Beam Cluster Reception Control for Lower Beamforming Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems that use beam forming for transmission and/or reception, the system overhead related to training, beam tracking, and beam switching is relatively high.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves receiving beam cluster information from a beam forming access point, which defines multiple beam clusters and provides beam identification information for each beam. This information is used to control the processing of received beams, including determining receive processing information to optimize the reception of beams within a cluster.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam forming is used for communication between access point and user equipment, then communication performance is improved, but system overhead relating to training, beam tracking and beam switching becomes relatively high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidsystem overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the beam management process by introducing beam cluster information that groups multiple beams together. Instead of treating each beam individually for training and tracking, the system divides beams into clusters where a single beam cluster reference signal can represent multiple beams, thereby reducing the quantity of training and tracking operations required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses beam cluster reference signals as simplified copies or representations of multiple individual beam reference signals. By transmitting a single beam cluster reference signal that represents multiple beams, the system reduces the overhead of transmitting and processing individual beam reference signals while maintaining the essential functionality for beam management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If individual beam processing is performed for each beam, then beam accuracy is improved, but processing complexity and overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the processing of multiple individual beams by introducing beam cluster information that allows a single receive processing configuration to handle multiple beams within a cluster. This combining approach maintains beam accuracy for each individual beam while reducing the overall processing complexity by treating clustered beams as a group rather than as separate entities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3455989B1Method, computer program and user equipment for receiving beam cluster information
Publication Date: 2025.02.26 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP3455989B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3455989B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3455989B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method comprises receiving beam cluster information from a beam forming access point. The beam cluster information defining a plurality of beam clusters. The beam cluster information defines beam identification information for each of a plurality of beams in a respective beam cluster. The beam cluster information is used to control the processing of at least one beam received from the access point.