Resource-Efficient Beam Selection in 5G and 6G

A user device of a wireless network comprising a base station, the user device configured to:

• a. receive a plurality of beam scan signals, each beam scan signal transmitted in a different direction by the base station, the beam scan signals spaced apart in time or in frequency;
• b. measure a signal quality of each beam scan signal, the signal quality comprising an amplitude, a power level, or a signal-to-noise ratio;
• c. determine a particular beam scan signal having a best or highest signal quality;
• d. determine a particular time or a particular frequency associated with the particular beam scan signal;
• and
• e. transmit, to the base station, a reply signal indicating the particular time or the particular frequency.

Non-transitory computer-readable media in a base station of a wireless network comprising a user device, the media containing instructions that, when executed in a computing environment, cause a method to be performed, the method comprising:

• a. transmitting a plurality of beam scan signals, each beam scan signal having the same amplitude and phase, and each beam scan signal transmitted in a different direction, wherein the beam scan signals occupy sequential symbol-times or sequential subcarriers of a resource grid defined by the network;
• b. monitoring a reply window comprising a predetermined region of the resource grid following the beam scan signals, and detecting at least one reply signal in the reply window;
• c. determining, according to a time or a frequency of the at least one reply signal, a particular beam scan signal;
• d. determining, according to the particular beam scan signal, a particular geographical direction;
• and
• e. transmitting, to the user device, a geographical direction message indicating the particular geographical direction.