Sidelink Rank Augmentation for Wireless MIMO Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices with highly correlated antennas due to their form factor often experience limited throughput in communications with other devices, and existing technologies struggle to effectively augment channel ranks using sidelink and companion devices.
Innovation Solution
Establishing a sidelink between user equipment (UE) and companion devices to enable a second channel rank for communications between the UE and a network entity, where the second channel rank is greater than the first channel rank, by transferring samples or performing radio frequency adjustments on MIMO signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If antennas are placed close together in compact wireless devices, then device portability is improved, but antenna correlation increases and channel rank is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the antenna array from a single device to multiple devices connected via sidelink. By adding the spatial dimension of inter-device separation, the system achieves higher channel rank without increasing the physical size of individual devices. The companion device's antennas are separated from the UE's antennas by the distance between devices, creating sufficient spatial diversity.
Solution Approach 2:
The companion device acts as an intermediary that provides additional antenna elements to the UE's MIMO system. Through sidelink communication, the companion device transmits and receives signals that are combined with the UE's own signals, effectively augmenting the channel rank without requiring the UE to have more antennas.
2Productivity
If more antennas are added to increase channel rank, then communication throughput is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The MIMO antenna system is segmented between two devices - the UE and the companion device. Each device maintains its own antenna configuration and processing, while the combined system achieves higher channel rank. This segmentation allows each device to remain compact while the distributed system provides enhanced throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The companion device serves multiple functions: it acts as a wireless communication device for its own purposes, and simultaneously functions as an antenna array extension for the UE's MIMO system. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve higher throughput without adding dedicated MIMO hardware to the UE.
3Reliability
If signal samples are transmitted over sidelink for rank augmentation, then channel rank is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The companion device creates copies of the MIMO signals received from the network, either as full signal samples or as processed representations. These copies are transmitted over the sidelink to the UE, where they are combined with the original signals to achieve rank augmentation. This copying approach simplifies the processing compared to direct antenna element sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The described techniques provide for a user equipment (UE) to establish, with a wireless device (e.g., a companion device), a sidelink that is configured to enable a second channel rank for communications between the UE and a network entity. In some cases, the UE may support a first channel rank for communications between the UE and the network entity, and the second channel rank may be greater than the first channel rank. The UE may communicate, via an access link with the network entity, one or more multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) signals intended for communications between the UE and the network entity utilizing the second channel rank. In some examples, the UE may communicate, via the sidelink with the wireless device, one or more second signals based on the one or more first MIMO signals.