# US 12,003,974 B2 · Carrier switching and antenna switching for long term evolution and new radio dual connectivity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,974 B2 - Document ID: US12003974B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/524,995 - Filed: 2019-07-29 - Published: 2020-01-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-30 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Alberto Rico Alvarino; Masato Kitazoe; Peter Gaal; Le Liu; Aziz Gholmieh; Umesh Phuyal; Amir Farajidana; Seyedkianoush Hosseini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003974B2 ## CPC - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04B 7/0602: {using antenna switching (H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24)} - H04L 5/0051: {of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04L 25/0226: {sounding signals per se} - H04W 8/24: Transfer of terminal data - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W 88/10: adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points - H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may determine an antenna switching capability for the UE that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna for a plurality of bands that are included in a band combination of a set of band combinations supported by the UE, wherein at least two bands of the plurality of bands correspond to a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT respectively. The UE may signal the set of band combinations and the antenna switching capability to a base station. Numerous other aspects are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: determining information regarding an antenna switching capability for dual connectivity of the UE that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna for a plurality of bands that are included in a band combination supported by the UE, wherein at least a first band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a first radio access technology (RAT) and at least a second band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a second RAT; and signaling the information regarding the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity to a network entity, wherein the information regarding the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity indicates whether the first band corresponding to the first RAT and the second band corresponding to the second RAT are associated with switching together from a first antenna to a second antenna. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the band combination includes a number of bands corresponding to a number of transmit chains of the UE, and wherein each transmit chain capable of switching between multiple bands is capable of switching to one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT to form the band combination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of transmit antennas and receive antennas that the UE is capable of switching, or one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, for which downlink communications are interrupted by a switch in another band. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates whether downlink communications of one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT is interrupted by a switch in the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising signaling a carrier switching capability to the network entity, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates an interruption time to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band, of the plurality of bands, to a target band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the source band is one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT, and the target band is the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether to switch from the source band to the target band based at least in part on a type of information to be transmitted in at least one of the source band or the target band. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the source band and the target band are associated with a same RAT, and wherein the carrier switching capability does not indicate inter-RAT interruption times. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the second RAT has a sub-6 GHz frequency range and a millimeter wave frequency range. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range affects the other one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range without indicating whether a carrier switch to the millimeter wave frequency range affects the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, that experience an interruption when a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a band, of the plurality of bands, without an uplink capability. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein a carrier switching capability indicates at least one of: whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the second RAT affects a first operation on the other of the first RAT or the second RAT, or whether a carrier switch to at least one of the first RAT, a first frequency range of the second RAT, or a second frequency range of the second RAT affects a second operation on another one of the first RAT, the first frequency range, or the second frequency range. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a switching time or an interruption time, wherein the switching time or the interruption time is indicated using a configured or predefined granularity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE, or a number of concurrent inter-RAT switches supported by the UE. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE for each of the first RAT and the second RAT. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a determination of whether to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS) on a band, of the plurality of bands, is based at least in part on a channel that would be interrupted due to the SRS. ### Claim 17 A method of wireless communication performed by a network entity, comprising: receiving information that identifies an antenna switching capability for dual connectivity of a user equipment (UE) that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna for a plurality of bands that are included in a band combination supported by the UE, wherein at least a first band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a first radio access technology (RAT) and at least a second band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a second RAT, and wherein the information that identifies the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity indicates whether the first band corresponding to the first RAT and the second band corresponding to the second RAT are associated with switching together from a first antenna to a second antenna; and communicating with the UE based at least in part on the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the band combination includes a number of bands corresponding to a number of transmit chains of the UE, and wherein each transmit chain capable of switching between multiple bands is capable of switching to one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT to form the band combination. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of transmit antennas and receive antennas that the UE is capable of switching, or one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, for which downlink communications are interrupted by a switch in another band. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity indicates further whether downlink communications of one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT is interrupted by a switch in the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the second RAT has a sub-6 GHz frequency range and a millimeter wave frequency range. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates whether an antenna switch in one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range affects the other one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range without indicating whether an antenna switch in the millimeter wave frequency range affects the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving information that identifies a carrier switching capability of the UE, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates an interruption time to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band, of the plurality of bands, to a target band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the source band is one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT, and the target band is the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the source band and the target band are associated with a same RAT, and wherein the carrier switching capability does not indicate inter-RAT interruption times. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the second RAT has a sub-6 GHz frequency range and a millimeter wave frequency range. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range affects the other one of the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range without indicating whether a carrier switch to the millimeter wave frequency range affects the first RAT or the sub-6 GHz frequency range. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, that experience an interruption when a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a band, of the plurality of bands, without an uplink capability. ### Claim 29 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates at least one of: whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the second RAT affects a first operation on the other of the first RAT or the second RAT, or whether a carrier switch to at least one of the first RAT, a first frequency range of the second RAT, or a second frequency range of the second RAT affects a second operation on another one of the first RAT, the first frequency range, or the second frequency range. ### Claim 30 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a switching time or an interruption time, wherein the switching time or the interruption time is indicated using a configured or predefined granularity. ### Claim 31 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE, or a number of concurrent inter-RAT switches supported by the UE. ### Claim 32 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE for each of the first RAT and the second RAT. ### Claim 33 A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to: determine information regarding an antenna switching capability for dual connectivity of the UE that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna for a plurality of bands that are included in a band combination supported by the UE, wherein at least a first band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a first radio access technology (RAT) and at least a second band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a second RAT; and signal the information regarding the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity to a network entity, wherein the information regarding the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity indicates whether the first band corresponding to the first RAT and the second band corresponding to the second RAT are associated with switching together from a first antenna to a second antenna. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the band combination includes a number of bands corresponding to a number of transmit chains of the UE, and wherein each transmit chain capable of switching between multiple bands is capable of switching to one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT to form the band combination. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of transmit antennas and receive antennas that the UE is capable of switching, or one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, for which downlink communications are interrupted by a switch in another band. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates whether downlink communications of one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT is interrupted by a switch in the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to signal a carrier switching capability to the network entity, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates an interruption time to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band, of the plurality of bands, to a target band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The UE of claim 37, wherein the source band is one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT, and the target band is the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The UE of claim 37, wherein the source band and the target band are associated with a same RAT, and wherein the carrier switching capability does not indicate inter-RAT interruption times. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The UE of claim 37, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates at least one of: whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the second RAT affects a first operation on the other of the first RAT or the second RAT, or whether a carrier switch to at least one of the first RAT, a first frequency range of the second RAT, or a second frequency range of the second RAT affects a second operation on another one of the first RAT, the first frequency range, or the second frequency range. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The UE of claim 37, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine whether to switch from the source band to the target band based at least in part on a type of information to be transmitted in at least one of the source band or the target band. ### Claim 42 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a switching time or an interruption time, wherein the switching time or the interruption time is indicated using a configured or predefined granularity. ### Claim 43 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE, or a number of concurrent inter-RAT switches supported by the UE. ### Claim 44 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE for each of the first RAT and the second RAT. ### Claim 45 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, that experience an interruption when a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a band, of the plurality of bands, without an uplink capability. ### Claim 46 A network entity for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to: receive information that identifies an antenna switching capability for dual connectivity of a user equipment (UE) that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna for a plurality of bands that are included in a band combination supported by the UE, wherein at least a first band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a first radio access technology (RAT) and at least a second band, of the plurality of bands, corresponds to a second RAT, and wherein the information that identifies the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity indicates whether the first band corresponding to the first RAT and the second band corresponding to the second RAT are associated with switching together from a first antenna to a second antenna; and communicate with the UE based at least in part on the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the band combination includes a number of bands corresponding to a number of transmit chains of the UE, and wherein each transmit chain capable of switching between multiple bands is capable of switching to one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT to form the band combination. ### Claim 48 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of transmit antennas and receive antennas that the UE is capable of switching, or one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, for which downlink communications are interrupted by a switch in another band. ### Claim 49 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates whether downlink communications of one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT is interrupted by a switch in the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 50 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive information that identifies a carrier switching capability of the UE, wherein the carrier switching capability indicates an interruption time to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band, of the plurality of bands, to a target band of the plurality of bands. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The network entity of claim 50, wherein the source band is one of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT, and the target band is the other of the first band corresponding to the first RAT or the second band corresponding to the second RAT. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) The network entity of claim 50, wherein the source band and the target band are associated with a same RAT, and wherein the carrier switching capability does not indicate inter-RAT interruption times. ### Claim 53 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates at least one of: a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE, or a number of concurrent inter-RAT switches supported by the UE. ### Claim 54 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the antenna switching capability for the dual connectivity further indicates a number of concurrent intra-RAT switches supported by the UE for each of the first RAT and the second RAT. ### Claim 55 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates one or more bands, of the plurality of bands, that experience an interruption when a sounding reference signal (SRS) is transmitted in a band, of the plurality of bands, without an uplink capability. ### Claim 56 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein a carrier switching capability indicates at least one of: whether a carrier switch to one of the first RAT or the second RAT affects a first operation on the other of the first RAT or the second RAT, or whether a carrier switch to at least one of the first RAT, a first frequency range of the second RAT, or a second frequency range of the second RAT affects a second operation on another one of the first RAT, the first frequency range, or the second frequency range. ### Claim 57 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dual connectivity is Long Term Evolution—New Radio (LTE-NR) dual connectivity, the first RAT is LTE RAT, and the second RAT is NR RAT. ### Claim 58 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT is NR RAT, the second RAT is a RAT associated with a later generation-based communication system, and the dual connectivity is between the NR RAT and the RAT associated with the later generation-based communication system. ### Claim 59 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the dual connectivity is Long Term Evolution—New Radio (LTE-NR) dual connectivity, the first RAT is LTE RAT, and the second RAT is NR RAT. ### Claim 60 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first RAT is NR RAT, the second RAT is a RAT associated with a later generation-based communication system, and the dual connectivity is between the NR RAT and the RAT associated with the later generation-based communication system. ### Claim 61 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the dual connectivity is Long Term Evolution—New Radio (LTE-NR) dual connectivity, the first RAT is LTE RAT, and the second RAT is NR RAT. ### Claim 62 (depends on 33) The UE of claim 33, wherein the first RAT is NR RAT, the second RAT is a RAT associated with a later generation-based communication system, and the dual connectivity is between the NR RAT and the RAT associated with the later generation-based communication system. ### Claim 63 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the dual connectivity is Long Term Evolution—New Radio (LTE-NR) dual connectivity, the first RAT is LTE RAT, and the second RAT is NR RAT. ### Claim 64 (depends on 46) The network entity of claim 46, wherein the first RAT is NR RAT, the second RAT is a RAT associated with a later generation-based communication system, and the dual connectivity is between the NR RAT and the RAT associated with the later generation- based communication system.