OPTIMIZING MILLIMETER WAVE BEAM SEARCHING

• US 20180227771A1
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MALIK, Rahul, KADOUS, Tamer Adel, LUO, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 11,032,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0404 the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• 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: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for optimizing millimeter wave beam-searching. In certain aspects, a method for use by a wireless communications device includes determining a usage scenario of the wireless device based on input performing a beam search to maintain or establish a communication link with one or more other wireless devices, wherein one or more beams are prioritized or de-prioritized during the beam search based on the usage scenario.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a wireless device, comprising:

determining a usage scenario of the wireless device based on input; and

performing a beam search to maintain or establish a communication link with one or more other wireless devices, wherein one or more beams are prioritized or de-prioritized during the beam search based on the usage scenario.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage scenario is determined based on input from one or more sensors located on or integrated in the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more antenna arrays of a number of antenna arrays of the wireless device are prioritized or deprioritized during the beam search based on the input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input indicates occlusion of one or more of a number of antenna arrays of the wireless device; and

occluded antenna arrays are de-prioritized during the beam search.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input indicates a manner by which the wireless device is held by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input indicates an orientation of the wireless device relative to the one or more other wireless devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein one or more downward facing beams are de-prioritized during the beam search, based on the orientation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comes from an application running on the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the input indicates a fixed location of the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more beams are prioritized during the beam search to achieve greater spatial coverage.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the wireless device comprises an access point or a base station; and

one or more beams near or below horizon are prioritized during the beam search.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the wireless device comprises a user equipment (UE); and

one or more beams near or above horizon are prioritized during the beam search.

13. An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:

a number of antenna arrays; and

a processor configured to;

determine a usage scenario of the apparatus based on input; and

perform a beam search, via the number of antenna arrays, to maintain or establish a communication link with one or more other wireless devices, wherein one or more beams are prioritized or de-prioritized during the beam search based on the usage scenario.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are located on the apparatus or integrated within the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the usage scenario is determined based on input from the one or more sensors.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein one or more of the number of antenna arrays are prioritized or deprioritized during the beam search based on the input.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the input indicates occlusion of one or more of the number of antenna arrays of the apparatus; and

occluded antenna arrays are de-prioritized during the beam search.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the input indicates a manner by which the apparatus is held by a user.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the input indicates an orientation of the apparatus relative to the one or more other wireless devices.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein one or more downward facing beams are de-prioritized during the beam search, based on the orientation.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the input comes from an application executed by the processor.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the input indicates a fixed location of the apparatus.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein one or more beams are prioritized during the beam search to achieve greater spatial coverage.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the apparatus comprises an access point or a base station; and

one or more beams near or below horizon are prioritized during the beam search.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the apparatus comprises a user equipment (UE); and

one or more beams near or above horizon are prioritized during the beam search.

26. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for determining a usage scenario of the apparatus based on input; and

means for performing a beam search to maintain or establish a communication link with one or more other wireless devices, wherein one or more beams are prioritized or de-prioritized during the beam search based on the usage scenario.

27. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for:

determining a usage scenario of a wireless device based on input; and

performing a beam search to maintain or establish a communication link with one or more other wireless devices, wherein one or more beams are prioritized or de-prioritized during the beam search based on the usage scenario.