Communication system,apparatus and methods for providing and acquiring a system information message

摘要

A network element for a cellular communication system comprises a signal processing logic module arranged to: generate a single system information message; generate a variable si-Windowlength parameter for transmission to the at least one wireless communication unit; and determine availability for downlink transmissions to the at least one wireless communication unit. The network element further comprises a transceiver arranged to transmit the si-Windowlength parameter and the single system information (S1) message to the at least one wireless communication unit in a variable length transmission time window (S1 window) a number of times, wherein the number of transmissions is based on the si-Windowlength parameter; wherein at least one of: a start time of a transmission of the single SI message, or a duration of the variable length transmission time window (SI window), is determined based on: (i) the si-Windowlength parameter; (ii) a transmission order; and (iii) on the availability for downlink transmissions.