Methods and apparatus for vertical beamforming

• US 10,382,978 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Moon-il, Stern-Berkowitz, Janet A., Comsa, Virgil, Jiang, Meilong
• Primary Examiner(s): Latorre, Ivan O
• Application Number:
  US15/669,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/061 using feedback from receiving side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 using beam selection
• 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 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/365 Power headroom reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a vertical beam for reception are disclosed herein. A method in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes that the WTRU may receive a broadcast message from an evolved Node B (eNB) that includes information associated with a plurality of beam reference signals, wherein the information includes at least one set of Physical Random Access Control Channel (PRACH) resources associated with each of the plurality of beam reference signals. Further, the WTRU may measure reference signals transmitted on each of the plurality of beam reference signals. Then, the WTRU may select a beam reference signal from among the plurality of beam reference signals. In addition, the WTRU may transmit a PRACH preamble in a set of resources associated with the selected beam reference signal. The WTRU may then receive further communications from the eNB.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for determining resources, the method comprising:

receiving, by the WTRU, a configuration message, wherein the configuration message is at least one of a broadcast message or a radio resource control (RRC) message, from a base station that includes correspondence information regarding a plurality of beam reference signals, wherein the correspondence information designates at least one set of Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resources for each of the plurality of beam reference signals;

measuring, by the WTRU, the plurality of beam reference signals, transmitted from the base station;

selecting, by the WTRU, a beam reference signal from among the plurality of measured beam references signals;

determining, by the WTRU, a set of PRACH resources designated for the selected beam reference signal based on the received correspondence information; and

transmitting, by the WTRU, a PRACH signal using at least one PRACH resource of the determined set of PRACH resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence information regarding the plurality of beam reference signals includes a plurality of measurement configurations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined set of PRACH resources includes at least one PRACH preamble and wherein the PRACH signal is a PRACH preamble in the determined set of PRACH resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU selects a beam reference signal based on a determination that a measured beam reference signal power is better than a threshold on at least one beam reference signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of PRACH resources is portioned based on the number of the plurality of beam reference signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam reference signals are Channel State Information-Reference Signals (CSI-RSs).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam is a 3-D beam.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the WTRU, the PRACH signal based on the received correspondence information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined set of PRACH resources includes at least one set of time resources and wherein the PRACH signal is transmitted in one of the time resources of the set of time resources.

14. The WTRU of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of PRACH resources is portioned based on the number of the plurality of beam reference signals.

10. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for determining resources, the WTRU comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a configuration message, wherein the configuration message is at least one of a broadcast message or a radio resource control (RRC) message, from a base station that includes correspondence information regarding a plurality of beam reference signals, wherein the correspondence information designates at least one set of Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) resources for each of the plurality of beam reference signals;

a processor, operatively coupled to the receiver, configured to measure the plurality of beam reference signals transmitted from the base station;

the processor further configured to select a beam reference signal from among the plurality of measured beam references signals;

the processor further configured to determine a set of PRACH resources designated for the selected beam reference signal based on the received correspondence information; and

a transmitter, operatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter and the processor configured to transmit a PRACH signal using at least one PRACH resource of the determined set of PRACH resources.

11. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the correspondence information regarding the plurality of beam reference signals includes a plurality of measurement configurations.

12. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the determined set of PRACH resources includes at least one PRACH preamble and wherein the PRACH signal is a PRACH preamble in the determined set of PRACH resources.

13. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the processor selects a beam reference signal based on a determination that a measured beam reference signal power is better than a threshold on at least one beam reference signal.

15. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the beam reference signals are Channel State Information-Reference Signals (CSI-RSs).

16. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the beam is a 3-D beam.

17. The WTRU of claim 10, further comprising:

the processor further configured to determine the PRACH signal based on the received correspondence information.

18. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the determined set of PRACH resources includes at least one set of time resources and wherein the PRACH signal is transmitted in one of the time resources of the set of time resources.

19. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for determining resources, the method comprising:

receiving, by the WTRU, a configuration message, wherein the configuration message is at least one of a broadcast message or a radio resource control (RRC) message, from a base station that includes correspondence information regarding a plurality of beam reference signals, wherein the correspondence information provides at least one set of Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) preambles, wherein the set of PRACH preambles includes one or more PRACH preambles, for each of the plurality of beam reference signals;

measuring, by the WTRU, the plurality of beam reference signals, transmitted from the base station;

selecting, by the WTRU, a beam reference signal from among the plurality of measured beam references signals;

determining, by the WTRU, a set of PRACH preambles designated for the selected beam reference signal based on the received correspondence information; and

transmitting, by the WTRU, a PRACH preamble of the determined set of PRACH preambles.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the correspondence information regarding the plurality of beam reference signals includes a plurality of measurement configurations.