Antenna Subset Switching for Beamforming Reciprocity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beamforming technologies face challenges in maintaining channel reciprocity and efficiently switching antennas for directional signal transmission in wireless communications, leading to long training periods and suboptimal performance due to obstacles and mismatched antenna frequencies.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that combines smart antenna switching with implicit digital beamforming, utilizing acknowledgment signals to select and initialize subsets of antennas with specific beamforming vectors, maintaining reciprocity and adapting power angle profiles for improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional beamforming methods are used with fixed omnidirectional antennas, then system complexity is reduced, but directional signal transmission performance deteriorates due to obstacles and frequency mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic antenna switching where the beamformer alternates between different antenna subsets (first subset for initial training, second subset for data transmission) based on channel conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to overcome obstacles and frequency mismatch by selecting optimal antennas, improving signal reliability without requiring complex real-time beamforming calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the multiple antennas into distinct subsets (first subset and second subset) with different functions. The first subset is used for initial channel training and reciprocity establishment, while the second subset is used for actual data transmission. This segmentation simplifies the beamforming process by separating training and data phases, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining transmission reliability.
2Productivity
If antenna switching is performed frequently to optimize directional transmission, then signal transmission efficiency is improved, but training period increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary channel training using the first antenna subset before switching to the second antenna subset for data transmission. By establishing channel reciprocity and characteristics in advance with the first subset, the system avoids requiring extensive re-training when switching antennas, thus minimizing training period overhead while maintaining high transmission efficiency with the optimized second subset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains channel reciprocity information obtained during the initial training phase and applies it continuously during the data transmission phase with the second antenna subset. This continuity allows the system to switch antennas for optimization without requiring complete re-training, thereby preserving transmission efficiency while minimizing the time lost to training procedures.
3Reliability
If implicit beamforming is used with antenna switching, then directional transmission performance is improved, but maintaining channel reciprocity becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically manages channel reciprocity by performing initial training with the first antenna subset to establish reciprocity, then switching to the second antenna subset for data transmission while maintaining the established reciprocity relationship. This dynamic approach allows implicit beamforming to achieve superior directional performance without requiring complex real-time reciprocity recalibration, as the reciprocity established during training remains valid for the switched antenna configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A beamforming method and a beamforming apparatus for directional signal transmission are provided, wherein a multiple antenna beamformer is configured to conduct a data transmission to a beamformee.