ITM Web of Conferences 30, 0 4007 (2019) https://doi.org/10.

1051/itmconf /201930 04007

CriMiCo'2019

Cell search and synchronization in 5G NR

Yakov Kryukov1,*, Dmitriy Pokamestov1, and Eugeniy Rogozhnikov1
1
Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Department of
Telecommunications and Basic Principles of Radio Engineering, 634050 Tomsk, Russia

Abstract. An overview of the physical signals foreseen by the 3GPP 5G

New Radio specification for frame synchronization and cell search in fifth-
generation wireless broadband access systems is presented in the paper.
The frame synchronization algorithm and the cell initialization procedure
are demonstrated. An estimate of probability of error detection of a
physical identifier by the signals of the primary and secondary
synchronization is obtained. The comparison of the successful
synchronization in AWGN channel for 4G LTE and 5G NR is shown.

1 Introduction
In September 2018, the 3GPP published the 15th release of the technical
specification ETSI 38.211 [1], which describes the physical layer procedures of 5G
New Radio (NR) communication systems [2]. One of the requirements of 5G NR is
providing the ability for quick radioframe synchronization to reduce the user
equipment connection time to the base station network. To achieve this, developers
have to increase the complexity and reduce the transmit periodicity of
synchronization signaling. Therefore, for NR is allowed using from 8 to 64
synchronization blocks during the radioframe. Using any detected block the user
equipment (UE) synchronize and immediately transmit an access request to the
base station (eNB). In this regard, the synchronization procedure is significantly
changed compared to 4G LTE [3], and for synchronization not the two simple
signals are used, but the signal block which consist of few signals.
The paper describes the synchronization signals generation method and
discusses cell search and radioframe synchronization procedures. The estimate of
the noise immunity of the synchronization signals is obtained from the result of
mathematical simulation and it is shown in the experimental part. The article shows
the calculation result of the value of the signal-to-noise ratio at the input of the
correlation receiver at which synchronization procedure can be successfully done
with the required error probability.

2 Sychronization signal block

Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) [1] consists of three special signals and one physical
channel. The one SS block is occupies 300 subcarriers in each of 4 OFDM symbols in the
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
ITM Web of Conferences 30, 0 4007 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/itmconf /201930 04007
CriMiCo'2019

time-frequency domain. In other words, 1200 resource elements (RE) of the resource grid
are used to transfer the one synchronization block (versus 288 RE for LTE). The structure
of the synchronization block with the subcarrier indices and the OFDM symbol numbers of
each SSB part is presented in fig. 1.
This block structure provides the possibility of frame synchronization by using the
detected block location number within radioframe from each received SSB. The first three
bits (iSSB1 field) are transmitted by the demodulated reference signal, and the second three
bits (iSSB2 field) are transmitted in the physical broadcast channel. The following is a brief
overview of signals in synchronization block.
The type of synchronization signal is individual for each cell (as LTE) and depends on
cell
unique physical-layer cell identities value N ID  3  N 1ID  N ID
2
in the range of 0 to 1008. The
physical-layer cell identities are grouped into 336 unique physical-layer cell-identify groups
(NID1 value), and each group containing three unique identities (NID2 value). The grouping is
such that each physical-layer cell identity is part of one and only one physical-layer cell-
identity group.
Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) is a kind of binary pseudo-random m-sequence
with a duration of 127 samples, which is formed depending on the number NID2 in the range
of 0 to 2, representing the physical-layer identity within the cell-identity group. PSS is
always located in the first OFDM symbol of synchronization block and occupies
subcarriers with indexes from 57 to 183.
Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) with a duration of 127 samples is generated from
combination of two m-sequences, which are generated depending on the group identifier NID1
specified in the range of 0 to 335. SSS is always located in the third OFDM symbol of
synchronization block (like PSS) and occupies subcarriers with indexes from 57 to 183 too.
Demodulated Reference Signal (DMRS) is a QPSK modulated m-sequence based on
sequence number iSSB1 of the SSB location in a radioframe. DMRS symbols are located on
every 4th subcarrier in each synchronization block OFDM symbol. DMSS occupies 144
REs within the synchronization block.
Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) transmits 4 common information fields with
service data, which must be demodulated by each user. The 56 information bits are
transmitted by PBCH in each SSB, of which: the last 24 bits are the cyclic redundancy
check (CRC) and the 24 first bits are used for detection of the primary parameters of the
cell configuration. Using the remaining bits, the UE can find sequence number of the SSB
in the frame, after which it becomes possible to detect of the radioframe beginning and then
to start procedure of time synchronization. QPSK modulation and polar coding [4] with
high redundancy are used in the PBCH to improve noise immunity. Therefore, PBCH has a
high noise resistance, and 432 REs are used to transmit a 32-bit message. Unused RE from
each side are the guard interval in frequency domain.
Subcarriers
1:56 57:183 184:240

1 PSS
0000 0000
Symbols

2 PBCH / DMRS
3 SSS
0 0

4 PBCH / DMRS

49:56 185:192
Fig. 1. Structure of SSB.

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ITM Web of Conferences 30, 0 4007 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/itmconf /201930 04007
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3 Radioframe synchronization and cell search

The block diagram of the frame synchronization procedure is shown in fig. 2. The first step
of the synchronization procedure at the UE side is the detection PSS and the determination of
the NID2 value. Thereafter, a bank of 336 secondary synchronization signals is generated on the
base of detected NID2 then detection of SSS in received signal and determination of the NID1
value is performed. After both of NID1 and NID2 are detected, the cell ID is calculated and the
location of the PBCH in the resource (time-frequency) grid is determined. A new cell with the
Cell ID physical identity and the received signal power estimation is registered in a table of the
UE available cells. The new base station tracking begins at this stage.
A DMRS signal bank is generated based on the Cell ID value. The UE determines the
first part of the iSSB bits (iSSB1 field) by the DMRS correlation detecting and estimates the
channel coefficients for PBCH equalization with further PBCH demodulation. As a result
of demodulation UE gets cell configuration and second part of the iSSB bits (iSSB2 field).
The SSB sequence number (iSSB value) in the frame is calculated based on both of iSSB1
and iSSB2. It becomes possible to calculate the frame time interval and realize frame
synchronization.

Correlation detector Demodulation

NID 2
H(w) Equalizer PBCH
PSS SSS
PBCH demodulation
NID2 NID1 iSSB2

Cell ID iSSB1 iSSB

Cell ID detection DMRS
detection

Cell registration with Cell ID identity, frame synchronization

Fig. 2. Radioframe sycnrhonization procedure.

4 Analysis of synchronization signals noise resistance

The transmission of synchronization signals is based on the direct spread spectrum
technology [5], which provides additional system gain by correlation processing at the
receiver side. The PSS and SSS has a spreading factor of 127 (system gain 21.03 dB), and
the DMRS has value of 144 (system gain 21.58 dB). System gain allows to detect these
signals even at low power and below the noise floor.
The purpose of the mathematical simulation was to obtain the probability of false
detection of the parameters of each signal in the synchronization block at the UE side,
provided that the parameters of the other signals of the block were are correctly detected.
Within the mathematical simulation the generation, demodulation and transmission of the
SSB via the AWGN channel, which are carried out according to the method described in
Section 3, are occurred.
Successful frame synchronization is achieved with successful demodulation of PBCH.
The dependence of the error demodulation probability of signal parameters (NID2, NID1, id1,
id2) from the signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio in the AWGN channel is shown in Fig.
3. The simulation result showed that frame synchronization with an error probability of less
than 10-3 is achieved with a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) value at the input
of the correlation receiver of at least -5 dB (via PBCH). Cell detection with a false detection
probability of less than 10-3 is achieved with SINR value at the input of the correlation
receiver of at least -7.35 dB (refer to SSS). For comparison, the same probability of cell

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ITM Web of Conferences 30, 0 4007 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1051/itmconf /201930 04007
CriMiCo'2019

detection and frame synchronization is achieved with an SINR of at least -4.35 dB in the
4G LTE system.
Analyzing the simulation result, it is possible to conclude that successful 5G NR frame
synchronization requires the SINR value in the channel 0.65 dB more, and for cell
identification 3 dB less than in the LTE system.

Probability of false detection

100 PBCH
SSS
10-1 PSS

10-2
DMRS
10-3
-12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5
SINR, dB
Fig. 3. False detection probability of SBB parameters.

5 Conclusion
The paper presents an overview of the frame synchronization and 5G NR cell search
procedure by signals, which are provided for by the ETSI 38.211 (Release 15) technical
specification. In comparison with LTE for frame synchronization in NR it is necessary to
research complex processing of the synchronization block consisting of 3 signals and the
1 channel (versus 2 simple signals in LTE).
The simulation result showed that for synchronization in the NR at the input of the
correlation receiver, the SINR value is required by 0.65 dB less than in LTE. However, for
LTE transmission synchronization signal resource elements are allocated less than NR. Due
to the increase of the synchronization signals duration (compared to LTE), the accuracy of
estimating time and frequency synchronization errors is increased too. Also, the UE earlier
begins the procedure of getting access to the base station network due to the more frequent
transmission of the synchronization block in radioframe.
The work is supported by the Russian Federation President grant to ensure young Russian scientists
research state support. Grant number MK-1126.2019.9.

References
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