IP Library Granted Patent US 12,562,867
Granted Patent B2
US 12,562,867 · App. 17/987,138 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Electronic device and method for transmitting reference signal in electronic device

Inventors: Jaemoon Cha (Suwon-si, KR); Kyujae Jang (Suwon-si, KR); Hyeyong Go (Suwon-si, KR); Seongju Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Yeonjoo Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Wonhyung Heo (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04L5/0051H04B7/0404H04W52/242H04W52/367
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,562,867
App. No.
17/987,138
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a communication processor, at least one radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a first radio frequency front end (RFFE) circuit, a second FRRE circuit, a first antenna group including a plurality of antennas each connected through the first RFFE circuit to transmit a signal corresponding to at least one communication network, and a second antenna group including a plurality of antennas each connected through the second RFFE circuit to transmit a signal corresponding to at least one communication network, wherein the communication processor is configured to control to transmit a reference signal referenced for channel estimation in a base station of a first communication network to at least one of the plurality of antennas of the first antenna group through the first REEF circuit, and control to transmit the reference signal to at least one of the plurality of antennas of the second antenna group through the second RFFE circuit.

Claims (61)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a communication processor;

a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) connected to the communication processor;

a first radio frequency front-end (RFFE) circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a first transmission signal;

a second RFFE circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a second transmission signal; and

a plurality of antennas including a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna, each of the plurality of antennas connectable to at least one of the first RFFE circuit or the second RFFE circuit,

wherein the communication processor is configured to:

identify four transmission time points for transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS), wherein an SRS is to be transmitted at each of the four transmission time points,

control to transmit, using the first RFFE circuit, an SRS through the first antenna at one of the two transmission time points and through the second antenna at another of the two transmission time points, and

control to transmit, using the second RFFE circuit, the SRS through the third antenna at yet another of the four transmission time points and through the fourth antenna at a remaining one of the four transmission time points, and

wherein the four transmission time points are different from each other.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication processor is further configured to control to transmit antenna-related information to a base station of a communication network.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 ,

wherein the antenna-related information comprises information indicating that the electronic device supports one transmission antenna and four reception antennas, and

wherein the communication processor is further configured to receive information related to a transmission time point of the SRS corresponding to each of the four reception antennas from the base station.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the communication processor is further configured to:

control to transmit a plurality of SRSs through the plurality of antennas at different times, based on the received information related to the transmission time point of the SRS.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to:

be selectively connected to the first RFFE circuit and the second RFFE circuit, and

selectively output an output signal of the first RFFE circuit and an output signal of the second RFFE circuit.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein a path loss between the first RFFE circuit and the plurality of antennas is larger than a path loss between the second RFFE and the plurality of antennas.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication processor is further configured to:

control to transmit a transmission signal through at least one antenna among the plurality of antennas, based on first maximum transmission power configured for the electronic device,

identify, in case that a SRS is transmitted, second maximum transmission power configured to be larger than the first maximum transmission power for the transmission of the SRS, and

control to transmit the SRS through at least one antenna among the plurality of antennas, based on the identified second maximum transmission power.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the communication processor is further configured to:

transmit the SRS through at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas, based on the identified second maximum transmission power and transmission target power.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the SRS comprises a demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) for obtaining channel information for demodulation of uplink data.

10 . A method of transmitting a reference signal by an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a communication processor, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) connected to the communication processor, a first radio frequency front-end (RFFE) circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a first transmission signal, a second RFFE circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a second transmission signal, and a plurality of antennas including a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna, each of the plurality of antennas connectable to at least one of the first RFFE circuit or the second RFFE circuit and configured to transmit signals corresponding to at least one communication network, the method comprising:

identifying four transmission time points for transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS), wherein an SRS is to be transmitted at each of the four transmission time points;

transmitting, using the first RFFE circuit, an SRS through the first antenna at one of the four transmission time points and through the second antenna at another of the four transmission time points; and

transmitting, using the second RFFE circuit, the SRS through the third antenna at yet another of the four transmission time points and through the fourth antenna at a remaining one of the four transmission time points,

wherein the four transmission time points are different from each other.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

transmitting antenna-related information to a base station of a communication network.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the antenna-related information comprises information indicating that the electronic device supports one transmission antenna and four reception antennas, and

wherein the method further comprises receiving information related to a transmission time point of the SRS corresponding to each of the four reception antennas from the base station.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

transmitting a plurality of SRSs through the plurality of antennas at different times, based on the received information related to the transmission time point of the SRS.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein an output signal of the first RFFE circuit and an output signal of the second RFFE circuit are selectively output through a switch.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein a path loss between the first RFFE circuit and the plurality of antennas is larger than a path loss between the second RFFE and the plurality of antennas.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

controlling to transmit a transmission signal through at least one antenna among the plurality of antennas, based on first maximum transmission power configured for the electronic device,

identifying, in case that a SRS is transmitted, second maximum transmission power configured to be larger than the first maximum transmission power for the transmission of the SRS, and

controlling to transmit the SRS through at least one antenna among the plurality of antennas, based on the identified second maximum transmission power.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting the SRS through at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas, based on the identified second maximum transmission power and transmission target power.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the SRS comprises a demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) for obtaining channel information for demodulation of uplink data.

19 . A communication processor for an electronic device, wherein the communication processor is configured to:

identify four transmission time points for transmitting a sounding reference signal, SRS, wherein an SRS is to be transmitted at each of the four transmission time points,

control to transmit, using a first RFFE circuit of the electronic device, an SRS through a first antenna among a plurality of antennas of the electronic device at one of the four transmission time points and through a second antenna among the plurality of antennas at another of the four transmission time points,

control to transmit, using a second RFFE circuit of the electronic device, the SRS through a third antenna among the plurality of antennas at yet another of the four transmission time points and through a fourth antenna among the plurality of antennas at a remaining one of the four transmission time points,

wherein the four transmission time points are different from each other.

20 . A method performed by a communication processor for controlling an electronic device comprising a radio frequency integrated circuit, RFIC, connected to the communication processor, a first radio frequency front-end, RFFE, circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a first transmission signal, a second RFFE circuit connected to the RFIC and configured to process a second transmission signal, and a plurality of antennas including a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna and a fourth antenna, each of the plurality of antennas connectable to at least one of the first RFFE circuit or the second RFFE circuit for transmitting a sounding reference signal, SRS, the method comprising:

identifying four transmission time points for transmitting the SRS;

transmitting, using the first RFFE circuit, a first SRS through the first antenna at one of the four transmission time points;

transmitting, using the second RFFE circuit, a second SRS through the second antenna at one of the four transmission time points;

transmitting, using the second RFFE circuit, a third SRS through the third antenna at one of the four transmission time points; and

transmitting, using the first RFFE circuit, a fourth SRS through the fourth antenna at one of the four transmission time points,

wherein the four transmission time points are different from each other, and each of the first SRS, the second SRS, the third SRS, and the fourth SRS is respectively transmitted at each of the four transmission time points.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2022
From: CHA, JAEMOON; JANG, KYUJAE; GO, HYEYONG; LEE, SEONGJU; LEE, YEONJOO; HEO, WONHYUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061771/0859 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0058619 · May 15, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2021006001 · May 13, 2021
Related Publication 20230085560A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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