NR SI Narrowband Paging for Reduced-Bandwidth Device Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing telecommunications networks face challenges in supporting reduced capability New Radio (NR) devices with narrower bandwidths without constraining legacy NR devices, necessitating mechanisms for efficient SI acquisition and paging that enhance coverage and robustness against flat fading.

Innovation Solution

Proposed solutions include repetition-based coverage enhancements, frequency hopping between narrow bands, dynamic and semi-static scheduling, and on-demand request mechanisms for SI and paging transmissions in reduced capability NR devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If reduced capability NR devices use a narrow bandwidth (24 RBs or less) for SI and Paging reception, then device cost and complexity are reduced, but legacy NR devices are constrained to use the same narrow bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth capabilityVSAvoidbandwidth flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the bandwidth usage by introducing a specific search space (search space 0) dedicated to reduced capability devices for SI and Paging reception. This segmentation allows legacy devices to continue using the full bandwidth while reduced capability devices utilize the segmented narrow bandwidth portion, resolving the contradiction between device complexity reduction and bandwidth flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by configuring specific parameters (search space 0, monitoring occasions, bandwidth) tailored to reduced capability devices' needs. This localized configuration enables these devices to operate efficiently with narrow bandwidth while legacy devices maintain their full bandwidth capabilities, preventing the narrow bandwidth constraint from affecting all devices uniformly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If reduced capability NR devices monitor SI and Paging on a narrow bandwidth, then coverage is improved through repetition and frequency hopping, but transmission robustness against flat fading deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecoverageVSAvoidflat fading susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action through frequency hopping across multiple narrow bands for SI and Paging transmissions. By periodically changing the frequency location of these transmissions, the system mitigates flat fading effects that would otherwise affect the entire narrow bandwidth continuously, thereby improving transmission robustness while maintaining coverage through repetition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple monitoring occasions and frequency locations for SI and Paging transmissions before actual communication occurs. This allows reduced capability devices to have multiple predetermined opportunities to receive transmissions, ensuring coverage reliability while the frequency hopping across pre-configured locations protects against flat fading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12513600B2SI acquisition and paging for reduced capability NR devices

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS INC

AI summary

Methods for a reduced capability New Radio (NR) device to acquire System Information (SI) transmitted by a cell, where a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message comprised of one or more Bandwidth Reduced System Information Blocks (e.g., SIB1-BR, SIB2-BR, etc.) is received by the NR device using an SI Narrowband.