Wireless Repeater Beam Prediction for Lower Signaling Overhead

Solution Overview

Problem

The use of repeater devices in wireless communication systems increases signaling overhead and latency due to frequent beam management procedures, which can reduce data throughput and increase data transfer delays.

Innovation Solution

A repeater device employs a prediction algorithm to predict a second beam based on network operating conditions, reducing the need for iterative beam management procedures and minimizing signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If frequent beam management procedures are performed at the repeater device, then beam alignment accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead increases and data throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam alignment accuracyVSAvoiddata throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The repeater device performs beam prediction in advance based on historical beam measurement data and current channel conditions. This preliminary action allows the device to proactively determine optimal beam directions before actual communication occurs, reducing the need for frequent iterative beam management procedures and thereby decreasing signaling overhead while maintaining accurate beam alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If iterative beam management procedures are performed frequently, then beam alignment accuracy is improved, but data transfer latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam alignment accuracyVSAvoiddata transfer latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The repeater device performs beam prediction in advance based on historical beam measurement data and current channel conditions. This preliminary action allows the device to proactively determine optimal beam directions before actual communication occurs, reducing the need for frequent iterative beam management procedures and thereby decreasing signaling overhead while maintaining accurate beam alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If beam sweeps and measurement metric transmissions are performed frequently, then beam management accuracy is improved, but air interface resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam management accuracyVSAvoidair interface resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The repeater device autonomously performs beam prediction using its own historical measurement data and channel condition information without requiring extensive network coordination. This self-service capability reduces the need for repeated beam sweeps and measurement metric transmissions to the network, thereby decreasing air interface resource consumption while maintaining accurate beam management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250220451A1Beam prediction at a repeater device

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a repeater device may communicate with a user equipment (UE) using a first beam, the communicating comprising relaying an access link communication between the UE and a network node. The repeater device may use a second beam that is predicted by the repeater device to communicate with the UE, the second beam being based at least in part on a network operating condition. Numerous other aspects are described.