Antenna Panel Selection for Random Access in Wireless UEs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing initial access and handover procedures across multiple antenna arrays, particularly in determining the optimal antenna array for transmitting random access signals and adjusting timing advance values, which affects propagation delays and signal quality.
Innovation Solution
The system allows user equipment (UE) to determine and use a specific antenna array for transmitting random access signals based on indications received from the base station, using control channel orders to identify the appropriate antenna array and update timing advance values, enabling more efficient communication by selecting arrays with better signal-to-interference noise ratio (SINR), reference signal received power (RSRP), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE uses a single antenna array for all communications, then the device complexity is reduced, but the signal quality and coverage are deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna arrays into different panels (first panel, second panel, etc.), where each panel can be independently selected for specific communication procedures. This allows the UE to manage multiple antenna arrays in a structured manner, improving signal quality by selecting the appropriate panel for each random access procedure while maintaining organized control over the complexity through panel-based management.
2Productivity
If the UE selects the optimal antenna array based on SINR, RSRP, and SNR values, then the communication efficiency is improved, but the procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the base station pre-configure multiple random access preamble indices corresponding to different antenna panels before the UE needs to perform random access. The UE stores these mappings in advance, so when random access is needed, it can quickly select the appropriate preamble and panel based on current conditions without performing complex real-time analysis, thus improving efficiency while managing procedure complexity through pre-computation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the base station provides multiple random access preamble indices for different antenna panels, then the adaptability is improved, but the control channel order size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the control channel order to carry multiple random access preamble indices that can serve multiple functions: each preamble index corresponds to a specific antenna panel, allowing the same control channel structure to support random access from different panels. This multi-functional approach provides adaptability for panel selection without proportionally increasing the control channel order size, as the multiple preambles are efficiently packed into the existing message structure.
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may communicate with a first base station using a first antenna array of a set of antenna arrays of the UE. The UE may receive, from the base station, an indication that the UE is to use a second antenna array of the set of antenna arrays to transmit a random access signal. The UE may transmit, to the first base station or a second base station, the random access signal using the second antenna array based on the received indication. The UE may transmit the random access signal to the first base station as part of determining an updated timing advance (TA) value for the second antenna array. The UE may transmit the random access signal to the second base station as a part of initial access or handover.