Uplink Beam Determination for Single Frequency Network Communications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in determining uplink beams for single frequency network (SFN) communications, especially when the SFN configuration does not provide an indication of spatial relations or path loss reference signals, leading to inefficiencies in concurrent communications between user equipment (UE) and multiple transmission-reception points (TRPs).
Innovation Solution
The techniques involve configuring user equipment (UE) for SFN communications using a first active bandwidth part (BWP) with a first uplink carrier, where the UE and TRPs determine a spatial relation or path loss reference signal based on transmission configuration indicator (TCI) codepoints or control resource sets (CORESETs), allowing for reliable beam determination even without explicit indications in the SFN configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If SFN configuration is used for concurrent communications with multiple TRPs, then communication capacity and coverage are improved, but beam determination becomes uncertain when spatial relation or path loss reference signal is not indicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring TCI codepoints and CORESETs with spatial relation information before SFN communications occur. When the UE needs to determine beams for concurrent TRP communications, it can directly use the pre-established TCI states associated with these codepoints, eliminating the need for real-time beam determination and ensuring reliable spatial relations are available immediately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces TCI codepoints and CORESETs as intermediary elements that mediate between the SFN configuration and the actual beam determination. These intermediaries carry spatial relation information and path loss reference signals, allowing the UE to indirectly obtain the necessary beam parameters through the configured TCI states rather than requiring direct indication in the SFN configuration.
2Measurement precision
If explicit spatial relation indication is provided in SFN configuration, then beam determination accuracy is improved, but configuration complexity and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making TCI codepoints multi-functional elements that serve both downlink reception and uplink transmission beam determination. The same TCI codepoints configured for downlink TCI states are reused for uplink spatial relation indication, eliminating the need for separate configuration mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accurate beam determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by reusing the TCI state configurations from downlink for uplink beam determination. The spatial relation information is copied from the downlink TCI state associations to the uplink transmission, allowing the UE to determine uplink beams based on pre-configured downlink TCI codepoints without requiring additional explicit spatial relation indications.
3Reliability
If multiple TCI states are configured for different TRPs, then concurrent communication reliability is improved, but beam selection complexity increases when determining which TRP to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the UE to autonomously determine which TCI state and corresponding TRP to use based on pre-configured associations and measured channel conditions. The UE independently selects the appropriate TCI codepoint from the configured set by evaluating reference signal received power or other channel quality metrics, without requiring network control for each beam selection decision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the UE measures channel conditions for multiple TRPs using the configured TCI states and provides feedback to select the optimal TRP for communication. The UE evaluates the quality of signals from different TRPs based on the associated TCI states and autonomously determines which TRP to communicate with based on these measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described in which a base station may configure one or more UEs for single frequency network (SFN) communications that provide concurrent communications with a first transmission-reception point (TRP) and a second TRP in a first active bandwidth part (BWP) using a first uplink carrier. In cases where the SFN configuration does not provide an indication of a spatial relation or a path loss reference signal that is associated with the first active BWP, the UE and the TRPs may determine an associated first spatial relation or first path loss reference signal for the SFN communications based at least in part on the first active BWP and the SFN configuration. The UE may transmit uplink SFN communications to one or more TRPs using a beam that is determined based on the first spatial relation or first path loss reference signal.