PRACH Occasion Mapping for RACH Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in New Radio (NR) networks, face latency issues during User Equipment (UE) access to Random Access Channel (RACH) procedures due to competition among multiple operators for channel access, leading to increased latency in connecting UE to next-generation Node B.
Innovation Solution
The method involves configuring Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) to map Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) occasions to public land mobile network identifications (PLMN-IDs) for each operator, allowing the host operator to broadcast PLMN-IDs and PRACH occasions in System Information messages, enabling UE to access allocated PRACH occasions based on its subscribed operator, thereby reducing latency by directing the RACH procedure to the appropriate operator's resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple operators share the same NR cell site resources, then resource utilization is improved, but RACH access latency increases due to competition among operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shared NR cell site resources by creating separate PRACH occasion subsets for different operators. Each operator is assigned specific PRACH occasions within the uplink transmission, allowing UEs to directly access their operator's dedicated resources without competing with other operators, thus reducing access latency while maintaining resource sharing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring and broadcasting the mapping between PLMN-IDs and PRACH occasion subsets before the actual RACH procedure. The host operator broadcasts this mapping information in system information messages, enabling UEs to identify and directly access their operator's allocated PRACH occasions without delay, thereby reducing access latency
2Loss of time
If separate RACH procedures are maintained for each operator, then access latency is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by implementing a unified RACH procedure that handles multiple operators through a single standardized process. The host operator manages all PRACH occasions and broadcasts a mapping that enables UEs to identify their operator's resources within this unified framework, avoiding the need for separate RACH procedures for each operator while still achieving reduced access latency
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for performing a Random Access Channel (RACH) procedure is provided. The method includes configuring a plurality of Bandwidths Parts (BWPs) to one or more Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) occasions mapped to a public land mobile network identification (PLMN-ID) of a set of different PLMN-IDs, each different PLMN-ID is assigned with at least one operator of a set of operators; assigning each PRACH occasion within an uplink (UL) transmission wherein each PRACH occasion is allocated by the host operator to at least one operator; separating each PRACH occasion of a set of PRACH occasions based on each PLMN-ID of the set of PLMN-IDs; and enabling a User Equipment (UE) operating at a cell site of the RACH procedure via at least one PRACH occasion allocated by the host operator based on the PLMN-ID that has been mapped to subscribers for at least one operator.