Analog Beam Steering Across Band Groups for Multi-Carrier Configuration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Determining how to effectively utilize multiple carriers and wireless communication technologies together in a wireless device in a complementary manner is a complex task, and existing systems struggle with efficient beam configuration and signaling overhead.

Innovation Solution

Implementing common analog beam steering for band groups, where a wireless device reports its beam steering capabilities to a cellular network, allowing the network to configure a common beam for multiple component carriers within a frequency band group, thereby avoiding scenarios where the device is misconfigured and reducing signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If independent beam steering is configured for multiple component carriers, then beam configuration flexibility is improved, but device capability requirements increase and misconfiguration risks worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam configuration flexibilityVSAvoidconfiguration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments frequency bands into distinct band groups (e.g., first band group, second band group) and applies different beam steering configurations to each segment. This allows the system to provide independent beam steering only where hardware capabilities permit, while using common beam steering for bands that share analog beam steering hardware, thus maintaining configuration flexibility without exceeding device capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality levels of beam steering configuration to different frequency bands based on local hardware capabilities. For band groups with independent beam steering capability, full independent configuration is applied; for band groups sharing analog beam steering hardware, common beam configuration is applied. This localized approach ensures configuration accuracy matches actual device capabilities in each specific band group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If common beam is configured for multiple component carriers, then signaling overhead is reduced, but beam configuration precision worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidbeam configuration precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments component carriers into different band groups and applies common beam configuration only within each segment (band group) rather than across all carriers. This reduces signaling overhead by using a single beam configuration per band group while maintaining precision where independent configurations are applied to band groups with independent beam steering capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a multi-functional beam configuration system that can operate in different modes depending on hardware capabilities. The same band group configuration mechanism serves both as independent beam steering when capabilities permit and as common beam steering when hardware constraints exist, optimizing the balance between signaling overhead and configuration precision adaptively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If band group segmentation is implemented, then configuration accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements band group segmentation by dividing frequency bands into logical groups based on analog beam steering hardware capabilities. This segmentation improves configuration accuracy by matching beam configurations to actual hardware capabilities, while the complexity is managed through standardized segmentation rules that map frequency bands to band groups in a systematic manner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary classification of frequency bands into band groups based on hardware capabilities before actual beam configuration occurs. This preliminary action establishes the segmentation framework in advance, allowing the system to apply appropriate beam steering configurations without real-time complex decision-making, thus improving accuracy while controlling complexity through pre-defined segmentation rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250374259A1Common Analog Beam Steering for Band Groups

Publication Date: 2025.12.04 APPLE INC

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for a wireless device and a cellular base station to support common analog beam steering for band groups. The wireless device may provide an indication of analog beam steering capability of the wireless device to the cellular base station. For example, the wireless device may support a limited number of analog beams for each of one or more band groups. The cellular base station may select beam configuration information for the wireless device based at least in part on the indication of analog beam steering capability of the wireless device. This may include selecting a common beam for multiple component carriers for the wireless device based on the wireless device's analog beam steering capability. The cellular base station may provide the beam configuration information to the wireless device.