Drone Adaptive Antenna Beam Steering for Interference Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communication systems face interference issues due to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) operating at high altitudes, as their uplink signals cause interference with neighboring cells and sidelink communications, and existing methods like overload indicators and beamforming are inadequate or resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Equipping drones with adaptive antennas that autonomously adjust their beam width and direction without base station signaling, using a plummet function to maintain a perpendicular orientation to the ground and calculating beam width based on the serving cell's range to minimize interference and optimize coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If beamforming methods are applied to steer UE transmit beam direction towards the serving cell eNB, then interference to neighboring cells is reduced, but device complexity and resource consumption increase due to frequent beam direction adaptation and control signaling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The UE autonomously determines its three-dimensional position and calculates the optimal beam direction without requiring frequent control signaling from the base station. The UE independently adapts its transmit beam direction based on its own position data and the serving cell's antenna configuration, eliminating the need for continuous network control and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The base station pre-configures the UE with necessary parameters including the three-dimensional position of the antenna, antenna gain patterns, and correlation information between different antenna elements. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to perform autonomous beam direction adaptation without requiring real-time control signaling during operation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If adaptive antennas are equipped on UEs to autonomously adjust beam direction, then interference is reduced without base station signaling, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adaptive antenna systems with electronic beam forming capabilities. Instead of physically adjusting antenna elements or using complex mechanical steering mechanisms, the UE uses electronic signal processing to achieve beam direction control, significantly simplifying the hardware requirements and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The beam direction adaptation mechanism is integrated into the existing UE architecture, allowing the same hardware components to serve multiple functions including autonomous position determination, beam direction calculation, and interference mitigation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components and simplifies manufacturing
3Object-generated harmful factors
If beam width is reduced to minimize interference footprint, then interference to neighboring cells decreases, but coverage area and signal strength for legitimate connections are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different beam characteristics to different spatial directions. The beam width and direction are specifically adapted to target the serving cell while minimizing energy dispersion toward neighboring cells. This localized optimization allows the system to maintain adequate coverage for legitimate connections while reducing interference in specific directions where neighboring cells are located
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a method of reducing interference caused by an aerial vehicle in a mobile communications system, the method comprising arranging for the aerial vehicle to steer radio transmissions when the aerial vehicle is airborne such that a direction of the transmissions is adjusted to be directed vertically downward.