Initial beamforming for mmWave communications

Cellular systems were designed for carrier frequencies in the microwave band (below 3 GHz) but will soon be operating in frequency bands up to 6 GHz. To meet the ever increasing demands for data, deployments in bands above 6 GHz, and as high as 75 GHz, are envisioned. However, as these systems migrate beyond the microwave band, certain channel characteristics can impact their deployment, especially the coverage range. To increase coverage, beamforming can be used but this role of beamforming is different than in current cellular systems, where its primary role is to improve data throughput. Because cellular procedures enable beamforming after a user establishes access with the system, new procedures are needed to enable beamforming during cell discovery and acquisition. This paper discusses several issues that must be resolved in order to use beamforming for access at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies, and presents solutions for initial access. Several approaches are verified by computer simulations, and it is shown that reliable network access and satisfactory coverage can be achieved in mmWave frequencies.