Maximum allowable exposure control (MPE) for multi-panel simultaneous UL transmissions (STxMP)

Abstract

The invention relates to maximum allowable exposure control (MPE) for multi-panel simultaneous UL transmissions (STxMP). Aspects are described relating to a user equipment (UE) comprising: a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel for enabling wireless communication with a first base station and a second base station, respectively; and a processor communicatively coupled to the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. The processor is configured to determine that a total transmit power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than a threshold, and to determine a first fallback value for the first antenna panel and a second fallback value for the second antenna panel. The processor is further configured to generate a report indicating the first fallback value and the second fallback value, and to transmit the report via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

Description

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 516,309, filed on July 28, 2023, entitled “MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE (MPE) CONTROL FOR SIMULTANEOUS UL TRANSMISSION WITH MULTI-PANELS (STXMP)”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Background Art Technical Field

[0003] The described aspects generally relate to transmit power control of a user equipment (UE). Summary of the invention

[0004] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods for transmission power control of a UE. For example, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for reducing the transmission power of multiple antenna panels and reporting the reduction in transmission power to a network.

[0005] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a user equipment (UE) comprising: a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel being used to enable wireless communication with a first base station and a second base station, respectively; and a processor, the processor being communicatively coupled to the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. The processor is configured to determine that a total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than a threshold, and to determine a first backoff value for the first antenna panel and a second backoff value for the second antenna panel. The processor is further configured to generate a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value, and transmit the report via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

[0006] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method of operating a UE. The method includes determining that a total transmission power of a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel of the UE is greater than a threshold, and determining a first backoff value for the first antenna panel and a second backoff value for the second antenna panel. The method also includes generating a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value, and transmitting the report via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

[0007] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) including instructions for causing the UE to perform operations when the instructions are executed by one or more processors of the UE. The operations include determining that a total transmission power of a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel of the UE is greater than a threshold, and determining a first backoff value for the first antenna panel and a second backoff value for the second antenna panel. The operations also include generating a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value, and transmitting the report via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

[0008] The present invention is provided for the purpose of illustrating some aspects only, so as to provide an understanding of the subject matter described herein. Therefore, the above-mentioned features are only examples and should not be understood as narrowing the scope or essence of the subject matter in the present disclosure. Other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and enable those skilled in the relevant art to make and use the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1 An example system implementing transmit power control of a UE according to some aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example system of an electronic device for implementing transmit power control according to some aspects of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 3 Example methods of adjusting and reporting transmit power according to aspects of the present disclosure are shown.

[0013] Figure 4

[0013] Example methods of assigning power reduction to multiple panels of a UE in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure are shown.

[0014] Figure 5 is an example computer system for implementing some aspects or portions of the present disclosure.

[0015] The present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, generally, the same reference numerals indicate the same or functionally similar elements. In addition, generally, the leftmost digit of a reference numeral identifies the drawing in which the reference numeral first appears. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods for transmission power control of a UE. For example, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for reducing the transmission power of multiple antenna panels and reporting the reduction in transmission power to a network.

[0017] In some aspects, wireless devices (including UEs) are subject to transmission power restrictions. The restrictions can be set by the network in various situations. For example, when a UE is located in a crowded area where there are a large number of wireless devices, the network can configure the UE to reduce the transmission power of the UE or keep the transmission power of the UE below a threshold. This is because the transmission signal from the UE may become an interference to other wireless devices. In order to avoid disturbing each other's signals, the network can limit the transmission power of all wireless devices in the crowded area. For another example, when the UE is in an indoor environment, the network can further configure the UE to limit the transmission power of the UE, thereby maintaining the radiation of the UE at an acceptable level. Although the radiation from the UE may be generally small and safe for humans, the UE may increase its transmission power when it is indoors to maintain a connection with the base station. Specifically, when the UE is inside a building, the radio signal between the UE and the base station may experience more severe propagation and degradation. Therefore, in order to maintain the same link quality, the UE can increase its transmission power so that when the UE moves from an outdoor environment to an indoor environment, the base station receives a signal with the same signal strength and / or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from the UE. In this case, the network may configure the UE to refrain from increasing its transmission power or set a limit on the transmission power so that the transmission power does not cause additional radiation to people in the building or around the UE.

[0018] In some aspects, the UE is subject to a transmit power limit set by a standard, such as a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard. For example, the standard may set a total effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). In this case, the UE's transmit power in a particular direction is limited. For another example, the standard may set a total radiated power limit in all directions. In either case, when the UE determines that its transmit power exceeds the transmit power limit, the UE may reduce its transmit power to comply with the limit. For yet another example, the UE may be subject to regulatory requirements, such as a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement, which is measured in power density (PD) and expressed in Watts / m2 (Watts / m 2 ) or mW / cm 2 When the transmission power of the UE exceeds the MPE in any direction, the UE needs to reduce its transmission power.

[0019] In some aspects, the UE may include multiple antenna panels. For example, the UE may include a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel. Both antenna panels may be subject to transmission power limits. For example, when the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel overlap at least partially with the restricted direction, they are subject to total EIRP limits. In other words, when the total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is higher than the total EIRP limit in the restricted direction, the UE needs to reduce its transmission power. For another example, the transmission power of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is subject to total radiated power limits regardless of their directions. Specifically, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may not overlap. However, the total radiated power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is subject to total radiated power limits. For yet another example, when the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel overlap in a common direction, the total transmission power of the UE in the common direction is limited by the MPE requirement.

[0020] In some aspects, when the UE determines that its total transmission power exceeds any of the limits discussed above, the UE may reduce its total transmission power. However, the amount of transmission power to be reduced for each of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel remains an unresolved issue. In other words, when both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel contribute to the total transmission power exceeding the limit, the UE needs to determine how much transmission power will be reduced for each of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. In some aspects, the UE may reduce the transmission power of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel equally. In other aspects, the power reduction is unequally distributed between the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. For example, the first antenna panel may be more important than the second antenna panel. In this case, the UE reduces less power in the first antenna panel compared to the second antenna panel. For another example, the first antenna panel may contribute much more than the second antenna panel in terms of total transmission power. In this case, the UE reduces more power in the first antenna panel compared to the second antenna panel.

[0021] In some aspects, the UE may report the power reduction of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel to the network so that the network is aware of the power limitation situation and the power reduction action taken by the UE. In some aspects, the UE may report the power reduction in the format of a power headroom report (PHR). The UE may report the power reduction of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel in a combined PHR or in separate PHRs. In addition, when it is determined that the total transmission power exceeds the limit, the UE may quickly report the power reduction.

[0022] Figure 1An example system 100 for implementing transmission power control of a UE according to some aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The example system 100 is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosed aspects. The example system 100 may include, but is not limited to, a UE 102 and base stations 104 and 106. The UE 102 may be implemented as an electronic device configured to operate based on a variety of wireless communication technologies. These technologies may include, but are not limited to, technologies based on the third generation partnership project (3GPP) standard. For example, the UE 102 may be configured to operate using one or more 3GPP versions (such as Release 15 (Rel-15), Release 16 (Rel-16), Release 17 (Rel-17), Release 18 (Rel-18) or other 3GPP versions). The UE 102 may include, but is not limited to, a wireless communication device, a smart phone, a laptop, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a personal assistant, a monitor, a television, a wearable device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a vehicle communication device, etc. Base stations 104 and 106 may include one or more nodes configured to operate based on a wide variety of wireless communication technologies, such as, but not limited to, technologies based on 3GPP standards. For example, base station 104 may include a node configured to operate using Rel-15, Rel-16, Rel-17, Rel-18, or other 3GPP releases. Base station 104 may include, but is not limited to, NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNodeB), next generation NodeB (gNB), new radio base station (NR BS), access point (AP), remote radio head, relay station, transmission / reception point (TRP), and other base stations.

[0023] In some aspects, UE 102 may communicate with both base stations 104 and 106 via communication links 108 and 110, respectively. UE 102 may include one or more antenna panels. For example, UE 102 may include a first antenna panel configured to transmit to base station 104 and / or receive from the base station. UE 102 may also include a second antenna panel configured to transmit to base station 106 and / or receive from the base station. In some aspects, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may be associated with a transmission direction. For example, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may form a first beam and a second beam, respectively. The transmission angles of the first beam and the second beam may or may not overlap. Specifically, the first beam may include a first main lobe and a first side lobe set. The second beam may include a second main lobe and a second side lobe set. The first main lobe and the second main lobe may partially overlap or completely overlap in a certain direction. In addition, the first main lobe may partially overlap or completely overlap with the second side lobe set, and the second main lobe may partially overlap or completely overlap with the first side lobe set.

[0024] In some aspects, UE 102 may be subject to transmission power limitations. As discussed above, UE 102 may be subject to total EIRP (i.e., the cumulative EIRP of all beams on all panels in a certain direction) limitations, total radiated power (radiated power totaled in all directions) limitations, and / or MPE limitations. Therefore, in some situations, UE 102 may need to adjust the transmission power of its first antenna panel and second antenna panel. For example, the total EIRP limitation may be associated with the first direction. Therefore, the transmission power of UE 102 in the first direction cannot exceed the EIRP threshold. In some aspects, the first beam and the second beam may overlap in the first direction. In this case, the signals transmitted from both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are subject to the total EIRP limitation. In addition, UE 102 may transmit to base stations 104 and 106 via the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel at the same time, respectively. Therefore, when UE 102 determines that the total EIRP limit is reached or exceeded, UE 102 may reduce the transmission power of one or both of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. Similarly, the UE 102 may also need to reduce the transmission power of one or both of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel based on other constraints, such as a total radiated power limit in all directions and an MPE limit.

[0025] In some aspects, UE 102 may report the power reduction of the UE to the network. For example, UE 102 may connect and communicate with the network via base station 104 or base station 106. Therefore, UE 102 may transmit a report to base station 104 or base station 106. In some aspects, UE 102 may reduce the transmission power of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. Therefore, UE 102 may report the transmission power reduction separately or together. For example, UE 102 may transmit a first report to base station 104 via communication link 108 using the first antenna panel, wherein the first report includes the power reduction of the first antenna panel. UE 102 may also transmit a second report to base station 106 via communication link 110 using the second antenna panel, wherein the second report includes the power reduction of the second antenna panel. In another example, UE 102 may transmit a combined report including the power reduction of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. UE 102 may transmit the combined report using the first antenna panel via communication link 108 or using the second antenna panel via communication link 110 or via both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel.

[0026] Figure 2A block diagram of an electronic device 200 that implements transmission power control of a UE according to some aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The electronic device 200 can be any electronic device in the electronic devices of the system 100 (e.g., UE 102 and base stations 104 and 106). The electronic device 200 includes a processor 210, one or more transceivers 220, a communication infrastructure 240, a memory 250, an operating system 252, an application 254, a device capability 256, and antennas 260a, 260b, 260c, and 260d. The system shown is provided as an exemplary portion of the electronic device 200, and the electronic device 200 may include other circuits and subsystems. In addition, although the system of the electronic device 200 is shown as separate components, various aspects of the present disclosure may include any combination of these components, for example, fewer components or more components.

[0027] The memory 250 may include random access memory (RAM) and / or cache, and may include control logic components (e.g., computer software) and / or data. The memory 250 may include other storage devices or memories. According to some examples, an operating system 252 may be stored in the memory 250. The operating system 252 may manage data transmission from the memory 250 and / or the one or more applications 254 to the processor 210 and / or the one or more transceivers 220. In some examples, the operating system 252 maintains one or more network protocol stacks (e.g., an Internet protocol stack, a cellular protocol stack, etc.) that may include multiple logical layers. At the corresponding layer of the protocol stack, the operating system 252 includes control mechanisms and data structures to perform functions associated with the layer.

[0028] According to some examples, applications 254 may be stored in memory 250. Applications 254 may include applications used by electronic device 200 and / or a user of electronic device 200 (e.g., user applications). Applications in applications 254 may include applications such as, but not limited to, radio streaming, video streaming, remote control, and / or other user applications. In some aspects, device capabilities 256 may be stored in memory 250.

[0029] The electronic device 200 may also include a communication infrastructure 240. The communication infrastructure 240 provides, for example, communication between the processor 210, the one or more transceivers 220, and the memory 250. In some implementations, the communication infrastructure 240 may be a bus.

[0030] Processor 210, alone or in conjunction with instructions stored in memory 250, executes operations that enable electronic device 200 of system 100 to implement a mechanism for transmit power control, as described herein. Alternatively or additionally, processor 210 may be "hard coded" to implement a mechanism for transmit power control, as described herein.

[0031] One or more transceivers 220 transmit and receive communication signal support mechanisms for transmission power control. In addition, one or more transceivers 220 transmit and receive communication signals that support mechanisms for measuring communication links, generating and transmitting system information, and receiving system information. According to some aspects, one or more transceivers 220 can be coupled to antennas 260a, 260b, 260c, and 260d to wirelessly transmit and receive communication signals, wherein each antenna 260 has its own transceiver 220, or is grouped with another antenna 260 according to known power division techniques to share transceiver 220. Antennas 260a, 260b, 260c, and 260d may include one or more antennas, and one or more antennas may be of the same or different types and may form one or more antenna ports. One or more transceivers 220 allow electronic device 200 to communicate with other devices that may be wired and / or wireless. In some examples, one or more transceivers 220 may include processors, controllers, radio components, sockets, plugs, buffers, and similar circuits / devices for connecting to a network and communicating on the network. According to some examples, one or more transceivers 220 include one or more circuits for connecting to a wired network and / or a wireless network and communicating on the wired network and / or the wireless network. In some aspects, antennas 260a, 260b, 260c, and 260d may correspond to one or more antenna panels. For example, antennas 260a and 260b may form a first antenna panel 270, and antennas 260c and 260d may form a second antenna panel 280. In this scenario, antennas 260a and 260b may be fed by a first identical transceiver 220. Similarly, antennas 260b and 260c may be fed with a second identical transceiver 220 different from the first identical transceiver 220 for antennas 260a and 260b to achieve separate gain control. In addition, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may correspond to a first beam and a second beam. The first beam may be directed to a first direction by beamforming antennas 260a and 260b. Similarly, the second beam can be directed in a second direction by beamforming antennas 260c and 260d. In some aspects, one or more antenna panels can include one or more overlapping antennas. For example, a first antenna panel can include antennas 260a, 260b, and 260c. A second antenna panel can include antennas 260b, 260c, and 260d.

[0032] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the one or more transceivers 220 may include a cellular subsystem, a WLAN subsystem, and / or a Bluetooth subsystem. TMSubsystems, each including its own radio transceiver and protocol, as will be understood by those skilled in the art based on the discussion provided herein. In some implementations, one or more transceivers 220 may include more or fewer systems for communicating with other devices.

[0033] In some examples, transceiver(s) 220 may include one or more circuits (including a WLAN transceiver) to enable connection and communication via a WLAN network, such as, but not limited to, a network based on the standards described in IEEE 802.11.

[0034] Additionally or alternatively, one or more transceivers 220 may include a device for implementing a Bluetooth-based TM Protocol, Bluetooth TM Low Energy Protocol or Bluetooth TM One or more circuits for connection and communication with low energy long range protocols (including Bluetooth TM For example, the transceiver 220 may include a Bluetooth TM Transceiver.

[0035] In addition, the one or more transceivers 220 may include one or more circuits (including a cellular transceiver) for connecting to and communicating on a cellular network. The cellular network may include, but is not limited to, a 3G / 4G / 5G network such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc. For example, the one or more transceivers 220 may be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of Rel-15, Rel-16, Rel-17, or other versions of the 3GPP standard.

[0036] As follows about Figures 3 to 5 As discussed in more detail, processor 210 may implement various mechanisms for transmit power control, such as Figure 1 The system 100 is discussed.

[0037] Figure 3 An example method 300 for adjusting and reporting transmission power according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The example method 300 is provided for illustration purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosed aspects. For convenience and not limitation, reference may be made to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 elements to describe Figure 3 The example method 300 may represent the operation of an electronic device (e.g., UE 102) to implement transmission power control. The example method 300 may also be performed by (controlled or implemented by) the processor 210. Figure 2 The electronic device 200 and / or Figure 5However, the exemplary method 300 is not limited to the specific aspects depicted in these figures, and other systems may be used to perform the method, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all operations may be required, and these operations may not be performed in the same manner as described above. Figure 3 The same sequence as shown is performed.

[0038] At 302, a UE (such as Figure 1 UE 102 in the embodiment of the present invention determines that the total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than a threshold value. In some aspects, the threshold value may be associated with at least three types of limiting situations. First, the limiting situation may be an MPE limit violation. For example, the UE may be subject to MPE limits. Specifically, the PD of the signal transmitted by the UE is subject to MPE threshold limits. The MPE threshold may be provided by regulatory standards or guidelines established by regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States or the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) in the world. In some aspects, a measuring device may measure the PD of a signal transmitted by the UE. The measuring device may be equipped with a sensor or probe capable of measuring an electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by the UE. The measuring device may be another UE, a base station, or other electronic device. When the measuring device detects that the PD of the signal transmitted by the UE exceeds the MPE threshold value, the measuring device determines that the UE violates the MPE limit. The measuring device may report the MPE limit violation to the network, and the network may notify the UE of the MPE limit violation via a base station (such as base station 104 or base station 106). In some aspects, the measurement device may also report directly to the UE via a direct connection (e.g., a device-to-device (D2D) connection between the UE and the measurement device). In either case, the UE detects the MPE limit violation via the measurement device. In some aspects, a test lab may include one or more measurement devices to measure the PD of a signal transmitted by the UE and determine whether the UE exceeds an MPE threshold. Thus, the one or more measurement devices may be lab equipment for testing purposes.

[0039] In some aspects, the UE may detect MPE limit violations by itself. For example, the UE may determine whether there is an MPE limit violation based on its transmit signal power and the distance from the surrounding environment. First, the UE may determine its transmit signal power by monitoring its output power. For example, the UE may monitor its output power amplifier to collect information about the transmit signal power of the UE. The UE may also include sensors that detect objects and humans around the UE. For example, the UE may determine that a human is three feet away from the UE. In this case, the UE may estimate the strength of the transmitted signal after experiencing three feet of propagation and degradation and the PD of the signal transmitted by the UE within a distance of three feet. In addition, the UE may include multiple antenna panels. In this case, the UE needs to consider the signal transmitted by each of the multiple antenna panels.

[0040] Secondly, the restriction scenario may be a total EIRP limit violation. For example, the UE may be subject to a total EIRP limit in a restricted direction. Specifically, the UE's radiation in the restricted direction is limited by the EIRP value. Similar to the MPE restriction scenario discussed above, the UE can detect a total EIRP limit violation via a measuring device or by itself. Specifically, the measuring device can measure the radiation level from the UE in the restricted direction and determine whether the UE violates the total EIRP limit. The UE can also determine its transmission power in the restricted direction. For example, the UE can make an estimate by determining the power level supplied to its antenna, the antenna gain, the loss in the UE's transmission chain, the beamforming direction and other factors. Based on its transmission power in the restricted direction, the UE can determine whether the total EIRP limit is violated.

[0041] Again, the limiting situation may be a total radiated power limit violation. For example, the UE may be subject to a total radiated power limit. Specifically, the transmission power of all antennas or all antenna panels is subject to a total radiated power limit, regardless of the direction. For example, the antennas of the UE may form one or more antenna panels for transmission to one or more base stations. One or more antenna panels are beamformed to different directions that may or may not overlap. However, the total power of the signals transmitted from one or more antenna panels is subject to the total radiated power limit. Similar to the above discussion, surrounding devices (such as measuring devices and other devices) can measure the total power of the UE and report to the UE when the UE violates the total power limit. The UE can also estimate the total power by itself and determine whether the total power limit is violated.

[0042] At 304, the UE determines a total power backoff value. In some aspects, when the UE detects a limiting situation, the UE also determines an excess power above the limit. For example, when the UE violates the MPE limit, the UE determines the amount of excess power by comparing the UE's PD with the MPE threshold. For another example, when the UE violates the total EIRP limit, the UE can determine the amount of excess power by comparing its transmission power in the limited direction with the total EIRP limit. For another example, when the UE violates the total radiated power limit, the UE can determine the amount of excess power by comparing its total transmission power with the total radiated power limit. In any of the above cases, the UE can determine the total power backoff value based on the excess power. For example, if the limit is an MPE limit or a total radiated power limit, the total power backoff value can be the same as the amount of excess power. When the limit is a total EIRP limit, the UE can consider the direction of the signal transmitted by the UE and the limited direction. If the transmitted signal direction completely overlaps with the limited direction, the total power backoff value can be the same as the amount of excess power. Otherwise, the total power backoff value may be adjusted based on the overlap percentage between the signal direction and the restricted direction.

[0043] In some aspects, the UE may also determine and / or adjust the total power backoff value based on the overlapping condition between the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. For example, the first antenna panel may correspond to the first beam, and the second antenna panel may correspond to the second beam. If the first beam overlaps the second beam to a large extent, the UE may determine that the total power backoff value is large or increase the total power backoff value. This is because when the first beam overlaps the second beam severely, it is likely that both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel contribute to the total transmission power exceeding the limit. For example, when the first beam and the second beam overlap in a certain direction, the signal transmitted from both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel contributes to the power density in the overlapping direction. In some aspects, the UE may determine the overlap level in at least two methods. First, the UE may determine based on the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the signal received by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel. If the SINR is high or above the SINR threshold, this means that the first beam and the second beam of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are well isolated and the overlap level is low. In this case, the UE may determine that the total power backoff value is small or reduce the total power backoff value. Otherwise, the first beam and the second beam are not well isolated and the overlap level is high. In this case, the UE may determine that the total power backoff value is large or increase the total power backoff value. In some aspects, the total power backoff value or the adjustment to the total power backoff value may be inversely proportional to the SINR. Therefore, the UE may calculate or adjust the total power value based on the SINR. Secondly, the UE may determine the overlap level based on the angle of departure (AoD) of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. Specifically, the AoD may indicate the angle between the first beam and the second beam. If the AoD is large or greater than a threshold angle, the first beam and the second beam are well isolated and the overlap level is low. In this case, the UE may determine that the total power backoff value is small or reduce the total power backoff value. Otherwise, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are not well isolated and the overlap level is high. In this case, the UE may determine that the total power backoff value is large or increase the total power backoff value. In some aspects, the total power backoff value or the adjustment to the total power backoff value may be inversely proportional to the AoD. Therefore, the UE may calculate or adjust the total power value based on the AoD. In some aspects, the AoD may be provided by the network. For example, the network may transmit a configuration message or report to the UE via a base station, where the configuration message or report may indicate the AoD.

[0044] At 306, the UE determines a first power backoff value and a second power backoff value. In some aspects, the UE includes a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel. In this case, both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may contribute to the limit violation discussed above. The UE may reduce the transmission power of the first antenna panel by the first power backoff value and reduce the transmission power of the second antenna panel by the second power backoff value. In some aspects, the UE determines the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value based on the total power backoff value. Figure 4 More details on back-off power determination are discussed in .

[0045] At 308, the UE reports the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value to the network and / or the base station. In some aspects, the UE reports the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value via separate PHRs. For example, the UE may generate a first PHR indicating a first power backoff value for a first antenna panel and generate a second PHR indicating a second power backoff value for a second antenna panel. The UE may then transmit the first PHR to a first base station (such as a UE) via the first antenna panel. Figure 1 The UE may also transmit a second PHR to a second base station (such as Figure 1 base station 106).

[0046] For another example, the UE may generate a combined PHR indicating both the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value. In some aspects, the combined PHR may include a reserved bit "R". The UE may set the reserved bit to 1 to indicate that the combined PHR includes information for multiple base stations instead of information for multiple cells. The UE may transmit the combined PHR to the first base station via the first antenna panel or transmit the combined PHR to the second base station via the second antenna panel. In some aspects, the network may configure the UE to transmit the combined PHR to the first base station or the second base station via the first base station or the second base station. For example, the first base station or the second base station may generate a configuration message indicating whether the combined PHR is transmitted to the first base station or the second base station and transmit the configuration message to the UE. The network may also configure the UE to transmit the combined PHR based on the link conditions of the communication link set via the first base station or the second base station. For example, the UE is connected to the first base station via a first communication link such as communication link 108 and is connected to the second base station via a second communication link such as communication link 110. The configuration message may configure the UE to transmit the combined PHR using a link selected from one of the first communication link and the second communication link having a higher downlink (DL) reference signal received power (RSRP). In this case, the UE may measure the DL signal and determine the link for transmitting the combined PHR. For example, the UE may determine that the DL signal received from the first communication link 108 has a higher DL RSRP. The UE may then transmit the combined PHR to the first base station 104 via the first communication link 108 using the first antenna panel.

[0047] In some aspects, the UE also determines when to transmit a PHR, such as a separate PHR or a combined PHR. In some aspects, the UE may transmit the PHR based on a phr-PeriodicTimer configured by the network. For example, when the phr-PeriodicTimer expires, the UE may transmit the PHR. In other aspects, the UE may transmit the PHR based on a phr-ProhibitTimer and a phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange value also configured by the network. The phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange value represents a threshold change in a communication link, such as a threshold change in a path loss condition. For example, the UE may determine that the phr-ProhibitTimer has expired and the path loss condition has changed by more than the phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange value. In this case, the UE may transmit the PHR. However, if the phr-ProhibitTimer has not expired or the path loss condition has not changed by more than the phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange value, the UE does not transmit the PHR.

[0048] In some aspects, the network may configure different types of devices differently. For example, fixed wireless access (FWA) devices and customer premises equipment (CPE) may have higher transmission power than handheld devices. Therefore, when configuring FWA devices or CPE devices, the network may set the phr-ProhibitTimer to a shorter period and / or the phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange to a smaller value compared to the phr-ProhibitTimer and phr-Tx-PowerFactorChange of the handheld device. In yet other aspects, the network may configure the UE to report the PHR immediately after the UE detects a limiting situation and determines the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value. For example, the UE may transmit the PHR in a possible time position for PHR transmission immediately after detecting a limiting situation and determining the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value.

[0049] At 310, the UE reduces the transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. For example, the UE may reduce the transmission power of the first antenna panel by a first power backoff value and reduce the transmission power of the second antenna panel by a second power backoff value. In various aspects, the transmission power is reduced by reducing the amplifier gain in the transceiver serving the corresponding antenna panel.

[0050] Figure 4 An example method 400 for assigning power reduction to multiple panels of a UE according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The example method 400 is provided for illustration purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosed aspects. For convenience and not limitation, reference may be made to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 elements to describe Figure 4 The example method 400 may represent the operation of an electronic device (e.g., UE 102) to implement transmission power control. The example method 400 may also be performed by (controlled or implemented by) the processor 210. Figure 2 The electronic device 200 and / or Figure 5 The example method 400 is not limited to the specific aspects depicted in those figures, and other systems may be used to perform the method, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It should be understood that not all operations may be required, and that these operations may not be performed in the same manner as described above. Figure 4 The same sequence as shown is performed.

[0051] At 402, a UE (such as Figure 1 UE 102 in ) determines the total power backoff value, such as Figure 3 In some aspects, the total power backoff value may be based on an MPE limit, a total EIRP limit, or a total radiated power limit.

[0052] At 404, the UE determines whether to perform equal power backoff. In some aspects, the UE may determine to reduce the transmission power equally between the antenna panels of the UE. For example, the UE may include a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel. The UE may reduce the total power backoff value of each of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel by half. The equal power backoff strategy may maintain the communication link corresponding to both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. For example, the transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel may be X1 dBm and X2 dBm, respectively. The total power backoff value may be A dBm. Assuming that if the transmission power levels of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are not less than X1-A / 2dBm and X2-A / 2dBm, respectively, the UE may maintain the communication link of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel, and reducing the transmission power of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel by A / 2dBm may maintain the communication link of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. Therefore, in some scenarios, the equal power backoff strategy may maintain the communication link of both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. In other words, when the communication links of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel can be maintained by equally reducing the transmission power, the UE can determine to perform an equal power backoff strategy. However, in other scenarios, the UE may not be able to use equal power backoff to maintain the two communication links. In another example, the total power backoff value is 2A dBm instead of A dBm. In this case, the equal power backoff strategy may cause both communication links to fail. In this case, the UE may determine to perform power backoff unequally. For example, the UE may reduce the transmission power of the first antenna panel by 2AdBm, and the transmission power of the second antenna panel remains unchanged. Therefore, the communication link of the second antenna panel is not affected, so that the UE can still communicate with the base station in the network. In short, the UE can determine whether to perform equal power backoff based on the total power backoff value and the minimum transmission power required for each antenna panel to maintain its communication link. In other aspects, the equal power backoff strategy may be the default option. For example, when the UE does not have sufficient information to determine the minimum transmission power required to maintain the communication link for each antenna panel, or when the UE does not have the computational resources or time resources to determine whether it is possible to maintain two communication links, the UE can perform equal power backoff. In any case, if the UE determines to perform equal power backoff, control moves to 406.

[0053] At 406, the UE divides the total power backoff value between the antenna panels of the UE. For example, when the total power backoff value is AdBm and the UE includes a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel, the UE may set both the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value to A / 2dBm.

[0054] At 408, the UE reports the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value to the base station or the network, as in Figure 3 The UE then reduces the transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel, as discussed in 308 of FIG. Figure 3 Discussed in 310 of .

[0055] Referring back to 404 , if the UE determines to perform unequal power backoff, control moves to 410 .

[0056] At 410, the UE determines whether one of the antenna panels of the UE is associated with a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). For example, the first antenna panel may be used to transmit signals to the base station in the PUCCH. And the second antenna panel may be used to transmit signals in the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). In this case, control moves to 412.

[0057] At 412, the UE unequally proportionates the total power backoff value between the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel to reduce the power reduction of the antenna panel serving the PUCCH. For example, the first antenna panel may be associated with the PUCCH and the current transmission power of the first antenna panel is X1dBm. In order to maintain the PUCCH, the first antenna panel needs to have at least X1-A / 2dBm transmission power. In this case, the UE may reduce the transmission power of the first antenna panel by A / 2dBm or less. The UE then assigns the remainder of the total power backoff to the second antenna panel. Therefore, if the total power backoff value is 2AdBm, the first power backoff value is A / 2dBm and the second power backoff value is 3A / 2dBm, thereby setting the transmission power reduction to favor the PUCCH served by the first antenna panel. Control then moves to 408, and the UE reports the first power backoff value and the second power backoff value.

[0058] Referring back to 410 , if the UE determines that neither the first antenna panel nor the second antenna panel is associated with a PUCCH or both are associated with a PUCCH, control moves to 414 .

[0059] At 414, the UE may divide the total power backoff value based on the priority value. For example, the first antenna panel corresponds to a first priority value, and the second antenna panel corresponds to a second priority value. The first priority value may be higher than the second priority value, so the first antenna panel has a higher priority. In this case, the UE may reduce the transmission power for the first antenna panel less than the second antenna panel. For example, the UE may proportionally distribute the transmission power reduction to dominate the communication link of the first antenna panel similar to the case discussed in 412. For another example, the UE may divide the total power backoff value by the ratio between the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel. The ratio may be predefined or calculated based on the first priority value and the second priority value. For example, if the first priority is 2 and the second priority is 1, the ratio may be 1 to 2, where the UE reduces the transmission power of the second antenna panel by twice that of the first antenna panel. Control then moves to 408, and the UE reports the first backoff value and the second backoff value.

[0060] For example, one or more computer systems (such as Figure 5 The computer system 500 shown in the figure can be used to implement various aspects. The computer system 500 can be any well-known computer capable of performing the functions described herein, such as Figure 1 UE 102 and base station 104. Computer system 500 includes one or more processors (also referred to as central processing units or CPUs), such as processor 504. Processor 504 is connected to a communication infrastructure 506 (e.g., a bus). Computer system 500 also includes user input / output devices 503, such as a monitor, keyboard, pointing device, etc., that communicate with communication infrastructure 506 through user input / output interface 502. Computer system 500 also includes main memory or primary storage 508, such as random access memory (RAM). Main memory 508 may include one or more levels of cache. Main memory 508 has control logic components (e.g., computer software) and / or data stored therein.

[0061] The computer system 500 may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memories 510. The secondary storage 510 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 512 and / or a removable storage device or drive 514. The removable storage drive 514 may be a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, an optical drive, an optical storage device, a tape backup device, and / or any other storage device / drive.

[0062] The removable storage drive 514 may interact with a removable storage unit 518. The removable storage unit 518 includes a computer usable or readable storage device having computer software (control logic) and / or data stored thereon. The removable storage unit 518 may be a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, a compact disk, a DVD, an optical storage disk, and / or any other computer data storage device. The removable storage drive 514 reads from and / or writes to the removable storage unit 518 in a well-known manner.

[0063] According to some aspects, secondary memory 510 may include other devices, tools, or other methods for allowing computer programs and / or other instructions and / or data to be accessed by computer system 500. Such devices, tools, or other methods may include, for example, a removable storage unit 522 and an interface 520. Examples of removable storage unit 522 and interface 520 may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and an associated socket, a memory stick and USB port, a memory card and an associated memory card slot, and / or any other removable storage unit and associated interface.

[0064] The computer system 500 may also include a communication or network interface 524. The communication interface 524 enables the computer system 500 to communicate and interact with any combination of remote devices, remote networks, remote entities, etc. (individually and collectively referenced by reference numeral 528). For example, the communication interface 524 may allow the computer system 500 to communicate with the remote device 528 via a communication path 526, which may be wired and / or wireless and may include any combination of a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, etc. Control logic components and / or data may be transmitted to and from the computer system 500 via the communication path 526.

[0065] The operations in the foregoing aspects can be implemented in various configurations and architectures. Thus, some or all of the operations in the foregoing aspects may be performed in hardware, software, or in both hardware and software. In some aspects, a tangible, non-transient device or article includes a tangible, non-transient computer-usable or readable medium on which a control logic component (software) is stored, also referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This includes, but is not limited to, a computer system 500, a main memory 508, an auxiliary memory 510, and removable storage units 518 and 522, as well as tangible articles embodying any combination of the foregoing. Such control logic components, when executed by one or more data processing devices (such as computer system 500), cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0066] Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art how to use Figure 5 The various aspects of the present disclosure may be made and used with data processing devices, computer systems, and / or computer architectures other than those shown. In particular, the various aspects may operate with software, hardware, and / or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

[0067] It should be understood that the Detailed Description section, rather than the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary aspects of the present disclosure as contemplated by the inventors, and thus are not intended to limit the present disclosure or the appended claims in any way.

[0068] Although the present disclosure has been described herein with reference to exemplary aspects of exemplary fields and applications, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Other aspects and modifications are possible and are within the scope and essence of the present disclosure. For example, and without limiting the generality of this paragraph, the various aspects are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware and / or entities shown in the figures and / or described herein. In addition, the various aspects (whether or not explicitly described herein) have significant practicality for fields and applications outside the examples described herein.

[0069] Various aspects have been described herein by means of functional building blocks that illustrate specific implementations of specific functions and relationships thereof. For ease of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein. As long as the specified functions and relationships (or their equivalents) are properly performed, alternative boundaries may be defined. In addition, alternative aspects may perform functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc., in an order different from that described herein.

[0070] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," or similar phrases indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the relevant art to incorporate such feature, structure, or characteristic into other aspects, whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein.

[0071] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0072] It is understood that the use of personally identifiable information should be subject to privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized to meet or exceed industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of the authorized use should be clearly stated to users.

[0073] The disclosure anticipates that entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transmission, storage or other purposes of such personal information data will comply with sound privacy policies and / or privacy measures. Specifically, such entities should implement and adhere to the use of privacy policies and practices that are recognized as meeting or exceeding the industry or government requirements for maintaining the privacy and security of personal information data. Such policies should be convenient for users to access and should be updated with changes in the collection and / or use of data. Personal information from users should be collected for legal and reasonable entity purposes and should not be shared or sold outside these legal purposes. In addition, such collection / sharing should only be after receiving the user's informed consent. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to protect and safeguard access to such personal information data and ensure that other entities with access to personal information data comply with their privacy policies and procedures. In addition, such entities can subject themselves to third-party assessments to prove that they comply with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted to specific types of personal information data collected and / or accessed, and to applicable laws and standards including considerations of special jurisdictions. For example, in the United States, the collection or acquisition of certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Therefore, different privacy measures should be advocated for different types of personal data in each country.

Claims

1. A user equipment UE, the user equipment comprising: a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel, the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel being configured to enable wireless communication with a first base station and a second base station, respectively; as well as a processor communicatively coupled to the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel and configured to: Determining that a total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than a threshold; determining a first back-off value for the first antenna panel and a second back-off value for the second antenna panel; generating a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value; and The report is transmitted via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

2. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: reducing a transmission power of the first antenna panel based on the first back-off value; and The transmission power of the second antenna panel is reduced based on the second back-off value. 3 . The UE according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold comprises a maximum allowed exposure (MPE) threshold, an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) value, or a total radiated power limit. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the second backoff value is equal to the first backoff value. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the second backoff value is greater than the first backoff value.

6. The UE according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to: determining that the first antenna panel is associated with a physical uplink control channel PUCCH; or It is determined that the priority of the first antenna panel is higher than the priority of the second antenna panel.

7. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the total transmission power by: determining a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) for a downlink associated with the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel; and The total transmission power is determined based on the SINR.

8. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the total transmission power by: determining an angle of departure AoD of the UE; and The total transmission power is determined based on the AoD.

9. The UE according to claim 1, wherein the report is a power headroom report PHR, wherein the PHR includes reserved bits, and The reserved bit is set to 1 to indicate that the PHR is for multiple base stations.

10. The UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the report in response to determining that the total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than the threshold.

11. A method for a user to equip a UE, the method comprising: Determining that a total transmission power of a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel of the UE is greater than a threshold; determining a first back-off value for the first antenna panel and a second back-off value for the second antenna panel; generating a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value; as well as The report is transmitted via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: reducing a transmission power of the first antenna panel based on the first back-off value; as well as The transmission power of the second antenna panel is reduced based on the second back-off value. 13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the threshold comprises a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) threshold, an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) value, or a total radiated power limit. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first backoff value is equal to the second backoff value. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first backoff value is greater than the second backoff value.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: determining that the second antenna panel is associated with a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); or It is determined that the priority of the second antenna panel is higher than the priority of the first antenna panel.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the report is a power headroom report PHR, wherein the PHR includes reserved bits, and The reserved bit is set to 1 to indicate that the PHR is for multiple base stations.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: The report is transmitted in response to determining that the total transmission power of the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel is greater than the threshold.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising instructions for causing a user equipment (UE) to perform operations when the instructions are executed by one or more processors of the UE, the operations comprising: Determining that a total transmission power of a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel of the UE is greater than a threshold; determining a first back-off value for the first antenna panel and a second back-off value for the second antenna panel; generating a report indicating the first backoff value and the second backoff value; and The report is transmitted via the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel.

20. The non-transitory CRM of claim 19, wherein the threshold comprises a maximum allowed exposure (MPE) threshold, an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) value, or a total radiated power limit.

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