Access procedure of smart directional repeaters
Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus, methods, processing systems, and computer readable mediums to enhance the functionality of directional repeaters (wireless devices that relay directional wireless signals). For example, aspects of the present disclosure may help enable repeaters to provide greater assistance in an access procedure, for example, by generating and sending SSBs without (or with limited) gNB involvement and monitoring for RACH-related transmissions.
1. A processing system for wireless communications by a first wireless device, comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to execute instructions stored on one or more memories and to cause the first wireless device to:
receive a configuration from at least one network entity to utilize receive beams to receive radio frequency (RF) signals from the at least one network entity and utilize transmit beams to forward RF signals to at least one second wireless device, wherein the configuration enables the first wireless device to generate one or more synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) independent of SSBs generated by the at least one network entity; and
participate in an access procedure between the at least one network entity and the at least one second wireless device by at least generating and sending RF signals, via the transmit beams, to the at least one second wireless device.
2. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein the generated RF signals comprise at least one of reference signals (RSs), a broadcast channel, or system information (SI).
3. The processing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to:
store digital samples of copies of signals received from the at least one network entity; and
generate the signals based on the stored digital samples.
4. The processing system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to:
obtain information sufficient to generate the RSs; and
generate the RSs based on the obtained information.
5. The processing system of claim 4 , wherein the information comprises at least one of a physical cell identity (PCI) or timing information.
6. The processing system of claim 4 , wherein the information is obtained from the at least one network entity.
7. The processing system of claim 4 , wherein in order to obtain the information, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to derive the information based on signals received from the at least one network entity.
8. The processing system of claim 1 , wherein in order to participate in the access procedure, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to process random access channel (RACH) transmissions.
9. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein in order to process the RACH transmissions, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to monitor RACH occasions (ROs) to detect RACH preamble candidates, and the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to forward the RACH transmissions corresponding to the detected RACH preamble candidates.
10. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein in order to process the RACH transmissions, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to at least one of:
measure received power to detect if a RACH transmission is received; or
search for a reduced set of RACH preamble candidates.
11. The processing system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to:
provide a report to the at least one network entity indicating a result of detecting RACH transmissions.
12. The processing system of claim 11 , wherein the report comprises at least one of:
an indication of one or more detected RACH preamble identifiers (IDs);
time and frequency resources of one or more detected RACH preamble IDs;
a received signal metric for one or more detected RACH preamble IDs;
timing information for one or more detected RACH preamble IDs;
at least one of transmit or receive beams for one or more detected RACH preamble IDs; or
transmit power for one or more detected RACH preamble IDs.
13. The processing system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the first wireless device to:
receive, from the at least one network entity after providing the report, control information for processing additional RACH-related messages; and
process the additional RACH-related messages in accordance with the control information.
14. The processing system of claim 13 , wherein:
the control information indicates at least one of content or resources for at least one of the additional RACH-related messages that is to be relayed from the at least one network entity to a user equipment (UE).
15. A method for wireless communications by a first wireless device, comprising:
receiving a configuration from at least one network entity to utilize receive beams to receive radio frequency (RF) signals from the at least one network entity and utilize transmit beams to forward RF signals to at least one second wireless device, wherein the configuration enables the first wireless device to generate one or more synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) independent of SSBs generated by the at least one network entity; and
participating in an access procedure between the at least one network entity and the at least one second wireless device by at least generating and sending RF signals, via the transmit beams, to the at least one second wireless device.