Repeater Beam Control via Base Station Side Information

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G mobile communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing communication traffic and latency, particularly in scenarios requiring high spectrum efficiency, ultra-reliability, and low latency, such as eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC, where existing repeaters consume excessive energy and interfere with other devices due to uncontrolled beamforming.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus where a base station configures side control information for a repeater to associate downlink and uplink beams using identification information, allowing for efficient beam control and resource allocation, enabling the repeater to amplify and forward signals while minimizing interference and energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If repeater performs uncontrolled beamforming to amplify and forward signals, then signal coverage is extended, but energy consumption increases excessively and interference with other devices occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal coverage areaVSAvoidrepeater energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The repeater dynamically adjusts beamforming parameters (beam direction, beam width, transmission power) based on received side control information from the base station. This allows the repeater to extend signal coverage to specific areas while controlling energy consumption by activating only necessary beams rather than omnidirectional transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The base station provides side control information to the repeater regarding beamforming configuration, and the repeater applies these configurations to control its beamforming operations. This feedback mechanism enables the network to optimize repeater behavior for both coverage extension and energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Area of stationary object

If repeater performs uncontrolled beamforming to amplify and forward signals, then signal coverage is extended, but interference with other devices increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal coverage areaVSAvoidinterference with other devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The repeater applies beamforming to direct signals toward specific spatial locations rather than transmitting uniformly in all directions. By configuring beams with specific directions and widths based on side control information, the repeater extends coverage to target areas while minimizing interference in other directions where no users are present.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The repeater dynamically adjusts beamforming parameters including beam direction angles, beam widths, and transmission power levels based on received configuration information. This allows precise control over where signals are transmitted, extending coverage where needed while avoiding interference in other spatial regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If base station configures side control information with detailed beam identification to control repeater beamforming, then beam control precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam control precisionVSAvoidcontrol information processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The side control information is segmented into distinct fields including beam identification information, time resource assignment information, and spatial filter information. This structured segmentation allows the repeater to process different aspects of beam control separately, improving precision while managing complexity through organized information handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base station pre-configures the side control information with all necessary beamforming parameters before the repeater executes beamforming operations. This preliminary configuration includes beam identification, time resources, and spatial filters, allowing the repeater to directly apply pre-calculated optimal beam settings without real-time computation, thus improving precision while limiting complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4270814A1Method and apparatus for transceiving beam control information of repeater in mobile communication system
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 KT CORP
  • EP4270814A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4270814A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4270814A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for communication and/or controlling between a base station, a repeater, and a UE in a wireless communication system. The UE performs downlink reception using a downlink beam on a first link between the UE and the repeater, and performs uplink transmission using an uplink beam on the first link, in which the downlink beam and the uplink beam are associated with each other by identification information for identifying the downlink beam and the uplink beam, and the identification information is configured by side control information from a base station through a second link between the repeater and the base station.