Apple patents phone feature to switch cell signals before connection drops
Apple describes a method where a phone measures the strength of its current cell tower connection and several backup options. If the current signal gets weak, the phone automatically switches to a stronger backup signal before the network tells it to do so.
In the filing’s own words
Methods and systems for user equipment (UE) drive beam pair updating in new radio are discussed herein. For example, a UE may generate active transmission configuration indication (TCI) state metrics corresponding to an active TCI state and non-active TCI state metrics corresponding to a plurality of non-active TCI states based on measurements performed on reference signals and synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) received from a base station and select a target TCI state based, in part, on comparing the active TCI state metrics and the non-active TCI state metrics. The UE may determine that the active TCI state metrics are less than a maximum metric value and, in response to the active TCI state metrics being less than the maximum metric value, proactively trigger, beam failure recovery (BFR) to switch from the active TCI state to the target TCI state before receiving TCI state configuration signaling.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of a user equipment (UE), comprising: generating active transmission configuration indication (TCI) state metrics corresponding to an active TCI state, and non-active TCI state metrics corresponding to a plurality of non-active TCI states based on measurements performed on reference signals and synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) received from a base station at a first time period; selecting a target TCI state based, in part, on comparing the active TCI state metrics and the non-active TCI state metrics; determining that the active TCI state metrics are less than a maximum metric value; and in response to the active TCI state metrics being less than the maximum metric value, triggering, at the UE, beam failure recovery (BFR) to switch from the active TCI state to the target TCI state before receiving TCI state configuration signaling from the base station.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (APPLE INC.)
- Official title
- USER EQUIPMENT DRIVEN BEAM PAIR UPDATE IN NEW RADIO
- Publication number
- US20260282148A1
- Application number
- 19078881
- Filed
- Mar 13, 2025
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 7
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04W 76/20 Electricity & electronicsH04B 7/06964 Electricity & electronicsH04B 17/328 Electricity & electronicsH04B 17/346 Electricity & electronicsH04L 5/0051 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Networks & wireless
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.