Directional Antenna Beam Sweeping for mm-Wave Reference Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Millimeter Wave (mm-Wave) communication systems face challenges in efficiently transmitting reference signals due to high free-space loss and the need for directional antennas, which require precise beam alignment and resource allocation, leading to overheads and unequal transmission ranges for control and data channels.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a directional antenna that transmits reference signals in a first radiation pattern covering 360 degrees in one phase and multiple beams with different angles simultaneously in another phase, optimizing power distribution and beam training for efficient channel measurements and resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a base station uses an omni-directional mm-Wave for reference signaling, then the signaling range is shorter, but the control channels and data channels would have different transmission ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic beam switching where the base station alternates between omni-directional beam and directional beams based on operational phase. During initial access, omni-directional beam provides wide coverage; during data transmission, directional beams provide focused high-gain transmission. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to achieve both wide coverage and high transmission range at different times.
2Measurement precision
If a UE uses directional reception in mm-Wave for reference signaling, then beam alignment is required, but this would lead to large overheads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs beam alignment and channel measurement during the initial access phase using omni-directional reference signals before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary action establishes the directional beam configuration in advance, so that during subsequent data transmission, the UE can directly use the pre-aligned directional reception without repeated beam alignment procedures, thereby reducing overhead while maintaining measurement precision.
3Power
If directional antennas are used to concentrate transmission powers, then antenna gain increases, but precise beam alignment and resource allocation are required leading to overheads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reference signal transmission into distinct phases: initial access phase using omni-directional beams for wide coverage and low complexity, and data transmission phase using directional beams for high gain. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high antenna gain when needed while avoiding the complexity of continuous beam alignment procedures by confining them to the initial access phase only.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to a method of transmitting a reference signal and related electronic devices using the same. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the method would include not limited to transmitting a reference signal by using a directional antenna emitting a first radiation pattern of one or more beams covering360Ndegrees per one of N time slots during a first phase of a full sweeping period, wherein N≥2 and transmitting the reference signal, in response to transmitting the reference signal by using the directional antenna which has the first radiation pattern, by using the directional antenna emitting a second radiation pattern of multiple beams having different angles simultaneously covering a total of360Mdegrees of angles per one of M time slots during a second phase of the full sweeping period, wherein N>M≥1.