Electronic device and method for phase alignment

A method performed by a radio unit (RU), the method comprising:

• receiving, through a fronthaul interface, from a distribute unit (DU), a reference signal control message for one or more reference signals, wherein the reference signal control message includes an identifier (ID) of the RU and one or more path IDs of one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• receiving, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a data message including data of the one or more reference signals based on the reference signal control message;
• obtaining one or more response signals by transmitting the one or more reference signals through the one or more transmission paths of the RU, respectively;
• receiving, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a response signal control message for a response message;
• and
• transmitting, through the fronthaul interface, to the DU, the response message,
• wherein the response message includes data of one or more response signals for the one or more reference signals and the one or more path IDs of the one or more transmission paths of the RU, and
• wherein the one or more response signals are usable for phase alignment for joint transmission.

A digital unit (DU), comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the DU to:
• control the transceiver to transmit, through a fronthaul interface, to a radio unit (RU), a reference signal control message for one or more reference signals, wherein the reference signal control message includes an identifier (ID) of the RU and one or more path IDs of one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• control the transceiver to transmit, through the fronthaul interface, to the RU, a data message including data of the one or more reference signals based on the reference signal control message, the data message causing the RU to transmit the one or more reference signals respectively through the one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• control the transceiver to transmit, through the fronthaul interface, to the RU, a response signal control message for a response message;
• and
• control the transceiver to receive, through the fronthaul interface, from the RU, the response message,
• wherein the response message includes data of one or more response signals for the one or more reference signals and the one or more path IDs of the one or more transmission paths of the RU, and
• wherein the one or more response signals are usable for phase alignment for joint transmission.

A radio unit (RU), comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the RU to:
• control the transceiver to receive, through a fronthaul interface, from a distribute unit (DU), a reference signal control message for one or more reference signals, wherein the reference signal control message includes an identifier (ID) of the RU and one or more path IDs of one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• control the transceiver to receive, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a data message including the one or more reference signals based on the reference signal control message;
• obtain one or more response signals by transmitting the one or more reference signals through the one or more transmission paths of the RU, respectively;
• control the transceiver to receive, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a response signal control message for a response message;
• and
• control the transceiver to transmit, through the fronthaul interface, to the DU, the response message,
• wherein the response message includes data of one or more response signals for the one or more reference signals and the one or more path IDs of the one or more transmission paths of the RU, and
• wherein the one or more response signals are usable for phase alignment for joint transmission.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, that, when executed by a processor of a digital unit (DU), cause the DU to perform operations comprising:

• transmitting, through a fronthaul interface, to a radio unit (RU), a reference signal control message for one or more reference signals, wherein the reference signal control message includes an identifier (ID) of the RU and one or more path IDs of one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• transmitting, through the fronthaul interface, to the RU, a data message including data of the one or more reference signals based on the reference signal control message, the data message causing the RU to transmit the one or more reference signals respectively through the one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• transmitting, through the fronthaul interface, to the RU, a response signal control message for a response message;
• and
• receiving, through the fronthaul interface, from the RU, the response message,
• wherein the response message includes data of one or more response signals for the one or more reference signals and the one or more path IDs of the one or more transmission paths of the RU, and
• wherein the one or more response signals are usable for phase alignment for joint transmission.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, that, when executed by a processor of a radio unit (RU), cause the RU to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, through a fronthaul interface, from a distribute unit (DU), a reference signal control message for one or more reference signals, wherein the reference signal control message includes an identifier (ID) of the RU and one or more path IDs of one or more transmission paths of the RU;
• receiving, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a data message including data of the one or more reference signals based on the reference signal control message;
• obtaining one or more response signals by transmitting the one or more reference signals through the one or more transmission paths of the RU, respectively;
• receiving, through the fronthaul interface, from the DU, a response signal control message for a response message;
• and
• transmitting, through the fronthaul interface, to the DU, the response message,
• wherein the response message includes data of one or more response signals for the one or more reference signals and the one or more path IDs of the one or more transmission paths of the RU, and
• wherein the one or more response signals are usable for phase alignment for joint transmission.