Scheduling Request Beam Alignment for 5G Standalone Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In 3GPP LTE systems, the transition to higher frequency bands such as centimeter and millimeter wave frequencies for uplink data transmission in 5G wireless communication faces challenges due to severe atmospheric attenuation, which complicates the scheduling request process in standalone deployment scenarios, where the exact reception beam for scheduling requests is unknown.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a scheduling request procedure that uses a one-to-one association between a beamforming reference signal (BRS) antenna port and the scheduling request transmission resource, allowing the user equipment (UE) to determine and signal the eNodeB transmission and reception beams, enabling reliable communication by aligning the Tx and Rx beams for improved signal-to-noise ratio and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If higher frequency bands (cmWave and mmWave) are used for broader bandwidth communication, then communication bandwidth is improved, but atmospheric attenuation increases due to absorption by oxygen and water vapor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing beamforming reference signal measurements and determining the best reception beam before transmitting the scheduling request. The UE measures BRS from multiple eNodeB transmission beams, identifies the optimal beam pair, and stores this information for use in the subsequent scheduling request transmission, ensuring the signal is sent through the pre-determined best path
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transmission parameters by associating scheduling request resources with specific beamforming reference signal antenna ports in a one-to-one manner. The UE determines the best eNodeB transmission beam and corresponding reception beam based on BRS measurements, then transmits the scheduling request using these selected beams, effectively changing the spatial transmission parameters to overcome atmospheric attenuation
2Reliability
If beamforming reference signal measurements are performed to determine the best eNodeB transmission beam, then communication reliability is improved, but processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs beamforming reference signal measurements and determines the best beam pair in advance, before the scheduling request transmission is needed. The UE measures BRS from multiple eNodeB transmission beams, identifies the optimal beam, and stores this information for immediate use when a scheduling request needs to be sent, eliminating the need for real-time beam selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the beam selection process into distinct phases: BRS measurement phase, best beam determination phase, and scheduling request transmission phase. By separating these operations in time and using the one-to-one association between SR resources and BRS antenna ports, the system reduces the complexity of simultaneous beam selection and request transmission
Data Source
AI summary
Technology for a user equipment (UE) using a self-contained scheduling resource to communicate with an eNodeB within a wireless communication network is disclosed. The UE can select, at the UE, a selected eNodeB transmission (Tx) beam and a selected UE reception (Rx) beam based on a highest power beamforming reference signal (BRS) received power (BRS-RP). The UE can signal a transceiver of the UE to transmit to the eNodeB a scheduling request (SR), using the selected Rx beam, on a scheduling request (SR) resource in a self-contained subframe according to a time and frequency location of the selected eNodeB Tx beam. The UE can process an advanced physical downlink control channel (xPDCCH), received from the eNodeB, for an uplink (UL) grant using the selected UE RX beam.