Antenna Weight Feedback for Downlink Channel Estimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems, particularly in LTE, face challenges in sufficiently recognizing the downlink channel characteristic during multipath communication using plural transmit antennas, leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in wireless resource management.

Innovation Solution

A method where the wireless terminal feeds back both transmit and receive antenna weights to the wireless base station, allowing it to estimate the downlink channel characteristic, thereby improving channel estimation and resource allocation without requiring significant changes to the existing specification or increasing feedback information size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the wireless terminal feeds back only conventional CSI (channel quality indicator) to the wireless base station, then the feedback information size remains within existing specification limits, but the wireless base station cannot sufficiently recognize the downlink channel characteristic for efficient resource management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedownlink channel characteristic recognitionVSAvoidfeedback information structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel characteristic information into two distinct parts: conventional CSI (channel quality indicator) and antenna weight information. This segmentation allows the system to maintain backward compatibility with existing LTE specifications while adding the necessary channel characteristic recognition capability. The wireless terminal feeds back both CSI and antenna weight information separately, enabling the wireless base station to sufficiently recognize downlink channel characteristics without requiring a complete redesign of the feedback mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If the wireless terminal feeds back both transmit and receive antenna weights to the wireless base station, then the downlink channel characteristic can be accurately recognized, but the feedback information processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedownlink channel characteristic estimation accuracyVSAvoidfeedback information processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the self-service principle by having the wireless terminal autonomously calculate both transmit antenna weights and receive antenna weights, and then feed back both sets of information to the wireless base station. This self-service approach enables the wireless base station to accurately estimate downlink channel characteristics without requiring complex interaction or additional measurement procedures. The wireless terminal independently generates and transmits the necessary weight information, simplifying the overall system operation while improving measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If conventional CSI feedback is used without additional antenna weight information, then the feedback information size remains manageable, but resource allocation efficiency and wireless resource management deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidfeedback information volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces antenna weight information as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between conventional CSI feedback and accurate channel characteristic recognition. By adding this intermediary information, the system enables the wireless base station to perform more accurate resource allocation and scheduling decisions. The antenna weight information acts as a mediator that translates the physical antenna configurations into usable channel characteristic data, thereby improving resource allocation efficiency without requiring a proportional increase in feedback information volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3316503B1Method for controlling wireless communication, and wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 FUJITSU LTD
  • EP3316503B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3316503B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3316503B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method performed by a transmission device and a reception device in a wireless communication system, the method including: executing a process for receiving a reference signal, which is transmitted from each of plural transmit antennas of the transmission device, through a specific receive antenna which is one of at least one receive antenna of the reception device; executing a process for deciding a transmit antenna weight and a receive antenna weight based on the reference signal, the transmit antenna weight and the receive antenna weight being applied in a case where only the specific receive antenna receives a signal which is transmitted by each of the plural transmit antennas based on same transmission data; and executing a process for transmitting first information about the transmit antenna weight and second information about the receive antenna weight to the transmission device.