Millimeter-Wave Beam Management for Seamless Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems, particularly in millimeter wave frequencies, face challenges with high path loss and short range, necessitating continuous beam management to ensure seamless coverage as environmental conditions change.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a beamforming technique that involves multiple beams in various directions to compensate for path loss, allowing for continuous and seamless communication by adjusting transmit and receive directions based on environmental factors and UE movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beamforming is implemented to compensate for path loss in millimeter wave frequencies, then communication range and signal quality are improved, but system complexity increases due to continuous beam management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through autonomous beam management where the base station automatically performs beam sweeping, measures reference signals, and selects optimal beams without manual intervention. The UE autonomously reports channel quality indicators and preferred beam directions, allowing the system to self-adjust to environmental changes and maintain reliable communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic beam management where beam directions and configurations are continuously adjusted based on real-time channel conditions, UE movement, and environmental factors. The base station dynamically switches between different beams during sweeping operations and adapts beam parameters to maintain optimal communication links despite changing conditions.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple beams are used in various directions to ensure seamless coverage, then communication continuity is improved, but the time and resources required for beam management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic beam sweeping where the base station systematically transmits reference signals through multiple beams in a repeating sequence. This periodic structure allows the UE to measure and report channel quality at regular intervals, enabling the system to maintain continuous coverage while managing beam switching in an organized, time-efficient manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station performs preliminary beam sweeping and measurement before actual data transmission begins. By pre-establishing beam directions and measuring reference signals in advance, the system prepares optimal beam configurations ahead of time, reducing the time required for beam management during active communication and ensuring seamless coverage transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures continuous and seamless communication by optimizing beam directions, mitigating path loss and maintaining connectivity despite environmental changes.
Implementation Method 1
A base station may transmit, to a UE, a set of beam reference signals, each of the set of beam reference signals transmitted through a respective beam of a set of beams in a plurality of different spatial directions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3
AI summary
A first apparatus may transmit, to a user equipment (UE), on a control channel, one or more indications of one or more beam indexes corresponding to one or more beams. The first apparatus may transmit, to the UE, one or more reference signals through the one or more beams corresponding to the one or more beam indexes. The reference signals may be used by the UE to select a best subarray and/or receive combiner for communication with the first apparatus.