KR102530503B1 - Method for generating beam book and an electronic device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is for generating a beam book, and an operating method of an electronic device includes an operation of acquiring measurement information about a plurality of antennas in a first direction, and the first direction based on the measurement information. Determining offset values between phase values for each antenna, determining phase values that satisfy the offset values and maximize signal strength in the first direction, and offset values and phase values in the first direction An operation of determining phase values for the second direction based on the values.

Description

Method for generating a beam book and electronic device thereof

Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for generating a beam book and an electronic device thereof.

Efforts are being made to develop an improved 5th generation (5G) communication system or a pre-5G communication system in order to meet the growing demand for wireless data traffic after the commercialization of a 4G (4th generation) communication system. In order to achieve a high data rate, the implementation of the 5G communication system in a high frequency (mmWave) band (eg, 60 gigabytes (60 GHz) band) is being considered.

In order to mitigate the path loss of radio waves in a high frequency band and increase the propagation distance of radio waves, the introduction of beamforming technology is being considered in the 5G communication system. Beamforming technology is a technology that concentrates signal energy in a specific direction using a plurality of antennas. To this end, it is required to appropriately shift phases of signals radiated by a plurality of antennas.

When performing beamforming, an electronic device such as a base station or a terminal applies phase values for forming a beam in an intended direction to a plurality of antennas. In this case, it is preferable that the correspondence relationship between direction and phase values is predefined, and information defining the correspondence relationship between direction and phase shift values may be referred to as a beam book. The most intuitive way to generate a beam book is to apply and measure all combinations of phase values to antennas, and then check the combination of phase values corresponding to a desired direction. However, applying the phase values of all combinations will require a lot of time and effort.

Accordingly, various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an electronic device for generating a beam book with lower complexity.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of operating an electronic device includes obtaining measurement information about a plurality of antennas in a first direction, and phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on the measurement information. determining phase values that satisfy the offset values and maximize signal strength in the first direction, and based on the offset values and phase values in the first direction, An operation of determining phase values for two directions may be included.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include a memory and a processor operatively connected to the memory. The processor obtains measurement information for a plurality of antennas in a first direction, determines offset values between phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on the measurement information, and satisfies the offset values; , Phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction may be determined, and phase values in the second direction may be determined based on offset values and phase values in the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer readable recording medium may include, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, an operation for the electronic device to obtain measurement information on a plurality of antennas in a first direction, the measurement Determining offset values between phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on information, determining phase values satisfying the offset values and maximizing signal strength in the first direction, and A set of instructions for performing an operation of determining phase values for a second direction based on offset values and phase values for a first direction may be recorded.

The method and the electronic device according to various embodiments determine the number of measurements required for generating a beam book by determining phase values for forming a beam in another direction from the measurement result of a beam emitted in a reference direction. can reduce

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.
2 illustrates an embodiment of an operation for wireless communication connection between a base station and an electronic device in a network using a directional beam for wireless connection.
3 is a block diagram of an electronic device for 5th generation (5G) network communication according to an embodiment.
4 is an example of an environment for generating a beam book according to various embodiments.
5 is a flowchart for generating a beam book according to various embodiments.
6 is an example of phase values for an antenna structure and a reference direction of an electronic device according to various embodiments.
7A to 7D are examples of phase values for each antenna according to a direction of a beam according to various embodiments.
8 is a flowchart for determining phase values for a reference direction according to various embodiments.
9A and 9B illustrate characteristics of a beam formable in an electronic device according to various embodiments.
10A and 10B illustrate characteristics of other beams that can be formed in an electronic device according to various embodiments.
11A and 11B show characteristics of another beam that can be formed in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

Hereinafter, various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 within a network environment 100 according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1 , in a network environment 100, an electronic device 101 communicates with an electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (eg, a short-range wireless communication network) or a network 199 (eg, a short-range wireless communication network). : It is possible to communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through a long-distance wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108 . According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input device 150, an audio output device 155, a display device 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196, or antenna module 197 ) may be included. In some embodiments, in the electronic device 101, at least one of these components (eg, the display device 160 or the camera module 180) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. For example, the sensor module 176 (eg, a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illumination sensor) may be implemented while being embedded in the display device 160 (eg, a display).

The processor 120, for example, executes software (eg, the program 140) to cause at least one other component (eg, hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can control and perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or operation, the processor 120 transfers commands or data received from other components (eg, sensor module 176 or communication module 190) to volatile memory 132. , process commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 , and store resultant data in the non-volatile memory 134 . According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (eg, a central processing unit or an application processor), and a secondary processor 123 (eg, a graphic processing unit, an image signal processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor 121. , sensor hub processor, or communication processor). Additionally or alternatively, the secondary processor 123 may be configured to use less power than the main processor 121 or to be specialized for a designated function. The secondary processor 123 may be implemented separately from or as part of the main processor 121 .

The secondary processor 123 may, for example, take the place of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (eg, sleep) state, or the main processor 121 is active (eg, running an application). ) state, together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (eg, the display device 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) It is possible to control at least some of the related functions or states. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as part of other functionally related components (eg, the camera module 180 or the communication module 190). there is.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101 . The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (eg, program 140) and commands related thereto. The memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or non-volatile memory 134 .

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 and may include, for example, an operating system 142 , middleware 144 , or an application 146 .

The input device 150 may receive a command or data to be used for a component (eg, the processor 120) of the electronic device 101 from an outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The input device 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, or digital pen (eg, a stylus pen).

The sound output device 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101 . The audio output device 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback, and the receiver can be used to receive an incoming call. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display device 160 may visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display device 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to an embodiment, the display device 160 may include a touch circuitry set to detect a touch or a sensor circuit (eg, a pressure sensor) set to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch. there is.

The audio module 170 may convert sound into an electrical signal or vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires sound through the input device 150, the audio output device 155, or an external electronic device connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device 101 (eg: Sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (eg, a speaker or a headphone).

The sensor module 176 detects an operating state (eg, power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an external environmental state (eg, a user state), and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a bio sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device 101 to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 may be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 may convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (eg, vibration or motion) or electrical stimuli that a user may perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 may capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 101 . According to one embodiment, the power management module 388 may be implemented as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), for example.

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101 . According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

The communication module 190 is a direct (eg, wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108). Establishment and communication through the established communication channel may be supported. The communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor 120 (eg, an application processor) and support direct (eg, wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 is a wireless communication module 192 (eg, a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (eg, : a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, a corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (eg, a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a network 199 (eg, a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network). (e.g., a telecommunications network such as a LAN or WAN) to communicate with an external electronic device. These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (eg, a single chip) or implemented as a plurality of separate components (eg, multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses the subscriber information (eg, International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 to enable the electronic device within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the network 199. (101) can be verified and authenticated.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive signals or power to the outside (eg, an external electronic device). According to an embodiment, the antenna module may include one antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas. In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 198 or network 199 may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. can A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, other components (eg, RFIC) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module 197 in addition to the radiator.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (eg, a bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to an embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the network 199 . Each of the electronic devices 102 and 104 may be the same as or different from the electronic device 101 . According to an embodiment, all or part of operations executed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more external devices among the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 instead of executing the function or service by itself. Alternatively or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform the function or at least part of the service. One or more external electronic devices receiving the request may execute at least a part of the requested function or service or an additional function or service related to the request, and deliver the execution result to the electronic device 101 . The electronic device 101 may provide the result as at least part of a response to the request as it is or additionally processed. To this end, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technology may be used.

2 illustrates an embodiment of an operation for wireless communication connection between a base station 220 and an electronic device 101 in a network using a directional beam for wireless connection. First, the base station (gNodeB (gNB), transmission reception point (TRP) 220 may perform a beam detection operation with the electronic device 101 for the wireless communication connection. In the illustrated embodiment, for beam detection, the base station 220 sequentially transmits a plurality of transmission beams, for example, first to fifth transmission beams 235-1 to 235-5 having different directions. By doing so, at least one transmission beam sweeping 230 can be performed.

The first to fifth transmission beams 235-1 to 235-5 may include at least one synchronization sequences (SS)/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block (SS/PBCH BLOCK). The SS/PBCH block may be used to periodically measure the channel or beam intensity of the electronic device 101.

In another embodiment, the first to fifth transmission beams 235-1 to 235-5 may include at least one channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS). The CSI-RS is a reference/reference signal that can be set flexibly by the base station 220 and can be transmitted periodically/semi-persistently or aperiodicly. The electronic device 101 may measure a channel and beam intensity using the CSI-RS.

The transmission beams may form a radiation pattern having a selected beam width. For example, the transmission beams may have a broad radiation pattern having a first beam width or a sharp radiation pattern having a second beam width narrower than the first beam width. For example, transmission beams including SS/PBCH blocks may have a wider radiation pattern than transmission beams including CSI-RS.

The electronic device 101 may perform reception beam sweeping 240 while the base station 220 performs transmission beam sweeping 230 . For example, while the base station 220 performs the first transmission beam sweeping 230, the electronic device 101 fixes the first reception beam 245-1 in a first direction to the first to fifth transmission beams 245-1. A signal of the SS/PBCH block transmitted through at least one of the transmission beams 235-1 to 235-5 may be received. While the base station 220 performs the second transmission beam sweeping 230, the electronic device 101 fixes the second reception beam 245-2 in the second direction to generate the first to fifth transmission beams 235-2. 1 to 235-5) can receive signals of the SS/PBCH Block transmitted. In this way, the electronic device 101 determines a communicable reception beam (eg, the second reception beam 245-2) and a transmission beam (eg, the third reception beam) based on the result of the signal reception operation through the reception beam sweeping 240. The transmit beam 235-3) may be selected.

As described above, after determining transmit/receive beams capable of communication, the base station 220 and the electronic device 101 transmit and/or receive basic information for cell configuration, and based on this, information for additional beam operation can be configured. For example, the beam operation information may include detailed information on configured beams, SS/PBCH Block, CSI-RS, or configuration information on additional reference signals.

In addition, the electronic device 101 may continuously monitor the channel and beam strength using at least one of an SS/PBCH block and a CSI-RS included in a transmission beam. The electronic device 101 may adaptively select a beam having good beam quality using the monitoring operation. Optionally, when the communication connection is disconnected due to movement of the electronic device 101 or interruption of a beam, a beam capable of communication may be determined by re-performing the above beam sweeping operation.

3 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 for 5G network communication, according to an embodiment. The electronic device 101 may include various components shown in FIG. 3, but in FIG. 3, for brief description, a processor 120, a second communication processor 314, a fourth RFIC 328, It is shown to include at least one third antenna module 346 . The fourth RFIC 328 may perform a function of converting a baseband signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and/or a function of converting an intermediate frequency signal into an RF signal. According to another embodiment, a function of converting an intermediate frequency signal into an RF signal may be performed by the third antenna module 348, and in this case, the fourth RFIC 328 may be referred to as an IFIC.

In the illustrated embodiment, the third antenna module 346 includes the first to fourth phase shifters 313-1 to 313-4 and/or the first to fourth antenna elements 317-1 to 317- 4) may be included. Each one of the first to fourth antenna elements 317-1 to 317-4 may be electrically connected to a respective one of the first to fourth phase shifters 313-1 to 313-4. The first to fourth antenna elements 317-1 to 317-4 may form at least one antenna array 315.

The second communication processor 314 controls the first to fourth phase shifters 313-1 to 313-4 through the first to fourth antenna elements 317-1 to 317-4. The phase of the transmitted and/or received signals may be controlled, and thus a transmit beam and/or a receive beam may be generated in a selected direction.

According to one embodiment, the third antenna module 346 is a beam 351 with a wide radiation pattern (hereinafter referred to as “broad beam”) or a beam 353 with a narrow radiation pattern (hereinafter referred to as “broad beam”), depending on the number of antenna elements used. hereinafter "narrow beam"). For example, the third antenna module 346 may form a narrow beam 353 when all of the first to fourth antenna elements 317-1 to 317-4 are used, and the first antenna element ( 317-1) and the second antenna element 317-2, a wide beam 351 may be formed. The wide beam 351 has a wider coverage than the narrow beam 353, but has a smaller antenna gain, so it can be more effective in beam search. On the other hand, the narrow beam 352 has a narrower coverage than the wide beam 351, but has a higher antenna gain, so communication performance can be improved.

According to an embodiment, the second communication processor 314 may utilize the sensor module 176 (eg, a 9-axis sensor, grip sensor, or GPS) for beam search. For example, the electronic device 101 may use the sensor module 176 to adjust a beam search position and/or a beam search period based on the position and/or movement of the electronic device 101 . As another example, when the electronic device 101 is gripped by the user, an antenna module with better communication performance is selected from among the plurality of third antenna modules 346 by grasping the user's grip using a grip sensor. can

As described above, the electronic device 101 may perform beamforming using the third antenna module 346 . To this end, the phases of the signals may be appropriately shifted by the first to fourth phase converters 313-1 to 313-4. Since the shape and/or arrangement of the third antenna module 346 may vary depending on the design, even if the same phase values are given to all devices, the direction of the formed beam may be different. Therefore, it may be required that the beam book be differently defined for each product. Accordingly, a process of generating a beam book may be performed during design, development, or manufacturing of the electronic device 101 .

4 is an example of an environment 400 for generating a beam book according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the electronic device 101 forms a beam to transmit a signal, and the beam book generating device 420 receives the signal transmitted from the electronic device 101 through the antenna 410 and then transmits the signal. The intensity may be measured, and a beam book may be generated based on the data obtained through the measurement. The beam book generating device 420 may be the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 . According to another embodiment, the antenna 410 may be a part of the beam book generating device 420 .

The electronic device 101 may include an antenna module 497 (eg, the antenna module 197 and the third antenna module 346). The antenna module 497 includes at least one antenna array, and the at least one antenna array may include a plurality of antennas or antenna elements. A plurality of antennas or antenna elements may be connected to phase shifters (eg, first to fourth phase shifters 313-1 to 313-4), and beams in a specific direction may be formed by the phase shifters. . Each of the phase converters may adjust the phase of the input signal by a value indicated by the control signal. Here, the control signal has a digital value, and the number of representable phase value candidates may be limited according to the number of bits of the control signal. For example, when the control signal is 3 bits, 8 quantized phase values may be allocated. In the example of FIG. 4 , the direction of the beam can be expressed by a horizontal angle Φ and a vertical angle θ.

The antenna 410 may include at least one antenna. According to various embodiments, the antenna 410 may include at least one antenna that is movable or may include a plurality of antennas having a fixed location. For example, at least one antenna included in the antenna 410 is movable or fixed over a distance having the same or a difference within a certain range from a signal source (eg, the antenna module 497) of the electronic device 101. It may include one antenna.

The beam book generating device 420 may include a processor 422 and/or a memory 424 . The processor 422 may control overall operations of the beam book generating device 420 . For example, the processor 422 may measure or analyze a signal received through the antenna 410 . The processor 422 may control the electronic device 101 for measurement. The processor 422 may record or modify data obtained through measurement in the memory 424 . The processor 422 may control the beam book generating device 420 to perform operations according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, which will be described later.

The memory 424 stores software, microcode, setting information and the like necessary for the operation of the beam book generating device 420 . Software can be installed after being downloaded from an external device. The memory 424 may be implemented with at least one of at least one high-speed random access memory, a non-volatile memory, at least one optical storage device, and a flash memory. At least a portion of the memory 424 may be implemented in a detachable form.

Although not shown in FIG. 4 , the beam book generating apparatus 420 may further include a component for outputting information on the generated beam book. For example, a component for outputting information about a beam book may include a port for connecting a cable or an external memory device, or a communication circuit for transmitting information through wireless communication.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device (eg, the beam book generating device 420) includes a memory (eg, the memory 424) and a processor operatively connected to the memory (eg, the processor 422). can include The processor obtains measurement information for a plurality of antennas (eg, the antenna module 197, the third antenna module 346, or the antenna module 497) in the first direction, and based on the measurement information, Determine offset values between phase values for each antenna for the first direction, determine phase values that satisfy the offset values, and maximize signal strength in the first direction, offset values for the first direction, and Based on the phase values, phase values for the second direction may be determined.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the measurement information may include phase values of signals for each antenna measured in the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor (eg, the processor 422) may determine offset values for in-phase of the remaining antennas to a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas. .

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor (eg, the processor 422) measures beams formed by phase value combinations that satisfy the offset values, and based on the measurement results of the beams A combination of phase values that maximizes the signal strength can be identified.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor (eg, the processor 422), based on phase difference values determined based on an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction, in the first direction Phase values for the second direction may be determined from offset values and phase values for the second direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the phase difference values may be determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor (eg, the processor 422) may control outputting beam book information including phase values for the first direction and phase values for the second direction there is.

5 is a flowchart 500 for generating a beam book according to various embodiments. 6 is an example of phase values for an antenna structure and a reference direction of an electronic device according to various embodiments. 7A to 7D are examples of phase values for each antenna according to a direction of a beam according to various embodiments. An operating subject of the flowchart 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 may be understood as the beam book generating device 420 or a component (eg, the processor 422) of the beam book generating device 420.

Referring to FIG. 5 , in operation 501, the beam book generating device 420 (eg, the processor 422) may obtain measurement information about the first direction. For example, the first direction may be a direction toward a vertical angle of 0 degrees and a horizontal angle of 0 degrees. The first direction may be referred to as a 'reference direction' or another term having an equivalent technical meaning. The measurement information is information about a beam formed by the antenna module 497 of the electronic device 101, and may include, for example, phase values of signals for each antenna included in the antenna module 497. A difference in phase values for each antenna may be caused by a location between antennas, a distance from a signal source (eg, RFIC) to the antenna, and the like. For example, the antenna module 497 may be configured as shown in FIG. 6 . Referring to FIG. 6 , the antenna module 497 includes a first antenna array including four patch antennas 610a, 610b, 610c, and 610d, and four dipole antennas 620a, 620b, 620c, and 620d. It may include a second antenna array to. In FIG. 6, numbers 1 to 8 can be understood as indices representing applicable phase shift values. Although eight indices are illustrated in FIG. 6 , the number of indices may vary depending on the resolution of the phase shifter (eg, the first to fourth phase shifters 313-1 to 313-4).

Measurement information may be obtained for each antenna as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D. 7A to 7D show phase values of signals for each antenna at an observation point according to a change in a vertical angle of a beam when the horizontal angle of the beam is fixed to 0°. 7A shows phase values for the first patch antenna 610a, FIG. 7B shows the second patch antenna 610b, FIG. 7C shows the third patch antenna 610c, and FIG. 7D shows the phase values for the fourth patch antenna 610d. . The measurement information about the first direction obtained in operation 501 is at least one point in each of the graphs shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, for example, four phase values (eg, 126.8°) corresponding to a vertical angle of 0°. , 315.3°, 133.6°, 179.5°).

In operation 503, the beam book generating apparatus 420 may determine an offset set of phase values in the first direction. The beam book generator 420 may determine phase offset values such that the phases of the remaining antennas are in-phase with the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas. Accordingly, the beam book generating apparatus 420 checks the phase values for each antenna measured in the first direction acquired in operation 501, and other antennas (eg, the first patch antenna 610a) as a reference. Example: Offsets corresponding to phase differences with the second patch antenna 610b, the third patch antenna 610c, and the fourth patch antenna 610d may be determined. For example, when indexes indicating phase values corresponding to the first direction are [3, 7, 3, 2] as shown in FIG. 6, the offset set is [0, 4, 0, -1] or When expressed as an angle, it can be determined as [0, -180, 0, -45].

In operation 505, the beam book generating apparatus 420 may determine a set of phase values for the first direction. The beam book generator 420 may select one of phase value combinations that satisfy the determined offset set. For example, when there are 8 phase value candidates for each antenna, 8 phase value combinations may satisfy the offset set. For example, if the offset set is [0, 4, 0, -1], the possible phase value combinations are [1, 5, 1, 8], [2, 6, 2, 1], [3, 7, 3, 2], [4, 8, 4, 3], [5, 1, 5, 4], [6, 2, 6, 5], [7, 3, 7, 6] and/or [8, 4, 8, 7]. According to an embodiment, the beam book generating device 420 may select one phase value combination that provides the maximum received signal strength. To this end, the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 101) forms beams using phase value combinations that satisfy the offset set, and the beam book generating device 420 generates one phase based on the measurement result of the beams. You can choose any combination of values.

In operation 507, the beam book generating apparatus 420 may determine an offset set of phase values in the second direction based on the phase value set and the offset set in the first direction. For example, the beam book generating apparatus 420 adds or subtracts phase difference values corresponding to angle differences between the first direction and the second direction to the offset set for the first direction to obtain an offset set for the second direction. can decide Phase difference values corresponding to the angle difference may be determined according to the structure of the antenna module 497. For example, phase difference values corresponding to the angle difference may be determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angle difference between the first direction and the second direction. When four antennas are used, the phase difference values have four values, and the four values may be different from each other.

According to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5 , the beam book generating apparatus 420 may derive a second offset set for a second direction from a first offset set for a first direction. The beam book generator 420 may determine the second offset set by adding the phase difference values to the first offset set. For example, phase difference values may be determined as shown in Equation 1 below.

In Equation 1, D _Δ is a phase difference value, λ is a wavelength, d is a distance between antennas, and θ is an angular difference between beam directions (eg, a first direction and a second direction).

According to Equation 1, when the distance between adjacent antennas is half a wavelength (=λ/2) and the second direction is 15° larger than the first direction, the phase difference values are expressed as indices [0 , 1, 2, 3], and a second set of offsets derived from the first set of offsets [0, 4, 0, -1] may be [0, 5, 2, 2].

In the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5 , the first element of the offset set is exemplified as '0'. The fact that the first element is '0' may mean that the first antenna (eg, the first patch antenna 610a) is a reference antenna. Since the antenna with the best performance can be used as the reference antenna, another antenna other than the first one can be used as the reference antenna according to another embodiment.

According to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5 , a phase value set for another direction (eg, the second direction) may be determined from an offset value set and/or a phase value set for a reference direction (eg, the first direction). . When phase value sets for all intended directions are determined, the beam book generating apparatus 420 may output beam book information including the phase value sets. For example, the beam book information may be output through a wired line connection terminal or transmitted through a communication circuit included in the beam book generating device 420 . The output beam book information may be stored in the electronic device 101 and used for beamforming of the electronic device 101 .

8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation for determining phase values for a reference direction according to various embodiments. Flow diagram 800 of FIG. 8 illustrates more specific operations for generating a phase value combination for a reference direction. An operating subject of the flowchart 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 may be understood as the beam book generating device 420 or a component (eg, the processor 422) of the beam book generating device 420.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in operation 801, the beam book generating device 420 (eg, the processor 422) may determine a generated beam angle. The generated beam angle is an angle of a beam to be measured, and may be a reference direction for determining phase values thereafter. For example, the generated beam angle may be a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 0°.

In operation 803, the beam book generating device 420 may determine a phase offset for each antenna patch. The beam book generating apparatus 420 may determine phase offset values of the remaining antennas with respect to the reference antenna after checking phase values for each antenna providing the maximum signal strength at the generated beam angle determined in operation 801 . For example, offset values may be expressed as a difference between indices of a phase value.

In operation 805, the beam book generator 420 may shift the phase after fixing the phase offset. The beam book generator 420 transmits a signal according to another phase value combination that satisfies the offsets determined in operation 803. can measure them. For example, the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 101) changes the phase value of the reference antenna and applies offset values to the changed phase value of the reference antenna to change the phase values of the remaining antennas, thereby obtaining the same offset values. Another applied phase value combination is formed, and the beam book generator 420 may measure received signal strengths of the transmitted signal based on the other phase value combination. To this end, the beam book generating device 420 may transmit a signal requesting or instructing the electronic device or another device capable of controlling the electronic device to adjust the phase of each antenna.

In operation 807, the beam book generating device 420 may determine a maximum beam. Based on the result of the measurement performed in operation 805, the beam book generator 420 may select one phase value combination that provides the maximum received signal strength. For example, the beam book generator 420 may select one phase value combination that provides the maximum received signal strength among phase value combinations that satisfy the offset values determined in operation 803 .

In operation 809, the beam book generating device 420 may store the beam angle phase. The beam book generating device 420 may store the phase value combination that forms the maximum beam determined in operation 807 in a memory (eg, the memory 424). For example, the phase value combination may be stored with the angle of the beam and/or the index of the beam.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of operating an electronic device (eg, the beam book generating device 420) may include a plurality of antennas (eg, the antenna module 197) and a third antenna module ( 346) or an operation of obtaining measurement information for the antenna module 497), an operation of determining offset values between phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on the measurement information, satisfying the offset values, The method may include determining phase values maximizing signal strength in a first direction and determining phase values in a second direction based on offset values and phase values in the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the measurement information may include phase values of signals for each antenna measured in the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the operation of determining offset values between phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on the measurement information may include in-phase the remaining antennas to a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas It may include an operation of determining offset values for in-phase.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the determining of phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction may include measuring beams formed by phase value combinations satisfying the offset values, the An operation of determining a phase value combination that maximizes signal strength based on measurement results of the beams may be included.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the determining of phase values in the second direction may include the first direction based on phase difference values determined based on an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction. An operation of determining phase values for the second direction from offset values and phase values for the direction may be included.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the phase difference values may be determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the method may further include outputting beam book information including phase values for the first direction and phase values for the second direction.

According to various embodiments as described above, the number of measurements required when generating a beam book can be reduced. Operations for generating a beam book according to various embodiments described above may be performed by an electronic device (eg, the beam book generating device 420). The electronic device may generate a beam book by storing a set of commands for executing operations for generating a beam book according to various embodiments described above and executing the commands. Here, the set of commands may be provided from the outside through a communication means, and may be provided to the operator of the beam book generating apparatus 420 through means such as download, for example.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer readable recording medium, when executed by a processor of an electronic device (eg, the beam book generating device 420), causes the electronic device to generate a plurality of antennas in a first direction. (Example: Obtaining measurement information for the antenna module 197, the third antenna module 346, or the antenna module 497), an offset between phase values for each antenna for the first direction based on the measurement information Determining values, determining phase values that satisfy the offset values and maximize signal strength in the first direction, based on the offset values and phase values in the first direction, in a second direction It is possible to record a set of commands to perform an operation to determine phase values for .

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the measurement information may include phase values of signals for each antenna measured in the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, when the set of instructions is executed by a processor of the electronic device, the electronic device performs an in-phase operation of the remaining antennas as a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas. ) may include a set of instructions for performing an operation of determining offset values for

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, when the set of commands is executed by a processor of the electronic device, the electronic device measures beams formed by phase value combinations that satisfy the offset values. , It may include a set of instructions for performing an operation of checking a phase value combination that maximizes signal strength based on the measurement results of the beams.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, when the set of instructions is executed by a processor of the electronic device, the electronic device determines phase difference values based on an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction. Based on , it may include a set of instructions for performing an operation of determining phase values for the second direction from offset values and phase values for the first direction.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the phase difference values may be determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.

9A and 9B illustrate characteristics of a beam formable in an electronic device according to various embodiments. 9A and 9B show beams with a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 0° as examples of beams in a reference direction. Referring to FIG. 9A , a beam 910 formed by the antenna module 497 is directed toward a reference direction. Offset values determined from measured values for the reference direction are shown in Table 1 below.

antenna number original angle [°] 3-bit quantization [°] difference value [°] In-phase [°] offset[index] One 126.8 135 0 (standard) 0 0 2 315.3 315 180 -180 4 3 113.6 135 0 0 0 4 179.5 180 45 -45 One

According to <Table 1>, if a phase shift of -180° is applied to the signal radiated from antenna #2, 0° to the signal radiated from antenna #3, and -45° to the signal radiated from antenna #4, A signal may be in-phased to antenna#1, which is an antenna.

When a specific phase value combination is used, a beam directed in a reference direction can be measured as shown in FIG. 9B. In FIG. 9B, the frequency of the signal is 28 GHz, the magnitude of the main lobe is 9.35 dB, the direction of the main lobe is 0.0 °, the angular width is 27.5 °, and the side lobe The level is -11.5 dB. The index of the phase values used to form the radiation pattern shown in FIG. 9B is [6, 2, 6, 7], which satisfies the offset values shown in Table 1.

10A and 10B show characteristics of other beams that can be formed in an electronic device according to various embodiments. 10A and 10B show a beam with a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 15° as a case in which the beam with a vertical angle of 0° in FIG. 9 is steered by 15°. Referring to FIG. 10A , a beam 1010 formed by the antenna module 497 is directed at a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 15°. Offset values for a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 15° determined from the offset values for the reference direction are shown in Table 2 below.

antenna number original angle [°] 3-bit quantization [°] difference value [°] In-phase [°] offset[index] One 60.9 45 0 (standard) 0 0 2 259.2 270 225 -225 5 3 131.8 135 90 -90 2 4 246.1 225 180 -180 4

According to <Table 2>, if a phase shift of -225° is applied to the signal radiated from antenna #2, 90° is applied to the signal radiated from antenna #3, and -180° is applied to the signal radiated from antenna #4, A signal may be in-phased to antenna#1, which is an antenna.

When a specific combination of phase values is used, a beam as shown in FIG. 10B can be measured. In FIG. 10B, the frequency of the signal is 28 GHz, the magnitude of the main lobe is 9.24 dB, the direction of the main lobe is 15.0°, the angular width is 28.8°, and the side lobe level is -9.5 dB. The indexes of phase values used to form the radiation pattern shown in FIG. 10B are [2, 0, 4, 6], which satisfy the offset values shown in Table 2 within the error range of index 1.

11A and 11B show characteristics of another beam that can be formed in an electronic device according to various embodiments. 11a and 11b show a beam with a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 90°. Referring to FIG. 11A , a beam 1110 formed by the antenna module 497 is directed at a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 90°. Offset values for a horizontal angle of 0° and a vertical angle of 90° determined from the offset values for the reference direction are shown in Table 3 below.

antenna number original angle [°] 3-bit quantization [°] difference value [°] In-phase [°] offset[index] One 0.5 0 0 (standard) 0 0 2 158.3 180 -180 180 -4 3 356.2 360 -360 360 -8 4 347.0 360 -360 360 -8

According to <Table 3>, if a phase shift of -180° is applied to the signal radiated from antenna #2, 360° to the signal radiated from antenna #3, and 360° to the signal radiated from antenna #4, the reference antenna A signal may be in-phased to In antenna #1.

When a specific combination of phase values is used, a beam as shown in FIG. 11B can be measured. In FIG. 11B, the frequency of the signal is 28 GHz, the magnitude of the main lobe is 7.65 dB, the direction of the main lobe is 90.0°, the angular width is 28.1°, and the side lobe level is -11.0 dB. The index of the phase values used to form the radiation pattern shown in FIG. 11B is [2, 6, 2, 2], which satisfies the offset values shown in Table 3.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be devices of various types. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (eg, a smart phone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

Various embodiments of this document and terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, like reference numerals may be used for like or related elements. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one item or a plurality of items, unless the relevant context clearly dictates otherwise. In this document, "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "A Each of the phrases such as "at least one of , B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "secondary" may simply be used to distinguish that component from other corresponding components, and may refer to that component in other respects (eg, importance or order) is not limited. A (eg, first) component is said to be "coupled" or "connected" to another (eg, second) component, with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively." When mentioned, it means that a component may be connected to another component directly (eg by wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term "module" used in this document may include a unit implemented by hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be an integral part or the smallest unit of a part or part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of this document describe one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (eg, the internal memory 136 or the external memory 138) readable by a machine (eg, the electronic device 101). It may be implemented as software (eg, the program 140) including them. For example, a processor (eg, the processor 120 ) of a device (eg, the electronic device 101 ) may call at least one command among one or more instructions stored from a storage medium and execute it. This enables the device to be operated to perform at least one function in accordance with at least one command invoked. One or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., EM wave). and temporary storage are not distinguished.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. A computer program product is distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (eg CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory)), or through an application store (eg Play Store ^TM ) or between two user devices ( It can be distributed (eg downloaded or uploaded) online, directly between smartphones. In the case of online distribution, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created in a storage medium readable by a device such as a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or a relay server's memory.

According to various embodiments, each component (eg, module or program) of the described components may include a singular object or a plurality of entities. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations among the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (eg modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component are executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations are executed in a different order, omitted, or Or one or more other actions may be added.

Claims (20)

In the operating method of the electronic device,
obtaining measurement information for a plurality of antennas in a first direction, the measurement information including phase values of signals of each of the plurality of antennas measured in the first direction;
determining offset values between the phase values of each of the plurality of antennas for the first direction based on the measurement information;
A plurality of phase values satisfying the offset values by changing the phase value of a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas and changing the phase values of antennas other than the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas based on the determined offset values. identifying combinations;
determining phase values maximizing signal strength in the first direction from among the identified plurality of phase value combinations; and
Offset values in the first direction based on phase difference values determined based on an angular difference between the first and second directions and the phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction in the second direction A method comprising determining phase values for .
delete According to claim 1,
The operation of determining offset values between phase values of each of the plurality of antennas for the first direction based on the measurement information,
and determining offset values for in-phase of the remaining antennas to the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas.
According to claim 1,
The operation of determining phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction,
measuring beams formed by the plurality of phase value combinations; and
and determining a phase value combination that maximizes signal strength based on measurement results of the beams.
delete According to claim 1,
The phase difference values are determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.
According to claim 1,
The method further comprising outputting beam book information including phase values for the first direction and phase values for the second direction.
In electronic devices,
Memory;
a processor operatively coupled with the memory;
the processor,
Obtaining measurement information for a plurality of antennas in a first direction, the measurement information including phase values of signals of each of the plurality of antennas measured in the first direction;
Determine offset values between the phase values of each of the plurality of antennas for the first direction based on the measurement information;
A plurality of phase values satisfying the offset values by changing the phase value of a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas and changing the phase values of antennas other than the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas based on the determined offset values. identify combinations;
determining phase values that maximize signal strength in the first direction among the identified plurality of phase value combinations;
Offset values in the first direction based on phase difference values determined based on an angular difference between the first and second directions and the phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction in the second direction An electronic device that determines phase values for .
delete According to claim 8,
The processor determines offset values for in-phase of the remaining antennas to the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas.
According to claim 8,
The processor:
Measuring for beams formed by the plurality of phase value combinations;
An electronic device that identifies a combination of phase values that maximizes signal strength based on measurement results of the beams.
delete According to claim 8,
The phase difference values are determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.
◈Claim 14 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 8,
wherein the processor outputs beam book information including phase values for the first direction and phase values for the second direction.
In the computer readable recording medium,
When executed by the processor of the electronic device, the electronic device,
obtaining measurement information for a plurality of antennas in a first direction, the measurement information including phase values of signals of each of the plurality of antennas measured in the first direction;
determining offset values between the phase values of each of the plurality of antennas for the first direction based on the measurement information;
A plurality of phase values satisfying the offset values by changing the phase value of a reference antenna among the plurality of antennas and changing the phase values of antennas other than the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas based on the determined offset values. identifying combinations;
determining phase values maximizing signal strength in the first direction from among the identified plurality of phase value combinations; and
Offset values in the first direction based on phase difference values determined based on an angular difference between the first and second directions and the phase values maximizing the signal strength in the first direction in the second direction A computer readable recording medium recording a set of instructions for performing an operation of determining phase values for .
delete ◈Claim 17 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 15,
The set of instructions, when executed by a processor of the electronic device, causes the electronic device to determine offset values for in-phase of the remaining antennas to the reference antenna among the plurality of antennas. A computer-readable recording medium recording a set of instructions for performing an operation.
◈Claim 18 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 15,
The set of commands, when executed by a processor of the electronic device, causes the electronic device to:
measuring beams formed by the plurality of phase value combinations; and
A computer-readable recording medium recording a set of instructions for performing an operation of determining a phase value combination that maximizes signal strength based on a measurement result of the beams.
delete ◈Claim 20 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 15,
The phase difference values are determined based on at least one of a distance between antennas, a wavelength of a signal, or an angular difference between the first direction and the second direction.

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