Antenna Precoder Selection With Coupled Antennas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current antenna precoder selection methods in wireless communication systems do not account for antenna coupling, leading to variations in transmit power across different precoders, which can result in suboptimal performance and incorrect channel quality estimates.

Innovation Solution

The method involves estimating a power metric for each precoder, scaling the transmission channel based on this metric, and generating a channel quality metric to select the optimal precoder, ensuring equal energy transmission and accurate channel quality estimation by applying precoder-dependent scaling factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If precoding matrices are applied to achieve equal energy antenna patterns, then the antenna patterns have equal energy, but the precoding matrix-based channel estimates will have scaling error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequal energy antenna patternsVSAvoidchannel estimate accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by introducing precoder-dependent scaling factors that adjust the channel estimates based on the specific precoding matrix used. This allows the system to maintain equal energy antenna patterns while compensating for the scaling errors in channel estimates through mathematical transformation of the estimation parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary scaling factor that mediates between the equal energy requirement and the channel estimation accuracy. This scaling factor acts as a correction term that reconciles the contradiction by adjusting the channel estimate to account for the energy variations introduced by different precoding matrices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If precoding matrices are applied to ensure correct channel estimation, then the channel estimation is accurate, but the resulting antenna patterns will not have equal energy and precoding matrix selection will not be optimal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel estimation accuracyVSAvoidprecoding matrix selection optimality
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter space by introducing scaling factors that allow the system to evaluate precoding matrices based on corrected channel estimates rather than raw estimates. This enables optimal precoding matrix selection while maintaining accurate channel estimation through parameter transformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If antenna patterns are not normalized, then the energy of the antenna pattern varies significantly for different precoding matrices, but this leads to incorrect channel gain estimates and wrong PMI-CQI pairs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecoding matrix energy variationVSAvoidchannel gain estimate accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by normalizing the antenna patterns through precoder-dependent scaling factors. This normalization process transforms the channel estimates to account for the varying energies of different precoding matrices, thereby maintaining accurate channel gain estimates while preserving the adaptability of the system to different precoding configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Use of energy by moving object

If an antenna array is used to focus radiated power and reduce transmit power, then the power needed to transmit data is reduced, but this creates interference for receivers not in the direction of the targeted receiver

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmit powerVSAvoidinterference to other receivers
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using precoding matrices to direct the transmitted signal specifically toward the intended receiver. This spatial filtering ensures that the energy focusing benefit is achieved locally for the target receiver while minimizing the harmful interference generated for other receivers in different directions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3890207B1Method and apparatus for optimizing antenna precoder selection with coupled antennas
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
  • EP3890207B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3890207B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3890207B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and apparatus optimize antenna precoder selection with coupled antennas. A data signal can be received (910). The data signal can be precoded (920). The precoded data signal can be scaled using a precoder-dependent scaling factor (940). The scaled precoded data signal can be transmitted through a plurality of antennas (960).