Handover with integrated antenna beam training in wireless networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414285-B2
Application number	US-201414320322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for sustaining a link with a wireless network are provided. The apparatus communicates data with the wireless network via a first link with a first base station, acquires a resource to perform a beam training sequence with a second base station, wherein the acquired resource allows the beam training sequence with the second base station to be performed while the data is communicated via the first link, performs the beam training sequence and exchanging signaling information with the second base station using the resource to establish a second link to the second base station, evaluates a link strength of the second link based on the beam training sequence, and determines whether to switch the data communication from the first link to the second link based on the evaluation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of a user equipment (UE) for sustaining a link with a wireless network, comprising:
communicating data with the wireless network via a first link with a first base station;
acquiring a resource to perform a beam training sequence with a second base station, wherein the acquired resource allows the beam training sequence with the second base station to be performed while the data is communicated via the first link;
performing the beam training sequence and exchanging signaling information with the second base station using the resource to establish a second link to the second base station;
evaluating a link strength of the first link based on a beam refinement sequence associated with the first base station;
evaluating a link strength of the second link based on the beam training sequence; and
determining whether to switch the data communication from the first link to the second link based on at least one of the evaluation of the link strength of the first link or the evaluation of the link strength of the second link.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the signaling information exchanged with the second base station when the link strength of the second link is above a threshold; and
using the stored signaling information to communicate with the second base station when the data communication is switched to the second link.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing the beam refinement sequence and exchanging signaling information with the first base station using another resource; and
comparing at least one of the link strength of the first link or the link strength of the second link to a threshold, wherein the determination whether to switch the data communication from the first link to the second link is based on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the data communication is switched from the first link to the second link when:
the link strength of the first link is less than the threshold; or
the link strength of the second link is greater than the threshold.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining further comprises:
reporting to the wireless network via the first base station or the second base station at least one of the link strength of the first link, the link strength of the second link, or the comparison to the threshold; and
receiving, in response to the report, a switching message from the wireless network via the first base station or the second base station,
wherein the data communication is switched from the first link to the second link based on the received switching message.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the beam training sequence and the beam refinement sequence are performed via a single radio.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is communicated with the first base station via the first link while second data is communicated with the second base station via the second link.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the data received via the first link and the second data received via the second link are combined into a single data stream.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the data transmitted via the first link and the second data transmitted via the second link are generated from a single data stream.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is:
at least one of a timeslot or a frequency band; and
acquired via a resource allocation from at least one of the first base station or the second base station, or independently acquired by the UE.

11. A user equipment (UE) for sustaining a link with a wireless network, comprising:
means for communicating data with the wireless network via a first link with a first base station;
means for acquiring a resource to perform a beam training sequence with a second base station, wherein the acquired resource allows the beam training sequence with the second base station to be performed while the data is communicated via the first link;
means for performing the beam training sequence and exchanging signaling information with the second base station using the resource to establish a second link to the second base station;
means for evaluating a link strength of the first link based on a beam refinement sequence associated with the first base station;
means for evaluating a link strength of the second link based on the beam training sequence; and
means for determining whether to switch the data communication from the first link to the second link based on at least one of the evaluation of the link strength of the first link or the evaluation of the link strength of the second link.

12. The UE of claim 11 , further comprising:
means for storing the signaling information exchanged with the second base station when the link strength of the second link is above a threshold; and
means for using the stored signaling information to communicate with the second base station when the data communication is switched to the second link.

13. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the means for evaluating a link strength of the first link is configured to:
perform the beam refinement sequence and exchange signaling information with the first base station using another resource;
and
the means for determining whether to switch the data communication is configured to compare at least one of the link strength of the first link or the link strength of the second link to a threshold.

14. The UE of claim 13 , wherein the data communication is switched from the first link to the second link when:
the link strength of the first link is less than the threshold; or
the link strength of the second link is greater than the threshold.

15. The UE of claim 13 , wherein the means for determining is further configured to:
report to the wireless network via the first base station or the second base station at least one of the link strength of the first link, the link strength of the second link, or the comparison to the threshold; and
receive, in response to the report, a switching message from the wireless network via the first base station or the second base station,
wherein the data communication is switched from the first link to the second link based on the received switching message.

16. The UE of claim 13 , wherein the beam training sequence and the beam refinement sequence are performed via a single radio.

17. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the data is communicated with the first base station via the first link while second data is communicated with the second base station via the second link.

18. The UE of claim 17 , wherein the data received via the first link and the second data received via the second link are combined into a single data stream.

19. The UE of claim 17 , wherein the data transmitted via the first link and the second data transmitted via the second link are generated from a single data stream.

20. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the resource is:
at least one of a timeslot or a frequency band; and
acquired via a resource allocation from at least one of the first base station or the second base station, or independently acquired by the UE.

21. A user equipment (UE) for sustaining a link with a wireless network, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
communicate data with the wireless network via a first link with a first base station,
acquire a resource to perform a beam training sequence with a second base station, wherein the acquired resource allows the

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Hampel Karl Georg
• Li Junyi
• Park Vincent Douglas

Classifications

• H04B7/0617 Primary

  for beam forming · CPC title

• H04W36/06

  Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point · CPC title

• H04W36/08

  Reselecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W36/24 Primary

  Reselection being triggered by specific parameters · CPC title

• H04W36/0072 Primary

  of resource information of target access point · CPC title