Patent Description:
One example of such a multiple access technology is Long-Term Evolution (LTE). <CIT> relates to a method and apparatus for processing advanced long term evolution (LTE-A) system information (SI). <CIT> relates to a method and apparatus for use in a wireless transmit receive unit for receiving system information.

A wireless communication network, such as LTE, may include a number of base stations (BSs) that can support communication for a number of user equipment (UEs). System information blocks (SIBs) can refer to information sent to the UE from the BS that can include access information (e.g., in a SIB1) and/or other information for communication between UEs and the BS (e.g., in one or more other types of SIB). In LTE, SIB1 is broadcast at fixed time locations, and other SIBs are broadcast according to their scheduling information in SIB1. NR is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lowering costs, improving services, making use of new spectrum, and better integrating with other open standards. Scheduling of SIBs in NR can differ from SIB scheduling in LTE to enable more efficient use of UE and network resources.

So that the above-recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to aspects, some of which are illustrated in the drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the description may admit to other equally effective aspects.

Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

While aspects and embodiments are described in this application by illustration to some examples, those skilled in the art will understand that additional implementations and use cases may come about in many different arrangements and scenarios. Innovations described herein may be implemented across many differing platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, packaging arrangements. For example, embodiments and/or uses may come about via integrated chip embodiments and/or other non-module-component based devices (e.g., end-user devices, vehicles, communication devices, computing devices, industrial equipment, retail/purchasing devices, medical devices, AI-enabled devices, and/or the like). While some examples may or may not be specifically directed to use cases or applications, a wide assortment of applicability of described innovations may occur. Implementations may range a spectrum from chip-level or modular components to non-modular, non-chip-level implementations and further to aggregate, distributed, or original equipment manufacturer devices or systems incorporating one or more aspects of the described innovations. In some practical settings, devices incorporating described aspects and features may also necessarily include additional components and features for implementation and practice of claimed and described embodiments. For example, transmission and reception of wireless signals necessarily includes a number of components for analog and digital purposes (e.g., hardware components including one or more antennas, radio frequency chains, power amplifiers, modulators, buffers, processors, interleavers, adders/summers, and/or the like). It is intended that innovations described herein may be practiced in a wide variety of devices, chip-level components, systems, distributed arrangements, end-user devices, etc. of varying sizes, shapes, and constitution.

A UE may be a cellular phone (e.g., a smart phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a tablet, a camera, a gaming device, a netbook, a smartbook, an ultrabook, a medical device or equipment, a biometric sensor or device, a wearable device (smart watches, smart clothing, smart glasses, smart wrist bands, smart jewelry (e.g., smart ring, smart bracelet)), an entertainment device (e.g., a music or video device, or a satellite radio), a vehicular component or sensor, a smart meter or sensor, industrial manufacturing equipment, a global positioning system device, or any other suitable device that is configured to communicate via a wireless or wired medium.

Some UEs may be considered Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and/or may be implemented as NB-IoT (narrowband internet of things) devices.

Other examples may differ from what was described with regard to <FIG>.

Each modulator <NUM> may process a respective output symbol stream (e.g., for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and/or the like) to obtain an output sample stream.

Controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform one or more techniques associated with SI scheduling, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG> and/or other processes as described herein. Memories <NUM> and <NUM> may store data and program codes for base station <NUM> and UE <NUM>, respectively. In one example, memory <NUM> of the UE <NUM> can be a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions for wireless communication, where the one or more instructions cause one or more processors, e.g., processor controller/processor <NUM> and/or receive processor <NUM>, to cause the one or more processors to perform one or more aspects as described in <FIG>, one or more aspects of processor <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein.

In some aspects, UE <NUM> may include means for receiving an SI message in an overlapped scheduling window, means for identifying the SI message based at least in part on at least one of DCI for the SI message, an SI-RNTI of the SI message, a time location of the SI message in the overlapped scheduling window, a search space for the DCI, or a combination thereof, and/or the like. In some aspects, such means may include one or more components of UE <NUM> described in connection with <FIG>. More specifically, means for receiving the SI message can, but not necessarily, include antenna <NUM>, DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like. Additionally, means for identifying the SI message can, but not necessarily, include receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like.

Each subframe may have a predetermined duration (e.g., <NUM>) and may include a set of slots (e.g., <NUM>m slots per subframe are shown in <FIG>, where m is a numerology used for a transmission, such as <NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or the like). In some aspects, a scheduling unit for the FDD may frame-based, subframe-based, slot-based, symbol-based, and/or the like.

As further shown, each SS burst may include one or more SS blocks (identified as SS block <NUM> through SS block (bmax_SS-<NUM>), where bmax_SS is a maximum number of SS blocks that can be carried by an SS burst).

Other examples may differ from what was described with regard to <FIG> and <FIG>.

Each resource block may cover a set to of subcarriers (e.g., <NUM> subcarriers) in one slot and may include a number of resource elements.

An interlace structure may be used for each of the downlink and uplink for FDD in certain telecommunications systems (e.g., NR). For example, Q interlaces with indices of <NUM> through Q - <NUM> may be defined, where Q may be equal to <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or some other value. Each interlace may include slots that are spaced apart by Q frames. In particular, interlace q may include slots q, q + Q, q + 2Q, etc., where q ∈ {<NUM>,.

Received signal quality may be quantified by a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), or a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or some other metric.

New Radio (NR) may refer to radios configured to operate according to a new air interface (e.g., other than Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiple Access (OFDMA)-based air interfaces) or fixed transport layer (e.g., other than Internet Protocol (IP)). In aspects, NR may utilize OFDM with a CP (herein referred to as cyclic prefix OFDM or CP-OFDM) and/or SC-FDM on the uplink, may utilize CP-OFDM on the downlink and include support for half-duplex operation using time division duplexing (TDD).

MIMO configurations in the downlink (DL) may support up to <NUM> transmit antennas with multi-layer DL transmissions up to <NUM> streams and up to <NUM> streams per UE.

A BS may provide system information (SI) for UEs covered by the BS. SI may include physical layer information (e.g., in a master information block), access information (e.g., in a SIB1), and/or other information for communication between UEs and the BS (e.g., in one or more other types of SIB). One or more SIBs may be carried in an SI message. For example, SIB1 may be carried alone in an SI message, and one or more other SIBs may be carried in another SI message.

An SI message carrying SIB1 may be transmitted at fixed time locations, which may facilitate identification of SIB <NUM>. In a legacy approach, SIB1 carries scheduling information for later SI messages, and the later SI messages are transmitted in non-overlapping scheduling windows (e.g., scheduling windows that do not overlap each other or the window of SIB1). Thus, when the UE receives downlink control information (DCI) identifying an SI message, the UE may know which SI message is being scheduled based at least in part on the scheduling windows as indicated by the scheduling information of SIB1.

In some radio access technologies, such as <NUM>/NR, an overlapped scheduling window may be permitted. For example, the scheduling window for a first SI message may at least partially overlap the scheduling window of a second SI message. As a result, when an SI message is received in an overlapped scheduling window, a UE may be unable to determine to which scheduling window the SI message belongs without first decoding the SI message. For example, the UE may be unable to determine whether the UE is receiving the first SI message or the second SI message in the overlapped scheduling window.

It may be desirable to determine which SI message is received before decoding the SI message. For example, this may allow soft combining across repetitions of SI messages, and may conserve resources that would be used to decode an irrelevant SIB.

Some techniques and apparatuses described herein identify an SI message based at least in part on DCI for the SI message, a search space in which the DCI is detected, a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) associated with the SI message, a time location of the SI message, and/or a combination of the above. Thus, a UE may determine which SI message is received, which improves efficiency of communication of the UE, enables soft combining, and conserves resources that would be used to decode irrelevant SI messages, particularly when the SI message is received in an overlapped scheduling window.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example <NUM> of SI scheduling using overlapped scheduling windows, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

As shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, a BS <NUM> may provide DCI for an SI message, and a UE <NUM> may receive the DCI for the SI message. For example, the DCI may identify a resource allocation for the SI message. In some aspects, the DCI may include one or more bits that indicate a type of the SI message. For example, the DCI may include one or more spare bits. In some aspects, the one or more bits may use a first value for a first SI message (e.g., an SI message containing a SIB1), and a second value for a second SI message (e.g., an SI message containing a SIB other than a SIB1). In some aspects, the one or more bits may have a different value for each SI message that can be received by the UE <NUM> (e.g., to distinguish between different SI messages).

In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may provide configuration information (e.g., radio resource control information and/or the like) indicating a mapping between values of the one or more bits and SI message types. In some aspects, the DCI may indicate SI message types for multiple, different messages. For example, the DCI may include a bitmap and/or the like that indicates the SI message types for the multiple, different messages. In some aspects, the DCI may indicate SI message types of each SI message granted by the DCI. In some aspects, the DCI may indicate SI message types for a subset of SI messages granted by the DCI.

In some aspects, the DCI may be provided in a particular search space. The search space may indicate which type of SI message is granted by the DCI. For example, the BS <NUM> may provide the DCI in a first search space when a first type of SI message (e.g., an SI message containing SIB1) is granted by the DCI, and may provide the DCI in a second search space when a second type of SI message (e.g., an SI message containing another SIB, an SI message containing a particular SIB other than SIB1, an SI message containing a particular set of SIBs, etc.).

As shown by reference number <NUM>, in some aspects, the BS <NUM> may provide the SI message in an overlapped scheduling window. For example, the BS <NUM> may provide the SI message using the resources granted by the DCI. As further shown, the SI message may be associated with an SI-RNTI. The SI-RNTI may be used for broadcasting system information. For example, the SI message may be scrambled using the SI-RNTI. In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may provide the SI message using a particular SI-RNTI, which may indicate a type of the SI message. For example, the BS <NUM> may use a first SI-RNTI to scramble an SI message of a first type (e.g., a SIB1), and may use a second SI-RNTI to scramble an SI message of a second type (e.g., a SIB other than a SIB1).

In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may provide the SI message in a particular time location. For example, the BS <NUM> may provide the SI message in a particular time location that indicates a type of the SI message. In such a case, the BS <NUM> may provide a first type of SI message (e.g., a SIB1) in a first time location or a first portion of the overlapped window, and may provide a second type of SI message (e.g., a SIB other than a SIB1) in a second time location or a second portion of the overlapped window.

As shown by reference number <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message. For example, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message (e.g., a type of the SI message, a content of the SI message, one or more SIBs included in the SI message, etc.) based at least in part on at least one of the DCI, the SI-RNTI, a time location of the SI message, or a search space of the DCI. Each of these approaches is described in turn below and may be used alone or in any combination.

In some aspects, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message based at least in part on the DCI. For example, the UE <NUM> may determine a value of one or more bits of the DCI, and may identify the SI message based at least in part on a mapping between the value and one or more bits of the DCI.

In some aspects, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message based at least in part on a search space or control resource set of the DCI. For example, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message based at least in part on a mapping between the search space in which the DCI is detected and a type of the SI message. In such a case, the same DCI and/or SI-RNTI may be used for all SI messages, and SI messages may be distinguished by the search space or control resource set in which the DCI is detected.

In some aspects, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message based at least in part on the SI-RNTI. For example, the UE <NUM> may determine a value of the SI-RNTI, and may identify the SI message based at least in part on a mapping between the value of the SI-RNTI and the SI message.

In some aspects, the UE <NUM> may identify the SI message based at least in part on the time location of the SI message. For example, in some cases, a particular SI message may be associated with a particular time window. In other words, the transmission duration for an SI message may be shorter than the overlapped scheduling window. In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may transmit all SI messages using each beam provided by the BS <NUM> (e.g., since the BS <NUM> may not know which beam is selected by the UE <NUM> to receive the SI message). In such a case, the BS <NUM> may perform time division multiplexing in the overlapped scheduling window with regard to different SI messages and different beams. In this way, a UE <NUM> may identify an SI message based at least in part on a time location of the SI message, and may monitor a diminished duration in comparison to the entire overlapped scheduling window, which conserves battery life of the UE <NUM>.

In some aspects, an scheduling window associated with a first SI message may share an overlapped region with another scheduling window, corresponding to a second SI message. In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may use the same DCI and SI-RNTI for both scheduling windows, and the scheduling windows may be configured so that a certain UE <NUM> will always receive different SIB messages at different times. This may be configured by allowing overlapping windows from the network side and ensuring that transmissions of both the first SI message the second SI message using a specific beam are not transmitted in the overlapping region. For example, if there are <NUM> beams in an scheduling window, the second scheduling window might start at beam #<NUM> of the first scheduling window, and only the time locations corresponding to the first <NUM> beams of the second window may be in the overlapping region. Thus, a UE may know, when beams <NUM>-<NUM> are received in the overlapping portion, that the SI message is the first SI message. In such a case, the BS <NUM> may perform simultaneous transmission of two or more beams, sometimes referred to as digital beamforming.

In some aspects, the BS <NUM> may be flexible in terms of assigning locations (e.g., search spaces) for transmissions for different beams, as long as the UE <NUM> can determine the SI message type by monitoring the time locations corresponding to a specific beam. In such a case, there may be an association between a beam (e.g., based at least in part on a synchronization signal block index) and search space for the SI message. Thus, SI messages may be transmitted using particular search spaces, which allows SI messages in overlapped regions of the scheduling window to be differentiated.

In some aspects, the UE <NUM> or the BS <NUM> may combine two or more of the above approaches to differentiate an SI message. For example, the UE <NUM> may use a specific DCI value and different SI-RNTIs for two scheduling windows, or may use non-overlapping dedicated time locations to indicate an SI message for SIB1 (or for a subset of SIBs) and may use particular time resources or search spaces to indicate SI messages for the other SIBs.

Another combination option is to assign different SI-RNTIs, DCIs, and/or search spaces to SI messages which are overlapping. For example, if two scheduling windows are overlapping, different SI-RNTI, DCI values, or search spaces can be used. In such a case, the UE <NUM> can distinguish the SI message by SI-RNTI or DCI, or based at least in part on the search space.

As shown by reference number <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may acquire the SI message. For example, when the SI message is relevant to the UE <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may descramble the SI message using the SI-RNTI. The UE <NUM> may decode the descrambled message to obtain one or more SIBs. In some aspects, the UE <NUM> may discard the SI message or may not decode the SI message (e.g., when the UE <NUM> determines that the SI message is not relevant to the UE <NUM>). Thus, a UE <NUM> may identify an SI message with an overlapped window, thereby improving efficiency and enabling soft combining of repetitious SI messages (e.g., for SIB <NUM> and/or other SIBs).

Other examples may differ from what was described with respect to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example <NUM> of overlapped scheduling windows and time-dependent scheduling of SI transmission beams, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. <FIG> shows a first scheduling window (e.g., Window <NUM>, shown by reference number <NUM>) for a first SI message (e.g., SI Msg. <NUM>), a second scheduling window (e.g., Window <NUM>, shown by reference number <NUM>) for a second SI message (e.g., SI Msg. <NUM>), and a third scheduling window (e.g., Window <NUM>, shown by reference number <NUM>) for a third SI message (e.g., SI Msg. As shown by reference number <NUM>, a horizontal dimension of example <NUM> represents time. For the purpose of <FIG>, assume that each scheduling window includes <NUM> beams. In other words, by the end of Window <NUM>, the first SI message will have been transmitted using each of beam <NUM> through <NUM>. The BS <NUM> may transmit the first SI message using each beam since the BS <NUM> may not know which beams have been selected by UEs <NUM>, which improves operation and efficiency of the network.

Example <NUM> shows an example wherein SI messages are transmitted at particular time locations using a subset of beams of a scheduling window. For example, in the time window T1, SI message <NUM> (SI Msg. <NUM>) is transmitted using only beams <NUM> through <NUM>. Thus, any UE <NUM> that receives an SI message on beams <NUM> through <NUM> during T1 may know that the received SI message is SI message <NUM>. Similarly, in the time window T2, SI message <NUM> is transmitted using beams <NUM>-<NUM>, and SI message <NUM> (SI Msg. <NUM>) is transmitted using beams <NUM>-<NUM>. Thus, a UE <NUM> that receives an SI message in the overlapped region of Window <NUM> and Window <NUM> may know whether the received SI message is SI message <NUM> or SI message <NUM> based at least in part on which beam is received. Furthermore, a UE <NUM> may monitor less of the scheduling window after selecting a beam, which conserves battery power of the UE <NUM>. For example, in this case, the UE <NUM> may only monitor the half of the scheduling window corresponding to the UE <NUM>'s selected beam.

Example <NUM> is just one example of overlapping scheduling window configurations. In some aspects, the windows may be overlapped more completely or less completely. Additionally, or alternatively, three or more windows may be overlapped in a particular time location. Additionally, or alternatively, the time periods associated with the various scheduling windows and beams may be multiplexed at a higher granularity. For example, a first time window may be used for transmitting an SI message with a first four beams, a second time window may be used for transmitting an SI message with a second four beams, and so on.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a UE, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example of a method of wireless communication performed by the UE <NUM> for identifying an SI message from within a scheduling window.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> includes receiving a system information (SI) message in a scheduling window (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using antenna <NUM>, DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) may receive a system information (SI) message in a scheduling window, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> includes identifying the SI message based at least in part on at least one of downlink control information (DCI) for the SI message a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) of the SI message, a time location of the SI message in the scheduling window, a search space for the DCI, or and a combination thereof (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) identifies the SI message based at least in part on at least one of downlink control information (DCI) for the SI message, a system information radio network temporary identifier (SI-RNTI) of the SI message, a time location of the SI message in the scheduling window, a search space for the DCI, or and a combination thereof, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> includes responsive to the identification of the SI message, selectively acquiring or not acquiring the SI message (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) may selectively acquire (e.g., decode) or not acquire (e.g., drop, discard, not decode) the SI message, as described above.

In a first aspect, the scheduling window of the SI message overlaps with a scheduling window of another SI message.

In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, responsive to the identification of the SI message, the UE may selectively acquire or not acquire the SI message.

In a third aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the SI message is identified by one or more bits in the DCI.

In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, the DCI includes a first value to identify an SI message that contains a system information block <NUM> (SIB1) or a second value to identify an SI message that contains any system information block (SIB) other than SIB1.

In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, a system information block type of the SI message is identified based at least in part on the SI-RNTI being associated with the system information block type.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, the scheduling window is a first scheduling window that overlaps a second scheduling window at an overlapping region, the SI message is received in a transmission using a beam, and the transmission using the beam is not repeated in the overlapping region for the first scheduling window and for the second scheduling window.

In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, the scheduling window is a configured overlapped scheduling window, and the process may include monitoring a particular portion of the configured overlapped scheduling window to identify the SI message. The monitored particular portion of the configured overlapped scheduling window can include the time location. For example, the UE (e.g., using DEMOD <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, and/or the like) may monitor the particular portion of the configured overlapped scheduling window to identify the SI message, as described above.

In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, the scheduling window is a first scheduling window that overlaps a second scheduling window at an overlapping region, and the SI message and an SI message of the second scheduling window are associated with a same SI-RNTI and a same DCI.

In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, identifying the SI message is further based at least in part on a mapping between the SI message and the search space in which the DCI for the SI message is detected.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of possible aspects. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of possible aspects includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) of wireless communication performed by a user equipment, UE, the method (<NUM>) comprising:
receiving (<NUM>) a system information, SI, message in an overlapped scheduling window, wherein the overlapped scheduling window relates to a first scheduling window that overlaps with a second scheduling window, and wherein the SI message corresponds to one of the first or the second scheduling windows;
identifying (<NUM>) whether the SI message contains a system information block <NUM>, SIB <NUM>, or a SIB other than a SIB <NUM> based at least in part on a downlink control information, DCI for the SI message, wherein the DCI includes a bit that has a first value to identify the SIB <NUM> or a second value to identify the SIB other than the SIB <NUM>; and
responsive to the identification of the SI message, selectively acquiring or not acquiring (<NUM>) the SI message.