Antenna Beamforming for Multipath Signal Delay Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In communications systems using LTE, 4G, and 5G technologies, small-cell backhaul scenarios with millimeter-wave communication face challenges such as increased channel attenuation and complex multipath environments, where traditional methods often result in reduced signal reception gain by treating multipath signals as interference.
Innovation Solution
A signal processing method that determines N directions for received signals from a single source, configures antenna beams accordingly, estimates delays, performs delay compensation, and combines the signals using calculated weights based on criteria like minimum mean square error or maximum signal-to-noise ratio, to enhance signal reception in multipath scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If multipath signals are directly considered as interference and eliminated, then interference is reduced, but signal reception gain decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts harmful multipath interference into beneficial signal components by separating and processing signals from different directions. Instead of eliminating multipath signals, the system uses direction-based separation to identify and combine useful signal components from multiple paths, transforming what was previously considered interference into a resource for improving signal reception gain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the received signal into multiple directional components using beamforming techniques. By dividing the signal processing into N separate beam directions, the system can individually process and compensate for delays in each direction, then combine them constructively. This segmentation allows the system to handle multipath signals separately rather than as a single interfering component.
2Reliability
If antenna gain is increased to overcome attenuation, then signal strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic beamforming that adapts to the multipath environment by configuring N different beam directions based on detected signal paths. Instead of using a fixed high-gain antenna configuration, the system dynamically adjusts beam directions and combines signals from multiple directions, achieving signal strength improvement through adaptive processing rather than static hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the antenna system multi-functional by using the same antenna array for both receiving signals and determining multipath directions. The beamforming capability serves multiple purposes: signal reception, direction estimation, and multipath separation. This universality reduces the need for additional specialized hardware components.
Data Source
AI summary
A signal processing method and a related device are provided. The signal processing method includes: determining that there are N directions for received signals corresponding to a same signal source; configuring beam directions of an antenna as the N directions; estimating delays of the N received signals received by using the antenna, and separately performing, by using the estimated delays of the N received signals, delay compensation on the N received signals to obtain N received signals obtained after delay compensation, where the N received signals are in a one-to-one correspondence with the N directions, and N is an integer greater than 1; and performing combining processing on the N received signals obtained after delay compensation. The technical solutions in embodiments of the present invention help increase a signal reception gain in a multipath scenario.