Beam Alignment Using Phase Center Shifts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current beam training methods in 5G communication systems face challenges in achieving accurate beam alignment with reduced system overhead and time, particularly in non-hot spots where main lobe alignment is difficult due to limited scanning beams.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using two analog subarrays with the same polarization mode to estimate the Direction Of Arrival (DOA) of signals by changing the phase centers and acquiring signals before and after these changes, allowing for precise beam alignment with fewer measurements, thus reducing overhead and time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If narrow beam scanning is used to improve beam pointing accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but scanning time and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of beam width dynamically during the training process. It starts with wide beams for coarse scanning to quickly cover the observation range, then transitions to narrow beams only in the identified direction for fine scanning. This parameter change allows the system to achieve high beam pointing accuracy without performing exhaustive narrow beam scanning across the entire range, thereby reducing beam training time and system overhead.
2Productivity
If the number of scanned beams is limited to reduce overhead, then system overhead is reduced, but beam alignment accuracy deteriorates in non-hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam training process into two distinct stages: coarse scanning using wide beams to identify the general direction, and fine scanning using narrow beams focused only on the identified direction. This segmentation allows the system to limit the total number of scanned beams while maintaining alignment accuracy in non-hot spots, because the narrow beams are concentrated only where needed rather than distributed across the entire observation range.
3Productivity
If hierarchical training with wide beam scanning is used to reduce scanning times, then productivity is improved, but beam pointing accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic beam training approach where the beam width and scanning strategy adapt based on the observation range and signal quality. The system dynamically switches between wide beam mode for initial acquisition and narrow beam mode for precision alignment. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to achieve both high productivity and accurate beam pointing, resolving the contradiction between training speed and accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate beam alignment without being limited by scanning intervals, reducing system overhead and time, and can achieve high-precision alignment even in sidelobe reception scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
acquiring the first signals received by the two analog subarrays and a difference between phase centers of the two analog subarrays; keeping the beam directions of the receiving beams of the two analog subarrays unchanged, performing a first change of the difference between phase centers of the two analog subarrays, and acquiring second signals received by the two analog subarrays and a difference between the phase centers after the first change of the two analog subarrays
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for realizing beam alignment. The method comprises: when a first signal with effective strength is received by means of two analog sub-arrays, which have the same polarization manner, using receiving beams with the same beam direction, acquiring the first signals received by means of the two analog sub-arrays and the phase center difference between the two analog sub-arrays; maintaining the beam direction of the receiving beams of the two analog sub-arrays unchanged, changing the phase center difference between the two analog sub-arrays for the first time, and acquiring second signals received by means of the two analog sub-arrays and the phase center difference, which has been changed for the first time; maintaining the beam direction of the receiving beams of the two analog sub-arrays unchanged, changing the phase center difference between the two analog sub-arrays for the second time, and acquiring third signals received by means of the two analog sub-arrays and the phase center difference, which has been changed for the second time; and estimating a DOA of a received signal according to the obtained information, and directing the centers of the receiving beams to the estimated DOA.