Hierarchical Beam Prediction Using Prioritized CSI-RS Reporting

The patent segments the beam management process into two distinct stages: a first stage performing wide beam sweeping for initial beam identification, and a second stage performing narrow beam sweeping for refined beam selection. This segmentation allows the system to reduce overall overhead and latency by avoiding exhaustive narrow beam sweeping across all antennas, while still maintaining comprehensive beam selection coverage through the coordinated two-stage approach.

The patent divides the beam management functionality into separate operational stages with distinct complexity characteristics. The first stage handles broad beam identification with simpler measurement requirements, while the second stage performs more detailed measurements only on selected beams. This segmentation reduces device complexity by avoiding the need to simultaneously manage exhaustive measurements across all antennas, while preserving comprehensive beam selection coverage.

The patent applies preliminary action by performing wide beam sweeping and identification in the first stage before committing to resource-intensive narrow beam sweeping. This preliminary identification of candidate beams allows the system to focus subsequent detailed measurements only on promising directions, thereby improving beam selection accuracy while significantly reducing overall overhead compared to exhaustive sweeping of all possible beams.

The patent changes the reporting parameters by introducing prioritization based on specific criteria such as RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) and LOS (Line of Sight) probability. Instead of reporting multiple CRIs without distinction, the system ranks them according to these parameters and reports only the top prioritized candidates. This approach improves beam prediction efficiency by focusing on the most promising beams while managing reporting complexity through clear prioritization rules rather than exhaustive reporting.