Elevation Beamforming Weights for 5G RAN Node Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current time domain digital beamforming in wireless communication networks, particularly in 5G systems, faces performance issues due to its inferiority compared to frequency domain digital beamforming, leading to reduced throughput and increased signaling bandwidth usage, especially with massive MIMO deployments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that uses multiple sets of reference signals with different elevation beamforming weights for various transmission directions, allowing for three-dimensional beamforming that considers both elevation and azimuth angles, and dynamically updates beamforming weights based on channel quality feedback from wireless devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If time domain digital beamforming is used in 5G networks, then device complexity is reduced compared to frequency domain beamforming, but data reception quality and throughput deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces elevation angle beamforming as an additional dimension to traditional azimuth-only beamforming. By adding the elevation dimension, the system achieves three-dimensional beam steering capability that improves data reception quality and throughput while maintaining the computational efficiency of time domain implementation.
2Productivity
If elevation beamforming weights are dynamically updated based on channel quality feedback, then data reception quality improves, but signaling bandwidth usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where wireless devices report channel quality information about reference signals transmitted at different elevation angles. The RAN node uses this feedback to dynamically determine optimal elevation beamforming weights, enabling adaptive optimization of data reception quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transmits reference signals at multiple elevation angles before actual data transmission. This preliminary action allows the RAN node to measure channel quality for different beam directions and select the optimal beamforming weights for subsequent data transmission, avoiding trial-and-error during actual communication.
3Productivity
If three-dimensional beamforming with multiple reference signal sets is implemented, then throughput improves by 10-20%, but device complexity and signaling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beamforming process into discrete elevation angle steps, with each step corresponding to a specific reference signal set. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by processing one elevation angle at a time while achieving three-dimensional coverage through multiple discrete segments.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method performed by a RAN node of a wireless communication network for directing wireless signals towards wireless devices, the RAN node comprising multiple antennas. The method comprises transmitting, towards the wireless devices and through the multiple antennas, at least a first and a second set of reference signals having mutually different elevation beamforming weights for different elevation transmission directions, wherein elevation transmission direction signifies transmission at an elevation angle towards a horizontal direction. The method further comprises receiving, from the wireless devices, information on channel quality of the at least first and second set of reference signals, determining, based on the received information on channel quality, elevation beamforming weights for a selected transmission elevation angle for the wireless devices; and transmitting data towards the wireless devices in an elevation transmission direction corresponding to the selected transmission elevation angle using the determined elevation beamforming weights.