Differential Beam Reporting for 5G Signaling Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G New Radio (NR) systems face high feedback signalling overhead in beam management due to the need for frequent beam reporting, especially in frequency bands above 6 GHz, which affects operational efficiency and robustness against beam blockage and user equipment movement.

Innovation Solution

Implementing diverse multi-level beam reporting schemes with configurable reporting modes, including full, differential, and partial reporting modes, to reduce feedback signalling overhead by selectively reporting beam indices and power information, allowing for flexible beam management and efficient resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If full beam index reporting is used for all beam groups, then beam management accuracy is improved, but feedback signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam management accuracyVSAvoidfeedback signaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments beam groups into different categories (first beam groups and second beam groups) with different reporting requirements. First beam groups use differential beam index reporting while second beam groups use full beam index reporting, allowing the system to balance accuracy and overhead by applying different reporting strategies to different segments of the beam portfolio.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different reporting modes are applied to different beam groups based on their specific characteristics and importance. The network can configure certain beam groups to use differential reporting (lower overhead) while others use full reporting (higher accuracy), allowing local optimization of the reporting strategy for each beam group rather than applying a uniform approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If frequent beam reporting is implemented, then beam tracking robustness is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam tracking robustnessVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic switching between different reporting modes (differential vs. full reporting) based on current system conditions, beam quality metrics, and mobility patterns. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to increase reporting frequency and detail when robustness is critical while reducing overhead during stable conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The network can change reporting parameters such as the granularity of beam index reporting, the threshold for triggering reports, and the frequency of reporting based on channel conditions and mobility detection. This allows the system to maintain robust beam tracking when needed while optimizing overhead by adjusting reporting parameters during stable conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If differential reporting mode is used, then signaling overhead is reduced, but beam management flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidbeam management flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal reporting framework that supports multiple reporting modes (differential, full, partial) within the same system. The network can select and switch between different reporting modes based on current needs, making the system versatile enough to handle various beam management scenarios while maintaining low overhead through differential reporting as the default mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11523375B2Differential reporting for beam groups or antenna panel groups

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

A method comprises: configuring multiple reporting modes for multi-level based transmitter (TX) beam index reporting for a particular beam/antenna panel group from a plurality of beam/antenna groups, wherein the multiple reporting modes includes at least one of a full reporting mode configuration for the particular beam/antenna panel group, a full reporting mode configuration common for the plurality of beam/antenna panel groups, a differential reporting mode, and a partial reporting mode, selecting a reporting mode from the multiple reporting modes, and sending a report based on the selected reporting mode.