DRS Beamforming Resource Reuse for 5G Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
In beamformed systems, the number of available Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) resources is insufficient due to a large number of possible transmit beams, leading to increased signaling overhead and interference, especially in dense deployments where each node generates multiple transmit beams.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves reusing DRS resources in time by transmitting the same DRS signals using different transmit beams in different time resources, allowing for a larger set of transmit beams and enabling the UE to adapt its measurement procedures, thereby enhancing measurement performance and reducing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of transmit beams is increased in beamformed systems, then the coverage and service capability are improved, but the number of available DRS resources becomes insufficient and signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension of time-domain resource reuse. Instead of allocating unique DRS resources in frequency or code domains, the same DRS resources are reused across different time resources (slots, subframes, or DRS occasions) for different transmit beams. This temporal dimension allows the system to support a larger number of transmit beams without requiring proportionally more DRS resources, directly resolving the contradiction between beam quantity and resource availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic transmission of DRS signals across different time resources. Transmit beams are configured to send DRS signals periodically in different slots, subframes, or DRS occasions, allowing the same DRS resources to be reused cyclically for different beams. This periodic action enables the system to handle multiple transmit beams with limited DRS resources by distributing them across time, reducing the total number of unique DRS resources needed while maintaining comprehensive beam coverage.
2Productivity
If the number of transmit beams is increased, then the system capacity is improved, but interference increases in dense deployments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transmission of DRS signals for different transmit beams into distinct time resources. Instead of transmitting all beams simultaneously which causes interference, each beam's DRS signal is transmitted in dedicated time slots, subframes, or DRS occasions. This temporal segmentation isolates the signals from different beams, preventing mutual interference while maintaining high system capacity to support numerous transmit beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic transmission where DRS signals from different transmit beams are sent at different periodic intervals in the time domain. This periodic action with staggered timing ensures that beams are transmitted sequentially rather than concurrently, reducing co-channel interference in dense deployments while preserving the ability to support a large number of transmit beams for high system capacity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If DRS resources are reused in time for different transmit beams, then the number of supported transmit beams is increased, but measurement procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by configuring the UE with advance information about the time-domain patterns of different transmit beams before measurement. The network provides configuration data indicating which time resources (slots, subframes, or DRS occasions) correspond to which transmit beams. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to efficiently organize and perform measurements without complex real-time decision-making, reducing measurement procedure complexity while supporting a large number of transmit beams through time-domain reuse.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods relating to transmission and use of Discovery Reference Signal (DRS) signals are disclosed in herein. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a Transmission Point (TP) in a cellular communications network comprises transmitting, from the TP, a same one or more DRS signals using at least two different transmit beams in at least two different time resources. Each transmit beam is characterized by a direction in which it is transmitted. In this manner, the TP is enabled to reuse DRS resources, which in turn enables transmission of DRS signals on a larger number of transmit beams and, correspondingly, adaptation of measurement procedures at wireless devices to obtain measurements on those transmit beams.