CN112425232A

CN112425232A - Resource indication in contention-based transmission

Info

Publication number: CN112425232A
Application number: CN201880095726.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 汪勇刚
Original assignee: Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd; Nokia Networks Oy
Current assignee: Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd; Nokia Oyj; Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
Priority date: 2018-07-18
Filing date: 2018-07-18
Publication date: 2021-02-26
Also published as: WO2020014897A1

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for resource indication in contention-based (CB) transmissions. A method may include: the method includes detecting, by a network node, an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet in a contention-based unit, and determining, according to a predefined rule, the contention-based unit and the MA signature of at least one other copy of the data packet. The method may then include receiving at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

Description

Resource indication in contention-based transmission

Technical Field

Some example embodiments may relate generally to mobile or wireless telecommunications systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or fifth generation (5G) radio access technologies or New Radio (NR) access technologies, or other communication systems. For example, certain embodiments may relate to contention-based (CB) transmissions in such systems.

Background

Examples of mobile or wireless telecommunications systems may include Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN), LTE advanced (LTE-a), MulteFire, LTE-a Pro, and/or fifth generation (5G) radio access technology or New Radio (NR) access technology. Fifth generation (5G) or New Radio (NR) wireless systems refer to Next Generation (NG) radio systems and network architectures. It is estimated that NR will provide bit rates on the order of 10-20Gbit/s or higher and will support at least enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) as well as large-scale machine type communication (mtc). NR is expected to provide extremely broadband and ultra robust low latency connectivity as well as large scale networking to support internet of things (IoT). With the increasing popularity of IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, the demand for networks that meet the demands of low power consumption, low data rates, and long battery life will increase. Note that in 5G or NR, a node capable of providing radio access functionality to user equipment (i.e. similar to a node B in E-UTRAN or an eNB in LTE) may be referred to as a next generation or 5G node B (gnb).

Disclosure of Invention

One embodiment relates to a method that may include detecting, by a network node, an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet (packet) in a contention-based unit. The method may further comprise: determining a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules; and receiving at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus that may include at least one processor and 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 processor, cause the apparatus at least to: the method includes detecting an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet in a contention-based unit, determining the contention-based unit and the MA signature of at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules, and receiving the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the MA signature.

Another embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon to perform the following: the method includes detecting an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet in a contention-based unit, determining the contention-based unit and the MA signature of at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules, and receiving the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the MA signature.

In some embodiments, the predefined rules include the following formula: [ ID, preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe.

In some embodiments, the method may further include configuring an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature as a fixed packet (grouping).

In some embodiments, the method may further include detecting the preamble according to a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature determined based on a predefined rule.

In some embodiments, the method may further include calculating a set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair, wherein the calculating of the set of offsets includes calculating the set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise: when there is no collision between all copies of the data packet and the data packet of another user device, two or more of the copies of the data packet are combined.

In some embodiments, the method may comprise: when there is a collision between any copy of a data packet and a data packet of another user equipment, symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) is applied to decode more data packets within the colliding data packet.

Another embodiment relates to a method, which may include: the method includes randomly selecting, by a user equipment, a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for a first copy of a data packet, determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet, and transmitting the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

Another embodiment relates to an apparatus comprising at least one processor and 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 processor, cause the apparatus at least to: for a first copy of a data packet, randomly selecting a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature, determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet, and transmitting the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

Another embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon to perform the following: the method includes randomly selecting, by a user equipment, a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for a first copy of a data packet, determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet, and transmitting the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

In some embodiments, determining comprises determining a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules.

In some embodiments, the predefined rules may include the following formula: [ ID, preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe.

In some embodiments, determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature may include randomly selecting at least one other copy of the data packet.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise: calculating a set of offsets, the set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair, wherein the calculating of the set of offsets comprises calculating the set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

Drawings

For a proper understanding of the exemplary embodiments, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 illustrates an example of resource pools for CB transmission according to one example;

fig. 2 illustrates an example of diversity in CB transmission according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of labeling of CB unit resources according to one embodiment;

fig. 4 illustrates an example of a relationship between a duplicate ID and MA signature, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a multi-resource map in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 6a illustrates an example flow diagram of a method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6b illustrates an example flow diagram of a method according to another embodiment;

FIG. 7a illustrates an example flow diagram of a method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7b illustrates an example flow diagram of a method according to another embodiment;

FIG. 8a illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to one embodiment; and

fig. 8b illustrates an example block diagram of an apparatus according to another embodiment.

Detailed Description

It will be readily understood that the components of certain exemplary embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of some example embodiments of systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for resource indication in contention-based (CB) transmissions, e.g., using deep learning, is not intended to limit the scope of certain embodiments, but is instead representative of selected example embodiments.

The features, structures, or characteristics of the example embodiments described throughout the specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments. For example, throughout the specification, use of the phrase "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or other similar language refers to the fact that: a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included within at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," or other similar language throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same group of embodiments, and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more example embodiments.

In addition, if desired, the different functions or steps discussed below may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other. Further, if desired, one or more of the described functions or steps may be optional or may be combined. As such, the following description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles and teachings of certain exemplary embodiments, and not in limitation thereof.

For several requirements, such as small data transmission, low latency and sporadic transmission of large-scale machine type communication (mtc), contention-based (CB) access is foreseen as an additional option in the 5G new radio access technology (NR). Thus, a consensus has been reached: contention-based non-orthogonal multiple access should be studied, at least for the context of use of Uplink (UL) mtc.

The contention-based UL non-orthogonal multiple access may have the following characteristics: transmissions from a UE do not require dynamic and explicit scheduling grants from the network (e.g., base station, enodeb, (enb), or gNB), and multiple UEs may share the same time and frequency resources.

Typical contention-based transmissions include slotted ALOHA systems. To achieve a high probability of success for the first transmission, e.g. for low latency services or low power terminals, the system allows the UE to configure the time resources for the arrival traffic. In diversity solutions, such an indication of multiple resources is important because there is no fixed control channel in the contention-based transmission. However, the receiver still needs to know the positions (positions) of the multiple copies to achieve the combining.

As described above, for contention-based transmission, multiple UEs may share the same resource. In general, multiple resource units may be configured in a pool and provided for contention by a UE. Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a resource pool for contention-based transmission.

As shown in the example of fig. 1, in the time domain, a short Transmission Time Interval (TTI) definition may be applied according to a latency reduction technique. Thus, within a period of 1ms, there are 56 radio resource units for contention-based transmission of IoT UEs. One radio resource unit may contain two parts: an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature and a container of data packets.

Collisions may occur if two or more UEs sharing the same resources perform transmissions simultaneously, and in such a case, the network (e.g., a base station, eNB, or gNB) may not be able to successfully decode all transmissions. On the other hand, it is desirable to keep latency low in CB transmissions. Fig. 2 illustrates an example of diversity in CB transmission, which may be a good method for improving the probability of success of the first transmission.

However, a solution is needed on how to indicate the resources occupied by these duplicate copies. This approach is different from scheduling based transmission because there is no control channel before the traffic channel.

Accordingly, certain embodiments provide a method for radio resources that indicates diversity techniques applied to CB transmissions. Some embodiments are able to perceive diversity resources through the underlying information without requiring a different control channel. Note that as used herein, a network node may refer to a base station, eNB, gNB, or any other access node, etc.

When a UE initiates a contention-based transmission, it is conventional to randomly select one radio resource unit in the resource pool for transmitting a data packet. The enhanced operations include: if the UE is not concerned with power consumption, the UE selects two or more cells in the resource pool to transmit the data packet. However, an underdetermined aspect of this enhanced operation is how to indicate the location of the plurality of resources occupied by the UE.

One approach is to do nothing, i.e., not provide an indicator for multiple transmissions. Obviously, this would be the simplest solution, but would result in blind decoding at the network node. The network cannot apply the maximal ratio combining algorithm (when there is no collision) and the interference cancellation algorithm to decode the bursty data packets.

Another approach may be to use a predefined Frequency Hopping (FH) pattern. According to the method, there may be a set of FH pattern indicators, and each FH pattern indicator indicates a predefined repeating pattern for one transmission. When the UE initiates a contention-based uplink transmission, it may first randomly select an indicator and then repeatedly transmit data packets on the associated predefined radio resource pattern. Since the pattern is known to the network node, it may apply a combination to improve the transmission quality. A disadvantage of this approach is that if two UEs select the same indicator, they will transmit data packets on the same radio resource pattern, resulting in collisions. In other words, such an approach may not necessarily reduce the collision probability.

The third method may be an independent indication. Under this approach, the encapsulated Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Units (PDUs) in each radio resource unit contain information of the location of the other unit, i.e. indicating each other's location. The packet in each cell can be independently decoded and the location (location) of another packet is found. In other words, the data packet in each cell may be used to find the location of another data packet. By this indication method, interference cancellation algorithms can be applied to decode more data packets than in normal operation. However, this approach requires successful decoding of the MAC header in the first transmission to know where the second transmission is located. Thus, the method cannot apply soft combining across multiple transmissions. Furthermore, the interference cancellation in this process is at the codeword level and the complexity and delay is greater than at the symbol level.

Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments provide a new indication method in a diversity scheme. One embodiment may include utilizing a potential calculation after the hash function to indicate the location of multiple copies of a data packet in the CB pool. Once a network node locates a packet on a CB unit and detects its MA signature, the network node can compute other copies at the specified location without decoding the packet header.

According to some embodiments, since the location information of all copies of a data packet may be found before decoding, if there is no collision of copies of the data packet, the network node receiver may apply a combination to improve performance, such as for low latency services or low power terminals. If there is a collision, the network node may apply symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) to decode more data packets within the colliding data packets. As a result, example embodiments may advantageously apply soft combining and interference cancellation algorithm(s) and increase the probability of successful decoding.

According to one embodiment, the location of multiple copies of a packet in the CB pool may be indicated by a hashing algorithm or function. In one example, the location of multiple copies of a packet in the CB pool may be indicated using implicit calculations that follow some hashing algorithm or function. Once a network node locates a packet on a CB unit and detects its MA signature, the network node can compute the location of other copies at the specified location by using a hashing algorithm. In one embodiment, there is no master-slave between these copies of the packet. For example, if there are four repetitions on the CB pool for one low latency service transmission, then if any one of the repetitions is received, all three other repetitions may be found.

Some embodiments may also be configured to define a hashing algorithm and an indication mechanism. For example, an implementationAn instance may initially make some sort of marking of the resource. Fig. 3 illustrates an example of labeling of CB unit resources. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a CB unit may be represented as an ID₁，ID₂，...，ID₅₆。

Some embodiments may apply 8 Zadoff-Chu sequences in the MA signature set, and the 8 Zadoff-Chu sequences may be represented as preambles₁，preamble₂，...，preamble₈. In addition, one embodiment may introduce some random factor, such as TIME.

In one embodiment, rules known to both the UE and the network node may be designed and provided. For example, the rule may be represented by the following equation:

[ID，preamble]_repetition＝HASH(ID_x，TIME，preamble_m) (1)

this then means that, at the UE, when the transmitter randomly selects a CB unit (ID)_x) And a MA signature (preamble)_m) It can deduce all the information ([ ID, preamble ] for this transmission according to such a hash algorithm]_repetition). Similarly, at the network node, when the receiver is in a CB unit (ID)_x) Detects a certain MA signature (preamble)_m) It can deduce all the information ([ ID, preamble ] for this transmission according to such a hash algorithm]_repetition)。

Example embodiments may provide several schemes for defining the rules in equation (1). For example, as will be discussed in further detail below, one scheme may utilize grouping, while another scheme may involve non-grouping.

For the grouping scheme example, some relationship may be established between repetition and MA signatures. It can be assumed that the choice of the repeated MA signature is normative. For example, if the repetition is two, the choice of MA signature can be defined as the following four groups:

[(preamble1，preamble5)；(preamble2，preamble6)；

(preamble3，preamble7)；(preamble4，preamble8)] (2)

as another example, if the repetition is four, the selection of MA signatures can be defined as two groups as follows:

[(preamble1，preamble3，preamble5，preamble7)；

(preamble2，preamble4，preamble6，preamble8)]

without loss of generality, the case where the rule applies to two repetitions (four groups) is discussed below. Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a relationship between a duplicate ID and MA signature, according to one embodiment. As shown in the example of FIG. 4, offset_xyThe distance between two repetitions of the MA signature pair may be represented. In one embodiment, the offset_xyCan be randomly generated as follows:

[offset₁₅，offset₂₆，offset₃₇，offset₄₈]＝RANDOM(seed＝TIME) (3)

thus, when the seeds are the same, the set offset can be in both the UE and the network node₁₅，offset₂₆，offset₃₇，offset₄₈]Internally generating consistent results.

According to one embodiment, the UE may be configured to randomly select one CB unit (ID) for a first copy of the data packet_x) And a MA signature (preamble)_m). The UE may also calculate the set offset according to equation (3)₁₅，offset₂₆，offset₃₇，offset₄₈]Where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe. The UE may then determine another duplicate CB unit (ID) from the relationship and offset set in equation (2)_y) And MA signature (preamble)_n). The UE may also transmit duplicate packets based on the above results.

In one embodiment, the network node may be in a CB unit (ID)_x) Detecting a certain MA signature (preamble)_m) Or in a CB unit (ID)_y) Detect another copy (preamble)_n). The network node may also calculate the set offset according to equation (3)₁₅，offset₂₆，offset₃₇，offset₄₈]Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. Note that in some embodiments, the sub-frames andthe absolute time to receive a subframe may be equivalent. The network node may then aggregate (or CB unit (ID) according to the relationship and offset in equation (2)_x) And MA signature (preamble)_m) Determine the CB unit (ID) of another copy_y) And MA signature (preamble)_n). The network node may also receive duplicate packets based on the results.

According to an example embodiment, since the location information of all copies of a data packet may be found at the network node receiver, the network node may apply a combination in order to improve the performance, in particular the performance of low latency services, if no collision exists for all copies. If there is a collision, the network node may apply symbol-level SIC to decode more data packets within the colliding data packets.

For the non-grouped case example, rules known to both the UE and the eNodeB may be designed and provided. For example, the rule may be represented by the following equation:

[ID，preamble]_{1 to 8, except for m}＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) (4)

As described above, some embodiments may utilize a hashing algorithm to deduce the other seven pairs [ ID, preamble ] from any pair [ ID, preamble ].

As a result, according to one embodiment, in the UE, when the transmitter randomly selects a CB unit (ID)_x) And a MA signature (preamble)_m) It can deduce all the information ([ ID, preamble ] for this transmission according to a hash algorithm]_{1 to 8, except for m}). Then, if the transmission is two repetitions, the UE may be at that ([ ID, preamble) in the non-grouped case example]_{1 to 8, except for m}) Randomly selecting a cell and associated preamble for the second copy.

According to one embodiment, in the network node, when the receiver is in a CB unit (ID)_x) Detects a certain MA signature (preamble)_m) Or in a CB unit (ID)_y) Detects another copy (preamble)_n) The network node can then deduce all the information ([ ID, preamble ] for this transmission according to a Hash algorithm]_{Other 7 pairs}). To is coming toDetermining which cell is occupied by the second copy, the network node may be based on the set ([ ID, preamble)]_{Other 7 pairs}) The 7 units of (2) detect the preamble. If according to ([ ID, preamble)]_{Other 7 pairs}) The network node may recognize that it has located the second copy if the relationship in (c) detects a preamble in the cell.

According to some embodiments, if two UEs select the same CB unit and the same preamble of the first copy, the resources for the preamble and CB unit of the second copy will probably be different, since the UE randomly selects the resource ID, preamble for the second copy in the result of the hashing algorithm.

According to one embodiment, the UE may be configured to randomly select one CB unit (ID) for a first copy of the data packet_x) And a MA signature (preamble)_m). The UE may also be configured to compute the set ([ ID, preamble) according to equation (4)]_{1 to 8, except for m}) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe. The UE may then randomly select another duplicate CB unit (ID) in the computed set_y) And MA signature (preamble)_n). In one embodiment, the UE may then transmit the duplicate packets based on the above results.

In one embodiment, the network node may be configured to be in one CB unit (ID)_x) Detecting a certain MA signature (preamble)_m) Or in a CB unit (ID)_y) Detect another copy (preamble)_n). The network node may also be configured to compute the set ([ ID, preamble) according to equation (4)]_{Other 7 pairs}) TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe. In some examples, the absolute times of the transmission subframe and the reception subframe may be equivalent. The network node may be further configured to detect the preamble from the 7 CB units. If according to ([ ID, preamble)]_{Other 7 pairs}) Detects the preamble in the cell, and has located other copies. The network node may then be configured to receive the duplicate packet based on the above results.

Since the location information of all copies can be found at the network node receiver, the network node can apply a combination to improve the performance, in particular the performance of low latency services, if there are no conflicts for all copies. If there is a collision, the network node may apply symbol-level SIC to decode more data packets within the colliding data packets.

In the following, certain embodiments are discussed in connection with an example. Note that embodiments are not limited to the examples discussed below, as the examples are merely used to illustrate and clarify certain embodiments. As discussed in detail above, certain embodiments are able to determine the location of each copy of the diversity CB transport packets in the CB pool, for example, by hashing algorithm calculations. For example, some embodiments may utilize a grouping scheme or a non-grouping scheme.

As an example, when a certain UE wants to transmit a packet at time 2018.06.28:14:00:000, it can randomly select a cell in the CB pool (assuming there are 56 cells). For example, the UE may select the cell 30 (i.e., ID)₃₀) And randomly selects a preamble such as preamle 5. The UE may then generate seven random numbers in the range of [0-56) based on the seed (2018.06.28:14:00: 000). Without loss of generality, these random numbers may be [4, 19, 32, 16, 7, 49, 26, for example]. The seven random numbers respectively correspond to offset₁₂、offset₂₃、offset₃₄、offset₄₅、offset₅₆、offset₆₇And offset₇₈. Thus, the UE can determine the locations of the resources occupied by the other seven copies. More specifically, in this example, copy 1: (ID)_{30-16-32-19-4}，preamlel)；copy2：(ID_30-16-32-19，preamle2)；copy3：(ID_30-16-32，preamle3)；copy4：(ID_30-16，preamle4)；itself((ID₃₀，preamle5)；copy6：(ID₃₀₊₇，preamle6)；copy7：(ID_30+7+49，preamle7)；copy8(ID_30+7+49+26，preamle8)。

Thus, as long as the mathematical models of the hashing algorithms are consistent, the UE and the network node can obtain a consistent location of each copy of the diversity CB transport packet in the CB pool, despite the separate calculations. In the above example, the generation is in the range of [0-56 ] based on the seed (2018.06.28:14:00:000)Seven random numbers are [4, 19, 32, 16, 7, 49, 26 ]]. When the network node knows one copy information, i.e. has detected a certain preamble in a certain cell (e.g. copy2 (ID))_xPreamle2), the network node may receive the request from copy 1: (ID)_x-4Preamle1) to copy 8: (ID)_{x+19+32+16+7+49+26}Preamle8) calculates other copies.

In the grouping scheme, pairs of (1, 5), (2, 6), (3, 7), and (4, 8) are configured as fixed groups. According to the above example, the UE may select the ID₃₀And preamble5 to transmit the first copy, and then the resource location of the second copy Is (ID)_{30-16-32-19-4}，preamle1⁾. The network node then knows where the other copies are located, regardless of whether it detects any preamble in the corresponding cell.

In a non-grouped scenario, the UE may select the ID according to the example above₃₀And preamle5 to transmit the first copy, and the resource location of the second copy is randomly selected from: copy 1: (ID30-16-32-19-4, preamlel); copy 2: (ID30-16-32-19, preamle 2); copy 3: (ID30-16-32, preamle 3); copy 4: (ID30-16, preamle 4); copy 6: (ID30+7, preamle 6); copy 7: (ID30+7+49, preamle 7); copy8(ID30+7+49+26, preamle8)⁾. Whether the network node detects a duplicate in (ID30, preamble 5) or other duplicates, the network node should detect the preamble in the remaining seven locations. If the network node detects a preamble in the corresponding cell, it concludes: it is positioned to the second copy. If there is no collision, the network node may apply combining, or if there is a collision, the network node may apply symbol-level SIC.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a multi-resource map in accordance with some embodiments. As shown in the example of fig. 5, the process at the receiver (e.g., network node) is to decode the MA signature of UE1 first on (row 3, column 2) and to decode the MA signature of UE3 on (row 2, column 6), the two do not collide because only one signature is detected. The receiver may then calculate information for the UE1 and another copy of the UE3 based on a hashing algorithm. If there is no collision, the receiver may combine the two copies of the transmission and detect the packet. If there is a collision, the receiver may submit an update signal for the UE1 data packet from the resource unit (row 6, column 3) at the symbol level and decode the remaining signals, then submit an update signal for the UE3 data packet from the resource unit (row 7, column 5) at the symbol level and decode the remaining signals.

Fig. 6a illustrates an example flow diagram of a method for CB reception in accordance with one example embodiment. For example, the method may involve a process of indicating or identifying the location of multiple copies of a data packet in a CB pool. In certain example embodiments, the flow diagram of fig. 6a may be performed by a network entity or network node in a 3GPP system, such as LTE or 5G NR. For example, in some example embodiments, the method of fig. 6a may be performed by a base station, eNB, gNB, or access node, etc. in a 5G or NR system.

In one embodiment, the method of fig. 6a may include: at 600, a MA signature of a packet is detected in a CB unit by a network node. The method may further comprise: at 610, a set of offsets is computed, the set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair. In one embodiment, calculating 610 may include calculating a set of offsets, including calculating the set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b-offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

As shown in the example of fig. 6a, the method may further comprise: at 620, CB units and MA signatures for at least one other replica of the packet are determined according to a predefined relationship between the repetitions and the MA signature and according to the calculated set of offsets. The determining 620 may include determining a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet according to the following equations: [ ID, preamble]_repetitionHASH (IDx, TIME, preamblm), where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. According to one embodiment, when the repetition is two, the predefined relationship may include:

[(preamble1，preamble5)；(preamble2，preamble6)；

(preamble3，preamble7)；(preamble4，preamble8)]。

in some embodiments, the method may further comprise: at 630, at least one other copy of the data packet is received based on the determined contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature. According to some embodiments, when there is no collision between copies of the data packet, the method may include combining two or more copies of the data packet. In other example embodiments, when there is a collision between copies of a data packet, the method may include applying symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) to decode more data packets within the colliding data packet.

Fig. 6b illustrates an example flow diagram of a method for CB transmission according to one example embodiment. For example, the method may involve a process of indicating or identifying the location of multiple copies of a data packet in a CB pool. In some example embodiments, the flowchart of fig. 6b may be performed by a UE, a Mobile Equipment (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device (mobile device), a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device associated with a communication system, such as a 5G system.

In one embodiment, the method of fig. 6b may include: at 650, randomly selecting a CB unit and a MA signature for a first copy of the packet; and at 660, computing a set of offsets, the set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair. In one embodiment, calculating 660 may include calculating a set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe. According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise: at 670, CB units and MA signatures for at least one other copy of the packet are determined according to a predefined relationship between the repetitions and the MA signature and according to the calculated set of offsets. In one embodiment, the determining 670 may include determining the CB unit and MA signature of at least one other copy of the packet according to the following formulas: [ ID, preamble]_repetmon＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Wherein TIME is the reception of a subframeAbsolute time. According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise: at 680, at least one other copy of the packet is transmitted based on the determined CB unit and MA signature.

Fig. 7a illustrates an example flow diagram of a method for CB reception in accordance with an example embodiment. For example, the method may involve a process of indicating or identifying the location of multiple copies of a data packet in a CB pool. In certain example embodiments, the flow chart of fig. 7a may be performed by a network entity or network node in a 3GPP system, such as LTE or 5G NR. For example, in some example embodiments, the method of fig. 7a may be performed by a base station, eNB, gNB, or access node, etc. in a 5G or NR system.

In one embodiment, the method of FIG. 7a may include: at 700, detecting an MA signature of a packet in a CB unit; and at 710, at least one set of CB units and MA signatures is computed for at least one other copy of the data packet. In one embodiment, the calculating 710 may include calculating at least one set of CB units and MA signatures according to the following formulas: [ ID, preamble]_{1 to 8, except for m}＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. The method may further comprise: at 720, a preamble is detected based on the at least one set of CB units and MA signatures calculated. The method may then include: at 730, at least one other copy of the data packet is received based on the detected preamble. According to some embodiments, when there is no collision between copies of the data packet, the method may include combining two or more copies of the data packet. In other example embodiments, when there is a collision between copies of a data packet, the method may include applying symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) to decode more data packets within the colliding data packet.

Fig. 7b illustrates an example flow diagram of a method for CB transmission in accordance with an example embodiment. For example, the method may involve a process of indicating or identifying the location of multiple copies of a data packet in a CB pool. In some example embodiments, the flowchart of fig. 7b may be performed by a UE, a Mobile Equipment (ME), a mobile station, a mobile device (mobile device), a fixed device, an IoT device, or other device associated with a communication system, such as a 5G system.

In one embodiment, the method of fig. 7b may include: at 750, a CB unit and a MA signature are randomly selected for a first copy of the data packet; and at 760, at least one set of CB units and MA signatures are computed for at least one other copy of the data packet. In one embodiment, calculating 760 may include calculating at least one set of CB units and MA signatures according to the following formulas: [ ID, preamble]_{1 to 8, except for m}＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe. The method may further comprise: at 770, a CB unit and MA signature is randomly selected from the computed at least one set of CB unit and MA signatures. The method may then include: at 780, at least one other copy of the data packet is transmitted based on the selected CB unit and the MA signature.

Fig. 8a illustrates an example of an apparatus 10 according to an embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be a node, host, or server in a communication network or serving such a network. For example, the apparatus 10 may be a base station, a node B, an evolved node B (enb), a 5G node B or access point associated with a radio access network such as a GSM network, an LTE network, a 5G or NR, a next generation node B (NG-NB or gNB), a WLAN access point, a Mobility Management Entity (MME), and/or a subscription server.

It should be understood that in some example embodiments, the apparatus 10 may comprise an edge cloud server as a distributed computing system in which the server and radio nodes may be separate apparatuses communicating with each other via a radio path or via a wired connection, or they may be located in the same entity communicating via a wired connection. For example, in some example embodiments where the apparatus 10 represents a gNB, it may be configured in a Central Unit (CU) and Distributed Unit (DU) architecture that divides the gNB functionality. In such an architecture, a CU may be a logical node that includes the gbb functionality (such as transmission of user data, mobility control, radio access network sharing, positioning, and/or session management, etc.). The CU may control the operation of the DU(s) over the fronthaul interface. According to the function partitioning option, the DU may be a logical node comprising a subset of the gNB functions. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 10 may include components or features not shown in fig. 8 a.

As shown in the example of fig. 8a, the apparatus 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 12 may be any type of general or special purpose processor. In practice, for example, the processor 12 may include one or more of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 12 is shown in FIG. 8a, according to other embodiments, multiple processors may be utilized. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include two or more processors (e.g., in which case the processor 12 may represent multiple processors) that may form a multi-processor system that may support multiple processes. In some embodiments, multiprocessor systems may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

The processor 12 may perform functions associated with the operation of the apparatus 10, which may include, for example, precoding of antenna gain/phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of the apparatus 10, including procedures relating to management of communication resources.

The apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a memory 14 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 12, the memory 14 may be coupled to the processor 12. The memory 14 may be one or more memories and of any type suitable to the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and/or removable memory. For example, memory 14 may include any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enable apparatus 10 to perform the tasks described herein.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read an external computer-readable storage medium, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage medium. For example, an external computer readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 12 and/or device 10.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 15 to transmit signals and/or data to the apparatus 10 and to receive signals and/or data from the apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may also include or be coupled to a transceiver 18 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 18 may include, for example, multiple radio interfaces that may be coupled to the antenna(s) 15. The radio interface may correspond to a plurality of radio access technologies, including one or more of: GSM, NB-IoT, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID), Ultra Wideband (UWB), MulteFire, and the like. The radio interface may include components such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), mappers, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) modules, and so on, to generate symbols for transmission via one or more downlinks and receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink).

As such, transceiver 18 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s) 15, and to demodulate information received via antenna(s) 15 for further processing by other elements of apparatus 10. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include input and/or output devices (I/O devices).

In one embodiment, memory 14 may store software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 12. For example, these modules may include an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 10. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, for providing additional functionality to the apparatus 10. The components of the apparatus 10 may be implemented in hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software.

According to some embodiments, the processor 12 and the memory 14 may be included in or may form part of processing circuitry or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

As used herein, the term "circuitry" may refer to hardware circuitry implementations only (e.g., analog and/or digital circuitry), combinations of hardware circuitry and software, combinations of analog and/or digital hardware circuitry and software/firmware, any portion of a hardware processor with software (including a digital signal processor) that operates together to configure an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10) to perform various functions, and/or hardware circuitry and/or a processor, or portions thereof, that operates using software, although software may not be present when software is not required for operation. As a further example, as used herein, the term "circuitry" may also encompass an implementation of a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) alone, or in part, and software and/or firmware accompanying it. The term circuitry may also encompass, for example, a baseband integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network node or device, or other computing or network device.

As noted above, in certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be a network node or RAN node, such as a base station, access point, node B, eNB, gNB, WLAN access point, or the like. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to perform functions associated with any of the embodiments described herein, such as the flow chart or signaling diagram shown in fig. 6a or fig. 7 a. In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be configured to perform a process for CB reception.

For example, in one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to detect the MA signature of a data packet in a CB unit. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to calculate a set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of a MA signature pair. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to calculate the set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to determine CB units and MA signatures for at least one other copy of the data packet according to a predefined relationship between the repetitions and the MA signatures and according to the calculated set of offsets. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to determine the CB unit and MA signature of at least one other copy of the data packet according to the following formulas: [ ID, preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. According to one embodiment, when the repetition is two, the predefined relationship may include:

[(preamble1，preamble5)；(preamble2，preamble6)；

(preamble3，preamble7)；(preamble4，preamble8)]

in certain embodiments, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to receive at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

According to another embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to detect an MA signature of a data packet in CB units and to compute at least one set of CB units and MA signatures for at least one other copy of the data packet. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to calculate at least one set according to the following formulaCB unit and MA signature: [ ID, preamble]_{1 to 8, except for m}＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to detect a preamble from the calculated at least one set of CB units and MA signatures, and to receive at least one other copy of the data packet based on the detected preamble.

According to some embodiments, device 10 may be controlled by memory 14 and processor 12 to combine two or more copies of a data packet when there is no conflict between the copies of the data packet. In other example embodiments, when there is a collision between copies of a data packet, the apparatus 10 may be controlled by the memory 14 and the processor 12 to apply symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) to decode more data packets within the colliding data packet.

Fig. 8b illustrates an example of an apparatus 20 according to another embodiment. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be a node or element in a communication network or associated with such a network, such as a UE, Mobile Equipment (ME), mobile station, mobile device (mobile device), fixed device, IoT device, or other device. As described herein, a UE may alternatively be referred to as, for example, a mobile station, a mobile device (mobile equipment), a mobile unit, a mobile device (mobile device), a user equipment, a subscriber station, a wireless terminal, a tablet, a smartphone, an IoT device, an NB-IoT device, or the like. As one example, the apparatus 20 may be implemented, for example, in a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, or the like.

In some example embodiments, the apparatus 20 may include one or more processors, one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory, storage, etc.), one or more radio access components (e.g., modem, transceiver, etc.), and/or a user interface. In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to operate using one or more radio access technologies, such as GSM, LTE-A, NR, 5G, WLAN, WiFi, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, NFC, MulteFire, and/or any other radio access technology. It should be noted that one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 20 may include components or features not shown in fig. 8 b.

As shown in the example of fig. 8b, the apparatus 20 may include or be coupled to a processor 22 for processing information and executing instructions or operations. The processor 22 may be any type of general or special purpose processor. In practice, for example, the processor 22 may include one or more of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture. Although a single processor 22 is shown in FIG. 8b, multiple processors may be utilized in accordance with other embodiments. For example, it should be understood that in some embodiments, apparatus 20 may include two or more processors (e.g., in which case processor 22 may represent multiple processors) that may form a multi-processor system that may support multiple processes. In some embodiments, multiprocessor systems may be tightly coupled or loosely coupled (e.g., to form a computer cluster).

Processor 22 may perform functions associated with the operation of apparatus 20 including, as some examples, precoding of antenna gain/phase parameters, encoding and decoding of individual bits forming a communication message, formatting of information, and overall control of apparatus 20, including procedures relating to management of communication resources.

The apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to a memory 24 (internal or external) for storing information and instructions that may be executed by the processor 22, the memory 24 may be coupled to the processor 22. The memory 24 may be one or more memories and of any type suitable to the local application environment, and may be implemented using any suitable volatile or non-volatile data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and/or removable memory. For example, the memory 24 may include any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), static storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), or any other type of non-transitory machine or computer readable medium. The instructions stored in memory 24 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 22, enable apparatus 20 to perform the tasks described herein.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to a (internal or external) drive or port configured to accept and read external computer-readable storage media, such as an optical disk, a USB drive, a flash drive, or any other storage media. For example, an external computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program or software for execution by processor 22 and/or apparatus 20.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include or be coupled to one or more antennas 25 for receiving downlink signals and transmitting from the apparatus 20 via the uplink. The apparatus 20 may also include a transceiver 28 configured to transmit and receive information. The transceiver 28 may also include a radio interface (e.g., a modem) coupled to the antenna 25. The radio interface may correspond to a plurality of radio access technologies, including one or more of: GSM, LTE-A, 5G, NR, WLAN, NB-IoT, Bluetooth, BT-LE, NFC, RFID, UWB and the like. The radio interface may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters, etc.), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) modules, etc., to process symbols, such as OFDMA symbols, carried by the downlink or uplink.

For example, transceiver 28 may be configured to modulate information onto a carrier waveform for transmission by antenna(s) 25, and to demodulate information received via antenna(s) 25 for further processing by other elements of apparatus 20. In other embodiments, the transceiver 18 may be capable of directly transmitting and receiving signals or data. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatus 10 may include input and/or output devices (I/O devices). In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may also include a user interface, such as a graphical user interface or a touch screen.

In one embodiment, memory 24 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 22. These modules may include, for example, an operating system that provides operating system functionality for the device 20. The memory may also store one or more functional modules, such as applications or programs, for providing additional functionality to the apparatus 20. The components of apparatus 20 may be implemented in hardware or any suitable combination of hardware and software. According to an example embodiment, the apparatus 20 may optionally be configured to communicate with the apparatus 10 via a wireless or wired communication link 70 according to any radio access technology, such as NR.

According to some embodiments, the processor 22 and the memory 24 may be included in, or may form part of, processing circuitry or control circuitry. Additionally, in some embodiments, the transceiver 28 may be included in, or may form part of, transceiver circuitry.

As described above, the apparatus 20 may be, for example, a UE, a mobile device, a mobile station, an ME, an IoT device, and/or an NB-IoT device, in accordance with some embodiments. According to certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to perform the functions associated with the example embodiments described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to perform one or more of the processes depicted in any of the flowcharts or signaling diagrams described herein (such as the flowcharts shown in fig. 6b or fig. 7 b). For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be configured to perform a process for CB transmission.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to randomly select CB units and MA signatures for a first copy of a data packet, compute an offset set, the offset set defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to calculate the set of offsets according to the following equation: [ offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]RANDOM TIME, where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be comprised by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to determine CB units and MA signatures for at least one other copy of the data packet according to the predefined relationship between the repetitions and the MA signatures and according to the calculated set of offsets. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to determine the CB unit and MA signature of at least one other copy of the packet according to the following formulas: [ ID, preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of receiving a subframe. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to transmit at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined CB unit and MA signature.

In another embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to randomly select a CB unit and MA signature for a first copy of the data packet and to compute at least one set of a CB unit and MA signature for at least one other copy of the data packet. In one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to calculate at least one set of CB units and MA signatures according to the following formula: [ ID, preamble]_{1 to 8, except for m}＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m) Where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe. According to one embodiment, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to randomly select a CB unit and MA signature from the computed at least one set of CB unit and MA signatures. In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 may be controlled by the memory 24 and the processor 22 to transmit at least one other copy of the data packet based on the selected CB unit and the MA signature.

Accordingly, certain example embodiments provide several technical improvements, enhancements and/or advantages. For example, certain embodiments provide methods for improving contention-based transmissions. As a result of some embodiments, the receiver can accurately sense the diversity resources through the underlying information. As such, example embodiments may improve performance, latency, and/or throughput of networks and network nodes including, for example, access points, base stations/enbs/gnbs, and mobile devices or UEs. In particular, example embodiments may improve resource utilization efficiency, for example, by improving transmission efficiency and/or improving the likelihood of success of a first transmission. Thus, the use of certain example embodiments improves the functionality of the communication network and its nodes.

In some example embodiments, the functionality of any of the methods, processes, signaling diagrams, algorithms, or flow diagrams described herein may be implemented by software and/or computer program code or portions of code stored in a memory or other computer-readable or tangible medium and executed by a processor.

In some example embodiments, an apparatus may include or be associated with at least one software application, module, unit or entity configured as arithmetic operation(s) or program(s) or portion(s) thereof (including added or updated software routines) to be executed by at least one operating processor. Programs (also known as program products or computer programs, including software routines, applets, and macros) can be stored in any device-readable data storage medium and include program instructions for performing particular tasks.

A computer program product may include one or more computer-executable components that, when the program is run, are configured to perform some example embodiments. The one or more computer-executable components may be at least one software code or portion thereof. The modifications and configurations required to implement the functionality of the example embodiments may be performed as routine(s), which may be implemented as added or updated software routine(s). The software routine(s) may be downloaded into the device.

By way of example, the software or computer program code, or portions thereof, may be in source code form, object code form, or in some intermediate form, and may be stored on some type of carrier, distribution medium, or computer-readable medium, which may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. Such a carrier may comprise, for example, a record medium, computer memory, read-only memory, an optical and/or electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal and a software distribution package. Depending on the processing power required, the computer program may be executed on a single electronic digital computer or may be distributed between a plurality of computers. The computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium may be a non-transitory medium.

In other example embodiments, the functionality may be performed by hardware or circuitry included in an apparatus (e.g., apparatus 10 or apparatus 20), for example, by using an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or any other combination of hardware and software. In yet another embodiment, the functionality may be implemented as a signal, an intangible means that may be carried by an electromagnetic signal downloaded from the Internet or other network.

According to an example embodiment, an apparatus, such as a node, a device or a corresponding component, may be configured as circuitry, a computer or a microprocessor (such as a single chip computer element) or a chip set, including at least a memory for providing storage capacity for arithmetic operations and an operation processor for performing arithmetic operations.

One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the example embodiments as described above may be practiced with steps in a different order and/or with hardware elements in a different configuration than those disclosed. Thus, while some embodiments have been described based upon these exemplary preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions will be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments. Therefore, to determine the scope of example embodiments, reference should be made to the following claims.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a network node, an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet in a contention-based unit;

determining a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules; and

receiving the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined rule comprises the following formula:

[ID，preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising configuring an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature as a fixed packet.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

detecting a preamble according to the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature determined based on the predefined rule.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

calculating a set of offsets defining a distance between two repetitions of an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature pair,

wherein the computing of the set of offsets comprises computing the set of offsets according to the following equation:

[offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]＝RANDOM(seed＝TIME)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

6. The method of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:

combining two or more of the copies of the data packet when there is no collision between all copies of the data packet and a data packet of another user device.

7. The method of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:

when there is a collision between any copy of the data packet and a data packet of another user equipment, applying symbol-level Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) to decode more data packets within the data packet that collide.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

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 processor, cause the apparatus at least to

Detecting an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of a data packet in a contention-based unit;

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the predefined rule comprises the following formula:

[ID，preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to configure an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature as a fixed packet.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

[offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]＝RANDOM(seed＝TIME)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

13. The apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

14. The apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

15. A method, comprising:

randomly selecting, by a user equipment, a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for a first copy of a data packet;

determining a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for at least one other copy of the data packet; and

transmitting the at least one other copy of the data packet based on the determined contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of the at least one other copy of the data packet according to a predefined rule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predefined rule comprises the following formula:

[ID，preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises randomly selecting the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of the at least one other copy of the data packet.

19. The method of any of claims 15 to 17, further comprising:

[offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]＝RANDOM(seed＝TIME)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

Randomly selecting a contention-based unit and an orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature for a first copy of a data packet;

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determining the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of the at least one other copy of the data packet according to predefined rules.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the predefined rule comprises the following formula:

[ID，preamble]_repetition＝HASH(IDx，TIME，preamble_m)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME of the transmission subframe.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: randomly selecting the contention-based unit and the orthogonal Multiple Access (MA) signature of the at least one other copy of the data packet.

24. The apparatus according to any of claims 20 to 22, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

[offset_a，offset_b，offset_c，offset_d]＝RANDOM(seed＝TIME)，

where TIME is the absolute TIME to receive a subframe.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing the method of any of claims 1-7 or 15-19.