SSB Index Extension for Large-Scale Cell Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication protocols are limited to supporting a maximum of 64 beams, which is insufficient for large-scale cells, such as satellite cells, resulting in incomplete coverage and reliability issues for initial access.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating and sending more than 64 SSBs, with each SSB carrying an index, to support full-area coverage in large-scale cells. This is achieved by sending N SSBs on first resources, control resource sets CORESETs 0 on second resources, and system messages SIBs 1 on third resources, with fixed time-frequency offsets between these resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the maximum quantity of supported SSBs is increased from 64 to Lmax (>64), then the coverage area and reliability of initial access are improved, but the signaling resources required for transmitting SSB indexes become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the SSB index from 6 bits (0-63) to 10 bits (0-1023), adding 4 additional bits to represent indexes beyond 64. This dimensional extension in the index space allows supporting Lmax (>64) SSBs while maintaining the same signaling structure, thereby resolving the contradiction between increased coverage reliability and signaling resource sufficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of SSB quantity from the conventional maximum of 64 to Lmax (>64), and相应地 changes the SSB index bit length from 6 bits to 10 bits. This parameter change enables the system to support more beams for large-scale cell coverage while using the extended index range to efficiently utilize available signaling resources
2Area of stationary object
If more than 64 SSBs are supported to cover large-scale cells, then the coverage area is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the SSB transmission into multiple SSBs with distinct indexes (0 to Lmax-1), where each SSB can be independently configured and transmitted. This segmentation allows the system to cover large-scale cells by dividing the coverage area into multiple beam segments, each represented by an SSB, thereby managing complexity through structured division rather than monolithic transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary configuration of SSB parameters including setting Lmax (>64), configuring the 10-bit SSB index range, and pre-defining the relationship between SSB indexes and coverage areas. This preliminary action prepares the system in advance to handle large-scale cell coverage, reducing runtime complexity and enabling efficient beam management across extended coverage areas
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a communication method and apparatus, to resolve a problem that a quantity of supported beams in an existing solution is limited and therefore a large-scale cell cannot be fully covered, thereby improving reliability of initial access of terminal devices in the large-scale cell. The communication method and apparatus are applicable to various communication systems, for example, an NTN system, a satellite communication system, an aerial platform communication system, an uncrewed aerial vehicle communication system, a 5G system, an internet of vehicles system, and a V2X system. The method includes: generating N SSBs, where N≤Lmax, Lmax>64, Lmax is a maximum quantity of supported sent SSBs, and N is a quantity of SSBs actually sent in one SSB cycle; and sending the N SSBs, where the N SSBs each carry an index i, and i is one of {0, 1, . . . , N−1}.