Determining channel state information in 5G or other next generation wireless communication systems with multiple transmission points
The described technology is generally directed towards indicating to a receiver (e.g., a user equipment) which antenna ports are assigned for channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS). The indicator can be sent as radio resource control configuration data and/or by physical layer signaling such as in downlink control information. The receiver computes CSI based on the assigned antenna port or ports, and the reported (e.g., joint) CSI helps avoid mismatched joint CSI used for scheduling when multiple transmit and receive points (TRPs) are communicating with the user equipment.
1. A method, comprising:
determining, by first network equipment comprising a processor, a first antenna port of the first network equipment for transmission of first channel state information reference signals to a user equipment, and a second antenna port of second network equipment for transmission second channel state information reference signals to the user equipment; and
facilitating, by the first network equipment, transmitting, to the user equipment, a combined indication specifying that a combination of the first antenna port of the first network equipment and the second antenna port of the second network equipment will be transmitting the first channel state information reference signals and the second channel state information reference signals to the user equipment.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising facilitating, by the first network equipment, transmitting the first channel state information reference signals to the user equipment via the first antenna port.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising facilitating, by the first network equipment, receiving joint channel state information responsive to transmitting the first channel state information reference signals.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the combined indication comprises transmitting the combined indication via a radio resource control configuration message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the combined indication comprises transmitting the combined indication using physical layer signaling.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the combined indication comprises transmitting the combined indication in downlink control information.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the combined indication comprises transmitting an index value for a data structure that maps index values to antenna port identifiers.
8. A first base station, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
determining a first antenna port of the first base station for transmission of first channel state information reference signals to a user equipment, and a second antenna port of a second base station for transmission second channel state information reference signals to the user equipment, and
sending, to the user equipment, a joint indication specifying that a combination of the first antenna port of the first base station and the second antenna port of the second base station is going to be transmitting the first channel state information reference signals and the second channel state information reference signals to the user equipment.
9. The first base station of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise sending the first channel state information reference signals to the user equipment via the first antenna port.
10. The first base station of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving joint channel state information responsive to sending the first channel state information reference signals.
11. The first base station of claim 8 , wherein sending the joint indication comprises sending the joint indication via a radio resource control configuration message.
12. The first base station of claim 8 , wherein sending the joint indication comprises sending the joint indication using physical layer signaling.
13. The first base station of claim 8 , wherein sending the joint indication comprises sending the joint indication in downlink control information.
14. The first base station of claim 8 , wherein sending the joint indication comprises sending at least one index value for a data structure that maps index values to antenna port identifiers.
15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first access point, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
determining a first antenna port of the first access point for transmission of first channel state information reference signals to a mobile device, and a second antenna port of a second access point for transmission second channel state information reference signals to the mobile device, and
communicating, to the mobile device, a combined indication specifying that the first antenna port of the first access point is designated to transmit the first channel state information reference signals to the mobile device and the second antenna port of the second access point is designated to transmit the second channel state information reference signals to the mobile device.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise communicating the first channel state information reference signals to the mobile device via the first antenna port.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving joint channel state information responsive to communicating the first channel state information reference signals.
18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein communicating the combined indication comprises communicating the combined indication via a radio resource control configuration message.
19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein communicating the combined indication comprises communicating the combined indication using physical layer signaling.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein communicating the combined indication comprises communicating the combined indication in downlink control information.