Sidelink Absolute Time Correction via Ranging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems lack an effective method for accurately distributing absolute time over sidelink connections, leading to propagation delay errors that affect the synchronization and accuracy of communications between devices, especially in scenarios where devices operate out of network coverage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves performing a ranging session on a sidelink connection to obtain propagation delay, allowing for either pre-compensation or post-compensation of absolute time, ensuring that both devices have the same correct absolute time, either by correcting the absolute time before transmission or by the receiving device calculating the correction based on the received uncorrected time and propagation delay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If absolute time is distributed over sidelink connections without correction, then the distribution process is simple, but propagation delay errors occur that affect synchronization accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a ranging session before absolute time distribution to pre-obtain propagation delay measurements. This preliminary action enables the transmitting device to calculate and apply propagation delay compensation in advance, ensuring synchronization accuracy without adding complexity to the actual time distribution process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces propagation delay compensation as an intermediary correction mechanism. By measuring and compensating for propagation delays through a dedicated ranging session, the system eliminates timing errors that would otherwise occur during absolute time distribution, achieving both accuracy and operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If propagation delay compensation is performed through ranging sessions, then synchronization accuracy improves, but processing and signaling resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies propagation delay compensation selectively rather than universally. Ranging sessions and compensation mechanisms are activated only when required for specific sidelink connections, particularly in scenarios where synchronization accuracy is critical, thereby avoiding unnecessary consumption of processing and signaling resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the use of propagation delay compensation based on operational parameters and requirements. By changing the activation state of ranging sessions and compensation mechanisms according to specific communication scenarios, the system optimizes the balance between reliability improvement and resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a first sidelink device may obtain an absolute time. The first sidelink device may perform a ranging session on a first sidelink connection with a second sidelink device to obtain a first propagation delay between the first sidelink device and the second sidelink device. The first device may generate a first corrected absolute time for the second sidelink device based at least in part on the absolute time and the first propagation delay such that the second sidelink device will also have the absolute time. The first sidelink device may transmit the first corrected absolute time to the second sidelink device in a first message on the first sidelink connection. Numerous other aspects are described.