# US 2022/0046565 A1 · Reference timing delivery to user equipment with propagation delay compensation

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- Number: US 2022/0046565 A1
- Document ID: US20220046565A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/452,049
- Filed: 2021-10-22
- Published: 2022-02-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-04
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Rajat PRAKASH; Xiaoxia ZHANG; Srinivas YERRAMALLI; Seyed Ali Akbar FAKOORIAN; Vinay JOSEPH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220046565A1

## CPC

- H04W 56/0015: {one node acting as a reference for the others}
- H04W 56/004: {compensating for timing error of reception due to propagation delay}
- H04W 56/001: {Synchronization between nodes}
- H04W 56/0045: {compensating for timing error by altering transmission time}
- H04W 56/0065: {using measurement of signal travel time}
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A wireless communication system is provided allowing a base station to indicate RTT compensation for UEs to adjust their local time clocks to correct propagation delay timing errors and synchronize with the global clock of a base station. A base station sends a downlink transmission including timing information to a UE and receives an uplink transmission from the UE after the downlink transmission. The base station determines a RTT compensation associated with the timing information based on a RTT between the downlink transmission and the uplink transmission. The base station then transmits the RTT compensation to the UE. UEs are thus allowed to synchronize at a high precision with the time clock of the base station. UEs may be configured with different resolutions or granularities in timing correction so that certain UEs can achieve high precision timing correction while other UEs can adjust their time clocks with less precision.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
communicating, with a network node, at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
receiving, from the network node, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, to the network node, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying the TA to a clock associated with communication by the UE, wherein
the TA is applied to the clock to align the clock with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
receiving information indicating an external reference time; and
synchronizing the clock with the external reference time, wherein
the TA is applied to the clock after synchronization of the clock with the external reference time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the TA is UE-specific, and the external reference time is UE-nonspecific.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the TA is associated with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configured for communication between the UE and the network node.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating, with the network node, the at least one signal associated with the propagation delay between the UE and the network node comprises at least one of:
receiving, from the network node, a first signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the network node, wherein a reception time at the UE for the first signal is later than the transmission time at the network node for the first signal; or
transmitting, to the network node, a second signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the UE, wherein the transmission time at the UE for the second signal is earlier than a reception time at the network node for the second signal, and wherein
the propagation delay is estimated for the TA based on at least one of a difference between the reception time at the UE for the first signal and the transmission time at the network node for the first signal or a difference between the transmission time at the UE for the second signal and the reception time at the network node for the second signal.

### Claim 10

A method of wireless communication at a network node, comprising:
communicating, with a user equipment (UE), at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
transmitting, to the UE, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment by the UE with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, from the UE, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
calculating the TA based on the propagation delay to align a local clock associated with the UE with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
transmitting information indicating an external reference time, wherein
the information indicating the TA is transmitted after the information indicating the external reference time.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the TA is UE-specific, and the external reference time is UE-nonspecific.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the TA is associated with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configured for communication between the UE and the network node.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the communicating, with the UE, the at least one signal associated with the propagation delay between the UE and the network node comprises at least one of:
transmitting, to the UE, a first signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the network node, wherein the transmission time at the network node for the first signal is earlier than a reception time at the UE for the first signal; or
receiving, from the UE, a second signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the UE, wherein a reception time at the network node for the second signal is later than the transmission time at the UE for the second signal; and
the propagation delay is estimated for the TA based on at least one of a difference between the reception time at the UE for the first signal and the transmission time at the network node for the first signal or a difference between the transmission time at the UE for the second signal and the reception time at the network node for the second signal.

### Claim 19

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
communicate, with a network node, at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
receive, from the network node, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit, to the network node, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
apply the TA to a clock associated with communication by the UE, wherein
the TA is applied to the clock to align the clock with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive information indicating an external reference time; and
synchronize the clock with the external reference time, wherein
the TA is applied to the clock after synchronization of the clock with the external reference time.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the TA is UE-specific, and the external reference time is UE-nonspecific.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the TA is associated with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configured for communication between the UE and the network node.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein communication, with the network node, of the at least one signal associated with the propagation delay between the UE and the network node comprises at least one of to:
receive, from the network node, a first signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the network node, wherein a reception time at the UE for the first signal is later than the transmission time at the network node for the first signal; or
transmit, to the network node, a second signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the UE, wherein the transmission time at the UE for the second signal is earlier than a reception time at the network node for the second signal, and wherein
the propagation delay is estimated for the TA based on at least one of a difference between the reception time at the UE for the first signal and the transmission time at the network node for the first signal or a difference between the transmission time at the UE for the second signal and the reception time at the network node for the second signal.

### Claim 28

An apparatus for wireless communication at a network node, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
communicate, with a user equipment (UE), at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
transmit, to the UE, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment by the UE with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive, from the UE, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 32 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
calculate the TA based on the propagation delay to align a local clock associated with the UE with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit information indicating an external reference time, wherein
the information indicating the TA is transmitted after the information indicating the external reference time.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the TA is UE-specific, and the external reference time is UE-nonspecific.

### Claim 35 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the TA is associated with a subcarrier spacing (SCS) configured for communication between the UE and the network node.

### Claim 36 (depends on 28)

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein communication, with the UE, of the at least one signal associated with the propagation delay between the UE and the network node comprises at least one of to:
transmit, to the UE, a first signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the network node, wherein the transmission time at the network node for the first signal is earlier than a reception time at the UE for the first signal; or
receive, from the UE, a second signal of the at least one signal indicating a transmission time at the UE, wherein a reception time at the network node for the second signal is later than the transmission time at the UE for the second signal; and
the propagation delay is estimated for the TA based on at least one of a difference between the reception time at the UE for the first signal and the transmission time at the network node for the first signal or a difference between the transmission time at the UE for the second signal and the reception time at the network node for the second signal.

### Claim 37

An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
means for communicating, with a network node, at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
means for receiving, from the network node, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 40 (depends on 37)

The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:
means for transmitting, to the network node, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 41 (depends on 37)

The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:
means for applying the TA to a clock associated with communication by the UE, wherein
the TA is applied to the clock to align the clock with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 42

An apparatus for wireless communication at a network node, comprising:
means for communicating, with a user equipment (UE), at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
means for transmitting, to the UE, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment by the UE with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the type of the UE comprises one of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) UE or a non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the precision of the TA is greater for the IIoT UE than for the non-IIoT UE.

### Claim 45 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:
means for receiving, from the UE, information indicating the type of the UE.

### Claim 46 (depends on 42)

The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:
means for calculating the TA based on the propagation delay to align a local clock associated with the UE with another clock associated with communication by the network node.

### Claim 47

A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), the code when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
communicate, with a network node, at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
receive, from the network node, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.

### Claim 48

A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for wireless communication at a network node, the code when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
communicate, with a user equipment (UE), at least one signal associated with a propagation delay between the UE and the network node; and
transmit, to the UE, information indicating a timing advance (TA) associated with the propagation delay for timing alignment by the UE with the network node, the TA having a precision that corresponds to a type of the UE.