Optimizing scanning beam penetration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023361849-A1
Application number	US-202318311353-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 3, 2023
Priority date	May 6, 2022
Publication date	Nov 9, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Beamforming methods and systems include determining a tradeoff curve between scanning beamwidth and transmission beamwidth based on a channel distribution for a base station. A set of scanning beams is selected based on the tradeoff curve. Devices around the base station are scanned for using the set of scanning beams. A set of transmission beams is selected for communications with the devices based on information received during the scanning. The set of transmission beams are used for transmission with a beamforming transmitter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A beamforming method, comprising:
determining a tradeoff curve between scanning beamwidth and transmission beamwidth based on a channel distribution for a base station; selecting a set of scanning beams based on the tradeoff curve; scanning for devices around the base station using the set of scanning beams; selecting a set of transmission beams for communications with the devices based on information received during the scanning; and transmitting using the set of transmission beams with a beamforming transmitter.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the tradeoff curve includes determining an initial tradeoff curve based on a uniform channel distribution.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an updated tradeoff curve based on a new channel distribution that accounts for the information received during the scanning.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising repeating the selection of the set of scanning beams, the scanning, the selection of the set of transmission beams, and the communicating based on the updated tradeoff curve.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the new channel distribution is selected from the group consisting of a piecewise uniform distribution and cut-normal distribution.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of scanning beams includes a tulip design, such that each scanning beam overlaps with two neighboring scanning beams.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the tradeoff curve includes a recursive process that stops responsive to reaching a level of recursion where a number of tested beam patterns equals 2b 2 +b, where b is a number of scanning time slots.

8 . A beamforming control, comprising:
a hardware processor; and a memory that stores a computer program which, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the hardware processor to:
determine a tradeoff curve between scanning beamwidth and transmission beamwidth based on a channel distribution for a base station;
select a set of scanning beams based on the tradeoff curve;
scan for devices around the base station using the set of scanning beams; and
select a set of transmission beams for communications with the devices based on information received during the scan.

9 . The beamforming control of claim 8 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine an initial tradeoff curve based on a uniform channel distribution.

10 . The beamforming control of claim 8 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine an updated tradeoff curve based on a new channel distribution that accounts for the information received during the scanning.

11 . The beamforming control of claim 10 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to repeat the selection of the set of scanning beams, the scan, and the selection of the set of transmission beams based on the updated tradeoff curve.

12 . The beamforming control of claim 10 , wherein the new channel distribution is selected from the group consisting of a piecewise uniform distribution and cut-normal distribution.

13 . The beamforming control of claim 8 , wherein the set of scanning beams includes a tulip design, such that each scanning beam overlaps with two neighboring scanning beams.

14 . The beamforming control of claim 8 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine the tradeoff curve using a recursive process that stops responsive to reaching a level of recursion where a number of tested beam patterns equals 2b 2 +b, where b is a number of scanning time slots.

15 . A transceiver, comprising:
a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements; a hardware processor; and a memory that stores a computer program which, when executed by the hardware processor, causes the hardware processor to:
determine a tradeoff curve between scanning beamwidth and transmission beamwidth based on a channel distribution for a base station;
select a set of scanning beams based on the tradeoff curve;
scan for devices around the base station using the set of scanning beams;
select a set of transmission beams for communications with the devices based on information received during the scan; and
transmit using the set of transmission beams with the phased array antenna.

16 . The transceiver of claim 15 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine an initial tradeoff curve based on a uniform channel distribution.

17 . The transceiver of claim 15 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine an updated tradeoff curve based on a new channel distribution that accounts for the information received during the scanning.

18 . The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to repeat the selection of the set of scanning beams, the scan, and the selection of the set of transmission beams based on the updated tradeoff curve.

19 . The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the new channel distribution is selected from the group consisting of a piecewise uniform distribution and cut-normal distribution.

20 . The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the computer program further causes the hardware processor to determine the tradeoff curve using a recursive process that stops responsive to reaching a level of recursion where a number of tested beam patterns equals 2b 2 +b, where b is a number of scanning time slots.

Assignees

• Nec Lab America Inc

Inventors

• Khojastepour Mohammad
• Torkzaban Nariman

Classifications

• H04B7/06958 Primary

  Multistage beam selection, e.g. beam refinement · CPC title

• H04B7/0639

  Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection · CPC title

• H04B7/0447

  utilizing uniform distribution · CPC title

• H04B7/0495

  using overlapping sectors in the same base station to implement MIMO for antennas · CPC title