18249776. TIMING ADVANCE (TA) MAINTENANCE IN NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (NTN) simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)

TIMING ADVANCE (TA) MAINTENANCE IN NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (NTN)

Organization Name

Apple Inc.

Inventor(s)

Chunhai Yao of Beijing (CN)

Chunxuan Ye of San Diego CA (US)

Dawei Zhang of Saratoga CA (US)

Haijing Hu of Los Gatos CA (US)

Haitong Sun of Cupertino CA (US)

Hong He of San Jose CA (US)

Huaning Niu of San Jose CA (US)

Jie Cui of San Jose CA (US)

Oghenekome Oteri of San Diego CA (US)

Sarma V. Vangala of Campbell CA (US)

Sigen Ye of San Diego CA (US)

Wei Zeng of Saratoga CA (US)

Weidong Yang of San Diego CA (US)

Yang Tang of San Jose CA (US)

Yushu Zhang of Beijing (CN)

TIMING ADVANCE (TA) MAINTENANCE IN NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (NTN) - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18249776 titled 'TIMING ADVANCE (TA) MAINTENANCE IN NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS (NTN)

Simplified Explanation

The patent application discusses techniques to improve the timing and synchronization of transmissions in a wireless communications network that includes both a terrestrial network and a non-terrestrial network (NTN).

• User equipment (UE) maintains a timing advance (TA) value to account for propagation delays between the UE, NTN, and terrestrial network.
• The TA value is continuously updated based on network broadcasts, random access channel (RACH) procedures, control messages, timing drift rates, and beam switching.
• These techniques ensure proper timing and synchronization of uplink (UL) transmissions in the wireless communications network.

Potential Applications

• This technology can be applied in various wireless communications networks that include both terrestrial and non-terrestrial components.
• It can be used in satellite communication systems to improve the timing and synchronization of transmissions between user equipment and satellites.

Problems Solved

• Propagation delays and changes in propagation delays between different components of a wireless communications network can cause timing and synchronization issues.
• This technology solves the problem of maintaining proper timing and synchronization in a network that includes both terrestrial and non-terrestrial components.

Benefits

• Improved timing and synchronization of transmissions in a wireless communications network.
• Enhanced reliability and efficiency of uplink transmissions.
• Better overall performance and user experience in wireless communication systems.

Original Abstract Submitted

Techniques discussed herein may better ensure proper timing and synchronization of transmissions within a wireless communications network that includes a terrestrial network and a non-terrestrial network (NTN). A user equipment (UE) may maintain (e.g., determine and update on an ongoing basis) a timing advance (TA) value that the UE may apply to uplink (UL) transmissions to account for propagation delays, including changes in propagation delays, between the UE, NTN, and terrestrial network. TA maintenance may be based on network broadcasts, random access channel (RACH) procedures, control messages, timing drift rates (e.g., of the UE or NTN satellite), beam switching, and more.