Hybrid Beamforming Scheduling for Millimeter Wave Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing MIMO systems face challenges with synchronization, cost, and operational complexity due to the need for multiple RF chains in digital beamforming, especially in millimeter wave communication, which can be mitigated by adopting a hybrid beamforming approach combining digital and analog beamforming techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for hybrid beamforming in wireless communication systems, where user equipment (UE) transmits scheduling requests to a base station (BS) for beam state information and beam refinement information, using a dedicated scheduling request to multiplex beam-related UCI on an uplink data channel or request resources for beam refinement reference signals, enabling the BS to respond with scheduling information and resource allocation, thereby addressing beam mismatch issues and improving communication efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If digital beamforming with multiple RF chains is used to achieve higher data transmission rates and MIMO performance gain, then communication capacity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to synchronization requirements and operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines digital beamforming and analog beamforming into a hybrid beamforming system. The digital beamforming provides channel state information and scheduling decisions, while analog beamforming handles the actual signal transmission with fewer RF chains. This merging allows the system to achieve high data transmission rates through MIMO capabilities while reducing operational complexity by eliminating the need for multiple synchronized RF chains for each antenna element.
2Reliability
If the number of RF chains is increased to obtain higher MIMO performance gain, then diversity gain and multiplexing gain are improved, but costs and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beamforming function into two parts: digital beamforming for channel estimation and scheduling, and analog beamforming for signal transmission. This segmentation allows the system to achieve diversity gain through digital processing of channel state information while using a reduced number of RF chains in the analog domain, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing device complexity and cost.
3Measurement precision
If digital beamforming with one RF chain per physical antenna is used, then beam sharpness and flexibility in directional adjustment are improved, but implementation costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using digital beamforming only where needed - specifically for channel state information acquisition and scheduling decisions - while using analog beamforming for the actual high-volume signal transmission. This localized application of digital processing maintains beam sharpness and directional flexibility where critical, while reducing overall system complexity by using simpler analog processing for the bulk of signal handling.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method and an apparatus for performing communication based on hybrid beamforming in a wireless communication system. Specifically, a user equipment (UE) transmits a dedicated scheduling request to a base station (BS). The dedicated scheduling request indicates a first scheduling request that is a request to transmit beam state information, multiplexed on an uplink data channel, or a second scheduling request that is a request to allocate a resource for a reference signal for beam refinement information. When the dedicated scheduling request indicates the first scheduling request, the UE receives an uplink grant including a response to the first scheduling request from the BS. The UE feeds the BSI back multiplexed on the uplink data channel to the BS.