Beam selection and refinement during a random access channel (RACH) procedure

• US 10,368,373 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nagaraja, Sumeeth, Luo, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US15/656,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0811 during preamble or gap period
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications and, more particularly, to beam refinement during a RACH procedure. A NB may receive a message via a first beam from a UE as part of a RACH procedure and may transmit at least one signal for beam refinement during the RACH procedure. A UE may transmit, to a NB, a message via a first beam as part of a RACH procedure and may receive, from the NB, at least one signal for beam refinement during the RACH procedure. Any directional signal beam may be used for beam refinement as described herein.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication by a node B (NB), comprising:

transmitting, by the NB, a first one or more directional beams to enable a user equipment (UE) to select a first beam;

receiving, by the NB, a message via the first beam from the UE as part of a random access channel (RACH) procedure; and

transmitting, by the NB, a second one or more directional beams for beam refinement during the RACH procedure, wherein the second one or more directional beams enable the UE to switch to a second beam, wherein the second beam is a narrower beam within the first beam.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises a new radio reference signal (NR-SS).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement are transmitted after receiving at least one of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preamble or Radio Resource Connection (RRC) request associated with the RACH procedure from the UE.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the first one or more directional beams comprises transmitting a beam reference signal (BRS) during the RACH procedure; and

further comprising;

receiving an indication that a signal strength associated with the BRS is below a threshold value, wherein

in response to the indication, transmitting the second one or more beams for beam refinement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the UE of more than one beam of similar strength from a cell associated with the NB during the RACH procedure; and

in response to the indication, transmitting the second one or more beams for beam refinement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an uplink signal strength associated with the received message of the RACH procedure is below a threshold value; and

in response to the determination, transmitting the second one or more beams for beam refinement.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the message as part of the RACH procedure from multiple receive beams associated with a similar signal strength; and

in response to receiving the message, transmitting the second one or more beams for beam refinement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message received via the first beam from the UE as part of the RACH procedure comprises a request for the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein transmitting the second one or more directional beams signal for beam refinement comprises transmitting multiple measurement reference signal (MRS)-based beams;

and further comprising;

receiving a report, from the UE, comprising at least one of a MRS reference signal receive power (RSRP) or MRS ID associated with each of the MRS-based beams.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

instructing the UE to switch to one of the MRS-based beams for the RACH procedure based, at least in part, on the received report.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after transmitting the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement, receiving a message as part of the RACH procedure via the second beam.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises a directional reference signal beam.

13. A method for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving, by the UE, a first one or more directional beams to enable the UE to select a first beam;

transmitting, by the UE to a node B (NB), a message via the first beam as part of a random access channel (RACH) procedure; and

receiving, by the UE from the NB, a second one or more directional beams for beam refinement during the RACH procedure, wherein the second one or more directional beams enable the UE to switch to a second beam, wherein the second beam is a narrower beam within the first beam.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises a new radio reference signal (NR-SS).

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement are received after one of:

transmitting at least one of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preamble or Radio Resource Connection (RRC) request to the NB as part of the RACH procedure.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

receiving the first one or more directional beams comprises receiving a beam reference signal (BRS) during the RACH procedure; and

further comprising;

transmitting an indication that a signal strength associated with the BRS is below a threshold value, wherein

in response to the indication, receiving the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting an indication of more than one beam of similar strength from a cell associated with the NB during the RACH procedure; and

in response to the indication, receiving the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein a signal strength of the transmitted message via the first beam is below a threshold value.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting the message as part of the RACH procedure from multiple transmit beams associated with a similar signal strength; and

in response to the transmitted message, receiving the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the message transmitted via the first beam as part of the RACH procedure comprises a request for the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.

21. The method of claim 13,

wherein receiving the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises receiving multiple measurement reference signal (MRS)-based beams;

and further comprising;

measuring the multiple MRS-based beams; and

transmitting a report, to the NB, comprising at least one of a MRS reference signal receive power (RSRP) or MRS ID associated with each of the MRS-based beams.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, from the NB, an instruction to switch to one of the MRS-based beams for the RACH procedure based, at least in part, on the transmitted report.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

after receiving the least second one or more directional beams for beam refinement, transmitting a message as part of the RACH procedure via second beam.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises a directional reference signal beam.

25. An apparatus for wireless communication by a node B (NB), comprising:

means for transmitting, by the NB, a first one or more directional beams to enable a user equipment (UE) to select a first beam;

means for receiving, by the NB, a message via the first beam from the UE as part of a random access channel (RACH) procedure; and

means for transmitting, by the NB, a second or one more directional beams for beam refinement during the RACH procedure, wherein the second one or more directional beams enable the UE to switch to a second beam, wherein the second beam is a narrower beam within the first beam.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement comprises a new radio reference signal (NR-SS).

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement are transmitted after receiving at least one of a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preamble or Radio Resource Connection (RRC) request associated with the RACH procedure from the UE.

28. An apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for receiving, by the UE, a first one or more directional beams to enable the UE to select a first beam;

means for transmitting, by the UE to a node B (NB), a message via the first beam as part of a random access channel (RACH) procedure; and

means for receiving, by the UE from the NB, s second one or more directional beams for beam refinement during the RACH procedure, wherein the second one or more directional beams enable the UE to switch to a second beam, wherein the second beam is a narrower beam within the first beam.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second one or more directional beams comprises a new radio reference signal (NR-SS).

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

means for transmitting an indication of more than one beam of similar strength from a cell associated with the NB during the RACH procedure; and

in response to the indication, means for receiving the second one or more directional beams for beam refinement.