Beam Selection Update via Control Signaling for Wireless Communication

Solution Overview

Problem

High-frequency wireless communication systems face challenges in quick and efficient beam switching, particularly in millimeter wave communication, due to the need for low signaling overhead to avoid lag or interruption, especially with the ubiquitous use of beamforming and movement of user equipment.

Innovation Solution

A method for performing beam selection updates based on received control signaling, which includes a report indication and an element indication, allowing efficient signaling with low overhead in massively beamformed systems, enabling fast beam switching with minimal disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam switching is performed frequently to track user equipment movement, then communication continuity is improved, but signaling overhead increases causing lag and interruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication continuityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential beam identification information from the full measurement report and transmits it separately through control signaling. This separates the beam selection data (in measurement reports) from the beam switching command (in control signaling), allowing the network to trigger updates efficiently without requiring continuous transmission of complete measurement data, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining communication continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the wireless device prepare and store measurement reports in advance, and by configuring the network node to trigger updates proactively. The measurement reports are prepared beforehand with beam information, and the network can initiate updates when needed without requiring real-time data gathering, reducing the latency and overhead associated with on-demand beam switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If beam switching speed is increased to reduce latency, then communication responsiveness is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam switching speedVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential beam identification information from the full measurement report and transmits it separately through control signaling. This separates the beam selection data (in measurement reports) from the beam switching command (in control signaling), allowing the network to trigger updates efficiently without requiring continuous transmission of complete measurement data, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining communication continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the wireless device prepare and store measurement reports in advance, and by configuring the network node to trigger updates proactively. The measurement reports are prepared beforehand with beam information, and the network can initiate updates when needed without requiring real-time data gathering, reducing the latency and overhead associated with on-demand beam switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If measurement reports include all beam information for comprehensive beam selection, then beam selection accuracy is improved, but control signaling size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam selection accuracyVSAvoidcontrol signaling size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential beam identification information from the full measurement report and transmits it separately through control signaling. This separates the beam selection data (in measurement reports) from the beam switching command (in control signaling), allowing the network to trigger updates efficiently without requiring continuous transmission of complete measurement data, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining communication continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the beam information into two parts: comprehensive measurement data stored in measurement reports and concise beam identification information transmitted in control signaling. This segmentation allows the system to maintain detailed measurement accuracy while minimizing the size of control signaling, as only the essential beam indices need to be transmitted rather than complete measurement data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20240187076A1Beam switching for wireless communication

Publication Date: 2024.06.06 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

There is disclosed a method of operating a wireless device in a wireless communication network. The method includes performing a beam selection update, the beam selection update being based on received control signaling, the control signaling comprising a report indication indicating a measurement report transmitted by the wireless device, wherein the control signaling further comprises an element indication, the element indication indicating an entry of the indicated measurement report. The disclosure also pertains to related devices and methods.