Beam Selection in Multiple Beam Antenna for Fixed Wireless CPE
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Solution Overview
Problem
Previous generations of fixed wireless services for broadband access were unattractive due to high costs of network and customer premises equipment, proprietary technology, and low data rates, making them unpopular for bundled media services in areas without wired connections.
Innovation Solution
A system with a multiple beam antenna unit that includes a beam switching controller to determine and select the best beam based on metrics such as SINR, RSRP, and throughput, providing indicators for optimal installation and operation, and allowing manual override, which reduces installation costs and improves data rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a multiple beam antenna with beam switching controller is implemented, then data rates are improved and installation costs are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system dynamically switches between multiple pre-configured beams based on real-time signal metrics (SINR, RSRP). The beam switching controller continuously monitors channel conditions and selects the optimal beam, transforming a static antenna into an adaptive system that optimizes data rates without requiring complex real-time beamforming calculations
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple beams are pre-configured during antenna installation and initialization, with each beam pointing in a predetermined direction. The beam switching controller has access to pre-stored beam information including spatial relationships and signal characteristics, allowing rapid beam selection without complex real-time computation, thus improving data rates while limiting complexity growth
2Ease of operation
If manual beam selection override is allowed, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability may deteriorate due to suboptimal user selection
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to the user through the indicator about the currently selected beam's quality metrics. When a user manually overrides the automatic beam selection, the system can display information about the expected performance impact, allowing the user to make informed decisions. The feedback loop maintains reliability by keeping users aware of optimal versus selected beam characteristics
3Productivity
If beam switching controller with multiple metrics evaluation is used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beam switching controller evaluates multiple parameters (SINR, RSRP, beam quality metrics) to select the optimal beam. By changing and monitoring these physical parameters simultaneously, the system achieves improved data rates through comprehensive signal quality assessment. The controller weighs different parameters according to their importance for current channel conditions, optimizing productivity while managing complexity through structured parameter evaluation
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes scanning beams of a multiple beam antenna to collect metrics associated with the beams; selecting a best beam based on the collected metrics or based on a manual selection received from an operator; retrieving thresholds associated with the metrics; comparing the collected metrics, associated with the selected best beam, to the retrieved thresholds; and determining whether the antenna unit is in an acceptable location based on the comparison. Another method includes scanning beams of the multiple beam antenna to collect metrics associated with the beams; selecting a best beam based on the collected metrics; determining a serving beam; comparing a set of metrics associated with the selected best beam with a corresponding set of metrics associated with the serving beam; and determining whether to switch from the serving beam to the selected best beam based on the comparison.