Handling multiple transmission opportunities in a paging occasion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12336007-B2
Application number	US-201917289094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2019
Priority date	Nov 1, 2018
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A method is provided for use in a network node in wireless communications network. The method includes determining, a plurality of transmission opportunities, TXOPs, in which to attempt to transmit a paging signal in a plurality of beams. The plurality of beams have a beam order. The method further includes assigning a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams, wherein none of the TXOPs is assigned to more than one beam. The method further includes performing at least one clear channel assessment, CCA, before transmitting the paging signal in one of the TXOPs. The method further includes transmitting the paging signal in a first beam of the plurality of beams using one of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam based on a first successful CCA covering the used TXOP.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for use in a network node in wireless communications network, the method comprising:
determining a plurality of transmission opportunities, TXOPs, in which to attempt to transmit a paging signal in a plurality of beams, wherein the plurality of beams have a beam order;
assigning a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams, wherein none of the TXOPs is assigned to more than one beam and wherein the predetermined number is greater than one;
performing at least one clear channel assessment, CCA, before transmitting the paging signal in one of the TXOPs; and
upon successful CCA, transmitting the paging signal in a first beam of the plurality of beams using a first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam, and
upon a failed CCA, performing a second CCA and transmitting the paging signal in a second beam of the plurality of beams using a first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the second beam, the second beam being after the first beam in the beam order, and transmitting the first beam of the plurality of beams using a second TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam based on a successful second CCA, wherein the first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the second beam occurs after the first TXOP assigned to the first beam and before the second TXOP assigned to the first beam, the second TXOP assigned to the first beam occurring later in time than the first TXOP assigned to the first beam.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams comprises:
assigning at least a first sequence of TXOPs of the plurality of TXOPs to the plurality of beams in same order as the beam order.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
performing a first CCA, the first CCA covering each TXOP in the first sequence of TXOPs, wherein the first CCA is either successful or unsuccessful;
in response to the first CCA being successful, transmitting the paging signal on each of the plurality of beams using each of the first sequence of TXOPs; and
in response to the first CCA being unsuccessful, abstaining from transmitting the paging signal on any of the plurality of beams using any of the first sequence of TXOPs.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
performing a first CCA after at least one TXOP of the first sequence of TXOPs has passed, wherein the first CCA covers each remaining TXOP in the first sequence of TXOPs; and
in response to the first CCA being successful, transmitting the paging signal at least on each of a plurality of remaining beams using each of the remaining TXOPs in the first sequence of TXOPs, wherein the plurality of remaining beams are beams of the plurality of beams to which the remaining TXOPs in the first sequence of TXOPs have been assigned.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams further comprises:
assigning a second sequence of TXOPs of the plurality of TXOPs to the plurality of beams in the same order as the beam order, wherein the first TXOP of the second sequence of TXOPs corresponds to the TXOP in the plurality of TXOPs that follows directly after the last TXOP of the first sequence of TXOPs.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
performing a first CCA after at least one TXOP of the first sequence of TXOPs has passed, wherein the first CCA covers each remaining TXOP in the first sequence of TXOPs and at least one TXOP of the second sequence of TXOPs; and
in response to the first CCA being successful, transmitting the paging signal at least on:
each of a plurality of remaining beams using each of the remaining TXOPs in the first sequence of TXOPs, wherein the plurality of remaining beams are beams of the plurality of beams to which the remaining TXOPs in the first sequence of TXOPs have been assigned; and
the at least one TXOP of the second sequence of TXOPs.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one TXOP of the second sequence of TXOPs contains a number of sequential TXOP(s) equal to the number of beams in the plurality of beams that were not transmitted in the TXOPs of the first sequence of TXOPs.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
attempting to transmit on all TXOPs of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam regardless of a previous success of transmitting the paging signal on the first beam in a previous TXOP assigned to the first beam.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using one of the plurality of TXOPs to transmit a signal other than the paging signal.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mapping a plurality of synchronization signal block beams to the plurality of beams used for the paging signal, wherein the number of synchronization signal block beams is greater than the number of the plurality of beams used for the paging signal.

11. A network node in a wireless communications network, the network node comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
processing circuitry configured to execute the instructions, whereby the network node is configured to:
determine a plurality of transmission opportunities, TXOPs, in which to attempt to transmit a paging signal in a plurality of beams, wherein the plurality of beams have a beam order;
assign a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams, wherein none of the TXOPs is assigned to more than one beam beam and wherein the predetermined number is greater than one;
perform at least one clear channel assessment, CCA, before transmitting the paging signal in one of the TXOPs; and
upon successful CCA, transmit the paging signal in a first beam of the plurality of beams using a first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam, and
upon a failed CCA, perform a second CCA and transmit the paging signal in a second beam of the plurality of beams using a first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the second beam, the second beam being after the first beam in the beam order, and transmitting the first beam of the plurality of beams using a second TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the first beam based on a successful second CCA, wherein the first TXOP of the plurality of TXOPs assigned to the second beam occurs after the first TXOP assigned to the first beam and before the second TXOP assigned to the first beam, the second TXOP assigned to the first beam occurring later in time than the first TXOP assigned to the first beam.

12. The network node of claim 11 , wherein assigning a predetermined number of the plurality of TXOPs to each beam of the plurality of beams comprises:
assigning at least a first sequence of TXOPs of the plurality of TXOPs to the plurality of beams in same order as the beam order.

13. The network node of claim 12 , wherein the network node is further configured to:
perform a first CCA, the first CCA covering each TXOP in the first sequence of TXOPs, wherein the first CCA is either successful or unsuccessful;
in response to the first CCA being successful, transmit the paging signal on each of the plurality of beams using each of the first sequence of TXOPs; and
in response to the first CCA being unsuccessful, abstain from transmitting the paging signal on any of the plurality of beams using any of the first sequence of TXOPs.

14. The network node of claim 12 , wherein the network node is further configured to:
perform a first CCA after at least one TXOP of the first sequence of TXOPs has passe

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Rune Johan
• Alriksson Peter

Classifications

• H04B7/06952

  Selecting one or more beams from a plurality of beams, e.g. beam training, management or sweeping · CPC title

• H04W68/02

  Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel · CPC title

• H04B7/0408

  using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity · CPC title

• H04W16/28

  using beam steering · CPC title

• H04W74/0816 Primary

  with collision avoidance · CPC title