Terminal, method, base station and communication system

Abstract

A terminal according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprising: a receiver configured to receive, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and a processor configured to associate the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, reducing signaling overhead and / or improving communication efficiency can be achieved appropriately.

Description

TERMINAL, METHOD, BASE STATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 720,415, filed on November 14, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present disclosure relate generally to communications, more specifically, methods, systems, and devices for resource allocation in contention-based access.

[0003] Modern mobile communication services utilize both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (NTN). Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio interfaces incorporate NTN features (Non Patent Literature 1).

[0004] For NTN systems for Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, the 3GPP starts standardizing a contention-based transmission method without a preamble to simplify the data transmission process and reduce signaling overhead. Conventionally, resource allocation for this method relies on either broadcast system information blocks (SIBs) or dedicated signaling, i.e., a connection release message. The SIB approach provides a list of available resources, while the dedicated signaling approach informs a user of available resources for its next transmission.

[0005] 3GPP TS 38.300 V18.3.0, “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; NR and NG-RAN Overall Description; Stage 2 (Release 18)”

[0006] However, both conventional approaches have drawbacks. When using SIBs for resource allocation, a user in a connected mode must transition to an idle mode to acquire updated system information, which is inefficient for users requiring long-term connectivity. On the other hand, when using dedicated signaling, it is practically impossible to provide updated resource allocation information to all users if they are not in a connected mode. This makes the method less desirable for users requiring short-term connections.

[0007] Therefore, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal, a method, a base station and a communication system that can solve the aforementioned problems, or can enable updating resource allocation for a user without requiring the user to transition to an idle mode for system information acquisition, thereby reducing signaling overhead and improving communication efficiency, which is particularly beneficial for satellite-based NTN applications.

[0008] A terminal according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprising: a receiver configured to receive, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and a processor configured to associate the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, reducing signaling overhead and / or improving communication efficiency can be achieved appropriately.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary functional configuration of each device for some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware configuration of each device for some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary flow chart of a procedure for associating resource allocations to a modification period in one embodiment in the present disclosure.

[0014] The present disclosure may introduce a method and apparatus for resource allocation in contention-based access.

[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description refers to the accompanying drawings in which the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise represented. The implementations set forth in the following description of exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present disclosure. Instead, they are merely examples of systems, apparatuses, and methods consistent with aspects related to the present disclosure as recited in the appended claims.

[0016] In the present disclosure, "A / B," “A and / or B” and "at least one of A and B" may be used interchangeably. In the present disclosure, "A / B / C," “A and / or B and / or C” and "at least one of A, B and C" may be used interchangeably.

[0017] In the present disclosure, a word / phrase surrounded by "()" in a sentence may indicate an explanation (e.g. spelling explanation), paraphrase, concrete example or supplementary explanation of an immediately preceding word / phrase. In the present disclosure, regarding a phrase enclosed by "[]" in a sentence, the meaning of the entire sentence including the phrase may be interpreted with including the phrase, or may be interpreted without including the phrase (ignoring it). Note that ‘()’ and ‘[]’ may be used for other purposes / meanings.

[0018] <System> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for some embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 1 may be a system implementing a communication using Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5th generation mobile communication system New Radio (5G NR) and so on the specifications of which have been drafted by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The system 1 may include at least one of Evolved Packet System (EPS), 5G system (5GS), and so on. The system 1 may include one or more user equipment (UE) 10, one or more base stations (BS) 20, one or more core networks (CN) 30.

[0019] In the present disclosure, terms “system,” “radio system,” “radio communication system,” “radio interface,” and “network (NW)” are used as general terms which include one or both of terrestrial network systems and non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems such as satellite systems. In the present disclosure, these terms may be used interchangeably.

[0020] The UE 10 may be a terminal supporting at least one of communication schemes such as LTE, 5G NR, and so on. The UE 10 may be connected to at least one of plurality of BS 20. The UE 10 may take any form, including but not limited to, a vehicle, a component mounted in a vehicle, a road-side unit, a laptop computer, a wireless terminal including a mobile phone, a wireless handheld device, or wireless personal device.

[0021] In the present disclosure, a UE, a mobile station, a mobile node and a terminal may be used interchangeably.

[0022] The plurality of base stations 10 may be connected each other by a wired connection (for example, optical fiber) or a wireless connection (for example, an NR communication). The base station 10 may be connected to a core network 30 through another base station 10 or directly.

[0023] In the present disclosure, a BS may be referred to as the terms such as a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a gNodeB (gNB), a radio access network (RAN), a carrier, a component carrier, a sector, a cell, a cell group, a super cell, a macro cell, a small cell, a femto cell, a pico cell, and so on. In the present disclosure, a network may mean an apparatus (for example, a BS) included in the network.

[0024] In the present disclosure, a term “node” is used as a general term which includes user equipment (UE), a relay node, a vehicle mounted module, a station, a network infrastructure node such as a base station (BS), a roadside unit, a repeater, a transponder, a wireless router, a controller, an access point, a transmission point (TP), a reception point (RP), a transmission / reception point (TRP), a panel, and sub-systems thereof. In the present disclosure, these entities (apparatuses, devices) may be used interchangeably.

[0025] The communication between UE 10 and BS 20 may be transferred via one or more apparatuses for NTN, e.g., a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite, a Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO), a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS), an NTN payload and an NTN gateway. In the present disclosure, the BS 20 may include a BS in a terrestrial network and / or a BS in NTN (or the BS on / within the above one or more apparatuses for NTN). In the present disclosure, the BS and the above one or more apparatuses for NTN may be used interchangeably.

[0026] The NTN (or the system 1) may provide a non-terrestrial NR access to the UE 10 by means of the NTN payload and the NTN Gateway. A wireless link between the NTN payload and the UE 10 may be called as a service link, and a wireless link between the NTN Gateway and the NTN payload may be called as a feeder link.

[0027] A satellite, such as GEO, MEO, LEO and HAPS, may be a space-borne vehicle orbiting the Earth embarking the NTN payload. The NTN payload may be a network node, embarked on board the satellite, providing connectivity functions, between the service link and the feeder link. The NTN Gateway may be an earth station (also referred to as a ground station) located at the surface of the earth, providing connectivity to the NTN payload using the feeder link.

[0028] The NTN payload may transparently forward the radio protocol received from the UE 10 (via the service link) to the NTN Gateway (via the feeder link) and vice-versa.

[0029] A satellite may directly communicate with another satellite via inter-satellite link (ISL). The ISL may work as a satellite backhaul.

[0030] The core network 30 may include at least one of Evolved Packet Core (EPC), 5G Core Network (5GCN), and so on.

[0031] In the system 1, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based wireless access scheme may be used. For example, in at least one of the downlink (DL) communication and the uplink (UL) communication, Cyclic Prefix OFDM (CP-OFDM), Discrete Fourier Transform Spread OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), and the like may be used.

[0032] <Functional / Hardware Configuration of Device> FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary functional configuration of each device for some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the UE 10 may have a control unit 110, a communication unit 120, an input / output unit 130, and a storage unit 140.

[0033] The BS 20 may have similar functional configurations. For this reason, in this exemplary functional configuration, the sign of the functional block corresponding to each device is also shown with the largest digit of the sign indicating each device (e.g., the largest digit "2" of "20" for BS 20) replaced with "1". In the following, the functional blocks relating to the UE 10 will be explained, but it is understood that the same explanation applies to other devices as well.

[0034] In this example, the functional blocks of the characteristic parts of the system are mainly shown, and each device may also have other functional blocks necessary for other processes. The configuration may also not include some of the functional blocks.

[0035] Note that in the present disclosure, the words such as an apparatus, a circuit, a device, a section, a unit, and so on may be interchangeably interpreted.

[0036] The control unit 110 implements control of the UE 10 and provides various functions. For example, the control unit 110 may control communication with other devices via the communication unit 120. The control unit 110 may also obtain information necessary for processing based on information received via the communication unit 120. The control unit 110 may be referred to as a processing unit.

[0037] The communication unit 120 communicates (transmits / receives) with other devices via wired / wireless communication. The communication unit 120 may obtain information from the received signal and output it to the control unit 110, or it may convert information input from the control unit 110 into a signal and transmit it. The communication unit 120 may perform measurement on the received signal and output the measurement result to the control unit 110. The communication unit 120 may be referred to as a transmitter, receiver, or transmitter / receiver. The communication unit 120 may be referred to as a measurement unit.

[0038] The input / output unit 130 may include an input unit that accepts input from a person. The input unit may be connected to a predetermined device, storage medium, etc., and may accept data input. The input unit may output input results to, for example, the control unit 110.

[0039] The input / output unit 130 may also include an output unit that outputs data, content, etc. in a format that can be perceived by humans. The output unit may comprise a display unit that displays images, an audio output unit that outputs sound, and the like.

[0040] The storage unit 140 stores (holds) various information used by the management unit 10 for processing. The control unit 110 may instruct the storage unit 140 to read and write data.

[0041] The functional blocks (components) in FIG. 2 may be implemented in arbitrary combinations of at least one of hardware and software. Each functional block may be realized by one apparatus that is physically or logically coupled, or may be realized by directly or indirectly connecting two or more physically or logically separate apparatuses (for example, via wire, wireless, or the like) and using these apparatuses. The functional blocks may be implemented by combining softwares into the apparatus described above or the plurality of apparatuses described above.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware configuration of each device for some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the UE 10, the BS 20, and the other devices in the present disclosure may function as a computer that executes the processes of the radio communication method(s) in the present disclosure. Each device may have an antenna 910, a Radio Frequency (RF) circuit 920, a processor 930, a network interface 940, an input device / output device 950, a memory 960, and a storage 970.

[0043] For example, the above control unit X10 (e.g., X = 1, 2; same below) described above may be implemented by the processor 930. The communication unit X20 may be implemented by the antenna 910 / RF circuit 920 / network interface 940. The input / output unit X30 may be implemented by the input device / output device 950. The storage unit X40 may be implemented by the memory 960 / storage 970.

[0044] The hardware configuration of each device may be configured to include one or more of the elements shown in this exemplary hardware configuration, or may be configured without some of the elements. For example, the UE 10 may not have a network interface 940.

[0045] The antenna 910 converts signals into radio waves and radiates said radio waves into space. The antenna 910 also receives radio waves in space and converts said radio waves into signals. The antenna 910 may be mounted in plurality, may include a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna, or may include a single antenna for transmitting and receiving. The antenna 910 may include a directional antenna or may include multiple antenna elements. The antenna 910 may include one or more antenna elements and may enable different input-output antenna configurations.

[0046] The RF circuit 920 performs analog processing of signals transmitted and received via antenna 910. The RF circuit 920 may include filters (e.g., high frequency filters, low pass filters), amplifiers, modulators, frequency synthesizers, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, digital-analog conversion circuit, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) / Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processing circuit, etc.

[0047] The RF circuit 920 may perform amplification, filter processing, demodulation to a baseband signal, etc. on the received radio frequency band signal and output to processor 930 RF circuit 920 may perform modulation to a radio frequency band, filter processing, amplification and transmit the radio frequency band signals via the transmitter / receiver antenna 910. The RF circuit 920 may perform physical layer processing (e.g., processing of lower functions of the physical layer), and may perform beamforming processing such as analog beamforming and digital beamforming processing.

[0048] The processor 930 may control the entire device. The processor 930 may read programs (program code), software (software modules), data, and the like from the storage 970 to the memory 960 and perform various processes according to these. For example, the processor 930 may execute and control an operating system (OS) program that is loaded into the memory 960. The programs are used to allow computers to execute at least part of methods (operations) shown in embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the control unit 110 (210) may be implemented by control programs that are stored in the memory 960 and that operate on the processor 930, and other functional blocks may be implemented likewise.

[0049] The processor 930 may be configured by a central processing unit (CPU), which may include interfaces to peripheral devices, control units, arithmetic units, registers, and the like. The processor 930 may also be a microprocessor, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Neural Processing Unit (NPU), etc.

[0050] The processor 930 may perform digital processing of signals transmitted and received via the antenna 910 and the RF circuit 920. Said digital processing may include physical layer processing (e.g., processing of higher functions of the physical layer), processing of layers above the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, modulation, demodulation, coding, decoding, scrambling, etc. The processor 930 also processes signals sent and received via network interface 940.

[0051] The processor 930 may include a plurality of processors or may be a single processor. The multiple processors may include a baseband processor that performs the digital processing described above and one or more processors that perform other processing (e.g., overall control).

[0052] The network interface 940 may be, for example, a network adapter, which may be wired to an external network to send and receive signals.

[0053] The RF circuit 920 / baseband processor / network interface 940 may be an integral part of the RF circuit 920 / baseband processor / network interface 940. The network interface 940 may be referred to as a network controller, network card, communication module, etc.

[0054] The input device / output device 950 may comprise an input device that accepts external input (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, switches, buttons, sensors, etc.), an output device that performs external output (e.g., display, speaker, Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp etc.), and a device (e.g., a touch panel) that integrates these devices. The sensors may include a locator (e.g., a receiver corresponding to Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)) to obtain position information.

[0055] The memory 960 is a computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium that stores a program to be executed by the processor 930, parameters related to said program, and various other information. The memory 960 is at least one of Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically EPROM (EEPROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), and flash memory. All or part of the memory 960 may be contained within processor 930. Memory 960 may be referred to as a register, cache, main memory (main storage), etc.

[0056] The storage 970 is a computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium that stores a variety of information. The storage 970 may include, for example, flexible disks, floppy (registered trademark) disks, magneto-optical disks (e.g., compact disc (Compact Disc ROM (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk, Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk), a removable disk, a hard disk drive (Hard Disc Drive (HDD)), a smart card, a flash memory device (e.g., Solid State Drive (SSD)), or at least one other. The storage 970 may be referred to as an auxiliary storage device.

[0057] The processor 930, memory 960, and other devices may be connected by a bus for communicating information. A single bus may be used within a device, or different buses may be used between devices.

[0058] The BS 20 may be separated into three elements: the Radio Unit (RU), the Distributed Unit (DU), and the Central Unit (CU). The RU implements RF processing and lower functions of the physical layer. The DU implements the upper functions of the physical layer, the functions of the MAC layer, and the functions of the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer. The CU realizes the functions of the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), and the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer.

[0059] In this disclosure, BS 20 may include one device that realizes all the functions of RU, DU and CU, or may include multiple devices that each realize some of the functions of RU, DU and CU.

[0060] Other devices in the present disclosure may also be implemented by multiple devices that are physically located apart from each other. Conversely, a plurality of different devices in this disclosure may be implemented as a single device.

[0061] Some or all of the devices in this disclosure may also mean logical devices realized by virtual machines, containers, Docker, etc., or physical devices that operate such logical devices.

[0062] <Contention-based transmission without a preamble transmission for Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN)> The standardization of 3GPP radio interfaces is currently focused on Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. Typically, IoT applications involve bursty transmissions of small data units that can tolerate delays. Frequent connection setup requests and release commands can occur unless the user remains connected to the network for long periods. Although the actual data transmission uses minimal communication resources, there is a significant overhead impact and signaling burden associated with this behavior.

[0063] A key problem is contention-based access, necessary for a connection request but introducing several steps. This method requires sending a preamble, resolving contention, receiving a random-access response, and, upon successful resolution, sending a connection request message to the system -- sometimes accompanied with a payload known as early data. The multi-step process is particularly challenging for 3GPP radio interfaces with Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) features, as satellite communication resources such as energy are scarce and long propagation paths cause significant delays.

[0064] As a result, 3GPP is now standardizing a new feature where contention-based transmission can be initiated without a preamble transmission (for example, see RP-240776; “Revised WID on Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) for Internet of Things (IoT) Phase 3”). This change simplifies the data transmission process by reducing the number of necessary steps and, consequently, minimizing overhead. Such data transmission (e.g, Msg3 transmission without msg1 / Random Access Response (RAR)) may be referred to as preamble-less Early Data Transmission (EDT), Random Access Channel (RACH)-less EDT, preamble-less contention based transmission, RACH-less contention based transmission, or Contention based Msg3 transmission.

[0065] However, fewer steps introduce new challenges. In a preamble-based method, users must have read broadcast system information block to know available preamble resources before sending data. The user stores the received system information in memory. If this information changes, a paging message notifies users, so they refresh it, allowing updates of preamble resource allocation. Removing preamble transmission from contention-based access introduces a resource allocation and signaling problem, including identifying available resources and updating this information.

[0066] One approach for the problem is to use broadcast system information blocks similarly to preamble resources. This would provide a parallel list of available transmission resources. Although 3GPP has conceptually agreed on this, specification details are still pending, and other possible options are a subject for further discussion (see R2-2409213). This solution allows a user to switch to a different cell and use its resources, eliminating the need for coordination between cells since each of them can manage their resources independently.

[0067] One downside of this approach is that users need fresh system information before attempting transmission, but both scheduling and updating of this information are limited by constraints. The system information relies on specified modification periods. When notified of a change, users acquire this information during the next modification period. The notification is sent through a paging channel, but those users who are connected to the network cannot listen to it. So, the network needs to transition them to idle mode to receive the notification.

[0068] Hence, this approach may be effective for short-term user connections but become less desirable when users require long-term connectivity.

[0069] An alternative approach is to use dedicated signaling for Msg3 resource allocation (see R2-2408590). This can be done by adding resource allocation information in a connection release (e.g., RRCConnectionRelease message (LTE) or RRCRelease message (5G)), letting users know the resources available for their next transmission. A comparable solution is applied in idle mode mobility control information, where users receive frequency priorities when their connection is released. While this approach could avoid some idle mode transitions, it complicates updating the information since users need to be connected for the update. If they are not connected, it becomes practically impossible for all users to receive updated information.

[0070] Hence, this approach may be effective for long-term user connectivity but become less desirable when users require short-term connections.

[0071] Some embodiments in the present disclosure may merge both methods and introduce an indicator in the dedicated signaling to specify whether resource allocation concerns the current or the next system information modification period. This may enable the network to choose resource allocation signaling with flexibility. The network can preemptively allocate resources for the next modification period before its starts and can signal resources for the current period even after its boundary. Since the User Equipment (UE) is aware of the boundaries and have stored the present resource allocation, they can understand which resources to utilize before and after the boundary.

[0072] The key advantage of some embodiments in the present disclosure may be that they may update UE(s) on resource allocation without requiring them to transition to idle mode for system information acquisition. This may be particularly beneficial when UE(s) is / are in a connected mode during the update, as it / they can receive new resource allocations without needing to read the system information separately.

[0073] Note that, in the present disclosure, “user,” “user segment,” “UE,” and the like may be used interchangeably. In the present disclosure, “[Msg3] resource allocation,” “[Msg3] resource configuration,” “[Msg3] resource allocation data” and “[Msg3] resource allocation information” may be used interchangeably.

[0074] In the present disclosure, resource allocation may include at least one of the following information: - Resource location (e.g., time domain location (starting system frame number (SFN) and / or periodicity), frequency domain location (e,g., resource block, subcarrier, subcarrier spacing), repetition configuration) - Resource size, - Control channel (e.g., Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)) configuration.

[0075] <Method> The methods (wireless (or radio) communication methods, control methods) described below may be applied in the system 1 described above. A transmitter (or receiver) in the methods may be the UE 10 and may be considered as a UE. A receiver (or transmitter) in the methods may be the BS 20 and may be considered as a BS.

[0076] The present disclosure may disclose a method and apparatus for resource allocation in contention-based access.

[0077] The method can be applied to any wireless communication system but, in the rest of the disclosure, the method is exemplified with, but not limited to, non-terrestrial mobile radio communication systems, such as 3GPP LTE and / or NR radio access technology for NTN.

[0078] The method may make use of radio parameters that may be provided to a user through dedicated signaling, broadcast system information blocks (SIBs), SIBs via dedicated signaling upon request, master information blocks (MIBs), or pre-configurations. For example, a parameter may be sent in a connection release message (e.g., RRCConnectionRelease message (LTE) or RRCRelease message (5G)) when the user is released from the system. Pre-configuration could involve smart card settings, network signaling, or fixed specification values. Examples of such parameters are at least one of resource allocation information and indicators as exemplified below.

[0079] In one embodiment, a first node may send [broadcast] system information with resource allocation information for a second node, which may use it for contention-based access to the first node. The information from the first node may be updated within modification periods. The second node may acquire the [broadcast] system information and saves it to its memory. When system information updates occur, the first node may page the second node during modification period n about changes in the next modification period n+1. Moreover, the first node may provide resource allocation information to the second node via dedicated signalling, accompanied with information (also referred to as “indicator”) indicating whether the resource allocation applies to the current modification period or next modification period. The second node may provide the resource allocation information via the dedicated signalling, accompanied with the indicator.

[0080] In another embodiment, the indicator may be a single bit where, for example, value 0 may indicate current modification period and value 1 may indicate next modification period.

[0081] In another embodiment, the indicator may make use of whether a field (or information element) is included in a message. For example, the indicator may be specified as optionally present where, e.g., presence may indicate current modification period whereas absence may indicate the next modification period.

[0082] In another embodiment, when receiving the resource allocation and the indicator via dedicated signalling, the second node may associate the resource allocation to a system information modification period. This may be necessary because modification periods do not have numbers in the standard, but the boundaries are well-defined and easily obtained from SFN.

[0083] Note that the modification period boundaries may be defined by SFN values for which SFN mod m = 0, where m ma is the number of radio frames comprising the modification period. Here, m may be defined by modificationPeriodCoeff * defaultPagingCycle, and modificationPeriodCoeff may be one of enumerated values of n2, n4, n8, n16 (each corresponding to values of 2, 4, 8, 16) and defaultPagingCycle may be one of enumerated values of rf32, rf64, rf128, rf256 (each corresponding to values of 32, 64, 128, 256). These parameters (modificationPeriodCoeff, defaultPagingCycle) may be configured by at least one of system information (e.g., SIB2).

[0084] If the indicator arrives during modification period n and the allocation is indicated to be valid for the next period, the allocation may be associated to modification period n+1. This may mean the second node must use previously stored resource allocation for period n, or acquire system information during modification period n, and must switch to the new resource allocation after passing the modification boundary between modification periods n and n+1. This may allow the first node to proactively inform the second node about an upcoming resource allocation update in the next modification period without transitioning the second node to idle mode to read system information during modification period n+1.

[0085] In the present disclosure, “the allocation is indicated to be valid for the next [modification] period [by the indicator]” and “[the indicator indicates that] the resource allocation applies to the next [modification] period” may be used interchangeably. In the present disclosure, “the allocation is indicated to be valid for the current [modification] period [by the indicator]” and “[the indicator indicates that] the resource allocation applies to the current [modification] period” may be used interchangeably.

[0086] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary flow chart of a procedure for associating resource allocations to a modification period in one embodiment in the present disclosure.

[0087] In step S101, the UE receives the resource allocation [information] and the indicator during modification period n via dedicated signalling.

[0088] In step S102, the UE checks whether the indicator indicates that the resource allocation applies to the next modification period.

[0089] If the indicator indicates that the resource allocation applies to the next modification period (step S102-Yes), the UE associates the resource allocation with modification period n+1 (the next modification period).

[0090] If the indicator does not indicate that the resource allocation applies to the next modification period (step S102-No), the UE associates the resource allocation with modification period n (the current modification period).

[0091] If the indicator arrives during modification period n+1 and the allocation is indicated to be valid for the current period, the allocation may be associated to modification period n+1. This may mean the second node must discard any resource allocation for period n and switch to the new allocation. This may allow the first node to inform the second node about the resource allocation update after the boundary between modification periods n and n+1 without transitioning the second node to idle mode to read system information during modification period n+1.

[0092] In another embodiment, if the second node has stored resource allocation for modification period n and passes the boundary between modification period n and n+1 without receiving updated resource allocation information, the second node may read system information during modification period n+1 prior to accessing the first node.

[0093] In another embodiment, the first node may be, for example, a network node, such as a base station within a cellular system, or a satellite with or without carrying base station equipment.

[0094] In another embodiment, the second node may be, for example, a [mobile] user equipment (UE), a wireless router, or an IoT device.

[0095] In another embodiment, the dedicated signalling providing the resource allocation and / or indicator may be a connection release message (e.g., RRCConnectionRelease message (LTE) or RRCRelease message (5G)), connection setup complete message (e.g., RRCConnectionSetupComplete message (LTE) or RRCSetupComplete message (5G)), or any other dedicated message transferred from the first node back to the second node prior to connection release. For instance, the dedicated messages may be transmitted by the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer or the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer.

[0096] In another embodiment, the resource allocation and indicator may be conveyed in different dedicated messages and / or provided by different protocol layers and / or entities.

[0097] While the example embodiments in the present disclosure relate to the UE, embodiments in the present disclosure may be implemented by any node.

[0098] As explained above, some embodiments in the present disclosure disclose a method and apparatus for resource allocation in contention-based access using dedicated signaling. One of core concepts may involve pairing resource allocations with broadcast system information modification intervals. This pairing may be aided by an indicator linked to the resource allocation data, enabling IoT devices to obtain resource allocation information while remaining connected to the network without having to switch to idle mode to read system information. One of advantages of some embodiments in the present disclosure may be the decreased number of users transitioning to idle mode and the reduced signaling overhead, making it suitable for satellite-based NTN applications.

[0099] <Supplementary Notes> Regarding embodiments of the present disclosure, the following supplementary notes are given. <Supplementary Note 1> A terminal comprising: a receiver configured to receive, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and a processor configured to associate the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator. <Supplementary Note 2> The terminal according to supplementary note 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the contention-based access using the associated resource allocation information. <Supplementary Note 3> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 2, wherein the dedicated signaling is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection release message. <Supplementary Note 4> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 3, wherein the contention-based access is a transmission without a preamble. <Supplementary Note 5> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 4, wherein the resource allocation information includes at least one of a time domain location, a frequency domain location, a resource size, or a control channel configuration. <Supplementary Note 6> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 5, wherein when the indicator indicates the next modification period, the processor is configured to: use a previously stored resource allocation for the current modification period; and use the received resource allocation information after a boundary between the current modification period and the next modification period. <Supplementary Note 7> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 6, wherein when the indicator indicates the current modification period, the processor is configured to: discard a previously stored resource allocation; and use the received resource allocation information for the current modification period. <Supplementary Note 8> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 7, wherein when updated resource allocation information is not received before a boundary between the current modification period and the next modification period, the processor is configured to acquire system information including another resource allocation information during the next modification period. <Supplementary Note 9> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 8, wherein a boundary of the modification period is defined by a System Frame Number (SFN). <Supplementary Note 10> The terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 9, wherein the terminal is configured to operate in a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN). <Supplementary Note 11> A method performed by a terminal, the method comprising: receiving, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and associating the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator. <Supplementary Note 12> A base station comprising: a processor configured to determine resource allocation information for a terminal for contention-based access, and to determine an indicator specifying whether the resource allocation information applies to a current modification period or a next modification period; and a transmitter configured to transmit the resource allocation information and the indicator to the terminal via dedicated signaling. <Supplementary Note 13> A communication system comprising: a terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 10; and a base station according to supplementary note 12.

[0100] <Variations> Embodiments in the present disclosure may be used for any 3GPP radio access technologies, for example, 3GPP 4G technology referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3GPP 5G technology referred to as New Radio (NR) or future 3GPP radio technology generations such as 6G or 7G. While the examples in the present disclosure relate to 3GPP technologies, embodiments in the present disclosure could be used for non-3GPP technologies, for example, Bluetooth, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and its 802.11 variants, Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), etc.

[0101] In the present disclosure, any signals (e.g., for indication, configuration and notification of some information) from a node to another node may be transmitted using any one or combinations of Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer signaling, Medium Access Control (MAC) layer signaling, and physical (PHY) layer signaling, even if not explicitly stated.

[0102] The RRC layer signaling may be an RRC message or an RRC information element. The MAC layer signaling may be a MAC control element (MAC CE) or a MAC Protocol Data Unit (PDU). The PHY layer signaling may be downlink control information (DCI), uplink control information (UCI), or sidelink control information (SCI).

[0103] Furthermore, a BS in the present disclosure may be interpreted as a UE. For example, each embodiment of the present disclosure may be applied to the case where a communication between a BS and a UE is replaced with a communication between a plurality of UEs. In the case, the UE may have the functions of the BS described above. In the case, "uplink" and "downlink" may be interpreted as a UE-to-UE link (for example, "sidelink"). For example, an uplink channel, a downlink channel and so on may be interpreted as a sidelink channel.

[0104] Any parameters, values and information in the present disclosure may be indicated from a node to another node, even if not explicitly stated. In the present disclosure, “X” and “information on X” may be used interchangeably.

[0105] In the present disclosure, a time unit for radio communication may be replaced with (or interchangeably used as) another time unit for radio communication. For example, a radio frame (frame), a hyper frame, a subframe, a slot, a sub-slot, and a symbol all express time units for radio communication.

[0106] In the present disclosure, the terms “notify,” “report,” “indicate,” “designate,” “activate,” “deactivate,” “select,” “configure,” “pre-configure,” “update,” “determine,” and any variation of the terms may be read interchangeably.

[0107] In the present disclosure, "equal to or smaller than," "smaller than," "equal to or larger than," "larger than," "equal to," and the like may be interchangeably used. In the present disclosure, words such as "good," "bad," "much," "little," "large," "small," "high," "low," "early," "late," "wide," "narrow," and the like may be interchangeably used irrespective of positive degree, comparative degree, and superlative degree. In the present disclosure, the words (such as "good," "bad," ...) and expressions obtained by adding "i-th" (i is any integer) to the words may be interchangeably used irrespective of positive degree, comparative degree, and superlative degree (for example, "best" may be interpreted as "i-th best," and vice versa).

[0108] In the present disclosure, "of," "for," "regarding," "related to," "associated with," and the like may be used interchangeably.

[0109] As used in the present disclosure, use of the term “or” in a list of items indicates an inclusive list. The list of items may be prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of” or “one or more of.” For example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C includes A or B or C or AB (i.e., A and B) or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used in the present disclosure, prefacing a list of conditions with the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as “based only on” the set of conditions and rather shall be construed as “based at least in part on” the set of conditions. For example, an outcome described as “based on condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0110] In the present disclosure, the terms “comprise,” “include,” or “contain” may be used interchangeably and have the same meaning and are to be construed as inclusive and open-ended. The terms “comprise,” “include,” or “contain” may be used before a list of elements and indicate that at least all of the listed elements within the list exist but other elements that are not in the list may also be present. For example, if A comprises B and C, both {B, C} and {B, C, D} are within the scope of A.

[0111] The present disclosure, in connection with the accompanied drawings, describes example configurations that are not representative of all the examples that may be implemented or all configurations that are within the scope of the present disclosure. The term “exemplary” should not be construed as “preferred” or “advantageous compared to other examples” but rather “an illustration, an instance or an example.” By reading the present disclosure, including the description of the embodiments and the drawings, it will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skills in the art that the technology disclosed herein may be implemented using alternative embodiments. The person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the embodiments, or certain features of the embodiments described herein, may be combined to arrive at yet other embodiments for practicing the technology described in the present disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0112] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate examples of the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and devices according to various embodiments. It should be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. Likewise, additional steps may be included in such methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined, in methods consistent with various embodiments.

[0113] It is understood that the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and elements, components, materials, or steps described in connection with one example embodiment may be combined with, or eliminated from, other embodiments in suitable ways to accomplish desired design objectives. Any embodiment (two or more) used in the present disclosure may be used in combination.

[0114] Reference herein to “some embodiments” or “some exemplary embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment. The appearance of the phrases “one embodiment,” “some embodiments” or “another embodiment” in various places in the present disclosure do not all necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiments. In the present disclosure, “an / one embodiment,” “(some) embodiments” and “another embodiment” may be used interchangeably.

[0115] The articles “a” and “an” as used in the present disclosure 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.

[0116] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range in the present disclosure may be interpreted as being approximate as if the word “about” or “approximately” preceded the value of the value or range.

[0117] The term "connected" or any variation of the term as used in the present disclosure mean all direct or indirect connections between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are "connected" to each other. The connection between the elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, "connection" may be interpreted as "access."

[0118] Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.

[0119] It is appreciated that certain features of the present disclosure, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the present disclosure, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the present disclosure. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not essential features of those embodiments, unless noted as such.

[0120] It will be further understood that various modifications, alternatives, and variations in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of described embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope. Accordingly, the following claims embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the terms of the claims.

Claims

1. A terminal comprising: a receiver configured to receive, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and a processor configured to associate the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the contention-based access using the associated resource allocation information.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated signaling is a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection release message.

4. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the contention-based access is a transmission without a preamble.

5. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the resource allocation information includes at least one of a time domain location, a frequency domain location, a resource size, or a control channel configuration.

6. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the indicator indicates the next modification period, the processor is configured to: use a previously stored resource allocation for the current modification period; and use the received resource allocation information after a boundary between the current modification period and the next modification period.

7. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the indicator indicates the current modification period, the processor is configured to: discard a previously stored resource allocation; and use the received resource allocation information for the current modification period.

8. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein when updated resource allocation information is not received before a boundary between the current modification period and the next modification period, the processor is configured to acquire system information including another resource allocation information during the next modification period.

9. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein a boundary of the modification period is defined by a System Frame Number (SFN).

10. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is configured to operate in a Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).

11. A method performed by a terminal, the method comprising: receiving, via dedicated signaling, resource allocation information for contention-based access and an indicator; and associating the received resource allocation information with one of a current modification period and a next modification period based on the received indicator.

12. A base station comprising: a processor configured to determine resource allocation information for a terminal for contention-based access, and to determine an indicator specifying whether the resource allocation information applies to a current modification period or a next modification period; and a transmitter configured to transmit the resource allocation information and the indicator to the terminal via dedicated signaling.

13. A communication system comprising: a terminal according to claim 1; and a base station according to claim 12.

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