Multi-armed Beam Discovery for Millimeter-Wave Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beamforming technologies in wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently discovering and aligning beams, especially in high-frequency bands like millimeter-wave, which require precise directionality to compensate for path loss.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for beam discovery that involve receiving reference signals from multiple multi-armed beams at a user equipment (UE), measuring signal quality, determining the signal quality of each base station (BS) narrow beam, and transmitting a reporting signal with the index of signal quality. This process utilizes a predefined error-correcting code and parity check matrix to configure the multi-armed beams and determine the best beam pairs for transmission and reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional beam sweeping methods are used to discover beams in high-frequency bands, then beam alignment can be achieved, but the time required for initial beam alignment and resource usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam discovery process into two stages: first using wide multi-armed beams to quickly identify promising angular sectors, then using narrow beams within those sectors for precise alignment. This hierarchical segmentation reduces the total number of beams that need to be swept, thereby reducing time while maintaining alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary beam discovery using multi-armed beams that cover multiple angular sectors before conducting detailed narrow beam alignment. This preliminary action identifies which sectors contain targets, allowing the system to skip unnecessary narrow beam sweeps in empty sectors and reduce overall alignment time
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple narrow beams are used to cover different angular sectors, then directional coverage is improved, but the complexity of beam configuration and measurement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple narrow beams into composite multi-armed beams that cover multiple angular sectors. Each multi-armed beam combines several narrow beams with different identifiers, allowing the system to achieve wide angular coverage while reducing configuration complexity by treating the combined structure as a single beam unit for measurement purposes
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-armed beams serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide wide angular sector coverage, enable quick identification of promising directions, and carry multiple narrow beam identifiers for subsequent precise alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate wide-beam and narrow-beam sweeping operations
3Reliability
If comprehensive beam sweeping is performed to ensure reliable beam discovery, then beam alignment reliability is improved, but resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs partial beam sweeping by first using multi-armed beams to identify only the angular sectors that contain targets or reflectors. Instead of sweeping all possible narrow beams across all sectors, the system performs excessive action only in promising sectors, reducing overall resource usage while maintaining reliable beam discovery through the two-stage approach
Data Source
AI summary
A method of beam discovery can include receiving reference signals at a user equipment (UE) from a plurality of multi-armed beams of a base station (BS), each multi-armed beam including a plurality of BS narrow beams that each include an identifier and are configured to transmit signals at different angular sectors, measuring a signal quality of each of the plurality of multi-armed beams, determining a signal quality of each BS narrow beam based on at least the measured signal quality of the plurality of multi-armed beams and the respective BS narrow beam identifiers, and transmitting a reporting signal including at least an index of the signal quality corresponding to the BS narrow beams.