LTE Antenna Port Detection via Reference Signal Energy Comparison

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE systems, UEs face high power consumption and increased detection complexity during cell initial search due to the need to try all three possible transmit diversity schemes for the P-BCH, which requires multiple demodulations to determine the correct antenna port configuration, and this process must be completed within a single TTI, limiting detection speed and performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for detecting transmitting antenna port configuration by receiving and descrambling reference signals from each antenna port, calculating reference signal energy, and comparing energies to determine the number of antenna ports, allowing for accurate configuration determination without multiple demodulations of the P-BCH.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the UE performs multiple demodulations of P-BCH to determine the transmit diversity scheme, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the power consumption increases and detection speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing channel estimation and reference signal analysis before attempting P-BCH demodulation. The UE estimates the channel using reference signals from the P-BCH, determines the likely transmit diversity scheme in advance, and then performs demodulation only once with the correct scheme, avoiding multiple retry attempts and reducing power consumption while maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical trial-and-error demodulation process with a signal processing-based detection method. Instead of blindly attempting multiple demodulations, the UE uses channel estimation and reference signal energy analysis to intelligently determine the transmit diversity scheme, substituting computational signal processing for repeated physical demodulation attempts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If the UE performs multiple demodulations of P-BCH to determine the transmit diversity scheme, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the detection speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoiddetection speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs channel estimation and reference signal analysis before P-BCH demodulation to determine the transmit diversity scheme in advance. This preliminary detection within the same TTI enables the UE to perform only one correct demodulation, significantly improving detection speed while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent skips the unnecessary trial-and-error demodulation steps by using reference signal-based detection to identify the correct transmit diversity scheme beforehand. The UE rushes through the detection process by performing channel estimation and reference signal analysis in parallel with P-BCH reception, completing the entire detection within one TTI without repeated attempts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Device complexity

If the UE uses only 1.4M bandwidth for P-BCH demodulation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the channel estimation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidchannel estimation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts reference signals from the P-BCH transmission and performs channel estimation using only these extracted reference signals within the 1.4M bandwidth. By separating the channel estimation function from the full bandwidth requirement, the UE achieves adequate channel estimation performance using limited bandwidth, maintaining device simplicity while improving channel estimation accuracy through focused reference signal processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses reference signals as an intermediary between the limited 1.4M bandwidth and the channel estimation requirement. These reference signals embedded in the P-BCH transmission serve as a mediator that enables accurate channel estimation within the constrained bandwidth, allowing the UE to overcome the bandwidth limitation through intelligent signal processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2429094B1Method and device for detecting of transmitting antenna configuration in long term evolution system
Publication Date: 2016.03.30 ZTE CORP
  • EP2429094B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2429094B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2429094B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention discloses a method and device for detecting transmitting antenna port configuration in a LTE system. The method includes: receiving a signal transmitted by a transmitting end at a receiving end, extracting from the signal a reference signal transmitted by each transmitting antenna port and descrambling; calculating and obtaining reference signal energy of each transmitting antenna port, dividing the reference signal energy into a first type of reference signal energy and a second type of reference signal energy, and determining a current bandwidth; and comparing the first type of reference signal energy with the second type of reference signal energy, and determining the number of transmitting antenna ports according to a comparison result. The present invention does not need to perform P-BCH blind detection multiple times to obtain the number of transmitting antenna ports, thus improving the performance of cell initial search and reducing the complexity of implementation.