Signal sending method, electronic device and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The present application provides a signal sending method, an electronic device and a computer readable storage medium. The present application is applied to the technical field of communications for solving the problems of poor transmission efficiency and unstable user service channel performance caused due to the fact that the current hybrid beamforming technology cannot solve the compatibility problem of various analog beams. According to the signal sending method, a certain antenna array can be decoupled into a plurality of sub-arrays by means of obtained configuration information, and a controller can control the plurality of sub-arrays to output various types of analog beams at the same moment. The compatibility problem of various types of analog beams can be solved without changing the structure of a phased-array antenna, thereby widening the coverage range of a signal. Moreover, outputting various types of analog beams by means of the same antenna array can also meet various service requirements at the same time, thereby improving the transmission efficiency.

Description

Signal transmission method, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on September 11, 2023, with application number 202311171966.7 and application name “Signal Transmission Method, Electronic Device and Computer-readable Storage Medium”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a signal sending method, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0003] With the continuous advancement of wireless communication technology, the demand for high-speed data services and ubiquitous access is experiencing explosive growth. To better meet communication needs, many current communication solutions utilize multi-antenna arrays at the transmitter or receiver end. Multi-antenna arrays can significantly improve the spectral efficiency of communication systems through simple signal processing techniques, making them extremely important in communication systems. In multi-antenna arrays, beamforming design plays a key role in improving communication system performance. Hybrid beamforming (HBF) technology, a compromise between performance and cost, holds great promise for practical application. HBF builds on traditional digital beamforming by adding analog beamforming to the RF signal near the antenna front end. This is primarily achieved by adding phase shifters. Analog beamforming connects a large antenna array through phase shifters. The transmitted signal is a spatial superposition of multiple phase-shifted versions of a base signal, allowing it to be directed in a specific direction. This solution allows the baseband processing chip and antenna array to be connected via a small number of radio frequency (RF) links, significantly reducing the complexity of the communication system. Furthermore, analog beamforming can eliminate certain interference and achieve greater array gain. Further processing in the digital domain of the baseband processing chip can further eliminate interference between multiple data streams, thereby ensuring transmission quality. However, current hybrid beamforming technology cannot address the compatibility issues of multiple analog beams, resulting in poor transmission efficiency.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a signal sending method, an electronic device, and a computer-readable storage medium to send multiple types of analog beams through the same antenna array, thereby solving the compatibility problem of multiple analog beams and improving transmission efficiency.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions.

[0007] In a first aspect, a signal transmission method is provided for use in a network device. The network device includes a phase shifting circuit and an antenna array coupled to the phase shifting circuit. The method can be executed by a controller or a control circuit. During execution, the method can first obtain first configuration information. The first configuration information instructs multiple subarrays in the antenna array to output multiple types of analog beams simultaneously. Then, based on the first configuration information, a first control signal is output to the phase shifting circuit. The first control signal instructs the phase shifting circuit to output multiple types of analog beams simultaneously through the multiple subarrays. In this way, without changing the structure of the phased array antenna, the controller or control circuit can decouple the antenna array into multiple subarrays using the obtained first configuration information, and have the multiple subarrays output multiple types of analog beams simultaneously, thereby resolving compatibility issues with multiple types of analog beams and improving transmission efficiency. Furthermore, because the same antenna array can simultaneously output different types of analog beams, including common signal analog beams and data signal analog beams, users can select appropriate analog beams for data transmission during common signaling timeslots, thereby achieving greater antenna gain for user traffic channels. Consequently, stable performance of user traffic channels can be ensured across different timeslots.

[0008] In one possible implementation, when obtaining the first configuration information, the current state information of the network device may be first received. The first configuration information may then be obtained based on the state information. In this manner, the controller may obtain corresponding configuration information based on the current state information of the network device, thereby better meeting usage requirements in the current environment.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned state information includes at least one of network device location information, current time, current communication time slot, user distribution information, and user traffic volume. Based on this at least one piece of information, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays to better meet the actual needs of various application scenarios.

[0010] In one possible implementation, when outputting the first control signal to the phase shift circuit based on the first configuration information, the antenna array can be first decoupled into multiple regularly shaped sub-arrays based on the first configuration information. Then, the first control signal is output to the phase shift circuit based on the analog beam type of each sub-array. Based on this, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple regularly shaped sub-arrays based on the first configuration information, and different types of analog beams can be transmitted, thereby making the direction of the analog beam more controllable.

[0011] In one possible implementation, when outputting the first control signal to the phase shift circuit based on the first configuration information, the antenna array may be first decoupled into multiple irregularly shaped sub-arrays based on the first configuration information. Then, the first control signal is output to the phase shift circuit based on the analog beam type of each sub-array. Based on this, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple irregularly shaped sub-arrays based on the first configuration information, and different types of analog beams can be transmitted, thereby making the coverage direction of the analog beam more flexible and varied.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the network device further includes a variable gain amplifier circuit. The variable gain amplifier circuit is coupled between the antenna array and the phase shift circuit, and the variable gain amplifier circuit is also coupled to a controller. On this basis, the method further includes: sending a second control signal to the variable gain amplifier circuit based on the first configuration information. The second control signal is used to instruct the variable gain amplifier circuit to increase the power of the analog beams output by each subarray. In the above implementation process, although decoupling the antenna array into multiple subarrays and sending different types of analog beams through the multiple subarrays can increase the coverage of the analog beams, decoupling the entire antenna array into multiple subarrays reduces the gain of the analog beams and shortens the transmission distance. Therefore, the transmission distance of the analog beams output by each subarray can be increased by increasing the power of the variable gain amplifier circuit, thereby better meeting the needs of more users.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the network device further includes a variable gain amplifier circuit. The variable gain amplifier circuit is coupled to the phase shift circuit. Furthermore, the method further includes: sending a second control signal to the variable gain amplifier circuit based on the first configuration information. The second control signal is used to instruct the variable gain amplifier circuit to increase the power of the analog beam output by each subarray. Based on this, the transmission distance of the analog beam output by each subarray can be increased by increasing the gain of the variable gain amplifier circuit, thereby better meeting the needs of more users.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the power boost of the simulated beam output by each subarray is determined based on the ratio of each subarray to the antenna array. Based on this, the power boost of the simulated beam output by each subarray can better meet the transmission distance requirement.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the method further includes obtaining second configuration information. The second configuration information is used to instruct the entire antenna array to output a single analog beam. Then, based on the second configuration information, a third control signal is output to the phase shift circuit. The third control signal is used to instruct the phase shift circuit to output a single analog beam through the entire antenna array. Therefore, when it is necessary to use the entire antenna array to output the analog beam, automatic adjustments can be made based on the obtained configuration information.

[0016] In a second aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the method of any possible implementation of the first aspect is implemented.

[0017] In a third aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the method in any possible implementation of the first aspect is implemented.

[0018] In a fourth aspect, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer implements the method in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0019] The technical effects brought about by the second to fourth aspects and possible implementation methods can be found in the description of the technical effects brought about by the first aspect and possible implementation methods mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system;

[0021] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a radio frequency transmission circuit supporting hybrid beamforming;

[0022] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another RF transmission circuit supporting hybrid beamforming;

[0023] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another RF transmission circuit supporting hybrid beamforming;

[0024] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a transmission range of a simulated beam provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG7 is a flow chart of signal transmission of a network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a decoupling method of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of another decoupling method of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of another decoupling method of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of another decoupling method of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of another decoupling method of an antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another network device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0036] In order to facilitate the clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that words such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and words such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily limit differences. At the same time, in the embodiments of the present application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of the present application should not be interpreted as being more preferred or more advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present related concepts in a concrete way for easy understanding.

[0037] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. For example, when describing some embodiments, the term "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more components are in direct physical contact or point contact with each other. For another example, when describing some embodiments, the term "coupled" may be used to indicate that two or more components are in direct physical contact or electrical contact. However, the term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, current communication systems typically include network equipment and terminal devices. Network equipment can provide wireless access for one or more terminal devices within its coverage area. A network device is a node in a radio access network (RAN), also known as a base station or a RAN node (or device). Network equipment can include a next-generation nodeB (gNB), a next-generation evolved nodeB (Ng-eNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), an evolved nodeB (eNB), a radio network controller (RNC), a nodeB (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a home base station (e.g., a home evolved nodeB, or HNB), a baseband unit (BBU), or a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point (AP). Network equipment can also be a satellite, which can also be referred to as a high-altitude platform, a high-altitude aircraft, or a satellite base station. The network device may also be other devices with network device functions. For example, the network device may also be a device that functions as a network device in device-to-device (D2D) communication. The network device may also be a network device in a possible future communication system. The network device also includes an active antenna unit (AAU), which can implement some physical layer processing functions, radio frequency processing, and beamforming related functions of the active antenna. Terminal equipment, also known as user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), etc., is a device that provides voice and / or data connectivity to users. For example, terminal equipment includes handheld devices with wireless connection functions, vehicle-mounted devices, etc.In addition, the terminal device may be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, PDA, mobile internet device (MID), wearable device (such as smart watch, smart bracelet, pedometer, etc.), vehicle-mounted device, virtual reality (VR) device, augmented reality (AR) device, wireless terminal in industrial control, smart home device (such as refrigerator, television, air conditioner, electric meter, etc.), intelligent robot, workshop equipment, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical surgery, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, flying device (such as intelligent robot, hot air balloon, drone, airplane), etc. The terminal device may also be other devices with terminal functions, for example, the terminal device may also be a device that functions as a terminal in D2D communication.

[0039] Currently, many network devices and terminal devices use large-scale antenna arrays for communication. These antenna arrays, both for network devices and terminal devices, include multiple antennas, forming a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) system. Some MIMO systems use digital beamforming (DBF) to output signals from the antenna array. This approach allows for arbitrary adjustment of the signal's amplitude and phase, but requires a separate RF link for each antenna, increasing cost and power consumption. To address this issue, some MIMO systems employ HBF technology, adding analog beamforming to the RF signal near the antenna front end, in addition to traditional digital beamforming. HBF technology primarily implements phase shifters. By connecting the antenna array via phase shifters, the transmitted signal is a spatial superposition of multiple phase-shifted versions of a base signal, allowing it to be directed in a specific direction. Connecting the baseband processing chip and antennas via a small number of RF links significantly reduces system complexity. Furthermore, analog beamforming can mitigate certain interference and increase array gain. On this basis, if further processing is performed in the digital domain of the baseband processing chip, interference between multiple data streams can be better eliminated, thereby ensuring transmission quality.

[0040] In specific implementations, existing HBF technology transmit chain architectures can be categorized into various types based on the placement of phase shifters. Taking an antenna array with 12 antennas as an example, as shown in Figure 2, in one transmit chain architecture, the baseband processing chip is coupled to the phase shifting circuit via two sub-band chips. The phase shifting circuit can be controlled by a controller. The phase shifting circuit includes multiple phase shifters, with the output of each sub-band chip coupled to four carrier combiner circuits via four phase shifters. Each carrier combiner circuit then passes through a crest factor reduction (CFR) circuit and a digital predistortion (DPD) circuit before being coupled to the three antennas in the antenna array via a radio chip and a power amplifier. Placing the phase shifters before the carrier combiner circuits and controlling them via a controller can achieve different beam orientations for different sub-bands. However, this approach does not reduce the number of digital intermediate frequency (IF) circuits or RF channels, and is costly and power-intensive. As shown in Figure 3, in another type of transmit chain architecture, the baseband processing chip is sequentially coupled to multiple phase shifters via a CFR circuit, a DPD circuit, and a radio on chip (ROC). Simultaneously, the multiple phase shifters are coupled to a controller, and each phase shifter is coupled to multiple antennas in an antenna array via a power amplifier (PA). While different sub-bands lack frequency division directivity, this approach reduces the number of digital intermediate frequency (IF) circuits and keeps power consumption manageable. As shown in Figure 4, in another type of transmit chain architecture, the baseband processing chip is sequentially coupled to multiple phase shifters in the phase shifting circuit via a CFR circuit, a DPD circuit, a radio on chip (ROC), and a power amplifier. Furthermore, the phase shifting circuit can be controlled by a controller, and each phase shifter is coupled to multiple antennas in an antenna array via a power amplifier. This approach reduces the number of power amplifiers and digital intermediate frequency (IF) circuits, further reducing power consumption and cost. Therefore, the architecture shown in Figure 4 is currently the most widely used. However, as shown in Figure 5, using the above architecture, the entire antenna array can typically only produce one synthetic analog beam across the full bandwidth at any given time, and the vertical and horizontal widths of the analog beam are both limited. During public signaling timeslots, the antenna array currently prioritizes sending analog beams corresponding to public signals such as the synchronization signal / PBCH Block (SSB), remaining minimum system information (RMSI), and paging signals. Service data is often transmitted using suboptimal analog beams (the dashed analog beams in Figure 5).If a user is outside the range of the public signal analog beam during a public signal timeslot, optimal antenna gain cannot be achieved. Non-public signaling timeslots currently utilize a time-division approach, with the antenna array transmitting only one service analog beam at a time. Even with multiple signals, multiple analog beams cannot be compatible. Therefore, in both public and non-public signaling timeslots, some users are likely to experience non-optimal antenna gain. The service channel performance of these users will be unstable between timeslots, resulting in significant fluctuations in received signal quality, impacting the user experience.

[0041] In order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a signal transmission method, which can be applied to a network device 600. As shown in Figure 6, the network device 600 includes a controller 610, a phase shift circuit 620 coupled to the controller 610, a memory 640 coupled to the controller 610, and an antenna array 630 coupled to the phase shift circuit 620. The phase shift circuit 620 is also coupled to a baseband processing chip 660 via an RF link 650. The controller 610 includes but is not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a network processing unit (NPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP) or a general-purpose processor. As shown in Figure 7, when the network device 600 needs to send a signal, it can be executed in the following manner.

[0042] S701. The controller receives current status information of the network device.

[0043] The current status information of network device 600 includes at least one of the following: the location information of network device 600, the current time, the current communication time slot, user distribution information, and user traffic volume. An operator can set corresponding configuration information based on at least one of the location information, the current time, the current communication time slot, user distribution information, and user traffic volume of network device 600. The location information of network device 600 can be obtained via a positioning sensor. This positioning sensor can be selected from, but is not limited to, a GPS sensor and a Beidou positioning sensor. The current time of network device 600 can be obtained by configuring a clock module on network device 600. The communication time slot can be determined based on the frame structure of the channel transmitted during communication. Different channel frame structures can be used in different communication time slots to facilitate differentiation between communication time slots. User traffic volume can be determined by counting the size of user transmitted data packets. User distribution information can be obtained through detection or calculated based on information such as latency reported by users.

[0044] Of course, the types of the above-mentioned status information and the detection methods of various information can also use other conventional methods in the field, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific limitations on this.

[0045] S702. The controller obtains first configuration information from the memory according to the above state information.

[0046] In one embodiment, the first configuration information is used to instruct multiple subarrays in antenna array 630 to output multiple types of analog beams. The first configuration information may describe the addresses of the antennas included in each subarray and the phases of the phase shifters corresponding to each antenna in a list format. The first configuration information may be stored in memory 640 and may indicate the phases of the phase shifters in phase shift circuit 620 in a list format. The controller 610 may read the first configuration information from memory 640 according to a configured read path when network device 600 boots up. Alternatively, the controller 610 may retrieve the corresponding first configuration information from memory 640 when the status information of network device 600 meets a set condition. Furthermore, when the first configuration information is stored in memory, step S701 is optional. The memory 640 may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory.

[0047] S703. The controller outputs a first control signal to the phase shift circuit according to the first configuration information.

[0048] The first control signal is used to instruct the phase shift circuit 620 to output multiple types of analog beams at the same time through multiple sub-arrays. Typically, the phase shift circuit 620 includes multiple phase shifters. In some antenna arrays 630, the input end of each phase shifter is coupled to the RF link 650; the output end of each phase shifter is coupled to one or more antennas. The above-mentioned first control signal may include phase adjustment signals for multiple phase shifters. Based on this, the controller 610 can adjust the phase of the phase shifter so that the multiple sub-arrays in the antenna array 630 can output different types of analog beams. Multiple types of analog beams can be output at the same time, thereby achieving compatibility of multiple analog beams on the same antenna array 630 and improving transmission efficiency.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the controller 610 may decouple the antenna array 630 into a plurality of regularly shaped sub-arrays according to the first configuration information, and then output a first control signal to the phase shift circuit 620 according to the simulated beam type of each sub-array.

[0050] In order to more clearly understand the decoupling method of the above-mentioned antenna array 630, the embodiment of the present application takes the output end of each phase shifter in the phase shift circuit 620 coupled to multiple antennas, and the antenna array 630 is arranged perpendicular to the ground as an example to illustrate the above-mentioned decoupling method. Among them, for different scenarios, different decoupling methods can be used to decouple into multiple sub-arrays of regular shapes. For example, in the public signaling time slot, after the antenna array 630 is decoupled, a part of the sub-arrays can be used to send public signal simulation beams, and the other part of the sub-arrays can be used to send business simulation beams. Different scenario requirements can also use different array decoupling methods, the details of which are as follows.

[0051] Example 1

[0052] In some application scenarios, the terminal device has a smaller demand for the vertical dimension of the analog beam (for example, the distance between buildings in the suburbs is large and the building height is low). In this case, the antenna array 630 can be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays in a direction parallel to the ground. For example, as shown in Figure 8, assuming that the antenna array 630 is arranged in a rectangular shape and the antenna array 630 is set in a manner perpendicular to the ground, the antenna array 630 can be decoupled into two sub-arrays (A1 and A2) in a direction parallel to the ground. Among them, one of the two sub-arrays is used to send a public signal analog beam (for example, an analog beam corresponding to a public signal such as SSB, RMSI and paging), and the other sub-array is used to send a service analog beam (for example, service data of a certain application) at the same time.

[0053] When executing the above process, the controller 610 can first determine whether the location of the network device 600 has a small demand for the vertical dimension of the simulated beam through the location information obtained by the positioning sensor. If it is determined that the location of the network device 600 has a small demand for the vertical dimension of the simulated beam, the controller 610 can obtain the corresponding configuration information from the memory. Then, according to the configuration information, the antenna array 630 is decoupled in accordance with the above method, and a corresponding control signal is output to the phase shift circuit 620 to adjust the phase of each phase shifter in the phase shift circuit 620, so as to output the corresponding simulated beam through each sub-array. In addition, the number of sub-arrays when decoupling the above-mentioned antenna array 630 in the above-mentioned manner can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the embodiment of the present application does not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0054] Of course, this is just an example provided by the embodiments of this application. The above decoupling solution can also be executed when the obtained location information is within the set range or meets other discrimination conditions.

[0055] Embodiment 2

[0056] In some application scenarios, the terminal device has a greater demand for the vertical dimension of the analog beam (for example, the building spacing in the urban area is small and the building height is large). At this time, the antenna array 630 can be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays in the direction perpendicular to the ground. Exemplarily, as shown in FIG. 9, assuming that the antenna array 630 is arranged in a rectangular shape and the antenna array 630 is arranged perpendicular to the ground, the antenna array 630 can be decoupled into two sub-arrays (B1 and B2) in the direction perpendicular to the ground. Among them, one of the above two sub-arrays is used to transmit the common signal analog beam (for example, the analog beam corresponding to the transmission of common signals such as SSB, RMSI, and paging), and the other sub-array is used to transmit the service analog beam (for example, the service data of a certain application) at the same time.

[0057] When performing the above process, the controller 610 can first determine whether the location of the network device 600 has a greater demand for the vertical dimension of the analog beam through the location information obtained by the positioning sensor. If it is determined that the location of the network device 600 has a greater demand for the vertical dimension of the analog beam, the controller 610 can obtain the corresponding configuration information from the memory. Then, the antenna array 630 is decoupled according to the above method based on the configuration information, and a corresponding first control signal is output to the phase shifter circuit 620 to adjust the phases of the phase shifters in the phase shifter circuit 620, so as to output the corresponding analog beam through each sub-array. In addition, the number of sub-arrays when decoupling the antenna array 630 according to the above method can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0058] Embodiment 3

[0059] In some application scenarios, it is confirmed through the user distribution information that the user density is large and the transmission demand for the service data of each user is large (that is, the user traffic is large). At this time, a larger sub-array can be used to transmit the service analog beam. Exemplarily, as shown in FIG. 10, assuming that the antenna array 630 is arranged in a rectangular shape and the antenna array 630 is arranged perpendicular to the ground, the entire antenna array 630 can be regarded as four rectangular units in a "field" shape. Among them, the antennas corresponding to 3 rectangular units are used as the first sub-array (C1), and the antennas corresponding to one rectangular unit are used as the second sub-array (C2). Then, the service analog beam is transmitted through the first sub-array, and the common signal analog beam is transmitted through the second sub-array.

[0060] When performing the above process, the controller 610 can determine whether the current user traffic exceeds a set threshold by detecting the user traffic. If the current user traffic exceeds the set threshold, the controller 610 can obtain the corresponding configuration information from the memory. Then, according to the configuration information, the antenna array 630 is decoupled in the above manner, and a corresponding first control signal is output to the phase shifter circuit 620 to adjust the phases of the phase shifters in the phase shifter circuit 620, so as to output corresponding analog beams through each sub-array. In addition, the number of sub-arrays when decoupling the antenna array 630 in the above manner can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0061] Embodiment 4

[0062] As shown in FIG. 11, assuming that the antenna array 630 is arranged in a rectangular shape and the antenna array 630 is set perpendicular to the ground, if multiple service analog beams and common signal analog beams need to be transmitted simultaneously, the entire antenna array 630 can be regarded as four rectangular units (D1 to D4) in a "field" shape. Among them, each rectangular unit serves as a sub-array (that is, the entire antenna array 630 is decoupled into 4 sub-arrays), and three of the sub-arrays can be used to transmit different service analog beams simultaneously, and one sub-array is used to transmit the common signal analog beam.

[0063] When performing the above process, the controller 610 can confirm whether multiple types of service analog beams and common signal analog beams need to be transmitted according to the current user traffic and user distribution information. For example, when it is confirmed through the user distribution information that the user distribution is relatively scattered and there are many users with large traffic, at this time, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays in the above manner and multiple types of analog beams can be transmitted at the same time. Among them, the operator can set the corresponding configuration information according to actual needs. The controller 610 can obtain the current time and location information and confirm whether the current time is within a preset time period. If the current time is within the preset time period, the controller 610 can read the corresponding configuration information and send a control signal to the phase shifter circuit 620 according to the configuration information to adjust the phases of the phase shifters in the phase shifter circuit 620, so as to output multiple types of analog beams through multiple sub-arrays; at the same time, when decoupling the antenna array, a comprehensive analysis can also be further combined with the current communication time slot, user distribution information and user traffic, and the embodiments of the present application will not elaborate on this here.

[0064] In a possible implementation, the controller 610 can decouple the antenna array into multiple sub-arrays with irregular shapes according to the first configuration information. Then, a first control signal is output to the phase shifter circuit 620 according to the analog beam types of each sub-array.

[0065] To better understand the decoupling method of the antenna array, the present embodiment uses the example of coupling the output terminals of each phase shifter in the phase shift circuit 620 to multiple antennas, with the antenna array arranged perpendicular to the ground, to illustrate the decoupling method. For example, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple irregularly shaped sub-arrays using different decoupling methods for different scenarios, as detailed below.

[0066] Example 5

[0067] For example, as shown in Figure 12, it is assumed that the antenna array is arranged in a rectangular shape and is set perpendicular to the ground. If multiple types of analog beams need to be sent at this time, the antenna array can be decoupled into multiple irregularly shaped sub-arrays (E1 to E3) according to actual needs. Then, different types of analog beams are sent through each sub-array. Among them, the decoupling method of the antenna array can be set according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose specific restrictions on this.

[0068] In the above-mentioned embodiments, if the antenna array is not arranged perpendicular to the ground, the antenna array may be decoupled into a plurality of sub-arrays with regular or irregular shapes by referring to the above-mentioned decoupling method.

[0069] Furthermore, the antenna array decoupling methods in the aforementioned embodiments can be freely combined or transformed based on actual needs to better meet the usage requirements of various scenarios. For example, when the controller 610 confirms that the network device 600 is located in the suburbs based on acquired location information, it can first use the solution of Example 1 to decouple the antenna array and send corresponding analog beams through each subarray. The controller 610 can then obtain the current time in real time or intermittently. If the current time falls within a preset time period, the antenna array can be decoupled according to the method of Example 4, thereby sending multiple service analog beams and common signal analog beams through multiple subarrays. Furthermore, the antenna array decoupling method can also be determined based on multiple types of status information and is not limited to decoupling the antenna array based on a single type of status information. For example, the controller 610 can obtain at least two of the following information: the location information of the network device 600, the current time, the current communication time slot, user distribution information, and user traffic volume. Then, a comprehensive analysis is performed to determine which method to use for decoupling the antenna array. For example, the priority of the above four types of information can be set. Then, the corresponding configuration information is obtained according to the information with the highest priority, and the antenna array is decoupled according to the configuration information to send multiple types of simulated beams at the same time.

[0070] Of course, the above solution is only an example provided by the embodiments of this application. Among them, different types of analog beams can also include analog beams of various forms and angles, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations thereto. The specific decoupling method of the antenna array and the type of analog beam transmitted by each sub-array after the antenna array is decoupled can be set according to actual usage requirements, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations thereto. In addition, in actual use, the antenna array can also be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays with regular shapes in other ways. For example, it can be decoupled along the diagonal, in a square-within-a-square pattern, etc. At the same time, the number of sub-arrays can also be adjusted according to the number of signals to be transmitted at the same time, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations thereto.

[0071] In addition, in non-common signaling time slots or uplink time slots, the antenna array can also be decoupled into multiple sub-arrays with regular or irregular shapes according to the requirements of the scenario by referring to the above decoupling method. Among them, the type of analog beam transmitted by the sub-array in the non-common signaling time slot can be the same as or different from that in the common signaling time slot. In the uplink time slot, if the antenna array is decoupled in the manner of Embodiments 1 to 3 above, the analog beam of the physical random access channel (PRACH) can be transmitted through one sub-array, and the analog beam of the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) can be transmitted through another sub-array at the same time. If the decoupling method of Embodiment 4 above is adopted, each of the four sub-arrays can transmit the analog beam of one channel. For example, the four sub-arrays can transmit the analog beams of PRACH, PUSCH of two different users, and PUCCH respectively. If the decoupling method of Embodiment 5 above is adopted, the analog beams transmitted by each sub-array can be set according to actual requirements. At the same time, the angles of each analog beam can be adjusted according to actual requirements, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations thereto. Further, in different time slots, when the antenna array 630 is decoupled in the above manner, the number of sub-arrays, the shape of the sub-arrays, and the channels transmitted on each sub-array can be adjusted according to actual requirements, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations thereto.

[0072] In one possible implementation, when users are concentrated or located far from the network device 600, the controller 610 may obtain second configuration information. This second configuration information instructs the entire antenna array to output a single analog beam. The controller 610 may then output a third control signal to the phase shift circuit 620 based on the second configuration information. This third control signal instructs the phase shift circuit 620 to output a single analog beam across the entire antenna array. The second configuration information may be pre-stored in the memory of the network device 600 by an operator based on the requirements of the usage scenario. The controller 610 may read this second configuration information directly from the memory after powering on. Based on the second configuration information, the controller 610 may then control the phase shift circuit to transmit the analog beam across the entire antenna array.

[0073] In one possible implementation, after decoupling the antenna array into multiple subarrays, the gain of the analog beams output by each subarray decreases, thereby reducing the signal transmission distance. To meet the signal transmission distance requirements after decoupling the antenna array, the power of the analog beams output by each subarray in the antenna array can be adjusted. To address this issue, the aforementioned network device 600 also includes a variable gain amplifier circuit 670. In one example, the variable gain amplifier circuit 670 may include multiple variable power amplifiers. As shown in FIG13 , each phase shifter in the phase shift circuit is coupled to one or more corresponding antennas in the antenna array via a variable power amplifier. The controller 610 may control the power of the analog beams transmitted by each subarray in the antenna array via the variable power amplifier. In another example, the variable gain amplifier circuit may utilize only one variable power amplifier. As shown in FIG14 , the variable gain amplifier circuit 670 may also be coupled to the phase shift circuit 620, meaning that the multiple phase shifters in the phase shift circuit are coupled to the RF link 650 via the same variable power amplifier. Based on this, the variable gain amplifier circuit 670 only needs to use one variable power amplifier to control the power of the analog beams sent by one or more sub-arrays in the antenna array, thereby reducing costs.

[0074] In an example, assuming that a certain subarray is 1 / X of the entire antenna array, the power (dB) boost value Z of the subarray can be calculated as follows: Z=101gX.

[0075] In the above implementation, the power boost value of each subarray can be set according to actual needs and is not limited to being calculated according to the above method. For example, when a subarray accounts for 1 / 2 of the entire antenna array, the power boost value of this subarray is 3dB. For example, when a subarray accounts for 1 / 4 of the entire antenna array, the power boost value of this subarray is 6dB.

[0076] In a possible implementation, as shown in FIG15 , an embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device 1500, which includes a processor 1510 and a memory 1520 coupled to the processor 1510. The memory 1520 stores computer program instructions, which can implement the above-mentioned signal sending method when executed by the processor 1510. The processor 1510 includes but is not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a network processing unit (NPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP) or a general-purpose processor. The memory 1520 can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) or a flash memory.

[0077] In one embodiment, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the above-mentioned signal transmission method is implemented. The computer-readable storage medium can be a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, among other media that can store program code.

[0078] The method steps in the above embodiments can be implemented by hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium can be located in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can be located in a terminal device. Of course, the processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a network device or a terminal device.

[0079] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments can be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function of the embodiment of the present application is executed in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device, or other programmable device. The computer program or instruction can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program or instruction can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video disc (DVD); it can also be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive (SSD).

[0080] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and such modifications or substitutions should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A signal sending method, characterized in that: A controller applied to a network device, wherein the network device further comprises a phase shift circuit coupled to the controller, and an antenna array coupled to the phase shift circuit; the method comprises: Acquire first configuration information; the first configuration information is used to instruct multiple sub-arrays in the antenna array to output multiple types of analog beams at the same time; According to the first configuration information, a first control signal is output to the phase shift circuit; the first control signal is used to instruct the phase shift circuit to output multiple types of analog beams at the same time through the multiple sub-arrays.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The step of obtaining the first configuration information includes: Receiving current status information of the network device; The first configuration information is acquired according to the state information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The state information includes at least one of the location information of the network device, the current time, the current communication time slot, user distribution information and user traffic.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The step of outputting a first control signal to the phase shift circuit according to the first configuration information includes: Decoupling the antenna array into a plurality of sub-arrays of regular shapes according to the first configuration information; The first control signal is output to the phase shift circuit according to the simulated beam type of each of the sub-arrays.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The step of outputting a first control signal to the phase shift circuit according to the first configuration information includes: Decoupling the antenna array into a plurality of irregularly shaped sub-arrays according to the first configuration information; The first control signal is output to the phase shift circuit according to the simulated beam type of each of the sub-arrays.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The network device further includes a variable gain amplifier circuit; the variable gain amplifier circuit is coupled between the antenna array and the phase shift circuit; the method further includes: According to the first configuration information, a second control signal is sent to the variable gain amplifier circuit; the second control signal is used to instruct the variable gain amplifier circuit to increase the power of the analog beam output by each of the sub-arrays.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The network device further includes a variable gain amplifier circuit; the variable gain amplifier circuit is coupled to the phase shift circuit; the method further includes: According to the first configuration information, a second control signal is sent to the variable gain amplifier circuit; the second control signal is used to instruct the variable gain amplifier circuit to increase the power of the analog beam output by each of the sub-arrays.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The power boost range of the analog beam output by each of the sub-arrays is determined according to the ratio of each of the sub-arrays to the antenna array.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Acquire second configuration information; the second configuration information is used to instruct the entire antenna array to output a single analog beam; According to the second configuration information, a third control signal is output to the phase shift circuit; the third control signal is used to instruct the phase shift circuit to output the single analog beam through the entire antenna array.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that: The method comprises a memory and a processor; the memory stores computer program instructions; and when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is implemented.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: Computer program instructions are stored; when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is implemented.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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