Synchronization Transmissions in a Wireless Communication System

Abstract

To support cell search, multiple (e.g., two) synchronization transmissions are sent in a frame with non-uniform spacing. Information is conveyed via the non-equal distances between consecutive synchronization transmissions. Multiple levels of non-uniform spacing may be used to convey different types of information. In one design, the multiple synchronization transmissions are sent in different subframes of a frame, and each synchronization transmission is sent in one of multiple symbol periods in a respective subframe. The synchronization transmissions may be sent in non-evenly spaced subframes to convey frame boundary. One synchronization transmission may be sent in one of multiple possible symbol periods depending on the information, e.g., a particular group of cell IDs, being conveyed. The distances between synchronization transmissions may also be used to convey cyclic prefix length. A secondary synchronization transmission carrying a cell ID may be sent at a predetermined offset from one of the multiple synchronization transmissions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.