Base Station Dynamic Blockage Handling in mmWave Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G NR and mmWave communication systems face challenges with dynamic blockage of beams due to moving obstacles, leading to reduced coverage and connectivity issues, especially in base station-side blockages which can persist for longer durations.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a base station identifies potentially blocked UEs through correlated beam quality deterioration feedback, performs joint beam training, and adjusts beam scanning procedures to avoid blocked regions, potentially coordinating with neighboring base stations for enhanced coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If millimeter wave beams are used for high-speed communication, then data transmission rate is improved, but beam blockage by moving obstacles occurs more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts beam training frequency based on detected blockage conditions. When blockage is detected through correlated quality deterioration across multiple UEs, the system increases beam training frequency for affected spatial regions, allowing real-time response to moving obstacles while maintaining high data rates during clear conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where base stations collect beam quality information from multiple UEs, detect correlated deterioration patterns indicating blockage, and use this feedback to adjust beam training procedures. This closed-loop approach maintains reliability by responding to actual channel conditions while preserving high transmission rates during normal operation
2Reliability
If beam training frequency is increased to detect blockages, then beam connectivity reliability is improved, but system overhead and signaling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing beam training frequency across all directions, the system applies enhanced training only to specific spatial regions where blockage is detected through correlated quality deterioration. This localized approach maintains reliability in affected areas while minimizing overall system overhead and signaling complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs beam training at normal frequency for most directions and only increases frequency partially for specific blocked spatial regions. This selective enhancement provides sufficient reliability improvement where needed without the excessive overhead of universal high-frequency training
3Reliability
If joint beam training is performed for multiple UEs, then coverage for blocked UEs is improved, but processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges beam training operations for multiple UEs experiencing correlated quality deterioration into a single joint training procedure. By identifying UEs with similar blockage patterns and training them together, the system improves coverage for all affected UEs simultaneously while reducing total processing time compared to individual training sessions
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects are provided which handle dynamic blockage of beams transmitted by a base station to UEs in millimeter wave communication. In one aspect, the base station identifies at least two UEs with which the base station has established a link and which may be potentially blocked from the base station by a dynamic blocker such as a moving vehicle. After the potentially blocked UEs are identified, the base station schedules all identified UEs for joint beam training and receives feedback transmitted by the UEs to determine if a dynamically blocked spatial region exists. If a blockage exists, the base station performs a follow-up procedure to avoid the dynamically blocked spatial region and provide coverage for the UEs, for example, by blanking out or not using blocked beams in subsequent beam training and/or by coordinating with a neighbor cell. The base station may thus proactively improve coverage of dynamically blocked UEs.