Antenna Array Power Control for Wireless Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication equipment faces challenges in maintaining target transmission power while minimizing interference and power consumption, especially in beam forming applications, due to the limitations of antenna arrays and power amplifiers.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that selectively inactivate antennas based on target transmission power and beam forming information, using phase and power controllers to adjust signal phases and powers, ensuring efficient beam directionality without unnecessary power amplification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmission power is increased to ensure sufficient signal reception, then reception quality is improved, but interference with other wireless communications increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by activating only specific antennas that are optimally positioned for the current beam direction rather than uniformly using all antennas. The controller selectively activates antennas based on beam forming information, ensuring that only antennas contributing effectively to the current transmission direction are powered, thereby maintaining reception quality while minimizing unnecessary interference and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of antennas from a static 'all-on' configuration to a dynamic 'selectively activated' configuration. Based on beam forming information and current transmission requirements, the controller adjusts which antennas are active, changing the system's effective parameters to match actual needs, thus reducing interference and power consumption while maintaining adequate transmission power for reliable reception.
2Reliability
If all antennas are activated to maintain beam directionality, then beam forming performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by selectively activating only those antennas that are geometrically positioned to effectively contribute to the current beam direction. Rather than uniformly activating all antennas, the controller identifies and activates only the subset of antennas with optimal radiation patterns for the target direction, thereby maintaining beam directionality while reducing power consumption by leaving other antennas inactive.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by activating only the necessary subset of antennas required to achieve the desired beam directionality rather than activating all available antennas. The controller determines the minimum number of antennas needed based on beam forming information, activating only that partial set, thus avoiding excessive power consumption from unnecessarily activated antennas while preserving adequate beam directionality.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If transmission power is reduced to minimize interference, then interference is reduced, but reception quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating transmission power through selective antenna activation rather than distributing power uniformly across all antennas. The controller identifies antennas with optimal radiation patterns for the current beam direction and activates only those, concentrating the effective transmission power in the desired direction. This maintains adequate reception quality for the target receiver while reducing overall interference to other communications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback through beam forming information that provides real-time data about optimal antenna selection for current transmission conditions. The controller uses this feedback to dynamically adjust which antennas are activated, ensuring that transmission power is effectively directed toward the intended receiver. This feedback mechanism maintains adequate reception quality while minimizing unnecessary interference by avoiding activation of antennas that would contribute to interference rather than useful signal transmission.
4Area of stationary object
If unnecessary antennas remain active, then beam coverage is maximized, but power consumption increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by activating only the specific antennas that are geometrically positioned to contribute to the current beam direction rather than activating all antennas to maximize coverage. The controller selectively activates antennas based on their spatial relationship to the target direction, ensuring adequate beam coverage for the intended transmission while avoiding activation of antennas that would not contribute meaningfully, thus reducing power consumption and improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by activating only the necessary subset of antennas required to achieve adequate beam coverage for the current transmission rather than activating all antennas to maximize coverage. The controller determines the minimum number of antennas needed based on beam forming information, activating only that partial set, thus avoiding excessive power consumption from unnecessarily activated antennas while maintaining sufficient beam coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication method using a plurality of antennas performed by a controller, the wireless communication method including obtaining a target transmission power level and beam forming information, determining at least one inactive antenna from among the plurality of antennas, based on the target transmission power level and the beam forming information, and controlling transmission signals provided to the plurality of antennas such that transmission via the at least one inactive antenna does not occur.