Beam measurement and reporting in cellular networks
New radio (NR), also known as fifth generation (5G) radio or fifth generation long term evolution (5G LTE)) uses a measurement gap that allows for measurement on different beams, multiple frame structure and inter-radio access technology measurement. For example, in measurement on the different beams, the UE ( 114 ) and eNB ( 304 ) beam sweep (i.e., change analog beam transmitter). The UE ( 114 ) can measure different beams from a fifth generation node B (gNB) and/or other RAN nodes. The measurement gap can be used for intrafrequency/interfrequency measurement when beam specific reference signals (BRSs) are not transmitted in the same subframe. A multiple frame structure can use the specific measurement configuration to utilize the beam resources efficiently. LTE and NR and other interRAT measurement can also use the measurement gap.
1. An apparatus of a radio access network (RAN) node for inter-frequency beam measurements comprising:
a memory interface to access information about a beam measurement gap pattern for beam specific reference signal (BRS) measurement;
a baseband processing unit configured to:
configure the beam measurement gap pattern for a user equipment (UE) performing inter-frequency beam measurements of a set of beams created by beamforming using BRS;
generate an information element for the UE indicating the beam measurement gap pattern and an indicator of a carrier for the inter-frequency beam measurements, wherein the information element comprises a flag to indicate the beam measurement gap pattern is for the BRS measurement;
prevent scheduling the UE during a gap of the beam measurement gap pattern; and
process a report from the UE providing results of the inter-frequency beam measurements.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the BRS are transmitted by one or more neighboring RAN nodes.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inter-frequency beam measurements include a transmission beam measurement of the RAN node.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inter-frequency beam measurements include a receive beam measurement of the UE.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the report indicates beam sweep measurements performed by the UE.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inter-frequency beam measurements include inter-radio access technology (RAT) measurement.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the RAN node is a fifth generation node B (gNB).
8. An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) for reporting beam specific measurements comprising:
a memory interface to access data describing a beam measurement gap pattern for beam measurements;
a processing unit configured to:
decode a message comprising an indicator from a radio access network (RAN) node indicating the beam measurement gap pattern and an indicator of a set of beamformed beams for beam measurements during gaps of the beam measurement gap pattern, wherein the message comprises a flag to indicate the beam measurement gap pattern is for beam specific reference signal (BRS) measurement;
perform a set of beam measurements of the set of beamformed beams during the gaps of the beam measurement gap pattern as indicated by the message; and
generate a report from the UE to the RAN node providing results of the beam measurements.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of beam measurements are beam specific reference signal (BRS) measurements of beamformed beams formed by the RAN node.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of beam measurements are beam specific reference signal (BRS) measurements of beamformed beams formed by other RAN nodes.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of beamformed beams are transmission beams.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of beamformed beams are receive beams.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to perform a handover based at least in part on beam measurements.
14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the set of beam measurements are inter-frequency measurements.
15. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by a processor to perform operations of a radio access network (RAN) node for performing beam measurements in a cellular network, the operations, when executed by the processor, to perform a method, the method comprising:
configuring a beam measurement gap pattern for a user equipment (UE) performing inter-frequency beam measurements of a set of beams created by beamforming;
generating an information element for the UE comprising an indicator of the beam measurement gap pattern and an indicator of a beam for beam measurements, wherein the information element comprises a flag to indicate the beam measurement gap pattern is for beam specific reference signal (BRS) measurement;
avoiding scheduling the UE during a gap of the beam measurement gap pattern; and
processing a report from the UE providing results of the inter-frequency beam measurements.
16. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises generating a beam specific reference signal (BRS) for measurement by the UE.
17. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a beam specific reference signal (BRS) broadcast timing of one or more RAN nodes.
18. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the indicator of the beam for beam measurements further indicates a beam specific reference signal (BRS) burst.
19. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprising generating a beam specific reference signal (BRS) burst multiplexed with a BRS.
20. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the RAN node is a fifth generation node B (gNB).