Synchronization signal block measurement timing configuration management in a network

Abstract

Provided are system, method, and device for automatically managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC). According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station that may be configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmit, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmit, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

Description

SYNCHRONIZATION SIGNAL BLOCK MEASUREMENT TIMING CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT IN A NETWORK CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.63 / 754,788, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on February 6, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to management of Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) in a telecommunications network.BACKGROUND

[0003] The information disclosed in this background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

[0004] In order to enhance the performance of a telecommunication network, various features and mechanisms have been introduced. Among them, paging has been introduced into the technical specifications provided by one or more standard organizations. In general, in order to transmit a paging message from a base station to a user equipment (UE), the base station may utilize synchronization signal block (SSB) beams.SUMMARY

[0005] Example embodiments of the present disclosure automatically manage synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC). As such, example embodiments of the present disclosure allows UEs to dynamically align their measurement timing with SSB transmission schedules in NTN scenarios.

[0006] According to example embodiments, a system is provided. The system may include a base station that may be configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmit, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmit, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0007] According to example embodiments, a method is provided. The method may include: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0008] According to example embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium is provided. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium may have recorded thereon instructions executable by a system to cause the system to perform a method including:transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0009] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description that follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be realized by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of an example synchronization signal block (SSB);

[0012] FIG. 2A illustrates an example broadcasting of SSB beams;

[0013] FIG. 2B illustrates an example measurement for broadcasting of SSB beams;

[0014] FIG. 2C illustrates another example measurement for broadcasting of SSB beams;

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example system configuration for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) in a network, according to one or more example embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments;

[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments;

[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments;

[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 700 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments;

[0020] FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram of example components of a system for implementing one or more example embodiments; and

[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates a diagram of an example of implementation environment in which systems and / or method, described herein, may be implemented.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The following detailed description of example embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the present disclosure or may be acquired frompractice of the implementations. Further, one or more features or components of one embodiment may be incorporated into or combined with another embodiment (or one or more features of another embodiment). Additionally, the flowchart and description of operations provided below relate to at least one of the embodiments in the present disclosure. It should be noted that it is possible to make other embodiments that do not exactly match the flowchart and its description. It is understood that in other embodiments one or more operations may be omitted, one or more operations may be added, one or more operations may be performed simultaneously (at least in part). Further, the order of one or more operations may be switched, as long as these modifications may not affect the resulting scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] It will be apparent that systems and / or methods, described herein, may be implemented in different forms of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or methods should not limit their implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code. It is understood that software and hardware may be designed to implement the systems and / or methods based on the description herein.

[0024] Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification, the particular combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification. Even if a dependent claim directlydepends on only one claim, the present disclosure may indicate that the dependent claim is dependent on other claims in the claim set.

[0025] No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” (in other words, nouns not mentioned in the plural) are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” “include,” “including,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, expressions such as “at least one of [A] and [B],” “[A] and / or [B],” or “at least one of [A] or [B]” are to be understood as including only A, only B, or both A and B. Further still, where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used.

[0026] Expressions such as “at least one processor,” where configured to implement a plurality of operations, execute a plurality of instructions, etc., are to be understood as a single processor implementing the plurality of operations, etc., or each of plural processors implementing at least some (but not necessarily all) of the plurality of operations, etc.

[0027] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “non-limiting exemplary embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the indicated embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present solution. Thus, the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment,” “in one non-limiting exemplary embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0028] Further, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, in light of the description herein, that the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations.

[0030] It shall be noted that, descriptions of example embodiments of the present disclosure may include terms and names defined in one or more standard organizations, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard organization, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standard organization, the Open Radio Access Network (0-RAN) Alliance standard organization, and the like. For instance, the terms “SSB”, “SMTC”, “NTN”, “PO”, “SIB”, “SIB 19”, “SIB1”, “IE”, and the like, as well as the associated features and operations, are to be interpreted as consistent with those specified in one or more technical specifications, unless described otherwise.

[0031] Further, example embodiments of the present disclosure may apply to any suitable network elements in any suitable telecommunications system, such as a 4G LTE system, 5G system, a 6G system, and the like, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0032] As described above, in order to transmit a paging message from a base station to a user equipment (UE), the base station may utilize synchronization signal block (SSB) beams.

[0033] The SSB (also known as synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block) may include primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

[0034] Furthermore, the terminology used in this disclosure should be understood as interchangeable with other functionally equivalent terms, and not unduly restricting the scope of the present disclosure. For example, when a term like "notification" is used, it is intended to encompass and be interchangeable with other functionally equivalent terms, such as "message" or "report," when conveying the same or similar information.

[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of an example synchronization signal block (SSB) 100. The x-axis of the diagram may define the length of orthogonal frequency -division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, while the y-axis of the diagram may define the length of subcarriers.

[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the SSB 100 may include PSS 110, SSS 120, and PBCH 130, which comprises PBCH 132, PBCH 134, PBCH 136, and PBCH 138, and may span across subcarrier number 0 to 239 and OFDM symbol number 0 to 3.

[0037] The PSS 110 may occupy one symbol (i.e., 0) and 127 subcarriers (i.e., 56 to 182). Similarly, the SSS 120 may occupy one symbol (i.e., 2) and 127 subcarriers (i.e., 56 to 182). The PBCH 130 may occupy three symbols and 240 subcarriers. In particular, PBCH 132 and PBCH 134 may each occupy one symbol and 240 subcarriers (i.e., 1, 0 to 239 and 3, 0 to 239 respectively),while PBCH 136 and PBCH 138 may each occupy one symbol and 48 subcarriers (i.e., 2, 0 to 47 and 2, 192 to 239 respectively).

[0038] In some implementations, multiple beams of the SSB 100 (SSB beams) may be broadcasted by a base station (e g., primary cell, secondary cell, and the like) in multiple directions in a process called beam-sweeping. In this regard, the UE may receive the multiple beams of the SSB 100 from the base station to synchronize, connect, and receive paging messages from the base station. Here, the UE may be located at a particular location away from the base station, where the multiple beams of the SSB 100 may be received by the UE at varying strength, quality, etc. due to the positional relationship between the UE and the base station and the direction at which the multiple beams of the SSB 100 are broadcasted (e.g., the SSB beam broadcasted in a direction directly towards the UE may have the highest strength, while the SSB beam broadcasted in a direction directly away / opposite from the UE may have the lowest strength).

[0039] Here, each of the multiple beams of the SSB 100 may be broadcasted periodically, where the periodicity may be configured differently for different base stations / cells.

[0040] FIG. 2A illustrates an example broadcasting of SSB beams.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2 A, a base station 210 may broadcast four SSB beams (beam A, beam B, beam C, and beam D) in four different directions. Said four SSB beams are transmitted periodically according to a beam periodicity as shown in the chart portion of FIG. 2A. The beam periodicity can be any number, such as 5ms, 10ms, 20ms, 40ms, 80ms, 160ms, and the like.

[0042] In this regard, SSB measurement timing configuration (SMTC) may be utilized by the UE in order to recognize when to measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams. The SMTC mayinclude a configuration specifying when the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams from a particular base station, and may be configured by the particular base station and transmitted to the UE. Here, the SMTC may include information such as measurement window duration specifying the duration which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams and measurement window periodicity specifying the periodicity which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams.

[0043] FIG. 2B illustrates an example measurement for broadcasting of SSB beams.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2B, the measurement window duration may specify the duration which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams. The measurement window duration may be determined and configured (e g., by the base station) according to the number of SSB beams transmitted by the base station (i.e., four beams A, B, C, and D), such that the measurement window duration may cover the broadcasting of all SSB beams from the base station at a particular interval.

[0045] Further, the measurement window periodicity may specify the periodicity which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the measurement window periodicity may be determined and configured based on the periodicity of broadcasting of SSB beams to correspond to the periodicity of broadcasting of SSB beams. Accordingly, the UE may measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams at all intervals (shown as dotted lines).

[0046] FIG. 2C illustrates another example measurement for broadcasting of SSB beams.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2C, the measurement window duration may be determined and configured (e.g., by the base station) according to the number of SSB beams transmitted by the base station, such that the measurement window duration may cover the broadcasting of all SSB beams from the base station at a particular interval.

[0048] Further, the measurement window periodicity may be determined and configured based on the periodicity of broadcasting of SSB beams to correspond to twice of the periodicity of broadcasting of SSB beams. Accordingly, the UE may measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams at every other intervals (shown as dotted lines).

[0049] In this regard, the implementation of the SSB and SMTC with non-terrestrial network (NTN) deployments may introduce various variables and challenges that are not present in typical terrestrial network (TN) deployments.

[0050] In particular, the periodicity of SSB under the NTN deployments may be extended from the periodicity of SSB under the TN deployments (e.g., from 20ms under the TN deployments up to 160ms under the NTN deployments). However, the SMTC as well as associated paging monitoring mechanisms may be designed for terrestrial NR., where the measurement window duration and the measurement window periodicity are configured based on the assumption that the periodicity of SSB is fixed to the non-extended value (e.g., fixed to 20ms). The transition to longer periodicity in NTN (e.g., new radio (NR)-NTN) may introduce significant challenges, including but not limited to, ensuring measurement timing accuracy, paging reception efficiency, and overall UE power management.

[0051] More specifically, in the NTN environment, the SSB beams may not always operate with uniform periodicities, where some SSB beams may have shorter periodicities (e.g., 20ms) to support delay-sensitive services, while other SSB beams may have longer periodicities (e.g., 160ms) for power-saving purposes. The SMTC framework in the related art assumes a fixed association between the periodicity of SSB beams and measurement window configurations, making it difficult for UEs to efficiently align their measurement windows with dynamically changing NTN beam parameters. As mentioned above, in NTN deployments, SSB beams may operate at different periodicities, potentially leading to cases where, for example, a serving beam uses a 20ms periodicity while neighbor beams uses up to 160ms. This discrepancy can cause UEs to misalign their measurement occasions, leading to unnecessary power consumption and suboptimal reselection timing.

[0052] Without a proper mechanism to dynamically adapt SMTC timing and paging synchronization, UEs may risk misaligned measurements, increased power consumption, and degraded mobility performance. Further, there is currently no mechanism for dynamically adjusting SMTC parameters in response to anticipated beam transitions or power allocation variations. In scenarios where beams follow predictable movement patterns, enabling the network to preconfigure SMTC adjustments could significantly improve measurement efficiency and reduce UE power drain.

[0053] Further, paging synchronization in NR may depend on SSB periodicity to determine paging occasions (POs). In TN NR, paging occasions are derived from fixed, predictable SSB periodicities, ensuring that UEs wake up precisely when paging messages are transmitted.However, in NTN, where periodicities vary significantly and extend up to 160ms or beyond, the paging mechanisms of the related art may be insufficient to ensure timely paging reception and efficient power utilization.

[0054] One issue may include paging desynchronization. If a UE expects a paging occasion every 20ms but the actual network paging cycle is aligned to an SSB periodicity of 160ms, the UE may wake up repeatedly searching for a paging message that has not yet arrived. This may result in excessive paging monitoring, increased power drain, and potential call setup delays. Another issue may arise in NTN mobility scenarios. If a UE transitions from a beam operating at a 40ms SSB periodicity to one using 160ms periodicity, the UE may fail to correctly realign its paging monitoring, leading to missed paging messages during mobility transitions. Without an NTN-specific paging synchronization mechanism, UEs may either consume unnecessary power through excessive wake-ups or miss important paging messages, causing service disruptions.

[0055] Furthermore, legacy UEs may assume a default periodicity of non-extended value (e g., 20ms) and may fail to operate effectively in NTN base stations / cells where the extended periodicity is used. As a result, legacy UEs may experience missed paging occasions, prolonged access delays, and reselection failures.

[0056] More specifically, legacy UEs, such as UEs designed under 3GPP release 17 and 3GPP release 18, may operate with a default SSB periodicity of 20ms. If these devices attempt to camp on NTN cells that use extended periodicities, they may encounter multiple failure scenarios, such as missed system information acquisition, paging failures, and cell reselection failures. The missed system information acquisition may refer to a scenario where legacy UEs expecting SIB1at 20ms intervals may fail to decode system information if SIB 1 is transmitted at 160ms periodicity. The paging failures may refer to a scenario where legacy UEs expecting frequent paging occasions may wake up unnecessarily, draining battery life while still failing to receive the correct paging message. The cell reselection failures may refer to a scenario where, if a legacy UE reselects to an NTN cell using extended periodicities, it may not be able to properly measure and decode system information, resulting in prolonged reselection attempts or failure to complete cell selection.

[0057] Ultimately, legacy UEs may assume shorter SSB periodicities and may not function correctly in NTN deployments operating with extended periodicities, leading to service degradation, paging failures, and access delays. Accordingly, backward compatibility mechanisms may be desirable to ensure seamless operation for legacy UEs.

[0058] Accordingly, system, methods, devices, and the like, provided in the example embodiments of the present disclosure automatically manage synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC).

[0059] According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station that may be configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of initial periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmit, to the UE, an SMTC periodicity update notification specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmit, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0060] Ultimately, example embodiments of the present disclosure automatically manage synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), which allows UEs to dynamically align their measurement timing with SSB transmission schedules in NTN scenarios.

[0061] It is contemplated that features, advantages, and significances of example embodiments described hereinabove are merely a portion of the present disclosure, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0062] Further descriptions of the features, components, configuration, operations, and implementations of the system of the present disclosure, according to one or more embodiments, are provided in the following.Example System Architecture

[0063] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example system configuration 300 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) in a network, according to one or more example embodiments.

[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 3, system configuration 300 may include a base station 310 and a user equipment (UE) 320, although it is contemplated that the system architecture may include more / fewer components than illustrated, and / or may be configured in a different manner, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0065] The base station 310 may include an apparatus, a system, a platform, a module, or the like, which may be configured to perform one or more operations or actions for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) in a network.Example operations performable by the base station 310 for managing SMTC are described below with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 7.

[0066] According to example embodiments, the base station 310 may include base stations in a network, such as a cell (e.g., super cell, a macro cell, a small cell, a femto cell, a pico cell, etc.), a node (e.g., a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a gNodeB (gNB), etc.), a radio unit (RU) under radio access network (RAN), a distributed unit (DU) under radio access network (RAN), a centralized unit (CU) under radio access network (RAN), a carrier, a component carrier, a sector, and the like.

[0067] The UE 320 may include a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart speaker, a server, etc ), a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone, a radiotelephone, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., a pair of smart glasses or a smart watch), a SIM-based device, or a similar device.

[0068] According to example embodiments, the base station 310 may be configured to broadcast a plurality of beams of synchronization signal block (SSB) (SSB beams). The SSB (also known as synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block) may include primary synchronization signal (PSS), secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and physical broadcast channel (PBCH), which may span across subcarrier number 0 to 239 and OFDM symbol number 0 to 3, in the similar manner as described above in relation to FIG. 1.

[0069] According to example embodiments, the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted by the base station 310 in multiple directions in a process called beam-sweeping, which may be received by the UE 320. In this regard, the UE 320 may receive the plurality of SSBbeams from the base station 310 to synchronize, connect, and receive paging messages from the base station 310. Here, the UE 320 may be located at a particular location away from the base station 310, where the plurality of SSB beams may be received by the UE 320 at varying strength, quality, etc. due to the positional relationship between the UE 320 and the base station 310 and the direction at which the plurality of SSB beams are broadcasted (e.g., the SSB beam broadcasted in a direction directly towards the UE 320 may have the highest strength, while the SSB beam broadcasted in a direction directly away / opposite from the UE 320 may have the lowest strength).

[0070] According to example embodiments, the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted by the base station 310 periodically. The periodicity of each of the plurality of SSB beams can be any number, such as 5ms, 10ms, 20ms, 40ms, 80ms, 160ms, and the like.

[0071] According to example embodiments, each of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted by the base station 310 at a periodicity that is different from another. For example, the base station 310 may broadcast SSB beam A at periodicity of 5ms, SSB beam B at periodicity of 10ms, SSB beam C at periodicity of 20ms, and SSB beam D at periodicity of 40ms.

[0072] According to example embodiments, some of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted by the base station 310 at periodicities that are different from all other SSB beams (i.e., some of the plurality of SSB beams may have unique periodicities), while some of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted by the base station 310 at periodicities that are the same. For example, the base station 310 may broadcast SSB beam A at periodicity of 5ms, SSB beam B at periodicity of 10ms, SSB beam C at periodicity of 20ms, and SSB beam D at periodicity of 20ms.

[0073] According to example embodiments, the base station 310 may configure and transmit SSB measurement timing configuration (SMTC) to the UE 320, in order to provide the UE 320 information regarding when to measure for the broadcasting of the plurality of SSB beams. Accordingly, the UE 320 may receive and utilize the SMTC in order to recognize when to measure for the broadcasting of the plurality of SSB beams.

[0074] According to example embodiments, the SMTC may include measurement window duration specifying the duration which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams and measurement window periodicity specifying the periodicity which the UE should measure for the broadcasting of SSB beams, in the similar manner as described above in relation to FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C.

[0075] According to example embodiments, the UE 320 and the base station 310 may be communicatively coupled with each other over a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment.

[0076] It is understood that the NTN environment may refer to a wireless communication network environment that utilizes uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) to facilitate communications between various network elements of the network. In particular, the UAS may be utilized to carry a base station or a relay node above the ground at the Earth’s orbit (e.g., low earth orbit, medium earth orbit, geostationary earth orbit, highly elliptical orbiting, etc.), where the base station / relay node may act as a link (e.g., satellite link) between various network elements. The UAS may include, for example, high altitude platforms (HAPS), satellites, and the like.

[0077] In this regard, according to example embodiments, the UE 320 and the base station 310 may communicate with each other through the base station / relay node on the UAS above the ground at the Earth’s orbit.Example Operations for Managing SMTC in the Present Disclosure

[0078] In the following, several example operations are performable by the system of one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 7.

[0079] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 400 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments. One or more operations in method 400 may be performed by the system of one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The system may be configured to manage SMTC.

[0080] According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station. It is understood that, while the below descriptions are provided from the perspective of the base station, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may encompass corresponding operations performed by the UE.

[0081] As illustrated in FIG. 4, at operation S410, the system may be configured to transmit a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC). The SMTC may be transmitted to a user equipment (UE), and may specify information associated with a plurality of initial periodicities associated with a plurality of synchronization signal block (SSB) beams.

[0082] For example, the system (e.g., base station) may be configured to broadcast the plurality of SSB beams comprising SSB beam A at a first periodicity, SSB beam B at a second periodicity, SSB beam C at a third periodicity, and SSB beam D at a fourth periodicity. In this regard, the system may be configured to transmit the SMTC to the UE specifying information associated with the first periodicity, the second periodicity, the third periodicity, and the fourth periodicity associated with the SSB beam A, the SSB beam B, the SSB beam C, and the SSB beam D, respectively.

[0083] According to example embodiments, each of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted at a periodicity that is different from another. For example, the system may broadcast SSB beam A at periodicity of 5ms, SSB beam B at periodicity of 10ms, SSB beam C at periodicity of 20ms, and SSB beam D at periodicity of 40ms.

[0084] According to example embodiments, some of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted at periodicities that are different from all other SSB beams (i.e., some of the plurality of SSB beams may have unique periodicities), while some of the plurality of SSB beams may be broadcasted at periodicities that are the same. For example, the system may broadcast SSB beam A at periodicity of 5ms, SSB beam B at periodicity of 10ms, SSB beam C at periodicity of 20ms, and SSB beam D at periodicity of 20ms.

[0085] According to example embodiments, the information associated with the plurality of initial periodicities specified in the SMTC may include a plurality of measurement window periodicities corresponding to the plurality of initial periodicities.

[0086] According to example embodiments, the SMTC may further specify information associated with measurement window duration. According to example embodiments, the SMTC may include at least two timing sets: a first timing set associated serving cell and a second timing set associated with a neighboring cell. More specifically, the SMTC may include a primary SMTC list specifying a first measurement timing configuration for the serving beam and a secondary SMTC list specifying a second measurement timing configuration for neighbor beams. Such configuration may enable more efficient measurement tracking across multiple periodicities.

[0087] According to example embodiments, the base station and the UE may be communicatively coupled with each other over a non -terrestrial network (NTN) environment.

[0088] According to example embodiments, in response to receiving the SMTC, the UE may be configured to store the SMTC, and accordingly monitor for the plurality of SSB beams from the system based on the information associated with the plurality of initial periodicities specified in the SMTC. The method then proceeds to operation S420.

[0089] At operation S420, the system may be configured to determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams.

[0090] In particular, according to example embodiments, the system may update / modify the periodicities of the plurality of SSB beams from the plurality of initial periodicities to the plurality of updated periodicities.

[0091] According to example embodiments, the plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams may be determined based on a non-terrestrial network(NTN) beam transmission schedule. The NTN beam transmission schedule may indicate a schedule of different SSB beam periodicities at different times.

[0092] The system may determine the plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams using any appropriate methods, techniques, tools, and the like. The method then proceeds to operation S430.

[0093] At operation S430, the system may be configured to transmit an SMTC periodicity update notification. The SMTC periodicity update notification may be transmitted to the UE, and may specify information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.

[0094] For example, the system (e.g., base station) may update / modify the periodicity of SSB beam A to a fifth periodicity, the periodicity of SSB beam B to a sixth periodicity, the periodicity of SSB beam C to a seventh periodicity, and the periodicity of SSB beam D to an eighth periodicity during operation S420. In this regard, the system may be configured to transmit the SMTC periodicity update notification to the UE specifying information associated with the fifth periodicity, the sixth periodicity, the seventh periodicity, and the eighth periodicity associated with the SSB beam A, the SSB beam B, the SSB beam C, and the SSB beam D, respectively.

[0095] According to example embodiments, the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the SMTC periodicity update notification may include the plurality of updated periodicities themselves.

[0096] For example, the system may transmit the SMTC specifying information associated with the initial periodicity of 5ms, the initial periodicity of 10ms, the initial periodicity of 20ms, and the initial periodicity of 40ms associated with the SSB beam A, the SSB beam B, the SSBbeam C, and the SSB beam D, respectively during operation S410. Then, the system may update / modify the periodicity of SSB beam A to 10ms, the periodicity of SSB beam B to 20ms, the periodicity of SSB beam C to 40ms, and the periodicity of SSB beam D to 5ms during operation S420. Accordingly, the system may transmit the SMTC periodicity update notification specifying the updated periodicity of 10ms, the updated periodicity of 20ms, the updated periodicity of 40ms, and the updated periodicity of 5ms associated with the SSB beam A, the SSB beam B, the SSB beam C, and the SSB beam D, respectively during operation S430.

[0097] According to example embodiments, the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the SMTC periodicity update notification may include a plurality of offsets between the plurality of initial periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.

[0098] For example, the system may transmit the SMTC specifying information associated with the initial periodicity of 5ms, the initial periodicity of 10ms, the initial periodicity of 20ms, and the initial periodicity of 40ms associated with the SSB beam A, the SSB beam B, the SSB beam C, and the SSB beam D, respectively during operation S410. Then, the system may update / modify the periodicity of SSB beam A to 10ms, the periodicity of SSB beam B to 20ms, the periodicity of SSB beam C to 40ms, and the periodicity of SSB beam D to 5ms during operation S420. Accordingly, the system may transmit the SMTC periodicity update notification specifying an offset of 5ms for SSB beam A (offset between initial periodicity of 5ms and updated periodicity of 10ms for SSB beam A), an offset of 10ms for SSB beam B (offset between initial periodicity of 10ms and updated periodicity of 20ms for SSB beam B), an offset of 20ms for SSB beam C (offsetbetween initial periodicity of 20ms and updated periodicity of 40ms for SSB beam C), and an offset of -35ms for SSB beam D (offset between initial periodicity of 40ms and updated periodicity of 5ms for SSB beam D) during operation S430.

[0099] According to example embodiments, the SMTC periodicity update notification may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB) (e.g., SIB1, SIB19, etc.)

[0100] According to example embodiments, the SMTC periodicity update notification may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message. In this regard, physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)-ConfigCommon may be extended to allow NTN-specific SMTC configurations.

[0101] In this regard, in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update notification, the UE may adjust its measurement timing dynamically based on beam-specific offsets signaled in the SMTC periodicity update notification.

[0102] In particular, according to example embodiments, in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update notification, the UE may be configured to update the stored SMTC, and accordingly monitor for the plurality of SSB beams from the system based on the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the SMTC periodicity update notification. The method then proceeds to operation S440.

[0103] At operation S440, the system may be configured to transmit the plurality of SSB beams to the UE based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0104] For example, the system may update / modify the periodicity of SSB beam A to 10ms, the periodicity of SSB beam B to 20ms, the periodicity of SSB beam C to 40ms, and the periodicity of SSB beam D to 5ms during operation S420. In this regard, the system may transmit the SSB beam A to the UE at the updated periodicity of 10ms, the SSB beam B to the UE at the updated periodicity of 20ms, the SSB beam C to the UE at the updated periodicity of 40ms, and the SSB beam D to the UE at the updated periodicity of 5ms.

[0105] In this regard, since the UE may be monitoring for the plurality of SSB beams from the system based on the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the SMTC periodicity update notification, the UE may be able to properly monitor and receive the plurality of SSB beams transmitted from the system based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

[0106] For example, if the SMTC specifies information associated with the initial periodicity of SSB beam C of 20ms (e.g., measurement window periodicity of SSB beam C), the UE may be configured to wake up from sleep mode to monitor for the SSB beam C every 20ms in response to receiving the SMTC transmitted during operation S410. Then, the periodicity of SSB beam C may be updated / modified to the updated periodicity of 40ms, and the SMTC periodicity update notification specifying information associated with the updated periodicity of SSB beam C of 40ms may be transmitted to the UE during operation S420 and S430. Accordingly, the UE may be configured to wake up from sleep mode to monitor for the SSB beam C every 40ms in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update notification, and may be able to properly monitor and receive the plurality of SSB beams transmitted from the system every 40ms.

[0107] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to define protocol -level procedure ensuring smooth SMTC transition when a UE moves between beams with different periodicities.

[0108] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to define measurement window alignment rules based on information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities (e.g., periodicity offsets) and specify the same in the SMTC periodicity update notification.

[0109] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to implement adaptive measurement timing in a physical layer to support different SSB periodicities per beam.

[0110] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to define a dual-tier SMTC configuration, where UEs may maintain a primary SMTC list for the serving beam and a secondary list for neighbor beams, enabling more efficient measurement tracking across multiple periodicities.

[0111] Accordingly, the above processes allow UEs to dynamically align their measurement timing with SSB transmission schedules in NTN scenarios, where different beams operate at non-uniform periodicities (e.g., 20ms, 40ms, 160ms, or beyond).

[0112] In particular, the above processes may enable the network to signal an SMTC offset per beam, enabling the UE to maintain an accurate measurement schedule where the UE may store beam-specific periodicity offsets and apply them dynamically when measuring multiple beams with different transmission intervals. As a result, redundant measurement attempts may besuppressed, ensuring that UEs only wake up when an SSB is expected and leading to power-saving optimization.

[0113] Further, the above processes may provide a dynamic SMTC adjustment procedure, where the network signals periodicity updates to UEs based on NTN beam transmission schedules, and the UEs may accordingly align their measurement timing based on the periodicity updates.

[0114] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 500 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments. One or more operations in method 500 may be performed by the system of one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The system may be configured to manage SMTC.

[0115] According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station. It is understood that, while the below descriptions are provided from the perspective of the base station, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may encompass corresponding operations performed by the UE.

[0116] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, one or more operations in method 500 may be similar to one or more operations in method 400. Accordingly, similar descriptions are omitted for conciseness.

[0117] As illustrated in FIG. 5, at operation S510, the system may be configured to transmit a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S410 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S520.

[0118] At operation S520, the system may be configured to determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S420 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S525.

[0119] At operation S525, the system may be configured to receive an SMTC periodicity update request.

[0120] The SMTC periodicity update request may be received from the UE, and may include a request to receive information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities. In particular, according to example embodiments, the UE may transmit the SMTC periodicity update request in response to detecting a periodicity change.

[0121] According to example embodiments, the SMTC periodicity update request may be received from the UE via medium access control (MAC) control signaling. The method then proceeds to operation S530.

[0122] At operation S530, in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request, the system may be configured to transmit an SMTC periodicity update notification to the UE, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S430 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S540.

[0123] At operation S540, the system may be configured to transmit the plurality of SSB beams to the UE based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S440 in method 400.

[0124] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 600 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments. One or more operations in method 600 may be performed by the system of one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The system may be configured to manage SMTC.

[0125] According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station. It is understood that, while the below descriptions are provided from the perspective of the base station, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may encompass corresponding operations performed by the UE.

[0126] Further, as shown in FIG. 6, one or more operations in method 600 may be similar to one or more operations in method 400. Accordingly, similar descriptions are omitted for conciseness.

[0127] As illustrated in FIG. 6, at operation S602, the system may be configured to broadcast a capability notification.

[0128] The capability notification may specify a capability requirement associated with a plurality of updated periodicities of a plurality of SSB beams of the system

[0129] In particular, according to example embodiments, the capability notification may specify that a particular UE should connect to the system (e.g., base station) if said particular UE is capable of receiving an SMTC periodicity update notification, and is capable of modifying its configuration and behavior related to the monitoring of SSB beams based on the SMTC periodicity update notification.

[0130] More specifically, for example, the capability notification may specify that a particular UE should connect to the system (e.g., base station) only if said particular UE is capable of monitoring for the broadcasting of the plurality of SSB beams based on the plurality of initial periodicities, capable of receiving the SMTC periodicity update notification, and capable of modifying its configuration and behavior to monitor for the broadcasting of the plurality of SSB beams based on the plurality of updated periodicities.

[0131] Accordingly, UEs that receive the broadcasted capability notification may check and determine whether they satisfy the capability requirement specified in the capability notification. In this regard, UEs that do not satisfy the capability requirement specified in the capability notification (e g., legacy UEs) may not connect to, camp on, or reselect the system. On the other hand, UEs that do satisfy the capability requirement specified in the capability notification may connect to the system.

[0132] It is noted here that the capability requirement specified in the capability notification may also include any other kind of requirements associated with the modification / updating of the periodicities of the plurality of SSB beams from the plurality of initial periodicities to the plurality of updated periodicities.

[0133] According to example embodiments, the capability requirement may be broadcasted via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB) (e.g., SIB1, SIB 19, etc.)

[0134] In this regard, according to example embodiments, the capability notification may act as a barring indicator, preventing legacy UEs from selecting NTN cells with extendedperiodicities and ensuring that the barring mechanism applies to UEs that do not support extended periodicities. The method then proceeds to operation S604.

[0135] At operation S604, the system may be configured to establish a connection with a UE. The UE here may include a UE that satisfy the capability requirement specified in the capability notification.

[0136] It is noted here that the connection may be established with the UE using any appropriate methods, techniques, tools, and the like (e.g., any specific handover procedure). The method then proceeds to operation S610.

[0137] At operation S610, the system may be configured to transmit a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S410 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S620.

[0138] At operation S620, the system may be configured to determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S420 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S630.

[0139] At operation S630, in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request, the system may be configured to transmit an SMTC periodicity update notification to the UE, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S430 in method 400. The method then proceeds to operation S640.

[0140] At operation S640, the system may be configured to transmit the plurality of SSB beams to the UE based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities, in the similar manner as described above in relation to operation S440 in method 400.

[0141] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to extend PCCH-Config to allow legacy UEs to maintain compatibility with NTN-specific paging schedules.

[0142] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to implement a fallback SIB1 / SIB19 configurations ensuring that legacy UEs can access necessary system information.

[0143] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to introduce legacy UEs compatibility indicators, allowing networks to dynamically adjust configurations to legacy UEs and to allow legacy UEs to operate with periodicity-aware paging adaptation. In this regard, according to example embodiments, the system may be configured to define legacyspecific paging handling strategies to ensure continued NTN service.

[0144] Accordingly, the above processes may enable UEs to detect unsupported configurations and seamlessly reselect alternative cells, and enable UEs to determine if they can operate in an NTN deployment before attempting access.

[0145] In particular, the above processes may prevent legacy UEs from camping on NTN cells with extended periodicities, and ensure that system information acquisition remains consistent to reduce access failures.

[0146] The above processes may also introduce paging fallback configurations, allowing legacy UEs to adapt paging cycles dynamically.

[0147] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 700 for managing synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC), according to one or more example embodiments. One or more operations in method 700 may be performed by the system of one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. The system may be configured to manage SMTC.

[0148] According to example embodiments, the system may include a base station. It is understood that, while the below descriptions are provided from the perspective of the base station, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may encompass corresponding operations performed by the UE.

[0149] Further, according to example embodiments, the operations in method 700 may be performed after a UE is connected and synchronized to the system (e.g., base station) via a particular SSB beam. For example, after the operations in method 400, the UE may determine that a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams transmitted from the system (e.g., during operation S440) is the most optimal SSB beam, and accordingly connect to the system via the first SSB beam (serving beam).

[0150] As illustrated in FIG. 7, at operation S710, the system may be configured to transmit a paging message.

[0151] The paging message may refer to a short message configured to perform operations, such as triggering radio resource control (RRC) setup, triggering system information modification, provide public warning system (PWS) / earthquake and tsunami warning system (ETWS) notification, and the like.

[0152] Further, the paging message may be transmitted to the UE via the first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams.

[0153] According to example embodiments, the first SSB beam may be associated with a first periodicity. For example, the system may be configured to transmit the first SSB beam to the UE every 20ms (first periodicity). In this regard, the paging message may be transmitted to the UE during one or more of the first SSB beam that is transmitted to the UE every 20ms.

[0154] It is noted here that the UE may be aware of the first periodicity of the first SSB beam (e.g., based on SMTC), and may be configured to wake up to monitor and receive the first SSB beam at the first periodicity. The method then proceeds to operation S720.

[0155] At operation S720, the system may be configured to detect a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams.

[0156] In particular, the UE may move to a different location, and may transition to connect to the system (e.g., base station) via the second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams instead of the first SSB beam.

[0157] According to example embodiments, the second SSB beam may be associated with a second periodicity different from the first periodicity.

[0158] It is noted here that the system may detect the beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to the second SSB beam using any appropriate methods, techniques, tools, and the like. For example, the system may receive a notification from the UE indicating that the UE is now utilizing the second SSB beam instead of the first SSB beam. In another example, the system maypredict the beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to the second SSB beam using a machine learning (ML) model. The method then proceeds to operation S730.

[0159] At operation S730, the system may be configured to transmit a paging offset notification.

[0160] The paging offset notification may be transmitted to the UE, and may indicate the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.

[0161] According to example embodiments, the paging offset notification may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB) (e.g., SIB1, SIB 19, etc.)

[0162] In this regard, the second periodicity of the second SSB beam indicated in the paging offset notification may act as a paging synchronization parameters, enabling the UE to synchronize (re-synchronize) paging occasions with the system (via the second SSB beam) and adjust its wake-up cycle. In particular, the UE may re-synchronize paging monitoring timing upon beam transition.

[0163] In particular, according to example embodiments, in response to receiving the paging offset notification, the UE may be configured to store the periodicity of the second SSB beam, and accordingly monitor for the second SSB beam at the second periodicity.

[0164] In this regard, according to example embodiments, the system may be further configured to transmit another paging message to the UE via the second SSB beam. Here, since the UE may monitor for the second SSB beam at the second periodicity, the UE may be able to properly monitor and receive the another paging message.

[0165] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to extend paging control channel (PCCH)-Config to allow paging synchronization adaptation based on network conditions.

[0166] According to example embodiments, the UE may utilize a defined discontinuous reception (DRX) paging cycle adaptation, where the UE may dynamically modify its sleep-wake cycles (DRX cycles) and monitoring behavior based on periodicity updates and paging offset signaling.

[0167] According to example embodiments, the system may be configured to define a paging re-synchronization procedure to allow seamless mobility between NTN beams.

[0168] Accordingly, the above processes may enable the UE to synchronize paging occasions with NTN-specific SSB periodicities, ensuring reliable paging reception where the UE may properly and efficiently receive paging messages under extended periodicities.

[0169] In particular, the UE may be enabled to receive paging synchronization parameters when the UE transition between beams with different periodicities to perform real-time paging alignment based on expected SSB transmission intervals. As such, the UE may optimize its wakeup behavior and align its wake-up cycle with actual paging occasions, thereby optimizing power saving and efficiency by reducing unnecessary power consumption caused by excessive paging monitoring and unnecessary paging wake-ups.

[0170] The above processes may also introduce a paging re-synchronization mechanism when the UE transition between beams with different periodicities to ensure that the UE do not miss paging messages when moving between beams operating at different SSB periodicities.Various Aspects of Embodiments

[0171] In view of the above, example embodiments of the present disclosure may allow UEs to dynamically align their measurement timing with SSB transmission schedules in NTN scenarios.

[0172] Accordingly, example embodiments of the present disclosure may address one or more challenges faced by the solutions in the related art, and provide enhancements to SMTC handling, paging synchronization, power efficiency, and legacy UE management in NR-NTN.

[0173] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations.

[0174] Some embodiments may relate to a system, a method, and / or a computer readable medium at any possible technical detail level of integration. Further, one or more of the above components described above may be implemented as instructions stored on a computer readable medium and executable by at least one processor (and / or may include at least one processor). The computer readable medium may include a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out operations.

[0175] The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storagedevice, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

[0176] Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and / or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device.

[0177] Computer readable program code / instructions for carrying out operations may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects or operations.

[0178] These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing thefunctions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0179] The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0180] The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer readable media according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a microservice(s) module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). The method, computer system, and computer readable medium may include additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than those depicted in the Figures. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executedconcurrently or substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0181] It will be apparent that systems and / or methods, described herein, may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods were described herein without reference to specific software code-it being understood that software and hardware may be designed to implement the systems and / or methods based on the description herein.

[0182] One or more components of the system of the example embodiments (e.g., base station, etc.), as well as the operations associated therewith (e.g., one or more operations in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7, etc.), may be implemented in one or more systems, devices, or hardware components, such as one or more servers, and the like. In the following, descriptions of a system in which the systems or components of the example embodiments may be implemented are provided. It is contemplated that one or more operations or methods described above with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 may be performed by the system. For instance, the one or more operations or methods maybe performed by at least one processor of the system upon executing machine-readable instructions or computer-readable instructions stored in a memory or a storage component of the system.

[0183] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a system 800 for implementing one or more example embodiments. As shown in FIG. 8, the system 800 includes a processor 810, a memory 820, a storage component 830, an input component 840, an output component 850, a communication interface 860, and a bus 870.

[0184] The processor 810, as used herein, means any type of computational circuit that may comprise hardware elements and software elements. The processor 810 may be embodied as a multi-core processor, a single core processor, or a combination of one or more multi-core processorsand one or more single core processors, a distributed processing system, or the like. The processor 810 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or another type of processing component.

[0185] Memory 820 includes a non-transitory computer readable medium. Memory 820 includes a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and / or another type of dynamic or static storage device (e.g., a flash memory, a magnetic memory, and / or an optical memory) that stores information and / or instructions for use by processor 810. The memory 820 comprises machine-readable instructions which are executable by the processor 810. These machine-readable instructions when executed by the processor 810 causes the processor 810 to perform one or more method steps of an embodiment described herein.

[0186] Storage component 830 stores information and / or software related to the operation and use of the system 800. For example, storage component 830 may include a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optic disk, and / or a solid-state disk), a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a floppy disk, a cartridge, a magnetic tape, and / or another type of non-transitory computer-readable medium, along with a corresponding drive.

[0187] Input component 840 is configured to receive information, such as user input. For example, the input component 840 may include, but not be limited to, a touch screen display, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a switch, and / or a microphone. Additionally, or alternatively, the input component 840 may include a sensor for sensing information (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and / or an actuator).

[0188] Output component 850 is configured to provide output information from the system 800. For example, the output component 850 may be, but not limited to, a display, a speaker, an instruction device to an external device, and / or one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[0189] Communication interface 860 is an interface that provides a communication connection to other devices, such as external devices and internal devices. The connection by the communication interface 860 can be a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connections, and can be a direct connection or an indirect connection via a communication network that exists between the system 800 and other devices. In other words, the standard of the communication interface 860 is not limited.

[0190] The bus 870 acts as an interconnect between the processor 810, the memory 820, the storage component 830, the input component 840, the output component 850, and thecommunication interface 860 of the system 800. The bus 870 may include a wired interconnection or a wireless interconnection.

[0191] The number and arrangement of components shown in FIG. 8 are provided as an example. In practice, system 800 may include additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than those shown in FIG. 8. Additionally, or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of system 800 may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of components of system 800. Further, one or more method steps described in any of the embodiments may be performed utilizing a plurality of system 800 in communication with one another.

[0192] Further, according to example embodiments, the system 800 may include one or more elements from the system architecture described above in relation to FIG. 3. For example, the system 800 may include the base station 310.

[0193] In the present disclosure, specific tasks may be performed using AI / ML (Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning) models. An AI / ML model is a model generated using one or more Al technologies, one or more ML algorithm or both, and generates output data based on input data. This output data is used to perform tasks. Tasks performed using AI / ML models include those generally referred to as intellectual tasks, such as classification, prediction, natural language processing, etc.

[0194] Although Al and ML are explained separately, ML is a technology included in Al. In ML, instead of being explicitly programmed for a specific task, systems can improve their performance over time by identifying patterns and making inferences from training data. Typically,the generation of ML models includes data collection, model training, and model inference. Data collection involves gathering and preprocessing data to be used for training and inference. Model training involves developing and validating models using the collected data. Model inference involves applying the trained models to new data to generate new output data and perform tasks.

[0195] Machine learning includes various types of learning methods such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, semi-supervised learning, self-supervised learning, transductive learning, transfer learning, meta learning, and the like. These types of learning methods can be appropriately selected according to the embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the application of types not mentioned in this description is not precluded. Additionally, the structure of ML models may vary depending on the embodiments and learning methods, and is not limited to the methods disclosed. Furthermore, ML includes deep learning, which uses models that include neural networks. Deep learning models may include, for example, deep neural networks (DNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), etc.

[0196] It should be noted that the AI / ML models presented hereinafter are examples and are not limited to the illustrated AI / ML models. They can be modified or altered by using different Al or ML algorithms. The configuration of the neural network is not limited to the configuration disclosed in the present disclosure and can be modified.

[0197] FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of implementation environment 900 in which systems and / or method, described herein, may be implemented. The implementation environment 900 includes a UE (User equipment) 910, a service environment 920, and a network 930. The service environment 920 include one or more sub-environments 921. To illustrate this, FIG. 9shows, for convenience, examples of a 1st sub-environment 921-1, a 2nd sub-environment 921-2, and an N-th sub-environment 921-N (where N is any natural number).

[0198] The UE 910 is connected to the network 930, and the network 930 is connected to the service environment 920. The connections may be wired, wireless, or a combination of both wired and wireless. The UE 910 and the service environment 920 are connected via the network 930.

[0199] The UE 910 is a device that communicates with the service environment 920. The UE 910 receives information from the service environment 920 and / or sends information to the service environment 920. Also, the UE 910 may generate and / or store information to be transmitted, as necessary. Also, the UE 910 may store and / or process information that is received, as necessary.

[0200] The example figure 9 refers to the “UE”. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that general terms such as “user device,” “terminal,” “terminal device,” “communication device,” and “communication terminal” can be used interchangeably with the term “UE.”

[0201] For example, the UE 910 may include a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart speaker, a server, etc.), a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone, a radiotelephone, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., a pair of smart glasses or a smart watch), or a similar device.

[0202] The service environment 920 is an environment that communicates with the UE 910 to provide one or more services. The service environment 920 receives information from theUE 910 and / or sends information to the UE 910. Also, the service environment 920 may generate and / or store information to be transmitted, as necessary. Also, the service environment 920 may store and / or process information that is received, as necessary. For example, the service environment 920 may provide computing resources as one of the services. It should be noted that the service is not limited to being provided to the UE; it may also be provided to devices other than the UE. For example, based on communication from the UE, the service may perform processes such as anomaly detection or traffic analysis and notify the results to a predetermined destination.

[0203] The example figure 9 refers to the “service environment”. The term "service environment" is used to refer to the broader context within which services operate. For example, cloud environments, platforms, computing systems, network systems, and cloud systems generally represent the environments in which services are conducted, and these are included within the "service environment." However, the "service environment" is not limited to these examples. Additionally, the specific types of environments within the "service environment" are not restricted. For instance, cloud environments and cloud systems can be categorized as private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, or multi-cloud, all of which are included within the "service environment.”

[0204] The one or more services provided by the service environment 920 is not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to the embodiments. For example, the services may include a service that provides information to the UE 910, a service that stores information from the UE 910, or a service that performs processing based on information from the UE 910 and returns the results of the processing.

[0205] In an embodiment, the Service Environments 920 may also provide computing resources as the service. The computing resources can be hardware resources and / or software resources. For example, applications, processors, memory, and storage can be included in the provided computing resources. Each computing resource can communicate with other computing resources via wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

[0206] The provided computing resources can be actual resources (also referred to as physical resources) and / or virtual resources. Furthermore, means of virtualization for virtual resources can be selected as appropriate. That is, in this disclosure, the use of adjectives such as "Virtual" or "Virtualized" to describe names does not imply that they are virtualized by a specific means of virtualization. For example, “virtual machine” refers to software that operates like an actual computer, realized through means of virtualization, and it is not intended to exclude those realized by specific means of virtualization such as Hypervisors or Containers. Conversely, when means of virtualization such as Hypervisors or containers are mentioned in this disclosure, it is merely cited as a general method of implementation. It should also be interpreted that embodiments implemented with other virtualization means are also disclosed. Also, the services may also be provided using resources virtualized by different means.

[0207] The service environment 920 includes one or more devices, such as servers and network devices, which provide services or perform processes. The placement of these devices within the service environment 920 can be determined as appropriate. Additionally, if the service environment 920 includes one or more sub-environments 921, the placement of devices can bedetermined based on predetermined policies for each sub-environment 921. For example, devices related to the first service may be placed in the 1st sub-environment 921-1, and devices related to the second service may be placed in the 2nd sub-environment 921-2. In another example, devices expected to have a higher load than a predetermined threshold may be placed in the 1st subenvironment 921-1, while devices expected to have a lower load than the predetermined threshold may be placed in the 2nd sub-environment 921-2. In this way, specific devices can be placed in specific sub -environments 921. Conversely, each sub-environment 921 can be specialized for a particular purpose.

[0208] In an embodiment, all processes executed in a single service may run within a single service environment, or in multiple service environments. Multiple processes executed in a single service could be provided by different service environments.

[0209] The network 930 is a network that exchanges information between the UE 910 and the service environment 920. The network 930 includes one or more wired and / or wireless networks.

[0210] For example, the network 930 may include a cellular network (e.g., a fifth generation (5G) network, a long-term evolution (LTE) network, a third generation (3G) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, etc.), a public land mobile network (PLMN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a telephone network (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), a private network, an ad hoc network, an intranet, the Internet, a fiber optic-based network, or the like, a non-terrestrial network (NTN), and / or a combination of these or other types of networks.

[0211] The network 930 can be a part of a network. For example, in a 5G network that includes a RAN, a transport network, and a core network, the network 930 can be at least one of the RAN, the transport network, or the core network. For example, the service environment 920 could be in the core network, in which case the network 930 could correspond to a network that is a combination of a RAN and a transport network and is part of the 5G network.

[0212] The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown in FIG. 9 are provided as an example. It should be understood that any changes that may be implemented by those skilled in the art, such as the addition or rearrangement of well-known devices or networks at the time of implementation, are included in this disclosure.

[0213] Various further respective aspects and features of embodiments of the present disclosure may be defined by the following items:Item [1]: A system that may include a base station that may be configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (GE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmit, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmit, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.Item [2]: The system according to item [1], wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message may include a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.Item [3]: The system according to one of items [l]-[2], wherein: the base station may be further configured to receive, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; and the message may be transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.Item [4]: The system according to one of items

[0001] -[3], wherein the system may be further configured to: transmit, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam may be associated with a first periodicity; detect a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam may be associated with a second periodicity; and transmit, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.Item [5]: The system according to one of items [l]-[4], wherein the base station may be further configured to broadcast a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.Item [6]: The system according to one of items [l]-[5], wherein the message may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).Item [7]: The system according to one of items

[0001] -[6], wherein the base station and the UE may be communicatively coupled with each other over a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment.Item [8]: A method that may include: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.Item [9]: The method according to item [8], wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message may include a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.Item

[0010] : The method according to one of items [8]-[9], wherein: the method may further include receiving, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; and the message may be transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.Item

[0011] : The method according to one of items [8]-

[0010] , wherein the method may further include: transmitting, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam may be associated with a first periodicity; detecting a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSBbeam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam may be associated with a second periodicity; and transmitting, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.Item

[0012] : The method according to one of items [8]-[l 1], wherein the method may further include broadcasting a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.Item

[0013] : The method according to one of items [8]-

[0012] , wherein the message may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).Item

[0014] : The method according to one of items [8]-[l 3], wherein the method may be performed by a base station that is communicatively coupled to the UE over a nonterrestrial network (NTN) environment.Item

[0015] : A non-transitoiy computer-readable recording medium that may have recorded thereon instructions executable by a system to cause the system to perform a method including: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams; transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; and transmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.Item

[0016] : The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to item

[0015] , wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message may include a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.Item

[0017] : The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to one of items

[0015] -

[0016] , wherein: the method may further include receiving, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; and the message may be transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.Item

[0018] : The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to one of items

[0015] -[l 7], wherein the method may further include: transmitting, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam may be associated with a first periodicity; detecting a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam may be associated with a second periodicity; and transmitting, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.Item

[0019] : The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to one of items

[0015] -

[0018] , wherein the method may further include broadcasting a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.Item

[0020] : The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to one of items

[0015] -

[0019] , wherein the message may be transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).

[0214] It is understood that numerous modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings. It will be apparent that within the scope of the appended clauses, the present disclosures may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.Various Aspects of Embodiments

[0215] 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting#129R2-NTN-SMTC

[0216] Source: Rakuten Mobile Inc

[0217] Title: NTN SMTC

[0218] Agenda item: 8.c.c

[0219] Document for: Discussion and Decision

[0220] Introduction

[0221] With the agreement in RANI to extend SSB periodicities up to 160ms and discussions ongoing regarding a potential 320ms periodicity, it is essential to assess the impact on RAN2 procedures. SMTC (SSB Measurement Timing Configuration) and paging monitoring mechanisms were originally designed for terrestrial NR, assuming an SSB periodicity of 20ms. The transition to longer periodicities in NR-NTN introduces significant challenges, particularly inensuring measurement timing accuracy, paging reception efficiency, and overall UE power management.

[0222] A key consideration is that NTN beams do not always operate with uniform periodicities. Some beams may have shorter SSB periodicities (e.g., 20ms) to support delaysensitive services, while others may use longer intervals (e.g., 160ms) for power-saving purposes. Without a proper mechanism to dynamically adapt SMTC timing and paging synchronization, UEs risk misaligned measurements, increased power consumption, and degraded mobility performance.

[0223] Additionally, legacy UEs (Rel-17 / 18) assume a default periodicity of 20ms and may fail to operate effectively in NTN cells where extended periodicities are used. These devices may experience missed paging occasions, prolonged access delays, and reselection failures, requiring explicit backward compatibility mechanisms to ensure seamless operation.

[0224] This contribution discusses these challenges and proposes enhancements to SMTC handling, paging synchronization, power efficiency, and legacy UE management in NR-NTN.

[0225] Discussion

[0226] SMTC Adaptation for Extended SSB Periodicity

[0227] The current SMTC framework assumes a fixed association between SSB periodicity and measurement timing configurations, making it difficult for UEs to efficiently align their measurement windows with dynamically changing NTN beam parameters. In NTN deployments, beams may operate at different SSB periodicities, potentially leading to cases where a serving beam uses a 20ms periodicity while neighbor beams extend up to 160ms. Thisdiscrepancy can cause UEs to misalign their measurement occasions, leading to unnecessary power consumption and suboptimal reselection timing.

[0228] Furthermore, there is currently no mechanism for dynamically adjusting SMTC parameters in response to anticipated beam transitions or power allocation variations. In scenarios where beams follow predictable movement patterns, enabling the network to preconfigure SMTC adjustments could significantly improve measurement efficiency and reduce UE power drain.

[0229] Observation 1: The existing SMTC framework does not support dynamic adaptation to NTN beam transitions, resulting in inefficient measurement scheduling.

[0230] Proposal 1: RAN2 may consider introducing an SMTC Periodicity Adaptation procedure, allowing the network to dynamically signal SMTC updates to the UE based on predicted beam transitions and SSB periodicity changes.

[0231] Observation 2: NTN beams may operate at varying periodicities, requiring UEs to track measurements at different intervals, leading to increased signaling overhead and power consumption.

[0232] Proposal 2: RAN2 may consider defining a Dual-Tier SMTC Configuration, where UEs maintain a primary SMTC list for the serving beam and a secondary list for neighbor beams, enabling more efficient measurement tracking across multiple periodicities.

[0233] Paging Synchronization for NTN Under Extended Periodicity

[0234] Paging synchronization in NR depends on SSB periodicity to determine paging occasions (POs). In terrestrial NR, paging occasions are derived from fixed, predictable SSB periodicities, ensuring that UEs wake up precisely when paging messages are transmitted.However, in NTN, where periodicities vary significantly and extend up to 160ms or beyond, the current paging mechanisms are insufficient to ensure timely paging reception and efficient power utilization.

[0235] A key issue is paging desynchronization. If a UE expects a paging occasion every 20ms but the actual network paging cycle is aligned to an SSB periodicity of 160ms, the UE may wake up repeatedly searching for a paging message that has not yet arrived. This results in excessive paging monitoring, increased power drain, and potential call setup delays.

[0236] A second issue arises in NTN mobility scenarios. If a UE transitions from a beam operating at a 40ms SSB periodicity to one using 160ms periodicity, the UE may fail to correctly realign its paging monitoring, leading to missed paging messages during mobility transitions. Without an NTN-specific paging synchronization mechanism, UEs will either consume unnecessary power through excessive wake-ups or miss important paging messages, causing service disruptions.

[0237] Observation 2:

[0238] The current paging framework does not account for NTN-specific periodicities, leading to paging desynchronization, increased UE wake-ups, and reduced paging reliability in NTN deployments.

[0239] Proposal 2:

[0240] RAN2 may consider introducing a Paging Offset Adjustment mechanism, allowing UEs to:

[0241] Synchronize paging occasions with NTN-specific SSB periodicities, ensuring reliable paging reception.

[0242] Receive paging synchronization parameters via S1B1 / S1B19, enabling real-time paging alignment based on expected SSB transmission intervals.

[0243] Optimize UE wake-up behavior, reducing unnecessary power consumption caused by excessive paging monitoring.

[0244] 3 Backward Compatibility for Legacy UEs

[0245] Legacy UEs designed under Rel-17 / 18 operate with a default SSB periodicity of 20ms. If these devices attempt to camp on NTN cells using extended periodicities, they may encounter multiple failure scenarios, including:

[0246] Missed system information acquisition - Legacy UEs expecting SIB1 at 20ms intervals may fail to decode system information if SIB1 is transmitted at 160ms periodicity.

[0247] Paging failures - Legacy UEs expecting frequent paging occasions may wake up unnecessarily, draining battery life while still failing to receive the correct paging message.

[0248] Cell reselection failures - If a legacy UE reselects to an NTN cell using extended periodicities, it may not be able to properly measure and decode system information, resulting in prolonged reselection attempts or failure to complete cell selection.

[0249] Observation s:

[0250] Legacy UEs assume shorter SSB periodicities and may not function correctly in NTN deployments operating with extended periodicities, leading to service degradation, paging failures, and access delays.

[0251] Proposal s:

[0252] RAN2 may consider defining an NTN-Specific Legacy UE Handling Mechanism, including:

[0253] RAN2 may consider defining a Legacy UE Compatibility Indication in system information broadcasts (SIB1 / SIB19), allowing legacy UEs to detect unsupported configurations and seamlessly reselect alternative cells.

[0254] An NTN periodicity compatibility indication in system information, ensuring that legacy UEs can determine if they can operate in an NTN deployment before attempting access.

[0255] Conclusion

[0256] References

[0257] R2-2409213 Report from Break-Out Session on NR NTN and loT NTN Session chair (ZTE) discussion

[0258] Draft_Minutes_report_RANl#l 18b_v020.zip

[0259] SMTC Adaptation for Extended SSB Periodicity

[0260] Stage- 1: Conceptual Framework

[0261] The fundamental concept of SMTC Periodicity Offset Mechanism is to allow UEs to dynamically align their measurement timing with SSB transmission schedules in NTN scenarios, where different beams operate at non-uniform periodicities (e.g., 20ms, 40ms, 160ms, or beyond).

[0262] The network signals an SMTC offset per beam in SIB 19, enabling the UE to maintain an accurate measurement schedule.

[0263] UEs store beam-specific periodicity offsets and apply them dynamically when measuring multiple beams with different transmission intervals.

[0264] Power-saving optimizations are introduced by suppressing redundant measurement attempts, ensuring that UEs only wake up when an SSB is expected.

[0265] Stage-2: Standardization-Level Implementation

[0266] To standardize this mechanism, the following updates are proposed in 3GPP NR NTN specifications:

[0267] SMTC Periodicity Offset Configuration in SIB19:

[0268] Define a new Information Element (IE) in SIB 19 to specify SMTC periodicity offsets per beam.

[0269] Allow multiple periodicity configurations for UEs measuring serving and neighbor beams with different periodicities.

[0270] RRC Signaling Updates for SMTC Configuration:

[0271] Extend PUSCH-ConfigCommon in TS 38.331 to allow NTN-specific SMTC configurations.

[0272] Introduce a dynamic SMTC adjustment procedure, where the network signals periodicity updates to UEs based on NTN beam transmission schedules.

[0273] Measurement Timing Adaptation Based on Offset Parameters:

[0274] The UE adjusts its measurement timing dynamically based on beam-specific offsets signaled in system information.

[0275] Define a protocol-level procedure ensuring smooth SMTC transition when a UE moves between beams with different periodicities.

[0276] Stage-3: Protocol-Level Adaptation in RRC, MAC, and PHY Layers

[0277] RRC (TS 38.331) Modifications:

[0278] Introduce a new RRC IE that signals SMTC Periodicity Offset per beam.

[0279] Enable dynamic updates to SMTC periodicity via RRCReconfiguration messages.

[0280] MAC (TS 38.321) Scheduling Adjustments:

[0281] Allow UEs to request periodicity offset updates via MAC control signaling if beam periodicity changes dynamically.

[0282] PHY (TS 38.213, TS 38.215) Enhancements:

[0283] Define measurement window alignment rules based on periodicity offsets.

[0284] Implement adaptive measurement timing in PHY layer to support different SSB periodicities per beam.

[0285] 2. Paging Synchronization for NTN Under Extended Periodicity

[0286] Stage-1: Conceptual Framework

[0287] To ensure UEs receive paging messages efficiently under extended periodicities, an NTN-specific Paging Offset Adjustment Mechanism is introduced.

[0288] The network signals paging offsets per beam, ensuring UE wake-up cycles align with actual paging occasions.

[0289] Paging synchronization parameters are dynamically updated when UEs transition between beams with different periodicities.

[0290] Power-saving optimizations allow UEs to suppress unnecessary paging wake-ups, improving energy efficiency.

[0291] Stage-2: Standardization-Level Implementation

[0292] Paging Offset Configuration in SIB1 / SIB19:

[0293] Define a new Paging Offset parameter in system information to adjust wake-up cycles.

[0294] Introduce paging occasion alignment signaling, allowing UEs to determine the optimal wake-up timing based on NTN beam periodicities.

[0295] DRX Adaptation for NTN Paging Synchronization:

[0296] Extend PCCH-Config in TS 38.331 to allow paging synchronization adaptation based on network conditions.

[0297] Define DRX paging cycle adaptation, where UEs dynamically modify their sleepwake cycles based on periodicity updates.

[0298] Handover Paging Coordination Across Beams:

[0299] Introduce a paging re-synchronization mechanism when UEs transition between beams with different periodicities.

[0300] Ensure UEs do not miss paging messages when moving between beams operating at different SSB periodicities.

[0301] Stage-3 : Protocol -Level Adaptation in RRC, MAC, and PHY Layers

[0302] RRC (TS 38.331) Modifications:

[0303] Introduce paging offset parameters to ensure wake-up cycles align with extended SSB periodicities.

[0304] Define a paging re-synchronization procedure to allow seamless mobility between NTN beams.

[0305] MAC (TS 38.321) Enhancements:

[0306] Allow UEs to dynamically adjust DRX cycles based on paging offset signaling.

[0307] PHY (TS 38.214) Paging Synchronization Enhancements:

[0308] Define paging occasion alignment rules for UEs operating under different beam periodicities.

[0309] 3. Backward Compatibility for Legacy UEs

[0310] Stage- 1 : Conceptual Framework

[0311] Legacy UEs designed for Rel-17 / 18 assume a fixed SSB periodicity of 20ms, and may fail to operate in NTN cells where periodicities extend up to 160ms or beyond. The NTN-Specific Legacy UE Handling Mechanism ensures backward compatibility by:

[0312] Preventing legacy UEs from camping on NTN cells with extended periodicities.

[0313] Introducing paging fallback configurations, allowing legacy UEs to adapt paging cycles dynamically.

[0314] Ensuring system information acquisition remains consistent, reducing access failures.

[0315] Stage-2: Standardization-Level Implementation

[0316] Barring Mechanism in SIB 1:

[0317] Introduce a barring indicator in SIB1, preventing legacy UEs from selecting NTN cells with extended periodicities.

[0318] Ensure the barring mechanism applies only to UEs that do not support extended periodicities.

[0319] Paging Fallback Configurations:

[0320] Extend PCCH-Config to allow legacy UEs to maintain compatibility with NTN-specific paging schedules.

[0321] System Information Adaptation for Legacy UEs:

[0322] Allow fallback SIB1 / SIB19 configurations ensuring that legacy UEs can access necessary system information.

[0323] Stage-3: Protocol-Level Adaptation in RRC, MAC, and PHY Layers

[0324] RRC (TS 38.331) Modifications:

[0325] Introduce legacy UE compatibility indicators, allowing networks to dynamically adjust configurations.

[0326] MAC (TS 38.321) Paging Handling Enhancements:

[0327] Allow legacy UEs to operate with periodicity-aware paging adaptation.

[0328] PHY (TS 38.214) Synchronization Mechanisms:

[0329] Define legacy-specific paging handling strategies to ensure continued NTN service.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:a base station configured to:transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams; determine a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams;transmit, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; andtransmit, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message comprises a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:the base station is further configured to receive, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; andthe message is transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:transmit, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam is associated with a first periodicity;detect a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam is associated with a second periodicity; andtransmit, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the base station is further configured to broadcast a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the base station and the UE are communicatively coupled with each other over a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment.

8. A method comprising:transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams;determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams;transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; andtransmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message comprises a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein:the method further comprises receiving, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; andthe message is transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises: transmitting, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam is associated with a first periodicity;detecting a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam is associated with a second periodicity; andtransmitting, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises broadcasting a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the message is transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method is performed by a base station that is communicatively coupled to the UE over a non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by a system to cause the system to perform a method comprising:transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a synchronization signal block (SSB) measurement timing configuration (SMTC) specifying information associated with a plurality of periodicities associated with a plurality of SSB beams;determining a plurality of updated periodicities associated with the plurality of SSB beams;transmitting, to the UE, a message specifying information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities; andtransmitting, to the UE, the plurality of SSB beams based on the associated plurality of updated periodicities.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the information associated with the plurality of updated periodicities specified in the message comprises a plurality of offsets between the plurality of periodicities and the plurality of updated periodicities.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein:the method further comprises receiving, from the UE, an SMTC periodicity update request; andthe message is transmitted to the UE in response to receiving the SMTC periodicity update request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:transmitting, to the UE, a paging message via a first SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the first SSB beam is associated with a first periodicity;detecting a beam transition of the UE from the first SSB beam to a second SSB beam of the plurality of SSB beams, wherein the second SSB beam is associated with a second periodicity; andtransmitting, to the UE, a paging offset notification indicating the second periodicity of the second SSB beam.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises broadcasting a capability notification specifying a capability requirement associated with the plurality of updated periodicities.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the message is transmitted to the UE via an information element (IE) of a system information block (SIB).

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