Pilot-Assisted Downlink Precoding With PMI Error Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing massive MIMO technology faces challenges due to large quantization errors in precoding matrix selection, leading to inaccurate beamforming and reduced system performance, as the selected PMI often fails to accurately represent the channel information.

Innovation Solution

A method where a base station combines downlink channel information obtained from a pilot signal with PMI feedback to compensate for quantization errors, using singular value decomposition (SVD) on combined covariance matrices to determine a precise precoding matrix, thereby improving beamforming accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If codebook-based precoding is used to reduce feedback overhead, then system overhead is reduced, but quantization error increases leading to inaccurate beamforming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback overheadVSAvoidchannel information accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an interference compensation matrix as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between the limited codebook-based PMI feedback and the actual channel state. This matrix compensates for the quantization error by representing the difference between the actual channel and the codebook-based precoding, thereby improving beamforming accuracy without increasing feedback overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter representation by decomposing the precoding matrix into two components: a codebook-based precoding matrix and an interference compensation matrix. This parameter transformation allows the system to maintain low feedback overhead while capturing additional channel information through the compensation matrix, effectively resolving the contradiction between overhead reduction and accuracy maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If complete channel information is obtained through pilot signals, then beamforming accuracy is improved, but feedback overhead and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel estimation accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel information into two parts: the main channel state captured by codebook-based PMI feedback and the residual interference component captured by the interference compensation matrix. This segmentation allows the system to process only the essential channel information through the codebook while using the compensation matrix to handle the remaining complexity, thereby reducing overall processing burden while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of processing complete channel information from pilot signals, the patent applies partial action by using only the necessary codebook-based PMI feedback and adding a compensation component. This approach avoids the excessive processing complexity of handling full channel matrices while still achieving accurate beamforming through the combined precoding and interference compensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If quantization is applied in PMI selection to reduce feedback data, then feedback overhead is reduced, but beamforming precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback data volumeVSAvoidprecoding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The interference compensation matrix serves as a mediator that compensates for the information loss caused by quantization in PMI selection. It captures the discrepancy between the quantized codebook precoding and the actual optimal precoding, thereby restoring beamforming precision without requiring increased feedback data volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the precision problem by changing from a single precoding matrix parameter to a composite parameter system consisting of codebook PMI and interference compensation matrix. This parameter change allows the system to maintain low feedback overhead while achieving high precoding accuracy through the combined representation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3993281B1Precoding processing method and device
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3993281B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3993281B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3993281B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application discloses a precoding processing method and an apparatus. The method includes: Abase station determines first downlink channel information based on a pilot signal received from a terminal device. The base station receives a precoding matrix indication PMI from the terminal device, determines second downlink channel information based on the PMI, determines a precoding matrix of a downlink channel based on the first downlink channel information and second downlink channel information, and performs precoding processing by using the precoding matrix. In this method, when calculating a downlink BF weight, the base station combines the downlink channel information obtained based on the pilot signal with the precoding matrix indicated by the PMI, to compensate for a quantization error caused by feedback of a single PMI indication. This method improves accuracy of beamforming weights.