5G Beam Selection Using UE Position Estimates
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G beamforming-based wireless communication systems, efficiently activating the appropriate number of target beams for handover is challenging due to uncertainties in user equipment location, leading to energy wastage, inefficient resource utilization, and increased risk of handover failures.
Innovation Solution
A method where the target access node activates target beams based on a position estimate received from the source access node, using a position database to refine the beam activation by calculating a delta position and adjusting the beam selection to optimize coverage and reduce measurement time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple target beams are activated for handover preparation, then the reliability of handover is improved, but the energy consumption and resource utilization efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The source access node performs preliminary position estimation of the user equipment and transmits this information to the target access node before handover occurs. The target access node then pre-activates only the necessary target beams based on this advance position knowledge, rather than activating all possible beams, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining handover reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of activating all beams uniformly, the system activates only the specific local beams that are relevant to the user equipment's estimated position. The target access node uses the position estimate to identify and activate only the subset of beams that will be needed for handover, optimizing resource utilization while ensuring reliable connection.
2Measurement precision
If the number of target beams to be measured is increased, then the beam selection accuracy is improved, but the measurement time and procedure complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The source access node performs position estimation in advance and provides this information to the target access node before the measurement procedure. This preliminary action allows the target access node to pre-identify and activate only the relevant beams that need to be measured, significantly reducing the number of beams the UE must measure while maintaining accurate beam selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and transmits only the essential position estimation information from the source access node to the target access node, filtering out unnecessary data. This allows the target access node to focus measurement resources only on the specific beams that are likely to be suitable, rather than measuring all possible beams.
3Measurement precision
If position estimation accuracy is improved, then the beam activation precision is improved, but the device complexity and measurement overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The source access node acts as an intermediary that performs position estimation using its own resources and transmits the result to the target access node. This divides the complexity: the source AN handles the complex position estimation task, while the target AN uses the provided information for beam selection, reducing the overall system complexity compared to if each node performed its own estimation independently.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to a method for performing a handover of a user equipment, UE (10), from one or a plurality of source beams of a source access node, AN (14) to one or a plurality of target beams of a target access node, AN (16), wherein the target AN performs the steps of receiving from the source AN (14) a positioning information indicative of a first position estimate of an actual position of the UE (10), determining or initiating determining a resulting position estimate, wherein the resulting position estimate is derived from the first position estimate, and activating the one or the plurality of target beams in dependency of the resulting position estimate. The invention further refers to a method wherein the target AN (16) performs the steps of receiving from the source AN the positioning information indicative of a first position estimate, determining or initiating determining a second position estimate associated to the an actual position of the UE (10), determining or initiating determining a delta position between the first position estimate and the second position estimate, and storing or initiating storing the delta position. The invention further refers to a method wherein the source AN (14) performs the steps of determining or initiating determining a first position estimate of an actual position of the UE (10), and sending to the target AN (16) an information indicative of the first position estimate of an actual position of the UE (10). The invention further refers to corresponding access nodes (14, 16) and a software program.