Autonomous SSB Beam Switching for Lost 5G NR Beam Commands
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
5G NR systems face challenges with rapid channel variations and free-space pathloss due to the use of millimeter wave frequencies, leading to suboptimal beam selection when base stations fail to provide instructions or when wireless devices fail to receive them, resulting in degraded signal quality and data throughput.
Innovation Solution
Wireless devices are equipped with the capability to autonomously measure and switch to another SSB beam based on the system using signal parameters of signals received from the base station, determining whether a difference in the measured signal quality difference threshold, the wireless device autonomously switches to a better SSB beam by measuring signal parameters and applying a dynamically determined signal quality difference threshold, either from a lookup table or a trained neural network, without relying on MAC-CE instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If base stations use conventional MAC-CE instructions for beam switching, then network control is maintained, but data throughput degrades when instructions are lost or not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless device autonomously monitors signal parameters of multiple SSB beams and independently determines beam switching based on pre-configured thresholds, without requiring continuous network instructions. This self-service mechanism ensures reliable beam selection and maintains data throughput even when MAC-CE instructions are lost or not provided.
Solution Approach 2:
The network pre-configures signal quality difference thresholds and candidate beam sets before autonomous beam switching is activated. This preliminary configuration enables the wireless device to perform reliable beam switching decisions without real-time network instructions, preventing throughput degradation.
2Productivity
If wireless devices autonomously switch beams without network instructions, then data throughput improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of beam switching from network-controlled to autonomous device control. The wireless device monitors signal parameters (RSRP, RSRQ, SINR) of multiple SSB beams and autonomously switches when the signal quality difference exceeds a pre-configured threshold, improving throughput without requiring complex real-time network coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless device continuously monitors signal parameters of serving and candidate beams, compares them against pre-configured thresholds, and autonomously switches when conditions are met. This feedback mechanism enables simple autonomous decision-making that improves throughput without significant complexity increase.
3Measurement precision
If wireless devices monitor multiple SSB beams continuously, then beam switching accuracy improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously monitoring all candidate beams, the wireless device monitors the serving beam and only evaluates candidate beams when signal quality deteriorates or at periodic intervals. This partial monitoring approach maintains sufficient measurement precision for reliable beam switching while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring of all beams.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Various embodiments include methods for autonomous beam switching by a wireless device. A processor of the wireless device may measure signal parameters of signals received from a first synchronization signal block (SSB) beam of a base station monitored by the wireless device and other SSB beams of the base station, determine whether a difference in measured signal parameters of signals received from the first SSB beam and another SSB beam of the base station satisfies a signal quality difference threshold, and autonomously switching to the second SSB beam as the serving beam in response to determining that the difference in the measured signal parameters of signals received from the first SSB beam and a second SSB beam satisfies the signal quality difference threshold. The signal quality difference threshold may be listed in a table in memory or determined via machine learning.