Steerable Narrow Beam Antenna Frame Structure for Wireless Signal Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
High data rate millimeter wave wireless communication systems face challenges with multi-path fading and complex signal processing due to the use of wide beam antennas, leading to severe inter-symbol interference and high power consumption in existing solutions like channel equalizers and OFDM techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize steerable narrow beam antennas with a new frame structure, including a first and second preamble section in each frame, to estimate channel quality and dynamically adjust the number of frames with different preamble sections based on detected channel quality and movement, reducing overhead and processing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If wide beam antennas are used to reach multiple receivers or unknown locations, then coverage area is improved, but multi-path fading and inter-symbol interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic beam steering by switching between multiple narrow beam antennas to track and follow mobile receivers. The system dynamically adjusts the beam direction based on receiver movement, maintaining reliable communication while using focused narrow beams that avoid multi-path fading issues associated with wide beam antennas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the beam width parameter by using narrow beams for data transmission to minimize multi-path effects, while still achieving wide coverage through temporal switching between multiple directional beams. This parameter change from static wide beam to dynamic narrow beam switching resolves the contradiction between coverage area and signal quality.
2Reliability
If channel equalizer or OFDM techniques are used to combat multi-path fading, then signal quality is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex channel equalization and OFDM processing by using narrow beam antennas that inherently avoid multi-path fading. By removing the cause of multi-path interference through directional focusing, the system takes out the requirement for complex signal processing circuits, thereby reducing device complexity and power consumption while maintaining signal quality.
3Reliability
If narrow beam antennas are used for high data rate transmission, then inter-symbol interference is reduced, but beam steering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the omnidirectional coverage into multiple discrete narrow beam directions, each handled by a separate antenna element. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high data rate transmission with reduced inter-symbol interference while managing beam steering complexity through structured antenna arrays and systematic beam switching patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna array system serves multiple functions: it provides directional narrow beams for high-rate transmission, enables beam steering to track mobile receivers, and maintains coverage of multiple spatial zones. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining what would otherwise require separate subsystems into a single integrated antenna array with systematic beam control.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting signals in a wireless communication system, in which signals are transmitted from a first communication device to a second communication device, said signals being transmitted in consecutive frames, each frame having a preamble section including preamble information, at least one of said first and said second communication devices having a narrow beam antenna which is adapted to be steered to different positions, each of said different positions corresponding to one of a number of different transmissions paths from said to said second communication device, including the steps of transmitting and receiving a first preamble section including preamble information enabling the estimation of a channel quality of a current transmission path, while said narrow beam antenna is in a current position corresponding to said current transmission path, steering said narrow beam antenna from said current position to a different position corresponding to a candidate transmission path, and transmitting and receiving a second preamble section including preamble information enabling the estimation of a channel quality of said candidate transmission path while said narrow beam antenna is in said different position. The present invention further relates to a corresponding transmission device as well as a receiving device.