Virtual QCL Beam Management for Low-Overhead 5G NR Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved beam management in 5G NR wireless communication systems to enhance communication efficiency and reliability, particularly in identifying virtual beams for user equipment (UE) and network nodes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves receiving and transmitting information related to virtual quasi-colocation (QCL) resources and beamforming parameters based on the shape and direction of physical beams, allowing for the application of beamforming parameters to improve communication between UE and network nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beam management procedures are implemented to identify virtual beams for UE and network nodes, then communication efficiency and reliability are improved, but system complexity increases due to additional beamforming parameter management and virtual QCL resource configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring virtual QCL resources and beamforming parameters before actual beam management is needed. The network node provides information indicating virtual QCL resources corresponding to beams that are excluded from the subset of beams used for reference signal transmission. This advance preparation allows the UE to quickly determine beamforming parameters without real-time computation, improving reliability while managing complexity through pre-computation.
2Reliability
If reference signals are transmitted on all beams in the set, then complete beam coverage is achieved, but signal overhead and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary subset of beams for reference signal transmission instead of transmitting on all beams. Specifically, reference signals are transmitted only on a subset of beams from the set of beams, while information indicating virtual QCL resources corresponding to excluded beams is provided to the UE. This allows the UE to infer beamforming parameters for excluded beams through the virtual QCL relationship, achieving complete beam coverage without the energy cost of transmitting reference signals on all beams.
3Measurement precision
If beamforming parameters are determined for each individual beam, then precise beam control is achieved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a single virtual QCL resource to represent multiple excluded beams, allowing the UE to determine beamforming parameters for multiple beams through a single reference signal measurement. The virtual QCL resource serves as a universal reference that provides beamforming parameters applicable to multiple beams, reducing processing time while maintaining precision through the QCL relationship that preserves spatial characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A UE may receive, from a network node, information indicating at least one virtual QCL resource corresponding to at least one beam of a set of beams. The at least one beam may be excluded from a subset of beams of the set of beams via which a set of reference signals is respectively received. The UE may determine at least one parameter of the set of beamforming parameters based on at least one of a shape of a first beam of the subset of beams via which a first RS of the set of RSs is received or a direction of the first beam. The UE may apply the set of beamforming parameters associated with the at least one beam based on the at least one virtual QCL resource and receiving the first RS of the set of RSs via the first beam of the subset of beams.