Radio Channel Estimation Using Complementary Phase Vectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, existing methods for channel estimation in multi-antenna systems face challenges such as high latency and hardware complexity, particularly during self-contained transmissions where the receiver lacks initial knowledge of the radio channel state, leading to unpredictable delays and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of pairs of phase vectors to phase shifters to achieve complementary directional gains, allowing for simultaneous channel estimation and data reception without the need for a separate radio chain for each antenna, thereby reducing latency and hardware complexity by using a hybrid combining architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate radio chain is implemented for each antenna to enable channel estimation, then channel estimation accuracy is improved, but hardware complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple antenna signals into a single radio chain by applying different phase vectors to each antenna's signal before summing them. This merging approach allows channel estimation to be performed on the combined signal, eliminating the need for separate radio chains per antenna while maintaining estimation capability through the phase diversity provided by multiple phase vectors
Solution Approach 2:
The single radio chain is designed to handle signals from multiple antennas simultaneously by processing combined signals with different phase vectors. This universal approach allows the same radio chain to perform channel estimation for multiple antennas, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the functionality needed for accurate channel characterization
2Reliability
If beam sweeping is performed to find the optimal beam direction for signal reception, then reception reliability is improved, but transmission latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary channel estimation using multiple phase vectors before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary action provides advance knowledge of the channel state, allowing the receiver to immediately use the estimated channel information for self-contained transmission reception without needing to perform time-consuming beam sweeping operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase parameters of the antenna signals by applying different phase vectors to each antenna. By varying these phase parameters and combining the resulting signals, the system can estimate channel characteristics for multiple beam directions simultaneously, eliminating the need to sequentially sweep through different beam directions and reducing latency
3Measurement precision
If multiple phase vectors are applied to antennas for channel estimation, then channel coefficient determination accuracy is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the channel estimation process by applying different phase vectors to different antennas and processing the combined signals in stages. The receiver separates the contribution of each phase vector to the combined signal, allowing accurate determination of channel coefficients for each antenna while managing processing complexity through structured segmentation of the estimation procedure
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for determining channel coefficients for a first array of antennas coupled through respective first phase shifters to a first radio chain and a second array of antennas coupled through respective second phase shifters to a second radio chain is described. As to a method aspect of the technique, pairs of first and second phase vectors are applied to the first and second phase shifters, respectively. Each of the pairs defines complementary directional gains at the first and second arrays for receiving reference signals. A channel estimation is performed in each of the first and second radio chains for each of the pairs based on the received reference signals. Based on the channel estimations for each of the pairs, at least one channel coefficient for the antennas in each of the first and second arrays is determined.