Repeater Beam Coordination Using Spatial Filters and L1/L2 Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
There are challenges in coordinating beam generation and indication between repeater nodes and gNBs in wireless networks, affecting UE procedures for beam management and beam failure recovery, and requiring mechanisms for efficient exchange of control information and higher layer signaling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of network-controlled repeaters (NCRs) with configuration information and L1/L2 signaling for beam management, enabling efficient coordination between repeater nodes and gNBs, minimizing implementation complexity and supporting seamless UE operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If network-controlled repeaters are implemented with beam management coordination, then beam management efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gNB as an intermediary that centrally manages beam management for NCRs. The gNB generates beam indications and control information, which are then transmitted to NCRs via L1/L2 signaling. This mediator approach allows complex beam coordination to be handled by the network side rather than requiring complex local processing at each repeater node, thus improving beam management efficiency while managing device complexity through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes dynamic parameter changes through L1/L2 signaling to manage beam configurations. By changing beam indication parameters, spatial domain filter parameters, and time domain resource parameters dynamically, the system can adapt beam management to different scenarios without requiring permanent complex configurations at each NCR, thereby improving efficiency while keeping device complexity manageable through flexible parameter adjustment.
2Productivity
If L1/L2 signaling is used for control information exchange, then information exchange efficiency is improved, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs existing L1/L2 signaling mechanisms that are already part of the 5G NR standard for control information exchange. By reusing these universal signaling paths and protocols, the system achieves efficient control information exchange between gNB and NCRs without requiring entirely new communication infrastructure. The existing signaling framework handles multiple functions including beam indications, spatial filter configurations, and resource allocations, reducing implementation complexity through multi-functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary configuration of L1/L2 signaling parameters and beam management protocols before actual operation. By pre-configuring the signaling framework, spatial domain filters, and time domain resources in advance, the system reduces the complexity of real-time control information exchange. The preliminary setup establishes the communication patterns and parameter structures that simplify subsequent operations.
3Reliability
If beam management coordination is implemented, then network connectivity robustness is improved, but UE procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex beam management coordination logic from the UE side and places it in the network side (gNB). The gNB handles beam indication generation, spatial domain filter management, and time domain resource coordination, while UEs only need to follow simplified procedures for receiving and applying these network-provided configurations. This extraction of complexity to the network side improves connectivity robustness through centralized control while keeping UE procedures simple.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses and methods for beam management for repeaters. A method for a network-controlled repeater (NCR) includes receiving, by an NCR mobile termination (NCR-MT) entity, first information for a list of spatial domain filters for an access link of an NCR forwarding (NCR-Fwd) entity, second information for a set of spatial relations corresponding to reference signals (RS) for transmission or reception on a control link (C-link) of the NCR-MT entity, and third information indicating an uplink (UL) or downlink (DL) direction for each time domain resource. The method further includes determining an UL time domain resource, a first spatial domain filter, and a second spatial domain filter based on the second information. The method further includes receiving, by the NCR-Fwd entity, a radio frequency (RF) signal on the access link using the first spatial domain filter and transmitting the RF signal on a backhaul link using the second spatial domain filter.