System And Method For Backhaul and Access In Beamformed Communications Systems

1 . A method for performing beamformed backhaul communications, the method comprising:

determining, by a first transmit-receive point (TRP), first formats of subframes supporting access communications between the first TRP and user equipments (UEs) served by the first TRP;

determining, by the first TRP, a subset of the subframes supporting access communications, the subset of the subframes supports backhaul communications between the first TRP and a second TRP; and

communicating, by the first TRP, with a UE over an access link in accordance with the subset of the subframes.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, by the first TRP, with the second TRP in accordance with the first formats.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing, by the first TRP, a first TRP capability to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, by the first TRP, first requested formats of subframes supporting access communications between the first TRP and the UEs served by the first TRP.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first TRP, a second TRP capability of the second TRP; and

providing to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, by the first TRP, the second TRP capability of the second TRP.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first TRP, second requested formats of subframes supporting access communications between the second TRP and UEs served by the second TRP; and

providing, by the first TRP, the second requested formats to the network entity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first formats and the subset of the subframes comprises one of retrieving the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a memory, receiving the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, or receiving the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a third TRP.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each format in the first formats indicates an allocation of one of a first type of subframe of a radio frame to convey uplink access data, or a second type of subframe of the radio frame to convey downlink access data.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the subset of the subframes indicates at least one subframe of the first type or the second type of subframes to convey backhaul data.

10 . A method for supporting beamformed backhaul communications, the method comprising:

selecting, by a network entity, first formats of first subframes supporting access communications at a first transmit-receive point (TRP) in accordance with TRP capabilities of the first TRP;

selecting, by the network entity, second formats of second subframes supporting access communications at a second TRP in accordance with TRP capabilities of the second TRP;

selecting, by the network entity, a subset of the first formats and the second formats for supporting backhaul communications between the first TRP and the second TRP, wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats is selected in accordance with the TRP capabilities of the first TRP and the second TRP; and

signaling, by the network entity, indications of the first formats of the first subframes, the second formats of the second subframes, and the subset of the first formats and the second formats to the first TRP and the second TRP.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the TRP capabilities comprises at least one of self-interference cancellation capability, or integrated access and backhaul (JAB) capability.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting the subset of the first formats and the second formats is also in accordance with at least one of first requested formats of subframes supporting access communications of the first TRP or second requested formats of subframes supporting access communications of the second TRP.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting the first formats is also in accordance with first requested formats of subframes supporting access communications of the first TRP, and wherein selecting the second formats is also in accordance with second requested formats of subframes supporting access communications of the second TRP.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second TRPs are self-interference cancellation capable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises all formats of the first and second formats.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein one of the first or second TRPs is self-interference cancellation incapable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises formats that correspond to the one of the first or second TRPs that is self-interference cancellation incapable.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second TRPs are self-interference cancellation incapable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises conflicting formats of the first and second formats.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the TRP capability further comprises access and backhaul multiplexing in at least one of a time domain, a frequency domain, or a space domain.

18 . A first transmit-receive point (TRP) comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the one or more processors, the programming including instructions to configure the first TRP to:

determine first formats of subframes supporting access communications between the first TRP and user equipments (UEs) served by the first TRP,

determine a subset of the subframes supporting access communications, the subset of the subframes supports backhaul communications between the first TRP and a second TRP, and

communicate with a UE over an access link in accordance with the subset of the subframes.

19 . The first TRP of claim 18 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to communicate with the second TRP in accordance with the first formats.

20 . The first TRP of claim 18 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to provide a first TRP capability to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications.

21 . The first TRP of claim 18 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to provide to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, first requested formats of subframes supporting access communications between the first TRP and the UEs served by the first TRP.

22 . The first TRP of claim 18 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to receive a second TRP capability of the second TRP, and provide to a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, the second TRP capability of the second TRP.

23 . The first TRP of claim 22 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to receive second requested formats of subframes supporting access communications between the second TRP and UEs served by the second TRP, and provide the second requested formats to the network entity.

24 . The first TRP of claim 18 , wherein the programming includes instructions to configure the first TRP to one of retrieve the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a memory, receive the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a network entity determining formats of subframes supporting access communications and formats of subframes supporting backhaul communications, or receive the first formats and the subset of the subframes from a third TRP.

25 . A network entity comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the one or more processors, the programming including instructions to configure the network entity to:

select first formats of first subframes supporting access communications at a first transmit-receive point (TRP) in accordance with TRP capabilities of the first TRP,

select second formats of second subframes supporting access communications at a second TRP in accordance with TRP capabilities of the second TRP,

select a subset of the first formats and the second formats for supporting backhaul communications between the first TRP and the second TRP, wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats is selected in accordance with the TRP capabilities of the first TRP and the second TRP, and

signal indications of the first formats of the first subframes, the second formats of the second subframes, and the subset of the first formats and the second formats to the first TRP and the second TRP.

26 . The network entity of claim 25 , wherein the first and second TRPs are self-interference cancellation capable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises all formats of the first and second formats.

27 . The network entity of claim 25 , wherein one of the first or second TRPs is self-interference cancellation incapable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises formats that correspond to the one of the first or second TRPs that is self-interference cancellation incapable.

28 . The network entity of claim 25 , wherein the first and second TRPs are self-interference cancellation incapable within a single sector, and wherein the subset of the first formats and the second formats comprises conflicting formats of the first and second formats.