Split Precoding and Split Prefiltering Between a Central Unit and a Distributed Unit of a Generation Node-B (GNB)

Abstract

Embodiments of a Generation Node-B (gNB) and methods of communication are disclosed herein. The gNB may be configured with logical nodes including a gNB central unit (gNB-CU) and a gNB distributed unit (gNB-DU). The gNB-CU 106 may determine a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix for a precoding of one or more data streams for transmission on a plurality of antennas coupled to the gNB-DU. The precoding may be in accordance with a split functionality between the gNB-CU and the gNB-DU that includes: precoding by the gNB-CU with the first precoding matrix, and precoding by the gNB-DU with the second precoding matrix.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A base station comprising:
 a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU) coupled by an interface;   wherein the DU is coupled to a plurality of antennas,   wherein the CU is configured to receive signal quality information from the DU via the interface, wherein the signal quality information is related to one or more signal quality measurements.   
     
     
         25 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the antennas are configured to receive an uplink signal from a user equipment (UE) device, wherein the DU is configured to decode the one or more signal quality measurements from the uplink signal. 
     
     
         26 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the DU is configured to receive a sounding reference signal (SRS) from an uplink signal, and provide the SRS to the CU through the interface. 
     
     
         27 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the DU is configured to receive a random access channel (RACH) from an uplink signal, and provide the RACH to the CU through the interface. 
     
     
         28 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein physical layer processing of the base station is split between the CU and DU. 
     
     
         29 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the DU is configured to pre-filter antenna-specific components of an uplink signal, and transfer symbols of the pre-filtered signal to the CU via the interface. 
     
     
         30 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein a first of the one or more signal quality measurements is received signal power or average received signal power. 
     
     
         31 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein a first of the one or more signal quality measurements is signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or reference signal received power (RSRP). 
     
     
         32 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein a first of the one or more signal quality measurements is reference signal received quality (RSRQ) or received signal strength indicator (RSSI). 
     
     
         33 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the CU and DU are not co-located. 
     
     
         34 . The base station of  claim 24 , wherein the CU is configured to determine a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix for precoding a transmission of one or more downlink data streams via the plurality of antennas, wherein the CU is configured to apply a first portion of the precoding using the first precoding matrix, wherein the DU is configured to apply a second portion of the precoding using the second precoding matrix. 
     
     
         35 . A method for operating a base station, the method comprising:
 sending signal quality information from a distributed unit (DU) of the base station to a central unit (CU) of the base station, wherein the DU is coupled to a plurality of antennas, wherein the signal quality information is related to one or more signal quality measurements.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the DU, an uplink signal from a user equipment (UE) device; and   decoding, at the DU, the one or more signal quality measurements from the uplink signal.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein a first of the one or more signal quality measurements is one of the following:
 received signal power, average received signal power, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), received signal strength indicator (RSSI).   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the DU, a sounding reference signal (SRS) from an uplink signal; and   providing the SRS to the CU.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 receiving a random access channel (RACH) from an uplink signal, and providing the RACH to the CU.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein physical layer processing of the base station is split between the CU and DU. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 pre-filtering, at the DU, antenna-specific components of an uplink signal; and   transferring symbols of the pre-filtered signal to the CU.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the CU and DU are not co-located, wherein the base station is a next generation Node B of 3GPP 5G NR. 
     
     
         43 . A non-transitory memory medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 send signal quality information from a distributed unit (DU) of a base station to a central unit (CU) of the base station, wherein the DU is coupled to a plurality of antennas, wherein the signal quality information is related to one or more signal quality measurements.