Synchronization Signal Block Index Signaling

A wireless device, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a radio operably coupled to the antenna;
• and
• a processing element operably coupled to the radio;
• wherein the wireless device is configured to:
• detect a synchronization signal (SS) block from a cellular base station;
• determine a SS burst index of a SS burst comprising the detected SS block;
• determine a relative position of the detected SS block within the SS burst;
• determine a SS block index of the detected SS block based at least in part on the SS burst index and the relative position of the detected SS block within the SS burst;
• and
• transmit an indication of the SS block index of the detected SS block to the cellular base station.

A cellular base station, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a radio operably coupled to the antenna;
• and
• a processing element operably coupled to the radio;
• wherein the cellular base station is configured to:
• transmit a plurality of synchronization signal (SS) blocks according to a periodic pattern, wherein, in each period of the periodic pattern, one or more SS bursts each comprising one or more SS blocks are transmitted, wherein each SS block has a SS block index that identifies its location within the period;
• and
• receive an indication of a SS block index of a SS block detected by a wireless device for each of one or more wireless devices within a communication range of the cellular base station.