Hybrid Beamforming for Coordination Network Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In massive MIMO systems, existing beam recovery mechanisms are inadequate for handling beam failures in coordination network equipment, leading to disruptions in communication between network equipment and user equipment.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for configuring and responding to beam failure recovery requests, including transmitting configuration information and response information to user equipment, and processing beam failures by abandoning recovery operations and buffering data, ensuring seamless communication even when beam failures occur in coordination network equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If beamforming is performed on analog domain (ABF), then implementation complexity is reduced, but beamforming factors over entire time domain symbols are identical which restricts scheduling flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beamforming operation into two domains: analog beamforming for spatial direction control and digital beamforming for time-domain flexibility. This segmentation allows the system to enjoy the low complexity of ABF while gaining the scheduling flexibility of DBF through digital signal processing on received signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges analog and digital beamforming techniques into a hybrid approach. The analog beamforming handles the spatial beam formation with fixed factors, while digital beamforming provides time-varying beamforming factors that adapt to different scheduling requirements, thus combining the advantages of both methods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If beamforming is performed on digital domain (DBF), then each resource element can adjust beamforming factor as needed, but complexity increases with increase of number of antennas making it not applicable to massive MIMO
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beamforming processing into analog and digital domains, applying digital beamforming only where necessary for scheduling flexibility rather than across all resource elements. This reduces the overall complexity compared to full digital beamforming while maintaining the needed adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies digital beamforming selectively rather than uniformly across all antennas and resource elements. By using analog beamforming for the bulk of spatial processing and only applying digital beamforming where scheduling flexibility is needed, the system achieves local optimization of complexity versus flexibility.
3Reliability
If existing beam recovery mechanism is used for coordination network equipment, then beam failure can be detected, but communication disruption occurs because existing mechanisms are inadequate for coordination network equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the beam failure detection and recovery mechanism to work with coordination network equipment in addition to serving network equipment. The same detection procedures and recovery request mechanisms are made universal, allowing the system to handle beam failures regardless of whether they occur in serving or coordination network equipment, thus maintaining communication continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the network equipment as an intermediary that receives beam failure recovery requests from user equipment and coordinates the recovery process. This intermediary mechanism enables seamless handover between different network equipment, ensuring communication continuity even when beam failures occur in coordination network equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for configuring a transmission resource of a beam failure recovery request, apparatus and method for responding a beam failure recovery request, and a communications system. The apparatus for configuring a transmission resource of a beam failure recovery request includes a configuring unit configured to transmit configuration information to user equipment, the configuration information being used to configure a transmission resource of a beam failure recovery request related to coordination network equipment. The apparatus for responding a beam failure recovery request includes a responding unit configured to transmit response information related to a beam failure recovery request of coordination network equipment to user equipment. A case where beam failure occurs in the coordination network equipment may be dealt with efficiently, and normal communications between the network equipment and the user equipment may be ensured.