL / UL, which is based on the periodic pattern for communication in the NB-IoT NTN TDD mode of operation. The NB-IoT 110, for example, receives the DL transmission in a valid downlink radio frame 311 (SFN 0) for every N radio frames. For UL transmission, radio frame 323 (SFN2) can be used for UL, as well as the next subsequent valid UL radio frame 329 (SFN N+1) .
[0057] Here, in FIG. 3 the example UL transmission for an NPUSCH format 2 transmission 350 is transmitted in the valid radio frame 329 (SNF N+1) . In this example, the NB-IoT 110 receives the NPDSCH 204 as the downlink transmission ending in a subframe (n) . At this point in time, the NB-IoT 110 determines which uplink radio frame or subframe to transmit the A / N in an NPUSCH format 2 transmission 350 in response to receiving the NPDSCH 204 by determining the starting time and duration of the UL transmission 350.
[0058] To generate the PUSCH format 2 transmission 350, the NB-IoT 110 determines a starting time of the PUSCH format 2. In an aspect, the NB-IoT 110 can generate the A / N in response to the NPDSCH 204 based on the periodic pattern of valid UL and DL subframes according to the TA 232 at valid UL radio frames 323 and 329 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the K0 332 and Koffset 336. However, the NB-IoT 110 is not able to transmit the UL transmission in the UL radio frame 323 (SFN 2) before a cut off timing 340 based on K0 and Koffset from the ending of the NPDSCH 204. Thus, NB-IoT 110 has to utilize the valid radio frame 329 (SNF N+1) . Although if the timing of the NPDSCH transmission ending in NB-IoT subframe n intended for the NB-IoT 110 plus K0 332 plus Koffset 336 (i.e., n + K0 + Koffset, referred to as a timing adjustment) , is in a valid DL radio frame having a time overlap with the uplink one, then the uplink transmission for NPUSCH format 2 could be performed. In other words, if UL radio frame 323, SFN3, was a valid UL radio frame at the timing adjustment, then NB-IoT 110 could start to transmit the HARQ ACK or A / N. Because UL radio frame 323, SFN3 is not a valid UL radio frame based on the periodic pattern, the NPUSCH format 2 transmission is delayed to the beginning of the subsequent valid UL radio frame 329, SNF N+1 according to this additional delay 354.
[0059] Additionally, or alternatively, when the DL radio frame of a DL transmission with the timing adjustment does not overlap with the valid UL radio frame (e.g., valid UL radio frame 123) , NB-IoT 110 can delay the UL transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment further with the additional delay 354 to a beginning of another subsequent valid UL radio frame (e.g., radio frame 129 of the index SFN N+1) of the UL radio frames, which can be subsequent in the periodic pattern for the UEs UL timing. When a downlink transmission is a DCI format N_0, the NB-IoT 110 can use the additional delay 354 as a timing adjustment for determining UE behavior for a PUSCH format 1 transmission. Likewise, when the downlink transmission includes a random access response (RAR) UL grant in a message 2 (Msg) , for example, the NB-IoT 110 can use the SFN offset received for determining UE behavior for starting an Msg3 transmission. The same can apply for an EDT transmission in the UL transmission, for example.
[0060] FIG. 4 illustrates an example process flow 400 for NB-IoT 110 to schedule an UL transmission based on the periodic pattern for NB-IoT NTN TDD mode in an NTN. At 410, the NB-IoT 110 receives a DL transmission from an NTN satellite 160. At 420, NB-IoT 110 generates an UL transmission based on a periodic pattern of UL radio frames and DL radio frames. At 430, the NB-IoT 110 transmits the UL transmission based on a timing adjustment and a determination of whether a DL radio frame of the DL transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid UL radio frame of the UL radio frames in the periodic pattern. When the downlink radio frame (e.g., e NPDSCH transmission ending in NB-IoT subframe n) and the timing adjustment overlap with a valid uplink radio frame, NB-IoT 110 transmits the uplink transmission with a NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the valid uplink radio frame. When the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment are not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, NB-IoT 110 delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame.
[0061] FIG. 5 illustrates another example of UL scheduling enhancement for UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 500 based on the periodic pattern 104 for the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN. Here, the UE’s TA 332 is not known at the network side or by the NTN satellite 160. The NTN satellite 160 does not communicate to the UE based on whether a time slot at the NB-IoT 110 is in the UEs uplink or downlink timing. The NTN satellite 160 can therefore indicate the radio frame and subframe for the UL transmission.
[0062] In an aspect, the NTN satellite 160 can provide an SFN offset 570 between a last SFN for the NPDSCH transmission 204 and the SFN for the HARQ-ACK feedback in an uplink transmission 550 at valid UL radio frame 329, SFN N+1. For example, if the last SFN for the NPDSCH 204 is in SFN0, then the NB-IoT 110 can determine the UL transmission at valid UL radio frame 329 based on the SFN offset indicated by the NTN satellite 160.
[0063] The additional indication (SFN offset) or configuration for SFN offset 570 can be provided to the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN as cell specific SFN offset transmitted in a system information block (SIB) , or as a UE specific SFN offset in a medium access control control element (MAC CE) or in a radio resource control (RRC) message. The contents of the message with the SFN offset can include the number of N radio frames after the last radio frame with the NPDSCH. For example, the message can include the number of radio frames N plus one for a second period of radio frames or indicate the period of radio frames after the downlink transmission is received for providing an UL transmission such as a NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the valid uplink radio frame.
[0064] In an aspect, for example, the SFN offset can be designated as equal to zero as a first value (e.g., 0) or another second value (e.g., 1) such as one. NB-IoT 110 can interpret the first value (e.g., zero) to provide the UL transmission 550 in an SFN n + dl-ul-offset active UL frame if the last radio frame with the NPDSCH is in SFN n, and interpret the second value (e.g., one) to send the uplink transmission 550 in an SFN n +dl-ul-offset + N active UL frame if the last radio frame with the NPDSCH is in SFN n, where, as indicated previously, N can be the number of radio frames in the periodic pattern for a period.
[0065] Alternatively, or additionally, the SFN offset could be indicated with the K0 334 of FIG. 3 in DCI to indicate the sub-frame offset within a corresponding radio frame. K0 334 can be identified in DCI format N_0 in the DCI field “HARQ-ACK resource” , as the delay between the downlink transmission and uplink transmission (e.g., the HARQ-ACK transmission) . This K0 334 can be reinterpreted to be a K0 reinterpretation 560 as a subframe number within the configured valid UL radio frame, having index values between 0 and 9, for example. In particular, where the NB-IoT knows the valid UL radio frame for UL transmission 550, such as by a direct indication (e.g., the SFN offset) the K0 may not be utilized. As such, the K0 can be reinterpreted as the K0 reinterpretation 560 in the DCI field as indicating the time the offset from the beginning of this radio frame to the actual UL transmission time in terms of the number of subframes.
[0066] In additional aspects, when the downlink transmission is a DCI format N_0 with an explicit indication of an SFN offset, the NB-IoT 110 can further use the indication of the SFN offset as a timing adjustment for determining UE behavior for a PUSCH format 1 transmission. Likewise, when the downlink transmission includes a random access response (RAR) UL grant as a message 2 (Msg) in a random access protocol, for example, the NB-IoT 110 can use the indication of SFN offset received for determining UE behavior for when to transmit an Msg3 transmission. The same can apply for an EDT transmission in the UL transmission, for example. The NB-IoT 110 can then transmit the UL transmission in the SFN based on the timing adjustment being a function of the SFN offset or the SFN offset, for example.
[0067] FIG. 6 illustrates another example process flow 600 for NB-IoT 110 to schedule an UL transmission based on the periodic pattern for NB-IoT NTN TDD mode in an NTN. FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4 including at 420 the act 610 of determining a duration of the UL transmission by the NB-IoT 110. The NB-IoT 110 can operate to determine a duration of a HARQ feedback or A / N of an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the UL transmission. The duration can be based on a number of transport blocks, a number of repetitions, and a number of slots. The duration X can be represented as follows: where is configured by the A / N number of repetitions (ack-NACK-NumRepetitions) with values from 1 to 128; is a number of slots of a resource unit, and N′TB is a number of transport blocks. Therefore, the duration X can be determined according to a number of transport blocks multiplied by the number of slots used for the resource unit and a number of slots the UE utilizes to generate the UL transmission, as an overall duration.
[0068] For each uplink transmission, the NB-IoT 110 could use one radio frame to generate and transmit the UL transmission or it could use B consecutive radio frames. However, a time budget of a constant (e.g., 10) times B (e.g., 10*B) number of consecutive radio frames for UL transmission could still be less than the duration X value in milliseconds. In other words, one radio frame may not be enough to transmit all the HARQ-ACK information. As such, the NB-IoT 110 can compare the duration X to a time budget (e.g., 10 multiplied by B, the number of consecutive radio frames) and then determine the duration accordingly.
[0069] In an aspect, when the time budget is less than the duration, the NB-IoT 110 can skip the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission. If the NB-IoT 110 determines that the UL transmission is within the valid UL radio frame it can transmit the UL transmission accordingly. When the NB-IoT 110 determines that the UL transmission is only partly within the valid UL radio frame it can skip the UL transmission or transmit the UL transmission in subframes in the valid UL radio frame. Alternatively, or additionally, if the NB-IoT 110 determines that an NPUSCH transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission is only partly in the valid UL radio frame, the NB-IoT 110 can split the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission among two or more valid UL radio frames, or delay starting the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission to a next valid UL radio frame for a continuous UL transmission in a single valid UL radio frame for a continuous UL transmission 108, for example.
[0070] In an aspect, the NB-IoT can keep the total absolute transmission duration for the UL transmission unchanged. For example, if the UL transmission will take 14 subframes, but the valid uplink radio frame is only ten subframes total radio frame, then the NB-IoT could stop transmitting. If the UL transmission is in an uplink frame, then the transmission occurs; if it is partly in this one uplink frame then basically the whole uplink transmission can be skipped or remaining the sub frames transmitted in the next valid uplink frame.
[0071] In another example, if the NB-IoT has 14 subframes for UL transmitting, then in the 1st radio frame, you, you only have maybe ten subframes, then the remaining four sub frames, then the NB IoT can wait until SFN 2N + one or a next valid UL radio frame to transmit the remaining subframes. In a case where one radio frame is enough duration, the NB IoT may wait to start from the next valid radio frame so that it can transmit with a single uplink radio frame, which is continuous transmission in a single UL radio frame, for example.
[0072] Aspects herein in relation to the figures described with UE behavior for the NB-IoT 110 can be configured for an PUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Msg3 transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid UL radio frame 123, as well as with an extension of a random access (RA) window, a contention resolution timer in the RA protocol, or search space monitoring in a preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) .
[0073] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of NPUSCH format 1 scheduling 700. Here, a resource unit can be scheduled for a PUSCH transmission for data in NPUSCH format 1 transmission based on a scheduling delay of NPUSCH 706. A resource unit can comprise, for example, at a 15kHz tone spacing, a 1 ms for 12 tones, 2 ms for 6 tones, 4 ms for 3 tones, or 8 ms for a single tone; and at a 3.75 tone spacing, the resource unite can include 32 ms for a single tone. The NB-IoT 110, for example, can configure a scheduling delay 712 of the NPUSCH 706 from a DCI in the NPDCCH 702.
[0074] For example, in response to receiving or detecting the NPDCCH 702 with a DCI format N_0 ending in an NB-IoT DL subframe n, the UE can be configured to schedule the NPUSCH based on the various aspects described herein. For NPUSCH format the K0 can be indicated in a “scheduling delay” field (Idelay) in the DCI having fixed values (e.g., 8, 16, 32, 64) as subframes. The repetitions of the NPUSCH can be defined according to a predefined set of NPUSCH number of repetitions of allocated resource unites (RUs) for Nrep, which can be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, for example.
[0075] The NPUSCH can be configured with UL transmission gaps 714 for a long uplink (i.e., NPUSCH / narrowband random access channel (NPRACH) ) transmissions. During the UL transmission gaps, the NB-IoT 110 or UE can switch to the DL and perform time / frequency synchronization. The UL transmission gaps can be defined by a period X and a gap length Y. For NPUSCH, X can be 256 ms, and Y can be 40 ms, for example. For NPRACH, X can be 64 multiplied by a preamble duration and Y can be 40 ms. If the NPUSCH UL gap is inserted at the end of the NPUSCH transmission 706, the NB-IoT or UE can resume monitoring of the NPDCCH 708 from the end of the UL gap 714. If NPRACH UL gap is inserted at the end of an NPRACH opportunity, the start of the RAR detecting window can be from the end of the UL gap, for example.
[0076] According to aspects herein, when the downlink radio frame (e.g., DCI format N_0 of NPDCCH 702 and the timing adjustment overlap with a valid uplink radio frame, NB-IoT 110 can transmit the uplink transmission with an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid uplink radio frame. If the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment do not overlap with the valid uplink radio frame, NB-IoT delays the uplink transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame (e.g., radio frame 329 of the index SFN N+1 of FIG. 3) .
[0077] Additionally, or alternatively, the NB-IoT 110 can receive and determine from the DL transmission from the NTN satellite 160 an explicit indication of a system frame number (SFN) offset between a last SFN that corresponds to the DL transmission as an NPDSCH transmission and an SFN for transmitting an NPUSCH format 2 transmission. When a downlink transmission is a DCI format N_0 with the SFN offset, the UE can use the SFN offset as the timing adjustment for determining UE behavior for a PUSCH format 1 transmission. Likewise, when the downlink transmission 106 includes a random access response (RAR) UL grant in a message 2 (Msg) , for example, the NB-IoT 110 can use the SFN offset received for determining UE behavior for an Msg3 transmission. The same can apply for an EDT transmission in the UL transmission, for example. The NB-IoT 110 can then transmit the UL transmission in the SFN based on the timing adjustment being a function of the SFN offset or the SFN offset
[0078] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of paging 800 with a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle 808 having paging frames (PFs) 802 (PF 0) , 804 (PF 1) and 806 (PF N-1) , with a number of paging frames between PFs 804 and 806, for example. A paging cycle defines an interval between consecutive paging occasions based on paging latency and a paging overhead, for example. The NB-IoT 110 can operate paging in idle mode by waking up every period of time to determine if there is paging information for it or not.
[0079] A paging frame 802 thru 806 can be a radio frame in which the NB-IoT 110 monitors the paging channel (PCH) for paging messages. The paging frame can be specified in the system information block type 2 (SIB2) and can be configured align with the radio frame boundary of the NB-IoT 110 based on the periodic pattern described herein. The SFN for the paging frame can be determined by the following representation: SFN mod T = (T div Np) * (UE_ID mod Np) , where T is the DRX cycle of the UE or NB-IoT 110, with values of {40, ..., 256} subframes, and Np is a number of total paging frames in T, with values of {T, T / 2, ..., T / 256, T / 512, T / 1024} , for example.
[0080] A paging occasion is a specific subframe within a paging frame in which the network searches for an idle UE to deliver data to. Instead, it wakes up in a specific subframe either subframe 0, 4, 5 or 9 within a radio frame. These specific subframes within a Paging Frame when UE wakes up are called as Paging Occasions (POs) . An index (i_s) can indicate the index of the PO as determined by the following representation: i_s= floor (UE_ID / Np) mode NS, where NS is a number of paging occasions for a paging frame.
[0081] In an aspect, the NB-IoT 110 can determine an adjustment or extension of the paging time based on the periodic pattern or the selective availability periodicity of N radio frames. The NB-IoT can be configured to extend the DRX cycle in the NB-IoT NTN TDD mode for monitoring of the paging frames. The NB-IoT 110 monitors paging frames from the NTN satellite based on the periodic pattern so that the paging frames align with valid downlink radio frames of a UE downlink timing based on an extension of a DRX cycle. In NTN, the NB-IoT 110 can extend the DRX cycle T so that the gap between paging frame (PF) zero and PF frame one, for example, is aligned with a valid paging radio frame or N slot (e.g., SFN0 and SFN N-1 in the UE downlink timing of FIGs. 1 thru 7) . The valid radio frames can be also paging radio frames within this disclosure.
[0082] In an aspect, the extension of the DRX cycle can be determined based on a multiple Np of a total number of paging radio frames in the DRX cycle and a maximum of: the duration T of the DRX cycle or a period of the valid downlink radio frames (10*N) . The extension T’ can be used to determine the SFN for PF in the periodic pattern for NTN depending on SelectiveAvailability-periodicity N and configured DRX cycle T. For example, the extension of the DRX cycle T can be based on the following representation: T’ = max (T, 10*N) *NP, where Np can be a number of total paging frames in T. For example, where T = 20 ms, Np = 4, N = 10, then T’ = 400 ms.
[0083] Alternatively, or additionally, the DRX cycle can be determined based on the multiple of a number Np of paging radio frames in the DRX cycle and a least common multiple of: the duration T of the DRX cycle and the period of the valid downlink radio frames. For example, where T = 64 ms, Np = 4, N = 10, then T’ = 6400 ms.
[0084] Alternatively, or additionally, the DRX cycle can be determined based on a multiple of a number Np of paging radio frames in the DRX cycle and the duration T of the DRX cycle, as well as a function S of the number N of valid radio frames in the DRX cycle. For example, where T = 20 ms, Np = 4, N = 10 ms, S = N = 10, then T’ = 800 ms. In another example, where T = 20 ms, Np = 4, N = 10 ms, S = 2*N = 20, then T’ = 1600 ms.
[0085] FIG. 9 illustrates another example of UL scheduling enhancement for UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 900 based on the periodic pattern 104 for the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN. For NB-IoT UE 110, a PRACH 902 is transmitted in NTN at a subframe n of a valid uplink radio frame 323, SFN2. An RA Response window can start at a subframe that contains the end of the last preamble repetition plus X subframes 904 plus UE-eNB RTT 906, and has length ra-ResponseWindowSize for the corresponding enhanced coverage level, where value X can be based on a used preamble format and the number of NPRACH repetitions.
[0086] In an aspect, the NB-IoT 110 can apply an extension of the RAR response window 908 or a contention resolution timer as applicable for message two (Msg2) and the messenger four (Msg4) , respectively. Although, as illustrated in FIG. 9, an example of a RAR window 908 for receiving messaging is detailed, the NPRACH 902 could instead be an Msg 3 transmission 902, and the RAR window 908 represent a contention resolution timer 908 for monitoring an Msg4 from the NTN satellite 160.
[0087] When the UE or NB-IoT 110 transmit the PRACH transmission 902 for the initial access (or a Msg 3 to provide PHY data) in an uplink transmission, NB-IoT 110 waits for a response (e.g., RAR Msg 2 or Msg4) from the network. The delay or waiting period by NB-IoT 110 can include a timing offset, referred to as an absolute timing offset, comprising X subframes 904 plus UE-BS RTT 906, and represented as follows: X + UE-BS RTT (or X + UE-eNB / gNB RTT) , where the round trip time (RTT) is a time for transmission between the UE and the BS, or other BS (e.g., NTN satellite 160) . In NTN, the RAR window size 910 for NB IoT could be longer (e.g., up to 10 to 10.24 seconds) , but it could be also shorter depending on the value of the PDCCH periodicity, for example.
[0088] When operating in the NTN network with the NTN satellite 160 based on the periodic pattern, the NB-IoT can be configured to transmit the NPRACH 902 in a valid uplink radio frame (e.g., valid uplink radio frame 323, SFN2, or valid uplink radio frame 329, SFN N+1) . However, after the absolute timing offset as X plus UE-BS RTT, there may be no valid downlink radio frame for monitoring the RA response from the NTN satellite 160. In this case, NB-IoT 110 delays until the next subsequent valid downlink radio frame (e.g., radio frame 317, SFN N-1) instead of this radio frame, such as in a subsequent . Thus, the NB-IoT 110 can be configured to determine a starting time of the RAR window (or contention resolution timer) and a corresponding duration for monitoring.
[0089] In an aspect, if the NB-IoT 110 transmits the NPRACH 902 (or Msg2) in a valid uplink radio frame and waits for the X 904 (as a predefined number of subframes based on a preamble format) plus UE-eNB RTT and a subframe n of the last uplink transmission, and then finds that the timing 920 is within a valid downlink radio frame (e.g., frame 317, SFN N-1) , the NB-IoT can start the RAR window 908.
[0090] In an aspect, if a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame 217 is longer than RAR window, then the NB-IoT can be configured to maintain the RAR window size 910 of the RAR window 908.
[0091] Additionally, or alternatively, FIG. 9 can apply to the NPDCCH search space monitoring in a preconfigured uplink resource, PUR, where, for example, the UL transmission 902 is not an NPRACH, but rather an NPUSCH for PUR sent in subframe n in the valid UL radio frame 323. In this case, the absolute time offset includes the subframe n plus Kmac plus 4, which may or may not end at a valid downlink radio frame upon which the NB-IoT begins monitoring for in a PUR response window 912 or PUR response window duration 914. The duration or timer 914 can be based on a pur-ResponseWindow timer 914 according to a minimum (min) of a signal value multiplied by the PDSCCH period and 10.24 ms, for example, or a duration provided by a higher layer parameter (e.g., a pur-SS-window duration, a pur-ResponseWindowTimer, or other parameter. The RAR window 908 can thus alternatively represent the RA Response window as a PUR response window 912 for the PUR, which starts at the subframe n that contains the end of the last preamble repetition plus X subframes plus UE-eNB RTT and has length ra-ResponseWindowSize for the corresponding enhanced coverage level.
[0092] The NB-IoT 110 can transmit autonomously without going to an initial the RRC connection mode to transmit the NPUSCH for PUR, and have periodic uplink transmission data the right this assumes that the UE has a periodic uplink transmission data. Afterwards, the NB-IoT 110 monitors the NPDCCH to make sure that the PUR NPUSCH is successful or not based on the network feedback through the NPDCCH after m plus four plus Kmac, which is associated with a switching between this uplink and the downlink. The constant Kmac could be a larger value, up to 512 milliseconds and represent the RTT between the uplink timing reference point to a base station as configured by the network.
[0093] For NB-IoT 110 PUR transmissions, if the NB-IoT has initiated a NPUSCH transmission for PUR ending in subframe n, the NB-IoT can monitor the NPDCCH UE-specific search space in a search space window starting in subframe n+4+ Kmac with duration given by higher layer parameter pur-SS-window-duration or pur-ResponseWindowTimer. The pur-ResponseWindowTimer can be represented as: Min (signaled value x PDCCH period, 10.24s) .
[0094] In aspect, similar to FIG. 9 with the RAR window 908, if the absolute timing offset here represented as n+Kmac+4, for example, is within the valid DL radio frame 317, the PUR response window 912 starts at subframe (n+Kmac+4) .
[0095] FIGs. 10 and 11 illustrate other examples of UL scheduling enhancement for UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 1000 and 1100 based on the periodic pattern 104 for the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN. Similar to FIG. 9, NB-IoT UE 110 transmits a PRACH 902 (or Msg3) at a subframe n of a valid uplink radio frame 323, SFN2, and after the absolute timing offset and the timing 1020 is within a valid downlink radio frame (e.g., frame 317, SFN N-1) , the NB-IoT can start the RAR window 1004. However, if a remaining timing of the valid downlink radio frame 317 is not enough to cover the whole window of the RAR window size 1002, which could be could be larger (e.g., more 10 ms) , the NB-IoT 110 can stop monitoring at the end of the valid downlink radio frame 317, or as illustrated in FIG. 11, pause the RAR window (e.g., RAR window 1104) and resume with a remainder of the RAR window 1106 at a beginning of a subsequent valid radio frame 1102, SFN 2N+1, so that the total length of the monitoring window is equal to the RAR window size 1002, for example.
[0096] In an aspect, if the absolute timing offset (N+RTT+X) is within the valid downlink radio frame 317, but a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame 317 is shorter than the RAR window size 1002, the NB-IoT 110 can start the RAR window as RAR window 1108 at the beginning of a next downlink radio frame 1102, SFN 2N-1, to monitor without pausing or finishing the RAR window prematurely.
[0097] In an aspect, for NDPCCH monitoring for PUR, if the remaining duration of DL radio frame 317 is longer than the PUR response window duration 914 pur-ResponseWindowTimer, the NB-IoT 110 can keep PUR response window the same duration without any change. However, when the remaining duration DL radio frame is shorter than PUR response window size as with the RAR window 1104 in FIG. 11, the PUR response window can finish or complete the timer 914 at the end of the valid DL radio frame 317.
[0098] Alternatively, or additionally, the PUR response window 912 can pause at the end of the DL radio frame and resumes at the beginning of the subsequent DL radio frame 1102 similarly as the portion 1106 of the RAR window 1104 in FIG. 11, for example. Alternatively, or additionally, when the absolute timing offset for PUR (n+Kmac+4) is within the valid DL radio frame 317, but the remaining duration of DL radio frame is shorter than PUR response window size or duration 914, the PUR response window 912 starts at the beginning of the subsequent DL radio frame 1102 as with the window 1108.
[0099] Referring to FIG. 12 illustrates another example of UL scheduling enhancement for UE behavior with UE UL and DL scheduling 1200 based on the periodic pattern 104 for the NB-IoT 110 in the NTN. In contrast, to FIGs. 9 thru 10, NB-IoT UE 110 transmits a PRACH 902 (or Msg3) at a subframe n of a valid uplink radio frame 323, SFN2, and after the absolute timing offset X 904 plus RTT 906, and the timing 1220 is not within a valid downlink radio frame (e.g., frame 317, SFN N-1) , then the NB-IoT can start the RAR window 1204 from the beginning of the subsequent radio frame 317, SFN N-1, for example, by applying an extension to the absolute timing offset with X 904 plus U-BS RTT 906.
[0100] Alternatively, or additionally, where a duration of the valid downlink radio frame 317 is longer than a RAR window size 1202 of the RAR window 1204 (e.g., RAR window 1204’) , the NB-IoT 110 can finish with the RAR window 1204’ at an end of a last subframe 1208 by cutting short the RAR window 1204’, for example, or pause the RAR window 1204’ and resumes the portion 1205 at the subsequent valid DL radio frame 1210, SFN 2N+1.
[0101] In aspects related to NPDCCH search space monitoring for PUR, where the absolute timing offset of n+Kmac+4 is not within the valid DL radio frame, the PUR response window can start at the beginning of the subsequent DL radio frame 317. When the duration of DL radio frame 317 is longer than PUR response window size or duration 914, the NB-IoT 110 can keep PUR response window size or time without modifying the duration. If the duration of DL radio frame is shorter than PUR response window size, then the PUR response window finishes at the end of the DL radio frame 317. Alternatively, or additionally, the NB-IoT 110 can pause the PUR response window 912 or halt the timer 914 at the end of the DL radio frame 317 and resume it at the beginning of the subsequent valid DL radio frame 1210, for example.
[0102] FIG. 13 is an example network 1300 according to one or more implementations described herein. Example network 1300 can include UEs 110-1, 110-2, etc. (referred to collectively as “UEs 110” and individually as “UE 110” , and representing an NB-IoT 110) , a radio access network (RAN) 1322, a core network (CN) 1330, application servers 1340, and external networks 1350 and satellites 160-1, 160-2, etc. (referred to collectively as “satellites 160” and individually as “satellite 160” ) . As shown, network 1300 may include a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising one or more satellites 160 (e.g., an NTN satellite of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) ) in communication with UEs 110 and co-located with a RAN 1322 or configured as a distributed network station.
[0103] UEs 110 can communicate and establish a connection with (be communicatively coupled to) RAN 1322, which can involve one or more wireless channels 1314-1 and 1314-2, each of which can comprise a physical communications interface / layer. In some implementations, a UE can be configured with dual connectivity (DC) as a multi-radio access technology (multi-RAT) or multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC) , where a multiple receive and transmit (Rx / Tx) capable UE can use resources provided by different network nodes or base stations 1322 (e.g., 1322-1 and 1322-2) that can be connected via non-ideal backhaul (e.g., where one network node provides NR access and the other network node provides either E-UTRA for LTE or NR access for 5G) . In such a scenario, one network node can operate as a master node (MN) and the other as the secondary node (SN) . The MN and SN can be connected via a network interface, and at least the MN can be connected to the CN 1330. Additionally, at least one of the MN or the SN can be operated with shared spectrum channel access, and functions specified for UE 110 can be used for an integrated access and backhaul mobile termination (IAB-MT) . Similar for UE 110, the IAB-MT can access the network using either one network node or using two different nodes with enhanced dual connectivity (EN-DC) architectures, new radio dual connectivity (NR-DC) architectures, or other direct connectivity such as an SL communication channel as an SL interface 1312.
[0104] In some implementations, a base station (as described herein) can be an example of network node 1322. As shown, UE 110 can additionally, or alternatively, connect to access point (AP) 1316 via connection interface 1318, which can include an air interface enabling UE 110 to communicatively couple with AP 1316. AP 1316 can comprise a wireless local area network (WLAN) , WLAN node, WLAN termination point, etc. The connection 1318 can comprise a local wireless connection, such as a connection consistent with any IEEE 702.11 protocol, and AP 1316 can comprise a wireless fidelity router or other AP. AP 1316 could be also connected to another network (e.g., the Internet) without connecting to RAN 1322 or CN 1330.
[0105] RAN 1322 can also include one or more RAN nodes 1322-1 and 1322-2 (referred to collectively as RAN nodes 1322, and individually as RAN node 1322) that enable channels 1314-1 and 1314-2 to be established between UEs 110 and RAN 1322. RAN nodes 1322 can include network access points configured to provide radio baseband functions for data or voice connectivity between users and the network based on one or more of the communication technologies described herein (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, WiFi, etc. ) . As examples therefore, a RAN node can be an E-UTRAN Node B (e.g., an enhanced Node B, eNodeB, eNB, 4G base station, etc. ) , a next generation base station (e.g., a 5G base station, NR base station, next generation eNBs (gNB) , etc. ) . RAN nodes 1322 can include a roadside unit (RSU) , a transmission reception point (TRxP or TRP) , and one or more other types of ground stations (e.g., terrestrial access points) . In some scenarios, RAN node 1322 can be a dedicated physical device, such as a macrocell base station, or a low power (LP) base station for providing femtocells, picocells or other like having smaller coverage areas, smaller user capacity, or higher bandwidth compared to macrocells. As described below, in some implementations, satellites 160 can operate as bases stations (e.g., RAN nodes 1322) with respect to UEs 110. As such, references herein to a base station, RAN node 1322, etc., can involve implementations where the base station, RAN node 1322, etc., is a terrestrial network node and also to implementation where the base station, RAN node 1322, etc., is a non-terrestrial network node.
[0106] Some or all of RAN nodes 1322 can be implemented as one or more software entities running on server computers as part of a virtual network, which can be referred to as a centralized RAN (CRAN) or a virtual baseband unit pool (vBBUP) . In these implementations, the CRAN or vBBUP can implement a RAN function split, such as a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) split wherein radio resource control (RRC) and PDCP layers can be operated by the CRAN / vBBUP and other Layer 2 (L2) protocol entities can be operated by individual RAN nodes 1322; a media access control (MAC) / physical (PHY) layer split wherein RRC, PDCP, radio link control (RLC) , and MAC layers can be operated by the CRAN / vBBUP and the PHY layer can be operated by individual RAN nodes 1322; or a “lower PHY” split wherein RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC layers and upper portions of the PHY layer can be operated by the CRAN / vBBUP and lower portions of the PHY layer can be operated by individual RAN nodes 1322. This virtualized framework can allow freed-up processor cores of RAN nodes 1322 to perform or execute other virtualized applications, for example.
[0107] In some implementations, an individual RAN node 1322 can represent individual gNB-distributed units (DUs) connected to a gNB-control unit (CU) via individual F1 interfaces. In such implementations, the gNB-DUs can include one or more remote radio heads or radio frequency (RF) front end modules (RFEMs) , and the gNB-CU can be operated by a server (not shown) located in RAN 1322 or by a server pool (e.g., a group of servers configured to share resources) in a similar manner as the CRAN / vBBUP. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more of RAN nodes 1322 can be next generation eNBs (i.e., gNBs) that can provide evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) user plane and control plane protocol terminations toward UEs 110, and that can be connected to a 5G core network (5GC) 1330 via a Next Generation (NG) interface 1324.
[0108] Any of the RAN nodes 1322 can terminate an air interface protocol and can be the first point of contact for UEs 110. In some implementations, any of the RAN nodes 1322 can fulfill various logical functions for the RAN 1322 including, but not limited to, radio network controller (RNC) functions such as radio bearer management, uplink and downlink dynamic radio resource management and data packet scheduling, and mobility management. UEs 110 can be configured to communicate using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) communication signals with each other or with any of the RAN nodes 1322 over a multicarrier communication channel in accordance with various communication techniques, such as, but not limited to, an OFDMA communication technique (e.g., for downlink communications) or a single carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) communication technique (e.g., for uplink and ProSe or sidelink (SL) communications) , although the scope of such implementations cannot be limited in this regard. The OFDM signals can comprise a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers.
[0109] A physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) can carry user data and higher layer signaling to UEs 110. The physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) can carry information about the transport format and resource allocations related to the PDSCH channel, among other things. The PDCCH can also inform UEs 110 about the transport format, resource allocation, and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) information related to the uplink shared channel. Typically, downlink scheduling (e.g., assigning control and shared channel resource blocks to UE 110-2 within a cell) can be performed at any of the RAN nodes 1322 based on channel quality information fed back from any of UEs 110. The downlink resource assignment information can be sent on the PDCCH used for (e.g., assigned to) each of UEs 110.
[0110] The PDCCH uses control channel elements (CCEs) to convey the control information, wherein a number of CCEs (e.g., 6 or other number) can consists of a resource element groups (REGs) , where a REG is defined as a physical resource block (PRB) in an OFDM symbol. Before being mapped to resource elements, the PDCCH complex-valued symbols can first be organized into quadruplets, which can then be permuted using a sub-block interleaver for rate matching, for example. Each PDCCH can be transmitted using one or more of these CCEs, where each CCE can correspond to nine sets of four physical resource elements known as REGs. Four quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) symbols can be mapped to each REG. The PDCCH can be transmitted using one or more CCEs, depending on the size of the DCI and the channel condition. There can be four or more different PDCCH formats with different numbers of CCEs (e.g., aggregation level, L=1, 2, 4, 8, or 16) .
[0111] The RAN nodes 1322 may be configured to communicate with one another via interface 1323. In implementations where the system is an LTE system, interface 1323 may be an X2 interface. In LTE networks, X2 and S1 interface are defined as the interfaces between RAN nodes and between RAN and Core Network. 5G may operate in two modes as non-standalone and standalone mode. For non-standalone operation the specification defines the extension for S1 and X2 interfaces as for standalone operation as X2 / Xn for the interface between RAN nodes 1322 and S1 / NG for the interface 1324 between RAN 1322 and CN 1330. The interface 1324 may be defined between two or more RAN nodes 1322 (e.g., two or more eNBs / gNBs or a combination thereof) that connect to evolved packet core (EPC) , the CN 1330, or between eNBs connecting to an EPC. In some implementations, the X2 / Xn interface may include an X2 / Xn user plane interface (X2-U / Xn-U) and an X2 control plane interface (X2-C / Xn-C) . The X2-U / Xn-U may provide flow control mechanisms for user data packets transferred over the X2 / Xn interface and may be used to communicate information about the delivery of user data between eNBs or gNBs. For example, the X2-U / Xn-U may provide specific sequence number information for user data transferred from a master eNB (MeNB) to a secondary eNB (SeNB) ; information about successful in sequence delivery of PDCP packet data units (PDUs) to a UE 110 from an SeNB for user data; information of PDCP PDUs that were not delivered to a UE 110; information about a current minimum desired buffer size at the SeNB for transmitting to the UE user data; and the like. The X2-C / Xn-C may provide intra-LTE access mobility functionality (e.g., including context transfers from source to target eNBs, user plane transport control, etc. ) , load management functionality, and inter-cell interference coordination functionality.
[0112] Alternatively, or additionally, RAN 1322 can be also connected (e.g., communicatively coupled) to CN 1330 via a Next Generation (NG) interface as interface 1324. The NG interface 1324 can be split into two parts, a Next Generation (NG) user plane (NG-U) interface 1326, which carries traffic data between the RAN nodes 1322 and a User Plane Function (UPF) , and the S1 control plane (NG-C) interface 1328, which is a signaling interface between the RAN nodes 1322 and Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs) .
[0113] CN 1330 can comprise a plurality of network elements 1332, which are configured to offer various data and telecommunications services to customers / subscribers (e.g., users of UEs 110) who are connected to the CN 1330 via the RAN 1322. In some implementations, CN 1330 can include an evolved packet core (EPC) , a 5G CN, and / or one or more additional or alternative types of CNs. The components of the CN 1330 can be implemented in one physical node or separate physical nodes including components to read and execute instructions from a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium) .
[0114] As shown, CN 1330, application servers 1340, and external networks 1350 can be connected to one another via interfaces 1334, 1336, and 1338, which can include IP network interfaces. Application servers 1340 can include one or more server devices or network elements (e.g., virtual network functions (VNFs) offering applications that use IP bearer resources with CN 1330 (e.g., universal mobile telecommunications system packet services (UMTS PS) domain, LTE PS data services, etc. ) . Application servers 1340 can also, or alternatively, be configured to support one or more communication services (e.g., voice over IP (VoIP sessions, push-to-talk (PTT) sessions, group communication sessions, social networking services, etc. ) for UEs 110 via the CN 1330. Similarly, external networks 1350 can include one or more of a variety of networks, including the Internet, thereby providing the mobile communication network and UEs 110 of the network access to a variety of additional services, information, interconnectivity, and other network features.
[0115] As shown, example network 1300 may include an NTN that may comprise one or more satellites 160-1 and 160-2 (collectively, “satellites 160” ) . Satellites 160 may be in communication with UEs 110 via service link or wireless interface 1362 and / or RAN 1322 via feeder links or wireless interfaces 1364 (depicted individually as 1364-1 and 1364) . In some implementations, satellite 160 may operate as a passive or transparent network relay node regarding communications between UE 110 and the terrestrial network (e.g., RAN 1322) . In some implementations, satellite 160 may operate as an active or regenerative network node such that satellite 160 may operate as a base station to UEs 110 (e.g., as a gNB of RAN 1322) regarding communications between UE 110 and RAN 1322. In some implementations, satellites 160 may communicate with one another via a direct wireless interface 1366 or an indirect wireless interface (e.g., via RAN 1322 using interfaces 1364-1 and 1364-2) .
[0116] Additionally, or alternatively, satellite 160 may include a GEO satellite, LEO satellite, or another type of satellite. Satellite 160 may also, or alternatively pertain to one or more satellite systems or architectures, such as a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) , global positioning system (GPS) , global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) , BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) , etc. In some implementations, satellites 160 may operate as bases stations (e.g., RAN nodes 1322) with respect to UEs 110. As such, references herein to a base station, RAN node 1322, etc., may involve implementations where the base station, RAN node 1322, etc., is a terrestrial network node and implementation, where the base station, RAN node 1322, etc., is a non-terrestrial network node (e.g., satellite 160) .
[0117] In an aspect, the UE or NB-IoT 110, baseband process of the UE 110 or processing circuitry thereof can operate to receive a downlink transmission from NTN satellite 160. The NB-IoT 110 can then generate an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames. The NB-IoT can transmit the uplink transmission based on a timing adjustment. The timing adjustment can include an offset from an ending subframe of a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission, which can be, for example, the absolute timing offset, and be based on whether the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames. The offset can comprise a scheduling delay and a cell specific / UE specific value, for example.
[0118] In response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, the NB-IoT 110 can transmit the uplink transmission with a narrow band uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Msg3 transmission, or an early data EDT transmission in the valid uplink radio frame. In response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, the NB-IoT can delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay or extension to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame, for example.
[0119] In an aspect, in response to transmitting an NPUSCH transmission for a PUR at a subframe n in the valid uplink radio frame from receiving the PUR, the NB-IoT can extend the PUR response window based on whether a switching time offset (e.g., Kmac+4 or other offset) and the subframe n is within a valid downlink radio frame. The switching time offset can include a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite plus a constant (e.g., 4) .
[0120] One or more network components, devices or systems of network 1700 is configured to process, perform, generate, communicate or cause execution of any one or more combined aspects described herein or in association with any of the FIGs. 1 thru 12 herein.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 14, illustrated is a block diagram of a UE or NB-IoT device 110 (e.g., UE 110-1 or 110-2) or other network device / component 1400 (e.g., V-UE / P-UE, IoT, gNB, eNB, base station, NTN satellite 160 or other participating network entity / component) . The device 1400 includes one or more processors 1410 (e.g., one or more baseband processors) comprising processing circuitry and associated interface (s) , transceiver circuitry 1420 (e.g., comprising RF circuitry, which can comprise transmitter circuitry (e.g., associated with one or more transmit chains) and / or receiver circuitry (e.g., associated with one or more receive chains) that can employ common circuit elements, distinct circuit elements, or a combination thereof) , and a memory 1430 (which can comprise any of a variety of storage mediums and can store instructions and / or data associated with one or more of processor (s) 1410 or transceiver circuitry 1420) .
[0122] Memory 1430 (as well as other memory components discussed herein, e.g., memory, data storage, or the like) can comprise one or more machine-readable medium / media including instructions that, when performed by a machine or component herein cause the machine or other device to perform acts of a method, an apparatus or system for communication using multiple communication technologies according to aspects, embodiments and examples described herein. It is to be understood that aspects described herein can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, functions can be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium (e.g., the memory described herein or other storage device) . Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media or a computer readable storage device can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD- ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or other tangible and / or non-transitory medium, that can be used to carry or store desired information or executable instructions. Any connection can be also termed a computer-readable medium.
[0123] Memory 1430 can include executable instructions, and be integrated in, or communicatively coupled to, processor or processing circuitry 1410. The executable instructions of the memory 1430 can cause processing circuitry 1410 to receive / process the instructions to receive / process / determine / generate NW operations associated with beam hopping according to aspects herein.
[0124] The device 1400 is configured to process, perform, generate, communicate or cause execution of any one or more combined aspects described herein or in association with any of the FIGs. 1 thru 13.
[0125] While the methods described within this disclosure are illustrated in and described herein as a series of acts or events, it will be appreciated that the illustrated ordering of such acts or events are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. For example, some acts can occur in different orders and / or concurrently with other acts or events apart from those illustrated and / or described herein. In addition, not all illustrated acts can be required to implement one or more aspects or embodiments of the description herein. Further, one or more of the acts depicted herein can be carried out in one or more separate acts and / or phases. Reference can be made to the figures described above for ease of description. However, the methods are not limited to any particular embodiment, aspect or example provided within this disclosure and can be applied to any of the systems / devices / components disclosed herein.
[0126] It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users.
[0127] The present disclosure is described with reference to attached drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout, and wherein the illustrated structures and devices are not necessarily drawn to scale. As utilized herein, terms “component, ” “system, ” “interface, ” and the like are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, hardware, software (e.g., in execution) , and / or firmware. For example, a component can be a processor (e.g., a microprocessor, a controller, or other processing device) , a process running on a processor, a controller, an object, an executable, a program, a storage device, a computer, a tablet PC and / or a user equipment (e.g., mobile phone, etc. ) with a processing device. By way of illustration, an application running on a server and the server can be also a component. One or more components can reside within a process, and a component can be localized on one computer and / or distributed between two or more computers. A set of elements or a set of other components can be described herein, in which the term “set” can be interpreted as “one or more. ”
[0128] Further, these components can execute from various computer readable storage media having various data structures stored thereon such as with a module, for example. The components can communicate via local and / or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one component interacting with another component in a local system, distributed system, and / or across a network, such as, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, or similar network with other systems via the signal) .
[0129] As another example, a component can be an apparatus with specific functionality provided by mechanical parts operated by electric or electronic circuitry, in which the electric or electronic circuitry can be operated by a software application or a firmware application executed by one or more processors. The one or more processors can be internal or external to the apparatus and can execute at least a part of the software or firmware application. As yet another example, a component can be an apparatus that provides specific functionality through electronic components without mechanical parts; the electronic components can include one or more processors therein to execute software and / or firmware that confer (s) , at least in part, the functionality of the electronic components.
[0130] Use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or” . That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including” , “includes” , “having” , “has” , “with” , or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description and the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising. ” Additionally, in situations wherein one or more numbered items are discussed (e.g., a “first X” , a “second X” , etc. ) , in general the one or more numbered items can be distinct, or they can be the same, although in some situations the context can indicate that they are distinct or that they are the same.
[0131] As used herein, the term “circuitry” can refer to, be part of, or include an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) , an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) , or associated memory (shared, dedicated, or group) operably coupled to the circuitry that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, or other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality. In some embodiments, the circuitry can be implemented in, or functions associated with the circuitry can be implemented by, one or more software or firmware modules. In some embodiments, circuitry can include logic, at least partially operable in hardware.
[0132] As it is employed in the subject specification, the term “processor” can refer to substantially any computing processing unit or device including, but not limited to including, single-core processors; single-processors with software multithread execution capability; multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithread execution capability; multi-core processors with hardware multithread technology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributed shared memory. Additionally, a processor can refer to an integrated circuit, an application specific integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic controller, a complex programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions and / or processes described herein. Processors can exploit nano-scale architectures such as, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dot based transistors, switches and gates, in order to optimize space usage or enhance performance of mobile devices. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing processing units.
[0133] Examples (aspects) can include subject matter such as a method, means for performing acts or blocks of the method, at least one machine-readable medium including instructions that, when performed by a machine (e.g., a processor with memory, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) , a field programmable gate array (FPGA) , or the like) cause the machine to perform acts of the method or of an apparatus or system for concurrent communication using multiple communication technologies according to embodiments and examples described herein.
[0134] A first example is a UE, comprising: a memory; and processing circuitry, comprising the memory, configured to execute instructions that cause the UE to: receive a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite; generate an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; and transmit the uplink transmission based on whether a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission and a timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.
[0135] A second example can include the first example, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, transmit the uplink transmission with a narrow band uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid uplink radio frame; and in response to the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame.
[0136] A third example can include the first or second example, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: determine from the downlink transmission an explicit indication of a system frame number (SFN) offset between a last SFN corresponding to the downlink transmission and an SFN for transmitting an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission; and transmit the uplink transmission in the SFN based on the timing adjustment being a function of the SFN offset.
[0137] A fourth example can include any one or more of the first through third examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: receive the explicit indication of the SFN offset in a UE specific configuration via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) or a radio resource control (RRC) message, or in a cell specific configuration, via a system information block (SIB) , wherein the SFN offset comprises a first value or a second value, the first value indicating that the SFN comprises a downlink-uplink offset of subframes from the last SFN corresponding to the downlink transmission, and the second value indicating the downlink-uplink offset plus a number of radio frames for the valid uplink radio frame.
[0138] A fifth example can include any one or more of the first through fourth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: re-interpret a K zero (K0) delay in a HARQ-ACK resource field of a downlink control information (DCI) to a re-interpreted K0 that indicates a subframe number within the valid uplink radio frame having values from 0 to 9; and transmit an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission at a starting time within the valid uplink radio frame based on the re-interpreted K0, wherein the re-interpreted K0 indicates a delay from a start of the valid uplink radio frame to the subframe number of the valid uplink radio frame.
[0139] A sixth example can include any one or more of the first through fifth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: determine a duration of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback of an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission, wherein the duration is based on a number of transport blocks, a number of repetitions, and a number of slots; and compare the duration to a time budget, wherein the time budget is based on a multiple and a number of consecutive radio frames in the uplink transmission for an absolute transmission.
[0140] A seventh example can include any one or more of the first through sixth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the time budget being less than the duration, skip the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission.
[0141] An eighth example can include any one or more of the first through seventh examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the uplink transmission being within the valid uplink radio frame, transmit the uplink transmission; and in response to the uplink transmission being partly within the valid uplink radio frame, skip the uplink transmission, or transmit the uplink transmission in subframes in the valid uplink radio frame.
[0142] A ninth example can include any one or more of the first through eighth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to an NPUSCH transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission being partly in the valid uplink radio frame, split the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission among two or more valid uplink radio frames, or delay starting the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission to a next valid UL radio frame for a continuous uplink transmission in a single valid UL radio frame.
[0143] A tenth example can include any one or more of the first through ninth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: monitor paging frames from the NTN satellite based on the periodic pattern, wherein the paging frames align with valid downlink radio frames of a UE downlink timing based on an extension of a DRX cycle.
[0144] An eleventh example can include any one or more of the first through tenth examples, wherein the extension of the DRX cycle is based on a multiple of a number of paging frames in the DRX cycle and at least one of: a maximum of: a duration of the DRX cycle and a period of the valid downlink radio frames, a least common multiple of: the duration of the DRX cycle and the period of the valid downlink radio frames, or the duration of the DRX cycle and a function of a number of valid radio frames in the DRX cycle.
[0145] A twelfth example can include any one or more of the first through eleventh examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to transmitting a narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) transmission at a subframe n in the valid uplink radio frame, extending a random access response (RAR) window, or a contention resolution timer, based on whether an absolute timing offset including the subframe n is within a valid downlink radio frame, wherein the absolute timing offset comprises a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite and a predefined number of subframes based on a preamble format and a number of narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) repetitions, and wherein n is an integer.
[0146] A thirteenth example can include any one or more of the first through twelfth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, maintain a duration of the RAR window or the contention resolution timer without an extension.
[0147] A fourteenth example can include any one or more of the first through thirteenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the absolute timing offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer: complete the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at an end of the valid downlink radio frame; pause the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the RAR window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; or begin the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.
[0148] A fifteenth example can include any one or more of the first through fourteenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the absolute timing offset with the subframe n not being within the valid downlink radio frame, initiate the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; in response to a duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, maintain a duration of the RAR window or the contention resolution timer; and in response to the duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the RAR window or the contention resolution timer: complete the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at an end of the valid downlink radio frame; pause the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; or begin the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.
[0149] A sixteenth example can include any one or more of the first through fifteenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to transmitting an NPUSCH transmission for a preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) at a subframe n in the valid uplink radio frame from receiving the PUR, extending a PUR response window based on whether a switching time offset and the subframe n is within a valid downlink radio frame, wherein the switching time offset comprises a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite plus a constant, and wherein n is an integer.
[0150] A seventeenth example can include any one or more of the first through sixteenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the PUR response window, maintain a duration of the PUR response window without an extension.
[0151] An eighteenth example can include any one or more of the first through seventeenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the PUR response window: complete the PUR response window at an end of the valid downlink radio frame; pause the PUR response window at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; or begin the PUR response window at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.
[0152] A nineteenth example can include any one or more of the first through eighteenth examples, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to: in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n not being within the valid downlink radio frame, initiate the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; in response to a duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the PUR response window maintain a duration of the PUR response window; and in response to the duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the PUR response window: complete the PUR response window at an end of the valid downlink radio frame; pause the PUR response window at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; or begin the PUR response window at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.
[0153] A twentieth example can be a method a UE comprising: receiving a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite; generating an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; and transmitting the uplink transmission based on a timing adjustment, comprising an offset from an ending subframe of a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission, and whether the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.
[0154] A twenty-first example can include the twentieth example, wherein the offset comprises a scheduling delay and a cell specific / UE specific value, the method further comprising: in response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, transmitting the uplink transmission with a narrow band uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid uplink radio frame; and in response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame.
[0155] A twenty-second example can be A baseband processor configured to, when executing instructions stored in a memory, perform operations comprising: receiving a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite; generating an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; and providing the uplink transmission based on a timing adjustment, comprising an offset from an ending subframe of a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission, and whether the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.
[0156] Moreover, various aspects or features described herein can be implemented as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques. The term "article of manufacture" as used herein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media. For example, computer-readable media can include but are not limited to magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strips, etc. ) , optical disks (e.g., compact disk (CD) , digital versatile disk (DVD) , etc. ) , smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., EPROM, card, stick, key drive, etc. ) . Additionally, various storage media described herein can represent one or more devices and / or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term “machine-readable medium” can include, without being limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instruction (s) and / or data. Additionally, a computer program product can include a computer readable medium having one or more instructions or codes operable to cause a computer to perform functions described herein.
[0157] Communications media embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other structured or unstructured data in a data signal such as a modulated data signal, e.g., a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery or transport media. The term “modulated data signal” or signals refers to a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in one or more signals. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media include wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.
[0158] An exemplary storage medium can be coupled to processor, such that processor can read information from, and write information to, storage medium. In the alternative, storage medium can be integral to processor. Further, in some aspects, processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Additionally, ASIC can reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, processor and storage medium can reside as discrete components in a user terminal. Additionally, in some aspects, the processes and / or actions of a method or algorithm can reside as one or any combination or set of codes and / or instructions on a machine-readable medium and / or computer readable medium, which can be incorporated into a computer program product.
[0159] In this regard, while the disclosed subject matter has been described in connection with various embodiments and corresponding Figures, where applicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can be used or modifications and additions can be made to the described embodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative, or substitute function of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.
[0160] In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, systems, etc. ) , the terms (including a reference to a "means" ) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component or structure which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent) , even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary implementations of the disclosure. In addition, while a particular feature can have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature can be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as can be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
Claims
1.A user equipment (UE) , comprising:a memory; andprocessing circuitry, comprising the memory, configured to execute instructions that cause the UE to:receive a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite;generate an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; andtransmit the uplink transmission based on whether a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission and a timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.2.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, transmit the uplink transmission with a narrow band uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid uplink radio frame; andin response to the downlink radio frame and the timing adjustment not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame.3.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:determine from the downlink transmission an explicit indication of a system frame number (SFN) offset between a last SFN corresponding to the downlink transmission and an SFN for transmitting an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission; andtransmit the uplink transmission in the SFN based on the timing adjustment being a function of the SFN offset.4.The UE of claim 3, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:receive the explicit indication of the SFN offset in a UE specific configuration via a medium access control control element (MAC CE) or a radio resource control (RRC) message, or in a cell specific configuration, via a system information block (SIB) , wherein the SFN offset comprises a first value or a second value, the first value indicating that the SFN comprises a downlink-uplink offset of subframes from the last SFN corresponding to the downlink transmission, and the second value indicating the downlink-uplink offset plus a number of radio frames for the valid uplink radio frame.5.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:re-interpret a K zero (K0) delay in a HARQ-ACK resource field of a downlink control information (DCI) to a re-interpreted K0 that indicates a subframe number within the valid uplink radio frame having values from 0 to 9; andtransmit an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission at a starting time within the valid uplink radio frame based on the re-interpreted K0, wherein the re-interpreted K0 indicates a delay from a start of the valid uplink radio frame to the subframe number of the valid uplink radio frame.6.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:determine a duration of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback of an NPUSCH format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission in the uplink transmission, wherein the duration is based on a number of transport blocks, a number of repetitions, and a number of slots; andcompare the duration to a time budget, wherein the time budget is based on a multiple and a number of consecutive radio frames in the uplink transmission for an absolute transmission.7.The UE of claim 6, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the time budget being less than the duration, skip the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission.8.The UE of claim 6, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the uplink transmission being within the valid uplink radio frame, transmit the uplink transmission; andin response to the uplink transmission being partly within the valid uplink radio frame, skip the uplink transmission, or transmit the uplink transmission in subframes in the valid uplink radio frame.9.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to an NPUSCH transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, an Msg3 transmission, or an EDT transmission being partly in the valid uplink radio frame, split the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission among two or more valid uplink radio frames, or delay starting the NPUSCH transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission to a next valid UL radio frame for a continuous uplink transmission in a single valid UL radio frame.10.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:monitor paging frames from the NTN satellite based on the periodic pattern, wherein the paging frames align with valid downlink radio frames of a UE downlink timing based on an extension of a DRX cycle.11.The UE of claim 10, wherein the extension of the DRX cycle is based on a multiple of a number of paging frames in the DRX cycle and at least one of: a maximum of:a duration of the DRX cycle and a period of the valid downlink radio frames, a least common multiple of: the duration of the DRX cycle and the period of the valid downlink radio frames, or the duration of the DRX cycle and a function of a number of valid radio frames in the DRX cycle.12.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to transmitting a narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) transmission at a subframe n in the valid uplink radio frame, extending a random access response (RAR) window, or a contention resolution timer, based on whether an absolute timing offset including the subframe n is within a valid downlink radio frame, wherein the absolute timing offset comprises a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite and a predefined number of subframes based on a preamble format and a number of narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) repetitions, and wherein n is an integer.13.The UE of claim 12, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, maintain a duration of the RAR window or the contention resolution timer without an extension.14.The UE of claim 12, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the absolute timing offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer:complete the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at an end of the valid downlink radio frame;pause the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the RAR window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; orbegin the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.15.The UE of claim 12, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the absolute timing offset with the subframe n not being within the valid downlink radio frame, initiate the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame;in response to a duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, maintain a duration of the RAR window or the contention resolution timer; andin response to the duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the RAR window or the contention resolution timer:complete the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at an end of the valid downlink radio frame;pause the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; orbegin the RAR window, or the contention resolution timer, at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.16.The UE of claim 1, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to transmitting an NPUSCH transmission for a preconfigured uplink resource (PUR) at a subframe n in the valid uplink radio frame from receiving the PUR, extending a PUR response window based on whether a switching time offset and the subframe n is within a valid downlink radio frame, wherein the switching time offset comprises a round trip time (RTT) between the UE and the NTN satellite plus a constant, and wherein n is an integer.17.The UE of claim 16, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the PUR response window, maintain a duration of the PUR response window without an extension.18.The UE of claim 16, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n being within the valid downlink radio frame and a remaining duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the PUR response window:complete the PUR response window at an end of the valid downlink radio frame;pause the PUR response window at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; orbegin the PUR response window at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.19.The UE of claim 16, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the UE to:in response to the switching time offset with the subframe n not being within the valid downlink radio frame, initiate the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame;in response to a duration of the valid downlink radio frame being longer than the PUR response window maintain a duration of the PUR response window; andin response to the duration of the valid downlink radio frame being shorter than the PUR response window:complete the PUR response window at an end of the valid downlink radio frame;pause the PUR response window at the end of the valid downlink radio frame and resume the PUR response window at a beginning of a subsequent valid downlink radio frame; orbegin the PUR response window at the beginning of the subsequent valid downlink radio frame.20.A method of a user equipment (UE) comprising:receiving a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite;generating an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; andtransmitting the uplink transmission based on a timing adjustment, comprising an offset from an ending subframe of a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission, and whether the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.21.The method of claim 20, wherein the offset comprises a scheduling delay and a cell specific / UE specific value, the method further comprising:in response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, transmitting the uplink transmission with a narrow band uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) format 2 transmission, an NPUSCH format 1 transmission, a Message 3 (Msg3) transmission, or an early data transmission (EDT) transmission in the valid uplink radio frame; andin response to the timing adjustment from the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission not overlapping with the valid uplink radio frame, delay the uplink transmission with the NPUSCH format 2 transmission, the NPUSCH format 1 transmission, the Msg3 transmission, or the EDT transmission by extending the timing adjustment with an additional delay to a beginning of another valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames that is a subsequent valid uplink radio frame.22.A baseband processor configured to, when executing instructions stored in a memory, perform operations comprising:receiving a downlink transmission from a non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite;generating an uplink transmission based on a periodic pattern of uplink radio frames and downlink radio frames; andproviding the uplink transmission based on a timing adjustment, comprising an offset from an ending subframe of a downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission, and whether the downlink radio frame of the downlink transmission with the timing adjustment overlaps with a valid uplink radio frame of the uplink radio frames.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Collision handling for cross division duplex operations
US20230283446A1
Enhancement in configured grant transmission
US20240284446A1