Beam Measurement Reporting for Wireless Coverage Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, particularly in next-generation networks like 5G, the challenge lies in efficiently managing beamforming to ensure reliable and high-quality connections across a wide area, especially at higher frequencies where path loss increases, limiting the number of concurrent high-gain beams that can be formed due to cost and complexity constraints.
Innovation Solution
The method involves User Equipment (UE) measuring signal beams to derive information related to beamforming, providing this information to a network node, which configures the number of qualified beams and thresholds for averaging or summation, allowing the UE to selectively report on N-best qualified Transmission/Reception Points (TRPs), optimizing beam selection and coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the number of concurrent high-gain beams is increased to improve coverage area, then coverage area is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam measurement and reporting process into multiple stages: initial beam measurement, qualification based on thresholds, selection of N-best beams, and conditional averaging/summation. This segmentation allows the system to manage complex beamforming operations in manageable steps, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining coverage area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts parameters such as the number of beams to average (N), qualification thresholds, and selection criteria based on network conditions and UE capabilities. By changing these parameters adaptively, the system can optimize coverage area without permanently increasing device complexity
2Device complexity
If beam measurement and reporting requirements are simplified to reduce UE complexity, then UE complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different beams: qualified beams (meeting threshold criteria) receive detailed measurement and potential inclusion in averaging/summation, while non-qualified beams are excluded. This local differentiation maintains measurement precision for important beams while reducing UE complexity by not processing all beams equally
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by selecting only the N-best qualified beams for detailed processing and reporting, rather than processing all detected beams. This partial processing approach maintains sufficient measurement precision for the most important beams while significantly reducing UE complexity
3Reliability
If the number of qualified beams for averaging is increased to improve signal quality, then signal quality is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary qualification of beams against thresholds before including them in averaging/summation operations. This preliminary filtering action ensures that only beams meeting quality criteria are processed further, improving signal quality while reducing the time-consuming operation of averaging all detected beams
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus are disclosed for handling measurement in a wireless communication system. According to the invention, the method includes the UE measuring a signal of a cell to derive information related to beamforming. The method further includes the UE providing the information to a network node, wherein the information comprises at least an average or a summation of measurement results for a number of qualified beams of the cell, and wherein the number of qualified beams to derive the average or the summation is limited by a first threshold.