SDMA Beam Sets with Orthogonal Resources

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Solution Overview

Problem

Space-division multiple access (SDMA) wireless communication systems face challenges in providing reliable service due to weak coverage areas and increased interference caused by overlapping beams, which limit system capacity and user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing beamforming across multiple omni-directional antennas to create complementary beam sets with substantially orthogonal resources, such as time, frequency, or code, to enhance coverage without increasing interference, by transitioning communication links between beam sets based on signal quality metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If beamforming or directional antenna patterns are utilized in SDMA systems, then system capacity and spatial separation are improved, but weak coverage areas between beams and increased interference due to overlapping beams occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidcoverage reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the coverage area into multiple beam sets, where each beam set covers a specific spatial region. By dividing the overall coverage into discrete beam segments, the system can manage interference and coverage more effectively, ensuring that each segment provides reliable service without causing excessive overlap with adjacent segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an additional dimension of resource allocation by assigning orthogonal resources (time, frequency, or code) to different beam sets. This transforms the problem from purely spatial resource management to a multi-dimensional resource allocation problem, allowing beams to be separated not only in space but also in time, frequency, or code domains, thereby reducing interference while maintaining coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If overlapping beams are used to provide complete coverage, then coverage area is improved, but interference between beams increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidinterference
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Orthogonal resources serve as an intermediary mechanism between overlapping beams. By introducing time, frequency, or code orthogonalization as a mediating layer, the system allows beams to overlap in space while maintaining separation in the orthogonal resource domain, thus achieving complete coverage without excessive interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of beam transmission by assigning different orthogonal resources (time slots, frequency bands, or codes) to different beam sets. This parameter differentiation allows beams to coexist in the same spatial region without interfering with each other, as they operate on different orthogonal parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If orthogonal resources are assigned to beam sets, then interference is reduced, but resource allocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinterferenceVSAvoidresource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The orthogonal resource allocation mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it separates beams in the spatial domain, manages interference between overlapping beams, and provides a systematic framework for resource allocation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate interference management mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2334112B1Orthogonal resource reuse with SDMA beams
Publication Date: 2013.01.09 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2334112B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2334112B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2334112B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A wireless communication system can implement beamforming across multiple omni-directional antennas to create beams at different spatial directions. The communication system can arrange the beams in sets, with each set arranged to provide substantially complete coverage over a predetermined coverage area. The communication system can arrange the multiple SDMA beam sets to support substantially complementary coverage areas, such that a main beam from a first set provides coverage to a weak coverage area of the second beam set. The wireless communication system assigns or otherwise allocates substantially orthogonal resources to each of the beam sets. The wireless communication system allocates resources to a communication link using a combination of beam sets and substantially orthogonal resources in order to provide improved coverage without a corresponding increase in interference.