A method for radio environment mapping for sensing and communication in XL MIMO networks

Abstract

The invention provides a method for radio environment mapping for sensing and communication in XL MIMO networks, involving signal reception, power delay profile (PDP) analysis for user equipment (UE) location estimation, blockage detection, deactivation of obstructed antenna elements, adjustment of active elements' power and phase for beam steering, and continuous tracking of power delay profile (PDP) for dynamic, self-healing beam steering.

Description

[0001] SPECIFICATION

[0002] A METHOD FOR RADIO ENVIRONMENT MAPPING FOR SENSING AND COMMUNICATION IN XL MIMO NETWORKS

[0003] Technical Field:

[0004] This invention relates to a method for radio environment mapping for sensing and communication in XL MIMO networks that can be applicable in scenarios such as smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and industrial loT systems, where dynamic and reliable communication is crucial for real-time data exchange and positioning, enabling efficient spectrum usage, interference management, and enhanced signal quality by adapting to changing environmental conditions and user movements.

[0005] State of The Art:

[0006] Before this invention, the issue of reliable communication in high-frequency bands, such as mmWave and sub-THz, was addressed through various solutions aimed at mitigating the impact of blockages. Some of the most notable methods include:

[0007] 1. Fallback to Line-of-Sight (LOS) Base Stations [1]:

[0008] In the event of a blockage, the communication system relied on the availability of a nearby LOS base station to maintain the connection.

[0009] Disadvantages:

[0010] Deployment limitations in dense urban environments or rural areas often mean that LOS base stations are not conveniently located.

[0011] The need for additional infrastructure increases cost and complexity.

[0012] Frequent handovers between base stations reduce communication reliability and efficiency. 2. Self-Healing Beams Using User Feedback [3]:

[0013] Another approach involved activating self-healing beams based on user-side sensing of the blockage. The user device would detect the blockage, perform sensing operations, and provide feedback to the base station for beam adjustment.

[0014] Disadvantages:

[0015] Power Consumption: User-side sensing significantly increases power usage, which is critical in battery-operated devices.

[0016] Complexity: Sensing hardware and algorithms on the user side add to device complexity and cost.

[0017] Feedback Challenges: Providing timely feedback is difficult in dynamic environments, particularly when the user is blocked. This latency can result in degraded communication quality.

[0018] 3. Dedicated Sensing Signals [7]:

[0019] Some solutions relied on dedicated sensing signals transmitted by the base station to map the environment and detect blockages.

[0020] Disadvantages:

[0021] Spectral Inefficiency: Additional signaling consumes valuable spectral resources, reducing overall network efficiency.

[0022] Overhead: The use of dedicated signals increases signaling overhead, especially in high-density deployments.

[0023] 4. Fallback to Pre-Configured Beam Directions [5], [6]:

[0024] In certain systems, the base station would activate predefined beam patterns to bypass blockages.

[0025] Disadvantages:

[0026] Inefficiency: Pre-configured beams may not accurately align with the blocker’s position, resulting in poor coverage and suboptimal link quality.

[0027] Lack of Adaptability: These systems lack the capability to dynamically adjust beams based on real-time blockage characteristics. While these existing methods provided partial solutions, they were often limited by inefficiencies, high complexity, and poor adaptability. Furthermore, the reliance on userside sensing or additional signaling undermined both spectral and energy efficiency.

[0028] As a result, a new method is needed that dynamically adapts to blockages in real-time, minimizes power and spectral inefficiencies, reduces complexity and costs, and ensures reliability.

[0029] References:

[0030] [1] D. Aziz, J. Gebert, A. Ambrosy, H. Bakker and H. Halbauer, "Architecture Approaches for 5G Millimetre Wave Access Assisted by 5G Low-Band Using MultiConnectivity," 2016 IEEE Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps), Washington, DC, USA, 2016, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109 / GLOCOMW.2016.7848840

[0031] [2] F. Devoti and I. Filippini, "Planning mm-Wave Access Networks Under Obstacle Blockages: A Reliability-Aware Approach," in IEEE / ACM Transactions on Networking, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 2203-2214, Oct. 2020, doi: 10.1109 / TNET.2020.3006926.

[0032] [3] C. Baquero Barneto et al., "Millimeter-Wave Mobile Sensing and Environment Mapping: Models, Algorithms and Validation," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 71, no. 4, pp. 3900-3916, April 2022, doi: 10.1109 / TVT.2022.3146003

[0033] [4], Z. Cui et al., "Extended Projection Distance and Sidelobe Suppression of THz Bessel Beam with Combined Axicons," in IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 337-340, 1 Marchl, 2024, doi: 10.1109 / LPT.2024.3355128

[0034] [5], Reddy, I.V., Bodet, D., Singh, A. et al. Ultrabroadband terahertz-band communications with self-healing bessel beams. Commun Eng 2, 70 (2023). https: / / doi.org / 10.1038 / s44172-023-00118-8

[0035] [6], Bodet, D., Petrov, V., Petrushkevich, S. et al. Sub-terahertz near field channel measurements and analysis with beamforming and Bessel beams. Sci Rep 14, 19675 (2024). https: / / doi.org / 10.1038 / s41598-024-70542-z

[0036] [7], Y. Cui, H. Ding, S. Ke and L. Zhao, "Integrated Sensing and Communication in mmWave Wireless Backhaul Networks," in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 73, no. 5, pp. 6455-6469, May 2024, doi: 10.1109 / TVT.2023.3323563. Description of The Invention:

[0037] The invention capitalizes on the unique opportunities provided by Extra-Large MIMO (XL-MIMO) systems operating in the near-field region to achieve efficient and precise radio environment mapping. Unlike far-field systems, XL-MIMO channels are characterized by spherical wavefronts that inherently encode rich spatial and temporal details about the surrounding environment. These near-field properties present a robust solution to the challenges of operating in high-frequency bands, eliminating the need for additional sensing signals or user-side feedback. By analyzing the Power Delay Profile (PDP) of the spherical wavefronts across the XL-MIMO array, the base station can accurately deduce critical blockage attributes, such as the location, size, and shape of obstructing objects.

[0038] This innovative method completely removes dependency on user-side sensing, significantly simplifying system design while reducing power consumption. By centralizing the processing at the base station, the approach enhances operational efficiency and minimizes complexity. Moreover, the blockage information extracted from the spherical wavefronts allows the base station to autonomously generate and activate dynamic self-healing beams, ensuring robust and uninterrupted communication, even in challenging environments with frequent or unpredictable blockages.

[0039] By addressing the critical limitations of existing solutions and harnessing the advanced capabilities of near-field XL-MIMO channels, this invention offers a revolutionary approach to environment mapping and blockage mitigation. It achieves high spectral efficiency, autonomy in operation, and reduced system complexity, making it particularly well-suited for high-frequency communication networks in dynamic and dense deployment scenarios.

[0040] This invention introduces a transformative approach to radio environment mapping and blockage mitigation, offering significant technical interest and utility for next-generation wireless communication systems, particularly those operating in mmWave and sub-THz frequency bands. By leveraging the unique spherical wavefront properties of near-field XL-MIMO systems, the invention enables efficient and autonomous environment mapping without the need for additional sensing signals or user-side feedback. This allows the base station to identify critical blockage parameters, such as location, size, and shape, with minimal computational complexity and signaling overhead.

[0041] A key application of the invention lies in its ability to dynamically and precisely mitigate blockages. By extracting blockage characteristics from the PDP over the XL array, the system generates self-healing beams that adapt in real-time to environmental changes. This ensures robust and reliable communication, overcoming the inherent vulnerabilities of high-frequency bands to sporadic blockages and shadowing.

[0042] The invention is also characterized by its spectral and energy efficiency. By eliminating the use of dedicated sensing signals, it frees up valuable bandwidth for communication, enhancing spectral utilization. Moreover, removing the need for user-side sensing reduces power consumption, making this solution especially advantageous for battery-constrained devices such as mobile and loT equipment. This simplification of user equipment design further reduces complexity and cost while maintaining high system performance.

[0043] In addition to improving efficiency, the invention enhances communication reliability. Its adaptive and low-latency solution ensures seamless connectivity even in dynamic and challenging scenarios, such as dense urban environments or high-mobility situations. Furthermore, the approach is ideally suited for emerging high-frequency applications, including 5 G / 6G networks, ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and loT systems. It also holds significant potential for dense network deployments, such as smart cities and industrial automation, where precise environmental mapping and blockage mitigation are critical for uninterrupted operations.

[0044] By addressing the limitations of existing methods, this invention provides a highly adaptable, reliable, and efficient method for overcoming the challenges of high-frequency communication, making it a cornerstone for the evolution of wireless networks. The invention contributes to solving the critical scientific problem of maintaining robust and reliable communication in high-frequency bands, which are highly susceptible to sporadic blockages and signal degradation. Traditional methods rely heavily on additional infrastructure, user-side sensing, or dedicated signaling, which increase complexity, energy consumption, and spectral inefficiency. This invention addresses the need for a centralized, autonomous, and efficient method to sense the radio environment and dynamically adapt to blockages, ensuring seamless communication without adding unnecessary overhead.

[0045] Technical Problems Solved:

[0046] 1. Blockage Detection and Characterization:

[0047] The invention solves the problem of accurately detecting and characterizing blockages (location, size, and shape) without requiring dedicated sensing signals or user-side feedback.

[0048] 2. Spectral and Energy Efficiency:

[0049] By eliminating the need for extra signaling and user-side sensing, the invention enhances spectral efficiency and reduces power consumption, making it ideal for energy-constrained devices such as loT nodes.

[0050] 3. Simplified System Design:

[0051] The invention centralizes sensing and processing tasks at the base station, reducing the complexity and cost of user equipment while maintaining high performance.

[0052] 4. Dynamic and Adaptive Communication:

[0053] The invention enables the real-time generation of self-healing beams based on blockage characteristics, ensuring robust communication even in dynamic environments.

[0054] 5. Deployment Feasibility:

[0055] Unlike fallback to LOS base stations, which require extensive infrastructure, this invention works autonomously with minimal deployment modifications.

[0056] The invention brings several key innovations to the wireless communication sector, particularly for high-frequency networks. By leveraging the unique spherical wavefront properties of near-field XL-MIMO channels, it introduces a novel approach to autonomously infer blockage characteristics such as size, shape, and location without requiring additional sensing signals or user-side feedback. This eliminates the need for complex user equipment, reducing power consumption and hardware costs, while significantly enhancing spectral efficiency by avoiding dedicated signaling. The invention's ability to generate dynamic self-healing beams ensures robust communication in challenging environments, addressing critical issues in high-frequency bands. Tailored for 5G / 6G networks, it offers an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and adaptable solution, setting a new standard for blockage detection and mitigation in advanced communication networks.

[0057] This invention offers several distinct advantages and unique elements that set it apart from existing solutions in the wireless communication sector:

[0058] 1. Autonomous Blockage Detection and Mitigation:

[0059] Unlike traditional methods that rely on user-side sensing or dedicated sensing signals, this invention autonomously detects and characterizes blockages using the near-field spherical wavefront properties of XL-MIMO channels. This enables the base station to infer the blockage’s location, size, and shape without requiring feedback from the user device, making the system more efficient and simpler.

[0060] 2. No Need for User-Side Sensing or Feedback:

[0061] One of the unique advantages of this approach is that it completely eliminates the need for user-side sensing or feedback, which is commonly required in conventional methods. This reduces the power consumption of user devices, which is particularly important for battery-constrained devices like loT sensors or mobile phones and simplifies the system design by offloading sensing and processing tasks to the base station.

[0062] 3. Enhanced Spectral and Energy Efficiency:

[0063] By removing the need for dedicated sensing signals or user feedback, the invention maximizes the use of available bandwidth for communication, thereby improving spectral efficiency. Additionally, it reduces the energy consumption of both the user devices and the network, as there are no additional signaling requirements or processing burdens on the user side. 4. Dynamic Self-Healing Beams:

[0064] The invention introduces an innovative method for generating dynamic self- healing beams based on real-time blockage characteristics extracted from the Power Delay Profile (PDP).

[0065] 5. Simplicity and Cost Reduction:

[0066] By centralizing all the sensing and processing at the base station, the system simplifies user equipment, reducing both complexity and cost. This makes the approach more feasible for large-scale deployments, including dense urban environments or loT networks, where minimizing the cost of devices and infrastructure is essential.

[0067] 6. Adaptability to High-Frequency Networks:

[0068] The invention is particularly well-suited for high-frequency communication systems, such as 5G / 6G and loT applications, which are prone to signal degradation due to blockages and shadowing. Its ability to adapt to these challenges with minimal infrastructure modifications provides a significant advantage over existing solutions that require additional hardware or complex procedures.

[0069] In summary, the unique elements of this invention lie in its ability to autonomously detect and mitigate blockages using near-field XL-MIMO channels, eliminating the need for user-side sensing, and reducing system complexity, power consumption, and cost while enhancing spectral efficiency. These advantages make it a highly innovative and practical solution for future wireless communication networks, particularly in high-frequency and dense deployment scenarios.

[0070] The "strike feature" of this invention lies in its ability to autonomously map the radio environment and mitigate blockages in high-frequency communication networks without requiring user-side sensing or dedicated sensing signals. This is achieved by exploiting the unique near-field spherical wavefront characteristics of XL-MIMO systems, which allows the base station to infer critical blockage parameters such as location, size, and shape. This innovation fundamentally changes how blockage is detected and managed, offering a more efficient and self-sufficient approach to maintaining reliable communication in environments where traditional solutions often struggle, such as high- frequency bands prone to signal degradation due to blockages.

[0071] By centralizing the sensing and processing at the base station, the invention eliminates the need for complex feedback mechanisms from the user, thus reducing energy consumption and simplifying user equipment. Additionally, the ability of the base station to dynamically generate self-healing beams based on real-time blockage characteristics ensures that the system can adapt to changing conditions, enhancing the robustness and reliability of the communication link.

[0072] This strike feature significantly improves both spectral efficiency and energy efficiency, setting the invention apart from existing solutions that often require additional infrastructure or feedback from users. It provides a scalable and cost-effective solution for high-frequency, dense-deployment scenarios, making it an essential innovation for the future of wireless communication systems like 5G and 6G.

[0073] The structural and characteristic features and all advantages of the method subject to the invention will be understood more clearly thanks to the figures given below and the detailed explanation written by referring to these figures, and therefore the evaluation should be made by taking these figures and detailed explanation into consideration.

[0074] Description of the Figures:

[0075] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, so that the features of the invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated, but the purpose of this is not to limit the invention to these certain regulations. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, changes and equivalences that can be included in the area of the invention defined by the accompanying claims. The details shown should be understood that they are shown only for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are presented in order to provide the most convenient and easily understandable description of both the shaping of methods and the rules and conceptual features of the invention. In these drawings; Figure 1 A schematic view of system models.

[0076] Figure 2 a) PDP of user located near the start of the XL array, (b) PDP of user located near the end of the XL array, and (c) PDP of user located near the middle of the XL array.

[0077] Figure 3 A schematic view of detection of blockage.

[0078] The figures to help understand the present invention are numbered as indicated in the attached image and are given below along with their names.

[0079] Disclosure of References:

[0080] B. Blocker

[0081] UE. User Equipment

[0082] PDP. Power Delay Profile

[0083] Detail Description of The Invention:

[0084] The method for activating a self-healing beam in XL-MIMO systems is described as follows:

[0085] 1- System setup: The communication link is established between a base station equipped with an XL array consisting of N antenna elements and a user equipped with a single or multiple antenna array having M antenna elements. It is assumed that the link is Line-of-Sight (LoS) between the base station and the user, as depicted in Figure 1. The XL array at the base station can be arranged in various configurations, such as a uniform linear array (ULA), uniform planar array (UP A), or uniform circular array (UCA). The method described is applicable to any type of antenna array, as found in existing literature. The base station is capable of measuring the time delay, for example, through the Power Delay Profile (PDP), from the received signal transmitted by the user. Additionally, the base station can capture reflected signals from environmental obstacles.

[0086] 2- Measurement of Power Delay Profile (PDP): The base station measures the PDP of the received signal across the XL array. This measurement is repeated over time to observe any changes or patterns that might suggest obstruction or blockage. The base station continuously monitors the signal’s time delay across the array, collecting this data for further analysis. - User Location Estimation (Ranging): By analyzing the PDP data, the base station estimates the user's location, such as the distance and direction relative to the XL array. The base station uses one antenna element of the XL array as a reference point (for example, antenna element n = 1) and observes how the PDP behaves across the array. Depending on the user’s position, the PDP will display different characteristics: a. Near the start of the XL array: The PDP will resemble the pattern shown in Figure 2a. b. Near the end of the XL array: The PDP will follow the pattern illustrated in Figure 2b. c. Near the middle of the XL array: The PDP will match the pattern in Figure 2c. - Detection of Blockage and its Location: By comparing the current PDP with previous measurements, the base station can detect any sudden fading at specific antenna elements, which indicates the presence of a blockage. The location of blockages can be identified by analyzing the antenna elements that experience significant signal fading. Additionally, the position of the obstacle can be estimated by examining the signals reflected in the antenna array, enabling precise localization and characterization of the obstruction. The start (ks) and end (ke) points of the blockage are marked, and the size of the blockage is approximated by the number of antenna elements (k) affected by the fading. This is visually represented in Figure 3. - Self-Healing Beam Activation: Once the blockage is detected, the following steps are taken to mitigate the blockage’s impact and restore the communication link: a. Identify the Blockage Location: The position of the blockage is mapped to the affected antenna elements on the XL array. b. Reconfigure Antenna Elements: Antenna elements that are not obstructed by the blockage remain active, while those affected by the blockage (experiencing deep fading) are deactivated using a switching network. c. Adjust Power and Phases: The power of the active antenna elements is adjusted to compensate for the deactivated ones. Additionally, the phase of each active element is adjusted to align the beam towards the user’s direction.

[0087] 6- Alternative Implementation with Lens Antenna Subarray (LAS): Instead of using a conventional XL array, the method can be implemented using a lens antenna subarray (LAS) structure. In this case, the blockage area is approximated to a specific lens region rather than individual antenna elements. This simplifies the activation process, but the performance of the self-healing beam will be slightly lower compared to the conventional XL array configuration due to the reduced gain in the healed beam.

[0088] 7- Dynamic Steering and Tracking: The self-healing beam can be dynamically steered based on the continuously updated blockage characteristics. The PDP is tracked over time to monitor the appearance or disappearance of the blockage, as well as any user movement. Conventional tracking algorithms, such as the Kalman filter, can be employed to track the user’s movement and the evolving blockage scenario. This ensures that the active antenna elements and their power and phase settings are updated dynamically as the environment changes.

[0089] Technical Terms:

[0090] • Spherical Wavefront: A type of wave propagation where the wavefronts expand in all directions from a point source, typically occurring in near-field communication scenarios.

[0091] • Power Delay Profile (PDP): A representation of the received signal's power over time (or delay), which can provide insight into multipath propagation and the presence of obstructions.

[0092] • Ranging: The process of measuring the distance between two entities (in this case, the BS and the blocker (B)) based on the time of flight or the delay of the signal.

[0093] • Self-Healing Beam: A beam generated by the base station that is designed to adaptively bypass a blockage and continue communication without interruption. This method includes the following steps:

[0094] 1. Receive the signal from the user equipment (UE) at the XL array at the base station.

[0095] 2. Measure the power delay profile (PDP) from the received signal.

[0096] 3. Analyze the power delay profile (PDP) to estimate the user location.

[0097] 4. Compare the current power delay profile (PDP) with previous measurements to detect the absence / presence of blockage and its location.

[0098] 5. Antenna elements that are not obstructed by the blockage remain active, while those affected by the blockage (experiencing deep fading) are deactivated using a switching network.

[0099] 6. The power of the active antenna elements is adjusted to compensate for the deactivated ones. Additionally, the phase of each active element is adjusted to align the beam toward the user's direction.

[0100] 7. The PDP is tracked over time to monitor the appearance or disappearance of the blockage, as well as any user movement.

[0101] 8. The self-healing beam can be dynamically steered based on the continuously updated blockage characteristics.

[0102] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present technology have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present technology to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible considering the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the present technology and its practical applications, enabling others skilled in the art to utilize the present technology and its various embodiments with appropriate modifications as suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such changes are intended to cover the software or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present technology.

[0103] In cases where no conflict occurs, the embodiments in the present disclosure and their features may be combined. The foregoing descriptions are merely specific implementations of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit its protection scope. Any variation or replacement readily determined by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present disclosure shall fall within its protection scope. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure shall be determined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1- The invention relates to a method for radio environment mapping for sensing and communication in XL MIMO networks, the method comprising: i. receiving signals from a user equipment (UE) at an XL antenna array of a base station, ii. measuring the power delay profile (PDP) of the received signals, iii. analyzing the power delay profile (PDP) to estimate the user equipment (UE)'s location, iv. comparing the measured power delay profile (PDP) with previously stored measurements to detect the presence or absence of blockages and determine the location of any blockages, v. deactivating antenna elements obstructed by blockages using a switching network while keeping unobstructed antenna elements active, vi. adjusting the power and phase of the active antenna elements to compensate for the deactivated elements and steer the beam towards the user equipment (UE)'s location; and vii. continuously tracking the power delay profile (PDP) over time to monitor changes in blockage characteristics and user movement, thereby enabling dynamic steering of a self-healing beam.2- The method according to claim 1, wherein the deactivation of antenna elements is performed based on detecting deep fading caused by the blockage in the received signal.3- The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a blockage map by aggregating the detected blockage locations over time to improve environmental awareness for network optimization.4- The method according to claim 1, wherein the switching network dynamically reconfigures the active and inactive antenna elements to minimize energy consumption while maintaining communication quality.5- The method according to claim 1, further comprising utilizing passive sensing techniques to detect environmental changes, including blockage appearance or disappearance, without requiring additional signaling from the user equipment (UE).6- The method according to claim 1, wherein the self-healing beam dynamically adapts to the updated blockage characteristics by incorporating machine learning algorithms trained on historical blockage data.7- The method according to claim 1, wherein the system prioritizes energy-efficient operation by adjusting the beamwidth and transmission power based on the proximity and movement of the user equipment (UE).8- The method according to claim 1 , wherein the power delay profile (PDP) is measured and compared to identify the presence or absence of a blockage.

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