Wireless Device Receive Beam Selection for Power Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G New Radio (NR) networks, there is a challenge in minimizing the number of active antenna array modules to optimize power savings while maintaining effective beam pair links, as activating multiple modules consumes significant power and reduces battery life in mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A method where a wireless communication device selects a different receive beam for beam pair links based on beam measurements, allowing one fewer active antenna array module to be used, by choosing a receive beam with a measurement value within a predefined variance of the original beam, ensuring the new beam's measurement meets a minimum threshold, thereby optimizing both beam pair links and the number of active modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple antenna array modules are activated to form beam pair links, then communication reliability and data rate are improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple antenna array modules by selecting a single receive beam from available options, allowing one antenna array module to handle multiple beam pair links. This consolidation reduces the number of active modules from multiple to one, directly lowering power consumption while maintaining communication reliability through optimized beam selection based on measurement values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of receive beam selection by comparing measurement values and selecting beams within a predefined variance threshold. This parameter-based selection strategy enables the system to choose alternative receive beams that maintain adequate signal quality (within variance) while allowing consolidation of antenna array modules, thus reducing power consumption without significantly compromising communication reliability.
2Productivity
If multiple antenna array modules are activated to support multiple beam pair links, then data rate through spatial multiplexing is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the receive beam functionality for multiple beam pair links into a single antenna array module. Instead of activating multiple modules to support spatial multiplexing, the system selects appropriate receive beams from a single module based on measurement comparisons, reducing device complexity while maintaining data rate through intelligent beam selection within predefined variance thresholds.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a single receive beam is selected for multiple beam pair links, then power consumption is reduced, but beam measurement precision and communication quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a predefined variance parameter as a threshold criterion for beam selection. By comparing measurement values of different receive beams and selecting those within the variance threshold, the system ensures that alternative beams maintain adequate signal quality. This parameter-based approach balances power consumption reduction with maintaining acceptable beam measurement precision and communication quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by comparing beam measurement values against predefined variance thresholds before selecting receive beams. This feedback loop ensures that selected beams meet minimum quality requirements, preventing excessive degradation in measurement precision while enabling power savings through consolidated antenna array module usage.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to minimizing the number of antenna array modules on a wireless communication device utilized in forming beam pair links (BPLs) based on beam measurements obtained on each of a plurality of receive beams for each of a plurality of transmit beams. For at least one BPL, the wireless communication device selects a different receive beam that results in at least one fewer active antenna array module. In some examples, the different receive beam selected for a BPL has a beam measurement value within a predefined variance from a beam measurement value of an original receive beam for the BPL. In addition, the wireless communication device can confirm that the beam measurement values of both the original and different receive beams satisfy a minimum beam measurement value before switching the BPL to the different receive beam. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also claimed and described.