5G Beamforming Control Channel Skipping for Beam Change Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a 5G communication system using beamforming, there are challenges in efficiently transmitting and receiving control information due to dynamic changes in the channel environment and overlapping timing of control channels and data channels, which can lead to insufficient time for beam changes.
Innovation Solution
The user equipment (UE) optimizes beam management by skipping or omitting the monitoring of control channels (PDCCH) when beam changes are not feasible, based on configured parameters and thresholds, allowing efficient reception of data channels (PDSCH) without simultaneous control channel monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If beamforming is applied to improve data transmission rate and coverage, then communication performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple antennas and signal processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the beamforming process into separate uplink and downlink procedures, with distinct signaling messages for each direction. This segmentation allows the system to implement beamforming functionality without requiring full-duplex complexity, reducing device complexity while maintaining productivity benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary beamforming configuration through RRC signaling before actual data transmission. The gNB configures beamforming parameters, reference signal resources, and measurement settings in advance, allowing the UE to prepare measurement and reporting capabilities beforehand, thus reducing real-time processing complexity while achieving high data transmission rates
2Reliability
If beamforming measurement and reporting procedures are implemented to optimize beam selection, then communication reliability is improved, but signaling overhead and procedure complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the beamforming measurement and reporting mechanism to serve multiple functions: beam quality measurement, beam selection, beam refinement, and link adaptation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate procedures for each purpose, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing procedure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The UE autonomously performs beam measurements based on configured reference signals and automatically generates beam reporting messages containing measured beam qualities and recommendations. This self-service approach reduces the need for complex network-controlled beam management procedures, improving reliability while keeping procedure complexity manageable
3Measurement precision
If multiple reference signals are transmitted for beamforming measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but signal transmission complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a two-stage beam measurement approach: first, a limited set of candidate beams is measured using configured reference signals to identify promising directions; second, only the top candidate beams undergo refined measurement with additional reference signals. This partial action approach achieves sufficient measurement precision for practical beam selection while significantly reducing the total number of reference signal transmissions and associated energy consumption
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a communication technique for fusing, with an IoT technology, a 5G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate than a 4G system, and a system therefor. The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services, such as smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart cars or connected cars, health care, digital education, retail, and security and safety related services, on the basis of 5G communication technologies and IoT-related technologies. The present disclosure discloses a communication method and apparatus between a terminal and a base station in a communication system to which beamforming is applied.