5G NR Beam Refinement via UE-Initiated Measurement Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G New Radio (5G NR) beam management procedures lack efficient mechanisms for user equipment (UE) to autonomously initiate beam quality measurement and refinement procedures, leading to suboptimal beam selection and increased resource consumption due to reliance on base station-initiated trials.
Innovation Solution
User equipment (UE) is configured to request and perform beam quality measurement procedures, including transmitting requests via physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or medium access control (MAC) control elements, with options for scheduling to minimize CSI-RS overhead and align with downlink data transmission, allowing for concurrent data reception and beam refinement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If base station-initiated beam management procedures are used, then beam management can be performed, but resource consumption increases and system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional base station-initiated beam management approach by enabling user equipment to autonomously initiate beam quality measurement procedures. The UE monitors downlink beam quality metrics and independently triggers beam refinement when quality degrades, eliminating the need for continuous base station-initiated trials and reducing overall system resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The user equipment performs self-service beam management by autonomously monitoring beam quality, detecting degradation conditions, and initiating beam refinement procedures without requiring base station intervention. The UE maintains beam quality within acceptable thresholds through self-directed measurements and corrections, improving system efficiency while reducing network resource usage.
2Productivity
If autonomous UE-initiated beam quality measurement is implemented, then system efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the user equipment pre-configure beam quality measurement parameters, thresholds, and procedures during initial network setup. The UE receives and stores beam quality thresholds, measurement configurations, and refinement procedures in advance, enabling autonomous operation without real-time base station guidance while limiting complexity to pre-configured parameters.
3Measurement precision
If beam quality measurement procedures are performed, then beam selection accuracy improves, but CSI-RS overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the user equipment perform beam quality measurements only when necessary, based on monitored conditions and predefined thresholds. Instead of continuous measurements, the UE triggers beam quality assessment only when beam quality degradation is detected or periodically when configured, reducing CSI-RS overhead while maintaining adequate measurement precision for effective beam management.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for a wireless device to perform methods to implement mechanisms for a UE to request a beam quality measurement procedure. A user equipment device may be configured to perform a method including performing transmitting a request to perform a beam quality measurement procedure for downlink receptions (e.g., a P3 procedure) to a base station/network entity, receiving instructions to perform the beam quality measurement procedure from the base station, and transmitting results of the beam quality measurement procedure to the base station. In some embodiments, transmission of the request may be response to at least one trigger condition and/or detection of a condition at the UE. The request may include an indication of a preferred timing offset. The instructions to perform the beam quality measurement procedure may include a schedule for the beam quality measurement.