Mobility for radio devices using beamforming and selection
Multiple mobility sets are maintained for nodes of radio networks. The sets comprise information such as: transmit and receive point identities; cell identities; beam identities; frequency channels; channel bandwidth; and black lists. The sets may be defined at different levels, such as network and physical (PHY) level. A network mobility set, e.g., a new-radio (NR) mobility set may, be determined by the gNB, the cell, the UE, or another device. Multiple radio access network nodes and UEs may exchange mobility set information to achieve a distributed mobility solution. A UE may monitor its orientation relative to a TRP, e.g., via use of an onboard MEMS gyroscope, and alter its beamforming parameters in response to changes in orientation and/or changes in TRP connection strength. Cell selection and reselection for beam based networks may use Single Frequency Network (SFN) broadcast of initial access signals without beam sweeping.
1. A first apparatus comprising a processor, a memory, and communication circuitry, the first apparatus being connected to a communications network via its communication circuitry, the first apparatus further comprising computer-executable instructions stored in the memory of the first apparatus which, when executed by the processor of the first apparatus, cause the first apparatus to:
a. establish a connection with a second apparatus, the second apparatus comprising an entity managing operations of a first radio access network;
b. obtain a first mobility set via communications with the second apparatus, the first mobility set comprising a first list of beams and transmit-and-receive points within the first radio access network;
c. derive, based on a measurement of communications conditions with beams and transmit-and-receive points within the first mobility set, a second mobility set.
2. The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second mobility set comprises:
a. a first set of beams, where the first set of beams comprises beams of the first apparatus selected based on one or more beam forming options for the communications circuitry of the first apparatus; and
b. a second set of beams, where the second set of beams comprises one or more beams of the transmit-and-receive points of the second apparatus.
3. The first apparatus of claim 2 , the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:
a. select, based on a second beam selected from the second set of beams, a first beam from the first set of beams or the second set of beams;
b. use the first beam for communications;
c. observe a status change of the first apparatus, where the status change is a mobility event or a change in the angle or orientation of the first apparatus;
d. select, based on the status change, a third beam from the first set of beams;
e. switch to using the third beam for communications.
4. The first apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:
a. select, based on a second beam selected from the second set of beams, a first beam from the first set of beams;
b. use the first beam for communications;
c. observe a status change of the first apparatus, where the status change is a mobility event or a change in the angle or orientation of the first apparatus;
d. alter, based on the status change, a characteristic of the first beam.
5. The first apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the first apparatus to use joint transmission or reception via a plurality of beams.
6. The first apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the first apparatus to determine a threshold for the status change, where the threshold is based at least in part on the width of the second beam.
7. The first apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to determine, based at least in part on a measurement of received power, received quality, signal to noise interference ration, or strength indicator of a reference signal received via the first beam, a threshold for the status change.
8. The first apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to report to the second apparatus the status change and an observation based on the measurement of communications conditions with one or more beams or transmit-and-receive points within the second set of beams of the second mobility set.
9. The first apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to adjust the width of the first beam.
10. The first apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to, after reporting to the second apparatus the status change, perform an on-demand beamforming training procedure with a selected transmit-and-receive point.
11. A first apparatus comprising a processor, a memory, and communication circuitry, the first apparatus being connected to a communications network via its communication circuitry, the first apparatus further comprising computer-executable instructions stored in the memory of the first apparatus which, when executed by the processor of the first apparatus, cause the first apparatus to:
a. obtain, via beamforming training, a serving set of beams, the serving set of beams comprising one or more beams for both uplink transmission and downlink reception to and from a second apparatus;
b. communicate with the second apparatus via the serving set of beams;
c. maintain a candidate set of beams, the candidate set of beams comprising one or more beams having angles relative to beams of the serving set of beams;
d. observe a status change of the first apparatus, where the status change is a mobility event or a change in the angle or orientation of the first apparatus; and
e. determine, based on the status change, to communicate with the second apparatus using the candidate set of beams.
12. The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the first apparatus to select one or more beams of the candidate set of beams based on an amount of change in the angle or orientation of the first apparatus.
13. The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the first apparatus to:
a. monitor a communication quality of the serving set of beams and the candidate set of beams;
b. determine, based on a change in the communication quality of the serving set of beams and the candidate set of beams, to communicate with the second apparatus using the candidate set of beams.
14. The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the first apparatus to report, to the second apparatus, information regarding the status change and the candidate set of beams.
15. The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the first apparatus to send a request, to the second apparatus, for beamforming training to be performed by the second apparatus.