Narrow band PRACH with multiple tone hopping distances

• US 10,090,880 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Renqiu, Xu, Hao, Wang, Xiao Feng, Chen, Wanshi, Gaal, Peter, Montojo, Juan, Rico Alvarino, Alberto, Fakoorian, Seyed Ali Akbar
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US15/279,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7143 Arrangements for generation of hop patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2613 Structure of the reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/26132 using repetition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0012 Hopping in multicarrier systems for frequency hopping in spread spectrum systems H04B1/713
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Due to the limited dimension of a NB that may be used by multiple users, as well as possible large coverage areas, timing offset estimation may be outside of NCP. The inaccuracy in the timing estimate can be improved by using more than one tone hopping distance for PRACH. An apparatus may then transmit a first and second tone of the PRACH at a first hopping distance from the first tone. The apparatus may then transmit a third tone of the PRACH and a fourth tone of the PRACH at a second hopping distance from the third tone. The second hopping distance may be greater than first hopping distance. The apparatus may also transmit an additional tone of the PRACH using a random hopping distance. A receiving apparatus may receive the transmitted PRACH and determine a phase estimation based on the sets of tones having different hopping distances.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting a first symbol on a first tone of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH);

transmitting a second symbol on a second tone of the PRACH at a first hopping distance from the first tone;

transmitting a third symbol on a third tone of the PRACH; and

transmitting a fourth symbol on a fourth tone of the PRACH at a second hopping distance from the third tone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication comprises a narrow band wireless communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second hopping distance is greater than first hopping distance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second hopping distance corresponds to the first hopping distance multiplied by an integer greater than 1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a third hopping distance between the first symbol on the first tone and third symbol on the third tone corresponds to a random hopping distance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a third hopping distance between the fourth symbol on the fourth tone and the first symbol on the first tone corresponds to a random hopping distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an additional symbol on an additional tone of the PRACH using a third hopping distance that is a random hopping distance.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a coverage enhancement (CE) level;

selecting the first hopping distance between tone transmissions of the PRACH based on the CE level, wherein a first distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is below a reference level and a second distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is above the reference level, and

wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a resource allocation information mapping tones in a transmission resource to a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within a transmission resource indicated by the resource allocation information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the CE level maps to tones in a fixed transmission resource, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within the fixed transmission resource.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the CE level maps to tones in a plurality of fixed transmission resources, the method further comprising:

receiving resource allocation information corresponding to the CE level, wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within one of the plurality of fixed transmission resources indicated by the resource allocation information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a coverage enhancement (CE) level, wherein a first CE level is associated with a different timing advance granularity for tone transmissions of the PRACH than a second CE level.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein spacing between tones for the PRACH is different than spacing between tones for a corresponding uplink or downlink data transmission.

14. An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising:

means for receiving downlink communication from a base station; and

means for transmitting a first symbol on a first tone of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) to the base station,

wherein the means for transmitting transmits a second symbol on a second tone of the PRACH at a first hopping distance from the first tone, transmits a third symbol on a third tone of the PRACH, and transmits a fourth symbol on a fourth tone of the PRACH at a second hopping distance from the third tone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication comprises a narrow band wireless communication, and wherein the second hopping distance is greater than first hopping distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second hopping distance corresponds to the first hopping distance multiplied by an integer greater than 1.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a third hopping distance between the first symbol on the first tone and the third symbol on the third tone corresponds to a random hopping distance or a fourth hopping distance between the fourth symbol on the fourth tone and the first symbol on the first tone corresponds to a random hopping distance.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for transmitting transmit an additional symbol on an additional tone of the PRACH using a third hopping distance that is a random hopping distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for determining a coverage enhancement (CE) level;

means for selecting the first hopping distance between tone transmissions of the PRACH based on the CE level, wherein a first distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is below a reference level and a second distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is above the reference level, and

wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for receiving are configured to receive a resource allocation information mapping tones in a transmission resource to a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within a transmission resource indicated by the resource allocation information, and

wherein the CE level maps to at least one of:

tones in a fixed transmission resource, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within the fixed transmission resource, or

tones in a plurality of fixed transmission resources, wherein the means for receiving receive resource allocation information corresponding to the CE level, wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within one of the plurality of fixed transmission resources indicated by the resource allocation information.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for determining a coverage enhancement (CE) level, wherein a first CE level is associated with a different timing advance granularity for tone transmissions of the PRACH than a second CE level.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein spacing between tones for the PRACH is different than spacing between tones for a corresponding uplink or downlink data transmission, and wherein at least the first tone is mapped to a position for a corresponding uplink data transmission or downlink data transmission following a successful PRACH transmission.

23. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

transmit a first symbol on a first tone of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH);

transmit a second symbol on a second tone of the PRACH at a first hopping distance from the first tone;

transmit a third symbol on a third tone of the PRACH; and

transmit a fourth symbol on a fourth tone of the PRACH at a second hopping distance from the third tone.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the wireless communication comprises a narrow band wireless communication, and wherein the second hopping distance is greater than first hopping distance.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second hopping distance corresponds to the first hopping distance multiplied by an integer greater than 1.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a third hopping distance between the first symbol on the first tone and the third symbol on the third tone corresponds to a random hopping distance or a fourth hopping distance between the fourth symbol on the fourth tone and the first symbol on the first tone corresponds to a random hopping distance.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit an additional symbol on an additional tone of the PRACH using a third hopping distance that is a random hopping distance.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a coverage enhancement (CE) level; and

select the first hopping distance between tone transmissions of the PRACH based on the CE level, wherein a first distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is below a reference level and a second distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is above the reference level, and

wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a resource allocation information mapping tones in a transmission resource to a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within a transmission resource indicated by the resource allocation information, wherein the CE level maps to at least one of;

tones in a fixed transmission resource, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within the fixed transmission resource, or

tones in a plurality of fixed transmission resources, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive resource allocation information corresponding to the CE level, wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within one of the plurality of fixed transmission resources indicated by the resource allocation information.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a coverage enhancement (CE) level, wherein a first CE level is associated with a different timing advance granularity for tone transmissions of the PRACH than a second CE level.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein spacing between tones for the PRACH is different than spacing between tones for a corresponding uplink or downlink data transmission, and wherein at least the first tone is mapped to a position for a corresponding uplink data transmission or downlink data transmission following a successful PRACH transmission.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for execution by at least one processor, wherein the computer executable code is for wireless communication, comprising code to:

transmit a first symbol on a first tone of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH);

transmit a second symbol on a second tone of the PRACH at a first hopping distance from the first tone;

transmit a third symbol on a third tone of the PRACH; and

transmit fourth symbol on a fourth tone of the PRACH at a second hopping distance from the third tone.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the wireless communication comprises a narrow band wireless communication, and wherein the second hopping distance is greater than first hopping distance.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the second hopping distance corresponds to the first hopping distance multiplied by an integer greater than 1.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, a third hopping distance between the first symbol on the first tone and the third symbol on the third tone corresponds to a random hopping distance or a fourth hopping distance between the fourth symbol on the fourth tone and the first symbol on the first tone corresponds to a random hopping distance.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising code to:

transmit an additional symbol on an additional tone of the PRACH using a third hopping distance that is a random hopping distance.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising code to:

determine a coverage enhancement (CE) level; and

select the first hopping distance between tone transmissions of the PRACH based on the CE level, wherein a first distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is below a reference level and a second distance is selected as the first hopping distance when the CE level is above the reference level, and

wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising code to:

receive a resource allocation information mapping tones in a transmission resource to a coverage enhancement (CE) level, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within a transmission resource indicated by the resource allocation information, wherein the CE level maps to at least one of;

tones in a fixed transmission resource, and wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within the fixed transmission resource, or

tones in a plurality of fixed transmission resources, further comprising code to;

receive resource allocation information corresponding to the CE level, wherein the first symbol on the first tone, the second symbol on the second tone, the third symbol on the third tone and the fourth symbol on the fourth tone are transmitted within one of the plurality of fixed transmission resources indicated by the resource allocation information.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising code to:

determine a coverage enhancement (CE) level, wherein a first CE level is associated with a different timing advance granularity for tone transmissions of the PRACH than a second CE level.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein spacing between tones for the PRACH is different than spacing between tones for a corresponding uplink or downlink data transmission, and wherein at least the first tone is mapped to a position for a corresponding uplink data transmission or downlink data transmission following a successful PRACH transmission.