TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to dynamic beam switching for millimeter wave (mmWave) measurements in asynchronous networks.

INTRODUCTION

Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and the like. These wireless networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources.

A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations or node Bs that can support communication for a number of user equipments (UEs). A UE may communicate with a base station via downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the base station.

A base station may transmit data and control information on the downlink to a UE and/or may receive data and control information on the uplink from the UE. On the downlink, a transmission from the base station may encounter interference due to transmissions from neighbor base stations or from other wireless radio frequency (RF) transmitters. On the uplink, a transmission from the UE may encounter interference from uplink transmissions of other UEs communicating with the neighbor base stations or from other wireless RF transmitters. This interference may degrade performance on both the downlink and uplink.

As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, the possibilities of interference and congested networks grows with more UEs accessing the long-range wireless communication networks and more short-range wireless systems being deployed in communities. Research and development continue to advance wireless technologies not only to meet the growing demand for mobile broadband access, but to advance and enhance the user experience with mobile communications.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The following summarizes some aspects of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of the discussed technology. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of the disclosure, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in summary form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In one aspect of the disclosure, a method of wireless communication includes receiving, at a UE, timing information of detected cells in an asynchronous network. The UE may be configured with a plurality of UE beams. The method also includes calculating, based on the timing information, a maximum offset for the detected cells, the maximum offset indicating a timing difference between a pair of cells of the detected cells that is larger than a timing difference between any other pair of the detected cells, and scheduling a UE beam switch from a UE beam to another UE beam of the plurality of beams based on the maximum offset. The scheduling may include using the maximum offset to determine how often the UE beam switch can be performed.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus configured for wireless communication includes means for receiving, at a UE, timing information of detected cells in an asynchronous network. The UE may be configured with a plurality of UE beams. The apparatus also includes means for calculating, based on the timing information, a maximum offset for the detected cells, the maximum offset indicating a timing difference between a pair of cells of the detected cells that is larger than a timing difference between any other pair of the detected cells, and means for scheduling a UE beam switch from a UE beam to another UE beam of the plurality of beams based on the maximum offset. The means for scheduling may include means for using the maximum offset to determine how often the UE beam switch can be performed.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon is disclosed. The program code includes program code executable by a computer for causing the computer to receive, at a UE, timing information of detected cells in an asynchronous network. The UE may be configured with a plurality of UE beams. The program code further includes program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to calculate, based on the timing information, a maximum offset for the detected cells, the maximum offset indicating a timing difference between a pair of cells of the detected cells that is larger than a timing difference between any other pair of the detected cells, and program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to schedule a UE beam switch from a UE beam to another UE beam of the plurality of beams based on the maximum offset. The program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to schedule may include program code executable by the computer for causing the computer to use the maximum offset to determine how often the UE beam switch can be performed.

In an additional aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus configured for wireless communication is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to receive, at a UE, timing information of detected cells in an asynchronous network. The UE may be configured with a plurality of UE beams. The processor is further configured to calculate, based on the timing information, a maximum offset for the detected cells, the maximum offset indicating a timing difference between a pair of cells of the detected cells that is larger than a timing difference between any other pair of the detected cells, and to schedule a UE beam switch from a UE beam to another UE beam of the plurality of beams based on the maximum offset. The configuration of the at least one processor to schedule may include configuration of the at least one processor to use the maximum offset to determine how often the UE beam switch can be performed.

Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific, exemplary embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. While features of the present invention may be discussed relative to certain embodiments and figures below, all embodiments of the present invention can include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, while one or more embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention discussed herein. In similar fashion, while exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, or method embodiments the exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods.

