US 12,294,961 B2
Time synchronization enhancement for a group of UE
Vinh Van Phan, Oulu (FI); Ling Yu, Kauniainen (FI); Zexian Li, Espoo (FI); Kari J. Niemela, Oulu (FI); and Vladimir Vukadinovic, Wroclaw (PL)
Assigned to NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY, Espoo (FI)
Appl. No. 17/263,292
Filed by Nokia Technologies Oy, Espoo (FI)
PCT Filed Aug. 7, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/056729
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 26, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/031113, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/715,927, filed on Aug. 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0219253 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. H04W 56/00 (2009.01); H04L 41/0893 (2022.01); H04L 41/0894 (2022.01); H04L 41/0895 (2022.01)
CPC H04W 56/001 (2013.01) [H04L 41/0893 (2013.01); H04L 41/0894 (2022.05); H04L 41/0895 (2022.05); H04W 56/004 (2013.01); H04W 56/0055 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory comprising computer program code,
the at least one memory and computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to
receive from a network node, by the apparatus of a communication network, information comprising context information associated with a group of more than one user equipment, wherein the context information is based on at least service related information associated with the more than one user equipment;
based on the context information, negotiate with the network node timing synchronization requirements for time information distribution to each user equipment of the group;
in response to the negotiating, select multiple network devices of the communication network for the distribution of time information (timeInfo) to each user equipment of the group of more than one user equipment; and
configure time information usage for at least one user equipment of the group of more than one user equipment, wherein the time information is to minimize the timing error across the group of more than one user equipment,
wherein the selecting of the multiple network devices is based on the network devices sharing a common master clock,
wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to
generate timeInfo, by at least one network device, using knowledge of maximum time interval error (MTIE) characteristics of its clock to decide on a frequency of timeInfo signalling needed to meet synchronization requirements of the user equipment group;
wherein the at least one network device that generates timeInfo uses the knowledge of MTIE characteristics of the clock of a timeInfo-generating unit and MTIE characteristics of the clock of the air interface unit from which timeInfo is transmitted to decide on the frequency of timeInfo signalling needed to meet the synchronization requirements of the user equipment group.