Terminal Device Beam Configuration for Reduced Pairing Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

In current wireless communications systems, particularly in NR (New Radio), the pairing of transmit and receive beams is inefficient due to the lack of a reliable method for establishing a spatial quasi-co-location (QCL) relationship between antenna ports, leading to increased beam pairing time and potential data transmission delays.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that allow a terminal device to configure a receive beam based on a spatial QCL relationship with a transmit beam, without measuring or reporting certain beams within a prestored time length, using configuration information from the network device, such as a TCI state table, to establish a consistent spatial reception parameter for beam pairing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the terminal device measures beams and reports measurement results before receiving the transmit beam, then the beam pairing accuracy can be improved, but the beam pairing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam pairing accuracyVSAvoidbeam pairing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device performs beam measurement and reporting in advance before receiving the transmit beam configuration. This preliminary action ensures that when the transmit beam is configured, the terminal already has measurement results available, enabling faster beam pairing while maintaining accuracy through pre-performed measurements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the beam pairing process by allowing the terminal to either use pre-measured beams or perform new measurements based on the timing and configuration requirements. This dynamic approach optimizes the balance between measurement accuracy and pairing speed according to actual system conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the terminal device performs comprehensive beam measurement and reporting, then the spatial QCL relationship accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial QCL relationship accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement and reporting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and focuses on the essential spatial QCL relationship measurements rather than requiring comprehensive beam measurements across all parameters. By identifying and measuring only the critical spatial relationship elements, the system achieves accurate beam pairing with reduced measurement complexity and lower device processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement framework is designed to be universal, where the same measurement procedures and reporting mechanisms serve multiple purposes including spatial QCL relationship determination, beam pairing, and channel state information acquisition. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by avoiding separate dedicated measurement systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3731431B1Beam configuration method and device
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3731431B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP3731431B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~1c
  • EP3731431B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

This application discloses a beam configuration method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, a first beam from a network device, where an identifier of a reference signal sent on the first beam is a first identifier; and configuring, by the terminal device based on a spatial reception parameter configured after a second beam corresponding to the first identifier is measured or reported last time, a receive beam corresponding to the first beam. This application is implemented, so that a beam pairing time can be reduced, and a data transmission delay can be reduced.