NTN Beam Coverage Mapping for Faster RRM Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

In non-terrestrial network (NTN) communication systems, the large coverage area and numerous beams result in inefficient beam measurement, excessive power consumption, and increased time-frequency resource overheads due to long measurement times, limiting data transmission.

Innovation Solution

A communication method where a terminal device receives beam coverage information from a network device to determine its spatial coverage, allowing for accurate radio resource management measurements by narrowing measurement ranges and reducing overheads through flexible parameter representation and signaling compression.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the terminal performs beam measurement in NTN system with large coverage area and numerous beams, then the measurement coverage is improved, but the measurement time window becomes excessively long, reducing measurement efficiency and increasing power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam coverage areaVSAvoidmeasurement time window

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large coverage area into multiple smaller beam coverage regions, each with its own beam coverage information. Instead of measuring all beams uniformly across the entire large coverage area, the terminal divides the measurement task into smaller segments corresponding to different beam coverage regions, thereby reducing the measurement time window while maintaining comprehensive coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing different beam coverage information for different spatial regions. The network device configures beam coverage information specifically for the terminal's current location or expected movement area, rather than uniformly across the entire NTN coverage. This allows the terminal to focus measurements on locally relevant beams, reducing overall measurement time while maintaining measurement accuracy for the specific coverage area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the terminal performs comprehensive beam measurement across large coverage area, then measurement completeness is improved, but power consumption overhead increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam measurement completenessVSAvoidterminal power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary beam coverage information relevant to the terminal's current location and movement pattern from the complete set of all beams in the NTN system. By taking out only the subset of beams that the terminal actually needs to measure for its specific coverage area, the terminal maintains measurement completeness for relevant beams while significantly reducing power consumption compared to measuring all beams uniformly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by having the terminal perform measurements on only a partial set of beams rather than all beams in the system. The network device configures beam coverage information that covers the terminal's current and expected future locations, which is sufficient for maintaining connection and mobility but represents only a portion of the total beams in the large NTN coverage area, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining necessary measurement completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If the terminal measures all beams in NTN system, then beam selection accuracy is improved, but time-frequency resource overhead increases, limiting data transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam selection accuracyVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the network device pre-configure beam coverage information before the terminal performs measurements. The network device provides the terminal with advance information about which beams cover which spatial regions, allowing the terminal to pre-determine its measurement targets based on its current and expected future locations. This preliminary provision of beam coverage information enables the terminal to focus measurements on relevant beams only, maintaining beam selection accuracy while reducing time-frequency resource overhead for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260012242A1Communication method, communication device, medium, and program product

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a communication method. Wherein a terminal device receives beam coverage information of a network device from the network device, where the beam coverage information is used to determine spatial coverage of a plurality of beams; the terminal device determines, from the spatial coverage of the plurality of beams, beam coverage in which the terminal device is located; and the terminal device performs radio resource management measurement based on the beam coverage.