Edge device and method for sensor-assisted beamforming
A first edge device includes a first antenna array and a sensor that senses a surrounding area of the first edge device. The first edge device further includes control circuitry that detects a first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device, tracks the detected first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device based on the sensor, controls the first antenna array to direct the first beam of radio frequency (RF) signal in a first direction of the tracked first user, where the first beam of RF signal has a first radiation pattern and a signal strength greater than a first threshold, and communicates an assistance request to a central cloud server in a case where one or more defined service continuity criteria are met.
1 . A first edge device, comprising:
a first antenna array;
a sensor configured to sense a surrounding area of the first edge device; and
control circuitry configured to:
detect a first user in the sensed surrounding area of the first edge device;
track the detected first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device based on the sensor;
control the first antenna array to direct a first beam of radio frequency (RF) signal in a first direction of the tracked first user, wherein the first beam of RF signal has a first radiation pattern and a signal strength greater than a first threshold; and
communicate an assistance request to a central cloud server in a case where one or more defined service continuity criteria are met, wherein
the assistance request is communicated to cause the central cloud server to instruct the first edge device or a second edge device of a plurality of edge devices with specific initial access information to continue service of one or more user equipment (UEs) carried by the first user, and
the plurality of edge devices includes the first edge device.
2 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is one of: a sensing Radar, an image sensing device, a combination of the sensing Radar and the image sensing device, or an object detection sensor.
3 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control of the first antenna array to direct the first beam of RF signal comprises execution of a beamforming operation in the first radiation pattern to make the directed first beam of RF signal reach to the first user that is within a first communication range.
4 . The first edge device according to claim 3 , wherein
the control of the first antenna array to direct the first beam of RF signal comprises update of the beamforming operation to a second radiation pattern from the first radiation pattern to make the directed first beam of RF signal reach to the first user,
the second radiation pattern is associated with a second communication range with respect to the first edge device, and
the beamforming operation is updated to the second radiation pattern, having the signal strength greater than a second threshold, based on a movement of the first user to the second communication range from the first communication range.
5 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to detect and track a second user concurrently with the first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device based on the sensor.
6 . The first edge device according to claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to update the control of the first antenna array such that a second beam of RF signal, having the signal strength greater than the first threshold, is directed in a second direction towards the second user concomitant to the first beam of RF signal that is directed in the first direction towards the first user.
7 . The first edge device according to claim 5 , wherein
the control circuitry is further configured to update the control of the first antenna array such that one beam of RF signal in a defined radiation pattern is directed to cover the first user as well as the second user, and
the update of the control of the first antenna array is based on a first location of the first user being within a threshold range of a second location of the second user.
8 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to sense the surrounding area of the first edge device in a first frequency different from a second frequency used to direct the first beam of RF signal from the first antenna array.
9 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine local traffic information in real-time or near real-time based on the sensed surrounding area of the first edge device.
10 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to select the first radiation pattern from a plurality of radiation patterns for the first beam of RF signal based on a distance of the tracked first user from the first edge device, wherein the first radiation pattern is associated with a first communication range of the first edge device.
11 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the first edge device is at least one of: an XG-enabled repeater device, an XG-enabled small cell, an XG-enabled road-side unit (RSU), and wherein XG refers to 5G or 6G radio communication.
12 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine that the detected first user carries an XG-enabled UE; and
distinguish the first user who carries the XG-enabled UE from a plurality of users devoid of any corresponding XG-enabled UEs, wherein
the plurality of users is different from the first user,
the first beam of RF signal is directed at an XG-carrier frequency at a location of the first user while avoiding directing any beams of RF signals at the XG-carrier frequency to the plurality of users devoid of any corresponding XG-enabled UEs, and
XG refers to 5G or 6G radio communication.
13 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine local traffic information in one of real-time or near real-time based on the sensed surrounding area of the first edge device.
14 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein
the control circuitry is further configured to update the control of the first antenna array such that one beam of RF signal in a defined radiation pattern is directed to cover the first user and a second user, and
the update of the control of the first antenna array is based on a first location of the first user that is within a threshold range of a second location of the second user.
15 . The first edge device according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) environment representation of the surrounding area of the first edge device.
16 . A method of radar-assisted beamforming, the method comprising:
sensing, by a sensor of a first edge device, a surrounding area of the first edge device;
detecting, by control circuitry of the first edge device, a first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device;
tracking, by the control circuitry, the detected first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device;
controlling, by the control circuitry, an antenna array of the first edge device to direct a first beam of radio frequency (RF) signal in a first direction of the tracked first user, wherein the first beam of RF signal has a first radiation pattern and a signal strength greater than a first threshold; and
communicating, by the control circuitry, an assistance request to a central cloud server in a case where one or more defined service continuity criteria are met, wherein
the assistance request is communicated to cause the central cloud server to instruct the first edge device or a second edge device of a plurality of edge devices with specific initial access information to continue service of one or more user equipment (UEs) carried by the first user, and
the plurality of edge devices includes the first edge device.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the control of the antenna array to direct the first beam of RF signal further comprises executing a beamforming operation in the first radiation pattern to make the directed first beam of RF signal reach to the first user that is within a first communication range.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein
the control of the antenna array to direct the first beam of RF signal further comprises updating of the beamforming operation to a second radiation pattern from the first radiation pattern to make the directed first beam of RF signal reach to the first user,
the second radiation pattern is associated with a second communication range with respect to the first edge device, and
the beamforming operation is updated to the second radiation pattern based on a movement of the first user to the second communication range from the first communication range, wherein the second radiation pattern has the signal strength greater than a second threshold.
19 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising detecting and tracking, by the control circuitry, a second user concurrently with the first user in the surrounding area of the first edge device based on the sensor.
20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising updating the control of the antenna array such that a second beam of RF signal, having the signal strength greater than the first threshold, is directed in a second direction towards the second user concomitant to the first beam of RF signal that is directed in the first direction towards the first user.