User Equipment Antenna Panel Switching for Seamless Beam Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
User equipment with multiple antenna panels experiences communication performance degradation due to temporary communication failures during antenna panel changes, as existing methods cannot simultaneously utilize all panels, leading to gaps in communication.
Innovation Solution
The user equipment is configured with a controller to perform uplink panel changes by turning on a second antenna panel to change the transmission beam of a first panel that is off, based on uplink panel change-related signaling, thereby minimizing communication gaps during panel switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If antenna panel switching is performed to change transmission beams, then beam diversity and coverage are improved, but communication gaps and performance degradation occur during panel transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by configuring multiple antenna panels in advance and pre-establishing panel association relationships with transmission beams. When panel switching is needed, the target panel is already configured and ready, eliminating the communication gap that would occur if panels had to be activated on-demand during transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism through panel association relationships that link antenna panels with transmission beams. This intermediary structure allows for smooth transitions by maintaining continuous beam coverage during panel switching, as the association relationship enables seamless handover between panels without direct exposure of the switching gap.
2Reliability
If multiple antenna panels are configured for beam management, then communication coverage and reliability are improved, but device complexity and panel management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the antenna system into multiple independent panels, each capable of forming transmission beams. This segmentation allows for modular management where each panel can be controlled independently, reducing the overall management complexity compared to managing a single large antenna array, while improving reliability through diversity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal panel association relationships that can be applied across different transmission scenarios and beam configurations. This multi-functional association mechanism works for various panel switching cases, unified beam management, and different communication modes, reducing the need for separate management procedures for each scenario.
Data Source
AI summary
User equipment configured to communicate with a device includes a first antenna panel, a second antenna panel, and a controller configured to control the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel, wherein the controller is configured to perform an uplink panel change for turning on the second antenna panel to change a first transmission beam of the first antenna panel, which is on, to a second transmission beam of the second antenna panel, which is off, according to uplink panel change-related signaling with the device.