Distributed Relay With Steerable Antennas for mmWave Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mmWave relay solutions face challenges with signal attenuation due to obstacles, limited mobile device capabilities for beamforming, and increased latency, especially in non-line-of-sight scenarios, which hinder effective wireless coverage in 5G networks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a distributed relay system with steerable antenna arrays and intermediate frequency (IF) filtering, enabling simultaneous transmission and reception, and eliminating the need for baseband signal processing, thus providing high isolation and low latency, and facilitating beamforming for improved coverage in both indoor and outdoor scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional relay solutions are used to extend wireless coverage, then coverage area is improved, but signal attenuation due to obstacles and increased latency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device is divided into separate functional components: receiving antenna, IF processing unit, and transmitting antenna. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and positioned to maximize coverage while minimizing obstacle interference.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate frequency (IF) conversion stage is introduced between the receiving and transmitting paths. This IF mediator enables frequency translation that improves signal quality by moving away from the attenuating mmWave band for processing, then converting back for retransmission.
2Productivity
If mmWave frequencies are used to achieve high data rates, then productivity is improved, but signal attenuation by obstacles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the frequency parameter by converting from mmWave (e.g., 28 GHz) to intermediate frequency (e.g., 2.4 GHz) for processing and transmission. This parameter change allows the system to maintain high data rates when conditions permit while avoiding attenuation when obstacles are present.
3Adaptability or versatility
If baseband signal processing is implemented in relays, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex baseband processing functions are extracted from the relay device and relocated to the base station. The relay is left with simpler IF processing tasks, reducing its complexity and cost while the base station handles the computationally intensive adaptability functions.
4Area of stationary object
If conventional relay architectures are used, then coverage extension is achieved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary frequency conversion to IF immediately upon receiving the signal, processes it in the IF domain, and then converts back to the original frequency for transmission. This preliminary action sequence minimizes processing delays compared to conventional baseband processing approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to a distributed relay. The distributed relay may utilize beamforming and/or a specific physical arrangement of transmit and receive antennas to ensure a high isolation between antennas. The distributed relay may further facilitate the concurrent operation of two different intermediate frequency (IF) chains to support communications between a network entity and user device, receiving and transmitting data on each of the two IF chains independently of one another.