Method and apparatus for time alignment upon time advance group split or creation

摘要

This disclosure details example methods and apparatuses for a wireless communication network and for devices operating in such networks that reduce or eliminate the need for performing random access procedures to obtain appropriate Timing Advance, “TA”, values for use with new TA groups that include cells split from an existing TA group and/or new cells not in any existing TA groups defined for a given device. It is advantageously recognized herein that a TA relationship between one or more cells in an old or existing TA group of a device and one or more cells in a new TA group of the device may be known or otherwise estimated, e.g., based on known delay differences, cell sizes, etc. The TA relationship is used to initialize the TA value used for the new group, e.g., by copying or offsetting the current TA value of the old or existing TA group.

主权项

1. A method of timing alignment processing for uplink signal transmissions by a wireless communication device to one or more cells in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
receiving one or more messages indicating the creation of a new Timing Advance (TA) group for the device; selecting an existing TA group from among existing TA groups of the device, according to a configured selection rule or according to signaling received from the network; and setting a TA value to be applied at least initially for uplink transmissions to cells in the new TA group, based on a current TA value used for the selected TA group.