公开(公告)号：US20250056252A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18794755

申请日：2024-08-05

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Ahmed Gamal Helmy Mohamed ,  Firouz Behnamfar ,  Ayman F Naguib ,  Danila Zaev

IPC: H04W24/02 ,  H04W24/10 ,  H04W74/0833

Abstract: Systems and methods for clustering in cell-free networks are described herein. A cluster of one or more base stations provides radio access network (RAN) functionality to a user equipment (UE) within the wireless communication system in a cell-free manner (e.g., without using a base-station-centric cell context, as in prior wireless communication systems). A cluster that is serving a UE comprises one or more connected base stations (cBSs) that actively serve the UE. A clustering control function (CCF) of the network establishes and maintains the cluster that is serving one or more UEs. Herein, messaging systems and messaging types used by the CCF, base station(s), and UE(s) within this cell-free context are discussed. Initial clustering methods used by a CCF to form a cluster for a UE are discussed. Further, clustering update methods used by a CCF to maintain/modify a cluster for a UE are discussed.

公开(公告)号：US20240258708A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-01

申请号：US18160245

申请日：2023-01-26

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Ahmed M Soliman ,  Danila Zaev ,  Kenza Hamidouche ,  Benedikt Schweizer ,  Ayman F Naguib ,  Norman Goris ,  Said Medjkouh

IPC: H01Q19/10 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H04B7/08

CPC classification number: H01Q19/10 ,  H04B7/0639 ,  H04B7/08

Abstract: A communication system may include a base station (BS), a user equipment (UE) device, a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) having a local controller, and a remote controller. Antenna elements on the RIS may reflect signals between the BS and UE while exhibiting reflection coefficients. The remote controller may transmit a control model and the UE may transmit local information to the local controller, which generates the reflection coefficients based on the local information and control model. Alternatively, the remote controller may transmit the control model to the UE and a codebook to the RIS. The UE may transmit an identifier to the RIS based on local information and the control model. The local controller may implement reflection coefficients of a codebook entry identified by the identifier. Splitting control of the RIS in these ways may minimize communication overhead, provide coverage extension for the UE, and optimize privacy.

公开(公告)号：US20240310470A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-19

申请号：US18184566

申请日：2023-03-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Benedikt Schweizer ,  Danila Zaev ,  Firouz Behnamfar ,  Ayman F Naguib

IPC: G01S5/02

CPC classification number: G01S5/0273

Abstract: A communication system may include a transmitting (TX) device, a receiving (RX) device, and a one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS's). The TX device may transmit a wireless signal received by the RX device over multiple propagation paths including paths that reflect off the RIS(s) and paths that include other reflections. The RX device may receive location information from each RIS. The RX device or a control device may control each RIS to modulate the wireless signal with a different respective identifier upon reflection of the wireless signal by the RIS. The RX device may distinguish the wireless signal as reflected off the RIS(s) from reflections off other objects based on the RIS identifiers modulated onto the wireless signals by the RIS(s). The RX device may use a multilateration technique to detect its position based on the received location information and the wireless signals as reflected off the RIS(s).

公开(公告)号：US20230370134A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-16

申请号：US18181130

申请日：2023-03-09

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Danila Zaev ,  Ayman F Naguib ,  Yu-Ting Yu

IPC: H04B7/06

CPC classification number: H04B7/0617 ,  H04B7/0632

Abstract: A user equipment (UE) device may communicate with a base station using signals reflected off a network-independent intelligent reflecting surface (IRS). The UE device and the IRS may form part of a virtual UE device, the components of which communicate with each other and with other virtual UE devices over a channel control plane (CCP) separate from the control and data plane of the base station. The CCP may be used to perform control functions for the virtual UE device such as channel estimation, synchronization, scheduling, sensing, and beamforming. The IRS may be controlled by the UE device, a service controller, or itself. Grouping the UE device and IRS into a virtual UE device may keep the structure the presence of the IRS transparent to the network while allowing the UE device to have more beneficial channel propagation properties relative to when the IRS is registered to the network.

公开(公告)号：US20240418853A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18814279

申请日：2024-08-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Firouz Behnamfar ,  Christian W Mucke ,  Ayman F Naguib

IPC: G01S13/89 ,  G01S5/02 ,  G01S13/38 ,  H04L5/00 ,  H04W64/00

Abstract: An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that detects the location of external objects. A signal generator may concurrently transmit different radio-frequency ranging signals over two or more transmit antennas. The ranging signals may include waveforms with time-varying frequencies, where each waveform includes frequencies that are non-overlapping with the frequencies of each of the other waveforms at any given time. Antennas may receive reflected versions of the ranging signals and a processor may process the reflected versions of the ranging signals to identify the location of the external objects. This may prevent interference between the ranging signals and may significantly reduce the latency of location detection relative to examples where the ranging signals are transmitted by different transmit antennas in series.

公开(公告)号：US20240097759A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-21

申请号：US18069875

申请日：2022-12-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Ahmed M Soliman ,  Danila Zaev ,  Ayman F Naguib

IPC: H04B7/06

CPC classification number: H04B7/0617 ,  H04B7/0632

Abstract: A communication system may include an access point (AP), user equipment (UE) device, and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). The UE may control the RIS by transmitting control signals that configure antenna elements on the RIS. The RIS may reflect wireless signals between the UE and the AP. The RIS may be known to the network. The UE may transmit a report to the AP that includes information about the RIS. The UE may receive assistance information from the AP. The UE may control the RIS based at least in part on the assistance information. The UE may transmit measurement reports to the AP. The AP may update its signal beams based on the information about the RIS and the measurement reports. Providing the network with awareness of the RIS may serve to optimize the wireless performance of the UE device and/or the network.

公开(公告)号：US12111393B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-08

申请号：US17893034

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Firouz Behnamfar ,  Christian W Mucke ,  Ayman F Naguib

IPC: G01S13/89 ,  G01S5/02 ,  G01S13/38 ,  H04L5/00 ,  H04W64/00

CPC classification number: G01S13/89 ,  G01S5/0246 ,  G01S5/02521 ,  G01S13/38 ,  H04W64/003 ,  H04L5/0055

Abstract: An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that detects the location of external objects. A signal generator may concurrently transmit different radio-frequency ranging signals over two or more transmit antennas. The ranging signals may include waveforms with time-varying frequencies, where each waveform includes frequencies that are non-overlapping with the frequencies of each of the other waveforms at any given time. Antennas may receive reflected versions of the ranging signals and a processor may process the reflected versions of the ranging signals to identify the location of the external objects. This may prevent interference between the ranging signals and may significantly reduce the latency of location detection relative to examples where the ranging signals are transmitted by different transmit antennas in series.

公开(公告)号：US20230085972A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17893034

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Firouz Behnamfar ,  Christian W Mucke ,  Ayman F Naguib

IPC: G01S13/89 ,  H04W64/00 ,  G01S13/38 ,  G01S5/02

Abstract: An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that detects the location of external objects. A signal generator may concurrently transmit different radio-frequency ranging signals over two or more transmit antennas. The ranging signals may include waveforms with time-varying frequencies, where each waveform includes frequencies that are non-overlapping with the frequencies of each of the other waveforms at any given time. Antennas may receive reflected versions of the ranging signals and a processor may process the reflected versions of the ranging signals to identify the location of the external objects. This may prevent interference between the ranging signals and may significantly reduce the latency of location detection relative to examples where the ranging signals are transmitted by different transmit antennas in series.