Base Station Beamforming for Faster Initial Beam Pairing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, particularly in future systems like 5G, the initial connection and synchronization between a terminal device and a base station are challenging due to the increased number of antenna ports, necessitating efficient beam management for synchronization signals and random access signals.
Innovation Solution
The system employs beamforming techniques for transmitting synchronization signals using different transmit beams, with feedback mechanisms for determining and managing optimal transmit and receive beams, enabling efficient beam management and synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beamforming techniques are used to increase the number of antenna ports for higher communication quality, then communication capacity and quality are improved, but the complexity of initial connection and synchronization between terminal device and base station increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing beam scanning and determining optimal transmit and receive beams during the initial connection phase before actual data communication begins. The base station pre-establishes beam pairs through synchronization signal transmission and terminal feedback, so that when data transmission starts, the beam configuration is already optimized and ready, avoiding complexity during ongoing communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the terminal device measures synchronization signals received through different receive beams and feeds back information about the optimal receive beam to the base station. This feedback loop enables the base station to identify the best beam pair configuration, resolving the complexity of initial connection by using iterative measurement and feedback rather than exhaustive searching during data transmission.
2Reliability
If beam scanning is performed to find optimal transmit and receive beams, then communication quality is improved, but the time required for initial connection and synchronization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the terminal device measure and feedback only the optimal receive beam information rather than evaluating all possible beam combinations. The base station uses this partial information to determine the optimal transmit beam, avoiding the need to exhaustively scan all beam pairs. This reduces the time required for initial connection while still achieving optimal communication quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam scanning and optimization process is performed as a preliminary step during initial connection, using efficiently designed measurement procedures. The terminal measures synchronization signals on a subset of candidate beams rather than all possible beams, and the base station uses this information to pre-determine optimal beam pairs, completing the time-consuming optimization work before data transmission begins.
3Measurement precision
If feedback mechanisms are implemented for beam management, then beam pairing accuracy is improved, but the signaling overhead between base station and terminal device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential feedback information needed for beam management, specifically the index or identifier of the optimal receive beam measured by the terminal device. Rather than transmitting complete measurement results for all beams, only the best beam information is fed back to the base station. This minimizes signaling overhead while maintaining sufficient accuracy for beam pairing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses compact representations of beam information, such as beam indices or simplified measurement results, rather than transmitting full measurement data. The terminal device creates a condensed copy of the essential beam identification information and transmits this copy to the base station, reducing the amount of signaling required while preserving the necessary information for accurate beam pairing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, methods, and storage medium for a wireless communication system. Various embodiments are described with respect to beam management. In one embodiment, an electronic device for a base station side in a wireless communication system can comprise a processing circuitry configured to repetitively transmit a synchronization signal (SS) to a terminal device by using different transmit (TX) beams based on a TX beam configuration; the SS can indicate information of the TX beam used to transmit the SS. The processing circuitry can be configured to obtain feedback from the terminal device; the feedback can comprise information of the TX beam for being used in TX beam management.