Autonomous beam configuration in radio frequency repeaters
Aspects of the disclosure relate to beam configuration for RF repeaters. An RF repeater is configured to measure received power of one or more signals in the repeater for each of a plurality of beam directions. Further, the repeater determines a beam forming configuration for a fronthaul link between the repeater and at least one base station based on the measured received power of each of plurality of beam directions. The repeater may also be configured to determine beam configurations for access links between the repeater and user equipment.
1. A method of beam forming in a repeater in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
autonomously scanning in a plurality of directions;
receiving one or more signals from at least one of the plurality of directions during the scanning;
measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions;
autonomously determining, from the measuring received power, a direction associated with a base station among the plurality of directions; and
autonomously selecting a beam forming configuration corresponding to the direction associated with the base station and a fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions comprises:
measuring a total received analog power of all of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
utilizing a respective plurality of receive beamforming configurations to scan in the plurality of directions.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions comprises:
configuring a center frequency and a bandwidth of the repeater; and
measuring the received power of the one or more signals received around the center frequency and within the bandwidth.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions comprises:
configuring a plurality of respective center frequencies and bandwidths of the repeater; and
measuring the received power of the one or more signals received around each of the plurality of respective center frequencies and within the bandwidths.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions comprises:
reducing a bandwidth of the repeater associated with the one or more signals to a narrower bandwidth; and
measuring the received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions over the narrower bandwidth.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions comprises:
determining a plurality of a center frequencies and a plurality of bandwidths to search based on a plurality of predetermined synchronization raster locations used by one the base station to broadcast periodic signals.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions further comprises:
autonomously scanning each of the plurality of directions according to a periodicity of the broadcast periodic signals.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein
each of the periodic signals comprises a periodic burst, and the measuring received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions further comprises:
measuring within a time duration of each periodic burst.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
relaying other signals on the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station using the autonomously selected beam forming configuration.
11. A repeater in a wireless communication network, comprising:
a wireless transceiver;
a memory; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
autonomously scan in a plurality of directions;
receive one or more signals from at least one of the plurality of directions during the scan;
measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions;
autonomously determine, from the measured received power, a direction associated with a base station among the plurality of directions; and
autonomously select a beam forming configuration corresponding to the direction associated with the base station and a fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station.
12. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
relay other signals on the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station using the autonomously selected beam forming configuration.
13. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
measure a total received analog power of all of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions.
14. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
utilize a respective plurality of receive beamforming configurations to scan in the plurality of directions.
15. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
configure a center frequency and a bandwidth of the repeater, and
measure the received power of the one or more signals received around the center frequency and within the bandwidth.
16. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
configure a plurality of respective center frequencies and bandwidths of the repeater, and
measure the received power of the one or more signals received around each of the plurality of respective center frequencies and within the bandwidths.
17. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
reduce a bandwidth of the repeater associated with the one or more signals to a narrower bandwidth, and
measure the received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions over the narrower bandwidth.
18. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
determine a plurality of a center frequencies and a plurality of bandwidths to search based on a plurality of predetermined synchronization raster locations used by the base station to broadcast periodic signals.
19. The repeater of claim 18 , wherein to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
autonomously scanning each of the plurality of directions according to a periodicity of the broadcast periodic signals.
20. The repeater of claim 18 , wherein
each of the periodic signals comprises a periodic burst, and
to measure received power of the one or more signals from the at least one of the plurality of directions, the processor and the memory are further configured to:
measure within a time duration of each periodic burst.