IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,574,171
Granted Patent B2
US 12,574,171 · App. 17/840,522 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Waveform switching for downlink transmissions

Inventors: Mahmoud Taherzadeh Boroujeni (San Diego, CA); Tao Luo (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04L5/0028H04L5/0007H04L5/0023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,574,171
App. No.
17/840,522
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects relate to transmission of a downlink signal. A network entity such as a base station may use different waveforms for downlink transmissions in different scenarios. In some examples, the network entity may send an indication of a waveform switch to a user equipment. In some examples, the indication may specify that a particular waveform is to be used for a downlink transmission and/or a particular waveform parameter is to be used for a downlink transmission.

Claims (65)

1 . A first apparatus for communication, comprising:

at least one transceiver;

a processing system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices and configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver and from a second apparatus, a first indication of a waveform switch from a first type of waveform to a second type of waveform associated with an uplink transmission, wherein the first indication of the waveform switch specifies: whether a discrete Fourier transform-spread-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether a cyclic prefix-OFDM (CP-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether an orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, a type of precoding used for the uplink transmission, or whether transform precoding is used for the uplink transmission; and

receive, via the at least one transceiver and from the second apparatus, a downlink transmission after the first indication of the waveform switch is received, wherein to received the downlink transmission, the processing system is further configured to decode the downlink transmission based on the second type of waveform according to a configuration that specifies that a switch of an uplink waveform is linked to a switch of a downlink waveform.

2 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first indication further specifies, for the uplink transmission, at least one of: a type of filtering, a type of pulse shaping, or a length of a cyclic prefix.

3 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the type of precoding comprises transform precoding.

4 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

switch, after the first indication of the waveform switch is received, to use the DFT-S-OFDM waveform; or

switch, after the first indication of the waveform switch is received, to use the CP-OFDM waveform.

5 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to receive a radio resource control (RRC) message; and

the RRC message includes the first indication of the waveform switch.

6 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to receive a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE); and

the MAC-CE includes the first indication of the first type of waveform switch.

7 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to receive downlink control information (DCI); and

the DCI includes the first indication of the waveform switch.

8 . The first apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:

the DCI comprises a group common DCI; and

the processing system is further configured to identify a particular waveform or waveform parameter to be used to receive the downlink transmission based on the group common DCI and a configuration.

9 . The first apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the configuration is specified by a wireless communication standard.

10 . The first apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver, the configuration from a network entity.

11 . The first apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

commence using the second type of waveform a defined period of time after obtaining the first indication of the waveform switch.

12 . The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the defined period of time is specified by a wireless communication standard.

13 . The first apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver, a second indication of the defined period of time from the second apparatus.

14 . The first apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, a third indication of a capability of the first apparatus associated with waveform switch timing; and

the second indication is based on the third indication.

15 . The first apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first apparatus is configured as a user equipment.

16 . A method for communication by a wireless node, the method comprising:

receiving, from a second apparatus, a first indication of a waveform switch from a first type of waveform to a second type of waveform associated with an uplink transmission, wherein the first indication of the waveform switch specifies:

whether a discrete Fourier transform-spread-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether a cyclic prefix-OFDM (CP-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether an orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, a type of precoding used for the uplink transmission, or whether transform precoding is used for the uplink transmission; and

receiving, from the second apparatus and via radio-frequency signaling, a downlink transmission after the first indication of the waveform switch is received, wherein receiving the downlink transmission comprises decoding the downlink transmission based on the second type of waveform according to a configuration that specifies that a switch of an uplink waveform is linked to a switch of a downlink waveform.

17 . A first apparatus for communication, comprising:

at least one transceiver;

a processing system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices and configured to:

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, a first indication of a waveform switch from a first type of waveform to a second type of waveform associated with an uplink transmission, wherein the first indication of the waveform switch specifies: whether a discrete Fourier transform—spread—orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether a cyclic prefix-OFDM (CP-OFDM) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, whether an orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) waveform is used for the uplink transmission, a type of precoding used for the uplink transmission, or whether transform precoding is used for the uplink transmission; and

encode the downlink transmission based on the second type of waveform according to a configuration that specifies that a switch of an uplink waveform is linked to a switch of a downlink waveform; and

transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the encoded downlink transmission after the first indication of the waveform switch is transmitted.

18 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

select the second type of waveform based on a frequency range associated with the uplink transmission.

19 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

select the second type of waveform based on a sub-carrier spacing associated with the uplink transmission.

20 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:

the first indication of the waveform switch comprises at least one waveform parameter; and

the processing system is further configured to select the at least one waveform parameter based on at least one of: inter-band interference or inter-symbol interference.

21 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the configuration that specifies that the switch of the uplink waveform is linked to the switch of the downlink waveform.

22 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:

the processing system is further configured to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, at least one configuration for at least one user equipment that maps the second type of waveform to a particular waveform or waveform parameter;

the processing system is further configured to transmit, via the at least one transceiver, group common downlink control information (DCI); and

the group common DCI includes the first indication of the waveform switch.

23 . The first apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

transmit, via the at least one transceiver and to a second apparatus, a second indication of a processing period of time associated with downlink waveform switching.

24 . The first apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive, via the at least one transceiver, a third indication of a capability of the second apparatus associated with downlink waveform switch timing; and

select the processing period of time based on the third indication of the capability of the second apparatus.

25 . The first apparatus of claim 17 ,

wherein the first apparatus is configured as a network entity.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2022
From: TAHERZADEH BOROUJENI, MAHMOUD; LUO, TAO
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 060569/0291 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230403110A1 · Dec 14, 2023
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