Hexagonal antenna lattice for multiple-input, multiple-output communications with beamforming
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A first wireless device may transmit one or more signals to a second wireless device using an antenna panel including antenna elements that are arranged in a hexagonal configuration. The signals may be transmitted using one or more directional beams for multiple-input multiple-output communications with the second wireless device, the directional beams generated based on the antenna elements in the hexagonal configuration. The first wireless device may receive a signal from the second wireless device, and in some cases, the first wireless device may transmit one or more reference signals via the one or more directional beams, the reference signals associated with a set of two or more antenna elements of the antenna panel of the first wireless device. The second wireless device may perform measurements of the reference signals and transmit a measurement report to the first wireless device.
1 . A method for wireless communication at a first wireless device, comprising:
transmitting one or more signals to one or more wireless devices using an antenna panel comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged in a hexagonal configuration, the one or more signals being transmitted using one or more directional beams for multiple-input, multiple-output communications with the one or more wireless devices and the one or more signals being transmitted based at least in part on an index corresponding to each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the one or more directional beams are generated based at least in part on the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration; and
receiving, from at least one wireless device of the one or more wireless devices, a signal using the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna panel.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting one or more reference signals to the at least one wireless device of the one or more wireless devices, wherein the one or more reference signals are transmitted using a set of two or more antenna elements from the plurality of antenna elements.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of two or more antenna elements comprises one or more antenna elements associated with a first axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a second axis of the hexagonal configuration, the first axis being non-orthogonal to the second axis.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
transmitting, to the at least one wireless device, an indication that the one or more reference signals are associated with the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration, wherein the indication comprises information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprises separation information for the plurality of antenna elements, the index for each antenna element of the set of two or more antenna elements, or any combination thereof.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of two or more antenna elements comprise one or more antenna elements associated with a third axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a fourth axis of the hexagonal configuration, the third axis being orthogonal to the fourth axis, and wherein the one or more antenna elements associated with the third axis are offset with respect to the one or more antenna elements associated with the fourth axis.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a reference signal from a wireless device of the one or more wireless devices using two or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements;
performing a measurement of a waveform corresponding to the one or more directional beams based at least in part on receiving the reference signal; and
determining a phase for a three-dimensional beam corresponding to the one or more directional beams based at least in part on reciprocity between the measured waveform and the three-dimensional beam.
8 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the index comprises a row index and a column index.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the row index coincides with an x-axis and the column index is projected onto the x-axis, a y-axis, or both, in a three-dimensional coordinate system.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a phase portion of a first signal transmitted using the antenna panel comprises:
exp
[
i
2
π
λ
[
r
+
c
cos
(
π
3
)
]
sin
θ
0
,
x
+
c
sin
(
π
3
)
sin
θ
0
,
y
]
,
wherein r comprises the row index, c comprises the column index, θ 0,x comprises a first beamforming angle of departure, and θ 0,y comprises a second beamforming angle of departure.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a phase portion of a first signal transmitted using the antenna panel comprises:
exp
[
-
i
2
π
r
λ
]
,
wherein r=√{square root over (z′ 2 +(x−x 0 ) 2 +(y−y 0 ) 2 )},
x
=
r
+
c
cos
(
π
3
)
,
and
y
=
c
sin
(
π
3
)
,
and wherein r comprises the row index, c comprises the column index, and z′ is associated with a location of a wireless device of the one or more wireless devices.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements that are arranged in the hexagonal configuration is separated from an adjacent antenna element by a distance comprising one half of a signal wavelength supported by the antenna panel.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more directional beams are associated with three-dimensional beamforming, angular beamforming, or any combination thereof.
14 . A method for wireless communications at a first wireless device, comprising:
receiving, from a second wireless device, one or more reference signals via one or more directional beams, wherein the one or more reference signals are associated with a set of two or more antenna elements of an antenna panel of the second wireless device, the antenna panel comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged in a hexagonal configuration;
performing measurements of the one or more reference signals; and
transmitting, to the second wireless device, a measurement report based at least in part on the measurements of the one or more reference signals and the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more reference signals associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprise reference signals associated with one or more antenna elements associated with a first axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a second axis of the hexagonal configuration, the first axis being non-orthogonal to the second axis.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second wireless device, an indication that the one or more reference signals are associated with the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration, the indication comprising information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements, wherein the measurements are performed based at least in part on the indication.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprises separation information for the plurality of antenna elements, an index for each antenna element of the set of two or more antenna elements, or any combination thereof.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more reference signals associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprise reference signals associated with one or more antenna elements associated with a third axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a fourth axis of the hexagonal configuration, the third axis being orthogonal to the fourth axis, and wherein the one or more antenna elements associated with the third axis are offset with respect to the one or more antenna elements associated with the fourth axis.
19 . A first wireless device for wireless communication, comprising:
an antenna panel comprising a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a hexagonal configuration;
at least one processor;
memory coupled with the at least one processor; and
instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
transmit one or more signals to one or more wireless devices using the antenna panel, the one or more signals being transmitted using one or more directional beams for multiple-input, multiple-output communications with the one or more wireless devices and the one or more signals being transmitted based at least in part on an index corresponding to each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the one or more directional beams are generated based at least in part on the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration; and
receive, from at least one wireless device of the one or more wireless devices, a signal using the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna panel.
20 . The first wireless device of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
transmit one or more reference signals to the at least one wireless device of the one or more wireless devices, wherein the one or more reference signals are transmitted using a set of two or more antenna elements from the plurality of antenna elements.
21 . The first wireless device of claim 20 , wherein the set of two or more antenna elements comprises one or more antenna elements associated with a first axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a second axis of the hexagonal configuration, the first axis being non-orthogonal to the second axis.
22 . The first wireless device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
transmit, to the at least one wireless device, an indication that the one or more reference signals are associated with the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration, wherein the indication comprises information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements.
23 . The first wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprises separation information for the plurality of antenna elements, the index for each antenna element of the set of two or more antenna elements, or any combination thereof.
24 . The first wireless device of claim 20 , wherein the set of two or more antenna elements comprise one or more antenna elements associated with a third axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a fourth axis of the hexagonal configuration, the third axis being orthogonal to the fourth axis, and wherein the one or more antenna elements associated with the third axis are offset with respect to the one or more antenna elements associated with the fourth axis.
25 . The first wireless device of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
receive a reference signal from a wireless device of the one or more wireless devices using two or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements;
perform a measurement of a waveform corresponding to the one or more directional beams based at least in part on receiving the reference signal; and
determine a phase for a three-dimensional beam corresponding to the one or more directional beams based at least in part on reciprocity between the measured waveform and the three-dimensional beam.
26 . The first wireless device of claim 19 ,
wherein the index comprises a row index and a column index.
27 . A first wireless device for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one processor;
memory coupled with the at least one processor; and
instructions stored in the memory and executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
receive, from a second wireless device, one or more reference signals via one or more directional beams, wherein the one or more reference signals are associated with a set of two or more antenna elements of an antenna panel of the second wireless device, the antenna panel comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are arranged in a hexagonal configuration;
perform measurements of the one or more reference signals; and
transmit, to the second wireless device, a measurement report based at least in part on the measurements of the one or more reference signals and the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration.
28 . The first wireless device of claim 27 , wherein the one or more reference signals associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprise reference signals associated with one or more antenna elements associated with a first axis of the hexagonal configuration and one or more antenna elements associated with a second axis of the hexagonal configuration, the first axis being non-orthogonal to the second axis.
29 . The first wireless device of claim 28 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the first wireless device to:
receive, from the second wireless device, an indication that the one or more reference signals are associated with the plurality of antenna elements arranged in the hexagonal configuration, the indication comprising information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements, wherein the measurements are performed based at least in part on the indication.
30 . The first wireless device of claim 29 , wherein the information associated with the set of two or more antenna elements comprises separation information for the plurality of antenna elements, an index for each antenna element of the set of two or more antenna elements, or any combination thereof.