Wireless Device Signal Direction Determination Using Multiple Receive Beams

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in determining signal direction and interference using multiple receive beams, leading to increased latency and redundancy during beam refinement processes.

Innovation Solution

Wireless devices, such as UEs and base stations, utilize signal strength measurements across multiple receive beams to determine signal direction and identify noise levels, distinguishing between white noise and interference, and adjust communication procedures accordingly, thereby selecting optimal beams for communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beam refinement procedure is implemented by iterating through multiple beams to determine the best beam, then reliable beam selection is achieved, but latency and signaling overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam selection reliabilityVSAvoidbeam refinement latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing signal direction determination and noise type identification before final beam selection. The wireless device measures signal strength and noise characteristics across multiple receive beams in advance, determines the signal direction and noise type, then uses this pre-analyzed information to directly select the optimal beam without exhaustive iteration, thereby reducing beam refinement latency while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and utilizes specific key parameters (signal strength, noise level, signal direction) from the multiple beam measurements to make beam selection decisions. Instead of evaluating all beam parameters exhaustively, the device extracts the most critical information (direction and noise type) to guide beam selection, reducing the complexity and time required for beam refinement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If multiple receive beams are used for signal reception and measurement, then signal direction and interference identification accuracy improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal direction determination accuracyVSAvoidmulti-beam processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and focuses on specific key parameters (signal strength, noise level, signal direction) from multiple beam measurements rather than processing all possible beam parameters. By identifying and measuring only the critical characteristics needed for direction determination and noise classification, the device achieves high measurement precision while managing processing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the beam measurement process into distinct functional stages: signal strength measurement, noise level measurement, signal direction determination, and noise type identification. This segmentation allows the device to systematically process multi-beam information in manageable steps, improving measurement precision through structured analysis while keeping device complexity可控 through modular processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3747138B1Determining signal direction using multiple receive beams
Publication Date: 2023.02.22 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3747138B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3747138B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3747138B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some wireless communications systems, wireless devices (e.g., user equipment (UEs) and base stations) may communicate using beamformed transmissions. If a wireless device receives a transmission over multiple receive beams, the device may utilize signal measurements over the beams to determine a signal direction, a type of noise associated with the transmission, or both. The device may determine a signal direction based on received signal strength measurements over at least two receive beams and may select a beam for communication based on the determined signal direction. Additionally or alternatively, the device may compare noise measurements for the signal over at least two receive beams and may determine whether the noise corresponds to interference or white noise. The device may detect the direction of an interferer and may modify reception or demodulation based on the type of noise detected.