Beam Management via Concurrent Multi-Beam Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in beam refinement procedures, leading to high overhead and latency due to the need for serial beam measurements and periodic refinement, which can impact communication quality and reliability, especially in networks using multiple narrow directional beams and high frequencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method and apparatus that allow user equipment (UE) to concurrently or simultaneously receive transmissions on multiple receive beams, enabling the skipping of later instances of beam refinement procedures after an initial multi-step P1-P2-P3 procedure, based on data transmission capabilities and measurements, thereby reducing latency and overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beam refinement procedures are performed periodically and serially, then beam management reliability is improved, but latency and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous beam refinement by allowing the UE to perform measurements on multiple receive beams concurrently during data reception. Instead of serial periodic refinement, the system continuously tracks beam quality across multiple beams simultaneously, eliminating idle periods between measurements and maintaining uninterrupted beam management.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE performs beam measurements and identifies potential beam switches before actual beam failure occurs. By proactively measuring multiple receive beams during data reception and preparing alternative beam configurations in advance, the system can quickly switch beams when needed, preventing service interruption and reducing reactive refinement latency.
2Reliability
If multiple beam refinement procedures are performed, then communication quality is improved, but overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines beam refinement measurements with regular data reception operations. The UE performs receive beam measurements during normal data transmission by utilizing the same received signals for both data decoding and beam quality assessment. This merging eliminates dedicated measurement resources and reduces overhead while maintaining communication quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The received data signals serve multiple functions simultaneously: they carry user data and provide reference signals for beam quality measurement. The same signal resources are universally used for both communication and beam management purposes, eliminating the need for separate dedicated beam refinement resources and reducing overall system overhead.
3Measurement precision
If beam refinement procedures are performed frequently, then beam tracking accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous beam tracking accuracy by performing measurements during every data reception opportunity rather than through periodic dedicated refinement procedures. This continuous utilization of data signals for measurement purposes eliminates idle measurement periods while maintaining accurate beam tracking, avoiding the additional power consumption associated with frequent dedicated refinement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The data reception process itself provides the measurement functionality. The UE uses the received data signals to automatically perform beam quality assessments without requiring separate dedicated measurement resources or additional processing power. The system serves its own measurement needs through the primary data reception operation, eliminating redundant power-consuming activities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Beam management procedures may increase communications quality and reliability in wireless networks that support narrow directional beams and high frequencies. Some such beam management procedures utilize continuous beam measurements and adaptive beam switching to maintain a threshold link level between devices. A user equipment (UE) may transmit an indication of a capability to perform a first beam refinement procedure in response to a data transmission and using multiple receive beams. The UE may select a communication beam using a first instance of a second beam refinement procedure, and may receive a data transmission from a base station using the selected beam. Based on receiving the data transmission, the UE may perform the first beam refinement procedure and may skip a second instance of the second beam refinement procedure.