CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on PCT filing PCT/CN2018/104497, filed Sep. 7, 2018, which claims priority to CN 201710814633.X, filed Sep. 12, 2017, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication system, and in particular, to techniques for maintaining beam pair links.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, with the development and wide application of mobile internet technology, wireless communication has unprecedentedly met people's needs for voice and data communication. In order to provide even higher communication quality and capacity, wireless communication system employs various technologies at different layers, such as beamforming techniques. Beamforming can provide beamforming gain to compensate for loss of radio signals by increasing the directivity of antenna transmission and/or reception. In future wireless communication systems (such as 5G systems like NR (New Radio) system, for example), the number of antenna ports at the base station and the terminal device sides will further increase. For example, the number of antenna ports at the base station side may increase to hundreds or even more, constituting a Massive MIMO system. Thus, in large-scale antenna systems, beamforming will have a larger application space.

In the beam sweeping technology, the matching transmitting beam and receiving beam between a base station and a terminal device is found via a Beam Sweeping process, thereby establishing a beam pair link (Beam Pair Link, BPL) between the base station and the terminal device. The beam sweeping can be performed in the uplink and downlink respectively, accordingly, an uplink and downlink beam pair links can be established. However, such beam pair links appear not stable enough due to the links being susceptible to factors like environment etc. For example, in the case that there is line-of-sight obstruction or terminal device moving or rotating, the quality of beam pair links may deteriorate or even fail. This phenomenon is more pronounced at high frequencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electronic device for a base station side in a wireless communication system. According to one embodiment, the electronic device can comprise processing circuitry. The processing circuitry can be configured to monitor status of an uplink signal; determine it necessary to adjust a first uplink beam pair link (BPL) based on the status of the uplink signal, wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at a terminal device side and a first receiving beam at the BS side; and perform operations in order to adjust the first uplink BPL.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electronic device for a terminal device side in a wireless communication system. According to one embodiment, the electronic device comprises a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry can be configured to transmit an uplink signal through a first uplink beam pair link (BPL), wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at the terminal device side and a first receiving beam at a base station (BS) side; and receive a message for adjusting from the BS which message indicates adjustment to the first uplink BPL.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electronic device for a terminal device side in a wireless communication system. According to one embodiment, the electronic device comprises a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry can be configured to transmit a uplink signal through a first uplink beam pair link (BPL), wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at the terminal device side and a first receiving beam at a base station (BS) side; receive a message for adjusting from the BS which message indicates adjustment to the first uplink BPL; and transmit to the BS feedback on the message for adjusting.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a wireless communication method. In one embodiment, the method can comprise monitoring status of an uplink signal; determining it necessary to adjust a first uplink beam pair link (BPL) based on the status of the uplink signal, wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at a terminal device side and a first receiving beam at the BS side; and performing operations in order to adjust the first uplink BPL.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a wireless communication method. In one embodiment, the method can comprise transmitting an uplink signal through a first uplink beam pair link (BPL), wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at the terminal device side and a first receiving beam at a base station (BS) side; and receiving a message for adjusting from the BS which message indicates adjustment to the first uplink BPL.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a wireless communication method. In one embodiment, the method can comprise transmitting a uplink signal through a first uplink beam pair link (BPL), wherein the first uplink BPL comprises a first transmitting beam at the terminal device side and a first receiving beam at a base station (BS) side; receiving a message for adjusting from the BS which message indicates adjustment to the first uplink BPL; and transmitting to the BS feedback on the message for adjusting.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a computer-readable storage medium storing one or more instructions. In some embodiments, the one or more instructions can, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to various apparatus including means or units for performing operations of methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

The above summary is provided to summarize some exemplary embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of the various aspects of the subject matter described herein. Therefore, the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the Detailed Description described below in conjunction with the drawings.

