Multiple Receive Beam Selection for mmWave Link Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems, particularly in millimeter wave frequencies, face challenges with increased signal attenuation, necessitating improved beamforming techniques to enhance transmission efficiency and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple receive beams at a user equipment (UE) spatially associated with a single transmission beam from a base station, allowing for the measurement and selection of optimal beamforming parameters for downlink and uplink transmissions based on various conditions such as RF configurations and power settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beamforming techniques are used to overcome path loss in mmW communication systems, then transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple antenna arrays and beam management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam management process by introducing separate beam indication fields in DCI for downlink and uplink transmissions. This allows independent control and optimization of beam selection for each direction, reducing the overall complexity of beam management while maintaining reliable connections through targeted beamforming.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic beam selection where the network can indicate different receive beams for different downlink transmissions and different transmit beams for different uplink transmissions through DCI signaling. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to respond to changing channel conditions, maintaining transmission reliability without requiring static complex configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple receive beams are configured at UE for different operation modes, then adaptability is improved, but power consumption increases due to processing multiple beam measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple receive beams at the UE before actual data transmission. The UE measures reference signals using these pre-configured beams and reports measurements to the network. This allows the UE to be ready for different operation modes without continuously processing all beam measurements, reducing power consumption while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by allowing the network to indicate specific receive beams to be used for specific downlink transmissions based on local conditions. Instead of requiring the UE to maintain and process all possible beam configurations continuously, only the locally selected beams are actively used for transmission, reducing power consumption while preserving adaptability when conditions change.
3Productivity
If beam selection is performed based on reference signal measurements, then transmission efficiency is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase due to need for accurate beam quality assessment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the UE measure reference signals using multiple pre-configured receive beams but only reporting measurements for a subset of these beams to the network. The network then selects the appropriate beam based on these partial measurements. This approach maintains transmission efficiency by ensuring the selected beam is sufficiently good without requiring exhaustive measurement of all possible beams, thus reducing the precision burden.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that provide for multiple different receive beams at a user equipment (UE) that may be spatially associated with a single transmission beam from a base station. A UE may measure, using multiple different receive beams, multiple instances of a same reference signal transmitted by the base station using a same transmission beam. The UE may provide measurement reports associated with each of the measurements to the base station. A particular receive beam to be used for a downlink transmission may be selected from the multiple receive beams and may be indicated to the UE.