Beamforming Uplink Power Control via Per-Beam Signal Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

In beam forming systems, controlling uplink power is challenging due to varying interference levels across different reception and transmission beams, leading to inefficient power usage and interference, which affects transmission rates.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that generate and transmit power control information based on signal quality measurements for each reception beam, allowing the base station and terminals to optimize uplink power by considering average noise and interference levels, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption and interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam forming technology is used to concentrate signals in a specific direction, then signal arrival time is increased and interference to other users is reduced, but interference deviation is increased in the uplink due to varying interference levels across different beams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal arrival timeVSAvoidinterference deviation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by measuring signal quality (SINR) separately for each reception beam and generating beam-specific power control information. This allows each beam to have customized power control parameters that account for its specific interference characteristics, rather than using a uniform approach across all beams. The base station measures SINR for each reception beam independently and transmits beam-specific base and offset values for power control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the uplink power control process by beam, where power control information is generated, measured, and applied separately for each reception beam. This segmentation allows the system to handle interference deviations on a per-beam basis, enabling precise power control that adapts to the specific interference conditions of each beam direction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If conventional uplink power control is used without beam-specific measurements, then system complexity is reduced, but transmission rates are limited due to inability to account for interference variations across beams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission rateVSAvoidpower control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by having the base station autonomously measure signal quality for each reception beam and generate appropriate power control information without requiring complex terminal-side calculations. The base station performs the measurements and computations itself, then transmits the resulting power control parameters to terminals for straightforward application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If beam-specific power control information is generated and transmitted, then uplink power control is optimized considering noise and interference in each beam, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters transmitted for power control from a single aggregate value to multiple beam-specific parameters (base values and offset values for each reception beam). This parameter transformation enables precise power control adapted to each beam's conditions while using efficient encoding schemes that minimize the overhead of transmitting multiple parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2989838B1Method and apparatus for controlling power of uplink in a beam forming system
Publication Date: 2021.01.13 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2989838B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2989838B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4a
  • EP2989838B1 patent drawingFigure 4b~5

AI summary

A method and an apparatus for controlling power of an uplink in a beam forming system is disclosed. The method includes generating power control information based on a quality of a signal which is measured for each reception beam of a base station, so as to transmit the power control information to terminals. The method also includes receiving a signal transmitted by using the power control information from at least one terminal.