PBCH scrambling design

1. A method for scrambling a broadcast channel, the method comprising:

generating a sequence for use in scrambling a PBCH;

partitioning the sequence into sub-sequences based on a number of SS blocks in a SS block group;

applying each sub-sequence of the sequence as a scrambling code for the bits associated with the PBCH of a different SS block within a SS block group;

transmitting at least one SS block scrambled with one of the sub-sequences; and

wherein generating the sequence comprises:

determining a number of synchronization signal (SS) blocks in each SS block group of a SS burst set;

determining a number of bits associated with the PBCH in each SS block; and

generating the sequence based on the number of SS blocks and the number of bits.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence is a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence generated based on a physical cell identification (ID) of a base station.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the PN sequence is generated such that a length of the PN sequence is a product of the number of SS blocks and a number of coded PBCH bits.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sequence is generated based on a physical cell identification (ID) of a base station and a portion of system frame number (SFN) bits.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bits associated with the PBCH comprise bits of a payload of the PBCH to be scrambled in a SS block.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sequence is generated such that a length of the sequence is a product of the number of SS blocks and the number of PBCH bits to be scrambled.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a particular sub-sequence applied to a particular SS block is unique to the particular SS block within the SS block group.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a particular sub-sequence applied to a particular SS block is a same sub-sequence applied to a corresponding SS block in another SS block group of a SS burst set.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a number of least significant bits of a SS block index of the at least one SS block are included in a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) signal of the at least one SS block.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein remaining bits of the SS block index are included in a payload of a PBCH of the at least one SS block.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein each sub-sequence of the sequence corresponds to a different one of the number of least significant bits of the SS block index included in the DMRS signal.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the number of least significant bits of the SS block index comprises the two least significant bits or the three least significant bits.

13. An apparatus for scrambling a broadcast channel, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:

generate a sequence for use in scrambling a PBCH;

partition the sequence into sub-sequences based on a number of SS blocks in a SS block group;

apply each sub-sequence of the sequence as a scrambling code for the bits associated with the PBCH of a different SS block within a SS block group;

transmit at least one SS block scrambled with one of the sub-sequences; and

wherein generating the sequence comprises:

determining a number of synchronization signal (SS) blocks in each SS block group of a SS burst set;

determining a number of bits associated with the PBCH in each SS block; and

generating the sequence based on the number of SS blocks and the number of bits.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the sequence is a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence generated based on a physical cell identification (ID) of a base station.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the PN sequence is generated such that a length of the PN sequence is a product of the number of SS blocks and a number of coded PBCH bits.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the sequence is generated based on a physical cell identification (ID) of a base station and a portion of system frame number (SFN) bits.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the bits associated with the PBCH comprise bits of a payload of the PBCH to be scrambled in a SS block.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the sequence is generated such that a length of the sequence is a product of the number of SS blocks and the number of PBCH bits to be scrambled.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a particular sub-sequence applied to a particular SS block is unique to the particular SS block within the SS block group.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a particular sub-sequence applied to a particular SS block is a same sub-sequence applied to a corresponding SS block in another SS block group of a SS burst set.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a number of least significant bits of a SS block index of the at least one SS block are included in a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) signal of the at least one SS block.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein remaining bits of the SS block index are included in a payload of a PBCH of the at least one SS block.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein each sub-sequence of the sequence corresponds to a different one of the number of least significant bits of the SS block index included in the DMRS signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the number of least significant bits of the SS block index comprises the two least significant bits or the three least significant bits.

25. A method comprising:

receiving a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) associated with a synchronization signal (SS) block;

identifying a portion of an index of the SS block from the DMRS;

determining a sequence used to scramble the SS block based on the portion of the index;

decoding a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) of the SS block based on the sequence; and

wherein the portion of the index comprises a number of least significant bits of the index.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the decoding of the PBCH is performed without blind decoding.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the sequence comprises a sub-sequence of a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence.

28. The method of claim 25 , further comprising determining different sequences for decoding the PBCH of different SS blocks within an SS block group.

29. The method of claim 25 , further comprising determining the sequence for decoding the PBCH of a corresponding SS block within a different SS block group.

30. An apparatus for scrambling a broadcast channel, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) associated with a synchronization signal (SS) block;

identify a portion of an index of the SS block from the DMRS;

determine a sequence used to scramble the SS block based on the portion of the index;

decode a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) of the SS block based on the sequence; and

wherein the portion of the index comprises a number of least significant bits of the index.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the decoding of the PBCH is performed without blind decoding.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the sequence comprises a sub-sequence of a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 , the instructions further operable to cause the apparatus to determine different sequences for decoding the PBCH of different SS blocks within an SS block group.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 , the instructions further operable to cause the apparatus to determine the sequence for decoding the PBCH of a corresponding SS block within a different SS block group.