# US 2022/0286189 A1 · Apparatus, method and computer program for determining beamforming direction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0286189 A1 - Document ID: US20220286189A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/636,389 - Filed: 2019-08-21 - Published: 2022-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-21 - Assignees: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy - Applicants: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy - Inventors: Simon SVENDSEN; Oana-Elena BARBU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220286189A1 ## CPC - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04B 7/086: {using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming} - H04B 7/0848: {Joint weighting} - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for receiving at least one signal from at least one transmitter; determining at least one parameter of the at least one signal; determining, based on the at least one parameter, which of a plurality of stored differential signal reception radiation patterns the received signal corresponds to, each of the plurality of stored radiation patterns associated with a direction of arrival; and aligning an antenna beam to the transmitter based on the direction of arrival associated with the determined stored differential signal reception radiation pattern. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: receiving at least one signal from at least one transmitter; determining at least one parameter of the at least one signal; determining, based on the at least one parameter, which of a plurality of stored differential signal reception radiation patterns the received signal corresponds to, the plurality of stored radiation patterns associated with a direction of arrival; and aligning an antenna beam to the transmitter based on the direction of arrival associated with the determined stored differential signal reception radiation pattern. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one signal is a reference signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the reference signal comprises one of a synchronization signal block, a demodulation reference signal, a channel state information reference signal, a specific beam alignment reference signal and a sounding reference signal. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the transmitter comprises one of a base station and a user equipment and the receiving is at an apparatus which comprises the other of the base station and the user equipment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the method is performed at a user equipment and the method comprises receiving one or more synchronization signal block sweeps from the base station, and selecting the synchronization signal block sweep with the best reference signal received power for time synchronization using a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal, which are part of the synchronization signal block. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22, wherein the method comprises decoding of master block information to obtain burst sequence information of the one or more synchronization signal block sweeps. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the method comprises using decoded master block information to determine when the base station will next be configured with the synchronization signal block sweep with the best reference signal received power, and time transmission of the user equipment accordingly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising determining an identity of the transmitter. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising determining that the power of the at least one signal is higher than a threshold value. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising determining a parameter of the at least one signal by comparing at least one of a power and a phase of a first reception of the signal with the at least one of a power and a phase of a second reception of the signal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein the first reception of the signal is received at at least one first antenna radiation pattern and the second reception of the signal is received at at least one second antenna radiation pattern. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising changing the differential signal reception pattern to obtain a more accurate direction of arrival. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, comprising changing the differential signal reception pattern by changing power and phase weights of an antenna. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising monitoring the determined differential signal reception radiation pattern after a first time period, and changing the determined differential signal reception pattern when a quality threshold is not met. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising performing at least one of digital, hybrid and analog beam steering. ### Claim 33 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of stored radiation patterns is associated with a respective direction of arrival. ### Claim 34 A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform at least: receiving at least one signal from at least one transmitter; determining at least one parameter of the at least one signal; determining, based on the at least one parameter, which of a plurality of stored differential signal reception radiation patterns the received signal corresponds to, the plurality of stored radiation patterns associated with a direction of arrival; and aligning an antenna beam to the transmitter based on the direction of arrival associated with the determined stored differential signal reception radiation pattern. ### Claim 35 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive at least one signal from at least one transmitter; determine at least one parameter of the at least one signal; determine, based on the at least one parameter, which of a plurality of stored differential signal reception radiation patterns the received signal corresponds to, the plurality of stored radiation patterns associated with a direction of arrival; and align an antenna beam to the transmitter based on the direction of arrival associated with the determined stored differential signal reception radiation pattern. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one signal comprises a reference signal. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the reference signal comprises one of a synchronization signal block, a demodulation reference signal, a channel state information reference signal, a specific beam alignment reference signal and a sounding reference signal. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the transmitter comprises one of a base station and a user equipment and the apparatus comprises the other of the base station and the user equipment. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform receiving one or more synchronization signal block sweeps from the base station, and select the synchronization signal block sweep with the best reference signal received power for time synchronization using a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal, which are part of the synchronization signal block. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform decoding of master block information to obtain burst sequence information of the one or more synchronization signal block sweeps. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform using decoded master block information to determine when the base station will next be configured with the synchronization signal block sweep with the best reference signal received power, and time transmission of the user equipment accordingly. ### Claim 42 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine an identity of the transmitter. ### Claim 43 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine that the power of the at least one signal is higher than a threshold value. ### Claim 44 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to determine a parameter of the at least one signal by comparing at least one of a power and a phase of a first reception of the signal with the at least one of a power and a phase of a second reception of the signal. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the first reception of the signal is received at at least one first antenna radiation pattern and the second reception of the signal is received at at least one second antenna radiation pattern. ### Claim 46 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to change the differential signal reception pattern to obtain a more accurate direction of arrival. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to change the differential signal reception pattern by changing power and phase weights of an antenna of the apparatus. ### Claim 48 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to monitor the determined differential signal reception radiation pattern after a first time period, and change the determined differential signal reception pattern when a quality threshold is not met. ### Claim 49 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform at least one of digital, hybrid and analog beam steering. ### Claim 50 (depends on 35) The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein each of the plurality of stored radiation patterns is associated with a respective direction of arrival.