Method and device for PBCH transmission mode determination

A device for communication mode determination, comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a processor, coupled with the transceiver;
• and
• a memory, coupled with the transceiver and the processor, and storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• make the transceiver to receive a plurality of pieces of first data at a plurality of first time-frequency resource locations, the plurality of first time-frequency resource locations being time-frequency resource locations for repeated physical broadcast channel (PBCH) transmission in enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC);
• combine the plurality of pieces of first data to obtain first combined data;
• and
• decode and check the first combined data, and determine that the communication mode is repeated PBCH transmission on condition that decoded data of the first combined data is checked to be correct;
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• make the transceiver to receive second data at a second time-frequency resource location, wherein the second time-frequency resource location is a time-frequency resource location for non-repeated PBCH transmission;
• combine the plurality of pieces of first data and the second data to obtain second combined data;
• and
• decode and check the second data and the second combined data, and determine that the communication mode is non-repeated PBCH transmission on condition that the decoded data of the first combined data is checked to be incorrect, decoded data of the second data is checked to be correct, and decoded data of the second combined data is checked to be incorrect.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing computer program instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of pieces of first data at a plurality of first time-frequency resource locations, the plurality of first time-frequency resource locations being time-frequency resource locations for repeated physical broadcast channel (PBCH) transmission in enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC);
• combining the plurality of pieces of first data to obtain first combined data;
• and
• decoding and checking the first combined data, and determining that the communication mode is repeated PBCH transmission on condition that decoded data of the first combined data is checked to be correct;
• wherein the computer program instructions are further executed by the computer to carry out actions, comprising:
• receiving second data at a second time-frequency resource location, wherein the second time-frequency resource location is a time-frequency resource location for non-repeated PBCH transmission;
• combining the plurality of pieces of first data and the second data to obtain second combined data;
• and
• decoding and checking the second data and the second combined data, and determining that the communication mode is non-repeated PBCH transmission on condition that the decoded data of the first combined data is checked to be incorrect, decoded data of the second data is checked to be correct, and decoded data of the second combined data is checked to be incorrect.