Uplink Beam Failure Recovery in Full-Duplex Wireless Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

In full-duplex wireless communication systems, uplink beam failures often go undetected due to self-interference and clutter interference, leading to resource wastage and communication disruptions.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for monitoring beam failure trigger conditions on the uplink, detecting uplink beam failures, and triggering an uplink beam failure recovery procedure, which includes transmitting sounding reference signals on different beams to recover the uplink beam and potentially prioritizing downlink beam recovery if both fail simultaneously.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If full-duplex operation is implemented to improve spectral efficiency and capacity, then system throughput is improved, but self-interference and clutter interference cause uplink beam failures to go undetected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem throughputVSAvoidbeam failure detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the beam failure detection process into independent uplink and downlink detection mechanisms. The uplink beam failure detection is separated from downlink operations, allowing dedicated monitoring of uplink beam quality through reference signals without being masked by downlink self-interference or clutter interference that occurs during full-duplex operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces reference signals as intermediary elements that mediate between the uplink transmission and the detection mechanism. These reference signals serve as dedicated carriers for beam quality information, allowing the system to detect uplink beam failures without the interference masking that occurs during simultaneous downlink transmission in full-duplex mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If uplink beam failure recovery procedure is triggered to restore communication, then communication reliability is improved, but network resources are wasted when beam failure is not detected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the detected beam failure information is fed back to the network node. This feedback loop enables the system to distinguish between actual beam failures and interference-induced detection failures, triggering recovery procedures only when genuine failures occur, thus avoiding wasted resources on spurious recovery attempts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical beamforming system with a detection and control system that uses reference signals and failure detection algorithms. This substitution allows the system to identify and recover from beam failures through intelligent detection rather than continuous physical trial-and-error, reducing resource consumption while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If beam failure detection is enhanced to detect all uplink failures, then detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional monitoring mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam failure detection accuracyVSAvoidmonitoring mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the reference signals serve multiple functions: they are used for beam failure detection, beam quality assessment, and communication recovery. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high detection accuracy without adding separate dedicated monitoring mechanisms for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the detection parameter from direct measurement of uplink signal quality (which is masked by interference in full-duplex mode) to measurement of reference signal characteristics. This parameter change enables accurate beam failure detection without requiring complex interference cancellation or signal separation mechanisms, simplifying the monitoring system while improving detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240031835A1Uplink beam failure recovery for full-duplex operation

Publication Date: 2024.01.25 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a wireless node may monitor for a beam failure trigger condition on an uplink; detect, based at least in part on monitoring for the beam failure trigger condition, an uplink beam failure associated with the uplink; and trigger an uplink beam failure recovery procedure based at least in part on detecting the uplink beam failure associated with the uplink. Numerous other aspects are provided.