Antenna Sub-Array Allocation for Beam Interference Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional antenna apparatuses face challenges in maintaining communication quality for multiple user terminals, particularly when they are adjacent, due to beam interference and reduced antenna gain in sub-array systems compared to full-array systems, and existing solutions do not adapt antenna size based on positional relationships among user terminals.
Innovation Solution
An antenna apparatus with a terminal position detector, sub-array number determinator, and antenna selector that dynamically allocates sub-arrays to user terminals based on their positional relationships, optimizing sub-array numbers to prevent beam interference and enhance communication quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If sub-array system is used to reduce hardware complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but antenna gain deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sub-array allocation flexible and adaptive rather than fixed. The base station dynamically determines the number of sub-arrays to allocate to each user terminal based on real-time communication conditions, terminal positions, and beam interference relationships. This dynamic allocation allows the system to optimize antenna gain for distant terminals by allocating more sub-arrays when needed, while maintaining simple hardware structure through the sub-array architecture.
2Ease of manufacture
If sub-array system is used to simplify hardware, then ease of manufacture is improved, but communication quality for distant terminals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of sub-arrays allocated to each terminal based on communication conditions. For distant terminals requiring higher antenna gain, the base station allocates a greater number of sub-arrays, thereby improving communication quality without requiring permanently complex hardware. The simplicity of the sub-array structure is preserved while adapting resource allocation to meet performance requirements.
3Productivity
If beams are formed for multiple adjacent user terminals, then productivity is improved, but beam interference occurs deteriorating communication quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates beams for different user terminals by allocating different sub-arrays to each terminal. When multiple terminals are served simultaneously, the base station assigns specific sub-arrays to specific terminals, effectively separating their beams in the spatial domain. This extraction approach prevents beam interference between adjacent terminals while maintaining the ability to serve multiple users, thus preserving productivity without the harmful interference effect.
4Reliability
If full-array system is used to increase antenna gain, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the antenna array into multiple independent sub-arrays, each of which can be independently allocated to different user terminals. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high antenna gain for distant terminals by allocating multiple sub-arrays to a single terminal when needed, while avoiding the complexity of a monolithic full-array forming unit. The segmented structure simplifies the hardware while maintaining the ability to achieve high gain through coordinated sub-array allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A sub-array number determinator is provided to determine a number of sub-arrays to be allocated to each of user terminals detected by a terminal position detector on a basis of relation between positions of the user terminals and a position of an antenna apparatus. An antenna selector selects sub-arrays for the number determined by the sub-array number determinator from among the sub-arrays and allocates the selected sub-arrays for the determined number to each of the user terminals. This structure is capable of preventing interference among beams for user terminals and providing excellent communication quality to the user terminals even in condition where the user terminals are adjacent to each other.