# US 10,771,128 B1 · Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) user equipment (UE) grouping with geographic correlation factors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,128 B1 - Document ID: US10771128B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/450,018 - Filed: 2019-06-24 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-24 - Assignees: Sprint Communcations Company L.P. - Applicants: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Inventors: Krishna D. Sitaram; Hemanth Balaji Pawar; Shilpa Kowdley Srinivas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771128B1 ## CPC - H04B 7/0452: Multi-user MIMO systems - H04W 64/006: {with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A wireless communication network uses Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO). Network circuitry stores geographic data that indicates geographic containers. Transceiver circuitry wirelessly receives network signaling from User Equipment (UEs) located in the geographic containers. The network circuitry processes the network signaling to determine UE MU-MIMO correlation factors between the UEs and associate the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers. The network circuitry processes the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors associated with the geographic containers to determine container MU-MIMO correlation factors between the geographic containers. The network circuitry selects UEs for MU-MIMO based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors. The transceiver circuitry wirelessly transfers MU-MIMO signals to the UEs that were selected based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a wireless communication network to use Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), the method comprising: network circuitry storing geographic data that indicates geographic containers; transceiver circuitry wirelessly receiving network signaling from User Equipment (UEs) that are located in the geographic containers; the network circuitry processing the network signaling and responsively determining UE MU-MIMO correlation factors between the UEs; the network circuitry processing the network signaling and responsively associating the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers; the network circuitry processing the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors associated with the geographic containers and responsively determining container MU-MIMO correlation factors between the geographic containers; the network circuitry selecting other UEs for MU-MIMO based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors; and the transceiver circuitry wirelessly transferring MU-MIMO signals to the other UEs that were selected based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors, wherein the transceiver circuitry wirelessly transferring the MU-MIMO signals to the other UEs comprises using same time and frequency resource blocks for groups of the other UEs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry selecting the other UEs based on the container MU-MIMO correlation factors comprises determining a sample-size for the container MU-MIMO correlation factors, using the container MU-MIMO correlation factors when the sample-size exceeds a sample threshold, and using the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors when the sample-size does not exceed the sample threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic containers comprise two-dimensional areas that are each smaller than 100 meters by 100 meters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the geographic containers comprise three-dimensional volumes that are each smaller than 100 meters by 100 meters by 100 meters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry determining the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors comprises processing Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) information to determine the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry determining the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors comprises executing a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer (5GNR PHY) to determine the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry associating the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers comprises executing a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to associate the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry determining the container MU-MIMO correlation factors comprises executing a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to determine the container MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the network circuitry selecting the other UEs for the MU-MIMO comprises executing a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to select the other UEs for the MU-MIMO. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises a Distributed Unit (DU). ### Claim 11 A wireless communication network to use Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) comprising: network circuitry configured to store geographic data that indicates geographic containers; transceiver circuitry configured to wirelessly receive network signaling from User Equipment (UEs) that are located in the geographic containers; the network circuitry configured to process the network signaling and responsively determine UE MU-MIMO correlation factors between the UEs and associate the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers; the network circuitry configured to process the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors associated with the geographic containers and responsively determine container MU-MIMO correlation factors between the geographic containers and select other UEs for MU-MIMO based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors; and the transceiver circuitry configured to wirelessly transfer MU-MIMO signals to the other UEs that were selected based on their container MU-MIMO correlation factors, wherein the transceiver circuitry is configured to use the same time and frequency resource blocks for groups of the other UEs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to determine a sample-size for the container MU-MIMO correlation factors, use the container MU-MIMO correlation factors when the sample-size exceeds a sample threshold, and use the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors when the sample-size does not exceed the sample threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the geographic containers comprise two-dimensional areas that are each smaller than 100 meters by 100 meters. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the geographic containers comprise three-dimensional volumes that are each smaller than 100 meters by 100 meters by 100 meters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to process Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) information to determine the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to execute a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer (5GNR PHY) to determine the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to execute a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to associate the UE MU-MIMO correlation factors with the geographic containers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to execute a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to determine the container MU-MIMO correlation factors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the network circuitry is configured to execute a Fifth Generation New Radio Physical Layer Media Access Control (5GNR MAC) to select the other UEs for the MU-MIMO. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the transceiver circuitry comprises a Distributed Unit (DU).