UE Beamforming Using Geographic Beam Direction Estimation

The patent segments the channel estimation process into two stages: first estimating a small number of dominant propagation paths (e.g., 1-3 paths) to establish initial beam directions, then using these directions to guide subsequent channel estimation. This segmentation reduces the computational complexity of handling all antenna elements simultaneously while maintaining the benefits of multiple antennas for high transmission rates.

The patent applies partial action by estimating only the most significant propagation paths rather than attempting to estimate all possible paths. By identifying and processing only the dominant paths that contribute most to the received signal, the system achieves effective beamforming with reduced complexity, avoiding the need to process every antenna element's full channel state information.

The channel estimation process is divided into stages: first estimating dominant propagation paths to establish initial beam directions, then using these directions to guide subsequent channel estimation for more precise beamforming. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both reliable beamforming capability and accurate channel estimation by breaking down the complex estimation task into manageable steps.

The patent performs preliminary channel estimation to identify dominant propagation paths and establish initial beam directions before conducting the main channel estimation process. This preliminary action provides a foundation that improves the accuracy of subsequent beamforming operations, allowing the system to achieve better channel estimation performance with the same number of antennas.