Wireless Communication Beam Alignment for Clear Channel Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems using unlicensed frequency bands, existing Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) methods, such as Listen Before Talk (LBT), are inadequate for NR systems operating in high frequency bands (mm-band) because they cannot accurately determine the direction of signal energy, leading to potential interference and inefficient beam usage.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device and method for wireless communication that enables a clear channel assessment at the user equipment side using a corresponding reception beam for the transmission beam of a downlink signal from a base station, thereby providing a more accurate channel assessment and improving transmission efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a reception beam with wider spatial coverage is used for clear channel assessment, then the assessment can be performed with simpler beam configuration, but the ability to determine signal direction and improve transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by switching from a wide-beam reception configuration to a narrow-beam reception configuration that matches the transmission beam's spatial coverage. This allows the clear channel assessment to focus on a specific directional area, thereby improving signal direction determination accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through automated beam alignment based on indication information.
2Power
If beamforming is used to concentrate transmission power, then path loss prevention is improved, but the ability to accurately assess channel state at user equipment side deteriorates due to spatial distance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the base station perform clear channel assessment using wide beams and then try to infer channel state at the user equipment side (which fails due to spatial distance and beamforming), the patent inverts the approach by having the user equipment perform the clear channel assessment using a narrow beam that corresponds to the transmission beam. This direct measurement at the receiving end eliminates the inference problem and accurately reflects the actual channel state despite beamforming and spatial distance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wider spatial coverage reception beam is used for LBT, then compatibility with existing FR1 technology is maintained, but beam utilization efficiency and communication opportunity detection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the reception beam's spatial coverage parameter from wide (FR1 style) to narrow (mmWave style) based on the operating frequency band and beamforming configuration. The system automatically adjusts the reception beam parameters to match the transmission beam characteristics, thereby improving beam utilization efficiency and communication opportunity detection while maintaining the ability to handle different frequency bands through configurable parameter adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an electronic device and a method for wireless communication, and a computer-readable storage medium. The electronic device comprises a processing circuit configured to: provide indication information to user equipment, the indication information being used to indicate a transmission beam used by the electronic device to transmit a downlink signal to the user equipment; and control transmission of the downlink signal according to the result of a first clear channel assessment performed by the user equipment using, on the basis of the indication information, a corresponding receiving beam. According to at least one aspect of embodiments of the present disclosure, for a transmission beam used by a base station to transmit downlink signals, user equipment uses a corresponding receiving beam to perform a clear channel assessment, so as to accurately determine whether the transmission beam can be used to transmit downlink signals to the user equipment.