# US 11,122,625 B2 · User equipment, network node and methods performed therein > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,625 B2 - Document ID: US11122625B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/754,621 - Filed: 2016-09-20 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Tuomas Tirronen; Johan Bergman; Yufei Blankenship; Emre Yavuz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122625B2 ## CPC - H04W 74/006: {in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal} - H04W 74/0833: Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access - H04W 74/0866: {using a dedicated channel for access} - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Embodiments herein may relate to a method performed by a network node (115). The network node defines one or more parameters of a Coverage Enhanced Physical random access channel Configuration Index, CE PCI, for one or more Physical Random Access Channel, PRACH, resource sets, each of the one or more PRACH resource sets is associated with a coverage level whereby a different CE PCI is defined for each coverage level. The network node configures the one or more PRACH resource sets in a broadcast message. Furthermore, the network node assigns a starting subframe number to a PRACH resource set used by a UE, (110), and calculates a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier, RA-RNTI, using the assigned starting subframe number. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a network node, the method comprising: defining one or more parameters of a Coverage Enhanced Physical random access channel Configuration Index (CE PCI) for one or more Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resource sets, where each of the one or more PRACH resource sets is associated with a coverage level, and where a different CE PCI is defined for each coverage level; configuring the one or more PRACH resource sets in a broadcast message; determining, from among X possible starting opportunities within a Y millisecond (ms) period that is longer than one frame, which starting opportunity was used by a User Equipment (UE) for starting PRACH repetitions according to one of the coverage levels, wherein X is a defined value and Y=X*PRACH repetition level; calculating a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) based on the determined starting opportunity; and transmitting a Random Access Response (RAR) for the UE, where the RAR is identified by the calculated RA-RNTI. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a higher layer configuration is used by the network node to configure the one or more PRACH resource sets in the broadcast message. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprise any one or more out of: a PRACH Configuration Index, a number of repetitions of a legacy random access preamble defined by the PRACH Configuration Index, a starting System Frame Number (SFN), and a starting subframe of a PRACH attempt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises broadcasting one or more CE PCIs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein each starting opportunity is uniquely numbered within the Y ms period and wherein calculating the RA-RNTI comprises calculating the RA-RNTI based on the unique number of the determined starting opportunity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the X starting opportunities are respective subframes within the more than one frame spanned by the Y ms period, and wherein calculating the RA-RNTI based on the determined starting opportunity comprises calculating the RA-RNTI in dependence on an identifier that uniquely defines the determined starting opportunity within the Y ms period. ### Claim 7 A method performed by a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising: choosing a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resource set according to a coverage level, each PRACH resource set having an associated Coverage Enhanced PRACH Configuration Index (CE PCI); selecting a starting opportunity for starting PRACH repetitions according to the coverage level, from among X possible starting opportunities within a Y millisecond (ms) period that is longer than one frame, wherein X is a defined value and Y=X* PRACH repetition level; transmitting a random access preamble to a network node, with repetitions of the random access preamble starting in the selected starting opportunity; and monitoring for reception of a Random Access Response (RAR) identified by a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) calculated in dependence on the selected starting opportunity. ### Claim 8 A network node, comprising: communication circuitry configured for communicating with User Equipments (UEs); and processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to: define one or more parameters of a Coverage Enhanced Physical random access channel Configuration Index (CE PCI) for one or more Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resource sets, where each of the one or more PRACH resource sets is associated with a coverage level, and where a different CE PCI is defined for each coverage level; configure the one or more PRACH resource sets in a broadcast message; determine, from among X possible starting opportunities within a Y millisecond (ms) period that is longer than one frame, which starting opportunity was used by a User Equipment (UE) for starting PRACH repetitions according to one of the coverage levels, wherein X is a defined value and Y=X* PRACH repetition level; calculate a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) using the determined starting opportunity; and transmit Random Access Response (RAR) for the UE, where the RAR is identified by the calculated RA-RNTI. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The network node according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use a higher layer configuration to configure the one or more PRACH resource sets in the broadcast message. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The network node according to claim 8, wherein the one or more parameters comprise any one or more out of: a PRACH Configuration Index, a number of repetitions of a legacy random access preamble defined by the PRACH Configuration Index, a starting System Frame Number (SFN) and a starting subframe of a PRACH attempt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The network node according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to broadcast one or more CE PCIs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The network node according to claim 8, wherein each starting opportunity is uniquely numbered within the Y ms period and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate the RA-RNTI based on the unique number of the determined starting opportunity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The network node according to claim 12, wherein the X starting opportunities are respective subframes within the more than one frame spanned by the Y ms period, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate the RA-RNTI based on the determined starting opportunity by calculating the RA-RNTI in dependence on an identifier that uniquely defines the determined starting opportunity within the Y ms period. ### Claim 14 A User Equipment (UE), comprising: communication circuitry configured for communicating with a wireless communication network; and processing circuitry operatively associated with the communication circuitry and configured to: choose a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resource set according to a coverage level, each PRACH resource set having an associated Coverage Enhanced PRACH Configuration Index (CE PCI); select a starting opportunity for starting PRACH repetitions according to the coverage level, from among X possible starting opportunities within a Y millisecond (ms) period that is longer than one frame, wherein X is a defined value and Y=X*PRACH repetition level; transmit a random access preamble to a network node, with repetitions of the random access preamble starting in the selected starting opportunity; and monitor for reception of a Random Access Response (RAR) identified by a Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) calculated in dependence on the selected starting opportunity.