5G • RAN

Mini-slot

Non-Slot Based Transmission (Mini-slot)

Sub-slot transmission spanning 2, 4, or 7 OFDM symbols designed for immediate, ultra-low latency scheduling.

Technical Explanation

Mini-slots decouple transmission start times from slot boundaries, allowing transmission to begin immediately on any OFDM symbol within a slot. Spanning 2, 4, or 7 symbols (Type B mapping), mini-slots are vital for URLLC services requiring sub-millisecond latency, and for puncturing existing eMBB traffic without waiting for the next slot boundary.

Key Functions

  • Can start on any symbol within a slot without waiting for boundary
  • Spans short durations of 2, 4, or 7 OFDM symbols
  • Enables ultra-low latency URLLC and dynamic uplink preemption
Specifications
3GPP TS 38.211, TS 38.214
Interfaces
Uu

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