RF Chain Blockage Detection for 5G mmWave Antenna Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G communication systems operating in the mmWave band, blockages caused by user grip significantly degrade signal quality due to low diffraction, necessitating a method to detect blockages and adapt beamforming to maintain communication integrity.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device employs RF chain transmission/reception control to detect blockages and perform beam scanning using antenna elements that are not obstructed, reducing beam scan time and enabling adaptive beam configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If mmWave signal is used for 5G communication, then transmission distance and signal directivity are improved, but signal quality is significantly degraded due to blockage from user grip
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs blockage detection using RF chain transmission control before beam scanning begins. By detecting which antenna elements are blocked in advance through RF chain monitoring, the system can pre-identify valid antenna elements and avoid wasting time scanning blocked elements, thus maintaining reliable communication while achieving long transmission distance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state of RF chains between transmission and reception modes to detect blockages. By switching RF chains between transmit and receive states and monitoring signal characteristics, the system detects blockage conditions without requiring additional hardware, thereby maintaining signal quality while preserving transmission distance capability
2Measurement precision
If beam scanning is performed using all antenna elements, then complete beam measurement is achieved, but beam scan time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary blockage detection using RF chain transmission control before initiating beam scanning. This preliminary action identifies which antenna elements are blocked, allowing the beam scanning process to skip blocked elements and focus only on valid ones, thus reducing beam scan time while maintaining measurement precision through selective scanning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the beam scanning process into two phases: first identifying valid antenna elements through RF chain blockage detection, then performing beam scanning only on those valid elements. This segmentation avoids wasting time on blocked elements while ensuring complete measurement of all usable antennas, reducing overall scan time without compromising measurement completeness
3Measurement precision
If grip sensor is used to detect blockage, then blockage detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and power consumption are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the RF chain serve multiple functions: it performs both normal communication signal transmission/reception and blockage detection. By utilizing the existing RF chain infrastructure for dual purposes through transmission/reception state switching, the system achieves accurate blockage detection without adding grip sensors or other dedicated detection hardware, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the RF chain to self-detect blockage conditions by monitoring its own transmission and reception states. The system switches RF chains between transmit and receive modes and analyzes signal characteristics to autonomously identify blockages, eliminating the need for external grip sensors and reducing both device complexity and power consumption while maintaining detection accuracy
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an electronic device which includes an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements and a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit and/or receive a signal having a frequency in a range of 3 GHz to 300 GHz. The wireless communication circuit includes a plurality of pairs of transmit and receive paths. The wireless communication circuit is configured to allow a first pair of the plurality of pairs to use the transmit path of the first pair and a second pair of the plurality of pairs to use the receive path of the second pair, to transmit a first signal using the transmit path of the first pair, to monitor the receive path of the second pair, and to determine whether the first signal is at least partially blocked, based at least in part on a result of monitoring the receive path.