Two-Stage Beam Training for Base Station Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beam training methods in communication technology face a challenge in balancing overhead and precision, particularly in analog and digital-analog hybrid beamforming systems, where achieving high precision often comes at the cost of increased overhead, and vice versa.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage beam training method is introduced, where a base station transmits and receives beam training signals to determine a target downlink transmission beam based on recommended beam-related information from a user equipment (UE), allowing for a switching operation to achieve high precision with reduced overhead by selecting the most suitable beam from multiple sets of beamforming weight values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional beam training methods are used to achieve high precision in beam selection, then measurement precision is improved, but overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the beam training process into two distinct stages: a first stage that performs comprehensive beam measurement and selection, and a second stage that performs refined beam measurement and selection. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high precision in the final beam selection while limiting the total overhead by distributing measurements across two stages rather than requiring all measurements in a single comprehensive stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The first stage of beam training serves as a preliminary action that identifies candidate beams and narrows down the search space. By performing preliminary measurements and selections in the first stage, the system reduces the number of beams that need to be measured in the second stage, thereby reducing the overall overhead while maintaining high precision in the final beam selection.
2Reliability
If more beam training signals are transmitted to improve beam selection accuracy, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to extended training duration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the beam training process into two time-separated stages, where the first stage performs initial beam measurements and selections, and the second stage performs refined measurements. This segmentation in time allows the system to achieve high reliability through comprehensive measurements while managing the total training duration by distributing measurements across different time periods rather than requiring all measurements simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The first stage performs preliminary beam measurements and identifies candidate beams before the second stage. This preliminary action reduces the number of beams that need to be measured in detail in the second stage, thereby achieving high beam selection accuracy while reducing the total time required for complete beam training.
3Device complexity
If analog beamforming is used to reduce device size and power consumption, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates compared to full digital beamforming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation to the beam training process, which compensates for the limitations of analog beamforming. By dividing beam training into two stages with different measurement objectives, the system can achieve sufficient measurement precision for beam selection using analog beamforming, while the segmented approach ensures that the most critical measurements are performed with adequate accuracy despite the analog architecture's inherent limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs multiple rounds of beam measurements and selections across two stages, which can be viewed as partial or excessive action. Instead of relying on a single comprehensive measurement that would require full digital beamforming, the system performs multiple simpler measurements using analog beamforming, accumulating sufficient precision through repeated measurements while maintaining lower device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a beam processing method, a base station and a mobile terminal. The beam processing method for use in the base station includes: transmitting a first downlink transmission beam training signal to a UE, and receiving first recommended beam-related information reported by the UE in accordance with the first downlink transmission beam training signal; transmitting a second downlink transmission beam training signal to the UE, and receiving second recommended beam-related information reported by the UE in accordance with the second downlink transmission beam training signal; determining a target downlink transmission beam in accordance with the first recommended beam-related information and the second recommended beam-related information; and performing a switching operation on one or more currently-adopted valid downlink transmission beams in accordance with the target downlink transmission beam.