UE Timing Misalignment Reporting for Non-Terrestrial Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

In non-terrestrial wireless communication networks, timing misalignment between uplink and downlink timelines at user equipment (UE) leads to collisions and inefficiencies due to the satellite's unawareness of the timing misalignment, resulting in dropped or delayed communications.

Innovation Solution

User equipment determines timing misalignment information and transmits it to the satellite, enabling the satellite to schedule and configure communications to avoid collisions and optimize transmission/reception timing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the satellite does not know about timing misalignment, then device complexity is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to collisions and dropped communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesatellite timing awareness complexityVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the user equipment measures timing misalignment between uplink and downlink timelines and reports this information to the satellite. The satellite uses this feedback to adjust scheduling and configuration, thereby resolving the contradiction by maintaining simplicity while improving reliability through informed decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If timing misalignment is not reported, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases due to dropped and delayed communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidcommunication efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The user equipment autonomously measures and determines timing misalignment information without requiring complex manual configuration or satellite-initiated measurements. The UE self-services by detecting its own timing conditions and proactively reporting them, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while improving communication productivity through automatic optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If uplink signals are compensated for timing misalignment, then communication reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to additional timing adjustment mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidtiming adjustment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic timing adjustment where the UE applies different timing compensation strategies based on the reported misalignment conditions. The system dynamically adapts uplink signal transmission parameters according to the measured timing differences, improving reliability without requiring complex fixed adjustment mechanisms by using conditional, adaptive timing control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12369130B2User equipment timing misalignment reporting in non-terrestrial networks

Publication Date: 2025.07.22 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may determine timing misalignment information for a timing misalignment between an uplink timeline and a downlink timeline associated with a non-terrestrial cell. The UE may transmit the timing misalignment information to a satellite associated with the non-terrestrial cell. Numerous other aspects are described.