SSB Structure Bandwidth Reduction for High Subcarrier Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing SSB structure in wireless communications, particularly for high subcarrier spacing, requires wider bandwidth and increased processing power for User Equipment (UE) initial access, limiting the number of SSBs and beamforming gain, and necessitates wideband operations or frequent frequency switching, which affects coverage and resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Proposed SSB patterns with reduced bandwidth that adapt frequency and time resources based on subcarrier spacing, incorporating repetition of PSS/SSS/PBCH signals to enhance downlink coverage, allowing for more low-end user support and increased SSB beams without sacrificing payload bits, and configuring SSB/CORESET multiplexing patterns to optimize bandwidth and time domain resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the existing SSB structure is used for high subcarrier spacing, then the bandwidth and processing power requirements for UE initial access increase, but the number of SSBs and beamforming gain are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The SSB structure is segmented into multiple parts (PSS, SSS, PBCH) that can be independently configured and repeated across different time-frequency resources. This segmentation allows the system to distribute SSB transmissions across multiple beams and time instances, increasing the total number of SSBs without requiring proportional increases in instantaneous bandwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic repetition of SSB structures in time domain with different beam directions. By transmitting SSBs periodically across multiple slots and frames with different beamforming configurations, the system increases the number of SSB beams while maintaining consistent bandwidth requirements through time-domain spreading rather than frequency-domain expansion.
2Power
If the existing SSB structure is used for high subcarrier spacing, then the bandwidth requirement increases, but the beamforming gain is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple SSB transmissions with different beamforming configurations into a coordinated set of periodic transmissions. By combining spatial diversity (different beams) with temporal diversity (repetition across slots), the system achieves enhanced beamforming gain through constructive combining at the receiver while maintaining efficient bandwidth utilization through reuse of frequency resources across time.
3Reliability
If wideband operations are performed for initial access, then the minimum required bandwidth for UE increases, but coverage and resource utilization are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic beamforming configurations where the same SSB structure is transmitted with different beam directions across multiple time instances. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different spatial channels and coverage requirements without changing the fundamental bandwidth allocation, enabling improved coverage through spatial diversity rather than frequency-domain expansion.
4Productivity
If frequent frequency switching is performed, then the resource utilization decreases, but the existing SSB structure requires wideband operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the SSB structure to serve multiple purposes through self-service mechanisms: the same frequency resources are reused across multiple time instances for different beam directions, and the periodic structure allows UEs to autonomously track and decode SSBs without frequent network-controlled frequency switching. This reduces resource utilization overhead while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for Synchronization Signal/Physical Broadcast Channel Block (“SSB”) pattern enhancements. One apparatus includes a processor and a transceiver that receives a SSB structure comprising more than four time domain symbols. Here, the SSB structure includes at least one time domain symbol for each of a Primary Synchronization Signal (“PSS”) and a Secondary Synchronization Signal (“SSS”). The SSB structure also includes multiple time domain symbols for a Physical Broadcast Channel (“PBCH”). The processor performs cell search based on the received SSB structure and accesses a first cell based on the received SSB structure.