# US 11,452,011 B2 · User equipment-centric inter-cell mobility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,011 B2 - Document ID: US11452011B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/827,923 - Filed: 2020-03-24 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Aman Jassal; Usa Vilaipornsawai; Hua Xu - Inventors: Aman Jassal; Usa Vilaipornsawai; Hua Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452011B2 ## CPC - H04W 36/0072: {of resource information of target access point} - H04B 7/06964: {Re-selection of one or more beams after beam failure} - H04B 7/06968: {using quasi-colocation [QCL] between signals} - H04B 7/088: {using beam selection} - H04W 16/28: using beam steering - H04W 36/0085: {Hand-off measurements} - H04W 72/046: {the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams} - H04W 36/085: {involving beams of access points} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract An indication signal is used for indicating to a UE a communication resource for a second reference signal that is part of a higher-layer configuration from a first base station. The communication resource for the second reference signal is associated with a second base station. The higher-layer configuration also includes a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station. A UE that receives an indication signal communicates with the second base station. A data transmission or a control signal transmission could be communicated with the second base station using a respective data channel or control channel. The data channel or control channel is associated with the communication resource for the second reference signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, by a user equipment (UE) from a first base station, an indication signal for indicating to the UE a communication resource for a second reference signal associated with a second base station, wherein the communication resource for the second reference signal is comprised in a higher-layer configuration from the first base station to the UE, and the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station; in response to the indication signal, communicating, by the UE with the second base station, a data transmission or a control signal transmission using a respective data channel or control channel, the data channel or control channel associated with the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the indication signal comprises a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) indication of the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the MAC-CE indication comprises a MAC-CE command with a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) indication indicating a beam management resource set and a Quasi-Colocation (QCL) assumption to use for resources in the beam management resource set. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the UE, the higher-layer configuration from the first base station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising either or both of: performing, by the UE, channel measurements for a channel used for communicating a data transmission or a control signal transmission with the first base station and communicating, by the UE to the first base station, an indication of the channel measurements; and performing, by the UE, channel measurements for the data channel or control channel and communicating, by the UE to the second base station, an indication of the channel measurements for the data channel or the control channel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for beam failure recovery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication signal comprises a beam switching command, the method further comprising: switching, by the UE, from a first beam provided by the first base station to a second beam provided by the second base station in response to the indication signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication signal comprises a TCI State update message that references the communication resource for the second reference signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication signal comprises a TCI State Activation message, the method further comprising: performing beam switching, by the UE, to switch from a first beam provided by the first base station to a second beam provided by the second base station in response to the indication signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication signal comprises a beam indication, the method further comprising: performing beam switching in accordance with the beam indication. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, by the UE, the resources in the beam management resource set and apply the QCL assumption for each resource in the beam management resource set towards demodulation of the second reference signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, by the UE, the resources in the beam management resource set using a priority rule. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a resource configuration at the UE for the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal is separate from cell configurations at the UE for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein beam management resource definitions at the UE for the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal are external to cell configurations at the UE for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the UE maintains a QCL assumption record, separately from cell configurations for the first base station and the second base station, and the indication signal instructs the UE as to which QCL assumptions to use for the data channel or control channel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the UE comprises a beam management module that defines QCL assumptions for the first base station and the second base station, wherein the beam management module is located outside of a module that is used by the UE to hold cell-specific configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the UE comprises a beam management module to manage the communication resource for the second reference signal, the communication resource for the first reference signal, and corresponding QCL assumptions that the UE can make regarding the first reference signal and the second reference signal, wherein the beam management module is separate from a module that is used by the UE to hold cell-specific configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the higher-layer configuration configures the UE with a Beam Failure Recovery (BFR) control resource set (CORESET) for beam failure recovery, the BFR CORESET comprising the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal, wherein an information element holding the BFR CORESET in UE memory is stored outside of information elements used for storing cell configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming, the programming including instructions to perform the method of claim 1. ### Claim 18 An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to: receive, from a first base station, an indication signal for indicating to the apparatus a communication resource for a second reference signal associated with a second base station, wherein the communication resource for the second reference signal is comprised in a higher-layer configuration from the first base station to the apparatus, and the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station; in response to the indication signal, communicate, with the second base station, a data transmission or a control signal transmission using a respective data channel or control channel, the data channel or control channel associated with the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the indication signal comprises a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) indication of the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the MAC-CE indication comprises a MAC-CE command with a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) indication indicating a beam management resource set and a Quasi-Colocation (QCL) assumption to use for resources in the beam management resource set. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: receive the higher-layer configuration from the first base station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: perform channel measurements for a channel used for communicating a data transmission or a control signal transmission with the first base station; communicate, to the first base station, an indication of the channel measurements. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for beam failure recovery. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication signal comprises a beam switching command, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: switch, by the apparatus, from a first beam provided by the first base station to a second beam provided by the second base station in response to the indication signal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication signal comprises a TCI State update message that references the communication resource for the second reference signal. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication signal comprises a TCI State Activation message, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: perform beam switching, by the apparatus, to switch from a first beam provided by the first base station to a second beam provided by the second base station in response to the indication signal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication signal comprises a beam indication, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: perform beam switching in accordance with the beam indication. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: monitor, by the apparatus, the resources in the beam management resource set and apply the QCL assumption for each resource in the beam management resource set towards demodulation of the second reference signal. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: monitor, by the apparatus, the resources in the beam management resource set using a priority rule. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a resource configuration at the apparatus for the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal is separate from cell configurations at the apparatus for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein beam management resource definitions at the apparatus for the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal are external to cell configurations at the apparatus for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 30 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus maintains a QCL assumption record, separately from cell configurations for the first base station and the second base station, and the indication signal instructs the apparatus as to which QCL assumptions to use for the data channel or control channel. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a beam management module that defines QCL assumptions for the first base station and the second base station, wherein the beam management module is located outside of a module that is used by the apparatus to hold cell-specific configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a beam management module to manage the communication resource for the second reference signal, the communication resource for the first reference signal, and corresponding QCL assumptions that the apparatus can make regarding the first reference signal and the second reference signal, wherein the beam management module is separate from a module that is used by the apparatus to hold cell-specific configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 33 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the higher-layer configuration configures the apparatus with a Beam Failure Recovery (BFR) control resource set (CORESET) for beam failure recovery, the BFR CORESET comprising the communication resource for the second reference signal and the communication resource for the first reference signal, wherein an information element holding the BFR CORESET in apparatus memory is stored outside of information elements used for storing cell configurations for the first base station and the second base station. ### Claim 34 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by a processor, the programming including instructions to: receive, from a first base station, an indication signal for indicating a communication resource for a second reference signal associated with a second base station, wherein the communication resource for the second reference signal is comprised in a higher-layer configuration from the first base station, and the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for a first reference signal associated with the first base station; in response to the indication signal, communicate with the second base station, a data transmission or a control signal transmission using a respective data channel or control channel, the data channel or control channel associated with the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the indication signal comprises a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) indication of the communication resource for the second reference signal, wherein the MAC-CE indication comprises a MAC-CE command with a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) indication indicating a beam management resource set and a Quasi-Colocation (QCL) assumption to use for resources in the beam management resource set. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: receive the higher-layer configuration from the first base station. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: perform channel measurements for a channel used for communicating a data transmission or a control signal transmission with the first base station; communicate to the first base station, an indication of the channel measurements. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the programming further includes instructions to: perform channel measurements for the data channel or control channel; communicate to the second base station, an indication of the channel measurements for the data channel or the control channel. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the higher-layer configuration further comprises a communication resource for beam failure recovery.