Beam Configuration Determination for Millimeter Wave Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beam lock processes in communications networks, particularly at high frequencies like millimeter wave transmission, face challenges in establishing optimal beam configurations without pre-established control channels, leading to inefficiencies and suboptimal performance, especially in environments with multiple signal paths.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining a beam configuration between radio transceiver devices that involves transmitting and receiving sounding signals in various beam configurations to identify the configuration with the best predetermined metric, such as received power or SINR, allowing for efficient beam lock without relying on previous control channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If highly directional beams are used only for user plane transmissions after control plane attachment, then control channel signaling can be maintained, but beam lock establishment becomes prohibitively difficult when even low-rate signaling requires beamforming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing beam locking and establishing beam configurations before control plane attachment. The method transmits sounding signals using different beam configurations and determines optimal beam pairs in advance, so that when control signaling begins, the beam lock is already established and directional beams can be used immediately for both control and user plane transmissions.
2Reliability
If omni-directional transmission mode is used for initial beam locking, then control channels can be established, but sufficient signal energy cannot be collected at high frequencies even after receiver beamforming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from omni-directional transmission to highly directional beams dynamically during the initial access process. The system first uses omni-directional sounding signals for broad coverage during beam searching, then dynamically switches to directional beams once the optimal beam configuration is identified, ensuring sufficient signal energy collection for high-frequency transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary beam configuration determination by transmitting sounding signals in multiple beam directions before actual data transmission. This preliminary action identifies the optimal transmit-receive beam pair in advance, ensuring that when high-frequency directional transmission begins, the beam lock is already established and signal energy collection is maximized.
3Measurement precision
If omni-directional transmission mode is used for beam locking, then initial connection can be established, but optimal beam configurations cannot be selected in environments with multiple path options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by evaluating different beam configurations locally in terms of their specific performance metrics (SINR, received power). Instead of using a single omni-directional beam for all scenarios, the system tests multiple directional beam configurations and selects the locally optimal one based on the specific environmental conditions and signal paths available, thereby achieving precise beam configuration selection.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided determination of a beam configuration between a first radio transceiver device and a second radio transceiver device. The first radio transceiver device performs beam searching by transmitting a first sounding signal in all transmit beam configurations in a set of transmit beam configurations; and receiving, from the second radio transceiver device, a second sounding signal in all receive beam configurations in a set of receive beam configurations. The first radio transceiver device determines a beam configuration based on the receive beam configuration in the set of receive beam configurations in which the second sounding signal having best predetermined metric was received.