FR2 Sidelink Discovery Using FR1-Aided Beam Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sidelink communication technologies, particularly in Frequency Range 2 (FR2), face significant overhead due to the need for exhaustive beamforming and beam training, which is burdensome in terms of energy efficiency and resource allocation, especially in scenarios involving multiple UEs forming beam pair links.
Innovation Solution
Implementing non-standalone sidelink discovery techniques that utilize Frequency Range 1 (FR1) for initial beam alignment and signaling to reduce overhead, allowing UEs with both FR1 and FR2 capabilities to use FR1 as a fallback or aid in FR2 beam training, using FR2 beam pilots as signatures to indicate FR1 capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If exhaustive beamforming and beam training are implemented in FR2 sidelink communication, then reliable beam pair links can be established, but signaling overhead and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces FR1 as an intermediary frequency range to assist in the beamforming process for FR2 communications. UEs first perform discovery and initial beam alignment in FR1, which has lower path loss and doesn't require exhaustive beam training. The FR1 connection serves as a mediator that enables subsequent FR2 beam pair link establishment with reduced overhead, as the FR2 beam training can start from the already-established FR1 beam alignment rather than performing exhaustive search from scratch.
2Reliability
If exhaustive beamforming and beam training are implemented in FR2 sidelink communication, then reliable beam pair links can be established, but resource allocation becomes burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
FR1 acts as an intermediary that simplifies the complex FR2 resource allocation problem. By performing initial discovery and beam alignment in FR1 with simpler resource requirements, the system reduces the complexity of FR2 resource allocation. The FR1 connection provides a foundation that enables FR2 beam training to use fewer resources, as the exhaustive beam search space is effectively reduced based on the FR1 beam alignment results.
3Use of energy by moving object
If FR1 is used for initial beam alignment and signaling, then signaling overhead in FR2 is reduced, but additional FR1 communication resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using FR1 for multiple purposes: initial discovery, beam alignment, capability signaling, and as a fallback communication channel. This universal use of FR1 resources consolidates multiple functions into a single frequency range, reducing the need for separate dedicated resources for each function in FR2. The FR1 resources serve multiple roles, which is more efficient than allocating separate resources for discovery, alignment, and fallback communications.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure provide apparatus, methods, processing systems, and computer readable mediums for non-standalone sidelink discovery. A user equipment (UE) may be capable to operate in two or more separate frequency ranges. In one of the separate frequency ranges, sidelink discovery may require a burdensome overhead due to the nature of beam forming at high frequency ranges. Communications in another lower frequency range may signal to aid the discovery, thus reducing the overhead. For example, the UEs may use the low frequency communication to perform a beam alignment and discovery with lower signaling overhead. In addition, the UE may signal the capability in a first frequency range using signatures or indications in a communication in a second frequency range. For example, the UE may use FR2 to signal FR1 capability, such as using beam pilots as signatures to indicate FR1 capability.