Antenna Array Switching via Virtual Channel Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for switching between multiple antenna arrays in 5G communications, particularly for millimeter wave beamforming, face challenges with high power consumption and time costs due to the need for frequent adjustments to receive signals obscured by obstacles.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with multiple antenna arrays, a storage unit for an angle mapping table, and an operation unit that turns on the antenna array with the greatest receiving power, calculates power ratio parameters, and adjusts antenna configurations based on channel information and virtual channel information to optimize signal reception while minimizing power consumption and switching time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple antenna arrays are used for receiving millimeter wave signals, then signal reception reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary channel information acquisition and angle mapping table construction during initialization or idle periods. This pre-computed information is stored and reused during actual communication, avoiding the need to continuously activate all antenna arrays and reducing real-time power consumption while maintaining reliable signal reception
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual channel information copies for turned-off antenna arrays based on measurements from active arrays and angle mapping relationships. These virtual copies allow the system to maintain multiple antenna array configurations in software without physically activating all arrays, reducing power consumption while preserving signal reception reliability through virtual diversity
2Reliability
If multiple antenna arrays are switched frequently to track obstacles, then signal reception quality is improved, but time cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The angle mapping table is pre-computed and stored, containing the transformation relationships between different antenna arrays. When switching between arrays, the system directly queries this pre-computed table rather than performing real-time channel measurements, dramatically reducing switching time while maintaining signal reception quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from channel information and power ratio parameters to intelligently determine when switching is necessary. By monitoring channel conditions and using the angle mapping table to predict performance, the system avoids unnecessary switches and reduces overall switching time while maintaining optimal signal reception quality
3Measurement precision
If channel information is measured for all antenna arrays, then signal reception accuracy is improved, but measurement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures channel information for only one active antenna array at a time rather than all arrays simultaneously. Combined with the angle mapping table that provides transformation relationships, this partial measurement approach achieves sufficient channel information accuracy for beamforming while dramatically reducing measurement time
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of measuring channel information for all antenna arrays, the system creates virtual channel information copies for turned-off arrays based on measurements from active arrays and the angle mapping table. This copying approach maintains measurement precision for beamforming purposes while reducing total measurement time
Data Source
AI summary
A switching method for multiple antenna arrays is disclosed which including: turning on a number of antenna arrays of an electronic device, and obtaining multiple received powers of a beam signal; turning off the antenna array(s) other than the antenna array having the largest received power, and calculating multiple first power ratio parameters according to the received powers; calculating a first channel information of the antenna array which is turned on; calculating a first virtual channel information of each of the antenna arrays which are turned off according to the first channel information, the first power ratio parameter corresponding to each of the antenna arrays which are turned off and an angle mapping table; and selecting one of the antenna arrays to turn on according to the first channel information and all the first virtual channel information, and turning off the rest antenna array(s).