Apparatus for doppler shift compensation, corresponding method and computer program

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus at least to:

receive from a network, at a user equipment, Doppler shift information associated with at least one cell of the network as a function of time for at least one area; and

use the Doppler shift information at the user equipment to compensate for the Doppler shift in communication with the network when the user equipment is in the at least one area,

wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive the Doppler shift information from the network using radio resource control signalling, broadcast signalling, multicast signalling and groupcast signalling, wherein the broadcast signalling is broadcast per the at least one area;

determine Doppler shift information associated with the at least one cell for the at least one area; and

provide the determined Doppler shift information to the network, and

wherein the Doppler shift information comprises a set of Doppler compensation parameters comprising a time dependent list of values per area, the parameters comprising the Doppler frequency shift and time offset per candidate cell, wherein the Doppler shift information further comprises an indication of the associated cell, Doppler area and validity, and wherein the Doppler shift information is indicated per area for different UE speed and direction ranges.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:

provide a request for the Doppler shift information to the network from the user equipment; and

receive the Doppler shift information from the network at the user equipment in response to the request.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:

use the Doppler shift information to compensate for the Doppler shift when performing measurements and an initial access procedure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the Doppler shift information comprises at least one set of parameters associated with a first cell, the parameters defining at least one of frequency offset and time offset of the first cell.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the Doppler shift information comprises at least two sets of parameters, each set of parameters associated with a different area, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine which set of parameters to use in communication with the network; and

provide an indication to the network of the set of parameters used in communication with the network.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus at least to:

determine Doppler shift information associated with at least one cell of a network as a function of time for at least one area; and

provide the Doppler shift information to a user equipment for use in communicating with the network when the user equipment is in the at least one area,

wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine that the user equipment is in the first area based on global navigation satellite system information and previous Doppler shift information received from the user equipment;

receive Doppler shift information associated with the at least one cell for the at least one area from the user equipment, the Doppler shift information determined at the user equipment;

provide the Doppler shift information to the user equipment using radio resource control signalling, broadcast signalling, multicast signalling and groupcast signalling, wherein the broadcast signalling is broadcast per the at least one area;

wherein the Doppler shift information comprises a set of Doppler compensation parameters comprising a time dependent list of values per area, the parameters comprising the Doppler frequency shift and time offset per candidate cell, wherein the Doppler shift information further comprises an indication of the associated cell, Doppler area and validity, and wherein the Doppler shift information is indicated per area for different UE speed and direction ranges.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the broadcast signalling is broadcast per the at least one area.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive a request for the Doppler shift information from the user equipment; and

provide the Doppler shift information from the network to the user equipment in response to the request.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the Doppler shift information comprises at least one set of parameters associated with a first cell, the parameters defining at least one of frequency offset and time offset of the first cell.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the Doppler shift information comprises at least two sets of parameters, each set of parameters associated with a different area, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive an indication from the user equipment of the set of parameters used in communication with the network.

11. A method comprising:

receiving from a network, at a user equipment, Doppler shift information associated with at least one cell of the network as a function of time for at least one area; and

using the Doppler shift information at the user equipment to compensate for the Doppler shift in communication with the network when the user equipment is in the at least one area,

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the Doppler shift information from the network using radio resource control signalling, broadcast signalling, multicast signalling and groupcast signalling, wherein the broadcast signalling is broadcast per the at least one area;

determining Doppler shift information associated with the at least one cell for the at least one area; and

providing the determined Doppler shift information to the network,

wherein the Doppler shift information comprises a set of Doppler compensation parameters comprising a time dependent list of values per area, the parameters comprising the Doppler frequency shift and time offset per candidate cell, wherein the Doppler shift information further comprises an indication of the associated cell, Doppler area and validity, and wherein the Doppler shift information is indicated per area for different UE speed and direction ranges.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving from a network, at a user equipment, Doppler shift information associated with at least one cell of the network as a function of time for at least one area; and

using the Doppler shift information at the user equipment to compensate for the Doppler shift in communication with the network when the user equipment is in the at least one area.