Antenna Panel Selection for User Terminal Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In New Radio (NR) R15 systems, the inconsistency between uplink and downlink antenna panels in user terminals leads to high power consumption, as each antenna panel must be active for data transmission and reception, even when multiple panels are configured.
Innovation Solution
A method where a user terminal reports downlink measurement results to a base station, which determines and indicates a single antenna panel for transmission using a sounding reference signal resource set identifier, allowing the user terminal to use that panel for data transmission while closing other panels, thereby reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple antenna panels are configured for both uplink and downlink transmission, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases due to all panels needing to be active
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the antenna panel configuration adaptive rather than static. The base station dynamically determines which antenna panels to activate based on real-time channel conditions (downlink and uplink measurements), allowing the system to transition between different panel activation states. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to maintain reliable communication when needed while reducing power consumption when full panel activation is not necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of antenna panel activation state from a fixed multi-panel configuration to a variable single-panel configuration. By changing the activation state parameter based on channel quality measurements, the system can switch between using multiple panels (for reliability) and single panel (for power savings), thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and power consumption.
2Productivity
If uplink and downlink antenna panels are configured independently, then transmission performance is optimized, but device complexity increases due to panel inconsistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the independent uplink and downlink antenna panel configurations by having the base station jointly determine a single antenna panel configuration based on both uplink and downlink channel measurements. This unified determination approach combines the benefits of independent optimization while eliminating the complexity of managing inconsistent separate configurations, as both uplink and downlink transmissions now reference the same panel activation state.
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna panel determination method, a user terminal and a computer readable storage medium. The method comprises: reporting measurement information to a base station, the measurement information comprising downlink measurement results corresponding to N antenna panels, wherein N is the total number of configured antenna panels, and N≥2; receiving instruction information issued by the base station, the indication information being obtained by the base station according to the measurement information and an uplink measurement result; obtaining, from within the instruction information, an antenna panel that is used for transmission and indicated by the base station; and using the antenna panel that is used for transmission to perform transmission. The solution above may reduce the power consumption of the user terminal.