MIMO Precoding for Inactive Antenna Energy Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing MIMO systems face inefficiencies in energy consumption and capacity due to energy dispersion to idle or less active receiver antennas, leading to interference and reduced signal quality.

Innovation Solution

Precoding data to reduce the amplitude of data elements for inactive receiver antennas to a predefined value, such as zero, based on activity levels and channel state information, using a diagonal matrix to focus energy on active antennas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If precoding is performed to reduce amplitude of data elements for inactive receiver antennas, then energy efficiency and capacity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capacityVSAvoidprecoding processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The precoding process applies different amplitude reduction factors to different receiver antennas based on their activity status. Active receiver antennas receive full-strength signals while inactive ones receive reduced-amplitude signals, creating localized quality differentiation that improves overall system efficiency without unnecessary processing overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary identification of inactive receiver antennas based on activity level thresholds before the precoding operation. This advance identification allows the precoding matrix to be pre-configured with appropriate amplitude reduction factors, streamlining the subsequent data transmission process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of energy

If amplitude of data elements is reduced for inactive receiver antennas, then energy dispersion is reduced and signal quality improves, but loss of information may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy dispersion to inactive antennasVSAvoiddata element information
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the amplitude parameter of data elements based on receiver antenna activity status. By changing the amplitude parameter selectively rather than uniformly, the system reduces energy waste on inactive antennas while preserving complete information content through reversible scaling operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors receiver antenna activity levels and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust precoding parameters. This closed-loop approach ensures that amplitude reduction is applied only when and where appropriate, preventing information loss while maximizing energy efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4285504B1Processing data for transmission over a communication system
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 BRITISH TELECOM PLC
  • EP4285504B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4285504B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4285504B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is herein disclosed a method of processing data for transmission over a communication system comprising a transmitter comprising a plurality of transmitter antennas and a plurality of receiver antennas, each of the plurality of receiver antennas connected to the transmitter via a respective communication channel, the method comprising precoding the data prior to transmission to generate precoded data, wherein precoding the data comprises precoding the data to reduce an amplitude of a data element of the data, for receipt by a receiver antenna of the plurality of receiver antennas, to a predefined numerical value, so as to reduce an amplitude of the precoded data received at the receiver antenna.