Method and apparatus for beam reference signal received power rate of change communication

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure may provide methods, apparatuses, and devices for enabling a first device to transmit configuration information to be received by a second device. The configuration information comprises one or more parameters, the one or more parameters are associated with a rate of change of received power of a reference signal (RSRP) transmitted on a beam, and the rate of change indicates a change of the received power in at least one of the following: a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction, or a specific direction. One or more directions; or each time slot. In some embodiments, the first device may be a network side device, and the second device may be a terminal side device. In some embodiments, the first device may be a terminal-side device, and the second device may be a network-side device. The network side equipment can be a base station, and the terminal side equipment can be UE.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for beam reference signal received power gradient communication. BACKGROUND

[0002] When a device is equipped with a phased-array of antennas, each antenna element can be connected to a phase shifter, which can be used to improve at least one of a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) or reliability of a communication link by shaping the output beam. By setting these phases, analog beamforming can be achieved, which can focus the signal in one or more specific directions, increasing the signal power in those directions. This power increase stems from beamforming gain, and can be more important at higher frequencies to combat path loss at those frequencies. Analog beamforming can be implemented simultaneously on both the transmitter and receiver, including basestations (BS) and user equipment (UE) in a wireless access system. A set of phases for a phase shifter that directs a signal to a certain angle or direction can be referred to as an analog beamformer, and a set of analog beamformers can be grouped into a codebook. One common codebook for the angular domain of a uniform linear array (ULA) antenna array is a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix, where each column is a beamformer pointing in a certain direction, and the number of rows of the matrix is the number of antennas on the device. A 2D DFT codebook can be used for a uniform planar array (UPA).

[0003] In beam-based communications, beam quality is monitored by one or more metrics (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), SINR, reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal power). In one scenario, a UE performs frequent measurements to obtain beam reference signal received power (RSRP) and periodically reports the RSRP to a BS for various beam management procedures. The UE can also report the beam RSRP for more than one beam. Measuring the beam RSRP depends on various factors, some of which are constant while others can vary over time. For example, the beam RSRP can depend on one or more of the BS beams, the antenna pattern of each antenna element at the BS, the antenna panel tilt, the phase shifter accuracy, and the radio frequency (RF) chain. In addition to similar factors at the UE, the UE can also move or change orientation. In some systems, such as non-terrestrial networks, the BS can also be affected by movement and rotation. Furthermore, the channel can vary from time to time and from place to place. Given the numerous factors that can affect the beam RSRP, continuous measurement and reporting can be used to maintain a reliable link and can therefore result in a large overhead, especially for high-mobility UEs.

[0004] When a UE reports the beam RSRP for one or more beams as instructed by a BS, the reported values can affect different beam procedures. When the BS detects that a beam other than the serving beam can be a better beam to communicate with the UE, the BS can instruct the UE to perform a beam switch procedure. Furthermore, when the serving beam fails, i.e., when the received signal power is not sufficient to properly decode the transmitted data and / or control signals, the BS can instruct the UE about one or more beams other than the serving beam that the UE can use for possible beam failure recovery. The UE can also measure and report beams from other BSs for possible handover. SUMMARY

[0005] Depending on the beam shape, width, and UE movement, the gradient of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in a given beam direction in each time slot can vary over time and space. The variation in RSRP can require a large measurement and feedback overhead to properly track the various beam management procedures.

[0006] In current systems, the UE is not informed about the possible variation in RSRP. Therefore, the UE measures independent of the beam shape and width, resulting in a large measurement and feedback for the beam procedures.

[0007] Aspects of the invention provide for communication between a BS and a UE regarding an expected gradient of a received power of a reference signal transmitted in a particular direction of one beam per time slot, i.e. how the beam RSRP in that direction is likely to change. The BS configuration of the UE is also proposed for the way the RSRP gradient information of a beam is used in various beam management methods. When the UE obtains the RSRP gradient information of a beam from the BS, the UE learns the expected beam RSRP gradient in that direction and compares it with the measured value. Depending on how well the expected value aligns with the measured value, the UE can efficiently perform various beam management methods.

[0008] According to some aspects of the invention, there is provided a method comprising: receiving, by an apparatus, configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot.

[0009] In some embodiments, the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in a beam direction is rate of change information in at least one of: a direction perpendicular to the beam angular direction in an orientation parallel to the surface of the Earth; a direction along the beam angular direction; or a direction perpendicular to the beam angular direction in an orientation perpendicular to the surface of the Earth.

[0010] In some embodiments, when the one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction are provided in any one of a plurality of different forms, the method further comprises: receiving an indication of the form of the plurality of different forms, wherein the indication is used to provide information regarding the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, when the one or more directions are at least two directions, the configuration information is received for at least two of the at least two directions in at least one of: a different periodicity; a different granularity; or a different dynamic range.

[0012] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters comprise at least one of: rate of change information of the received power of the reference signal expressed in distance from a reference location; or rate of change information of the received power of the reference signal expressed in time from a reference time.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal represented by the distance is represented by: a distance at which the beam received power of the reference signal drops by a certain value; a slope of a rate of change of the beam received power of the reference signal along a certain traffic distance; an approximation of the rate of change of the beam received power of the reference signal determined using a higher order polynomial; a distance to a first zero point, where a zero point is defined by a larger loss; or a distance at which an indicator drops by an amount defined in a threshold.

[0014] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal are for each of one or more beams.

[0015] In some embodiments, the one or more beams include one or more of: a communication beam; one or more beams that can potentially be used for beam switching; one or more beams that can potentially be used for beam failure recovery; or one or more beams that can potentially be used for switching.

[0016] In some embodiments, the configuration information is received: periodically; after the configuration information is updated; or after the apparatus requests updated configuration information.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving an indication, where the indication is about a manner in which rate of change information of a received power of a reference signal associated with a previous beam can be used to determine a new rate of change of the received power of the reference signal.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes transmitting capability information of the apparatus.

[0019] In some embodiments, the apparatus capability information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the apparatus has access to at least one of: a compass, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or another type of sensor; or at least one of a coordinate measurement precision or accuracy.

[0020] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving configuration information associated with use of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, where the configuration information includes parameters for a beam management function including at least one of: beam measurement and reporting; beam switching; beam failure detection; or beam failure recovery.

[0021] In some embodiments, the configuration information comprises information for configuring the apparatus on at least one of: a frequency of measuring and reporting feedback information related to the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction; reporting feedback in differential form by comparing an expected beam received power of the reference signal with a measured beam received power of the reference signal; estimating a beam received power of the reference signal using the received parameters and UE measured values; a manner and time of initiating apparatus beam refinement based on the received parameters and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; a manner and criteria of starting beam switching initiated by the apparatus based on the received parameters and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; a manner of evaluating a beam during beam failure recovery using the received parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; or a manner of determining a beam for possible beam failure recovery using parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction of different beams and an associated uplink (UL) transmission power of the determined beam.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: measuring the beam received power of the reference signal; reporting feedback in differential form by comparing the expected beam received power of the reference signal with the measured beam received power of the reference signal.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: measuring the beam received power of the reference signal; estimating the beam received power of the reference signal based on the configuration information, a previous beam received power measurement of the reference signal and a location of the apparatus; comparing the estimated beam received power of the reference signal and the measured beam received power; and sending a message to start initiating beam switching when the compared estimated beam received power of the reference signal and the measured beam received power satisfy a configuration condition of beam switching.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: measuring the beam received power of the reference signal; estimating the beam received power of the reference signal based on the configuration information, previous beam received power measurement of the reference signal and location of the apparatus; comparing the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; selecting one or more beams based on rate of change information of beam received power of reference signal of other beams to be used for beam failure recovery when the comparison of the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal satisfies a configured condition indicating a potential beam failure event is detected; determining UL transmission power of the other beams to be used for beam failure recovery.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: measuring the beam received power of the reference signal; estimating the beam received power of the reference signal based on the configuration information, previous beam received power measurement of the reference signal and location of the apparatus; comparing the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; initiating apparatus-side beam refinement when the comparison of the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal is lower than a configured condition.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: transmitting feedback information based on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction and measured received power of reference signal of the same beam.

[0027] According to some aspects of the disclosure, an apparatus is provided, comprising: one or more processors configured to: receive configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot.

[0028] According to some aspects of the disclosure, an apparatus is provided, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing processor-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: receive configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot.

[0029] According to some aspects of the application, there is provided a method comprising: a device transmitting configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot.

[0030] In some embodiments, the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in a beam direction is rate of change information of at least one of: a direction perpendicular to the beam angular direction in an orientation parallel to the earth’s surface; a direction along the beam angular direction; or a direction perpendicular to the beam angular direction in an orientation perpendicular to the earth’s surface.

[0031] In some embodiments, when the one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction are provided in any one of a plurality of different forms, the method further comprises: transmitting an indication of the form of the plurality of different forms, wherein the indication is used to provide information about the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction.

[0032] In some embodiments, when the one or more directions are at least two directions, the configuration information is transmitted with at least one of: a different periodicity; a different granularity; or a different dynamic range for at least two of the at least two directions.

[0033] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters comprise at least one of: rate of change information of the received power of the reference signal expressed in a distance from a location of a transmitter of the reference signal; or rate of change information of the received power of the reference signal expressed in a time from a location of a transmitter transmitting the reference signal.

[0034] In some embodiments, the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal expressed in the distance is expressed by: a distance corresponding to a drop in the beam RSRP by a particular value; a slope of a change in the beam received power of the reference signal along a particular traffic distance; an approximation of the rate of change of the beam received power of the reference signal determined using a higher order polynomial; a distance to a first zero point, wherein a zero point is defined by a larger loss; a distance corresponding to a drop in an indicator by an amount defined in a threshold.

[0035] In some embodiments, the one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal are for each of one or more beams.

[0036] In some embodiments, the one or more beams include one or more of: a communication beam; one or more beams that can potentially be used for beam switching; one or more beams that can potentially be used for beam failure recovery; or one or more beams that can potentially be used for switching.

[0037] In some embodiments, the configuration information is received: periodically; after the configuration information is updated; or after the wireless communication device requests updated configuration information.

[0038] In some embodiments, the method further includes transmitting an indication, wherein the indication is about a manner in which rate of change information of a received power of a reference signal associated with a previous beam can be used to determine a new rate of change of the received power of the reference signal.

[0039] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving capability information of the wireless communication device.

[0040] In some embodiments, the wireless communication device capability information includes at least one of: an indication of whether the wireless communication device has access to at least one of: a compass, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or other type of sensor; or at least one of a coordinate measurement precision or accuracy.

[0041] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving configuration information associated with use of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, wherein the configuration information includes parameters for a beam management function including at least one of: beam switching; beam failure detection; or beam failure recovery.

[0042] In some embodiments, the configuration information comprises information for configuring the wireless communication device regarding at least one of: a frequency of measuring and reporting feedback information related to the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction; reporting feedback in differential form by comparing an expected beam received power of the reference signal with a measured beam received power of the reference signal; estimating a beam received power of the reference signal using the received parameters and UE measured values; a manner and time to initiate wireless communication device beam refinement based on the received parameters and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; a manner and criteria to start beam switching initiated by the wireless communication device based on the received parameters and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; a manner to evaluate a beam during beam failure recovery using the received parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal and a measured beam received power of the reference signal; or a manner to determine a beam for possible beam failure recovery using parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction of different beams and an associated uplink (UL) transmission power of the determined beam.

[0043] In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving feedback information based on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction and a measured received power of a reference signal of the same beam direction.

[0044] In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a message to initiate beam switching.

[0045] In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving a random access channel (RACH) for beam failure recovery from a device side apparatus.

[0046] According to some aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus comprising: one or more processors configured to: transmit configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot.

[0047] According to some aspects of the present application, there is provided an apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing processor-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: transmit configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0048] For a more complete understanding of the present application embodiments and their advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system in which embodiments of the application can be implemented.

[0049] Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of a communication system in which embodiments of the application can be implemented.

[0050] Figure 3 is a block diagram of elements or modules in an apparatus in which embodiments of the application can be implemented.

[0051] Figure 4 is a block diagram of elements or modules in an apparatus in which embodiments of the application can be implemented.

[0052] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a base station transmitting a main beam with a sidelobe in a beam direction towards a user equipment (UE) according to aspects of the application, also showing how to provide beam RSRP gradient information for multiple directions.

[0053] Figure 6A , Figure 6B , Figure 6C and Figure 6D are graphs showing the relationship between simulated RSRP and distance between a BS and a UE in different beam directions.

[0054] Figure 7 shows one signal flow diagram of signaling between a base station and a UE according to embodiments of the application, showing an example procedure for supporting network communication.

[0055] Figure 8 shows another signal flow diagram of signaling between a base station and a UE according to embodiments of the application, showing an example procedure for supporting network communication. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] For illustrative purposes, specific example embodiments are explained below in greater detail.

[0057] The embodiments set forth herein represent information sufficient to practice the claimed subject matter, and to combine other tools found in the art to practice the claimed subject matter. The present disclosure sets forth the necessary information for a skilled person to practice the claimed subject matter, and the best mode for practicing the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but can include any and all implementations of the concepts described herein. To clearly assert the scope of the claimed subject matter, the following statements are made.

[0058] Furthermore, it should be understood that any modules, components, or devices disclosed herein implementing instructions can include or otherwise have access to one or more non-transitory computer / processor readable storage media storing information such as computer / processor readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and / or other data. A non-exhaustive list of examples of non-transitory computer / processor readable storage media include magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, magnetic disks or other magnetic storage devices, compact discs read-only memory (CD-ROMs), digital video discs or digital versatile discs (DVDs), Blu-ray discs™, and the like optical discs, or other optical storage, volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer / processor readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and / or other data. Any such non-transitory computer / processor storage media can be part of a device or accessible or connectable thereto. Computer / processor readable / executable instructions implementing the applications or modules described herein can be stored or otherwise held by such non-transitory computer / processor readable storage media.

[0059] Aspects of the disclosure can provide methods, apparatuses, and devices for enabling a first device to transmit configuration information to be received by a second device. The configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with a rate of change of a received power of a reference signal (RSRP) transmitted on a beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of: a particular direction; one or more directions; or each time slot. In some embodiments, the first device can be a base station, or more generally a network-side device, and the second device can be a UE, or more generally a terminal-side device. In some embodiments, the first device can be a UE, or more generally a terminal-side device, and the second device can be a base station, or more generally a network-side device. In some embodiments, the first device and the second device can both be UEs, or more generally both be terminal-side devices.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first device can transmit configuration information associated with use of beam RSRP change rate or gradient information for reception by the second device, wherein the configuration information includes parameters for a beam management function including at least one of: beam measurement and reporting; beam switching; beam failure detection; or beam failure recovery.

[0061] The following Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 provide networks and devices that can be in the networks and can implement aspects of the disclosure.

[0062] Reference is made to Figure 1 , which provides a simplified schematic diagram of a communication system, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example. The communication system 100 includes a wireless access network 120. The wireless access network 120 can be a next generation (e.g., sixth generation (6G) or higher) wireless access network, or a legacy (e.g., 5G, 4G, 3G, or 2G) wireless access network. In the wireless access network 120, one or more communication electric devices (EDs) 110a-120j (generally referred to as 110) can be interconnected to each other and can also or alternatively be connected to one or more network nodes (170a, 170b, generally referred to as 170). A core network 130 can be part of the communication system and can be dependent on or independent of the radio access technology used in the communication system 100. In addition, the communication system 100 includes a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160.

[0063] Figure 2 An example communication system 100 in which embodiments of the application can be implemented is illustrated. Generally, the system 100 is capable of enabling multiple wireless or wireline elements to communicate data and other content. The system 100 can be designed to provide content (voice, data, video, text) through broadcast, narrowcast, user equipment to user equipment, etc. The system 100 can be designed to operate efficiently through sharing of resources such as bandwidth.

[0064] In this example, the communication system 100 includes electronic devices (EDs) 110a to 110c, radio access networks (RANs) 120a and 120b, a core network 130, a PSTN 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160. While the following description presents the Figure 2 A certain number of these components or elements are shown in FIG. 1, but any number of these components or elements can be included in the system 100.

[0065] The EDs 110a to 110c are operable and / or communicable with the system 100. For example, the EDs 110a to 110c are operable to transmit and / or receive over wireless communication channels. Each of the EDs 110a to 110c represents any suitable end-user device for wireless operation and can include a device (or can be referred to as) a user equipment / device (UE), a wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), a mobile station, a mobile user

[0066] Figure 2 An example communication system 100 in which embodiments of the application can be implemented is illustrated. Generally, the system 100 is capable of enabling multiple wireless or wireline elements to communicate data and other content. The system 100 can be designed to provide content (voice, data, video, text) through broadcast, narrowcast, user equipment to user equipment, etc. The system 100 can be designed to operate efficiently through sharing of resources such as bandwidth.

[0067] In this example, the communication system 100 includes electronic devices (EDs) 110a-110d, radio access networks (RANs) 120a-120c, a core network 130, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160. Although Figure 2 A certain number of these components or elements are shown in FIG. 1 to facilitate explanation of concepts. Any number of these components and elements can be included in the communication system 100.

[0068] The EDs 110a-110d are used for operation and / or communication in the communication system 100. For example, the EDs 110a-110d are used for transmission and / or reception over wireless or wired communication channels. Each of the EDs 110a-110d represents any suitable end-user device for wireless operation and can include (or can be referred to as) a UE, a WTRU, a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a cellular phone, a STA, an MTC device, a PDA, a smartphone, a laptop, a computer, a tablet, a wireless sensor, or a consumer electronics device.

[0069] In Figure 2 The RANs 120a and 120b include base stations 170a and 170b, respectively. The base stations 170a and 170b are used for wireless connectivity with one or more of the EDs 110a-110c to enable access to any other base station 170a and 170b, the core network 130, the PSTN 140, the Internet 150, and / or the other networks 160. For example, the base stations 170a and 170b can include (or can be) one or more of several known devices, such as a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node-B, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a home eNodeB, a gNodeB, a transmission and receive point (TRP), a site controller, an access point (AP), or a wireless router.

[0070] In some examples, one or more of the base stations 170a and 170b can be terrestrial base stations connected to the ground. For example, the terrestrial base stations can be mounted on buildings or towers. Alternatively, one or more of the base stations 172 can be non-terrestrial base stations, or non-terrestrial TRPs (NT-TRPs), that are not connected to the ground. A flying base station is one example of a non-terrestrial base station. A flying base station can be implemented using a communication device supported or carried by a flying device. Non-limiting examples of flying devices include airborne platforms (e.g., blimps or dirigibles, etc.), balloons, quadcopters, and other flying vehicles. In some implementations, a flying base station can be supported or carried by an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (e.g., a drone or quadcopter). A flying base station can be a movable or mobile base station that can be deployed at different locations to meet network demand. A satellite base station is another example of a non-terrestrial base station. A satellite base station can be implemented using a communication device supported or carried by a satellite. A satellite base station can also be referred to as a space-based

[0071] Any of the EDs 110a-110d can alternatively or additionally be used to connect, access, or communicate with any of the other base stations 170a and 170b, the Internet 150, the core network 130, the PSTN 140, the other networks 160, or any combination of the above.

[0072] The EDs 110a-110d and the base stations 170a and 170b, 172 are examples of communication devices that can be used to implement some or all of the operations and / or embodiments described herein. In Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, base stations 170a are part of RAN 120a, which can include other base stations, one or more base station controllers (BSC), one or more radio network controllers (RNC), relay nodes, elements, and / or devices. Any of base stations 170a and 170b can be a single element as illustrated, a plurality of elements distributed across the corresponding RAN, etc. Likewise, base stations 170b form part of RAN 120b, which can include other base stations, elements, and / or devices. Each base station 170a and 170b transmits and / or receives wireless signals within a particular geographic area, sometimes referred to as a "cell" or "coverage area." The cell can be further divided into cell sectors making up "sectors" that are typically subject to each other's interference. For example, base stations 170a and 170b can employ multiple transceivers operating on multiple carriers and at multiple frequencies, including licensed and unlicensed spectrums (e.g., using Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, and / or Wi-Fi skillsets). In some embodiments, there can be established pico cells or femto cells supported by wireless access technologies. In some embodiments, multiple transceivers can be used for each cell, for example, through multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology. The number of RANs 120a and 120b is an example only. Any number of RANs can be considered when designing communication system 100.

[0073] Base stations 170a and 170b, 172 communicate with one or more of EDs 110a- 110c using radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), and / or other wireless transmission schemes through one or more air interfaces 190a, 190c. The air interfaces 190a, 190c can utilize any suitable wireless access technology. For example, communication system 100 can implement one or more channel access methods in air interfaces 190a, 190c, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA), among others.

[0074] The base stations 170a and 170b, 172 can implement a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) to communicate with the UEs 110a-110c using wideband CDMA (WCDMA) with air interfaces 190a, 190c. In this case, the base stations 170a and 170b, 172 can implement protocols such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+), which optionally includes High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and / or High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), etc. Alternatively, the base stations 170a and 170b, 172 can implement LTE, LTE-A, and / or LTE-B with Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) to establish air interfaces 190a, 190c with the UEs 110a-110c. It is contemplated that the communication system 100 can operate using multiple channel access schemes, including those described above. Other wireless technologies for implementing the air interface include IEEE 802.11, 802.15, 802.16, CDMA2000, CDMA2000 IX, CDMA2000 EV-DO, IS-2000, IS-95, IS-856, GSM, EDGE, and GERAN. Of course, other multiple access schemes and wireless protocols can be utilized.

[0075] The RANs 120a and 120b are in communication with the core network 130 to provide the EDs 110a-110c with access to various services, such as voice, data, and other services. The RANs 120a and 120b and / or the core network 130 can be in direct or indirect communication with one or more other RANs (not shown). The one or more other RANs can or can not be served by the core network 130 and can or can not utilize the same radio access technology(s) as the RANs 120a and / or 120b. The core network 130 can also serve as a gateway for the RANs 120a and 120b and / or the EDs 110a-110c to access other networks (e.g., PSTN 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160) as (i) between the RANs 120a and 120b and / or the EDs 110a-110c and (ii) between the other networks.

[0076] EDs 110a-110d communicate with each other using radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), and / or other wireless communication links over one or more sidelink (SL) air interfaces 190b, 190d. The SL air interfaces 190b, 190d can use any suitable wireless access technology and can be substantially similar to and / or different than the air interfaces 190a, 190c used by the EDs 110a-110c to communicate with one or more of the base stations 170a, 170b. For example, the communication system 100 can implement one or more channel access methods in the SL air interfaces 190b, 190d such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA). In some embodiments, the SL air interfaces 180 can be implemented at least in part over an unlicensed spectrum.

[0077] In addition, some or all of the EDs 110a-110d can include operations for communicating with different wireless networks over different wireless links using different wireless technologies and / or protocols. An ED can communicate over a wired communication channel with a service provider or switch (not shown) and with the Internet 150 without wireless communication (or in addition to wireless communication). The PSTN 140 can include a circuit- switched telephone network for providing plain old telephone service (POTS). The Internet 150 can include a network of computer networks (intranet) and include protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and / or the like. The EDs 110a-110d can be multi-mode devices capable of operating according to multiple wireless access technologies and include multiple transceivers needed to support the multiple wireless access technologies.

[0078] In some embodiments, the signal is transmitted directly from a ground BS to a UE, or directly from a UE to a ground BS. In both cases, the signal is not reflected by the RIS. However, the signal can be reflected by obstacles and reflectors such as buildings, walls, and furniture. In some embodiments, the signal is transmitted between a UE and a non-ground BS (e.g., a satellite, a drone, and a high-altitude platform). In some embodiments, the signal is transmitted between a relay and a UE, or between a relay and a BS, or between two relays. In some embodiments, the signal is transmitted between two UEs. In some embodiments, one or more RISs are used to reflect signals from transmitters and receivers, where any of the transmitters and receivers includes a UE, a ground BS, or a non-ground BS, and a relay.

[0079] Figure 3 Another example of an ED 110 and network devices including base stations 170a, 170b (at 170) and NT-TRP 172 is shown. The ED 110 is used to connect people, objects, machines, etc. The ED 110 can be widely used in various scenarios, such as cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D), vehicle to everything (V2X), peer-to-peer (P2P), machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-type communications (MTC), internet of things (IoT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, remote medical treatment, smart power grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable, smart transportation, smart city, unmanned aerial vehicle, robot, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery and mobility.

[0080] Each ED 110 represents any suitable end-user device for wireless operation and can include (or can be referred to as) a user equipment / device (UE), a wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a cellular phone, a station (STA), a machine type communication (MTC) device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, a laptop, a computer, a tablet, a wireless sensor, a consumer electronics device, a smartbook, a vehicle, a car, a truck, a bus, a train, an IoT device, or an industrial device or apparatus of the aforementioned devices (e.g., a communication module, a modem, or a chip), etc. Next generation EDs 110 can be referred to using other terminology. Base stations 170a and 170b are T-TRPs, hereinafter referred to as T-TRPs 170. As also shown, NT-TRPs are hereinafter referred to as NT-TRPs 172. Each ED 110 connected to T-TRPs 170 and / or NT-TRPs 172 can be dynamically or semi-statically turned on (i.e., established, activated, or enabled), turned off (i.e., released, deactivated, or disabled), and / or configured in response to one or more of connection availability and connection necessity. Figure 3

[0081] ED 110 includes a transmitter 201 and a receiver 203 coupled to one or more antennas 204. Only one antenna 204 is shown in the figure. One, some or all of the antennas can also be panels. Transmitter 201 and receiver 203 can be integrated as a transceiver, etc. The transceiver is used to modulate data or other content for transmission by at least one antenna 204 or a network interface controller (NIC). The transceiver is also used to demodulate data or other content received by at least one antenna 204. Each transceiver includes any suitable structure for generating signals for wireless or wired transmission and / or for processing signals received wirelessly or by wire. Each antenna 204 includes any suitable structure for transmitting and / or receiving wireless or wired signals.

[0082] ​The ED 110 includes at least one memory 208. The memory 208 stores instructions and data used, generated, or collected by the ED 110. For example, the memory 208 could store software

[0083] The ED 110 can also include one or more input / output devices (not shown) or interfaces (e.g., wired interfaces to the Internet 150 in FIG. 1). The input / output devices support interaction with users or other devices. Each input / output device includes any suitable structure for providing information to or receiving information from a user, such as a speaker, microphone, keypad, keyboard, display, or touch screen, including network interface communications. Figure 1 or Figure 2 The input / output devices include any suitable structure for providing information to or receiving information from a user, such as a speaker, microphone, keypad, keyboard, display, or touch screen, including network interface communications.

[0084] The ED 110 also includes a processor 210 for performing operations related to preparing uplink transmissions for sending to the NT-TRPs 172 and / or the T-TRPs 170, processing downlink transmissions received from the NT-TRPs 172 and / or the T-TRPs 170, and processing sidelink transmissions to and from another ED 110. The processing operations related to preparing uplink transmissions can include operations such as encoding, modulation, transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. The processing operations related to processing downlink transmissions can include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. According to embodiments, the downlink transmissions can be received by the receiver 203 (possibly using receive beamforming), and the processor 210 can extract signaling from the downlink transmissions (e.g., by detecting and / or decoding the signaling). An example of the signaling can be reference signals transmitted by the NT-TRPs 172 and / or the T-TRPs 170. In some embodiments, the processor 210 implements transmit beamforming and / or receive beamforming based on beam direction indications (e.g., beam angle information (BAI)) received from the T-TRPs 170. In some embodiments, the processor 210 can perform operations related to network access (e.g., initial access) and / or downlink synchronization, such as operations related to detecting synchronization sequences, decoding and acquiring system information, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 210 can perform channel estimation using reference signals received from the NT-TRPs 172 and / or the T-TRPs 170, for example.

[0085] Although not shown, the processor 210 can form part of the transmitter 201 and / or the receiver 203. Although not shown, the memory 208 can form part of the processor 210.

[0086] The processor 210, as well as the processing components of the transmitter 201 and the receiver 203, can each be implemented by the same or different one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 208). Alternatively, some or all of the processing components in the processor 210, as well as the transmitter 201 and the receiver 203, can be implemented using specialized circuitry, which is configured to perform the processing components’ operations, for example, a programmed field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a graphical processing unit (GPU), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0087] In some implementations, T-TRP 170 can go by other names, such as base station, base transceiver station (BTS), wireless base station, network node, network equipment, network-side device, transmission-reception node, NodeB, evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), Home eNodeB, Generation NodeB (gNB), transmission point (TP), site controller, access point (AP) or wireless router, relay station, remote radio head, ground node, ground network device or ground base station, base band unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU), active antenna unit (AAU), remote radio head (RRH), central unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), positioning node, etc. T-TRP 170 can be a macro BS, a pico BS, a relay node, a donor node, etc. or a combination thereof. T-TRP 170 can refer to the above devices, or to means within the above devices (e.g., a communication module, modem, or chip). While the drawings and accompanying description of examples and embodiments of the present application generally use the terms AP, BS, and AP or BS, it should be understood that such devices can be any of the above types.

[0088] In some embodiments, various parts of T-TRP 170 can be distributed. For example, some of the modules in T-TRP 170 can be remote from the device that houses the antennas of T-TRP 170, and can be coupled to the device that houses the antennas through a communication link (not shown) sometimes referred to as front-haul (e.g., common public radio interface (CPRI)). Thus, in some embodiments, the term “T-TRP 170” can also refer to modules on the network side that perform the processing operations of ED 110 position determination, resource allocation (scheduling), message generation and encoding / decoding, etc., which are not necessarily part of the device that houses the antennas of T-TRP 170. These modules can also be coupled to other T-TRPs. In some embodiments, T-TRP 170 can actually be multiple T-TRPs that work together to serve ED 110 through coordinated multipoint transmission, etc.

[0089] The T-TRP 170 includes at least one transmitter 252 and at least one receiver 254 coupled to one or more antennas 256. Only one antenna 256 is shown in the figure. One, some or all of the antennas can also be panels. The transmitter 252 and receiver 254 can be integrated as a transceiver. The T-TRP 170 also includes a processor 260 for performing operations related to preparing downlink transmissions to the ED 110, processing uplink transmissions received from the ED 110, preparing backhaul transmissions to the NT-TRP 172, and processing transmissions received from the NT-TRP 172 over the backhaul. The processing operations related to preparing a downlink transmission or a backhaul transmission can include operations such as encoding, modulation, precoding (e.g., multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) precoding), transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. The processing operations related to processing received transmissions in the uplink or over the backhaul can include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. The processor 260 can also perform operations related to network access (e.g., initial access) and / or downlink synchronization, such as generating content of a synchronization signal block (SSB), generating system information, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 260 also generates an indication of a beam direction, e.g., a BAI, which can be scheduled for transmission by the scheduler 253. The processor 260 can perform other network-side processing operations described herein, such as determining a location of the ED 110, determining a location where to deploy the NT-TRP 172, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 260 can generate signaling to configure one or more parameters of the ED 110 and / or one or more parameters of the NT-TRP 172, etc. Any signaling generated by the processor 260 is transmitted by the transmitter 252. It is noted that “signaling” used herein can also be referred to as control signaling. Dynamic signaling can be transmitted in a control channel such as a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), while static or semi-static higher layer signaling can be included in a data packet transmitted in a data channel such as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0090] The scheduler 253 can be coupled to the processor 260. The scheduler 253 can be included within the T-TRP 170 or operate separately from the T-TRP 170. The T-TRP 170 can schedule uplink, downlink, and / or backhaul transmissions, including issuing scheduling grants and / or configuring grant-free (“configured grant”) resources. The T-TRP 170 also includes memory 258 for storing information and data. The memory 258 stores instructions and data used, generated, or collected by the T-TRP 170. For example, the memory 258 can store software

[0091] Although not shown, the processor 260 can form part of the transmitter 252 and / or the receiver 254. Likewise, the processor 260 can implement the scheduler 253, although not shown. Although not shown, the memory 258 can form part of the processor 260.

[0092] The processor 260, the scheduler 253, and the processing components of the transmitter 252 and the receiver 254 can each be implemented by the same or different one or more processors configured to perform the instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 258). Alternatively, some or all of the processor 260, the scheduler 253, and the processing components of the transmitter 252 and the receiver 254 can be implemented using specialized circuitry, for example, FPGAs, GPUs, or ASICs.

[0093] Although NT-TRP 172 is shown as a drone merely as an example, NT-TRP 172 can be implemented by any suitable non-ground form. Also, in some implementations, NT-TRP 172 can have other names, e.g., non-ground node, non-ground network device, or non-ground base station. NT-TRP 172 includes a transmitter 272 and a receiver 274 coupled to one or more antennas 280. Only one antenna 280 is shown in the figure. One, some or all of the antennas can also be panels. Transmitter 272 and receiver 274 can be integrated as a transceiver. NT-TRP 172 also includes a processor 276 for performing operations related to preparing downlink transmissions to ED 110, processing uplink transmissions received from ED 110, preparing backhaul transmissions to T-TRP 170, and processing transmissions received from T-TRP 170 over the backhaul. Processing operations related to preparing transmissions of downlink or backhaul transmissions can include operations such as encoding, modulation, precoding (e.g., MIMO precoding), transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. Processing operations related to processing received transmissions in the uplink or over the backhaul can include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. In some embodiments, processor 276 implements transmit beamforming and / or receive beamforming based on beam direction information (e.g., BAI) received from T-TRP 170. In some embodiments, processor 276 can generate signaling to configure one or more parameters of ED 110, etc. In some embodiments, NT-TRP 172 implements physical layer processing but not higher layer functions such as medium access control (MAC) or radio link control (RLC) layer functions. Since this is merely one example, in general, NT-TRP 172 can implement higher layer functions in addition to physical layer processing.

[0094] NT-TRP 172 also includes a memory 278 for storing information and data. Although not shown, processor 276 can form part of transmitter 272 and / or receiver 274. Although not shown, memory 278 can form part of processor 276.

[0095] The processing components of the processor 276, as well as the transmitter 272 and receiver 274, can each be implemented by the same or different one or more processors that are used to execute instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 278). Alternatively, some or all of the processing components of the processor 276, as well as the transmitter 272 and receiver 274, can be implemented using special-purpose circuitry, e.g., programmed FPGAs, GPUs, or ASICs. In some embodiments, the NT-TRP 172 can actually be multiple NT-TRPs that work together to serve the ED 110, e.g., via coordinated multipoint transmission.

[0096] The T-TRP 170, NT-TRP 172, and / or ED 110 can include other components, which for brevity, are not depicted.

[0097] One or more steps of the example methods provided herein can be performed by Figure 3 the corresponding units or modules provided. Figure 3 Units or modules in a device, e.g., the ED 110, T-TRP 170, or NT-TRP 172, are shown. For example, a signal can be transmitted by a transmitting unit or module. A signal can be received by a receiving unit or module. A signal can be processed by a processing unit or module. Other steps can be performed by an artificial intelligence (AI) module or a machine learning (ML) module. The corresponding units or modules can be implemented using hardware, one or more components or devices executing software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more of these units or modules can be an integrated circuit, e.g., a programmed FPGA, GPU, ASIC. It will be understood that if these modules are implemented using software for execution by a processor, the modules can be retrieved, all or in part, individually or collectively, as needed by the processor, retrieved in one or more instances, and the modules themselves can include instructions for further deployment and instantiation.

[0098] Other details regarding the ED 110, T-TRP 170, and NT-TRP 172 are known to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, these details are omitted here.

[0099] One or more steps of the example methods provided herein can be performed by Figure 4 the corresponding units or modules provided. Figure 4Units or modules in the ED 110, T-TRP 170, or NT-TRP 172, etc. are shown. For example, a signal can be transmitted by a transmitting unit or a transmitting module. A signal can be received by a receiving unit or a receiving module. A signal can be processed by a processing unit or a processing module. Other steps can be performed by an artificial intelligence (AI) module or a machine learning (ML) module. The corresponding units or modules can be implemented using hardware, one or more components or devices executing software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more of these units or modules can be an integrated circuit, e.g., a programmed FPGA, GPU, ASIC. It should be understood that if these modules are implemented using software for execution by a processor, etc., these modules can be retrieved by the processor as needed, individually or collectively, for processing, in one or more instances, and these modules themselves can include instructions for further deployment and instantiation.

[0100] Other details about the ED 110, T-TRP 170, and NT-TRP 172 are known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, these details are omitted here.

[0101] The number of many new devices for future wireless networks can grow exponentially, and the functions are increasingly diversified. In addition, compared with existing 5G networks, more new applications and new use cases will emerge in future wireless networks, and the quality of service requirements will also be more diversified. This will bring extremely challenging new key performance indicators (KPIs) for future wireless networks (e.g., 6G networks). For this purpose, perception technology and AI technology, especially deep learning (ML) technology, are introduced into the telecommunications field to improve the performance and efficiency of the system.

[0102] The communication of AI / ML technology applications includes AI / ML communication in the physical layer and AI / ML communication in the media access control (MAC) layer. For the physical layer, AI / ML communication can be used to optimize component design and improve algorithm performance, such as AI / ML in aspects of channel coding, channel modeling, channel estimation, channel decoding, modulation, demodulation, MIMO, waveform, multiple access, PHY element parameter optimization and update, beamforming and tracking, sensing and positioning, etc. For the MAC layer, AI / ML communication can use AI / ML capabilities to learn, predict and make decisions to solve complex optimization problems using better strategies and optimal solutions, thereby optimizing functions in the MAC, such as intelligent TRP management, intelligent beam management, intelligent channel resource allocation, intelligent power control, intelligent spectrum utilization, intelligent modulation and coding scheme (MCS), intelligent hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) strategy, intelligent transmit / receive (Tx / Rx) mode adaptation, etc.

[0103] The AI / ML architecture generally includes multiple nodes, which can be organized in both centralized and distributed modes, both of which can be deployed in an access network, a core network, an edge computing system, or a third-party network. The centralized training and computing architecture can be limited by large communication overhead and strict user data privacy. The distributed training and computing architecture includes several frameworks, such as distributed machine learning and federated learning. The AI / ML architecture includes an intelligent controller that can be executed as a single agent or multiple agents based on joint optimization or separate optimization. New protocols and signaling mechanisms are needed so that the corresponding interface links can be personalized with custom parameters to meet specific requirements, while minimizing signaling overhead and maximizing overall system spectral efficiency through personalized AI technology.

[0104] In addition, terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks can enable a range of new services and applications, such as earth monitoring, remote sensing, passive sensing and positioning, navigation, tracking, autonomous delivery, and mobility. Terrestrial network-based sensing and non-terrestrial network-based sensing can provide intelligent context-aware networks to enhance UE experience. For example, terrestrial network-based sensing and non-terrestrial network-based sensing can provide opportunities for positioning and sensing applications based on a set of new features and service capabilities. Applications such as THz imaging and spectroscopy have the potential to provide continuous real-time physiological information for future digital health technologies through dynamic, non-invasive, non-contact measurements. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) methods can not only enable advanced cross reality (XR) applications, but also enhance navigation for autonomous objects such as vehicles and drones. In terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, measured channel data and sensing positioning data can be acquired through large bandwidth, new spectrum, dense networks, and more light-of-sight (LOS) links. Based on these data, wireless environment maps can be drawn through AI / ML methods, in which channel information is linked to its corresponding positioning or environmental information to provide enhanced physical layer design based on the map.

[0105] Sensing coordinators are nodes in the network that can assist in sensing operations. These nodes can be standalone nodes dedicated to sensing operations or other nodes (e.g., TRPs 170, EDs 110, or core network nodes) that perform sensing operations in parallel with communication transmissions. New protocols and signaling mechanisms are needed so that corresponding interface links can be performed using custom parameters to meet specific requirements while minimizing signaling overhead and maximizing overall system spectral efficiency.

[0106] AI / ML and sensing methods are both data-intensive. To incorporate AI / ML and sensing into wireless communications, more and more data needs to be collected, stored, and exchanged. The characteristics of wireless data extend over a considerable range in multiple dimensions, such as from sub-6 GHz, millimeter wave to terahertz carrier frequencies, from spatial, outdoor to indoor scenarios, from text, speech to video. The collection, processing, and use of these data are carried out in a unified framework or different frameworks.

[0107] Some embodiments herein refer to control information. Control information can sometimes be alternatively referred to as control signaling or signaling. In some cases, for example, control information can be dynamically transmitted in the physical layer in a control channel, for example, in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). An example of dynamically indicated control information is information sent in physical layer control signaling, for example, uplink control information (UCI) sent in PUCCH or PUSCH or downlink control information (DCI) sent in PDCCH. Dynamic indication can be an indication in a low layer (e.g., physical layer / layer 1 signaling) and not an indication in a high layer (e.g., RRC signaling or MAC CE). Semi-static indication can be an indication in semi-static signaling. Semi-static signaling used herein can refer to non-dynamic signaling, for example, high layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling) and / or MAC CE. Dynamic signaling used herein can refer to dynamic signaling, for example, physical layer control signaling sent in the physical layer, like DCI sent in PDCCH or UCI sent in PUCCH or PUSCH.

[0108] The rate of change or rate of change or gradient of the received power of a reference signal transmitted in one beam direction (which can also be referred to as reference signal received power (RSRP) gradient in the disclosure for simplicity), refers to the rate at which the value of the RSRP changes with a given variable (e.g., time or distance) in a particular direction. Applicant notes that the word “gradient” used herein does not necessarily follow the typical mathematical definition.

[0109] UE beam RSRP reporting for multiple beams can take up a large amount of overhead. This can be especially true for UEs with high mobility. This large amount of overhead can result in time and frequency resources being wasted, or at least resources that could otherwise be used for data communication or other more efficient uses. This additional overhead transmission can also result in the UE’s energy being depleted more quickly, which can be problematic as it can impact the UE’s battery usage. Aspects of the present application provide for the use of a message (e.g., a configuration information message) that includes beam RSRP gradient information that can enable efficient beam RSRP measurement and reporting. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information can be used in methods for beam switching, beam failure detection and recovery procedures, and beam refinement procedures.

[0110] Some embodiments can use a beam RSRP gradient message. Some embodiments include a first device sending configuration information to a second device that enables the second device to efficiently use beam RSRP gradients of a beam RSRP gradient message in various beam management procedures. In some embodiments, the first device can be a base station, or more generally a network-side device, and the second device can be a UE, or more generally a terminal-side device. In some embodiments, the first device can be a UE, or more generally a terminal-side device, and the second device can be a base station, or more generally a network-side device. In some embodiments, the first device and the second device can both be UEs, or more generally both terminal-side devices. In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein can help reduce the overhead of beam RSRP measurement and reporting, especially for high-speed UEs.

[0111] Figure 5 An example of beam-based communication between a base station (BS) 510 and a UE 515 is shown. The figure shows a main beam 520 and several associated side lobes 522 and 524 for transmission from the BS 510 to the UE 515. The main beam 520 occurs on a line of sight (LoS) channel between the BS 510 and the UE 515. The main beam is considered to be in a radial direction 530. Beam RSRP gradient information can be provided for various directions. Figure 5 A first direction is shown as the radial direction 530, and a second direction is shown as direction 535 that is perpendicular to the radial direction 530.

[0112] Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B 、 Figure 6C and Figure 6DDifferent scenarios for RSRP with respect to two different beam orientations are shown. For each figure, ray tracing procedures were used to channel simulate multiple trajectory points in both directions. The first direction is the radial direction, as shown in Figure 5 , Figure 6A , Figure 6B , Figure 6C , Figure 6D , this forms the curve 605 identified by “UE RSRP radial”. The second direction is perpendicular to the radial direction, as shown in Figure 5 . The second direction is shown as the curve 610 identified by “UE RSRP normal”. Figure 6A , Figure 6B , Figure 6C , Figure 6D are graphs of the relationship of the distance from the transmission point of the reference signal versus the normalized RSRP in decibels (dB). The graphs are based on the assumption that the beam RSRP is measured using the best beam (highest received power) from the codebook of the initial transmission location. In Figure 6A and Figure 6B , it can be seen that the curve corresponding to the radial direction 605 (corresponding to the UE moving away from the BS with increasing distance, but still having the same AoD or AoA in the line of sight (LoS) case) is essentially a straight line, and the farther the distance from the initial transmission point, the smaller the RSRP value. From an angular domain perspective, this drop in RSRP can be associated with large-scale channel fading since the UE is always at the beam peak on the path. Figure 6A Assume that a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) beam is employed, and the UE is relatively close to the BS. In Figure 6B , the beam is a wider chirp beam, and the UE is moving away from the BS. For example, the “UE RSRP normal” curve 610 in Figure 5 may correspond to the case shown in the first distance 540 ( Figure 6A ). In contrast, the “UE RSRP normal” curve 610 in Figure 6B may be at the second distance 545 shown in Figure 5 . The beam pattern changes as the distance between the UE and the BS changes. In addition, the beam pattern can also be affected by the beam pattern used by the BS.

[0113] Figure 6CCurves "UE RSRP radial" 605 and "UE RSRP normal" 610 are shown for a channel formed by a large number of non-line of sight (NLoS) components due to excessive scattering. This NLoS scenario can result in a lack of clear patterns in both directions.

[0114] The beam RSRP gradient as a function of distance or time can be expressed in a variety of forms. For example, the beam RSRP gradient can be associated with a distance or time at which the beam RSRP has dropped by a certain value (e.g., 10 dB). Figure 6D An example is shown that includes a curve 605 in the radial direction and a curve 610 normal to the radial direction. The curve 610 normal to the radial direction is shown to drop by -10 dB 673 at a distance of approximately 4.6 units from the transmission point relative to the power of the initial transmission point. This distance can be quantified and transmitted to the device according to the configured RSRP drop. Thus, in this possible form of RSRP gradient communication, the device can receive a number of bits that correspond to a particular distance at which a particular RSRP drop is expected to occur. The RSRP drop value (e.g., -10 in the example shown) can also be transmitted and can also be quantified. Figure 6D

[0115] The bits representing the RSRP gradient can have special combinations associated with particular scenarios. In a first example, a particular bit combination can be used if the distance to the configured RSRP drop is too small, such as all "0" bits. In a second example, another particular bit combination can be used if the distance to the configured RSRP drop is too large, such as all "1" bits. In a third example, a particular bit set can be used if the RSRP increases in a particular direction. The possible lowest overhead can be only one bit, where a first state (e.g., "1") indicates that the beam RSRP gradient is within a particular range and a second state (e.g., "0") indicates that the beam RSRP gradient is within another range. This bit usage can help to distinguish between beams with normal attenuation (e.g., due to scattering) and beams with no pattern (e.g., due to excessive scattering). Figure 6A and Figure 6B ). Figure 6C

[0116] Since the RSRP gradient is associated with a direction, more than one bit set can be transmitted, each bit set for a particular direction. In another scenario, the transmitted RSRP gradient can be represented by the worst-case scenario in all directions. For example, only one value is transmitted that represents the shortest distance around the device at which such a configured RSRP drop occurs; for example, in Figure 6D , this distance is mainly controlled by the direction 610. ​​

[0117] Another example of representing the RSRP gradient associated with the curve 605 in the radial direction is using a slope 675. Again, the slope value can be quantized, and some bit combinations can be used for specific scenarios. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient can be represented using a higher order polynomial; for example, the device receives one or more parameters so that the RSRP behavior can be approximated by some function (e.g., a polynomial that relates RSRP in the dB domain to distance in the meter domain, or a polynomial that relates RSRP in the watt domain to distance in the meter domain). A simple polynomial is a straight line, where the slope and constant can be used to describe the line. Higher order polynomials can also be used. The device can be used to estimate one or more coefficients of the polynomial from its own measurement values.

[0118] In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient can be represented as the distance to the first "zero point" 678, where the zero point can be defined by a large dB loss (e.g., -30 dB or above). In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient can be represented as the distance corresponding to the index dropping by a certain threshold, e.g., the distance corresponding to the reference signal received quality (RSRQ) dropping by a predetermined value.

[0119] In some embodiments, when the network or network-side device can support indicating at least one of the expected AoD or AoA for a given reference signal to the terminal-side device (e.g., UE), the network or network-side device can indicate to the UE the SSB resource or CSI-RS resource along or perpendicular to the direction of at least one of the indicated expected AoA or AoD, or the expected RSRP change rate or gradient with respect to the direction of at least one of the indicated expected AoA or AoD. Thus, it should be understood that aspects of the present disclosure can be used in conjunction with other existing methods. For example, the network or network-side device is used to indicate at least one of the expected AoD or AoA for a given positioning reference signal (PRS) to the terminal-side device (e.g., UE).

[0120] The above-described methods for transmitting the RSRP gradient are examples provided herein, which are intended to show that various methods can be used, and other methods can also be used. These methods are not excluded from the present proposal.

[0121] In some embodiments, since there is no obvious beam pattern, e.g., as shown in Figure 6C the beam RSRP gradient can not be represented.

[0122] In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient includes information associated with how beam RSRP changes with distance. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient can be associated with changes over time when the UE is in a moving state and the UE speed is known. When the UE is in a moving state and beam tracking is enabled, and the beam changes over time, the beam RSRP can be associated with a beam RSRP gradient when both the UE and the beam changes are considered simultaneously. For example, the RSRP can be estimated based on the rate of change or gradient over time and the known duration of the UE’s movement. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient is based on an expected value of the beam RSRP, as the beam RSRP can change due to UE thermal noise, small-scale channel fading, etc.

[0123] The beam RSRP gradient information can be transmitted from the BS to the UE in any of the forms described above or combinations thereof. It can also be transmitted in other forms. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information can be for a communication beam. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information can be for a beam other than a communication beam. For example, the beam RSRP gradient information can be for a beam that can potentially be used for beam switching, a beam that can potentially be used for potential beam failure recovery, or a beam of another BS that can potentially be used for handover (HO).

[0124] In some embodiments, the message from the BS to the UE including the beam RSRP gradient information can be periodic. In some embodiments, the message from the BS including the beam RSRP gradient information can be aperiodic. For example, the BS can send the beam RSRP gradient information at beam update. In some embodiments, the message from the BS including the beam RSRP gradient information can be triggered by another event. For example, the BS can send the beam RSRP gradient information when triggered by the UE, e.g., when the UE perceives a large deviation between the measured beam RSRP and the expected beam RSRP based on the beam RSRP gradient information. Another example of an event that can trigger sending of the beam RSRP gradient information is when the UE requests updated configuration information. While the transmission of the beam RSRP gradient information is represented for transmission by the BS in a downlink scenario, it is understood that in an uplink or sidelink scenario, the beam RSRP gradient information can be transmitted by the UE to the BS or another UE.

[0125] In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information describes how the beam RSRP varies with distance (i.e. distance to the transmission point). In some embodiments, the RSRP gradient information can be represented in the form of a three-dimensional (3D) vector. The three dimensions can correspond to RSRP gradient information for each of three directions. One direction corresponding to the first dimension of the 3D vector includes the direction along the AoA. An example of this can be shown as direction 530 in Figure 5 The direction along the AoA is associated with large-scale fading, when the UE is still at the beam peak in angle. This direction can be estimated by the UE when the UE is equipped with multiple beams. The width (narrow or wide) of the UE beams can affect the accuracy of at least one of the awareness or estimation of the angular direction.

[0126] A second direction corresponding to the second dimension of the 3D vector can be a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction along the AoA. An example of this direction is shown as direction 535 in Figure 5 This can correspond to a direction perpendicular to the angular direction of the beam in an orientation parallel to the surface of the earth.

[0127] A third direction corresponding to the third dimension of the 3D vector can be related to the elevation angle. This can be considered as a vertical direction perpendicular to the direction along the AoA. Thus, this can be considered similar to the direction 535 shown in Figure 5 but perpendicular to the plane defined by the directions 530 and 535. This can correspond to a direction perpendicular to the angular direction of the beam in an orientation perpendicular to the surface of the earth.

[0128] It will be appreciated that even with the 3D vector representation, the importance of the beam RSRP gradient information presented in each direction can not be the same. For example, a UE held by a pedestrian can be more interested in the direction associated with the beam sidelobes (i.e. the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction along the AoA), considering this as the most important direction. In a scenario where the UE is held by a pedestrian, the direction associated with the large-scale fading can be less important as the gradient can not change significantly in the local area as the pedestrian moves towards or away from the BS, and the elevation angle can not be important if the UE does not significantly change its elevation angle. However, in a scenario where the UE is held by a person inside a building, the elevation angle can be particularly important when the person holding the UE uses stairs or an elevator. As not all directions are equally important, the update frequency for different directions can be different. For example, if the direction related to the elevation angle does not need to be updated frequently, the 3D update can be sent less frequently, while for the two directions other than the elevation angle direction, 2D vector beam RSRP gradient information can be sent more frequently.

[0129] Furthermore, while 3D vectors are an example of how beam RSRP gradient information can be transmitted from a base station to a UE, it should be understood that the information can be transmitted in alternative ways. For example, 2D vectors can be used when transmitting beam RSRP gradient information for two directions, and scalars can be used if only beam RSRP gradient information for a single direction is provided. In some embodiments, a combination of two or more different types of vectors can be used.

[0130] While the examples described above make specific reference to a set of three particular directions, it should be understood that beam RSRP gradient information can also be presented in other directions than the three discussed above. In one example, beam RSRP gradient information can be presented for a particular UE movement line. In another example, beam RSRP gradient information can be presented according to a set of directions known by the BS, and the UE can convert the set of directions to UE local coordinates. For example, the BS directions or UE local coordinates can be expressed in terms of cardinal directions such as East, West, North, and South. Other sets of directions are also possible.

[0131] In some embodiments, once a BS transmits beam RSRP gradient information for one or more beams to a UE, the UE can use the beam RSRP gradient information for one or more beam management methods. When the beam RSRP gradient information is for a communication beam, the UE can be instructed (or the UE can determine on its own) to change one or more of a measurement period or a reporting period according to the transmitted gradient.

[0132] For a given pair of communication beams, the UE can perform periodic measurements (e.g., RSRP / Q, SINR, SNR, power) according to the beam gradient. The period of the measurements can vary.

[0133] In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information can be used to update parameters of at least one of layer 1 (L1) or layer (L3) RSRP filtering. L3 filtering is a type of filtering that is performed on measurement data when feeding the measurement data back to another device. The L3 filtering process uses previous measurement information to obtain a result that is smoothed or weighted to some degree based on previous measurements as well as current measurements. The beam RSRP gradient information can have an impact on one or more filter coefficients in the L3 filtering equation, which in turn affects the overall filtering process.

[0134] In some embodiments, when the UE estimates the beam RSRP using the RSRP measurement value for the UE’s current location and using the RSRP gradient information (e.g., RSRP gradient slope), the UE can feedback the difference between the estimated beam RSRP and the measured beam RSRP. In this scenario, since the difference between the estimated beam RSRP and the measured beam RSRP should not be as large as the absolute value of the measured RSRP, the number of bits associated with the differential beam RSRP feedback can be less, thereby reducing the feedback overhead. When the difference is large, and thus a larger number of bits is needed, this can indicate that there is a problem with the beam, e.g., a beam blockage causing a decrease or loss of signal strength. Thus, when the difference is large, the accurate RSRP value can not be particularly important, and it is more important to indicate a problem that can cause a beam update or beam failure recovery.

[0135] In some embodiments, the UE can use the estimated RSRP and the measured beam RSRP to initiate a UE beam refinement procedure to improve the beam pair alignment. In some embodiments, the UE beam refinement can be performed by detecting a UE orientation change based on the difference between the estimated RSRP and the measured RSRP, and then updating the UE beam according to the UE movement compared to the beam gradient (e.g., for a radial movement of the device, there can be no significant difference between the estimated RSRP and the measured RSRP, however when an angular movement is detected, an update can be needed).

[0136] In some embodiments, there can be a correspondence between the change in the BS beam RSRP and the change in the UE beam that can result therefrom. For example, if the UE is communicating with the BS through a given beam, and the UE is in a LoS state, a small change in the beam RSRP can indicate that the UE is still in the BS beam peak, and no UE beam refinement is needed. In one specific example, the UE moves along a radial direction towards or away from the BS, but maintains the same angular relationship, i.e., as shown by direction 530 in FIG. 5B. However, if the beam RSRP drops significantly, both the BS beam and the UE beam can be misaligned. The UE can move away from the BS beam peak in an angular direction, e.g., along direction 535 as shown in FIG. 5C. In the latter case where the beam RSRP drops significantly, this can cause the BS to initiate a beam switch or update the BS beam through a beam tracking procedure, or can cause the UE to initiate a UE beam refinement procedure. Figure 5 Figure 5 In some embodiments, the UE can sense the UE’s orientation change through a gyroscope sensor or an accelerometer sensor in the UE, and can confirm this orientation change by comparing the estimated beam RSRP and the measured beam RSRP. For example, if the UE’s beam that is aligned with the BS beam points to a different direction after the orientation change and is no longer aligned with the BS beam, the UE’s orientation change can cause the beam misalignment between the BS and the UE. ​

[0137] The UE can also use beam RSRP gradient information for other beam management methods. In some embodiments, the UE can use an estimated RSRP based on RSRP gradient information and a measured beam RSRP to initiate a UE-initiated beam switch method. This can occur when the difference between the estimated RSRP and the measured beam RSRP is large. The definition of “large” can be based on a threshold, where the beam switch method is initiated when the difference exceeds the threshold.

[0138] The UE can also use the estimated beam RSRP to enable faster evaluation of a communication beam during beam failure detection. In some embodiments, the UE can use the measured RSRP and the estimated beam RSRP, in addition to some configured parameters, to reduce the number of slots used for beam evaluation. For example, one parameter can be a number of slots, where a failure can be declared after the number of slots if the difference between the estimated value and the measured value remains large. Another example can be a size of the large difference value, which can indicate a failure. Fewer slots can be needed to declare a failure when the difference is large; whereas, more slots can be needed to declare a failure when the difference is small, to ensure that a failure is indeed declared when a failure has occurred. When a communication beam is deemed a failed beam, the UE can use the RSRP gradient information to determine another beam that is more likely to be a successful communication beam as part of beam failure recovery. In one example, the UE can select a beam with the highest expected beam RSRP, which can be estimated based on previous measurements and RSRP gradient information. In another example, the UE can select a beam with a reasonable RSRP for normal communication, as well as a beam with a small RSRP gradient. In some embodiments, the beam RSRP gradient information can help the UE set transmission power, such as UL transmission power, during beam failure recovery.

[0139] In some embodiments, the UE can be provided with only partial RSRP gradient information. An example of partial information can relate to the beam RSRP gradient slope. When the UE receives partial RSRP gradient information, the UE can still be able to enhance some beam management methods. For example, if the UE is provided with information indicating a distance corresponding to a particular value of beam RSRP drop, such information can not provide the behavior of the beam RSRP between the current UE location and the indicated distance. However, if the UE perceives a power drop greater than the particular value before reaching the indicated distance, the UE can detect a signal blockage faster than if the UE failed to perceive the power drop based on the partial RSRP gradient information, even though the UE does not know the exact expected beam RSRP at that location. In general, partial RSRP gradient information can still be used to better evaluate a communication beam.

[0140] When the BS communicates with the UE by providing beam RSRP gradient information, the UE is able to determine whether such beams can be used for communication in the long term. As shown in Figure 6C

[0141] Aspects of the invention presented herein relate to beam RSRP gradient communication. Thus, the use of RSRP gradient information can be applied to multiple types of beam-based communication. Aspects of the invention presented herein can be applied to frequency division duplex (FDD) systems or time division duplex (TDD) systems.

[0142] As noted above, while the focus of the described examples is provided with reference to downlink measurement scenarios between a BS and a UE, it should be understood that the concepts described herein can also be applied to uplink measurement scenarios and sidelink measurement scenarios, as well as other wireless links, e.g., non-terrestrial links, satellite links, and Wi-Fi TM links.

[0143] In some embodiments, the BS transmits one or more parameters associated with the gradient of the received power of a reference signal transmitted in one beam direction in the form of beam RSRP gradient information. The BS can transmit one or more parameters in a set of parameters that correspond to one or more directions of interest for the beam RSRP gradient information. In some embodiments, the BS can transmit one or more sets of parameters for one or more directions of one or more beams. If the BS is able to transmit more than one form of information about the beam RSRP gradient, the BS can inform the UE which form is being used. Examples of forms of beam RSRP gradient information can include, but are not limited to: the distance corresponding to a drop in beam RSRP by a particular value, the slope along a straight line of a particular distance, the distance to a first zero point defined by a larger loss, the distance corresponding to a drop in an indicator by a particular threshold.

[0144] ​The BS can transmit to the UE partial information, e.g., beam RSRP gradient information for one or more selected directions (but not all directions), or partial beam RSRP gradient information that enables the UE to estimate the RSRP useful to the UE. In some embodiments, the BS can transmit beam RSRP gradient information according to direction with different periodicity, granularity, and dynamic range. For example, the BS can transmit information about elevation directions less frequently than other directions. In some embodiments, the UE can use the same beam RSRP gradient information until receiving new updated beam RSRP gradient information. In some embodiments, the UE can be configured (or informed) by the new beam RSRP gradient on how to use the beam RSRP gradient information associated with the previously used beam.

[0145] In some embodiments, when the base station configures the UE with beam RSRP gradient information, the UE can use the information to enhance various beam management methods, thereby reducing latency, number of measurements, and feedback overhead used.

[0146] In some embodiments, the BS configures the UE on how to use the beam RSRP gradient information to enhance various beam management methods. In one example, the BS can configure the UE on the frequency of measurement and reporting according to the beam RSRP gradient information. In some embodiments, the BS can configure the UE on how to report feedback in differential form by comparing the estimated beam RSRP (determined based on the beam RSRP gradient information) with the measured beam RSRP. In some embodiments, the BS can configure the UE on how to use the transmitted beam RSRP gradient information and UE measurement to estimate the beam RSRP. In some embodiments, the BS can configure the UE on how and when to initiate UE beam refinement based on one or more parameters in the beam RSRP gradient information transmitted from the BS and the measured beam RSRP. The BS can configure the UE on how and according to what criteria to start UE initiated beam switching based on the parameters transmitted by the BS and the measured beam RSRP. The BS can configure the UE on how to use the parameters associated with the beam RSRP gradient and the measured beam RSRP gradient to assess beams faster during beam failure detection and recovery procedures. The BS can configure the UE on how to use the parameters associated with the beam RSRP gradient of different beams to determine which beam is the best beam for possible beam failure recovery and the related UL transmission power of that beam.

[0147] Figure 7 One signal flow diagram showing signaling between a base station and a UE according to embodiments of the application is shown, illustrating an example procedure for supporting network communications.

[0148] The example process 700 includes steps 710, 720, 730, 740, 750, and 760. Some of these steps can be optional. It will be appreciated that the order of one or more of steps 710, 720, 730, 740, 750, and 760 can be changed in some embodiments.

[0149] Step 710: A link is established between the BS 701 and the UE 702. This can involve initial access of the UE 702 or other procedures that generate a link between the two devices. Step 720: The UE 702 can optionally send UE capability information to the BS 701 (e.g., through radio resource control (RRC) signaling) that enables the BS 701 to determine which form of beam RSRP gradient information and which particular parameters the BS 701 can provide to the UE 702 for the configuration of RSRP measurements, RSRP estimates, RSRP feedback, and beam switching. In some embodiments, the UE capability information can include an indication of whether the UE has access to at least one of a compass, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or any other sensor. In some embodiments, the UE capability information can include an indication of the precision and accuracy of coordinated measurements, and an indication of whether directional information for the UE 801 should be represented in cardinal directions or in a direction that is specific to the UE’s orientation.

[0150] Step 730: BS 701 sends beam RSRP gradient information and configuration information parameters to UE 702 (e.g., through RRC) that can be used by UE 702 as part of a UE-initiated beam switch. UE 702 monitors for a condition related to beam switch at some configured interval. The condition that should trigger a beam switch can include comparing a measured RSRP to an estimated RSRP based on the provided beam RSRP gradient information received in step 730. If the condition is met, in step 740: UE 702 notifies BS 701. In some embodiments, UE 702 can suggest a good candidate beam that can be suitable to switch to based on the information received in the beam RSRP gradient information, e.g., when the beam RSRP gradient information includes beam RSRP gradient information for other beams in addition to the beam RSRP gradient information for the communication beam. Step 750: UE 702 notifies BS 701 that a beam switch should be initiated (e.g., through RRC, media access control - control element (MAC-CE), or uplink control information (UCI) signaling). Step 760: A beam switch procedure is performed. In some embodiments, BS 701 can initiate a beam switch based on the information received from UE 702 in step 730 even if BS 701 does not receive UE-initiated beam switch information in step 750.

[0151] Figure 8 One signal flow diagram illustrating signaling between a base station and a UE according to embodiments of the application is shown, which illustrates an example procedure for supporting network communications.

[0152] The example procedure 800 includes steps 810, 820, 830, 840, and 850. Some of these steps can be optional. It will be appreciated that the order of one or more of steps 810, 820, 830, 840, and 850 can be changed in some embodiments.

[0153] Step 810: A link is established between BS 801 and UE 802. This can involve initial access of UE 802 or other procedures that generate a link between the two devices. Step 820: UE 802 can optionally send UE capability information to BS 801 (e.g., through RRC signaling) that enables BS 801 to determine which form of beam RSRP gradient information and which specific parameters BS 801 can provide to UE 802 to enable configuration of RSRP measurement, RSRP estimation, RSRP feedback, and beam failure detection and beam failure recovery. In some embodiments, the UE capability information can include an indication of whether UE 801 has access to at least one of a compass, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or any other sensor. In some embodiments, the UE capability information can include an indication of the precision and accuracy of coordinated measurements, and an indication of whether directional information of UE 801 should be represented in cardinal directions or in a UE-specific directionality.

[0154] Step 830: BS 801 sends beam RSRP gradient information and configuration information parameters to UE 802 (e.g., through RRC signaling) that can be used by UE 802 as part of beam failure detection (BFD) and beam failure recovery (BFR). UE 802 monitors conditions related to BFD at some configured interval. Conditions that can indicate that a beam failure has occurred can include comparing a measured RSRP to an estimated RSRP based on the provided beam RSRP gradient information received in step 830. If the conditions are met, then in step 840: UE 802 is triggered to declare BFD. Step 850: A BFR procedure is performed.

[0155] While Figure 7 and Figure 8 Examples that facilitate beam switching between a BS and a UE, as well as BFD and BFR, are described with reference to a downlink measurement scenario, but it should be understood that the concepts described herein can also be applied to uplink measurement scenarios and sidelink measurement scenarios.

[0156] In some embodiments, when a UE is provided information related to beam RSRP gradients, the BS can also configure the UE to use this information efficiently in addition to measurements taken by the UE, thereby enhancing various beam procedures. Such configuration can reduce measurement and feedback overhead, speed up beam failure detection and beam failure recovery, and improve the efficiency of UE-initiated beam switching.

[0157] The embodiments described above are described in the context of a UE communicating with a BS. However, more generally, devices that wirelessly communicate with each other over time-frequency resources are not necessarily one or more UEs communicating with a BS. For example, two or more UEs can wirelessly communicate with each other over a sidelink using device-to-device (D2D) communication. As another example, two network devices (e.g., a terrestrial base station and a non-terrestrial base station such as a drone) can wirelessly communicate with each other over a backhaul link. Embodiments are not limited to uplink and / or downlink communication. For example, in the embodiments described above, the BS can be replaced with another device (e.g., a node in the network or a UE). The uplink / downlink communication can also be sidelink communication.

[0158] Examples of apparatuses (e.g., UEs, BSs) for performing various methods described herein are also disclosed.

[0159] For example, an apparatus can include a memory to store processor-executable instructions and a processor to execute the processor-executable instructions. When the processor executes the processor-executable instructions, the processor can cause the apparatus to perform the method steps of one or more apparatuses described herein in connection with Figures 1 to 4 and Fig. 17, etc. For example, the processor can cause the apparatus to communicate over the air interface in an operational mode by implementing operations consistent with that operational mode, e.g., performing necessary measurements and generating content from those measurements (as configured for the operational mode), preparing uplink transmissions and processing downlink transmissions (e.g., encoding, decoding, etc.), and configuring and / or instructing transmission / reception on one or more RF chains and one or more antennas.

[0160] It is important to note that the expression “at least one of A or B” as used herein can be interchanged with the expression “A and / or B.” It refers to a list where you can choose A or B or both A and B. Similarly, “at least one of A, B, or C” as used herein can be interchanged with “A and / or B and / or C” or “A, B, and / or C.” It refers to a list where you can choose: A or B or C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A, B, and C all. The same principle applies to longer lists with the same format.

[0161] It should be understood that one or more steps of the method embodiments provided herein can be performed by corresponding units or modules. For example, a signal can be transmitted by a transmitting unit or a transmitting module. A signal can be received by a receiving unit or a receiving module. A signal can be processed by a processing unit or a processing module. The corresponding units / modules can be hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more of these units / modules can be an integrated circuit, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). It should be understood that if these modules are software, they can be retrieved all or in part as needed by a processor, retrieved individually or collectively for processing, and retrieved in one or more instances as needed, and these modules themselves can include instructions for further deployment and instantiation.

[0162] Although combinations of features are recited in the examples, it should be appreciated that not all combinations are necessary to achieve the advantages of the various embodiments of the present application. In other words, a system or method designed according to an embodiment of the present application can not include all of the features shown in any one or more of the figures or all of the portions thereof, and that not all of them are required, although a system or method including and / or ranging from some to all of the features can be desired. Further, a selection of these optional features can be combined in a system or method in accordance with an alternative embodiment.

[0163] While the present application has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be limiting. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, combinations and further embodiments of the present application will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass any such modifications or embodiments.

Claims

1. A method, characterized in that, include: The device receives configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction is information on at least one of the following: In an orientation parallel to the Earth's surface and perpendicular to the beam angle direction; The direction along the beam angle; or In a direction perpendicular to the Earth's surface and perpendicular to the beam angle direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, When the method provides one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction in any of a plurality of different forms, the method further includes receiving an indication of the form in which the indication is used to provide information about the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, When the one or more directions are at least two directions, the configuration information is received for at least two of the at least two directions with at least one of different periods, different granularities, or different dynamic ranges.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The one or more parameters include at least one of the following: Information on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, expressed as a distance from the reference position; or The rate of change information of the received power of the reference signal expressed in terms of time from the reference time.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, expressed in terms of the distance, is represented by the following: The distance corresponding to the decrease in the received power of the reference signal by a specific value; The slope of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal along a specific service distance; An approximation of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, determined using a higher-order polynomial; The distance to the first zero point, where the zero point is defined by the larger loss; or The indicator decreased to the distance corresponding to the quantity defined in the threshold.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal are for each of the one or more beams.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The one or more beams include one or more of the following: Communication beam; One or more beams that can potentially be used for beam switching; One or more beams that can potentially be used for beam failure recovery; or One or more beams that can potentially be used for switching.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The configuration information is as follows: Received periodically; Received after the configuration information is updated; or Received after the device requests updated configuration information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Also includes: A receiving indication, wherein the indication relates to information about the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal associated with a previous beam, and can be used to determine a new rate of change of the received power of the reference signal.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Also includes: Send the capability information of the device.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The device capability information includes at least one of the following: Whether the device can access at least one of the following: a compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, or other type of sensor; or An indication of at least one of coordinate measurement precision or accuracy.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, Also includes: The configuration information associated with the use of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal is received, wherein the configuration information includes parameters for a beam management function, the beam management function including at least one of the following: Beam measurement and reporting; Beam switching; Beam fault detection; or Beam fault recovery.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The configuration information includes information for configuring the device regarding at least one of the following: The frequency of measuring and reporting feedback information related to the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction; Feedback is reported differentially by comparing the expected beam RSRP of the reference signal with the measured beam received power. The received parameters and UE measurements are used to estimate the beam received power of the reference signal; The method and timing of device beam refinement are initiated based on the received parameters and the measured beam receiving power of the reference signal. The method and standard for initiating beam switching by the device based on the received parameters and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; During beam fault recovery, the method of evaluating the beam is based on the received parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; or The method of beaming for possible beam failure recovery and the associated uplink (UL) transmission power of the determined beam are determined using parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction of a different beam.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: Measure the beam received power of the reference signal; Feedback is reported differentially by comparing the expected beam RSRP of the reference signal with the measured beam received power.

16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: Measure the beam received power of the reference signal; Based on the configuration information, the previous beam received power measurement of the reference signal, and the location of the device, the beam received power of the reference signal is estimated; Compare the estimated beam received power of the reference signal with the measured beam received power; When the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal being compared meet the configuration conditions for beam switching, a message to initiate beam switching is sent.

17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: Measure the beam received power of the reference signal; Based on the configuration information, the previous beam received power measurement of the reference signal, and the location of the device, the beam RSRP is estimated; Compare the estimated beam received power of the reference signal with the measured beam received power; When the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal being compared meet the configuration conditions indicating the detection of a potential beam failure event, one or more beams are selected based on the rate of change information of the beam received power of the reference signal of other beams to be used for beam failure recovery. Determine the UL transmission power of the other beams to be used for beam failure recovery.

18. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: Measure the beam received power of the reference signal; Based on the configuration information, previous beam RSRP measurements, and the location of the device, the beam received power of the reference signal is estimated; Compare the estimated beam received power of the reference signal with the measured beam received power; When the estimated beam received power and the measured beam received power of the reference signal being compared are lower than the configuration conditions, the initiator-side beam refinement is performed.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, Also includes: Feedback information is transmitted based on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction and the measured received power of the reference signal in the same beam.

20. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: One or more processors, for: Receive configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

21. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; A non-transitory computer-readable storage memory having processor-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform the following operations: Receive configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

22. A method, characterized in that, include: The device sends configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction is information on the rate of change of at least one of the following: In an orientation parallel to the Earth's surface and perpendicular to the beam angle direction; The direction along the beam angle; or In a direction perpendicular to the Earth's surface and perpendicular to the beam angle direction.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that, When the method provides one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction in any of a plurality of different forms, the method further includes: transmitting an indication of the form in the plurality of different forms, wherein the indication is used to provide information about the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction.

25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that, When the one or more directions are at least two directions, the configuration information is sent for at least two of the at least two directions with at least one of different periods, different granularities, or different dynamic ranges.

26. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that, The one or more parameters include at least one of the following: Information on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, expressed as a distance from the location of the transmitter of the reference signal; or The rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, expressed as time from the position of the transmitter that transmitted the reference signal.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that, The rate of change of the received power of the reference signal, expressed in terms of the distance, is represented by the following: The distance corresponding to the decrease in the beam receiving power of the reference signal by a specific value; The slope of the rate of change of the beam received power of the reference signal along a specific service distance; An approximation of the rate of change of the beam received power of the reference signal, determined using a higher-order polynomial; The distance to the first zero point, where the zero point is defined by the larger loss; or The indicator decreased to the distance corresponding to the quantity defined in the threshold.

28. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 27, characterized in that, The one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal are for each of the one or more beams.

29. The method according to claim 28, characterized in that, The one or more beams include one or more of the following: Communication beam; One or more beams that can potentially be used for beam switching; One or more beams that can potentially be used for beam failure recovery; or One or more beams that can potentially be used for switching.

30. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 29, characterized in that, The configuration information is as follows: Received periodically; Received after the configuration information is updated; or Received after the wireless communication device requests updated configuration information.

31. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 30, characterized in that, Also includes: A transmission instruction is provided, wherein the instruction relates to information about the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal associated with a previous beam, which can be used to determine a new rate of change of the received power of the reference signal.

32. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 31, characterized in that, Also includes: Receive capability information of the wireless communication device.

33. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that, The wireless communication device capability information includes at least one of the following: Whether the wireless communication device can access at least one of the following: a compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, or other type of sensor; or An indication of at least one of coordinate measurement precision or accuracy.

34. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 33, characterized in that, Also includes: The configuration information associated with the use of the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal is received, wherein the configuration information includes parameters for a beam management function, the beam management function including at least one of the following: Beam switching; Beam fault detection; or Beam fault recovery.

35. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 34, characterized in that, The configuration information includes information for configuring the wireless communication device regarding at least one of the following: The frequency at which feedback information is measured and reported in relation to the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal in the beam direction; Feedback is reported differentially by comparing the expected beam received power of the reference signal with the measured beam received power of the reference signal. The received parameters and UE measurements are used to estimate the beam received power of the reference signal; The method and timing for initiating beam refinement of the wireless communication device are based on the received parameters and the measured beam received power of the reference signal. The method and standard for initiating beam switching by the wireless communication device based on the received parameters and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; During beam fault recovery, the method of evaluating the beam is based on the received parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal and the measured beam received power of the reference signal; or The method of beaming for possible beam failure recovery and the associated uplink (UL) transmission power of the determined beam are determined using parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in one beam direction of a different beam.

36. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 35, characterized in that, Also includes: Feedback information is received based on the rate of change of the received power of the reference signal transmitted in the beam direction and the measured received power of the reference signal in the same beam direction.

37. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that, Also includes: Receive the message to initiate beam switching.

38. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that, Also includes: Receive the random access channel (RACH) for beam fault recovery from the device-side equipment.

39. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: One or more processors, for: Send configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

40. An apparatus, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; A non-transitory computer-readable storage memory having processor-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform the following operations: Send configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device, characterized in that, It stores executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform the following operations: Receive configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

42. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device, characterized in that, It stores executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform the following operations: Send configuration information, wherein the configuration information includes one or more parameters associated with the rate of change of the received power of a reference signal transmitted on the beam, the rate of change indicating a change in the received power in at least one of the following: Specific direction; One or more directions; or Each time slot.

Images