Patent Description:
<CIT> relates to a channel state information (CSI) measurement method and apparatus. <CIT> relates to interference detection, signaling, and mitigation techniques for low latency transmissions. <CIT> relates to an interference measurement method and a related device.

Controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform one or more techniques associated with sub-band interference level indication using physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) communication, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. For example, controller/processor <NUM> of base station <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM> of UE <NUM>, and/or any other component(s) of <FIG> may perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG>, process <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein. Memories <NUM> and <NUM> may store data and program codes for base station <NUM> and UE <NUM>, respectively. In some aspects, memory <NUM> and/or memory <NUM> may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions (e.g., code and/or program code) for wireless communication. For example, the one or more instructions, when executed (e.g., directly, or after compiling, converting, and/or interpreting) by one or more processors of the base station <NUM> and/or the UE <NUM>, may cause the one or more processors, the UE <NUM>, and/or the base station <NUM> to perform or direct operations of, for example, process <NUM> of <FIG>, process <NUM> of <FIG>, and/or other processes as described herein. In some aspects, executing instructions may include running the instructions, converting the instructions, compiling the instructions, and/or interpreting the instructions, among other examples.

In some aspects, a UE includes means for receiving, from a BS, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) communication; or means for transmitting, to the BS, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement. The means for the UE to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of antenna <NUM>, demodulator <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, or memory <NUM>.

In some aspects, the UE includes means for receiving, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

In some aspects, the UE includes means for further comprising: means for switching, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, from the first sub-band to a second sub-band; or means for transmitting, using the second sub-band, one or more sounding reference signal communications.

In some aspects, the UE includes means for monitoring for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission in a particular sub-band; means for determining a failure of the PDSCH transmission in the particular sub-band based at least in part on monitoring for the PDSCH transmission; or means for transmitting the PUCCH communication in the particular sub-band.

In some aspects, the UE includes means for further comprising: means for switching, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, from the first sub-band to a second sub-band; or means for transmitting, using the second sub-band, the PUCCH communication.

In some aspects, a BS includes means for transmitting, to a UE, a CSI-RS communication; or means for receiving, from the UE, a PUCCH) communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement. The means for the BS to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of transmit processor <NUM>, TX MIMO processor <NUM>, modulator <NUM>, antenna <NUM>, demodulator <NUM>, MIMO detector <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, or scheduler <NUM>.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for transmitting, based at least in part on the interference measurement, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for further comprising: means for receiving, using a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, one or more sounding reference signal communications from the UE.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for transmitting for a PDSCH transmission in a particular sub-band; or means for receiving the PUCCH communication in the particular sub-band.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for identifying, based at least in part on a PUCCH sequence of the PUCCH communication, an interference level of a sub-band on which the CSI-RS communication is transmitted.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for determining an interference level of a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, on which the CSI-RS is transmitted based at least in part on a second sub-band, of the plurality of sub-bands, on which the PUCCH communication is received.

In some aspects, the BS includes means for receiving, using a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, the PUCCH communication.

In a wireless network, a BS and a UE may communicate via an access link, which may include an uplink and a downlink. In some cases, the bandwidth of the uplink and/or the downlink may span across a plurality of sub-bands, such as where multi-panel frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and analog beamforming-based multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) are deployed. Given the complexity of such deployments in an industrial Internet of things (IoT) setting and/or in other settings, UEs may have tight latency requirements.

As a result, it may be difficult for the UE to report interference in the plurality of sub-bands. For example, the BS may dynamically and explicitly instruct the UE via downlink control information (DCI) to enable beam sweeping in the plurality of sub-bands for purposes of interference measurement. The BS may use an interference report for updating a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) occasion. However, a latency of the interference measurements may increase to a level that does not meet latency requirements of industrial IoT settings and/or other settings that have tight latency requirements.

Some aspects described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for indicating a sub-band interference level using PUCCH communication. For example, after a failed PDSCH communication, a UE may receive a CSI-RS communication and perform an interference measurement on one or more beams conveying the CSI-RS communication. In this case, the UE may transmit, in a PUCCH communication, a feedback message (e.g., a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) negative acknowledgement (NACK)) for the PDSCH communication and may include information identifying the interference measurement with the feedback message. In some aspects, the UE may transmit the PUCCH and/or a sounding reference signal (SRS) for beam estimation in the same sub-band in which the PDSCH communication is attempted, or in a different sub-band. Based at least in part on the interference measurement and/or the SRS, the BS may determine which sub-band to use to transmit a retransmission of the PDSCH.

In this way, the BS may receive the SRSs with a reduced latency and may identify an interference level in one or more sub-bands based at least in part on the SRSs. This may enable the BS to schedule the retransmission of the PDSCH and/or reconfigure an SPS occasion with reduced delay relative to waiting for a DCI-scheduled interference measurement report. Based at least in part on reducing the delay for reporting interference, the UE and the BS may enable increased latency requirements of some UE use cases.

<FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams illustrating examples <NUM>/<NUM>' of sub-band interference level indication using PUCCH communication, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, examples <NUM>/<NUM>' include a BS <NUM> and a UE <NUM>.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, BS <NUM> may attempt to transmit a PDSCH communication to UE <NUM>. For example, BS <NUM> may attempt to transmit data using the PDSCH communication. In some aspects, BS <NUM> may transmit the PDSCH communication using a particular sub-band. For example, BS <NUM> may transmit the PDSCH communication in the first sub-band. In this case, UE <NUM> may fail to receive the PDSCH communication, such as based at least in part on a threshold amount of interference on the first sub-band.

As shown by reference number <NUM>, after attempting to transmit the PDSCH to UE <NUM>, BS <NUM> may transmit a CSI-RS to enable an interference measurement. For example, BS <NUM> may transmit the CSI-RS on a first sub-band, a second sub-band, and/or the like. In this case, UE <NUM> may perform an interference measurement (e.g., a CSI interference measurement) of one or more beams conveying the CSI-RS on the first sub-band, the second sub-band, and/or the like. In some aspects, the interference measurement is an signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) measurement a signal to noise ratio (SNR) measurement, among other examples. For example, UE <NUM> may determine, for each sub-band of a set of sub-bands, an SINR measurement, and may report the per-sub-band SINR measurements to BS <NUM>.

As shown by reference number <NUM>, based at least in part on performing one or more interference measurements of one or more beams on one or more sub-bands, UE <NUM> may transmit a PUCCH communication that includes a feedback message and a report of the one or more interference measurements. For example, UE <NUM> may transmit a NACK message in a pre-configured PUCCH resource, to indicate a failure of the PDSCH and an indication of the one or more interference measurements of the one or more beams on the one or more sub-bands. In some aspects, UE <NUM> may transmit a PUCCH communication with a particular format. For example, when the PUCCH communication includes HARQ content (e.g., a NACK) only (e.g., the interference measurement is implicitly indicated as described below), UE <NUM> may use HARQ format A. Alternatively, when the PUCCH communication includes HARQ content and an interference measurement identifier (e.g., the interference measurement is explicitly indicated), UE <NUM> may use HARQ format B. For example, UE <NUM> may use HARQ format B, which may include a CSI-RS or CSI interference measurement (CSI-IM) measurement report performed on a pre-configured CSI resource. In some aspects, UE <NUM> may autonomously perform a CSI-IM measurement and report the CSI-IM resources on which the CSI-IM measurement is performed.

In some aspects, UE <NUM> may indicate a switch from the first sub-band to a second sub-band using the PUCCH, as shown by reference number <NUM>. For example, respective interference levels of the first sub-band and the second sub-band, identified in the PUCCH communication, may implicitly indicate that UE <NUM> is to switch to the second sub-band. In this case, UE <NUM> and BS <NUM> may switch to using the second sub-band for communication based at least in part on the respective interference levels. Additionally, or alternatively, UE <NUM> may include an explicit sub-band switch indication in the PUCCH communication.

In some aspects, UE <NUM> may transmit the PUCCH communication in the same sub-band to which the feedback message is related. For example, to indicate a NACK for a PDSCH communication in the first sub-band, UE <NUM> may transmit the PUCCH communication in the first sub-band. Additionally, or alternatively, as shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>', UE <NUM> may switch to the second sub-band to transmit the PUCCH communication. For example, based at least in part on an interference level of the second sub-band being less than an interference level of the first sub-band, UE <NUM> may switch to the second sub-band to transmit the PUCCH communication.

In some aspects, UE <NUM> may include an explicit indicator of an interference level in the PUCCH communication. For example, the PUCCH communication may include an information element with a value identifying an interference level of the first sub-band, the second sub-band, and/or the like. Additionally, or alternatively, UE <NUM> may use a PUCCH sequence to identify an interference value. For example, UE <NUM> may select a PUCCH sequence for the PUCCH communication from a plurality of available PUCCH sequences that each correspond to a different interference level. In this case, based at least in part on identifying the PUCCH sequence, BS <NUM> may determine the interference level, update an SPS occasion, determine a sub-band for a retransmission of the PDSCH communication, and/or the like.

As further shown in <FIG>, and by reference number <NUM>, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, UE <NUM> may transmit an SRS communication to enable beam estimation from a set of beams on the second sub-band. In this case, as shown by reference number <NUM>, based at least in part on receiving the SRS communication, BS <NUM> may transmit a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and a retransmission of the PDSCH. For example, BS <NUM> may transmit the PDCCH on the first sub-band, the second sub-band, and/or the like. In this way, BS <NUM> uses an interference measurement in a PUCCH communication to enable PDSCH retransmission with reduced latency relative to using a DCI-scheduled interference measurement report.

Other examples may differ from what is described with respect to <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a UE, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where the UE (e.g., UE <NUM> and/or the like) performs operations associated with sub-band interference level indication using PUCCH communication.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include receiving, from a BS, a CSI-RS communication (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may receive, from a BS, a CSI-RS communication, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include transmitting, to the BS, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement (block <NUM>). For example, the UE (e.g., using receive processor <NUM>, transmit processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may transmit, to the BS, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement, as described above.

In a first aspect, the interference measurement is based at least in part on at least one of the CSI-RS communication or an interference measurement resource.

In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, process <NUM> includes receiving, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

In a third aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the CSI-RS communication is received and the PUCCH communication is transmitted on a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, and process <NUM> further comprises: switching, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, from the first sub-band to a second sub-band, and transmitting, using the second sub-band, one or more sounding reference signal communications.

In a fourth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through third aspects, the PUCCH communication includes an indication of the second sub-band.

In a fifth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fourth aspects, the feedback information is a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback message.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, process <NUM> includes monitoring for a PDSCH transmission in a particular sub-band and determining a failure of the PDSCH transmission in the particular sub-band based at least in part on monitoring for the PDSCH transmission, and transmitting the PUCCH communication includes transmitting the PUCCH communication in the particular sub-band.

In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, a PUCCH sequence of the PUCCH communication identifies an interference level.

In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, the interference measurement is identified in information of a payload of the PUCCH communication.

In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, resources for transmission of the PUCCH communication are configured on a plurality of sub-bands, and a particular sub-band, of the plurality of sub-bands, on which the PUCCH communication is conveyed corresponds to an interference level of the plurality of sub-bands.

In a tenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, the CSI-RS communication is received on a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, and process <NUM> further comprises: switching, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, from the first sub-band to a second sub-band, and transmitting the PUCCH communication comprises transmitting, using the second sub-band, the PUCCH communication.

In an eleventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through tenth aspects, the interference measurement is a CSI interference measurement.

In a twelfth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eleventh aspects, the PUCCH communication is a PUCCH format A or a PUCCH format B, and a PUCCH format of the PUCCH communication is based at least in part on a content of the PUCCH communication.

In a thirteenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through twelfth aspects, the interference measurement is a signal to interference and noise ratio measurement on a per-sub-band basis.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example process <NUM> performed, for example, by a BS, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. Example process <NUM> is an example where the BS (e.g., BS <NUM> and/or the like) performs operations associated with sub-band interference level indication using PUCCH communication.

As shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include transmitting, to a UE, a CSI-RS communication (block <NUM>). For example, the BS (e.g., using transmit processor <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may transmit, to a UE a CSI-RS communication, as described above.

As further shown in <FIG>, in some aspects, process <NUM> may include receiving, from the UE, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement (block <NUM>). For example, the BS (e.g., using transmit processor <NUM>, receive processor <NUM>, controller/processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and/or the like) may receive, from the UE, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement, as described above.

In a second aspect, alone or in combination with the first aspect, process <NUM> includes transmitting, based at least in part on the interference measurement, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

In a third aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first and second aspects, the CSI-RS communication is transmitted and the PUCCH communication is received on a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, and process <NUM> further comprises: receiving, using a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, one or more sounding reference signal communications from the UE.

In a sixth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through fifth aspects, receiving the PUCCH communication comprises receiving the PUCCH communication in the particular sub-band.

In a seventh aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through sixth aspects, process <NUM> includes identifying, based at least in part on a PUCCH sequence of the PUCCH communication, an interference level of a sub-band on which the CSI-RS communication is transmitted.

In an eighth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through seventh aspects, the interference measurement is included in information of a payload of the PUCCH communication.

In a ninth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through eighth aspects, process <NUM> includes determining an interference level of a first sub-band, of the plurality of sub-bands, on which the CSI-RS is transmitted based at least in part on a second sub-band, of the plurality of sub-bands, on which the PUCCH communication is received.

In a tenth aspect, alone or in combination with one or more of the first through ninth aspects, the CSI-RS communication is transmitted on a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, and receiving the PUCCH communication comprises: receiving, using a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, the PUCCH communication.

<FIG> is a block diagram of an example apparatus <NUM> for wireless communication. The apparatus <NUM> may be a UE, or a UE may include the apparatus <NUM>. In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> includes a reception component <NUM> and a transmission component <NUM>, which may be in communication with one another (for example, via one or more buses and/or one or more other components). As shown, the apparatus <NUM> may communicate with another apparatus <NUM> (such as a UE, a base station, or another wireless communication device) using the reception component <NUM> and the transmission component <NUM>. As further shown, the apparatus <NUM> may include one or more of a monitoring component <NUM> or a determination component <NUM>, among other examples.

In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> may be configured to perform one or more operations described herein in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, the apparatus <NUM> may be configured to perform one or more processes described herein, such as process <NUM> of <FIG>. In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> and/or one or more components shown in <FIG> may include one or more components of the UE described above in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components shown in <FIG> may be implemented within one or more components described above in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the set of components may be implemented at least in part as software stored in a memory. For example, a component (or a portion of a component) may be implemented as instructions or code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a controller or a processor to perform the functions or operations of the component.

The reception component <NUM> may receive, from a BS, a CSI-RS communication. The transmission component <NUM> may transmit, to the BS, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement.

The reception component <NUM> may receive, based at least in part on transmitting the PUCCH communication, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

The monitoring component <NUM> may monitor for a PDSCH transmission in a particular sub-band.

The determination component <NUM> may determine a failure of the PDSCH transmission in the particular sub-band based at least in part on monitoring for the PDSCH transmission.

<FIG> is a block diagram of an example apparatus <NUM> for wireless communication. The apparatus <NUM> may be a BS, or a BS may include the apparatus <NUM>. In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> includes a reception component <NUM> and a transmission component <NUM>, which may be in communication with one another (for example, via one or more buses and/or one or more other components). As shown, the apparatus <NUM> may communicate with another apparatus <NUM> (such as a UE, a base station, or another wireless communication device) using the reception component <NUM> and the transmission component <NUM>. As further shown, the apparatus <NUM> may include one or more of an identification component <NUM> or the determination component <NUM>, among other examples.

In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> may be configured to perform one or more operations described herein in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, the apparatus <NUM> may be configured to perform one or more processes described herein, such as process <NUM> of <FIG> or a combination thereof. In some aspects, the apparatus <NUM> and/or one or more components shown in <FIG> may include one or more components of the BS described above in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components shown in <FIG> may be implemented within one or more components described above in connection with <FIG>. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the set of components may be implemented at least in part as software stored in a memory. For example, a component (or a portion of a component) may be implemented as instructions or code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a controller or a processor to perform the functions or operations of the component.

In some aspects, the reception component <NUM> may include one or more antennas, a demodulator, a MIMO detector, a receive processor, a controller/processor, a memory, or a combination thereof, of the BS described above in connection with <FIG>.

In some aspects, the transmission component <NUM> may include one or more antennas, a modulator, a transmit MIMO processor, a transmit processor, a controller/processor, a memory, or a combination thereof, of the BS described above in connection with <FIG>.

The transmission component <NUM> may transmit, to a UE, a CSI-RS communication. The reception component <NUM> may receive, from the UE, a PUCCH communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement.

The transmission component <NUM> may transmit, based at least in part on the interference measurement, information identifying a change to a semi-persistent scheduling occasion or a re-transmission sub-band.

The transmission component <NUM> may transmit for a PDSCH transmission in a particular sub-band.

The identification component <NUM> may identify, based at least in part on a PUCCH sequence of the PUCCH communication, an interference level of a sub-band on which the CSI-RS communication is transmitted.

The determination component <NUM> may determine an interference level of a first sub-band, of a plurality of sub-bands, on which the CSI-RS is transmitted based at least in part on a second sub-band, of the plurality of sub-bands, on which the PUCCH communication is received.

Claim 1:
A user equipment (<NUM>), UE for wireless communication, the UE (<NUM>) comprising:
a memory; and
one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:
receive, from a base station, BS, a channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS, communication on a first sub-band of a plurality of sub-bands;
transmit, to the BS on the first sub-band, a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, communication including feedback information that is a response to the CSI-RS communication and including an interference measurement, wherein the PUCCH communication further includes an indication of a second sub-band;
switch from the first sub-band to the second sub-band; and
transmit, using the second sub-band, one or more sounding reference signal communications.