CN-115843128-B - Side-chain communication in cellular communication networks

Abstract

According TO an example aspect of the invention there is provided a method comprising determining, by a network node, a timing offset (TO A ) of a first radio link, determining, by the network node, a timing offset (TO B ) of a second radio link, determining, by the network node, a timing offset (TO C ) of a third radio link, calculating, by the network node, a timing calibration value of a first sidelink device using the timing offset (TO A ) of the first radio link, the timing offset (TO B ) of the second radio link and the timing offset (TO C ) of the third radio link, and transmitting, by the network node, at least the timing calibration value of the first sidelink device.

Inventors

• J.T. Hewitt
• B. Vijergad
• O-e. barb
• R. B. abru
• T.H. Jacobson
• J. Baker Harley

Assignees

• 诺基亚技术有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20220920

Priority Date

20210921

Claims (20)

1. 1. A method for communication, comprising: Determining, by a network node, a timing offset, TO A , of a first wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between a wireless network node and a first side chain device, and the timing offset, TO A , of the first wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the first wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the first wireless link, wherein the network node is a network node in the wireless network node or a core network; Determining, by the network node, a timing offset, TO B , of a second wireless link, wherein the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and a second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO B , of the second wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the second wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the second wireless link; Determining, by the network node, a timing offset, TO C , of a third wireless link, wherein the third wireless link is a link between the first side-chain device and the second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO C , of the third wireless link is based on the calculated bi-directional delay of the third wireless link and the measured bi-directional delay of the third wireless link; calculating, by the network node, a timing calibration value for the first side-chain device using the timing offset TO A of the first wireless link, the timing offset TO B of the second wireless link, and the timing offset TO C of the third wireless link, wherein the timing calibration value SL1 for the first side-chain device is calculated as follows: And (C) sum Transmitting, by the network node, at least the timing calibration value of the first side chain device.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing offset is determined by subtracting the calculated bi-directional delay for the corresponding wireless link from the measured bi-directional delay for the corresponding wireless link.
3. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing calibration value SL2 of the second side chain device is calculated as follows: 。
4. 4. the method according to claim 1, wherein the timing calibration value NW of the radio network node is calculated as follows: 。
5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated bi-directional delay is twice a propagation delay between a transmitter and a receiver.
6. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured bi-directional delay is a sum of twice a propagation delay between a transmitter and a receiver, a transmission and reception delay at the transmitter, and a transmission and reception delay at the receiver.
7. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated bi-directional delay is calculated based on a location of a transmitter and a location of a receiver.
8. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Before determining the timing offset TO A of the first wireless link, the timing offset TO B of the second wireless link, and the timing offset TO C of the third wireless link, a line-of-sight connection is detected TO exist on the first wireless link, the second wireless link, and the third wireless link.
9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node is a network node in a core network, and the method further comprises: prioritizing base stations based on their timing calibration values and transmitting the ordered list of base stations to a side chain device to initiate a timing calibration procedure, and/or A set of base stations is selected based on the timing calibration values of the base stations and information about the set is transmitted to the side chain device for clock alignment.
10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network node is the radio network node, and the method further comprises: transmitting the timing calibration value of the first sidelink device to the first sidelink device, and/or Transmitting the timing calibration value of the second side chain device to the second side chain device.
11. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a timing calibration value of the radio network node and a timing calibration value of the second side-chain device are calculated using the timing offset TO A of the first radio link, the timing offset TO B of the second radio link, and the timing offset TO C of the third radio link.
12. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Transmitting a request to the first sidelink device requesting the first sidelink device to measure the bi-directional delay of the third wireless link, and The measured bidirectional delay of the third wireless link is received from the first side chain device.
13. 13. A method for communication, comprising: Receiving, by a first sidelink device, a timing calibration value of the first sidelink device from a network node, the timing calibration value being based on a timing offset, TO A , of a first wireless link, TO B , of a second wireless link, and a timing offset, TO C , of a third wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between a wireless network node and the first sidelink device, the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and a second sidelink device, and the third wireless link is a link between the first sidelink device and the second sidelink device, wherein the network node is a network node in the wireless network node or a core network, wherein the timing calibration value SL1 of the first sidelink device is calculated as follows: And (C) sum The timing calibration value is used by the first side chain device to compensate for transmission and/or reception.
14. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving a request from the network node to measure a bi-directional delay of the third wireless link, and Transmitting the measured bi-directional delay of the third radio link to the network node.
15. 15. An apparatus for communication comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to perform: Determining a timing offset, TO A , of a first wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between a wireless network node and a first side chain device, and the timing offset, TO A , of the first wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the first wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the first wireless link, wherein the apparatus is the wireless network node or a network node in a core network; Determining a timing offset, TO B , of a second wireless link, wherein the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and a second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO B , of the second wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the second wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the second wireless link; Determining a timing offset, TO C , of a third wireless link, wherein the third wireless link is a link between the first side-chain device and the second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO C , of the third wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the third wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the third wireless link; Calculating a timing calibration of the first side chain device using the timing offset TO A of the first wireless link, the timing offset TO B of the second wireless link, and the timing offset TO C of the third wireless link, wherein the timing calibration value SL1 of the first side chain device is calculated as follows: Value of sum Transmitting at least the timing calibration value of the first side chain device.
16. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to perform the method of any one of claims 2 to 12.
17. 17. An apparatus for communication comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to perform: Receiving a timing calibration value of the apparatus from a network node, the timing calibration value being based on a timing offset, TO A , of a first wireless link, TO B , of a second wireless link, and a timing offset, TO C , of a third wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between a wireless network node and the apparatus, the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and a second side-chain device, and the third wireless link is a link between the apparatus and the second side-chain device, wherein the network node is a network node in the wireless network node or a core network, wherein the timing calibration value, SL1, of the apparatus is calculated as follows: And (C) sum The timing calibration value is used to compensate for transmission and/or reception of the device.
18. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to perform the method of claim 14.
19. 19. An apparatus for communication, comprising: Means for determining a timing offset, TO A , of a first wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between a wireless network node and a first side chain device, and the timing offset, TO A , of the first wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the first wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the first wireless link, wherein the apparatus is a network node in the wireless network node or a core network; Means for determining a timing offset, TO B , of a second wireless link, wherein the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and a second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO B , of the second wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the second wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the second wireless link; Means for determining a timing offset, TO C , of a third wireless link, wherein the third wireless link is a link between the first side-chain device and the second side-chain device, and the timing offset, TO C , of the third wireless link is based on a calculated bi-directional delay of the third wireless link and a measured bi-directional delay of the third wireless link; Means for calculating a timing calibration value for the first side chain device using the timing offset TO A of the first wireless link, the timing offset TO B of the second wireless link, and the timing offset TO C of the third wireless link, wherein the timing calibration value SL1 for the first side chain device is calculated as follows: And (C) sum Means for transmitting at least the timing calibration value of the first side chain device.
20. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for performing the method of any of claims 2 to 12.

Description

Side-chain communication in cellular communication networks Technical Field Various example embodiments relate generally to cellular communication networks and, more particularly, to side-chain communications in such networks. Background The side chains SL are direct communication links between user equipments UEs in the cellular communication network and the UEs can communicate via the SL without going through the base station BS. Communications over SL may be enabled in various cellular communication networks, such as in cellular communication networks operating according to 5G radio access technology. The 5G radio access technology may also be referred to as a new radio NR access technology. The third generation partnership project 3GPP sets standards for 5G/NR and some of the subject matter in the 3GPP discussion is related to SL communication. In light of the discussion, there is a need to provide improved methods, apparatus and computer programs related to the use of SL. Such improvements may also be used in other cellular communication networks. Disclosure of Invention According to some aspects, the subject matter of the independent claims is provided. Some example embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The scope of protection sought for the various exemplary embodiments of the present invention is as set forth in the independent claims. Example embodiments and features (if any) described in this specification that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims are to be construed as examples useful for understanding the various example embodiments of the invention. According TO a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising means for determining a timing offset (TO A) of a first radio link, wherein the first radio link is a link between a radio network node and a first side chain device and the timing offset (TO A) of the first radio link is based on the calculated bi-directional delay of the first radio link and the measured bi-directional delay of the first radio link, means for determining a timing offset (TO B) of a second radio link, wherein the second radio link is a link between the radio network node and a second side chain device and the timing offset (TO B) of the second radio link is based on the calculated bi-directional delay of the second radio link and the measured bi-directional delay of the second radio link, means for determining a timing offset (TO C) of a third radio link, wherein the third radio link is a link between the first side chain device and the second side chain device and the timing offset (TO A) of the third radio link is based on the calculated bi-directional delay of the third radio link and the measured bi-directional delay of the third radio link, means for using the calculated bi-directional delay of the second radio link and the calculated bi-directional delay of the timing offset (TO B) of the second radio link and the calculated bi-directional delay of the timing offset (TO B) of the second radio link and the measured bi-directional delay of the second radio link, means for determining the timing offset (TO 6283) of the timing offset (TO be calibrated with at least one side of the timing offset device and the timing offset (TO 6283) of the timing offset device. The apparatus of the first aspect may comprise a network node, or a control device configured to control its operation, possibly when installed therein. According TO a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus comprising means for receiving a timing calibration value for a first sidelink device from a network node, the timing calibration value being based on a timing offset (TO A) of the first wireless link, a timing offset (TO B) of the second wireless link and a timing offset (TO C) of a third wireless link, wherein the first wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and the first sidelink device, the second wireless link is a link between the wireless network node and the second sidelink device, and the third wireless link is a link between the first sidelink device and the second sidelink device, and means for compensating for transmission and/or reception using the timing calibration value. The apparatus may include a first side link device, or a control device configured to control its operation, possibly when installed therein. According TO a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a first method comprising determining, by a network node, a timing offset (TO A) of a first radio link, wherein the first radio link is a link between the radio network node and a first side-link device and the timing offset (TO A) of the first radio link is based on the calculated bi-directional delay of the first radio link and the measured bi-directional delay of the first radio link, determining, by the network node, a timing offset (TO B) of a second radio link, wherein the second radio link is a link between the radio