Adaptive Search Space for Beamformed Cellular Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular communication systems, especially those transitioning to higher frequencies like 5G, the limited number of radio beams with desired antenna gain poses challenges in efficiently transmitting control messages and adapting to varying channel conditions, leading to increased computational burden and power consumption for terminal devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of adaptive radio beam configurations and search spaces based on measured signal quality, allowing terminal devices to dynamically adjust the number and type of radio beams used for transmissions, and network nodes to optimize beamforming configurations for improved flexibility and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beamforming is used to transmit control messages in multiple radio beams, then transmission reliability is improved, but terminal device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic search space adaptation where the terminal device adjusts the number of PDCCH monitoring occasions and associated parameters based on measured signal quality of received radio beams. When signal quality is high, the device reduces monitoring occasions to lower complexity; when signal quality degrades, it increases monitoring occasions to maintain reliability. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting system behavior to current channel conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key parameters including the number of PDCCH monitoring occasions, search space configurations, and beam measurement thresholds based on signal quality metrics. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system maintains transmission reliability across varying channel conditions while optimizing terminal device complexity to match actual transmission needs rather than preparing for worst-case scenarios continuously.
2Reliability
If the terminal device monitors all possible radio beams, then transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the terminal device monitor only a subset of possible radio beams based on measured signal quality. Instead of exhaustively monitoring all configured beams, the device identifies the most promising beams through initial measurements and focuses monitoring resources on those beams, achieving sufficient reliability without the excessive power consumption of full monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the set of monitored radio beams based on signal quality measurements. When channel conditions are good, the device monitors fewer beams; when conditions deteriorate, it expands monitoring to additional beams. This dynamic behavior maintains reliability while adapting power consumption to actual transmission needs rather than maintaining constant high-power monitoring of all beams.
3Device complexity
If adaptive search space is implemented, then terminal device complexity is reduced, but network flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where terminal devices report measured signal quality metrics to the network, and the network adjusts beam configurations and search space parameters based on this feedback. This closed-loop system maintains network flexibility by allowing the network to adapt to changing channel conditions while the terminal device benefits from reduced complexity through pre-configured adaptation rules and automated measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The network performs preliminary configuration of search space parameters and beamforming settings based on historical data and channel predictions. This preliminary action allows terminal devices to operate with reduced complexity using pre-planned configurations, while the network retains flexibility to update these configurations as conditions change, effectively distributing the adaptability burden between network intelligence and device automation.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a solution for efficient communications in a cellular communication system employing beamforming transmissions. In an embodiment, a terminal device (120) carries out the following: scanning for at least one message amongst a plurality of radio beams (112, 114) in a cell (100) according to a search space defining a plurality of scanning configurations; measuring a signal quality of at least one radio beam in the cell; adapting the search space on the basis of the measured signal quality; and performing said scanning for the at least one message according to the adapted search space.