Beam Consolidation Using External Information for Accurate Cell Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In New Radio (NR) systems, the existing beam consolidation and selection methods lead to biases in cell measurement quantities when a user equipment (UE) detects multiple relevant beams with similar received power, resulting in premature or delayed inter-cell handovers due to inaccurate measurement reporting.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves deriving a cell measurement quantity based on the linear average of power values from L1 beam measurements, using external information such as L3 beam measurements or filtered L1 beam measurements, to select beams for averaging, rather than solely relying on the highest L1 beam measurements above a threshold, thereby reducing the bias between L3 cell measurements and strongest beam measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the UE uses only the highest L1 beam measurements above a threshold for deriving cell measurement quantity, then the measurement derivation is simple and fast, but the measurement precision is degraded due to bias when multiple beams have similar received power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for beam selection from a simple threshold-based highest measurement approach to a more comprehensive approach that considers multiple parameters including received power, beam direction, and temporal correlation. This allows the system to maintain measurement precision while deriving cell measurement quantities from multiple beams with similar received power, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplicity and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step that involves deriving beam direction information and calculating temporal correlation coefficients as intermediate parameters. These intermediaries help the system distinguish between beams with similar received power based on their spatial and temporal characteristics, enabling accurate cell measurement quantity derivation without relying solely on the highest L1 beam measurements.
2Measurement precision
If the UE consolidates measurements from multiple beams with similar received power, then the cell measurement quantity becomes more accurate, but the device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam measurement processing into distinct functional steps: deriving beam direction from reference signals, calculating temporal correlation coefficients for each beam, and then selecting beams based on multiple criteria. This segmentation allows the complex task of accurate multi-beam measurement consolidation to be broken down into manageable operations, reducing the perceived device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by selectively processing only the necessary parameters for each beam (beam direction and temporal correlation) rather than analyzing all possible beam characteristics. This partial processing approach provides sufficient information to accurately distinguish between beams with similar received power without requiring exhaustive analysis, thus balancing measurement precision with device complexity.
3Speed
If the UE relies on L1 layer measurements for handover decisions, then the response time is fast, but the reliability is reduced due to premature or delayed handovers caused by measurement bias
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating beam direction information and temporal correlation coefficients for each beam before handover decisions are made. These preliminary derivations are stored and can be quickly retrieved and applied when handover decisions are needed, allowing the system to maintain fast response times while incorporating the additional reliability provided by multi-parameter measurement analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the derived cell measurement quantities, which incorporate multiple beam parameters, are fed back into the handover decision-making process. This feedback loop ensures that handover decisions are based on accurate, bias-reduced measurements, improving reliability while maintaining speed through efficient use of the feedback information.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed a method comprising: measuring, by a user equipment, more than one communication beam established at the user equipment in a communication network; acquiring information associated with measurements of more than one communication beam established at the user equipment in the communication network; based on the information, deriving a cell measurement quantity as a function of the performed measurements of more than one communication beam.