Millimeter-Wave Reference Signal Scheduling via Beam Pairing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently scheduling multiple users for reference signal transmissions in millimeter wave systems, particularly in managing beamforming and interference in multi-user multiple-input/multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmissions.

Innovation Solution

A mechanism is provided for a base station to optimize UE selection for MU-MIMO transmissions by constructing a beam pairing table based on UE feedback, grouping UEs based on beamforming configurations, and selecting UEs for MU transmissions using a codebook to minimize interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beamforming is used to direct transmissions in specific directions, then transmission efficiency and signal quality are improved, but interference management becomes more complex when scheduling multiple users

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidinterference management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments users into different groups based on their beamforming configurations and spatial directions. By dividing the user set into multiple groups where each group uses distinct beamforming parameters, the system can manage interference more effectively by controlling which groups transmit simultaneously, thus reducing the complexity of interference management while maintaining high signal quality through targeted beamforming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic user grouping and scheduling based on current channel conditions, beamforming configurations, and interference levels. The base station continuously adjusts which groups can transmit simultaneously by evaluating real-time spatial separation and interference metrics, allowing the system to adaptively optimize both signal quality and interference management rather than using static configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If multiple users are scheduled for simultaneous MU-MIMO transmissions, then resource utilization and productivity are improved, but interference between users increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidinterference between users
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides users into multiple groups based on their beamforming configurations and spatial characteristics. Each group is assigned specific time-frequency resources, and the base station controls which groups can transmit simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high resource utilization by keeping multiple groups ready for transmission while preventing excessive interference by carefully selecting which groups transmit at the same time based on their spatial separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically changes scheduling parameters including user group selection, resource block allocation, and power levels based on current channel conditions and interference measurements. By adjusting these parameters in real-time, the system can maximize the number of simultaneous transmissions (improving productivity) while maintaining acceptable interference levels through adaptive parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If beam pairing tables are constructed based on detailed UE feedback, then beam pairing accuracy and communication quality are improved, but feedback overhead and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam pairing accuracyVSAvoidfeedback overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential beam pairing information needed for user grouping and scheduling decisions from the complete UE feedback data. Instead of processing all detailed channel state information, the base station identifies and utilizes key parameters such as preferred beam directions and spatial characteristics to construct simplified beam pairing tables, thereby maintaining adequate beam pairing accuracy while significantly reducing feedback processing complexity and overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial beam pairing table construction by focusing on the most critical beam pairs for user grouping rather than optimizing all possible beam combinations. This partial approach provides sufficient beam pairing accuracy for effective user scheduling while avoiding the excessive processing requirements of comprehensive beam pair evaluation, achieving a practical balance between accuracy and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3639397B1Methods to schedule multiple users for reference signal transmissions in millimeter wave systems
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3639397B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3639397B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3639397B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may identify a first set of transmit beams and an associated first set of receive beams having a channel characteristic that is below a first threshold. The UE may identify, for each receive beam in the first set of receive beams, a transmit beam in a second set of transmit beams having a channel characteristic above a second threshold. The UE may identify a relative channel characteristic value between each transmit beam in the first set of transmit beams and each transmit beam in the second set of transmit beams. The UE may transmit a message that identifies the beams in the first and second set of transmit beams, the identified receive beam from the first set of receive beams for each beam in the first set of transmit beams, and the relative channel characteristic value.