Beam refinement in millimeter wave channel via sweep order feedback

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional beam management techniques in millimeter wave (mmW) networks are inefficient, consuming excessive time and resources, and fail to adequately identify sub-dominant clusters within the wireless channel, leading to suboptimal beam refinement and cluster identification.

Innovation Solution

The described techniques involve the receiving device providing feedback to the transmitting device to optimize beam refinement by performing initial beam measurements, identifying clusters, and determining a beam sweep order for subsequent measurements, allowing for narrower beam widths and improved cluster identification, thereby conserving resources and reducing refinement time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional beam management techniques are used, then beam refinement can be performed, but excessive time and resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam refinement reliabilityVSAvoidbeam refinement time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving device performs preliminary beam measurements and identifies clusters before the transmitting device performs beam refinement. By determining the beam sweep order in advance based on cluster identification, the system avoids unnecessary measurements and directly targets relevant beams, significantly reducing the time required for beam refinement while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The beam refinement process is segmented into distinct phases: cluster identification phase (performed by receiving device), beam sweep order determination phase, and beam measurement phase (performed by transmitting device). This segmentation allows each device to perform optimized operations in its respective phase, reducing overall refinement time while ensuring reliable beam selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If conventional beam management techniques are used, then beam refinement can be performed, but excessive resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam refinement reliabilityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving device performs preliminary beam measurements and identifies clusters before the transmitting device performs beam refinement. By determining the beam sweep order in advance based on cluster identification, the system avoids unnecessary measurements and directly targets relevant beams, significantly reducing the time required for beam refinement while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The beam refinement process is segmented into distinct phases: cluster identification phase (performed by receiving device), beam sweep order determination phase, and beam measurement phase (performed by transmitting device). This segmentation allows each device to perform optimized operations in its respective phase, reducing overall refinement time while ensuring reliable beam selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If conventional beam management techniques are used, then beam refinement can be performed, but sub-dominant clusters are not adequately identified

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecluster identification precisionVSAvoidbeam management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving device performs preliminary beam measurements and identifies clusters before the transmitting device performs beam refinement. By determining the beam sweep order in advance based on cluster identification, the system avoids unnecessary measurements and directly targets relevant beams, significantly reducing the time required for beam refinement while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The receiving device provides feedback to the transmitting device about identified clusters and the determined beam sweep order. This feedback mechanism enables the transmitting device to perform beam measurements in an optimized sequence, improving cluster identification precision without significantly increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11206075B2Beam refinement in a millimeter wave channel

Publication Date: 2021.12.21 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A communication device may perform a first set of beam measurements for a first plurality of beams over a wireless channel, each beam in the first plurality of beams having a first beam-width. The communication device may transmit a first beam measurement report for the first plurality of beams, the first beam measurement report indicating a beam sweep order for a second set of beam measurements for a second plurality of beams. The communication device may perform the second set of beam measurements for the second plurality of beams over the wireless channel according to the indicated beam sweep order, each beam in the second plurality of beams having a second beam-width that is narrower than the first beam-width.