Abstract: A method of supporting group communication over LTE MBMS is provided. A UE first establishes a unicast Evolved Packet Service (EPS) bearer in an LTE network for group communication. The UE belongs to a communication group having a communication group ID. The UE receives access information from the network for monitoring downlink (DL) multicast traffic of the DL group communication based on a multicast decision. The UE is then ready for monitoring a multicast Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) bearer for receiving the DL multicast traffic. In one embodiment, The UE requests to switch the DL multicast traffic from the multicast MBMS bearer to the unicast EPS bearer upon detecting that the UE is approaching an MBMS coverage boundary. In another embodiment, the UE transmits an indication of preferred target cells to the network before performing a handover and thereby maintaining multicast service continuity of the group communication.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a reflective mask that includes a substrate; a reflective multilayer disposed on the substrate; an anti-oxidation barrier layer disposed on the reflective multilayer and the anti-oxidation barrier layer is in amorphous structure with an average interatomic distance less than an oxygen diameter; and an absorber layer disposed on the anti-oxidation barrier layer and patterned according to an integrated circuit layout.

Abstract: A method of beam failure recovery for multi-beam operation in wireless communication systems with beamforming is proposed. Specifically, a four-step beam failure recovery procedure is proposed. In a first step of beam failure detection, UE detects a beam failure condition of the original serving beam pair link. In a second step of new candidate beam identification, UE performs measurements for candidate beam selection. In a third step of beam failure recovery request (BFRQ) transmission, UE transmits a BFRQ message to BS upon the triggering condition for BFRQ transmission is satisfied. In a fourth step of monitoring BS response, UE monitors BS response to decide the success or failure of the beam failure recovery.

Abstract: A method of beam reciprocity state reporting and uplink beam management in wireless communication systems with beamforming is proposed. In one novel aspect, a BS configures one or more resource sets to a UE for uplink beam management. The one or more resource sets are allocated for UE to transmit UL reference signals using a number of UE beams. The number of UE beams to be trained is reported by the UE, e.g., via a “UE beam reciprocity state (update)” message. The BS also indicates whether a fixed UE TX beam or which UE TX beam is used for transmission, or indicates whether different UE TX beams are used for transmission of different resources in a resource set. The BS then feedback measurement results for UE to choose a proper TX beam.

Abstract: A method of beam reciprocity state reporting and uplink beam management in wireless communication systems with beamforming is proposed. In one novel aspect, a UE determines its UE beam reciprocity state and sends a “UE beam reciprocity state” message to a BS, which triggers proper uplink beam management accordingly. The UE beam reciprocity state message can take place when UE tries to register to the network. For example, according to factory setting, UE reports at least “Positive” or “Negative” in this message. Beam reciprocity state can be updated by a “UE beam reciprocity state update” message. An auxiliary information can be transmitted to the BS for UL beam management if UE reports “Negative” for beam reciprocity state. The auxiliary information indicates the uncertainty level of UE beams.

Abstract: A method of supporting group communication over LTE MBMS is provided. A UE first establishes a unicast Evolved Packet Service (EPS) bearer in an LTE network for group communication. The UE belongs to a communication group having a communication group ID. The UE receives access information from the network for monitoring downlink (DL) multicast traffic of the DL group communication based on a multicast decision. The UE is then ready for monitoring a multicast Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) bearer for receiving the DL multicast traffic. The multicast MBMS bearer is associated with a Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI), and wherein the TMGI is associated with the communication group ID. In one embodiment, the access information comprises mapping information between the TMGI and the communication group ID.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method of transmitting a reference signal and related electronic devices using the same. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the method would include not limited to transmitting a reference signal by using a directional antenna emitting a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering 360 N degrees per one of N time slots during a first phase of a full sweeping period, wherein N?2 and transmitting the reference signal, in response to transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has the first radiation pattern, by using the directional antenna emitting a second radiation pattern of multiple beams having different angles simultaneously covering a total of 360 M degrees of angles per one of M time slots during a second phase of the full sweeping period, wherein N>M?1.

Abstract: A method of providing spatial diversity for critical data delivery in a beamformed mmWave smallcell is proposed. The proposed spatial diversity scheme offers duplicate or incremental data/signal transmission and reception by using multiple different beams for the same source and destination. The proposed spatial diversity scheme can be combined with other diversity schemes in time, frequency, and code, etc. for the same purpose. In addition, the proposed spatial diversity scheme combines the physical-layer resources associated with the beams with other resources of the same or different protocol layers. By spatial signaling repetition to avoid Radio Link Failure (RLF) and Handover Failure (HOF), mobility robustness can be enhanced. Mission-critical and/or time-critical data delivery can also be achieved without relying on retransmission.

Abstract: A method deactivates secondary Component Carrier (CC) measurement in a communications apparatus providing wireless communications services via a first CC in a wireless network, wherein the communications apparatus includes a first signal processing component chain comprising a plurality of signal processing components and is configured for processing the RF signals for the first CC and a second signal processing component chain comprising a plurality of signal processing components. The method includes operations of determining a switch timing for turning on at least one of the signal processing components in the second signal processing component chain for performing a deactivated secondary CC measurement; performing the deactivated secondary CC measurement via the second signal processing component chain, wherein the secondary CC is not able to perform data transmission or reception during a deactivated state, and wherein the switch timing is determined according to a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for initial access in the multi-beam operation. In one novel aspect, the UE receives multiple response messages and selects one message as the response message. In one embodiment, the UE selects a subset of a configured UL resources, transmits a first message, wherein the first message is transmitted one or more times on each of the selected set of UL resources, receives one or more first-message-response messages from the BS, and selects one response message, wherein the selected response message indicates a corresponding BS RX resource, which is used by the UE for subsequent communication with the BS. In one embodiment, the selection of UL resources is at least based on transmitting spatial characteristics of the BS, the UE or both, which indicates whether the BS/UE is reciprocal, partial reciprocal or non-reciprocal.

Abstract: A network control device includes a wireless communications module and a controller. The wireless communications module uses a preferred transmitting beam to communicate with a communications apparatus in one or more downlink opportunities corresponding to the preferred transmitting beam. The controller schedules signal or data to be transmitted in at least one downlink opportunity corresponding to the preferred transmitting beam. When scheduling signal or data to be transmitted, the controller further provides at least one training gap, in which the controller does not schedule any dedicated data to the communications apparatus, in the downlink opportunity corresponding to the preferred transmitting beam.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for beam management at a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method can include transmitting a beam training reference signal (RS) resource configuration from a base station (BS) to a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, transmitting an anchor association index indicating an association between a beam pair link and a set of second transmit beams of the BS, wherein the beam pair link is formed by a first transmit beam of the BS and a receive beam of the transmitting beam training RSs according to the beam training RS resource configuration on the set of second transmit beams, and receiving a measurement report including quality measurements of beamformed channels over the receive beam and a subset of the second transmit beams.

Abstract: A communications apparatus includes a wireless communications module and a controller. The wireless communications module uses a preferred receiving beam determined in a beam training procedure to communicate with a network control device and further monitors one or more candidate receiving beam(s) by using the one or more candidate receiving beam(s) to receive signals from the network control device. The controller calculates a detection metric for the preferred receiving beam and the preferred control beam and a detection metric for each combination of the one or more candidate receiving beam(s) and the preferred control beam, and determines whether to change the preferred receiving beam according to the detection metrics for the preferred receiving beam and the preferred control beam and for each combination of the one or more candidate receiving beam(s) and the preferred control beam.

Abstract: A method of beam misalignment detection for wireless communication system with beamforming is proposed. To identify a misaligned beam, a relative beam quality degradation is applied by comparing a dedicated beam quality with a reference beam quality. The reference beam favors similar transmission path as the dedicated beam, and has better mobility robustness. In one embodiment, the reference beam is an associated control beam of the dedicated beam. To detect beam misalignment, a first dedicated beam SINR is compared with a second associated control beam SINR.

Abstract: A method of providing channel station information in a beamforming system is proposed. Reference Signal (RS) is used for channel state estimation. For fine-resolution dedicated beam with smaller spatial coverage, additional channel monitoring of coarse-resolution beams for beam fallback is applied. The joint coverage of monitored fallback beams covers a desired service area. For beam administration, fallback beams need to be evaluated and the most preferable beam is selected for use in case the currently used dedicated beam is no longer suitable. For link adaptation, at least the channel state of the selected fallback beam is evaluated and provided to a scheduler (e.g., a BS) for adapting the transmission of the selected fallback beam.

Abstract: A method of beam misalignment detection for wireless communication system with beamforming is proposed. To identify a misaligned beam, a relative beam quality degradation is applied by comparing a dedicated beam quality with a reference beam quality. The reference beam favors similar transmission path as the dedicated beam, and has better mobility robustness. In one embodiment, the reference beam is an associated control beam of the dedicated beam. To detect beam misalignment, a first dedicated beam SINR is compared with a second associated control beam SINR.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a reflective mask that includes a substrate; a reflective multilayer disposed on the substrate; an anti-oxidation barrier layer disposed on the reflective multilayer and the anti-oxidation barrier layer is in amorphous structure with an average interatomic distance less than an oxygen diameter; and an absorber layer disposed on the anti-oxidation barrier layer and patterned according to an integrated circuit layout.

Abstract: Mechanisms for wireless directional transmission systems are proposed. In a first novel aspect, a mechanism for reference signal provisioning and channel information reporting is proposed. Two sets of measurement pilots are introduced for initial access and control signaling. In a second novel aspect, a beamwidth adaptation mechanism is proposed to deal with occasional channel variation without requiring constantly high overhead due to measurement pilot transmission. In a third novel aspect, a mechanism for backhaul link to activate/deactivate efficiently is proposed. New states of activated state and deactivated state are introduced.

Abstract: Any defects in the reflective multilayer coating or absorber layer of an EUV mask are problematic in transferring a pattern of the EUV mask to a wafer since they produce errors in integrated circuit patterns on the wafer. In this regard, a method of manufacturing an EUV mask is provided according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. To repair the defect, a columnar reflector, which acts as a Bragg reflector, is deposited according to various embodiments so as to locally compensate and repair the defect. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the reflective loss due to the defect can be compensated and recover the phase different due to the defect from, so as to form a desirable wafer printed image.

Abstract: A method of beam misalignment detection for wireless communication system with beamforming is proposed. To identify a misaligned beam, a relative beam quality degradation is applied by comparing a dedicated beam quality with a reference beam quality. The reference beam favors similar transmission path as the dedicated beam, and has better mobility robustness. In one embodiment, the reference beam is an associated control beam of the dedicated beam. To detect beam misalignment, a first dedicated beam SINR is compared with a second associated control beam SINR.