Antenna Subarray Beam Switching for MIMO Correlation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems with high-frequency bands face challenges in achieving non-correlated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels due to limited antenna distance, leading to poor communication quality, especially in large-scale array antenna systems.

Innovation Solution

The system separates transmit/receive antennas into subarrays to form low-correlation beams, allowing for the formation of a transmission-dimensional structure similar to MIMO, and uses a switching rule to optimize transmit modes based on quality of service (QoS) requirements, calculating channel quality and capacity through SVD decomposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antenna distance is increased to ensure non-correlation of MIMO channels, then channel non-correlation is improved, but antenna diameter requirement cannot be met in large-scale array antenna systems with limited antenna diameter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel non-correlationVSAvoidantenna diameter
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the transmit antenna array into multiple subarrays, where each subarray generates a narrow beam. This segmentation allows the system to create multiple spatially separated beams without requiring a single large antenna array, thus achieving low correlation between channels while working within limited antenna diameter constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a single broad beam approach to multiple narrow beams in different spatial directions. By adding the spatial dimension through directional beamforming, the system achieves MIMO-like non-correlated channels without increasing the physical antenna diameter, effectively solving the contradiction through dimensional expansion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If conventional beamforming with wide beams is used, then coverage is wide, but system capacity is small due to time-division multiplexing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidsystem capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single wide beam into multiple narrow beams that can simultaneously serve different user equipments. This allows spatial division multiplexing where multiple users receive data at the same time through different beams, dramatically increasing system capacity while maintaining wide overall coverage through the collective reach of multiple beams.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds spatial multiplexing capability by transmitting multiple narrow beams in different directions simultaneously. This transforms the system from single-user time-division multiplexing to multi-user spatial division multiplexing, enabling parallel data transmission and significantly improving productivity without sacrificing coverage area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Length of stationary object

If antenna distance is kept small in large-scale array antenna systems, then antenna diameter constraint is satisfied, but MIMO channel non-correlation cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna diameterVSAvoidMIMO channel non-correlation
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the antenna array into multiple subarrays with small inter-element spacing within each subarray. Each subarray independently forms a narrow beam, and the spatial separation between beams from different subarrays provides the necessary channel non-correlation. This allows the system to maintain small overall antenna diameter while achieving MIMO-like non-correlated channels through beam spatial separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3182610B1Wireless communication method and system
Publication Date: 2019.09.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3182610B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3182610B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3182610B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A transmission wireless communications system includes: a transmit end, where the transmit end includes a transmit module having at least two antenna units, the transmit module transmits M narrow beams with different spatial directions according to a quality of service (QoS) requirement, and switches a transmit mode according to a preset switching rule, and a set of the spatial directions of the M narrow beams forms a transmit mode; and a receive end, where the receive end includes a receive module having at least two antenna units, the receive module receives N beams according to the QoS, a transmission channel is formed between the M narrow beams of the transmit end and the N beams of the receive end, and the receive end calculates transmission channel quality in different transmit modes, searches for a transmit mode that meets the QoS requirement, and feeds back the transmit mode to the transmit end, or feeds back a transmit mode with optimal channel quality to the transmit end if transmission channel quality corresponding to all transmit modes is traversed but no transmit mode that meets the QoS requirement is found. Both M and N are integers greater than or equal to 1.