Antenna Array Power Amplifier Threshold Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current beamforming systems in wireless communication, such as MIMO and OFDM, improve signal quality but do so at the expense of high power consumption due to the need for multiple power amplifiers in large antenna arrays.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves determining whether antenna weights in an antenna array satisfy a threshold condition to decide whether to disable corresponding power amplifiers, thereby reducing power consumption without significantly impacting beam performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If larger antenna arrays are used for beamforming to improve signal quality and network capacity, then signal strength and beamforming precision are improved, but power consumption increases due to the large number of power amplifiers required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the antenna array configuration adaptive rather than static. The system dynamically adjusts the number of active antenna elements and power amplifiers based on real-time channel conditions, signal quality requirements, and power consumption constraints. This allows the beamforming system to optimize between signal quality and power consumption by activating only the necessary subset of antenna elements for each transmission scenario

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by activating only a subset of antenna elements and power amplifiers rather than using the full antenna array capacity. The system determines the minimum necessary number of power amplifiers required to achieve the desired signal quality and beamforming performance, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate communication reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If more power amplifiers are activated to maintain beamforming performance, then beam quality is preserved, but power consumption and heat generation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam qualityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the number of active power amplifiers based on varying operational conditions. The system monitors channel state information, signal-to-noise ratio requirements, and power consumption levels, then adjusts the configuration of active power amplifiers accordingly. This allows the system to maintain beam quality when needed while reducing power consumption during favorable channel conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11228355B2Methods of energy optimization for multi-antenna systems

Publication Date: 2022.01.18 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The solution presented herein improves the power consumption of an antenna array, such as used in beamforming systems, based on the antenna weights of the one or more antenna elements of the subarrays of the antenna array. To that end, a transmitter node comprising the antenna array determines whether the antenna weights of each subarray satisfy a threshold condition. If the weights satisfy the threshold condition, the transmitter node disables the corresponding power amplifier.