PBCH SS Block Index Decoding for Faster mmWave Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solutions for acquiring a network in wireless communication systems, particularly in mmW frequencies, are deficient in synchronizing user equipment (UE) with base stations due to increased signal attenuation, and existing methods lack efficient techniques for combining codewords from different synchronization signal blocks.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves communicating a synchronization signal block index in a physical broadcast channel payload, allowing UE to synchronize with base stations by determining the timing of SS blocks and combining codewords from different blocks, even if they have different content, by using timing indicators and inter-block time durations to reduce the number of hypotheses and improve decoding metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SS block index is included in PBCH payload to enable UE to determine timing and synchronize with base station, then synchronization capability is improved, but PBCH payload content varies between SS blocks requiring complex combining techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the SS blocks into groups based on their timing relationships and SS block indices. By dividing the combining operation into smaller manageable segments (groups of SS blocks with known timing relationships), the complexity of combining codewords with varying PBCH payloads is reduced while maintaining synchronization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary classification of SS blocks based on their timing relationships and indices before the combining operation. By pre-organizing SS blocks into groups with known timing relationships, the subsequent combining process becomes more efficient and less complex, as the structure is already prepared.
2Productivity
If conventional network acquisition methods are used in mmW systems, then UE can attempt to acquire network, but increased signal attenuation and lack of efficient combining techniques result in slow acquisition speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges codewords from multiple SS blocks that have known timing relationships by exploiting the linear encoding structure. This combining operation effectively increases the signal strength and improves reception reliability, counteracting the harmful effects of signal attenuation in mmW systems and enabling faster network acquisition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach by incorporating SS block index information into the combining process. By using the index to identify timing relationships and organize SS blocks into groups, the system transforms the problem of varying payloads into an opportunity for structured combining, improving acquisition speed despite attenuation.
3Reliability
If SS blocks are transmitted with duplicative signals on different beams to overcome path loss, then signal coverage is improved, but UE must process multiple SS blocks with different PBCH payloads increasing decoding complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the set of SS blocks received on different beams into groups based on their timing relationships and SS block indices. This segmentation reduces the decoding complexity by organizing the processing into smaller, structured groups rather than treating all SS blocks uniformly, while maintaining the coverage improvement from multi-beam transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) receives a first synchronization signal (SS) block including a first codeword and a second SS block including a second codeword. Each codeword is based on a linear encoding of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) payload. The PBCH payloads include different timing indicators. The SS blocks are received at different times separated by a time increment. The UE determines, based on the time increment, one or more hypotheses of combined decoding metrics for the first codeword and the second codeword, and decodes the first codeword based on each of at least one hypothesis in the one or more hypotheses. The at least one hypothesis includes a correct hypothesis. The UE determines the first codeword based on an error detection procedure such as CRC verification performed when decoding the first codeword based on the correct hypothesis.