Frame, Sub Frame, Slot, Numerology (Subcarrier Spacing)
The 5G New Radio (NR) frame structure is the arrangement of radio resource elements within a time-frequency grid in the 5G wireless communication system. The frame structure in 5G NR is designed to support various types of communication scenarios and requirements, including different bandwidths, subcarrier spacings, and numerologies.
The 5G NR frame structure consists of multiple hierarchical levels, including radio frames, subframes, and slots, each with its own duration and composition. Here’s an overview of the 5G NR frame structure:
- Radio Frame:
The highest-level structure in the 5G NR frame hierarchy is the radio frame. The radio frame has a duration of 10 milliseconds (ms) and is further divided into 10 subframes. The number of slots in a radio frame depends on the subcarrier spacing and the slot duration.
- Subframe:
A radio frame is divided into subframes, each with a duration of 1 millisecond (ms).
- Slot:
Each subframe is further divided into slots. The number of slots in a subframe depends on the subcarrier spacing. A slot can carry multiple symbols.
- Symbol:
A symbol is the basic unit of time within a slot. The number of symbols in a slot depends subcarrier spacing. A symbol carries information in the time and frequency domains.
- Resource Blocks:
A resource block (RB) is a group of contiguous subcarriers in the frequency domain and symbols in the time domain. The number of subcarriers and symbols in a resource block depends on the subcarrier spacing and the slot duration.
The 5G NR frame structure is flexible and supports different numerologies, which refer to the subcarrier spacing and time duration configurations. The numerology defines the number of subcarriers per resource block, the number of symbols per slot, and the duration of a slot.
Pranab Hazarika
Author || BE|| MBA|| PMP || IoT Certified ||
