Directional reference signal transmission

• US 10,020,921 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China), MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China), MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Wei, Hung-Yu, Weng, Chung-Wei, Yu, Chia-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob
• Application Number:
  US15/157,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a method of transmitting a reference signal and related electronic devices using the same. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the method would include not limited to transmitting a reference signal by using a directional antenna emitting a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

$\frac{360}{N}$
degrees per one of N time slots during a first phase of a full sweeping period, wherein N≥2 and transmitting the reference signal, in response to transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has the first radiation pattern, by using the directional antenna emitting a second radiation pattern of multiple beams having different angles simultaneously covering a total of

$\frac{360}{M}$
degrees of angles per one of M time slots during a second phase of the full sweeping period, wherein N>M≥1.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a reference signal applicable to a base station, the method comprising:

transmitting a reference signal by using a directional antenna emitting a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the reference signal in the second phase comprising:

transmitting the reference signal in multiple beams covering a first set of discrete angles during a first time slot of the M time slots of the second phase; and

transmitting the reference signal in multiple beams covering a second set of discrete angles during a second time slot of M time slots of the second phase, wherein the first set of discrete angles does not overlap with the second set of discrete angles.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has a third radiation pattern of a beam covering a specific angle in response to the user equipment not covered by the second radiation pattern, wherein a beam of the third radiation pattern covers a longer distance than any of the multiple beams of the second radiation pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has the second radiation pattern repeats several times after the step of transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has the first radiation pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna emitting the first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second radiation pattern is a subset of the first radiation pattern.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a different reference signal in response to receiving the channel measurement, wherein the reference signal is transmitted by using the directional antenna emitting the first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference signal is for is for a mm-Wave based cellular system and comprises reference signal configuration information or reference signal power information.

9. A base station comprising:

a transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the transmitter and is configured at least for;

transmitting, via the transmitter, a reference signal by using a directional antenna emitting a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured for transmitting the reference signal in the second phase comprising:

transmitting, via the transmitter, the reference signal in multiple beams covering a first set of discrete angles during a first time slot of the M time slots of the second phase; and

transmitting, via the transmitter, the reference signal in multiple beams covering a second set of discrete angles during a second time slot of M time slots of the second phase, wherein the first set of discrete angles does not overlap with the second set of discrete angles.

11. The base station of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured for:

transmitting, via the transmitter, the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has a third radiation pattern of a beam covering a specific angle in response to the user equipment not covered by the second radiation pattern, wherein a beam of the third radiation pattern covers a longer distance than any of the multiple beams of the second radiation pattern.

12. A method of receiving a reference signal applicable to a user equipment, the method comprising:

receiving a reference signal transmitted in a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a beam of the first radiation pattern covers a longer distance than any of the multiple beams of the second radiation pattern.

14. A user equipment comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the receiver and configured for;

receiving, via the receiver, a reference signal transmitted in a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering

15. A user equipment comprising:

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the receiver and configured for;

receiving, via the receiver, a reference signal transmitted in a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering