Location Aware Beamforming in Millimeter-Wave Band Ultra-Dense Radio Access Networks. Part 2. Model of a Set of Radio Links

The second part of the study of beamforming issues, based on positioning in ultra-dense millimeter wave radio access networks, is devoted to the formalization and software implementation of a complex simulation model of the functioning of a set of directional radio links. Each directional radio link between a base station (gNodeB – gNB), equipped with an antenna array, and a user equipment (UE), operating in omnidirectional mode, is formed according to the location of the UE, known at the gNB. The set of gNB→UE directional radio links, simultaneously operating in a common frequency range, is studied as a set of traffic beams, that implement space division multiple access (SDMA). Spatial multiplexing is implemented through three-dimensional beamforming at the gNB and makes it possible to compensate for propagation losses and high levels of interference. In the first part of the study, it was shown that the problem of practical implementation of SDMA in ultra-dense radio access networks is a significant (tens of dB) spread in the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), depending on the arrangement of two devices. The purpose of this study is to establish the dependence of SINR on 1) the beamwidth of the gNB sector in the direction of the user equipment in the radio link of the signal of interest (SOI); 2) uncertainty of the UE location; 3) interference from radio links of signal not of interest (SNOI): a) within its sector, b) other sectors of its cell and c) other cells in the network. The simulation model developed and implemented in software in this work for the first time made it possible to establish the interdependence of the UE positioning error factors and the required width of the traffic beam for its service. In particular, it was found, that as the positioning error decreases from 10 to 1 m, the required beam width in the horizontal and vertical planes narrows to 3 °, which makes it possible to increase the SINR to 25 dB. A simultaneous transmission multiplexing study showed that for 64 spatially multiplexed UEs, as the cell size increases from 20 to 300 m, the SINR increases by approximately 30 dB, subject to a beamwidth constraint of 3°. Unlike similar studies, in this model, the contribution from interference from simultaneously operating traffic beams within its sector, other sectors of its cell and other cells in the network is shown separately for the first time, which allows to differentiate the origin of interference and use scientifically based beamwidth control for their compensation.

beamforming, positioning, ultra-dense radio access network, millimeter wave, directional radio links, beam width and orientation, signal interference + noise ratio