Beamforming Information Selection for Low-Rate REC-RE Links
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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 selecting and providing a part of the information obtained from terminal devices to RECs through an interface, allowing REs to determine beamforming weights or decode user data efficiently, thereby reducing the data rate requirements and maintaining REC functionality across multiple REs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all information from terminal devices is passed over the CPRI interface, then the REC can determine beamforming weights accurately, but the data rate requirement becomes prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
The RE extracts and processes channel state information locally, selecting only essential beamforming-related data to transmit to the REC. This extraction of necessary information from the full terminal device data set reduces the data rate while maintaining sufficient accuracy for beamforming weight determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The information flow is segmented into multiple components: the RE processes terminal device information locally and transmits only the relevant beamforming parameters to the REC, while retaining other processing functions. This segmentation allows the REC to receive manageable data rates while still obtaining sufficient information for accurate beamforming weight calculation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the CPRI interface is used to connect REC and RE, then centralized control is maintained, but latency increases due to the need to loop information in the REC
Solution Approach 1:
The RE performs preliminary processing of channel state information and pre-calculates beamforming-related parameters before transmitting to the REC. This preliminary action at the RE reduces the amount of information that needs to be looped through the REC, thereby reducing latency while the REC maintains centralized control over the overall beamforming strategy.
3Quantity of substance
If the REC functionality is moved to the RE to reduce data rate, then the RE becomes more complex and replacement cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RE is equipped with specific processing capabilities localized for beamforming information extraction and channel state analysis. Rather than making the RE a full-blown REC, the RE gains just the necessary local processing functions to reduce data rate, maintaining a clear division of labor where the RE handles local processing and the REC handles centralized control.
4Ease of manufacture
If the RE is made simpler to reduce replacement cost, then it cannot perform sufficient local processing to reduce data rate requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The RE performs self-service by locally processing terminal device information and extracting beamforming parameters without requiring full REC functionality. This self-service capability at the RE reduces the data rate transmitted over CPRI while keeping the RE design relatively simple and cost-effective to replace.
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.