Segmented Antenna Array Control for Multi-User MIMO Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna array control methods in wireless communication systems, particularly for 5G cellular networks, face challenges in flexibility and bandwidth efficiency, especially in millimeter wave frequencies, leading to cumbersome power amplifier requirements and limited user capacity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves controlling an antenna array with multiple controllable sections and antenna ports, dynamically configuring transceiver circuitry based on scenarios defined by user requirements, path loss, peak rate, and traffic capacity, allowing for flexible allocation of sections, data layers, and bandwidth to optimize performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the complete antenna array is phase controlled to have maximum antenna gain in one specific direction (analog beamforming), then the antenna gain in a specific direction is improved, but the bandwidth that can be supported is limited to one user or a limited number of users in the same geographical area
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple controllable sections, where each section can be independently phase-controlled to form separate beams. This segmentation allows the system to serve multiple users simultaneously by directing different sections toward different users, thereby increasing user capacity while maintaining adequate antenna gain for each user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically configures the phase control parameters of different antenna sections based on real-time channel conditions and user requirements. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to optimize antenna gain for each user while supporting multiple users concurrently, resolving the contradiction between maximizing gain and increasing user capacity.
2Reliability
If digital pre-distortion is applied to improve power amplifier efficiency, then the linearization performance is improved, but the bandwidth requirement for the linearization signal becomes at least three times the bandwidth of the actual signal
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple controllable sections, allowing the system to allocate different bandwidth resources to different sections. This segmentation enables the application of digital pre-distortion with reduced bandwidth requirements for each section, as the total bandwidth is distributed across multiple narrower-band channels rather than requiring a single wideband linearization signal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-wideband approach to a multi-section approach, effectively adding a spatial dimension to the bandwidth management. By distributing the signal across multiple antenna sections with different bandwidth allocations, the system achieves linearization performance while reducing the peak bandwidth requirement for any single linearization path.
3Speed
If the antenna array is configured to support large bandwidth (several GHz) for millimeter wave frequencies, then the data rate capability is improved, but the power amplifier efficiency decreases and the system becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple controllable sections that can operate with different bandwidth allocations. This segmentation allows the system to distribute large total bandwidth across multiple narrower-band channels, maintaining high data rate capability while improving power amplifier efficiency in each channel, as PAs operate more efficiently at lower bandwidths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the bandwidth allocation and power distribution across different antenna sections based on traffic demands and channel conditions. This dynamic configuration enables the system to achieve high data rates when needed while maintaining power amplifier efficiency by operating multiple narrower-band channels simultaneously rather than forcing a single wideband channel.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is disclosed for controlling operations of an antenna array comprising two or more controllable sections and antenna ports connected to transceiver circuitry. The method comprises determining a scenario of transmission or reception by the antenna array, and configuring the transceiver circuitry responsive to the determined scenario. The scenario is defined in terms of a requirement for a number of users intended as receivers or transmitters, respectively, of the transmission or reception and in terms of one or more of: a path loss requirement, a peak rate requirement, and a traffic capacity requirement. The configuration comprises, for the transmission or reception, one or more of: allocating a number of sections of the two or more sections of the antenna array and determining a subdivision of the allocated sections, determining a number of information data layers for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) application, and allocating a bandwidth. Corresponding arrangement, network node, wireless communication device and computer program product are also disclosed.