Virtual Sectorization in Antenna Arrays for 3G to 4G Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from 3G TD-SCDMA to 4G LTE systems is challenging due to the need for exchanging physical antennas, which is costly and complicates mobility management and quality measurements, especially when supporting more than four antennas per sector.
Innovation Solution
The method involves splitting existing physical sectors with more than four antennas into virtual sectors, allowing the reuse of existing antenna elements and mapping these virtual sectors back to the original sectorization, thereby avoiding costly antenna exchanges and improving system capacity and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If physical antennas are exchanged to support more than four antennas per sector in 4G LTE, then system capacity and antenna elements are increased, but transition cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of antenna sectors through signal processing. Instead of physically installing more antennas, the system generates virtual sector representations that behave as if additional physical antennas were present, allowing 4G LTE to support more than four antenna elements per sector while reusing existing 3G TD-SCDMA hardware infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sectorization parameter from a fixed physical configuration to a dynamically adjustable virtual configuration. By modifying the sectorization order parameter in software/firmware, the system can support higher antenna element counts without physical hardware changes, enabling smooth transition from 3G to 4G
2Productivity
If physical antennas are exchanged to support more than four antennas per sector, then system capacity is increased, but labor cost and hardware cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of antenna sectors through signal processing. Instead of physically installing more antennas, the system generates virtual sector representations that behave as if additional physical antennas were present, allowing 4G LTE to support more than four antenna elements per sector while reusing existing 3G TD-SCDMA hardware infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the existing antenna hardware universal by enabling it to serve both 3G TD-SCDMA and 4G LTE functions simultaneously. The same physical antennas can be configured for different sectorization orders depending on the operating mode, eliminating the need for separate hardware installations for different generations
3Quantity of substance
If more than four antennas per sector are supported using antenna common pilots, then system capacity is increased, but mobility management and quality measurements are complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single physical sector into multiple virtual sectors, each with its own reference signal resources. This segmentation allows the system to manage mobility and quality measurements for each virtual sector independently, simplifying the overall management complexity even though multiple antenna elements are supported
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for increasing a sectorization order in a first sector of an antenna array (120). The object is achieved by a method in a network node (130). The network node (130) and antenna array (120) are comprised in a wireless communication system (100). The antenna array (120) is deployed with a first sectorization. The network node (130) comprises a first number of signal connections (301-308). Each signal connection (301-308) is adapted to transmit and receive signals. The method comprises the step splitting (601) the first number of connections (301-308) into a number of groups (321- 322). Each one of the respective connection groups (321-322) corresponds to one respective virtual sector (411, 412) resulting in a number of virtual sectors (411-412). The method further comprises the step of mapping (603) the number of virtual sectors (411-412) to the first sector (410), such that the first sector (410) is split into the number of virtual sectors (411-412).