Granted Patent B2

US 12,362,797 · App. 18/149,602 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Inventors: Jianhua Mo (Allen, TX); Ahmad AlAmmouri (Garland, TX); Boon Loong Ng (Plano, TX); Vishnu Vardhan Ratnam (Plano, TX); Jianzhong Zhang (Plano, TX)

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

H04B7/0617H04B7/086

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. A base station (BS), comprising:

a processor configured to:

identify criteria associated with a set of user equipments (UEs) in a cell of the BS, wherein the criteria include an uplink (UL) signal strength metric for each UE in the set of UEs, and

determine, based on the criteria, a first subset of the set of UEs to use a joint phase-time array (JPTA) beamforming for coverage enhancement including to determine to include a first UE in the first subset of UEs to use the JPTA beamforming for coverage enhancement based on comparison of the UL signal strength metric of the first UE to a threshold; and

a transceiver operably coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to:

use the JPTA beamforming for signaling with the first subset of UEs, and

use an analog beamforming for signaling with a second subset of UEs in the set of UEs.

2. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine, for the first UE in the set of UEs, the UL signal strength metric based on measurement of an UL signal received from the first UE.

3. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a beam management procedure based on UL signals received from a second UE in the set of UEs,

determine, based on the beam management procedure, a beam to use to receive an UL transmission from the second UE, and

determine to include the second UE in the first subset of UEs to use the JPTA beamforming based on identification that the determined beam is a JPTA beam.

4. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating that the JPTA beamforming to transmit on a first set of UL symbols and to use the analog beamforming to transmit on a second set of UL symbols.

5. The BS of claim 1 , wherein:

the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating to use the JPTA beamforming, and

the information is included in at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a beam change indication, a media access control-control channel, or downlink control information.

6. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating to use the JPTA beamforming for an uplink transmission and a downlink reception on a same frequency resource.

7. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of UEs is associated with an edge of the cell.

8. A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

transmit an uplink (UL) signal to a base station (BS), and

receive, from the BS, information regarding whether to use joint phase-time array (JPTA) beamforming; and

a processor operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to determine, based on the information, whether to use the JPTA beamforming for coverage enhancement or analog beamforming, wherein whether the UE is to use the JPTA beamforming is based on comparison of an UL signal strength metric associated with the UL signal to a threshold,

wherein, when the information indicates to use the JPTA beamforming, the transceiver is further configured to use the JPTA beamforming for signaling with the BS, and

wherein, when the information indicates to use the analog beamforming, the transceiver is further configured to use the analog beamforming for the signaling with the BS.

9. The BS of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

use the JPTA beamforming for signaling with the first subset of UEs in a first portion of a slot, and

use the analog beamforming for signaling with the second subset of UEs in a second portion of the slot.

10. The UE of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

perform a beam management procedure with the BS based on UL signals transmitted by the transceiver, and

determine, as a result of the beam management procedure, a beam to use for the signaling with the BS,

wherein whether the UE is to use the JPTA beamforming is based on whether the determined beam is associated with a JPTA beam.

11. The UE of claim 8 , wherein the information indicates to use the JPTA beamforming to transmit on a first set of UL symbols and to use the analog beamforming to transmit on a second set of UL symbols.

12. The UE of claim 8 , wherein:

the information indicates to use the JPTA beamforming, and

the information is included in at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a beam change indication, a media access control-control channel, or downlink control information.

13. The UE of claim 8 , wherein the information indicates to use the JPTA beamforming for an uplink transmission and a downlink reception on a same frequency resource.

14. The UE of claim 8 , wherein:

the information indicates to use the JPTA beamforming, and

the UE is associated with an edge of a cell of the BS.

15. A method for operating a base station (BS), the method comprising:

identifying criteria associated with a set of user equipments (UEs) in a cell of the BS, wherein the criteria include an uplink (UL) signal strength metric for each UE in the set of UEs;

determining, based on the criteria, a first subset of the set of UEs to use a joint phase-time array (JPTA) beamforming for coverage enhancement including to determine to include a first UE in the first subset of UEs to use the JPTA beamforming for coverage enhancement based on comparison of the UL signal strength metric of the first UE to a threshold;

using the JPTA beamforming for signaling with the first subset of UEs; and

using an analog beamforming for signaling with a second subset of UEs in the set of UEs.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises determining, for the first UE in the set of UEs, the UL signal strength metric based on measurement of an UL signal received from the first UE.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

performing a beam management procedure based on UL signals received from a second UE in the set of UEs;

determining, based on the beam management procedure, a beam to use to receive an UL transmission from the second UE; and

determining to include the second UE in the first subset of UEs to use the JPTA beamforming based on identification that the determined beam is a JPTA beam.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating that the JPTA beamforming to transmit on a first set of UL symbols and to use the analog beamforming to transmit on a second set of UL symbols.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

transmitting, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating to use the JPTA beamforming,

wherein the information is included in at least one of a radio resource control configuration, a beam change indication, a media access control-control channel, or downlink control information.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting, to one or more UEs in the first subset of UEs, information indicating to use the JPTA beamforming for an uplink transmission and a downlink reception on a same frequency resource.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (96)