链路 英文_5G英文视频#15: 5G NR 小区搜索过程

原视频来自：

https://ww2.mathworks.cn/videos/5g-explained-initial-acquisition-procedures-in-5g-nr-1577445354545.html。公众号作者进行了整理和翻译，欢迎指正和讨论。

文中顺序依次是视频、中文译文和英文原文。中文：

这是我们5G Explained系列的新内容。在此视频中，我们将讨论初始获取过程，包括小区搜索，广播信道和随机访问信道的解码。

我们将研究小区搜索以及PSS和SSS的作用。然后，我们将研究PBCH解码以检索MIB(主信息块)，以及此过程如何支持波束扫描。得到SSB时间索引是解码MIB的关键步骤。我们将讨论SIB1。最后，我们将研究随机访问过程。

同步信号块为UE提供了帧和同步符号同步的能力，这意味着UE可以发现下行5G信号的存在。在发现5G信号并同步之后，UE解码BCH(广播信道)并读取MIB(主信息块)的内容。 此时，UE可以收集的一条有用信息是SSB索引，它有助于确定gNB与UE正在使用哪个波束通信。我将使用MathWorks 5G工具箱中NR同步过程示例来详细说明此过程。

正如我们在有关同步信号块的系列中看到的那样，存在三个可能的PSS序列(主同步序列)。UE通常并行运行三个相关器用于检测序列。一旦检测到峰值，UE便获得了两条信息：
- gNB正在传输哪个PSS
- SSB定时(请注意，此时，UE还无法确定已检测到具体是哪个SSB。)

这里我们可以看到，尽管第二个SSB具有最高的SNR(信噪比)，但UE能够检测到所有已发送的全部8个SSB。

同样，与索引0相对应的PSS为蓝色并且SNR最高，表明了该小区正在发送的PSS序列。

其他两个PSS序列(橙色和红色)SNR峰值较小。

3GPP为NR定义了336个辅助同步序列，这个时候已经得到SSS的时序，因此需要运行一次相关检测来确定正在发送的SSS。这个阶段结束时收集的主要信息是PCI(物理小区ID)，它是SSS索引加上PSS索引的3倍，其值在0到1007之间。上图中显示得到SSS索引34的峰值。所以，PCI=3*34+0=102。

MATLAB代码显示了确定SSS的过程。

上图中黄色部分显示程序会通过一个循环尝试所有336种可能性，并识别具有最大相关性的SSS。

每个SSB都携带PBCH(物理广播信道)和关联的DMRS。 得到PCI对于解调BCH很重要，因为它使UE能够生成正确的DMRS并用于信道估计。一旦BCH被解调，UE就知道了MIB(主信息块)和SSB索引。接下来的几张幻灯片介绍了BCH解调的不同步骤。

每次出现的PBCH都有不同的DMRS，这取决于SSB块索引。因此，UE接收器尝试DMRS的所有4个或8个可能的版本，并确定接收到的特定的SSB使用了哪个版本。

右侧的MATLAB代码显示了如何设置SSB配置。通过这个配置，UE能确定可能出现的SSB索引的个数。您可能还记得关于同步信号块的细节，对于7.25GHz或FR1以下的载波频率，最多可能出现8个。而对于FR2(毫米波传输)则为64，这意味着还需要另一条信息来确定用于FR2传输的唯一的SSB索引。

您可能还记得从5G Explained系列视频有关同步信号块的视频中看到的，对于FR2，MIB携带了3比特用于时间索引。 根据这3比特和使用的DMRS，使UE可以从64个可能的SSB索引中确定当前正在使用的SSB索引。

UE得到DMRS后得到信道估计和噪声估计，以及SSB索引或其中的3位(这取决于使用的频段)。UE对SSB资源单元做均衡处理和解码，得到MIB(主信息块)。您可以在MathWorks 5G工具箱中找到此过程的完整MATLAB代码。

尽管3GPP标准没有明确规定，但一般认为每个SSB使用不同的模式进行波束赋形。这使gNB可以实现NR信号连续覆盖，并且把能量在不同的时间集中在不同的方向上。请记住，在毫米波频率下，波束变窄，但是5G标准指定了多达64个可用的SSB，而不是8个。这意味着可以使用具有高指向性的天线预编码器来扩展PBCH覆盖范围。

上图底部的每个方块都覆盖一个特定的扇形空间。右边的代码显示了如何使用MathWorks相控阵系统工具箱生成那些波束赋形矢量。

让我们通过MathWorks 5GToolbox构建的示例更具体地了解BCH解码和波束搜索的过程。您可以看到带有发射天线阵列的gNB，它通过波束向其前方空间的侧方传输第一个SSB。

UE位于与水平面约20度的位置，但是我们假设没有视距传播。gNB和UE之间的唯一路径是从蓝色的墙壁反射。第一个SSB传输时，UE收到的信号能量不高。第二个SSB传输时，UE收到的信号能量与第一次相似。

对于后续的SSB传输也是如此，直到传输第7个SSB，此时主波束覆盖了反射的位置。

在这种情况下，UE接收到的信号能量要高得多，并且一旦完成所有SSB传输，UE就能清楚地识别出最合适的那个SSB和波束赋形。

附带说明一下，我们还将讨论RACH。由于gNB知道针对该特定SSB索引使用了哪种波束赋形，因此gNB可以在给定的时刻使用相同的模式执行接收波束成形，以最大程度地接收RACH。这可以看作是在gNB和UE之间建立波束赋形的初始步骤。

UE寻找的下一条信息是SIB1。正如我们在有关同步信号块的系列中看到的那样，主信息块包括定位和解码SIB1所需的所有元素。注意，SIB1由DL-SCH承载，该DL-SCH与承载数据分组的信道相同。

UE解码了SIB1后，便拥有了访问网络所需的全部信息并发起RACH请求。

RACH前导码有两种可能的长度：长前导码等于839比特，短前导码等于139比特。长前导码用于覆盖范围大的小区，因为传播延迟更大。长前导码仅限于6 GHz频段以下的5G传输。

短前导码适用于所有的5G频率。我们不在这里讨论不同RACH格式的细节，但是最好知道存在不同的RACH格式，这些格式的OFDM符号的数量、循环前缀长度和保护时间有所不同。SIB1携带了RACH格式的信息。

我们想在本节的结尾部分总结一下小区搜索过程，并简要概述一下随机访问过程。
UE通过发送RACH使网络知道其存在。gNB通过发送PDSCH携带的RACH接入响应进行回复。响应消息包含：
- TA: UE需要调整的定时提前量
- T-RNTI: 无线网络临时标识符
- 调度许可：授权UE确认接入响应的调度许可

UE之所以能够发现并解码接入响应消息，是因为该响应消息使用了一个称为RA-RNTI的保留RNTI。有关使用RNTI识别控制信息的讨论，请参阅有关下行链路控制信息的章节。

此时，可能有多个UE同时发送相同的请求，而gNB无法确定它正在与哪个UE通话。因此，UE需要在被调度的PUSCH上发送自身唯一标识，用于gNB做冲突解决。

在最后一步中，gNB在用T-RNTI加密的消息中发送设备标识来确认竞争解决消息。与设备标识一致的UE就知道它已被gNB确认，并开始使用T-RNTI。有关NR小区搜索的内容到此结束。

英文：

This is a new episode of our series 5G Explained. In this video, we discuss initial acquisition procedures, including cell search, decoding of the broadcast channel and the random access channel.

We will look at the phases of cell search and the role of the primary and secondary synchronization signals. Then, we will look at PBCH decoding to retrieve the master information block and how this procedure supports beam sweeping. Recovering the SSB time index is a crucial step in decoding the MIB. We will discuss the next piece of information a UE accesses after the MIB: the system information block Type 1 or SIB1.

Finally, we will look at the random access channel and procedure.

The synchronization signal block provides the UE with the ability to perform frame and symbol synchronization, which means the UE can discover the presence of a downlink 5G signal and start making sense of it.

After presence and timing have been established, the UE decodes the broadcast channel and reads the content of the master information block. A side piece of information that can be gathered is the SSB index, which helps determine a suitable beam for communication between the gNodeB and UE.

I will use illustrations from the NR Synchronization Procedures example in MathWorks 5G Toolbox to explain this process in detail.

As we saw in the episode of this 5G Explained series about the synchronization signal block, there are three possible primary synchronization sequences. The UE typically runs three correlators in parallel to detect one of those three possible sequences. Once a peak is detected, two pieces of information have been gained:

·       Which PSS is being transmitted

·       The timing of the SSB (Note that, atthis point, the UE cannot tell which one of the SSB occurrences it has detected. This will come later.)

Here we can see that the UE has been able to detect all eight SSBs that were sent, although the second one is the one with the highest SNR. It will be selected for the rest of the procedure.

Also, the PSS corresponding to index 0, in blue, is clearly recognized as the one transmitted in this cell.

The other two, in orange and red, do not show any peak.

There are 336 possible secondary synchronization sequences but, at this point, the timing of the SSS is known. So, those correlations must be run only once. This stage determines which SSS was sent. The main piece of information gathered at the end of this stage is the physical cell ID, which is 3 times the SSS plus the PSS, a value between 0 and 1007. This step shows a very clear peak for sequence number 34. As a result, the physical cell ID in this cell is 3 times 34 plus 0, or 102.

The MATLAB code shows the simple process to determine the SSS.

There is a loop that tries out all 336 possibilities and identifies the SSS with maximum correlation.

Each SSB comes with a realization of the physical broadcast channel and associated DMRS. The knowledge of cell ID is important to demodulate the BCH, as it enables the UE to generate the right DMRS for channel estimation. Once the BCH has been demodulated, the master information block and the SSB index are known. The next few slides explain the different steps for BCH demodulation.

Each occurrence of the PBCH has a different DMRS, which depends on the SSB block index. The UE receiver hence tries out all four or eight possible versions of the DMRS and determines which one was sent for a particular SSB received.

On the right, the MATLAB code shows how to set up an SSB configuration.

In doing so, the UE determines the SSB index if there are up to eight possible occurrences. As you may remember from the episode about the synchronization signal block, for a carrier frequency under 7.25GHz or FR1, there can be up to eight occurrences, while that number is 64 for FR2 or mmW transmission. This means that another piece of information is needed to uniquely determine the SSB index for FR2 transmission.

As you may remember from the video of this 5G Explained series about the synchronization signal block, for FR2, the MIB carries three bits for time index. Those three bits along with the knowledge of which DMRS was used, let the UE determine one of 64 possible SSB indexes.

Here, we see a more detailed view of the procedure thus far. DMRS search leads to channel estimation and noise estimation, along with the SSB index or three bits there of depending on the carrier frequency. The SSB resource elements are equalized and decoded, yielding the master information block. You can find the complete MATLAB code for this procedure as part of MathWorks 5G Toolbox.

Although the standard doesn’t mandate it explicitly, it is widely expected that each SSB occurrence will be beamformed with a different pattern. This enables the gNodeB to scan the space and target the energy in successive directions. Remember that, with mmW frequencies, beams become narrower, but the 5G standard specifies up to 64 possible occurrences instead of 8. This means that it is possible to use a high directivity antenna precoder to extend PBCH coverage.

Here, a few blocks are shown, each targeting a few degrees in space. The code on the right shows how to generate those beamforming vectors with MathWorks Phased Array System Toolbox.

Let us have a more concrete look at the process of BCH decoding and beam search with an example built with MathWorks 5G Toolbox.

We artificially pause the simulation after each SSB transmission, as it otherwise would be too fast to comment it live.

You can see the gNodeB with an array of transmit antenna. It transmits the first occurrence of SSB with a beam towards the sides of the space in front of it.

The UE is located at around 20 degrees off the horizontal, but we assume there is no direct line of sight. The only path between the gNodeB and the UE is that one bounce off the wall shown in blue.

The UE receives this first transmission with low energy. The second transmission leads to a similar result and correlation amplitude.

And so do the following ones, until the seventh transmission, where the main beam covers the location of the reflection.

In this case, the received energy is much higher and, once all transmissions are complete, the UE can clearly identify the SSB with the most suitable beamforming.

As a side note, we will talk about RACH in a few slides, but it is worth noting at this point that, if the eNodeB associates RACH occasions, or transmission time opportunities, with a particular SSB index, it can then expect RACH that are received at a particular time instant to be coming from a UE that picked that SSB index as the strongest. As the gNodeB knows which beamforming was used for that particular SSB index, it can perform receive beamforming using the same pattern at that given time instant to maximize the probability of receiving the RACH. This can be seen as the initial step in establishing beamforming between the gNodeB and the UE.

The next piece of information the UE looks for is the system information block 1 or SIB1. As we saw in the episode about the synchronization signal block, the master information block includes all elements needed to locate and decode the SIB1. Note that the SIB1 is carried by the DL-SCH, which is the same channel that carries data packets.

Once the UE has decoded the SIB1, it has all the information it needs to request access to the network via the random access procedure.

There are two possible lengths for the RACH preamble: a long preamble at 839 and a short one at 139. The long preamble is useful in large cells, as the timing uncertainty is larger because of longer propagation delays. Therefore,the long preamble is limited to sub-6GHz 5G transmissions.

The short preamble applies to all possible 5G frequencies.

We are not going into all the detail of the different RACH formats here, but it is good to be aware that different formats exist, which vary in number of OFDM symbols, cyclic prefix lengths and guard times. The information about which format to use is carried by the SIB1.

We want to conclude this section about acquisition procedures with a simplified overview of the random access procedure.

The UE makes its presence known to the network by sending a RACH. The gNodeB replies by sending a RACH access response carried by the PDSCH. It contains:

·       A timing advance for the UE to adjust its timing

·       A temporary RNTI or Radio Network Temporary Identifier

·       A scheduling grant for the UE to acknowledge the access response

The UE is able to discover and decode the access response because the response uses a reserved RNTI called the RA-RNTI. Refer to the episode about downlink control information for a discussion about the use of RNTIs to identify control information.

At this point, there could be several UEs that sent the same request at the same time, and the gNodeB can’t tell which UE or UEs it is talking to.

So, the response to the RACH access response is a contention resolution message, which is sent via the PUSCH or data-carrying channel, using the scheduling grant provided in the access response.

In the final step, the gNodeB acknowledges the contention resolution message by sending back the device identity in a message encrypted with the temporary RNTI.

The UE that recognizes its device identity knows it has been acknowledged by the gNodeB and uses the temporary RNTI from now on.

This concludes this episode of the 5G Explained series on initial acquisition procedures.

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