Uplink Timing Accuracy via Alternative Reference Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems face challenges in maintaining uplink transmission timing accuracy due to signal attenuation and blockages in complex environments, particularly when synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) are not available within active bandwidth parts (BWP), leading to increased power consumption and throughput degradation.
Innovation Solution
A method where user equipment (UE) detects and utilizes other types of reference signals, such as tracking reference signals (TRS) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS), within an active BWP to derive uplink transmission timing and accuracy requirements, allowing for accurate timing without relying solely on SSBs, and communicates this to the network entity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the UE relies on SSBs for deriving uplink transmission timing, then timing accuracy can be maintained, but power consumption increases and throughput degrades when SSBs are not available within active BWP
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the functionality of reference signals by enabling multiple types of RS (SSB, TRS, CSI-RS) to serve the same purpose of deriving uplink transmission timing. The UE can selectively use any available RS type within the active BWP, making the timing derivation mechanism universal and not dependent on a single RS type, thereby reducing power consumption when SSBs are unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of RS type selection dynamically based on availability. When SSBs are not available within the active BWP, the UE transitions to using alternative RS types (TRS or CSI-RS). This parameter change allows the system to maintain timing accuracy while adapting to different signal availability conditions, avoiding unnecessary power consumption associated with searching for unavailable SSBs.
2Measurement precision
If the UE searches for SSBs outside active BWP to maintain timing accuracy, then timing can be derived, but measurement complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the timing derivation function from the exclusive domain of SSBs and applies it to multiple RS types within the active BWP. By taking out the dependency on SSBs and replacing it with alternative RS types that are already present in the active BWP, the system eliminates the need for complex measurement gap management and BWP switching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces alternative reference signals (TRS and CSI-RS) as intermediaries to fulfill the timing derivation function. These intermediary RS types serve as substitutes for SSBs, allowing the UE to derive timing accuracy without directly searching for SSBs outside the active BWP, thereby simplifying the measurement process and reducing device complexity.
3Reliability
If the network configures multiple RS types for timing derivation, then reliability improves, but device complexity and configuration management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic RS selection mechanism where the UE adaptively chooses the appropriate RS type based on availability within the active BWP. The system transitions from static SSB-only timing derivation to dynamic multi-RS type selection, improving reliability by ensuring timing can always be derived from available signals while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized derivation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the network to manage complex configurations for multiple RS types, the patent inverts the approach by enabling the UE to autonomously select from available RS types. This inversion simplifies network configuration management while maintaining reliability, as the UE independently determines which RS type (SSB, TRS, or CSI-RS) to use for timing derivation based on what is available in the active BWP.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE). The UE detects at least one of a first type of reference signal (RS) or a second type of RS within an active bandwidth part (BWP). The UE then derives uplink (UL) transmission timing and corresponding accuracy requirement, based on which type of RS was detected. The UE then transmits UL signals based on the derived UL transmission timing and the corresponding accuracy requirement.