Beam Indication with Inter-Cell Mobility for PDSCH
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in improving communication capacity, speed, flexibility, and efficiency, particularly in managing beams across multiple cells for inter-cell mobility.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a user equipment (UE) and base station apparatus that exchange RRC messages and MAC Control Elements to manage Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) states for beams associated with serving and non-serving cells, enabling efficient beam management with inter-cell mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If beam management is performed across multiple cells for inter-cell mobility, then communication flexibility and efficiency are improved, but device complexity and signal processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments beam management by separating serving cell beam indications from non-serving cell beam indications. The UE maintains separate TCI state lists for serving cells and non-serving cells, allowing independent management and activation of beams for each cell type through distinct MAC CE mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional layer to beam management by introducing multi-cell beam indication in addition to traditional single-cell beam management. This enables the system to manage beams across multiple cells simultaneously, providing inter-cell mobility capabilities while maintaining structured control through separate TCI state configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple TCI state lists are maintained for serving and non-serving cells, then beam management capability is improved, but information processing and control signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides TCI states into separate lists: one list for serving cells and another list for non-serving cells. This segmentation allows the network to activate only the necessary TCI states through targeted MAC CE commands, reducing the overall control signaling overhead compared to managing all TCI states in a single unified list.
Solution Approach 2:
The network pre-configures multiple TCI state lists through RRC signaling before actual beam management operations. This preliminary configuration enables rapid beam switching during inter-cell mobility by simply activating pre-prepared TCI states via MAC CE without requiring extensive real-time signaling exchanges.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) is described. The UE may include receiving circuitry configured to receive a radio resource control (RRC) message comprising first information used for indicating a first list of Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state(s) for beam(s) associated with non-serving cell(s), and receive an RRC message comprising second information used for indicating a second list of TCI state(s) for beam(s) associated with serving cell(s), and receive a first media access control (MAC) Control Element (CE) message comprising third information used for activating a first set of TCI state(s) from the first list, and receive a second MAC CE message comprising fourth information used for activating a second set of TCI state(s) from the second list, and receive a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) carrying downlink control information (DCI) indicating a TCI state for physical downlink share channel (PDSCH) from either the first set or the second set.