Antenna Panel Status Feedback for 5G Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G mobile communication systems, high-frequency signal energy decreases rapidly with distance, limiting transmission range, and network devices struggle to properly schedule antenna panels due to unknown on/off states, leading to low data transmission efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that determine the status of antenna panels by sending feedback information indicating whether they are turned on or off, allowing network devices to properly schedule them for improved data transmission efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the terminal turns off some antenna panels to save electric energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the network device cannot properly schedule the antenna panels resulting in low data transmission efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectric energy consumptionVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal feeds back the on/off status of antenna panels to the network device through uplink signals (PUCCH, PUSCH, or random access channel). This feedback mechanism enables the network device to obtain real-time status information of antenna panels, allowing proper scheduling decisions that balance energy saving and transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the network device schedules antenna panels without knowing their on/off states, then scheduling complexity is reduced, but data transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling complexityVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal autonomously determines the on/off status of its antenna panels and actively reports this information to the network device. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the network device to complexly infer or track antenna panel status, reducing scheduling complexity while enabling efficient resource allocation based on actual hardware availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3952144B1Method and apparatus for determining state of antenna panel
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3952144B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3952144B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3952144B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

This application provides a method and an apparatus for determining a status of an antenna panel. A terminal receives configuration information including at least one downlink signal resource set. When determining that a first antenna panel corresponding to a first downlink signal resource set is turned on, the terminal measures quality of a resource in the first downlink signal resource set by using the first antenna panel, and sends first feedback information. The first feedback information may indicate the quality of the resource in the first downlink signal resource set. When the first antenna panel is turned off, the terminal skips measuring the quality of the resource in the first downlink signal resource set, and sends second feedback information. The second feedback information is used to indicate that the first antenna panel is turned off. In this way, a network device in embodiments of this application can learn of a status of an antenna panel, and can properly schedule the antenna panel, thereby improving data transmission efficiency.