Antenna Port Formation Patterns for Elevation Beamforming

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication systems lack a suitable mechanism for configuring two-dimensional antenna arrays, limiting the effectiveness of elevation beamforming techniques in improving communication performance and reducing power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A communication station with a control circuit that configures a transceiving circuit and radio signal distribution circuit to set up multiple antenna port formation patterns (APFPs) for transmitting reference signals and receiving channel state information, allowing for precise channel measurement and feedback, thereby enhancing communication performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If elevation beamforming technique is utilized without a suitable configuration mechanism for the two-dimensional antenna array, then the radiation pattern can be controlled on vertical and horizontal domains, but the communication performance cannot be effectively improved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidconfiguration mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the two-dimensional antenna array configuration into multiple independent antenna port formation patterns (APFPs), where each APFP corresponds to a specific dimension (horizontal or vertical). This segmentation allows the system to independently configure and optimize each dimension without complex interdependencies, enabling effective elevation beamforming while maintaining manageable configuration complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic configuration mechanisms that allow the antenna array to adaptively switch between different APFPs based on channel conditions and communication requirements. The system can dynamically adjust the antenna port formation patterns to optimize beamforming performance in different scenarios, making the configuration mechanism flexible rather than static and complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If multiple antenna port formation patterns are configured for different dimensions, then channel measurement precision is improved, but the configuration and management of antenna ports becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel measurement precisionVSAvoidantenna port configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the antenna array into multiple independent APFPs, where each pattern is dedicated to measuring channel characteristics in a specific dimension. This segmentation allows the system to perform independent channel measurements for horizontal and vertical dimensions, improving measurement precision while keeping each measurement task simple and manageable rather than attempting to measure all dimensions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces reference signals as intermediaries that facilitate channel measurement for each APFP. These reference signals are transmitted through specific antenna port formations and serve as mediators between the physical antenna array and the channel estimation process, simplifying the measurement mechanism while improving precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If the antenna array is configured to transmit reference signals with multiple APFPs, then feedback overhead is reduced, but the transceiving and signal distribution circuits become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback overheadVSAvoidtransceiving circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the reference signal transmission into multiple independent APFPs, where each pattern transmits reference signals for specific dimensional measurements. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently multiplex reference signals in different antenna port formations, reducing the overall feedback overhead by organizing measurements systematically rather than requiring comprehensive feedback for all possible configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs the transceiving and radio signal distribution circuits to be multi-functional, capable of supporting multiple APFPs through a unified architecture. The circuits can dynamically reconfigure to support different antenna port formation patterns, providing universal functionality that reduces feedback overhead without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each pattern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2790332B1Communication station with elevation beamforming and related communication device
Publication Date: 2019.09.11 ACER INC
  • EP2790332B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2790332B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2790332B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication station (110) includes a transceiving circuit (113), a radio signal distribution circuit (115) and a control circuit (117). The radio signal distribution circuit (115) configures an antenna array (111) to communication with a communication device (120) with a first antenna port formation pattern (APFP) (210) and a second APFP (220) based on an elevation beamforming technique. The control circuit (117) configures the transceiving circuit (113) to generate a first reference signal and a second reference signal, and configures the radio signal distribution circuit (115) to configure the antenna array (111) to transmit the first reference signal and the second reference signal respectively with the first APFP (210) and the second APFP (220) to the communication device (120). The control circuit (117) further configures the transceiving circuit (113) to receive the first channel state information and the second channel state information respectively corresponding to the first reference signal and the second reference signal through the radio signal distribution circuit (115).