High-frequency communications in 5G and especially 6G will require precise synchronization of user devices with the base station, including periodically setting the user device clock time and clock rate to mitigate oscillator drift. The base station can assist user devices by periodically providing a timing signal containing a mid-symbol timestamp point, which is a signal that includes an abrupt change in phase or amplitude centered in the symbol-time. A receiver can analyze the timing signal and determine precisely the time of arrival of the timestamp point, and correct the receiver's clock to ensure that uplink messages will then arrive at the base station synchronized with the base station's resource grid. In addition, the base station can provide two timing signals in which the mid-symbol timestamp points are separated by a predetermined separation, thereby assisting the user devices in adjusting their clock rates.

Uplink messages in 5G and 6G are expected to arrive at the base station in alignment with the base station's resource grid, at the proper time and frequency. Disclosed are lean procedures and compact timing signals that can enable user devices to maintain synchronization with a base station's resource grid. Shaped timing signals are disclosed that, when measured by a receiver, can indicate whether the receiver's clock is synchronized with the transmitter's clock, or is in disagreement, and in which direction, and by how much. The receiver thereby determines the clock error by amplitude measurements only, since the timing signal is configured to convert the timing error into a readily determined amplitude value, which the receiver can quantify using normal amplitude-demodulation procedures. The receiver's amplitude resolution corresponds to the time resolution achievable. No special time-measurement signal processing is required. No synchronization messages or other legacy overhead are required.

The user devices in managed networks, such as 5G and 6G networks, are required to adapt their uplink transmissions to the base station's resource grid, including the timing and frequency structure of the resource grid. Message-heavy legacy synchronization procedures can consume substantial resources. Therefore, a simpler, faster procedure is disclosed in which synchronization parameters are standardized where possible, timing signals are configured in minimal size where possible, and the user device collaborates with the base station to adjust the user device's clock setting, clock rate, timing advance (to match the base station's symbol boundaries), and Doppler correction (to match the base station's subcarrier frequency), without exchanging data messages other than very brief timing signals. Such ultra-lean synchronization procedures may enable low-complexity synchronization in future high-frequency communications.

In retrodirective wireless power delivery environments wireless power receivers generate and send beacon signals that are received by multiple antennas of a wireless power transmission system. The beacon signals provide the charger with timing information for wireless power transfers and also indicate directionality of the incoming signal. As discussed herein, the directionality information is employed when transmitting in order to focus energy (e.g., power wave delivery) on individual wireless power receiver clients. Techniques are described herein for reducing the burden of sampling the beacon signals across the multiple antennas and determining the directionality of the incoming wave. In some embodiments, the techniques leverage previously calculated values to simplify the receiver sampling.

Uplink messages in 5G and 6G are expected to arrive at the base station in alignment with the base station's resource grid, at the proper time and frequency. Disclosed are lean procedures and compact timing signals that can enable user devices to maintain synchronization with a base station's resource grid. Shaped timing signals are disclosed that, when measured by a receiver, can indicate whether the receiver's clock is synchronized with the transmitter's clock, or is in disagreement, and in which direction, and by how much. The receiver thereby determines the clock error by amplitude measurements only, since the timing signal is configured to convert the timing error into a readily determined amplitude value, which the receiver can quantify using normal amplitude-demodulation procedures. The receiver's amplitude resolution corresponds to the time resolution achievable. No special time-measurement signal processing is required. No synchronization messages or other legacy overhead are required.

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A first device may receive a grant that schedules a wireless communication between the first device and a second device. The grant may indicate a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) configuration for a set of symbols associated with the wireless communication. The first device may receive control signaling that indicates a phase discontinuity associated with a first subset of symbols of the set of symbols. The first device may receive the wireless communication during a second subset of symbols of the set of symbols based on the DMRS configuration and the indication of the phase discontinuity. The first device may perform channel estimation based on receiving the wireless communication during the second subset of symbols.

Methods and apparatuses for determining a position of a wireless device in a wireless communication network are provided. The method includes obtaining a first sequence of Time Difference of Arrivals (TDOAs) at the wireless device of reference signals, which are transmitted by and used for synchronization of a first pair of network nodes; and determining, based on the first sequence of TDOAs, a first relative distance. The method also includes obtaining a second sequence of TDOAs at the wireless device of reference signals, which are transmitted by and used for synchronization of a second pair of network nodes; and determining, based on the first sequence of TDOAs, a second relative distance. The method further includes determining the position of the wireless device based on the first and second relative distances. Corresponding computer programs and computer program carriers are also disclosed.

A communication device assists location services by receiving a virtual boundary condition from the operating system. The virtual boundary condition is received by a wireless communication chipset (e.g., a Wi-Fi chipset) of the communication device. The Wi-Fi chipset measures one or more distances between the communication device and one or more wireless communication devices (e.g., Wi-Fi access points) using a wireless communication distance measuring protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi Fine timing measurement or FTM), determines that the virtual boundary condition has been satisfied by the one or more measured distances, and notifies the operating system that the virtual boundary condition has been satisfied by the one or more measured distances.

This application discloses example signal sending methods and apparatuses, and example signal processing methods and apparatuses. One example method includes generating, by a terminal device, a channel sounding reference signal (SRS). The terminal device can then send the SRS to a target base station, where the target base station detects, by using the SRS, that a change range of an uplink timing location of the terminal device is not less than a length of one SRS symbol.

Aspects provide for autonomous adjustment of the uplink and downlink transmission timing in wireless communication networks. A scheduled entity (e.g., a user equipment (UE) or child integrated access backhaul (IAB) node) may observe a change in the downlink reception timing of downlink signals transmitted from a scheduling entity (e.g., a base station or parent IAB node). The scheduled entity may then autonomously adjust its uplink transmission timing to compensate for the change in downlink reception timing. In addition, the scheduled entity may further maintain the same downlink transmission timing irrespective of the change in downlink reception timing.