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:
selecting a first beam forming configuration, corresponding to a first direction, to serve a fronthaul link between the repeater and a base station;
receiving one or more signals from at least one user equipment (UE);
measuring received power of the one or more signals in a plurality of directions except the first direction selected to serve the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station; and
selecting a second beam forming configuration corresponding to a second direction, different from the first direction, to serve an access link between the repeater and the at least one UE based on the measured received power of the one or more signals in the plurality of directions.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link further comprises:
comparing the measured received power of the one or more signals with a first power threshold; and
prohibiting a selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power greater than the first power threshold.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link further comprises:
comparing the measured received power of the one or more signals with a second power threshold; and
prohibiting a further selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power less than the second power threshold.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting one or more relayed signals via the access link using the second beam forming configuration.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the first beam forming configuration is based on predetermined measurement information used for previously establishing a fronthaul beam configuration for the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station.
6. A repeater in a wireless communication network, comprising:
a wireless transceiver;
one or more memories; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the one or more memories, the one or more processors being configured to, based at least in part on information stored in the one or more memories:
select a first beam forming configuration, corresponding to a first direction, to serve a fronthaul link between the repeater and a base station;
receive one or more signals from at least one user equipment (UE);
measure received power of the one or more signals in a plurality of directions except the first direction selected to serve the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station; and
select a second beam forming configuration corresponding to a second direction, different from the first direction, to serve an access link between the repeater and the at least one UE based on the measured received power of the one or more signals in the plurality of directions.
7. The repeater of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link by being further configured to:
compare the measured received power of the one or more signals with a first power threshold; and
prohibit a selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power greater than the first power threshold.
8. The repeater of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link by being further configured to:
compare the measured received power of the one or more signals with a second power threshold; and
prohibit a further selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power less than the second power threshold.
9. The repeater of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit one or more relayed signals via the access link using the second beam forming configuration.
10. The repeater of claim 6 , wherein to select the first beam forming configuration, the one or more processors are further configured to is based on predetermined measurement information used for previously establishing a fronthaul beam configuration for the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station.
11. A repeater in a wireless communication network, comprising:
means for selecting a first beam forming configuration, corresponding to a first direction, to serve a fronthaul link between the repeater and a base station;
means for receiving one or more signals from at least one user equipment (UE);
means for measuring received power of the one or more signals in a plurality of directions except the first direction selected to serve the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station; and
means for selecting a second beam forming configuration corresponding to a second direction, different from the first direction, to serve an access link between the repeater and the at least one UE based on the measured received power of the one or more signals in the plurality of directions.
12. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein the means for selecting the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link further comprises:
means for comparing the measured received power of the one or more signals with a first power threshold; and
means for prohibiting a selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power greater than the first power threshold.
13. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein the means for selecting the second beam forming configuration to serve the access link further comprises:
means for comparing the measured received power of the one or more signals with a second power threshold; and
means for prohibiting a further selecting of the second beam forming configuration from one or more directions corresponding to signals of the one or more signals having a corresponding measured received power less than the second power threshold.
14. The repeater of claim 11 , further comprising:
means for transmitting one or more relayed signals via the access link using the second beam forming configuration.
15. The repeater of claim 11 , wherein selecting the first beam forming configuration is based on predetermined measurement information used for previously establishing a fronthaul beam configuration for the fronthaul link between the repeater and the base station.