EDMG Beam Tracking Across Aggregated Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems in the millimeter-wave band face challenges in efficiently performing beamforming training and tracking across aggregated channels, particularly in establishing and maintaining communication over secondary channels without pre-determined antenna settings.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Enhanced Directional Multi-Gigabit (EDMG) protocols, including the Beam Refinement Protocol (BRP) Transmit Sector Sweep (TXSS) and Sector Level Sweep (SLS) procedures, allows for beamforming training and tracking across aggregated channels, enabling communication setup even before a link is established in the secondary channel by using EDMG Physical Layer Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) and BRP packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If beamforming training is performed across aggregated channels without pre-determined antenna settings, then communication can be established over secondary channels, but the complexity of beamforming training increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs beamforming training on the primary channel before establishing communication on secondary channels. The access point conducts transmit sector sweeps and receives feedback from non-access points to determine optimal antenna settings in advance. This preliminary beamforming training on the primary channel enables subsequent communication on secondary channels without requiring separate training procedures, thus reducing overall complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the beamforming training process into separate stages: primary channel training followed by secondary channel communication. The transmit sector sweep procedure is segmented into multiple iterations where antenna settings are determined step-by-step. This segmentation allows the system to handle beamforming training in manageable portions rather than attempting to train all channels simultaneously, reducing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If beamforming training is performed on primary channel before secondary channel link establishment, then communication setup is enabled, but time for channel aggregation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs beamforming training on the primary channel in advance before secondary channel communication is needed. By completing the transmit sector sweep and antenna setting determination on the primary channel beforehand, the system enables faster setup of secondary channels without requiring additional training time, thus reducing overall channel aggregation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares beamforming parameters and antenna settings during the primary channel establishment phase, creating a buffer of pre-configured settings that cushion against time delays when secondary channels need to be activated. This beforehand preparation ensures that when secondary channels are needed, communication can start immediately using the pre-determined settings.
Data Source
AI summary
For example, a first Enhanced Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) (EDMG) station (STA) may be configured to exchange first and second Beam Refinement Protocol (BRP) setup frames with a second EDMG STA to initiate a BRP Transmit Sector Sweep (TXSS) over an aggregated channel bandwidth including an aggregation of a primary channel and a secondary channel in a frequency band above 45 GHz; during the BRP TXSS, transmit a plurality of BRP frames to the second EDMG STA over the primary channel and the secondary channel according to an EDMG control mode; determine a transmit beamforming configuration over the aggregated channel bandwidth based on BRP feedback from the second EDMG STA; and transmit an EDMG Physical Layer (PHY) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) to the second EDMG STA over the aggregated channel bandwidth based on the transmit beamforming configuration.