IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,633,966
Granted Patent B2
US 12,633,966 · App. 17/920,079 · Granted May 19, 2026

Grouping in series-connected radios

Inventors: Magnus Nilsson (Lund, SE); Peter Jakobsson (Lund, SE); Jan Curt Gustaf Celander (Malmö, SE); Hans Oskar Martin Isberg (Lund, SE); Torsten Carlsson (Lund, SE); Magnus Sandgren (Staffanstorp, SE); Dandan Hao (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
H04B7/024H04L5/0051H04W48/08H04W74/0833
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,633,966
App. No.
17/920,079
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A distributed wireless system comprises a controlling node ( 20 ) and two or more antenna processing nodes ( 22 ) communicatively coupled to the controlling node ( 20 ) but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node ( 20 ). A method in the controlling node ( 20 ) comprises controlling ( 1110 ) a first subset of the antenna processing nodes ( 22 ) to transmit synchronization signal blocks, SSBs, having a first SSB identifier, the first subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes, and controlling ( 1120 ) a second subset of the antenna processing nodes ( 22 ) to transmit SSBs having a second SSB identifier, the second subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes ( 22 ) and being disjoint with the first subset.

Claims (43)

1 . A method, in a controlling node of a distributed wireless system that comprises the controlling node and two or more antenna processing nodes communicatively coupled to the controlling node but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node, the method comprising:

controlling a first subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) having a first SSB identifier, the first subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes;

controlling a second subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having a second SSB identifier, the second subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes and being disjoint with the first subset,

wherein controlling the antenna processing nodes to transmit the SSBs comprises including the SSBs in radio signals sent to the respective antenna processing nodes via one or more dielectric waveguides, for transmission by the respective antenna processing nodes, wherein the SSBs having the first SSB identifier and the SSBs having the second identifier are time-multiplexed in the radio signals within an SSB burst period.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises controlling one or more additional disjoint subsets of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having respective additional SSB identifiers.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first subset and the second subset each include two or more antenna processing nodes, and wherein:

controlling the first subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having the first SSB identifier comprises controlling each member of the first subset to transmit the SSBs having the first SSB identifier on a different component carrier than all other members of the first subset; and

controlling the second subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having the second SSB identifier comprises controlling each member of the second subset to transmit the SSBs having the second SSB identifier on a different component carrier than all other members of the second subset.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via one or more of the antenna processing nodes, a random access request from a wireless device; and

selecting an antenna processing node for one or more subsequent transmissions by mapping a timeslot in which the random access request was transmitted to an SSB identifier, identifying at least one antenna processing node transmitting SSBs with that SSB identifier, and selecting the antenna processing node for subsequent transmissions from among the identified at least one antenna processing node.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises identifying which component carrier was used by the wireless device to transmit the random access request and selecting the antenna processing node for one or more subsequent transmissions from among the identified at least one antenna processing nodes by selecting an antenna processing node that transmitted SSBs on the identified component carrier.

6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

subsequently receiving from the wireless device, via one or more of the antenna processing nodes, measurement reports corresponding to multiple channel-state-information (CSI) reference signal configurations, each of the multiple CSI reference signal configurations corresponding to a unique combination of SSB and antenna processing node beam shaping; and

selecting a combination of antenna processing node and antenna processing node beam shaping, based on the received measurement reports.

7 . A controlling node for use in a distributed wireless system that comprises the controlling node and two or more antenna processing nodes communicatively coupled to the controlling node but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node, wherein the controlling node is adapted to carry out a method according to claim 1 .

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for executing by processing circuitry in a controlling node for use in a distributed wireless system that comprises the controlling node and two or more antenna processing nodes communicatively coupled to the controlling node but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node, the program instructions comprising instructions adapted to cause the controlling node to carry out a method according to claim 1 .

9 . A method, in a distributed wireless system that comprises a controlling node and two or more antenna processing nodes communicatively coupled to the controlling node but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node, the method comprising:

the controlling node controlling a first subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) having a first SSB identifier, the first subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes;

the controlling node controlling a second subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having a second SSB identifier, the second subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes and being disjoint with the first subset; and

the first and second subsets of antenna processing nodes transmitting the SSBs having the first SSB identifier and the SSBs having the second SSB identifier, respectively,

wherein controlling the first and the second subsets of the antenna processing nodes to transmit the SSBs comprises including the SSBs in radio signals sent to the respective antenna processing nodes via one or more dielectric waveguides, for transmission by the respective antenna processing nodes, wherein the SSBs having the first SSB identifier and the SSBs having the second identifier are time-multiplexed in the radio signals within an SSB burst period.

10 . A controlling node for use in a distributed wireless system that comprises the controlling node and two or more antenna processing nodes communicatively coupled to the controlling node but spatially separated from each other and from the controlling node, the controlling node comprising:

interface circuitry configured to send information to and receive information from a plurality of antenna processing nodes;

processing circuitry operatively coupled to and configured to control the interface circuitry and configured to:

control a first subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) having a first SSB identifier, the first subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes;

control a second subset of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having a second SSB identifier, the second subset including one or more of the antenna processing nodes and being disjoint with the first subset,

wherein the interface circuitry comprises a dielectric waveguide interface configured to transmit and receive radiofrequency (RF) signals via a respective dielectric waveguide, to and from a first antenna processing node in a series of antenna processing nodes connected to one another via dielectric waveguides, and wherein the controlling node further comprises:

receive circuitry;

transmit circuitry operatively coupled to a first dielectric waveguide interface and configured to transmit RF signals via the first dielectric waveguide interface and receive RF signals via the first dielectric waveguide interface;

baseband and radio processing circuitry configured to generate RF signals from baseband signals; and

wherein the processing circuitry is operatively coupled to and configured to control the receive circuitry, the transmit circuitry, and the baseband and radio processing circuitry to control the first and the second subsets of the antenna processing nodes to transmit the SSBs having the first and the second SSB identifiers by controlling the receive circuitry, the transmit circuitry, and the baseband and radio processing circuitry to include the SSBs in radio signals sent to the respective antenna processing nodes via the dielectric waveguide interface for transmission by the respective antenna processing nodes, and wherein the SSBs having the first SSB identifier and the SSBs having the second identifier are time-multiplexed in the radio signals within an SSB burst period.

11 . The controlling node of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control one or more additional disjoint subsets of the antenna processing nodes to transmit SSBs having respective additional SSB identifiers.

12 . The controlling node of claim 10 , wherein the first subset and the second subset each include two or more antenna processing nodes, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to

control each member of the first subset to transmit the SSBs having the first SSB identifier on a different component carrier than all other members of the first subset; and

control each member of the second subset to transmit the SSBs having the second SSB identifier on a different component carrier than all other members of the second subset.

13 . The controlling node of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, via one or more of the antenna processing nodes, a random access request from a wireless device; and

select an antenna processing node for one or more subsequent transmissions by mapping a timeslot in which the random access request was transmitted to an SSB identifier, identifying at least one antenna processing node transmitting SSBs with that SSB identifier, and selecting the antenna processing node for subsequent transmissions from among the identified at least one antenna processing node.

14 . The controlling node of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify which component carrier was used by the wireless device to transmit the random access request and select the antenna processing node for one or more subsequent transmissions from among the identified at least one antenna processing nodes by selecting an antenna processing node that transmitted SSBs on the identified component carrier.

15 . The controlling node of claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

subsequently receive from the wireless device, via one or more of the antenna processing nodes, measurement reports corresponding to multiple channel-state-information (CSI) reference signal configurations, each of the multiple CSI reference signal configurations corresponding to a unique combination of SSB and antenna processing node beam shaping; and

select a combination of antenna processing node and antenna processing node beam shaping, based on the received measurement reports.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2022
From: NILSSON, MAGNUS; JAKOBSSON, PETER; CELANDER, JAN CURT GUSTAF; ISBERG, MARTIN HANS OSKAR; CARLSSON, TORSTEN; SANDGREN, MAGNUS; HAO, DANDAN
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 061478/0952 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230188180A1 · Jun 15, 2023
References Cited (13)
US 20120178468A1 · Jeong · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20180139036A1 · Islam · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190349162A1 · Qi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200059970A1 · Islam · 2020 [cited by examiner]
WO 2020019155A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020067829A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
3GPP , “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception (Release 16)”, 3GPP TS 38.104 V16.3.0, Mar. 2020, 1-258. [cited by applicant]
3GPP , “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification (Release 15)”, 3GPP TS 38.331 V15.7.0, Sep. 2019, 1-527. [cited by applicant]
CAICT , “Discussion on extensions of SSBs for inter-IAB-node discovery and measurements”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #96, R1-1902921, Athens, Greece, Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 2019, 1-3. [cited by applicant]
Dahlman, Erik , et al., “5G NR The Next Generation Wireless Access Technology”, Academic Press, Elsevier Ltd., 2018, 469 pages. [cited by applicant]
IEEE Computer Society , “IEEE Std 802.3-2018, Section 4”, IEEE Standard for Ethernet, Revision of IEEE Std 802.3-2015, IEEE New York, NY, Jun. 14, 2018, 1-909. [cited by applicant]
Interdonato, Giovanni , “Signal Processing Aspects of Cell-Free Massive MIMO”, Linkoping Studies in Science and Technology Licentiate Thesis No. 1817, Licentiate Thesis, Linkoping University, Sep. 21, 2018, 49 pages. [cited by applicant]
Samsung , “Support of SSBs for IAB Node Discovery and Measurement”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #96, R1-1902269, Athens, Greece, Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 2019, 1-6. [cited by applicant]