Spatial Assumption Configuration for 5G NR Beam Failure Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 5G NR systems do not clarify the spatial assumptions and beam configurations for PDSCH transmission and reception during beam failure recovery, leading to unclear usage of beams and potential communication disruptions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing techniques to determine and apply spatial quasi co-location (QCL) and beam assumptions for PDSCH transmission and reception, both before and after receiving a gNB response to a beam failure recovery request, ensuring consistent and reliable communication by using the identified new beam until TCI reconfiguration occurs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam failure recovery procedures are implemented in 5G NR systems, then communication reliability during beam failure is improved, but spatial assumptions and beam configurations for PDSCH transmission become unclear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliability during beam failureVSAvoidspatial assumptions and beam configurations information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring spatial QCL assumptions and beam configurations for PDSCH transmission before beam failure occurs. The UE is provided with TCI states and spatial assumptions in advance, which are then applied during beam failure recovery to ensure continuous and reliable communication without interruption or information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of stationary object

If spatial QCL assumptions are applied for PDSCH during beam failure recovery, then communication continuity is maintained, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication continuity during beam failure recoveryVSAvoidsystem complexity for spatial assumption management
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies homogeneity by using consistent spatial QCL assumptions across different PDSCH transmissions during beam failure recovery. The same TCI states and beam configurations are uniformly applied to all PDSCH receptions in the recovery period, simplifying the system management while ensuring communication continuity, rather than requiring different configurations for each transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

3Reliability

If new beam identification and application procedures are implemented, then beam failure recovery effectiveness is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam failure recovery effectivenessVSAvoidprocessing time for beam recovery
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-identifying and storing multiple candidate beams and their associated TCI states before beam failure occurs. When beam failure is detected, the UE can immediately apply the pre-configured spatial assumptions and switch to alternative beams without requiring time-consuming beam identification and measurement procedures, thus maintaining high recovery effectiveness while minimizing processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3811555B1Spatial assumption configuration for new radio (NR) downlink transmission
Publication Date: 2023.10.11 APPLE INC
  • EP3811555B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3811555B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3811555B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques discussed herein can facilitate determination of spatial (and/or beam) assumption(s) for PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) transmitted after a BFR (Beam Failure Recovery) request but before TCI (Transmission Configuration Information) reconfiguration. One example embodiment can be an apparatus configured to: generate a BFR request that indicates a new candidate beam; process a CORESET (Control Resource Set)-BFR of a set of configured CORESETs, wherein the CORESET-BFR comprises a response to the BFR request; determine a spatial assumption for a first PDSCH based on the BFR request, wherein the first PDSCH is scheduled by a first CORESET of the set of configured CORESETs, wherein the first CORESET is different than the CORESET-BFR, wherein the first PDSCH is scheduled before a TCI state is one of reconfigured, reactivated, or re-indicated; and process the first PDSCH based on the determined spatial assumption for the first PDSCH.