Assistant UE Selection for Accurate Base Station Antenna Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 4-antenna setups in LTE eNBs are often uncalibrated, leading to phase misalignment among antennas, which affects beamforming performance and degrades signal quality, posing a challenge as these systems evolve into 5G networks.
Innovation Solution
Selecting suitable User Equipments (UEs) for antenna calibration based on criteria such as channel state information, uplink channel characteristics, and UE capabilities to improve estimation accuracy of delay and phase errors, thereby enhancing cell throughput and minimizing performance impact on the assistant UEs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If antenna calibration is performed using all UEs, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and network overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UE population into different groups based on their suitability for calibration (e.g., UEs with good channel conditions, adequate mobility characteristics, and sufficient signal quality). By selecting only representative UEs from each segment rather than all UEs, the system achieves adequate measurement precision while reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by having UEs autonomously evaluate their own suitability for calibration based on pre-defined criteria (channel state information, mobility status, signal quality metrics). UEs that meet the criteria automatically participate in calibration, eliminating the need for complex network-side selection and reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If antenna calibration is performed frequently, then beamforming performance improves, but loss of time and network resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic calibration triggered by specific events or conditions rather than continuous calibration. Calibration is performed periodically when channel conditions change significantly, when UE mobility status changes, or when performance degradation is detected, thereby maintaining beamforming performance while minimizing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts calibration frequency based on changing system parameters such as channel state information, UE mobility speed, and signal-to-noise ratio. When parameters indicate stable conditions, calibration frequency is reduced; when parameters indicate significant changes, calibration frequency increases, optimizing the balance between performance and time consumption.
3Measurement precision
If assistant UEs are selected based on multiple criteria, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different selection criteria weights and thresholds based on local conditions such as deployment scenario (urban, rural, indoor), frequency band, and antenna configuration. Rather than applying uniform complex criteria everywhere, the system adapts the selection criteria to local characteristics, improving precision where needed while reducing complexity in scenarios where simpler criteria suffice.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and computer products for base station antenna calibration. A method is implemented in a base station for a cellular communications system. The method includes selecting, from a plurality of User Equipments, UEs, assistant UEs to assist the base station with antenna calibration, wherein selecting the assistant UEs is based upon criteria that includes UE channel state information, CSI, from the UEs; one or more uplink channel characteristics of an uplink channel from the UEs to the base station; a UE capability of the UEs, UE traffic information related to the UEs; and any combination thereof. A further step is obtaining antenna calibration assistance information from the assistant UEs, the antenna calibration assistance information being information that is used by the base station for antenna calibration.