Sidelink Resource Selection Using Geo-Location Beamforming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication technologies, such as LTE and NR, face challenges in achieving accurate vehicle positioning, especially in urban environments where satellite signals are blocked, and struggle to efficiently manage sidelink communication using directional antennas for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications, leading to suboptimal beamforming and increased latency.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of directional antennas with adaptive antenna arrays and geo-location based beamforming techniques for sidelink communication, allowing for precise beam management and resource allocation, enabling efficient sidelink ranging and positioning protocols between vehicles and infrastructure units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If directional antennas with adaptive antenna arrays are used for sidelink communication, then beamforming gains and communication efficiency are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of detecting and measuring increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring beam directions and resource pools based on geo-location information before actual communication occurs. The system pre-determines which beams should be activated and which time-frequency resources should be allocated based on the known geographical positions of communicating devices, eliminating the need for complex real-time beam selection and reducing measurement overhead during active communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If geo-location based beamforming is implemented, then positioning accuracy is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs beamforming configuration and resource allocation in advance based on pre-known geo-location data, rather than performing these operations in real-time during communication. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for time-consuming beam measurement and selection processes during active transmission, thereby achieving high positioning accuracy without introducing additional latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Power

If beamforming is used to compensate propagation loss, then received signal power is improved, but loss of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceived signal powerVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-configuring the optimal beamforming weights and directions based on geo-location information before communication begins. This eliminates the need for continuous real-time beam adjustment and measurement during transmission, significantly reducing the energy consumption associated with adaptive beamforming operations while maintaining high received signal power through the pre-optimized beam configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances vehicle positioning accuracy, reduces latency, and optimizes sidelink communication by ensuring proper beamforming gains, even in challenging environments, thereby improving safety and coordination in V2X communications.

Implementation Method 1

Terminals can be equipped with omni and directional antennas or adaptive antenna arrays with spatial beamforming capabilities to operate in low (e.g. below 6 GHz) and high bands (above 6 GHz)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpatial beamforming:

Implementation Method 2

A type of mobile communication includes vehicle communication, where vehicles communicate or exchange vehicle related information

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation:

Data Source

PatentEP3669557B1Selecting resources for sidelink communication based on geo-location information
Publication Date: 2024.12.25 APPLE INC
  • EP3669557B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3669557B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3669557B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A user equipment (UE) or network device such as a Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) node, or V2X device operates to configure sidelink signals with another vehicle or node with resources that can be used for ranging and sidelink communications within a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network or a New Radio (NR) network. The UE / device generate or process a broadcast communication of the sidelink signal via an adaptive antenna array or a directional antenna array and forming a directional radiation pattern from a beam sweeping operation based on geo-location information determined based on a sidelink signal. Depending on the geo-location information coordinates or the position of other vehicles or nodes can be derived to select or configure resources for a sidelink communication, including a Sidelink Ranging Reference Signal (SR-RS) and associated sidelink communication data.