IP Library Granted Patent US 12,477,491
Granted Patent B2
US 12,477,491 · App. 17/429,062 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Broadcasting schemes of Tdelta information in fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network

Inventors: Lili Wei (Portland, OR); Qian Li (Beaverton, OR); Geng Wu (Portland, OR)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04W56/0045H04W56/0015H04W56/003H04W72/23H04W88/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,477,491
App. No.
17/429,062
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure relates to embodiments broadcasting timing misalignment (TΔ or T_ delta or Tdelta) information in a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network. Tdelta information associated with an IAB node is determined based on a downlink (DL) transmit (TX) timing associated with the IAB node and an uplink (UL) receive (RX) timing associated with the IAB node. A determination is made whether the Tdelta information is to common to at least one child node associated with the IAB node and at least one child user equipment (UE) associated with the IAB node. A message having the Tdelta information is generated in response to the determination that the Tdelta information is common to at least one child node associated with the IAB node and at least one child UE associated with the IAB node. The message is broadcast to the child nodes associated with the IAB node and the child UEs associated with the IAB node.

Claims (33)

1 . A method for broadcasting timing misalignment information in a wireless network, the method comprising:

determining, by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, the timing misalignment information indicative of a timing misalignment between a downlink (DL) transmit (TX) timing associated with the IAB node and an uplink (UL) receive (RX) timing associated with the IAB node;

determining, by the IAB node, at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child node from among a plurality of child nodes that is aligned with at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child user equipment (UE) from among a plurality of child UEs such that the timing misalignment is common between the at least one child node and the at least one child UE;

generating, by the IAB node, a message having the timing misalignment information in response to the determination that the timing misalignment information is common to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node, the timing misalignment information comprising an index value used to calculate a timing misalignment value, wherein the index value is based on the timing misalignment between the DL TX timing and UL RX timing associated with the IAB node; and

broadcasting, by the IAB node, the message to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating comprises: generating the message having a master information block (MIB), the MIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating comprises: generating the message having a system information block (SIB), the SIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating comprises: generating a DL control information (DCI) message as the message, the DCI message including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the broadcasting comprises: broadcasting the DCI message on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) IAB network.

7 . An integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node for broadcasting timing misalignment information in a wireless network, the IAB node comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:

determine the timing misalignment information that is indicative of a timing misalignment between a downlink (DL) transmit (TX) timing associated with the IAB node and an uplink (UL) receive (RX) timing associated with the IAB node;

determine at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child node from among a plurality of child nodes that is aligned with at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child user equipment (UE) from among a plurality of child UEs such that the timing misalignment is common between the at least one child node and the at least one child UE; and

generate a message having the timing misalignment information in response to the determination that the timing misalignment is common to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node, the timing misalignment information comprising an index value used to calculate a timing misalignment value, wherein the index value is based on the timing misalignment between the DL TX timing and UL RX timing associated with the IAB node; and

radio front end circuitry configured to broadcast the message to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node.

8 . The IAB node of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the message having a master information block (MIB), the MIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

9 . The IAB node of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the message having a system information block (SIB), the SIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

10 . The IAB node of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate a DL control information (DCI) message as the message, the DCI message including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

11 . The IAB node of claim 10 , wherein the radio front end circuitry is configured to broadcast the DCI message on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

12 . The IAB node of claim 7 , wherein the wireless network comprises a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) IAB network.

13 . A system for use in broadcasting timing misalignment information in a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network, the system comprising:

a plurality of child nodes;

a plurality of child user equipment (UE); and

an IAB node configured to:

determine the timing misalignment information that is indicative of a timing misalignment between a downlink (DL) transmit (TX) timing associated with the IAB node and an uplink (UL) receive (RX) timing associated with the IAB node;

determine at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child node from among a plurality of child nodes that is aligned with at least one UL RX timing associated with at least one child user equipment (UE) from among a plurality of child UEs such that the timing misalignment is common between the at least one child node and the at least one child UE;

generate a message having the timing misalignment information in response to the determination that the timing misalignment is common to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node, the timing misalignment information comprising an index value used to calculate a timing misalignment value, wherein the index value is based on the timing misalignment between the DL TX timing and UL RX timing associated with the IAB node; and

broadcast the message to the at least one child node associated with the IAB node and the at least one child UE associated with the IAB node.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the IAB node is configured to generate the message having a master information block (MIB), the MIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the IAB node is configured to generate the message having a system information block (SIB), the SIB including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the IAB node is configured to generate a DL control information (DCI) message as the message, the DCI message including a timing misalignment field to indicate the index value that is used to calculate the timing misalignment value.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the IAB node is configured to broadcast the DCI message on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: WEI, LILI; LI, QIAN; WU, GENG
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072609/0900 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 072610/0018 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62805192 · Feb 13, 2019
Related Publication 20220132453A1 · Apr 28, 2022
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