Beamforming Information Exchange for Dual Connectivity Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Establishing beam-formed wireless links between user equipment (UE) and small cell base stations is challenging due to difficulties in determining locations and authenticating each other, which prolongs the setup process and may outweigh the benefits of increased bandwidth and power savings in dual connectivity scenarios.
Innovation Solution
Implementing techniques for exchanging beamforming information, including receiving a beam activation request message and transmitting a beam activation response message with configuration data to set up a beam-formed wireless link, and causing an exchange of beam training information to establish the link as part of a dual connection with a macro cell base station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If beam-formed wireless links are established between UE and small cell base stations, then bandwidth utilization and power savings are improved, but the setup process is prolonged due to difficulties in determining locations and authenticating each other
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the macro cell base station pre-authenticate the small cell base station before the UE needs to establish a beam-formed link. The macro cell base station stores authentication information for small cell base stations in advance, so when a UE requests to connect to a small cell, the authentication has already been performed, eliminating the time-consuming authentication step during the actual link setup process.
Solution Approach 2:
The macro cell base station serves as an intermediary between the UE and the small cell base station. Instead of the UE directly authenticating with the small cell base station (which would be time-consuming), the macro cell base station mediates the connection by verifying the small cell's credentials and facilitating the beam-formed link establishment, thus reducing the overall setup time.
2Use of energy by moving object
If beam-formed wireless links are established between UE and small cell base stations, then power consumption is reduced, but the setup process becomes more complex due to authentication requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The small cell base station performs self-service by having its authentication credentials pre-configured and stored at the macro cell base station. When a connection is requested, the small cell base station can present its pre-configured authentication information, and the macro cell base station can verify it without requiring complex real-time authentication protocols, thus simplifying the overall setup process while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
Authentication information is prepared in advance during the deployment phase, where small cell base stations are pre-authenticated by the macro cell base station. This preliminary authentication action eliminates the need for complex runtime authentication procedures, reducing setup complexity while enabling power-efficient beam-formed connections.
3Productivity
If beam-formed wireless links are established between UE and small cell base stations, then data throughput is increased, but the location determination process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The macro cell base station acts as an intermediary that already knows the locations of small cell base stations (since it manages their deployment and authentication). When a UE needs to connect to a small cell, the macro cell base station can provide location information to the UE, eliminating the need for the UE to perform complex location determination procedures, thus reducing measurement difficulty while enabling high-throughput beam-formed connections.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed for exchanging beamforming information for a first wireless link utilized as a first connection of a dual connection for user equipment (UE) to access a network. The beamforming information exchanged between the UE and a small cell base station (BS) to configure the first wireless link as a beam-formed wireless link. Other examples are described and claimed.