IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,917,563
Granted Patent B2
US 11,917,563 · App. 17/422,156 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Method for acquiring time information about synchronization signal block in unlicensed band, and device for same

Inventors: Hyunsoo Ko (Seoul, KR); Sukhyon Yoon (Seoul, KR); Seonwook Kim (Seoul, KR); Youngsub Kim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
H04W56/001H04L5/0051H04L5/0094H04W24/08H04W76/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,917,563
App. No.
17/422,156
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a method for a UE to acquire time information about a Synchronization Signal/Physical Broadcast Channel (SS/PBCH) block in an unlicensed band. In particular, the method is characterized by: receiving SS/PBCH blocks through a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a specific slot; detecting the respective phases of the plurality of OFDM symbols; detecting the sequence of PBCH Demodulation Reference Signals (DMRSs) included among the plurality of OFDM symbols; and acquiring time information about the SS/PBCH blocks on the basis of the respective phases of the plurality of OFDM symbols and the sequence of the PBCH DMRSs.

Claims (40)

1. A method of obtaining, by a user equipment (UE), time information about a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) block in an unlicensed band, the method comprising:

receiving SS/PBCH blocks in a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a specific slot;

obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block based on sequences of PBCH demodulation reference signals (DMRSs),

establishing a connection with a cell selected based on the SS/PBCH blocks;

after the establishing the connection, monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during on duration based on a configured DRX operation; and

starting an inactivity timer and staying awake based on the successfully received PDCCH during the on duration;

wherein mapping of indices of the SS/PBCH blocks to the indices of the sequences of the PBCH DMRSs is cyclically configured based on a number of the indices of the SS/PBCH blocks.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time information about the SS/PBCH block includes an index of the specific slot and indices of the plurality of OFDM symbols.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block comprises:

obtaining the index of the specific slot based on a phase of each of the plurality of OFDM symbols; and

obtaining the indices of the plurality of OFDM symbols based on the sequence of the PBCH DMRS.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block further comprises obtaining a cyclic index for the sequence of the PBCH DMRS based on the phase of each of the plurality of OFDM symbols.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a phase of an OFDM symbol to which a primary synchronization signal (PSS) included in the SS/PBCH block is mapped is always constant.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the UE is configured to communicate with at least one of a UE other than the UE, a network, a base station, or an autonomous driving vehicle.

7. A device configured to obtain time information about a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) block in an unlicensed band, the device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving SS/PBCH blocks in a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a specific slot;

obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block based on sequences of PBCH demodulation reference signals (DMRSs),

establishing a connection with a cell selected based on the SS/PBCH blocks;

after the establishing the connection, monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during on duration based on a configured DRX operation; and

starting an inactivity timer and staying awake based on the successfully received PDCCH during the on duration;

wherein mapping of indices of the SS/PBCH blocks to the indices of the sequences of the PBCH DMRSs is cyclically configured based on a number of the indices of the SS/PBCH blocks.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the time information about the SS/PBCH block includes an index of the specific slot and indices of the plurality of OFDM symbols.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block comprises:

obtaining the index of the specific slot based on a phase of each of the plurality of OFDM symbols; and

obtaining the indices of the plurality of OFDM symbols based on the sequence of the PBCH DMRS.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block further comprises obtaining a cyclic index for the sequence of the PBCH DMRS based on the phase of each of the plurality of OFDM symbols.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein a phase of an OFDM symbol to which a primary synchronization signal (PSS) included in the SS/PBCH block is mapped is always constant.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the device is configured to communicate with at least one of a user equipment (UE), a network, a base station, or an autonomous driving vehicle.

13. A user equipment (UE) configured to obtain time information about a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) block in an unlicensed band, the UE comprising:

at least one transceiver;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving SS/PBCH blocks in a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in a specific slot through the at least one transceiver;

obtaining the time information about the SS/PBCH block based on sequences of PBCH demodulation reference signals (DMRSs),

establishing a connection with a cell selected based on the SS/PBCH blocks;

after the establishing the connection, monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) during on duration based on a configured DRX operation; and

starting an inactivity timer and staying awake based on the successfully received PDCCH during the on duration;

wherein mapping of indices of the SS/PBCH blocks to the indices of the sequences of the PBCH DMRSs is cyclically configured based on a number of the indices of the SS/PBCH blocks.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S COUNTRY OF RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 056825 FRAME 0157. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 22, 2021
From: KO, HYUNSOO; YOON, SUKHYON; KIM, SEONWOOK; KIM, YOUNGSUB
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 058218/0085 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: KO, HYUNSOO; YOON, SUKHYON; KIM, SEONWOOK; KIM, YOUNGSUB
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 056825/0157 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0018249 · Feb 15, 2019 · national
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62842598 · May 3, 2019
Provisional Application 62791618 · Jan 11, 2019
Related Publication 20220095252A1 · Mar 24, 2022