Dynamic Beam Adjustment for Multi-User Scheduling in 5G Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G wireless systems face limitations in analogue beamforming, particularly at higher carrier frequencies, where the fixed beam pattern restricts multi-user access and leads to resource wastage due to insufficient granularity in transmission rate and latency, especially when using analogue beamforming with limited digital signal chains and pre-coding capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A network node method that adjusts beamforming to accommodate additional wireless devices by reconfiguring the beam to utilize available physical layer resources more efficiently, allowing for simultaneous scheduling of multiple devices within the same physical layer resources, thereby optimizing spectrum utilization and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a narrow beam is used to reach maximum throughput and counter propagation effects, then the transmission rate to cell-edge devices is improved, but the number of wireless devices that can be scheduled per symbol time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the beam pattern adjustable and reconfigurable rather than fixed. The network node can dynamically switch between narrow beam patterns (for high throughput to individual devices) and wide beam patterns (for serving multiple devices simultaneously), allowing the system to adapt beam characteristics based on current traffic conditions and device requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the beam pattern parameter from fixed to variable. By introducing multiple configurable beam patterns with different beamwidths and directions, the system can modify beam parameters to match varying link requirements, data rates, and scheduling needs, resolving the contradiction between narrow beam performance and multi-device scheduling capability
2Loss of energy
If fine time division is used to reduce resource wastage, then spectrum utilization is improved, but latency is reduced which requires quicker computations driving HW requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the time resource into multiple mini-slots within a symbol, allowing fine-grained scheduling and allocation of resources to different wireless devices. This segmentation enables reduced resource wastage by assigning resources more precisely to actual transmission needs, while the segmentation is designed to balance the computational requirements against the benefits of reduced waste
3Device complexity
If analogue beamforming is used with limited digital signal chains, then AD/DA and internal interface capacities are minimized, but beam steering is fixed during the whole symbol restricting multi-user access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic beam pattern selection that allows the analogue beamforming system to change beam characteristics during the symbol time. The network node can switch between different pre-configured beam patterns or adjust beam parameters based on scheduling decisions, enabling multi-user access while maintaining the simplicity of analogue beamforming architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the analogue beamforming system multi-functional by enabling a single beamforming apparatus to serve multiple different beam patterns and multiple wireless devices simultaneously or sequentially within a symbol. This universality allows the system to handle both single-user high-throughput scenarios and multi-user access scenarios without requiring separate digital signal chains for each function
Data Source
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AI summary
A network node and a method performed by the network node for scheduling transmissions between the network node and one or more wireless devices in the same physical layer resources are provided. The method (100) comprises selecting (110) a beam for a transmission between the network node and a first one of the wireless devices; and determining (120) if a portion of physical layer resources remains available after allocating portions of physical layer resources to a first set of one or more wireless devices within transmission range of the selected beam. The method further comprises if at least a portion of physical layer resources remains available, adjusting (130) the selected beam such that a second set of one or more additional wireless devices not within transmission range of the initially selected beam are within transmission range of the adjusted beam. Still further, the method comprises if no portion of physical layer resources remains available after allocating portions of physical layer resources to the first and second set of wireless devices and if there are enough physical layer resources for transmission between the network node and the first and second sets of wireless devices using the adjusted beam: scheduling (141) transmissions between the network node and the first and second sets of wireless devices using the adjusted beam.