Distinguishing reference signals in a beam-based communication system

A method, implemented in a first access node, for distinguishing reference signals in a beam-based communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving a report from a user equipment (UE), wherein:
• a frequency carrier spans a plurality of time-frequency resources arranged in a time-frequency grid;
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources spans one time unit in a time domain and one frequency unit in a frequency domain;
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources is identifiable by a unique identifier;
• each of a plurality of beams on the frequency carrier comprises a corresponding reference signal carried in a time-frequency resource of the time-frequency grid;
• and
• the report comprises a resource identifier that uniquely identifies a corresponding time-frequency resource on which one of the corresponding reference signals was carried;
• the one of the corresponding reference signals was received by the UE;
• and
• identifying a second access node that transmitted the one of the corresponding reference signals by locating the second access node in a mapping of resource identifiers to access node identifiers in which the resource identifier is mapped to the second access node;
• wherein the resource identifier is one of the unique identifiers;
• and
• wherein the corresponding time-frequency resource is one of the plurality of time-frequency resources.

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the UE is operative to:
• receive a plurality of beams on a frequency carrier that spans a plurality of time-frequency resources arranged in a time-frequency grid, wherein:
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources spans one time unit in a time domain and one frequency unit in a frequency domain;
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources is identifiable by a unique identifier;
• and
• each of the plurality of beams comprises a corresponding reference signal carried in a time-frequency resource of the time-frequency arid;
• and
• transmit a report comprising, for each of at least one of the corresponding reference signals, a resource identifier that uniquely identifies a corresponding time-frequency resource on which said each of the at least one of the corresponding reference signals was carried;
• wherein the resource identifier is one of the unique identifiers;
• and
• wherein the corresponding time-frequency resource is one of the plurality of time-frequency resources.

A first access node, comprising:

• processing circuitry;
• memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the first access node is operative to:
• receive, a report from a user equipment (UE), wherein:
• a frequency carrier spans a plurality of time-frequency resources arranged in a time-frequency arid;
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources spans one time unit in a time domain and one frequency unit in a frequency domain;
• each of the plurality of time-frequency resources is identifiable by a unique identifier;
• each of a plurality of beams on the frequency carrier comprises a corresponding reference signal carried in a time-frequency resource of the time-frequency grid;
• and
• the report comprises a resource identifier that uniquely identifies a corresponding time-frequency resource on which one of the corresponding reference signals was carried;
• and identify a second access node that transmitted the one of the corresponding reference signals by locating the second access node in a mapping of resource identifiers to access node identifiers in which the resource identifier is mapped to the second access node;
• wherein the resource identifier is one of the unique identifiers;
• and
• wherein the corresponding time-frequency resource is one of the plurality of time-frequency resources.