BASE STATION AND USER EQUIPMENT FOR FREQUENCY RANGE DETECTION

Abstract

Base station (101) is provided, comprising a frequency range setup device (003), a writing device (104), and a transmitting device (105), wherein the frequency range setup device is adapted to determine the frequency range to be used for a UE, wherein the frequency range setup device is adapted to communicate the frequency range to be used for a UE to the writing device, wherein the writing device is adapted to encode the frequency range to be used for a UE and to w the encoded information into a data structure, wherein the writing device is further adapted to forward the data structure to the transmitting, device and wherein the transmitting device is adapted to transmit the data structure.

Claims

1. A base station comprising: a frequency range setup device: a writing device; a transmitting device; wherein the frequency range setup device is adapted to determine the frequency range to be used for a user equipment (UE); wherein the frequency range setup device is adapted to communicate the frequency range to be used for a UE to the writing device; wherein the writing device is adapted to encode the frequency range to be used for a user equipment and to write the encoded information into a data structure, wherein the writing device is further adapted to forward the data structure to the transmitting device; wherein the transmitting device is adapted to transmit the data structure.

2. The base station of claim 1, wherein the frequency range setup device is adapted to determine the frequency range out of a group of at least two frequency ranges.

3. The base station of claim 2, wherein the group of at least two frequency ranges comprises at least two overlapping frequency ranges.

4. The base station of claim 1, wherein the data structure is a payload of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

5. The base station of claim 4, wherein the data structure is a synchronization signal (SS)/PBCH block (SSB).

6. The base station of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is encoded as at least one of: the carrier of the frequency range, a configuration table for the frequency range, a searching carrier or a remaining minimum system information control resource set (RMSI CORESET).

7. A user equipment, comprising: a receiving device; a reading device; a frequency range detecting device; wherein the receiving device is adapted to receive a data structure and to forward the data structure to the reading device; wherein the reading device is adapted to read an encoded information about a frequency range and to decode a frequency range to be used for the user equipment; wherein the frequency range detecting device is adapted to detect the frequency range from the decoded information and to use the detected frequency range for a communication with a base station.

8. The user equipment of claim 7, wherein the frequency range detecting device is adapted to determine the frequency range out of a group of at least two frequency ranges.

9. The user equipment of claim 7, wherein the data structure is a payload of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

10. The user equipment of claim 9, wherein the data structure is a synchronization signal (SS)/PBCH block (SSB).

11. The user equipment of claim 7, wherein the frequency range is decoded as at least one of: the carrier of the frequency range, a configuration table for the frequency range, a searching carrier or a remaining minimum system information control resource set (RMSI CORESET).

12. A method for receiving information about a used frequency range, comprising: receiving a data structure; reading an encoded information about a frequency range and decoding a frequency range to be used for the user equipment; detecting the frequency range from the decoded information and using the detected frequency range for a communication with a base station.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method comprising: determining the frequency range out of a group of at least two frequency ranges.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the data structure is a payload of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data structure is a synchronization signal (SS)/PBCH block (SSB).

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the frequency range is decoded as at least one of: the carrier of the frequency range, a configuration table for the frequency range, a searching carrier or a remaining minimum system information control resource set (RMSI CORESET).

17. A program element, which when being executed by a processor is adapted to carry out the method of claim 12.

18. A non-volatile computer-readable medium comprising program code, which when being executed by a processor is adapted to carry out the method of claim 12.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0056] Further embodiments of the disclosure are described in the following description of the Figures. The disclosure will be explained in the following in detail by means of embodiments and with reference to the drawing in which is shown:

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a communication system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows an SSB or SS/PBCH block for a better understanding of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] In the following the same reference numerals will be used for parts having the same or equivalent function. Any statements made having regard to the direction of a component are made relative to the position shown in the drawing and can naturally vary in the actual position of application.

[0060] NR is designed to operate in the FR1 (450 MHz-6000 MHz) operating bands defined in the following table 5.2-1 as specified in 3GPP specification 38.133-1-f00 and/or in 3GPP specification 38.101-1-f100.

[0061] In other words, Frequency range 1 (FR1) reaches from 450 MHz to 6000 MHz and therefore may also be named Sub 6 GHz range.

[0062] Table 1 shows NR operating bands in FR1 according to Table 5.2-1 of 3GPP 38.101-1-f100.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Uplink (UL) Downlink (DL) operating band operating band NR BS receive BS transmit Operating UE transmit UE receive Duplex Band F.sub.UL.sub..sub.low-F.sub.UL.sub..sub.high F.sub.DL.sub..sub.low-F.sub.UL.sub..sub.high Mode n1 1920 MHz-1980 MHz 2110 MHz-2170 MHz FDD n2 1850 MHz-1910 MHz 1930 MHz-1990 MHz FDD n3 1710 MHz-1785 MHz 1805 MHz-1880 MHz FDD n5 824 MHz-849 MHz 869 MHz-894 MHz FDD n7 2500 MHz-2570 MHz 2620 MHz-2690 MHz FDD n8 880 MHz-915 MHz 925 MHz-960 MHz FDD n20 832 MHz-862 MHz 791 MHz-821 MHz FDD n28 703 MHz-748 MHz 758 MHz-803 MHz FDD n38 2570 MHz-2620 MHz 2570 MHz-2620 MHz TDD n41 2496 MHz-2690 MHz 2496 MHz-2690 MHz TDD n50 1432 MHz-1517 MHz 1432 MHz-1517 MHz TDD n51 1427 MHz-1432 MHz 1427 MHz-1432 MHz TDD n66 1710 MHz-1780 MHz 2119 MHz-2200 MHz FDD n70 1695 MHz-1710 MHz 1995 MHz-2020 MHz FDD n71 663 MHz-698 MHz 617 MHz-652 MHz FDD n74 1427 MHz-1470 MHz 1475 MHz-1518 MHz FDD n75 N/A 1432 MHz-1517 MHz SDL n76 N/A 1427 MHz-1432 MHz SDL n78 3300 MHz-3800 MHz 3310 MHz-3800 MHz TDD n77 3300 MHz-4200 MHz 3300 MHz-4200 MHz TDD n79 4400 MHz-5000 MH 4400 MHz-5000 MHz TDD n80 1710 MHz-1785 MHz N/A SUL n81 880 MHz-915 MHz N/A SUL n82 832 MHz-862 MHz N/A SUL n83 703 MHz-748 MHz N/A SUL n84 1920 MHz-1989 MHz N/A SUL

[0063] It can be seen in the table that Band n38 and band n41 are partially overlapped, i.e., the frequencies in band n38 are included in band n41. Band n38 spans a range of 2570 MHz-2620 MHz for uplink (UL) and 2570 MHz-2620 MHz for the downlink (DL). Band n41 spans a range of 2496 MHz-2690 MHz for uplink and 2496 MHz-2690 MHz for downlink. The Uplink (UL) operating band is the band where BS receives, and UE transmit. The Downlink (DL) operating band is the band where BS transmits, and UE receives.

[0064] Furthermore, the channel bandwidths for each NR (New Radio) band are specified as in the following Table 2 as specified in 3GPP specification 38.133-1-f00 and/or in 3GPP specification 38.101-1-f00, it can be seen that the minimum bandwidth for band n38 is 5 MHz while the minimum bandwidth for band n41 is 10 MHz.

[0065] Table 2 corresponds to Table 5.3.5-1 of 3GPP 38.101-1-f00 and indicates channel bandwidths for each NR band.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 NR band/SCS/UE Channel bandwidth NR SCS 5 10.sup.1,2 15.sup.2 20.sup.2 25.sup.2 30 40 50 60 80 100 Band kHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz MHz n1 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n2 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n3 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n5 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n7 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n8 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n20 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n28 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n38 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n41 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n50 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n51 15 Yes 30 60 n66 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes n70 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes n71 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n74 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n75 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes n76 15 Yes 30 60 n77 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n78 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n79 15 Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n80 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes n81 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n82 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n83 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 n84 15 Yes Yes Yes Yes 30 Yes Yes Yes 60 Yes Yes Yes NOTE 1: 90% spectrum utilization may not be achieved for 30 kHz SCS. NOTE 2: 90% spectrum utilization may not be achieved for 60 kHz SCS.

[0066] The challenge is that for different minimum channel bandwidths, NR needs to design different RMSI CORESET configuration tables to give the RMSI CORESET configurations. Moreover, the RMSI CORESET configuration index in the RMSI CORESET configuration table will be indicated to the UE by PBCH channel within the SS/PBCH block.

[0067] In other words, the RMSI CORESET configuration index in the RMSI CORESET configuration table will be transmitted to the UE via the PBCH channel within the SS/PBCH block.

[0068] In the current stage, NR has already defined the RMSI CORESET table for 5 MHz minimum channel bandwidth case as specified in 3GPP specification 38.213-f00, but RMSI CORESET table for 10 MHz minimum channel bandwidth case is still being discussed. When UE performs initial cell search in the frequency range [2570 MHz-2620 MHz], the UE doesn't know whether the RMSI is transmitted based on the RMSI CORESET configuration tables for 5 MHz minimum channel bandwidth or based on the RMSI CORESET configuration tables for 10 MHz minimum channel bandwidth, because frequency range [2570 MHz-2620 MHz] may be in Band n38 in which case the RMSI CORESET configuration table for 5 MHz minimum channel bandwidth shall be used or in Band n41 in which case the RMSI CORESET configuration table for 10 MHz minimum channel bandwidth shall be used. One implementation method can be based on UE's blindly detection, but the complexity would be high.

[0069] Therefore, this text shows how to inform and/or to indicate the UE how to determine the RMSI CORESET configuration tables to be used when receiving RMSI.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a communication system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication system 100 comprises the base station 101 which has a communication connection 110 to user equipment (UE) 102.

[0071] The base station 101 comprises a frequency range setup device 103, a writing device 104, a transmitting device 105 or transmitter 105. The frequency range setup device 103 is adapted to determine the frequency range to be used for the UE 102. If a UE wants to use a certain cell of a BS the UE needs to agree with the BS a frequency and/or time range on which it can communicate with the BS. If the UE supports multiple frequency ranges, the UE will search all of its frequency ranges until it finds the network and camps on the corresponding cell.

[0072] The frequency range setup device 103 communicates the frequency range to be used for a UE to the writing device 104. The writing, device encode the frequency range to be used for a communication with the UE 102 and writes the encoded information into a data structure, e.g., into a payload of a PBCH (Physical Broadcast Channel). In an example, such a data structure is a MIB (Master Information Block) transmitted in the PBCH as described in 3GPP specification TS 38.331 V1.0.0.

[0073] The MIB message or MIB data structure comprises system information transmitted on BCH (Broadcast Channel). This message does not use a signaling radio bearer. The RLC-SAP (Radio Link ControlService Access Point) uses a transparent mode (TM). The MIB message or MIB data structure is transmitted over the logical channel BCCH from the network, e.g. BS, to the UE.

[0074] The MIB message or data structure has the following format written in the ASN1START specification language.

TABLE-US-00003 MIB ::= SEQUENCE { systemFrameNumber BIT STRING (SIZE (6)), subCarrierSpacingCommon ENUMERATED {scs15or60, scs30or120}, ssb-SubcarrierOffset INTEGER (0..15), dmrs-TypeA-Position ENUMERATED {pos2, pos3}, pdcch-ConfigSIB1 PDCCH-ConfigSIB1, cellBarred ENUMERATED {barred, notBarred}, intraFreqReselection ENUMERATED {allowed, notAllowed}, spare BIT STRING (SIZE (1) }

[0075] In the MIB message the field cellBarred indicates that a cell is barred. The field dmrs-TypeA-Position comprises the position of (first) DM-RS (Demodulation-Reference Signal) for downlink and uplink. The field intraFreqReselection controls cell selection/reselection to intra-frequency cells when the highest ranked cell is barred or treated as barred by the UE.

[0076] The filed pdcch-ConfigSIB1 of the MIB message determines a common ControlResourceSet (CORESET) a common search space and necessary PDCCH parameters.

[0077] If the field ssb-SubcarrierOffset indicates that SIB1 is not present, the field pdcch-ConfigSIB1 indicates the frequency positions where the UE may find SS/PBCH block with SIB1 or the frequency range where the network does not provide SS/PBCH block with SIB1.

[0078] The field ssb-SubcarrierOffset corresponds to kSSB, which is the frequency domain offset between SSB and the overall resource block grid in number of subcarriers. kSSB refers to the offset between the SSB PRB grid and the common PRB grid. The value range of this field ssb-SubcarrierOffset may be extended by an additional most significant bit encoded within PBCH. This field ssb-SubcarrierOffset may indicate that a beam does not provide SIB1 and that there is hence no common CORESET. In this case, the field pdcch-ConfigSIB1 may indicate the frequency positions where the UE may (not) find a SS/PBCH with a control resource set and search space for SIB1.

[0079] The field subCarrierSpacingCommon comprises the subcarrier spacing for SIB1, Msg.2/4 for initial access and broadcast SI-messages. subCarrierSpacingCommon indicates the subcarrier used for SIB1. If the UE acquires this MIB on a carrier frequency <6 GHz, i.e. below 6 GHz, the value scs15or60 corresponds to 15 Khz and the value scs30or120 corresponds to 30 kHz. If the UE acquires this MIB on a carrier frequency >6 GHz, i.e. above 6 GHz, the value scs15or60 corresponds to 60 kHz and the value scs30or120 corresponds to 120 kHz. This value indicates which subcarrier is used. For example, scs15 indicates that a 15 kHz subcarrier is used.

[0080] The field systemFrameNumber refers to the 6 most significant bit (MSB) of the 10-bit System Frame Number (SFN). The 4 least significant bit (LSB) of the SFN are conveyed in the PBCH transport block as part of channel coding, i.e. outside the MIB encoding.

[0081] The writing device 104 forwards the data structure or MIB message to the transmitting device 105 and the transmitting device 105 transmits the data structure to the UE 102. The MIB message has two reserved bits which can be used to indicate and/or to encode the frequency range. Since only two frequency ranges are to be distinguished one of the two reserved bits may be selected. In an example the spare bit of the MIB data structure may be used. Even here only the spare bit in MIB has been described, in general, there are two spare bits in PBCH which can equally be used for the indication of the band. By using a bit, in particular by changing the value of a bit in the PBCH, information about the band may be exchanged between BS 101 and UE 102.

[0082] The User equipment (UE) 102 comprises a receiving device 106 or receiver 106, a reading device 107 and a frequency range detecting device 108. The receiving device 106 receives a data structure and forwards the data structure to the reading device 107. The reading device 107 is adapted to read an encoded information about a frequency range and to decode a frequency range to be used for the UE. The frequency range detecting device 108 is adapted to detect the frequency range from the decoded information and to use the detected frequency range for a communication with a base station.

[0083] FIG. 2 shows an SSB or SS/PBCH block for a better understanding of the present disclosure. The SSB or SS/PBCH block comprises a plurality of contiguous resource blocks (Physical Resource Block, PRB).

[0084] It should be noted that the term comprising does not exclude other elements or steps and the a or an does not exclude a plurality. Also, elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined.

[0085] It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0086] 100 Communication System

[0087] 101 Base Station

[0088] 102 User Equipment

[0089] 103 Frequency Range Setup Device

[0090] 104 Writing Device

[0091] 105 Transmitting Device, Transmitter

[0092] 106 Receiving Device, Receiver

[0093] 107 Reading Device

[0094] 108 Frequency Range Detecting Device

[0095] 110 Communication Connection