IP Library Granted Patent US 12,457,019
Granted Patent B2
US 12,457,019 · App. 18/227,872 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Protocol for beam width control

Inventors: Boqiang Fan (San Diego, CA); Laxminarayana Pillutla (San Diego, CA); Mithat C. Dogan (San Jose, CA); Sharad Sambhwani (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04B7/0617H04B17/328
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 12,457,019
App. No.
18/227,872
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for beam width control, and devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods for beam width control are described herein.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first incoming transmission from a first node;

measuring the first incoming transmission to determine first information associated with a second node, the first information to indicate at least one of an orientation of the second node, a speed of the second node, or a direction of movement of the second node;

generating a request to the first node that indicates a first requested beam width change, wherein the first requested beam width change is based on the first information;

receiving a request from the first node that indicates a second requested beam width change; and

generating, for transmission to the first node, an outgoing transmission that is based on a transmit beam width, wherein the transmit beam width is based on the second requested beam width change.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information indicates an orientation of the second node.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first requested beam width change is based on second information that indicates a beam width of the first incoming transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information indicates a speed of the second node.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first requested beam width change is based on a location of a reflective surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first requested beam width change comprises an angle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information indicates a direction of movement of the second node.

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

determining a transmit beam width change, based on the second requested beam width change and third information that indicates at least one of a signal strength of the first incoming transmission, a beam width of the first incoming transmission, an orientation of the second node, a speed of the second node, or a direction of movement of the second node; and

determining the transmit beam width for the outgoing transmission based on the transmit beam width change.

9. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause processor circuitry to:

generate a first outgoing transmission for transmission to a node over a first beam that is based on a first beam width;

receive a request from the node that indicates a first requested beam width change, wherein the first requested beam width change indicates an angle;

generate a second outgoing transmission for transmission to the node over a second beam that is based on a second beam width, wherein the second beam width is based on the first requested beam width change;

receive an incoming transmission from the first node;

measure the incoming transmission to determine first information associated with a second node, the first information to indicate at least one of a signal strength of the incoming transmission, an orientation of the second node, a speed of the second node, or a direction of movement of the second node;

based on the first information, determine a second requested beam width change; and

generate, for transmission to the node, a request that indicates the second requested beam width change.

10. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein a transmission power of the second beam is based on the first requested beam width change.

11. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the signal strength of the incoming transmission is at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference noise ratio (SINR).

12. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the second requested beam width change is based on second information that indicates a beam width of the incoming transmission.

13. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the second beam width is based on the second requested beam width change.

14. An apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry to:

receive a first incoming transmission from a first node;

measure the first incoming transmission to determine first information associated with a second node, the first information to indicate at least one of an orientation of the second node, a speed of the second node, or a direction of movement of the second node;

generate a request to the first node that indicates a first requested beam width change, wherein the first requested beam width change is based on the first information;

determine a transmit beam width change, based on second information that indicates at least one of a signal strength of the first incoming transmission, a beam width of the first incoming transmission, the orientation of the second node, the speed of the second node, or the direction of movement of the second node; and

generate, for transmission to the first node, an outgoing transmission that is based on a transmit beam width, wherein the transmit beam width is based on the transmit beam width change; and

interface circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry to enable communication.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first information indicates an orientation of the second node.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first information indicates a speed of the second node.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first information indicates a direction of movement of the second node.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

receive a request from the first node that indicates a second requested beam width change, wherein the transmit beam width is based on the second requested beam width change.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2023
From: FAN, BOQIANG; PILLUTLA, LAXMINARAYANA; DOGAN, MITHAT C.; SAMBHWANI, SHARAD
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 064427/0623 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63393783 · Jul 29, 2022
Related Publication 20240039591A1 · Feb 1, 2024
References Cited (60)
US 9456454B2 · Gao et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 10716015B1 · Marupaduga et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10855414B2 · Zhou et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10863511B2 · Cheng · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11368967B2 · Golitschek Edler Von Elbwart et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 12063668B2 · Kumar · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20010024173A1 · Katz · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 20120243499A1 · Moon et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120287878A1 · Moon et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130229307A1 · Chang et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20160065286A1 · Kim · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170212244A1 · Park · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170317729A1 · Kobayashi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20190326981A1 · Wang · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200068415A1 · Lee et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200099426A1 · Simonsson et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200235800A1 · Tang · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200322017A1 · Lee et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210028841A1 · Logothetis · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210119687A1 · Wong · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210127379A1 · Harrebek et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210377918A1 · Saber et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220070843A1 · Levitsky et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220094417A1 · Ashari et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220123804A1 · Quan · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220385350A1 · Sahoo et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230063285A1 · Horn et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230217265A1 · Huang et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20240243791A1 · Huang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and the Written Opinion issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/028892, dated Nov. 6, 2023 in 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/028893, dated Jan. 18, 2024 in 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Invitation to Pay Additional Fees and, Where Applicable, Protest Fee issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/028893, dated Nov. 21, 2023 in 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Technical Report, “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Study on New Radio Access Technology Physical Layer Aspects (Release 14)”, 3GPP TR 38.802 V14.2.0,, Keywords New… [cited by applicant]
Article entitled, “5G NR in Bullets”, 9.2 Downlink Beam Refinement, Available Online at: www.5g-bullets.com, pp. 384-386. [cited by applicant]
Technical Specification, “5G, NR, Physical Layer Procedures for Control”, (3GPP TS 38.213 version 17.2.0 Release 17), ETSI TS 138 213 V17.2.0, Jul. 2022, Reference RTS/TSGR-0138213vh20 in 258 pages. [cited by applicant]
Technical Specification, “5G, NR, Physical Layer Procedures for Data”, (3GPP TS 38.214 version 17.2.0 Release 17), ETSI TS 138 214 V17.2.0, Jul. 2022, Reference RTS/TSGR-0138214vh20 in 235 pages. [cited by applicant]
Technical Specification, “5G, NR, Requirements for Support of Radio Resource Management”, (3GPP TS 38.133 version 17.5.0 Release 17), ETSI TS 138 133 V17.5.0, May 2022, Reference RTS/TSGR-0438133vh50 in 3114 pages. [cited by applicant]
Technical Specification, “5G, NR, User Equipment (UE) Radio Access Capabilities”, (3GPP TS 38.306 version 17.0.0 Release 17), ETSI TS 138 306 V17.0.0, May 2022, Reference RTS/TSGR-0238306vh00 in 175 pages. [cited by applicant]
Technical Report, “5G, Study on New Radio (NR) Access Technology”, (3GPP TR 38.912 version 17.0.0 Release 17), ETSI TR 138 912 V17.0.0, May 2022, Reference RTS/TSGR-0038912vh00 in 78 pages. [cited by applicant]
Document entitled, “Architecture Overview”, NCHU CSE LTE-1 in 113 pages. [cited by applicant]
Samsung, Technical White Paper, “Massive MIMO for New Radio”, dated Dec. 2020 in 22 pages. [cited by applicant]
Meeting document entitled, “Revised WID on Multi-carrier Enhancements”, NTT, Docomo, Inc., Agenda Item: 9.3.1.2, 3GPP TSG RAN Meeting #95e, RP-220834, Electronic Meeting, Mar. 17-23, 2022 in 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Meeting document, “Summary of NR Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS)”, Agenda Item: 8.13, Moderator (Ericsson), 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 #102-e, R1-20xxxxx, eMeeting Aug. 17-28, 2020 in 19 pages. [cited by applicant]
Meeting document entitled, “Summary on UE features for URLLC/IIoT”, Agenda Item: 7.2.11.5, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #100bis-e, R1-2002459, e-Meeting, Apr. 20-30, 2020 in 65 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brochure entitled, “Understanding LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation”, Anritsu Discover What's Possible, Issue 2, dated Sep. 2013 in 72 pages. [cited by applicant]
Brochure entitled, “WaveJudge LTE-A Carrier Aggregation Testing”, LTE-CA Jun. 19, 2013, 2013 in 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Ahmed, Samir, “Beamforming Management and Beam Training in 5G System”, Tampere University, Master of Science Thesis, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Science, dated Nov. 2019 in 63 pages. [cited by applicant]
Basar et al., “SimRIS Channel Simulator for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Empowered Communication Systems”, Available Online at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.00468, May 31, 2020 in 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Giordani et al., “A Tutorial on Beam Management for 3GPP NR at mmWave Frequencies”, Available Online at: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1804.01908.pdf, dated Nov. 4, 2019, pp. 1-22. [cited by applicant]
Hamdy, Dr. Mohamed Nadder PH.D., “Beamformers Explained”, commscope.com, 2020 in 28 pages. [cited by applicant]
Hedlund et al., “An Introduction to Carrier Aggregation Testing”, TEMS White Paper, Formerly Ascom Network Testing, 2017 in 30 pages. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Search Space Design for Cross-Carrier Scheduling in Carrier Aggregation of LTE-Advanced System”, Conference Paper, IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Jun. 5-9, 2011 in 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Rahman et al., “Enabling the Potential of 5G: Solutions to the Technical Challenges of the Diverse 5G Bands”, Industry Perspectives, IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 27, No. 2, Apr. 2020, pp. 6-11. [cited by applicant]
Salihu et al., “New Remapping Strategy for PDCCH Scheduling for LTE-Advanced Systems”, Journal of Communications, vol. 9, No. 7, Jul. 2014, Engineering and Technology Publishing, pp. 563-571. [cited by applicant]
Tripathi et al., “Millimeter-wave and Terahertz Spectrum for 6G Wireless”, Available Online at: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2102.10267.pdf, Feb. 20, 2021, pp. 1-17. [cited by applicant]
Zhou et al., “Beam Acquisition and Training in Millimeter Wave Networks with Narrowband Pilots”, Available Online at: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1902.02267.pdf, Oct. 10, 2019, pp. 1-13. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 18/227,868, dated Sep. 20, 2024 in 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 18/227,868, dated Mar. 10, 2025 in 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/028892, dated Feb. 13, 2025 in 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2023/028893, dated Feb. 13, 2025 in 14 pages. [cited by applicant]