Beamforming Information Selection for Low-Rate REC-RE Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in achieving efficient communication between Radio Equipment Controllers (RECs) and Radio Equipment (REs) due to high data rates and latency issues, particularly in digital beamforming antenna systems, which can lead to increased costs and reduced technical lifetime of REC components.
Innovation Solution
The method involves the RE obtaining and selecting relevant information from terminal devices to provide to the REC for determining beamforming weights or decoding user data, using a packet-based interface to reduce data rate requirements and enable efficient communication, while maintaining REC functionality to coordinate multi-sector decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If digital beamforming antenna systems are used with multiple simultaneous narrow beams, then network capacity and performance are improved, but the data rate requirement for the CPRI interface becomes prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for beamforming weight determination from the full channel state information, transmitting only this selected subset over the CPRI interface. This reduces the data rate requirement while maintaining the network capacity benefits of digital beamforming with multiple simultaneous narrow beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step at the RE that selects and filters information before transmission to the REC. This intermediary function reduces the data volume that must be transmitted over the CPRI interface while preserving the critical information needed for beamforming operations.
2Measurement precision
If all channel state information is transmitted over the CPRI interface, then beamforming accuracy is improved, but the interface data rate becomes prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by selecting only the critical subset of channel state information that is essential for determining beamforming weights. This selective transmission maintains beamforming accuracy while dramatically reducing the data rate requirement on the CPRI interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by transmitting only the necessary portion of channel state information rather than all available data. This partial information transmission is sufficient for accurate beamforming weight determination while avoiding the prohibitively high data rates that would result from transmitting complete channel state information.
3Productivity
If the CPRI interface data rate is increased to support more radio chains, then system performance is improved, but the cost and complexity of the interface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the essential information subset required for beamforming operations, thereby maintaining system performance while avoiding the need for high-capacity, complex CPRI interfaces. This approach enables support for multiple radio chains without proportionally increasing interface complexity.
4Quantity of substance
If information is selected and filtered at the RE before transmission, then data rate is reduced, but the device complexity of the RE increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing information selection and filtering at the RE before transmission to the REC. This advance processing reduces the data rate on the CPRI interface while the added RE complexity is justified by the significant reduction in transmission requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
There is presented mechanisms for providing information for determining beamforming weights or decoding user data for terminal devices. A method is performed by an RE of an access node. The RE has an interface to an REC of the access node. The method comprises obtaining information from the terminal devices to be used by the REC for determining the beamforming weights or decoding the user data. The method comprises selecting, according to a selection criterion, a part of the information to be provided to the REC in order for the REC to determine the beamforming weights or decode the user data based on the selected part of the information. The method comprises providing the selected part of the information to the REC over the interface.