Time domain resource allocation method and apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a time domain resource allocation method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium, the method comprises the following steps: receiving the base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency; dividing the users accessing the same small base station into a center user group and multiple edge user groups, and dividing the users accessing the same macro base station into a macro base station user group; constructing an edge user group interference diagram; allocating virtual resources for all macro base station user groups, center user groups and edge user groups of the small base station; and determining the time domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of each user group. The application allocates time domain resources on demand in units of user groups, can coordinate the interference of the macro base station on the edge users of the small base station, and the interference between the small base stations, and improves the resource utilization rate and the performance of the edge users of the small base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless mobile communication technology, and in particular to a time-domain resource allocation method, apparatus, electronic device, and communication system storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] To improve network coverage, system capacity, and spectrum efficiency, 4G and 5G networks generally adopt a heterogeneous network deployment approach. This involves deploying a large number of other low-power nodes (LPNs) within the coverage area of ​​a macrocell, such as picocells, femtocells, remote radio heads / remote radio units (RRHs / RRUs), and relays. For convenience, these low-power nodes are collectively referred to as small base stations. Compared to macrocells, small base stations are smaller, consume less power, are less expensive, and are more flexible and convenient. Due to the scarcity of wireless spectrum resources and for economic reasons, macrocells, macrocells and small base stations, and small base stations generally use co-frequency networking, meaning all base stations / cells operate on the same frequency band. Therefore, co-frequency interference, or inter-cell interference, occurs between macrocells, between macrocells and small base stations, and between small base stations, especially between macrocells and small base stations. This is because there is a significant difference in transmit power between macro base stations and small base stations, causing severe interference to small base station users, especially those at the small base station edge. Furthermore, in heterogeneous networks where macro and small base stations are deployed together, to balance the load between them, users, when determining whether to connect to a macro or small base station based on the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) criterion, add a positive offset to the RSRP received from the small base station. This allows users who should have connected to the macro base station to connect to the small base station, a process known as Cell Range Extension (CRE). While CRE effectively balances the load between macro and small base stations, it further exacerbates the interference caused by macro base stations to small base station edge users. This is because the signal strength received by small base station edge users within the CRE area is actually higher than that received from the macro base station.

[0003] Almost Blank Subframe (ABS) is a representative time-domain technique for coordinating interference between macro base stations and small base stations. In ABS, subframes are divided into normal subframes and ABS subframes. In normal subframes, macro base stations schedule macro base station users normally, while small base stations only schedule users in the cell center. In ABS, macro base stations must remain silent or transmit data at low power, while small base stations prioritize scheduling users at the cell edge. This achieves the goal of protecting small base station edge users from interference from macro base stations. Existing technical solutions often only consider interference between macro base stations and small base stations when configuring ABS, neglecting interference between small base stations themselves. This results in poor protection for small base station edge users in scenarios with dense small base station deployments, and the performance improvement for small base station edge users is not significant. Unlike macro base stations, because small base stations are deployed flexibly and randomly, they generally cannot consider inter-cell interference issues at the initial deployment stage like macro base stations. Therefore, interference between small base stations is often more complex and severe. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical Objective: To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention discloses a time-domain resource allocation method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium. It divides users accessing each small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups, and users accessing the same macro base station into a macro base station user group. Based on interference relationships and user grouping results, an edge user group interference map is constructed. Then, based on the edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to each user group on a per-user-group basis, further determining the time-domain resources of each user group. This can coordinate the interference from the macro base station to edge users of the small base station, as well as the interference between small base stations, improving resource utilization and the performance of edge users of the small base station.

[0005] Technical Solution: To achieve the above technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a time-domain resource allocation method for allocating time-domain resources to macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency in a communication system, the method comprising:

[0006] Receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency;

[0007] Based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into one central user group and multiple edge user groups, and users accessing the same macro base station are divided into one macro base station user group.

[0008] Based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, as well as base station information and user information, an edge user group interference map is constructed.

[0009] Based on the edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, taking user groups as the unit. Among them, the edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups.

[0010] Based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of each user group are determined and allocated to each user group for actual scheduling.

[0011] Furthermore, the base station information includes base station configuration information, base station location information, and base station load information, and the user information includes user configuration information, user location information, user channel status information, and user load information.

[0012] Furthermore, based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into a central user group and multiple edge user groups, including:

[0013] By judging the relationship between a combination of one or more first indicators and the first decision threshold, users accessing the same small base station are divided into central user group and edge user group.

[0014] Based on any one of the first indicators, each edge user is represented as a data point or point in the sample space, and the data or points are processed using a clustering method to divide the edge user group into multiple edge user groups.

[0015] The first indicator includes the distance from the user to the serving base station, the distance from the user to adjacent base stations deployed in the same frequency, the signal strength from the serving cell to the user, and the signal strength from adjacent macro cells or adjacent small cells deployed in the same frequency to the user.

[0016] Furthermore, based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, an edge user group interference map is constructed, including:

[0017] By judging the relationship between a combination of one or more second indicators and a second decision threshold, the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency is determined. The second indicators include: the average distance from the adjacent small base station deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, the average signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, and the average difference between the signal strength from the serving cell of the edge user group to all users in the edge user group and the signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group.

[0018] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, on a user group basis, including:

[0019] The edge user group interference graph is processed so that the points connected by edges are colored differently. The types of colors on the edge user group interference graph after coloring are counted and used as the number of virtual resources allocated to the edge user groups. Based on the graph coloring results, virtual resources are allocated to the edge user groups corresponding to the points in the edge user group interference graph.

[0020] Furthermore, based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of the user group are determined, including:

[0021] Based on the user load information in the user information, determine the weighting factor I for each user group when participating in resource allocation. g ;

[0022] Calculate the proportion of the computation factor of each virtual resource to the sum of the computation factors of all virtual resources. Combine this proportion with the number T of allocable time-domain resources within a configuration period to calculate the value used to determine the value of each virtual resource V. n The first parameter L corresponding to the number of time-domain resources n Among them, for all user groups allocated to the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group is taken as the virtual resource calculation factor;

[0023] According to virtual resource V n The first parameter of the first n-1 virtual resources is used to calculate the value used to determine the virtual resource V. n The second parameter corresponding to the number of time-domain resources, i.e. 1≤m≤n-1;

[0024] Based on control parameter α and first parameter L n Second parameter And the number T of time-domain resources that can be allocated within a configuration period, calculate the starting index. and end index Then determine the virtual resource V n The corresponding time-domain resources are The T allocatable time-domain resources are represented as R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} T-1}

[0025] Furthermore, the starting index is calculated according to the following formula. and end index

[0026]

[0027] Where G represents the set of user groups consisting of all macro base station users and small base station users, g represents user group, g∈G; a(g) represents the virtual resource V allocated to user group g. n .

[0028] Furthermore, the time-domain resources are any one of OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, half-frames, and system frames.

[0029] A time-domain resource allocation device is used to allocate time-domain resources to macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency in a communication system, comprising:

[0030] The receiving module is used to receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency.

[0031] The user group division module is used to divide users accessing the same small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on the received base station information and user information, and to ensure that the interference between edge users in the same edge user group is less than a preset value; and to divide users accessing the same macro base station into a macro base station user group.

[0032] The interference map construction module is used to construct an edge user group interference map based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations.

[0033] The virtual resource allocation module is used to allocate virtual resources to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups based on the edge user group interference map, with user groups as the unit. The edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups.

[0034] The time-domain resource allocation module is used to determine the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of a user group based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, and to allocate them as time-domain resources for actual scheduling use to each user group.

[0035] An electronic device includes a processor and a memory; wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, which is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0036] A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program; wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0037] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0038] The method proposed in this invention divides users accessing each small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on base station information and user information. Users accessing the same macro base station are divided into a macro base station user group. An edge user group interference map is constructed based on the interference relationship between edge user groups and user information. Then, virtual resources are allocated to each user group on a per-group basis according to the edge user group interference map. Combining the virtual resource allocation results and user information, time-domain resources are allocated to each user group as needed. This method coordinates the interference of macro base stations to edge users of small base stations, as well as the interference between small base stations, and improves resource utilization and the performance of edge users of small base stations. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a time-domain resource allocation method proposed in Embodiment 1;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the small base station user group division in Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Example 1

[0042] This embodiment proposes a time-domain resource allocation method for allocating time-domain resources to macro base stations and small base stations deployed at the same frequency in a communication system. The method includes:

[0043] Receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency;

[0044] Based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into one central user group and multiple edge user groups, and users accessing the same macro base station are divided into one macro base station user group.

[0045] Based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, as well as base station information and user information, an edge user group interference map is constructed.

[0046] Based on the edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, taking user groups as the unit. Among them, the edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups.

[0047] Based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of each user group are determined and allocated to each user group for actual scheduling.

[0048] The method proposed in this invention divides users accessing each small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on base station information and user information. Users accessing the same macro base station are divided into a macro base station user group. An edge user group interference map is constructed based on the interference relationship between edge user groups and user information. Then, virtual resources are allocated to each user group on a per-group basis according to the edge user group interference map. Combining the virtual resource allocation results and user information, time-domain resources are allocated to each user group as needed. This method coordinates the interference of macro base stations to edge users of small base stations, as well as the interference between small base stations, and improves resource utilization and the performance of edge users of small base stations.

[0049] The base station information includes, but is not limited to, the following: base station configuration information, base station location information, and base station load information. The user information includes, but is not limited to, the following: user configuration information, user location information, user channel status information, and user load information.

[0050] Based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into a central user group and multiple edge user groups, including:

[0051] By judging the relationship between a combination of one or more first indicators and the first decision threshold, users accessing the same small base station are divided into central user group and edge user group.

[0052] Based on any one of the first indicators, each edge user is represented as a data point or point in the sample space, and the data or points are processed using a clustering method to divide the edge user group into multiple edge user groups.

[0053] The first indicator includes, but is not limited to, the following: the distance from the user to the serving base station, the distance from the user to neighboring base stations deployed in the same frequency, the signal strength from the serving cell to the user, or the signal strength from neighboring macro cells or neighboring small cells deployed in the same frequency to the user. 。

[0054] Based on the received base station information and user information, as well as the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, an edge user group interference map is constructed, including:

[0055] By judging the relationship between the combination of one or more second indicators and the decision threshold, the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency is judged. The second indicator includes, but is not limited to, the following: the average distance from the adjacent small base station deployed in the same frequency to all users in the user group, the average signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the user group, or the average difference between the signal strength from the serving cell of the user group to all users in the user group and the signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the user group.

[0056] An edge user group interference map is constructed based on the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency. The vertices in the edge user group interference map correspond one-to-one with the edge user groups of all small base stations. Whether there is an edge connecting two vertices depends on whether the serving cell of any edge user group interferes with the other edge user group.

[0057] The serving base station is a small base station that provides base station services to users. Adjacent small base stations are deployed at the same frequency as the serving base station. The serving cell is a cell generated and managed by the serving base station. Adjacent macro cells are cells generated and managed by adjacent macro base stations. Adjacent small cells are cells generated and managed by adjacent small base stations.

[0058] Virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, on a user group basis, including:

[0059] The edge user group interference graph is processed so that the points connected by edges are colored differently. The number of colors on the edge user group interference graph after coloring is counted, which is the number of virtual resources allocated to the edge user group. Based on the graph coloring result, virtual resources are allocated to the edge user group corresponding to the points in the edge user group interference graph. Points with the same coloring are allocated the same amount of virtual resources.

[0060] The method for constructing an edge user group interference map and allocating virtual resources based on the edge user group interference map proposed in this embodiment can further divide each small cell edge user into multiple different edge user groups based on the interference relationship between the small cell edge user and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency. The small cell edge user group interference map is constructed based on the interference relationship between them. Based on the edge user group interference map, a graph theory algorithm is used to allocate virtual resources to each edge user group. This ensures that the macro base station user group and the small cell center user group are allocated the same virtual resources, and these virtual resources are different from all small cell edge user groups. Edge user groups that have strong interference with each other are allocated different virtual resources. Thus, while protecting small cell edge users from interference from macro base stations deployed in the same frequency, it also protects small cell edge users from interference from small base stations deployed in the same frequency.

[0061] Specifically, based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of the user group are determined, including:

[0062] Based on the user load information in the user information, determine the weighting factor I for each user group when participating in resource allocation. g ;

[0063] Calculate the proportion of the computation factor of each virtual resource to the sum of the computation factors of all virtual resources. Combine this proportion with the number T of allocable time-domain resources within a configuration period to calculate the value used to determine the value of each virtual resource V. n The first parameter L corresponding to the number of time-domain resources n Among them, for all user groups allocated to the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group is taken as the virtual resource calculation factor;

[0064] According to virtual resource V n The first parameter of the first n-1 virtual resources is used to calculate the value used to determine the virtual resource V. n The second parameter corresponding to the number of time-domain resources, i.e. 1≤m≤n-1;

[0065] Based on control parameter α and first parameter L n Second parameter And the number T of time-domain resources that can be allocated within a configuration period, calculate the starting index. and end index Then determine the virtual resource V n The corresponding time-domain resources are The T allocatable time-domain resources are represented as R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} T-1}

[0066] The method for determining the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of each user group proposed in this embodiment considers user load information, such as the total number of users, total traffic, and total required resources in the user group. Combined with the number of time-domain resources available for allocation within a configuration period and control parameters for controlling the overlap of each time-domain resource, this method can allocate time-domain resources according to the actual needs of each user group, improving resource utilization. Furthermore, this method is applicable to all user groups, regardless of whether it is a macro base station user group or a small base station's central or edge user group.

[0067] The method of this embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a time-domain resource allocation method, executed by a time-domain resource allocation device, specifically including the following steps 101 to 104:

[0069] Step 101: Receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency;

[0070] Step 102: Based on the received base station information and user information, for each small base station, all users accessing that small base station are divided into a central user group and multiple edge user groups, and users accessing the same macro base station are divided into a macro base station user group.

[0071] Step 103: Based on the received base station information and user information, as well as the edge user group division results of the small base stations mentioned above, construct an edge user group interference map for all small base stations.

[0072] Step 104: Based on the received base station information and user information, as well as the aforementioned edge user group interference map, allocate virtual resources to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups on a user group basis, and further determine time domain resources based on the virtual resources.

[0073] The method proposed in this invention divides users accessing each small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on base station information and user information. Users accessing the same macro base station are divided into a macro base station user group. An edge user group interference map is constructed based on the interference relationship between edge user groups and user information. Then, virtual resources are allocated to each user group on a per-group basis according to the edge user group interference map. Combining the virtual resource allocation results and user information, time-domain resources are allocated to each user group as needed. This method coordinates the interference of macro base stations to edge users of small base stations, as well as the interference between small base stations, and improves resource utilization and the performance of edge users of small base stations.

[0074] In step 101, the base station information may include base station configuration information, base station location information, and base station load information. The base station configuration information refers to base station configuration-related information, which may include the IDs of the base station and / or cells, used to distinguish different base stations and / or cells. The base station location information refers to information related to the location of the base station, used to divide user groups. This location can be an absolute location, such as the longitude, latitude, and altitude of the base station's location, or a relative location, such as the distance, azimuth, and elevation angle of the base station to a reference point. The base station load information refers to base station load-related information, which may include the number of all access users of the base station / cell, the total traffic of all access users, and the number of time-frequency resources required by all access users, such as Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs), used to allocate time-domain resources on demand.

[0075] In this invention, a base station is a physical entity, which can be a specific communication facility, while a cell is a virtual concept. The relationship between base stations and cells is not one-to-one and depends on the base station configuration. For example, for an omnidirectional antenna, one base station generates one cell, thus one base station corresponds to one cell; however, for a three-sector configuration, one base station can generate three cells, thus one base station corresponds to three cells. Generally, each user accesses only one cell as their serving cell, and the specific functions of the cell are handled by a physical entity like the base station. A serving base station refers to a small base station that provides service to the user; adjacent base stations refer to adjacent macro base stations or adjacent small base stations relative to the serving base station; a serving cell is a cell generated and managed by the serving base station; a macro cell is a cell generated and managed by a macro base station; a small cell is a cell generated and managed by a small base station; an adjacent macro cell is a cell generated and managed by an adjacent macro base station; and an adjacent small cell is a cell generated and managed by an adjacent small base station. For convenience, this invention uses one base station corresponding to one cell as an example. However, the technical solution described in this invention is also applicable to situations where one base station corresponds to multiple cells.

[0076] In step 101, the user information may include user configuration information, user location information, user channel state information, and user load information. The user configuration information refers to user configuration-related information, which may include the user's ID, used to distinguish different users. The user location information refers to information related to the user's location, used to divide user groups. This location can be an absolute location, such as the user's longitude, latitude, and altitude, or a relative location, such as the distance, azimuth, and elevation angle from the user to a reference point. The user channel state information refers to user channel state-related information, used to divide user groups. In this invention, user channel state-related information specifically includes the signal strength from the serving cell and co-frequency neighboring cells to the user, such as the downlink serving cell reference signal received power (RSRP) and the downlink co-frequency neighboring cell RSRP, which can be obtained by user measurement and reporting. The user load information refers to user load-related information, which may include user traffic and the number of time-frequency resources required by the user, used for on-demand allocation of time-domain resources.

[0077] In step 102, the central user group of the small base station refers to the set of users who experience relatively little interference from other adjacent base stations (including macro base stations and small base stations) among all users accessing the small base station. These users are typically located at the cell center, i.e., close to the base station. The edge user group of the small base station refers to the set of users who experience significant interference from other adjacent base stations (including macro base stations and small base stations) among all users accessing the small base station. These users are typically located at the cell edge, i.e., far from the base station. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of small cell user group division is shown. Generally, edge user groups suffer greater interference from other neighboring base stations, so time-domain resource allocation is needed to protect them from interference from neighboring base stations or reduce the interference caused by neighboring base stations. The purpose of dividing the central user group and edge user group in step 102 is to subsequently implement efficient and precise time-domain resource allocation on a user group basis.

[0078] Step 102 specifically includes the following steps 201 to 202:

[0079] Step 201: For each small base station, based on the received base station information and user information, divide all users accessing that small base station into a central user group and an edge user group.

[0080] Step 202: For each small base station, based on the received base station information and user information, the aforementioned edge user group is further divided into multiple edge user groups.

[0081] In step 201, user groups can be divided into central user groups and edge user groups based on the distance from the user to the serving base station, the distance from the user to neighboring base stations deployed in the same frequency, the signal strength from the serving cell to the user, and the signal strength from neighboring cells (including macro cells and small cells) deployed in the same frequency to the user. This is done by judging the relationship between one or more of the above indicators and a decision threshold. For example, users whose distance to the serving base station is less than a certain decision threshold are classified as central users, and vice versa. Another example is users whose distance to the serving base station is less than a certain decision threshold and whose serving cell RSRP is greater than a certain decision threshold, and vice versa. Yet another example is users whose serving cell RSRP is greater than a certain decision threshold and whose RSRPs of neighboring cells deployed in the same frequency are also less than a certain decision threshold, and vice versa. Finally, users whose difference between the serving cell RSRP and the RSRPs of all neighboring cells deployed in the same frequency is greater than a certain decision threshold are classified as central users, and vice versa. The above distance or signal strength information can be obtained directly from the base station information and user information reported by the macro base station and small base station, or calculated. For example, the distance between a base station and a user can be calculated using their location information.

[0082] In step 202, the edge user group in step 201 can be further divided into multiple edge user groups based on the distance or signal strength from the serving base station / cell and adjacent small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency (only the small base stations / cells need to be considered) to the user, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The basis for dividing edge user groups according to the distance or signal strength from the serving base station / cell and adjacent small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency to the user is that edge users with similar distances or signal strengths from the serving base station / cell and adjacent small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency also experience similar interference from adjacent small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency. Due to the existence of path loss effect, edge users who are geographically close (geographical location can be characterized by the distance from the serving base station / cell to the user, and the distance from adjacent base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency to the user) experience similar interference from small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency.

[0083] The purpose or advantage of further dividing edge user groups in step 202 is twofold: First, it allows for fine-grained resource allocation to coordinate interference between small base stations / cells. For each small base station / cell, the interference experienced by different edge users from adjacent small base stations / cells deployed on the same frequency varies. Therefore, it is necessary to divide edge users into different edge user groups based on the interference situation, and to implement fine-grained resource allocation on a group-by-group basis to coordinate interference between small base stations / cells. Second, it improves resource utilization. Allocating resources on a group-by-group basis, rather than on a user-by-user basis, avoids situations where a single user has no service to transmit within their allocated resources or where there is resource redundancy, thereby improving resource utilization. It should be noted that since step 202 is for further dividing edge user groups based on the interference situation between small base stations / cells and allocating resources on a group-by-group basis to coordinate interference between small base stations / cells, only adjacent small base stations / cells deployed on the same frequency need to be considered in step 202.

[0084] The edge user group partitioning problem in step 202 above can be transformed into one of the most common clustering problems in machine learning: each edge user corresponds to a data point or point in the sample space, and each edge user is uniquely determined and represented by the distance or signal strength from the serving base station / cell and neighboring small base stations / cells deployed at the same frequency to the user. Therefore, many clustering methods or algorithms can be used to implement step 202, such as k-means, spectral clustering, and graph segmentation. Therefore, the technical solution proposed in this invention does not impose specific limitations on the method for implementing step 202, and any method that can be used to solve the above-mentioned clustering problem should be within the scope of application and protection of the technical solution proposed in this invention.

[0085] As an example, this invention provides a method for partitioning edge user groups based on spectral clustering, which specifically includes:

[0086] Step (1): Calculate the similarity between edge users.

[0087] The similarity between each pair of edge users is calculated based on the distance or signal strength from the serving base station / cell and adjacent small base stations / cells deployed in the same frequency to the user.

[0088] Below, using RSRP as an example, we will explain in detail how the similarity between edge users is calculated. Assume that the RSRP of the serving cell and co-frequency neighboring cells of edge user i are... in This represents the serving cell RSRP reported by edge user i. This indicates the RSRP of the first co-frequency neighboring cell reported by edge user i. This represents the RSRP of the second co-frequency neighboring cell reported by edge user i, and so on. The similarity between edge user i and edge user j can then be calculated using the following Radial Basis Function (RBF):

[0089]

[0090] Where σ is a parameter that controls the range of action of the Gaussian kernel function. The larger the value, the larger the local influence range of the Gaussian kernel function.

[0091] Step (2): Construct a similarity map of edge users based on the similarity between edge users.

[0092] Based on the similarity between edge users, and using construction rules such as ∈-nearest neighbor graph, k-nearest neighbor graph, or fully connected graph, a similarity graph for edge users is constructed.

[0093] Taking a fully connected graph as an example, the adjacency matrix W corresponding to the edge user similarity graph can be expressed as:

[0094]

[0095] That is, there is an edge connecting the vertices corresponding to any two edge users, and the weight of the edge is the similarity between the two edge users.

[0096] Step (3): Based on the edge user similarity map, divide the edge users into multiple edge user groups.

[0097] Using spectral clustering algorithms, such as normalized spectral clustering, all marginal users are clustered into multiple classes based on their similarity graphs, i.e., divided into multiple marginal user groups. Further details about spectral clustering algorithms will not be elaborated upon here.

[0098] In step 103, the edge user group interference graph is used to represent the interference relationship between edge user groups in step 102. The construction rules are as follows: (1) The vertices in the edge user group interference graph correspond one-to-one with the edge user groups of all small base stations; (2) Any two edge user groups belonging to the same cell are connected by an edge; (3) For any two edge user groups belonging to different cells, if there is at least one edge user group whose serving cell will interfere with the other edge user group, then there is an edge connecting the two edge user groups.

[0099] Similar to determining central and edge users, the method can be based on the average distance from co-frequency adjacent small base stations to all users in a user group, the average signal strength from co-frequency adjacent small cells to all users in a user group, and the average difference between the signal strength from the serving cell of the user group to all users in the user group and the signal strength from co-frequency adjacent small cells to all users in the user group. By judging the relationship between one or more of these indicators and a decision threshold, it can be determined whether co-frequency adjacent small base stations / cells will interfere with the user group. For example, if the average distance from a co-frequency adjacent small base station to all users in a user group is higher than a certain decision threshold, then it is considered that the co-frequency adjacent small base station / cell will not interfere with the user group. As another example, if the average distance from a co-frequency adjacent small base station to all users in a user group is higher than a certain decision threshold, and the average signal strength from the co-frequency adjacent small cell to all users in the user group is lower than a certain decision threshold, then it is considered that the co-frequency adjacent small base station / cell will not interfere with the user group.

[0100] The purpose of constructing the edge user group interference map in step 103 is to model the interference relationships between edge user groups, thereby assisting in the implementation of time-domain resource allocation based on user groups to coordinate interference between small base stations / cells. Specifically, any two edge user groups with edge connections cannot use the same time-domain resource segment to avoid interfering with each other.

[0101] In step 104, the time-domain resources can be OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, half-frames, or system frames, specifically determined by the system configuration. Taking subframes as an example, in LTE, for the TDD standard, when the subframe configuration is 1 to 5, the subframe configuration period is 20ms, meaning there are 20 subframes across 2 radio frames, of which 12 are downlink subframes. Therefore, there are 12 subframes available for allocation or configuration in each configuration period. For the FDD standard, the subframe configuration period is 40ms, meaning there are 40 subframes across 4 radio frames, of which 40 are downlink subframes. Therefore, there are 40 subframes available for allocation or configuration in each configuration period.

[0102] Step 104 specifically includes the following steps 301 to 302:

[0103] Step 301: Based on the edge user group interference map, allocate virtual resources to all macro base stations and small base stations in units of user groups.

[0104] Step 302: Based on the above virtual resource allocation results and base station and user load information, determine the specific time-domain resources contained in each virtual resource.

[0105] In step 301, the virtual resource is relative to the finally actually allocated time-domain resource, which is determined by combining the virtual resource allocation result with the load information of the base station and the user. Since the central user groups of all small base stations are not interfered with by adjacent macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency, they and adjacent macro base stations deployed in the same frequency can use the same virtual resource. This resource allocation method is similar to traditional ABS, that is, in a normal subframe, macro base stations schedule macro base station users normally, while small base stations only schedule cell center users. However, since the edge user groups of all remaining small base stations may interfere with each other and are interfered with by adjacent macro base stations deployed in the same frequency, it is necessary to allocate virtual resources to them according to their interference relationship, so that the edge user groups that interfere with each other are allocated different virtual resources, and these virtual resources are different from the virtual resources allocated to adjacent macro base stations deployed in the same frequency, so as to protect the edge users of small base stations from interference by adjacent small base stations deployed in the same frequency, while also protecting the edge users of small base stations from interference by adjacent macro base stations deployed in the same frequency.

[0106] The edge user group resource allocation problem described in step 301 above can be transformed into a common type of graph coloring problem. Each point on the edge user group interference graph represents an edge user group. The resource allocation problem is equivalent to coloring the points on the edge user group interference graph so that no two points connected by an edge can be colored with the same color, i.e., they are allocated the same resources (color represents resources). Therefore, the above resource allocation problem can be solved by various graph coloring algorithms, such as the DSATUR algorithm, Welsh Powell algorithm, and maximum independent set algorithm, which will not be elaborated here. The technical solution proposed in this invention does not impose specific limitations on the method of implementing step 301. Any method that can be used to solve the above graph coloring problem should be within the scope of application and protection of the technical solution proposed in this invention.

[0107] In step 302, based on the virtual resource allocation results in step 301 above, the load of different user groups, such as the number of users, total traffic and the total amount of resources required, needs to be considered, and time-domain resources need to be allocated to each user group as required.

[0108] Specifically, assume that the set of user groups consisting of all macro base station users and small base station users is G, which includes the central user group and edge user group of each small base station, and each macro base station user constitutes a macro base station user group. Assume that the virtual resources allocated to the small base station central user group and macro base station users are V0, and the virtual resources allocated to all small base station edge user groups are V1, V2, ..., V N-1 There are a total of N virtual resources. Let the set of all virtual resources be denoted as V = {V0, V2, ..., V...}. N-1The virtual resources allocated to user group g∈G are represented as a(g), a(g)∈V. Assume that within a configuration period, all available time-domain resources are R={R0,R1,…,R…} T-1 There are a total of T time-domain resources. Therefore, the specific time-domain resources contained in each virtual resource can be determined according to the following formula:

[0109]

[0110]

[0111]

[0112] Where L n The calculation method is as follows:

[0113]

[0114] In the above formula, It is a virtual resource V n The index of the starting time domain resource of the included time domain resource segment. It is a virtual resource V n The index of the domain resource at the end of the included time domain resource segment, 0≤n≤N-1.

[0115] In the above formula, α>0 is a control parameter that controls the degree of overlap between each time-domain resource segment, used to compensate for the reduction in the number of available resources for each user (group) due to resource allocation. The larger α is, the more time-domain resources each time-domain resource segment contains, and the more available resources each user (group) has. However, the corresponding time-domain resources overlap between each time-domain resource segment also increase, thus weakening the protection effect for edge users of small base stations. α can be dynamically configured and adjusted by the network's upper-layer management plane based on the actual network performance. Generally, for low-load conditions, α can be set to 0.

[0116] In the above formula, I g I represents the weighting factor of user group g when participating in resource allocation. g The user load information is determined based on the user load information in the user information, such as the number of users in the user group, the total traffic, and the total amount of resources required. The user load information can be obtained by statistical analysis of the reported user load information or by estimation from the reported base station load information. The physical meaning of the above formula (6) is the weighting factor I. g Larger user groups should be allocated more resources, therefore, this can be determined based on the weighting factor I. g All T resources are allocated proportionally. Since multiple different user groups may be assigned to the same resource segment, the weighting factor I among the user groups assigned to that resource segment must be considered when allocating resources. gFor the largest user group, among all user groups allocated the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group can be taken as the virtual resource calculation factor, i.e., in equation (6) above. Equation (6) above allows time-domain resources to be allocated as needed based on the actual load of each user group.

[0117] by Figure 2 For example, assume that the central user group of small base station 1, the central user group of small base station 2, and the macro base station user group are allocated virtual resource V0; the edge user group 1 of small base station 1 and the edge user group 2 of small base station 2 are allocated virtual resource V1; the edge user group 2 of small base station 1 and the edge user group 3 of small base station 2 are allocated virtual resource V2; the edge user group 3 of small base station 1 is allocated virtual resource V3; and the edge user group 1 of small base station 2 is allocated virtual resource V4. Assume that within a resource configuration period, all available time-domain resources are R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} 18 There are a total of 19 time-domain resources. The following example uses the number of users in a user group as the weighting factor for resource allocation. The weighting factors for the central user group of small base station 1, the central user group of small base station 2, and the macro base station user group are 3, 3, and 7 respectively, therefore the calculation factor for virtual resource V0 is max{3,3,7}=7. The weighting factors for edge user group 1 of small base station 1 and edge user group 2 of small base station 2 are 3 and 2 respectively, therefore the calculation factor for virtual resource V1 is max{3,2}=3. The weighting factors for edge user group 2 of small base station 1 and edge user group 3 of small base station 2 are 2 and 3 respectively, therefore the calculation factor for virtual resource V2 is max{2,3}=3. The weighting factor for edge user group 3 of small base station 1 is 4, therefore the calculation factor for virtual resource V3 is 4. The weighting factor for edge user group 1 of small base station 2 is 2, therefore the calculation factor for virtual resource V4 is 2.

[0118] Therefore, the first parameter of virtual resource V0 Following this pattern, the first parameters L1, L2, L3, and L4 of virtual resources V1, V2, V3, and V4 are 3, 3, 4, and 2, respectively. Therefore, the second parameters of virtual resources V0, V1, V2, V3, and V4 are 0, 7, 10, 13, and 17, respectively. Assuming the control parameter α for the overlap of time-domain resource segments is 0, then the starting and ending indices of the time-domain resource segment corresponding to virtual resource V0 are 0 and 6, respectively, i.e., V0 = [R0, R6]. Similarly, the time-domain resource segments corresponding to virtual resources V1, V2, V3, and V4 can be calculated using the formula.

[0119] Example 2

[0120] This embodiment proposes a time-domain resource allocation device for allocating time-domain resources to macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency in a communication system, including:

[0121] The receiving module is used to receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency.

[0122] The user group division module is used to divide users accessing the same small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on the received base station information and user information, and to ensure that the interference between edge users in the same edge user group is less than a preset value; and to divide users accessing the same macro base station into a macro base station user group.

[0123] The interference map construction module is used to construct an edge user group interference map based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations.

[0124] The virtual resource allocation module is used to allocate virtual resources to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups based on the edge user group interference map, with user groups as the unit. The edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups.

[0125] The time-domain resource allocation module is used to determine the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of a user group based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, and to allocate them as time-domain resources for actual scheduling use to each user group.

[0126] Furthermore, the base station information includes base station configuration information, base station location information, and base station load information, and the user information includes user configuration information, user location information, user channel status information, and user load information.

[0127] Furthermore, based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into a central user group and multiple edge user groups, including:

[0128] By judging the relationship between a combination of one or more first indicators and the first decision threshold, users accessing the same small base station are divided into central user group and edge user group.

[0129] Based on any one of the first indicators, each edge user is represented as a data point or point in the sample space, and the data or points are processed using a clustering method to divide the edge user group into multiple edge user groups.

[0130] The first indicator includes the distance from the user to the serving base station, the distance from the user to adjacent base stations deployed in the same frequency, the signal strength from the serving cell to the user, and the signal strength from adjacent macro cells or adjacent small cells deployed in the same frequency to the user.

[0131] Furthermore, based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, an edge user group interference map is constructed, including:

[0132] By judging the relationship between the combination of one or more second indicators and the second decision threshold, the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency is judged. The second indicators include: the average distance from the adjacent small base station deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, the average signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, and the average difference between the signal strength from the serving cell of the edge user group to all users in the edge user group and the signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group.

[0133] An interference map of edge user groups is constructed based on the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency.

[0134] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, on a user group basis, including:

[0135] The edge user group interference graph is processed so that the points connected by edges are colored differently. The types of colors on the edge user group interference graph after coloring are counted and used as the number of virtual resources allocated to the edge user groups. Based on the graph coloring results, virtual resources are allocated to the edge user groups corresponding to the points in the edge user group interference graph.

[0136] Furthermore, based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of the user group are determined, including:

[0137] Based on the user load information in the user information, determine the weighting factor I for each user group when participating in resource allocation. g ;

[0138] Calculate the proportion of the computation factor of each virtual resource to the sum of the computation factors of all virtual resources. Combine this proportion with the number T of allocable time-domain resources within a configuration period to calculate the value used to determine the value of each virtual resource V. n The first parameter L corresponding to the number of time-domain resources n Among them, for all user groups allocated to the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group is taken as the virtual resource calculation factor;

[0139] According to virtual resource V n The first parameter of the first n-1 virtual resources is used to calculate the value used to determine the virtual resource V. n The second parameter corresponding to the number of time-domain resources, i.e. 1≤m≤n-1;

[0140] Based on control parameter α and first parameter L n Second parameter And the number T of time-domain resources that can be allocated within a configuration period, calculate the starting index. and end index Then determine the virtual resource V n The corresponding time-domain resources are The T allocatable time-domain resources are represented as R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} T-1}

[0141] Furthermore, the starting index is calculated according to the following formula. and end index

[0142]

[0143] Where G represents the set of user groups consisting of all macro base station users and small base station users, g represents user group, g∈G; a(g) represents the virtual resource V allocated to user group g. n .

[0144] Furthermore, the time-domain resources are any one of OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, half-frames, and system frames.

[0145] Example 3

[0146] This embodiment proposes an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory; wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, which is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0147] A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program; wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0148] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A time-domain resource allocation method, characterized in that, Methods for allocating time-domain resources for macro base stations and small base stations deployed at the same frequency in a communication system include: Receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency; Based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into one central user group and multiple edge user groups, and users accessing the same macro base station are divided into one macro base station user group. Based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, as well as base station information and user information, an edge user group interference map is constructed. Based on the edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, taking user groups as the unit. Among them, the edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups. Based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of the user group are determined as the time-domain resources allocated to each user group for actual scheduling. Based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, determine the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of the user group, including: Based on the user load information in the user information, determine the weighting factor I for each user group when participating in resource allocation. g ; Calculate the proportion of the computation factor of each virtual resource to the sum of the computation factors of all virtual resources. Combine this proportion with the number T of allocable time-domain resources within a configuration period to calculate the value used to determine the value of each virtual resource V. n The first parameter L corresponding to the number of time-domain resources n Among them, for all user groups allocated to the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group is taken as the virtual resource calculation factor; According to virtual resource V n The first parameter of the first n-1 virtual resources is used to calculate the value used to determine the virtual resource V. n The second parameter corresponding to the number of time-domain resources, i.e. Based on control parameter α and first parameter L n Second parameter And the number T of time-domain resources that can be allocated within a configuration period, calculate the starting index. and end index Then determine the virtual resource V n The corresponding time-domain resources are The T allocatable time-domain resources are represented as R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} T-1 }; Calculate the starting index according to the following formula. and end index Where G represents the set of user groups consisting of all macro base station users and small base station users, g represents user group, g∈G; a(g) represents the virtual resource V allocated to user group g. n .

2. The time-domain resource allocation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base station information includes base station configuration information, base station location information, and base station load information, while the user information includes user configuration information, user location information, user channel status information, and user load information.

3. The time-domain resource allocation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the received base station information and user information, users accessing the same small base station are divided into one central user group and multiple edge user groups, including: By judging the relationship between a combination of one or more first indicators and the first decision threshold, users accessing the same small base station are divided into central user group and edge user group. Based on any one of the first indicators, each edge user is represented as a data point or point in the sample space, and the data or points are processed using a clustering method to divide the edge user group into multiple edge user groups. The first indicator includes the distance from the user to the serving base station, the distance from the user to adjacent base stations deployed in the same frequency, the signal strength from the serving cell to the user, and the signal strength from adjacent macro cells or adjacent small cells deployed in the same frequency to the user.

4. The time-domain resource allocation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations, an edge user group interference map is constructed, including: By judging the relationship between the combination of one or more second indicators and the second decision threshold, the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency is judged. The second indicators include: the average distance from the adjacent small base station deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, the average signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group, and the average difference between the signal strength from the serving cell of the edge user group to all users in the edge user group and the signal strength from the adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency to all users in the edge user group. An interference map of edge user groups is constructed based on the interference relationship between each edge user group in the small base station and each adjacent small cell deployed in the same frequency.

5. The time-domain resource allocation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the aforementioned edge user group interference map, virtual resources are allocated to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups, on a per-user-group basis, including: The edge user group interference graph is processed so that the points connected by edges are colored differently. The types of colors on the edge user group interference graph after coloring are counted and used as the number of virtual resources allocated to the edge user groups. Based on the graph coloring results, virtual resources are allocated to the edge user groups corresponding to the points in the edge user group interference graph.

6. The time-domain resource allocation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The time-domain resources are any one of OFDM symbols, time slots, subframes, half-frames, and system frames.

7. A time-domain resource allocation device, characterized in that, Used to allocate time-domain resources for macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency in a communication system, including: The receiving module is used to receive base station information and user information sent by all macro base stations and small base stations deployed in the same frequency. The user group division module is used to divide users accessing the same small base station into a central user group and multiple edge user groups based on the received base station information and user information, and to ensure that the interference between edge users in the same edge user group is less than a preset value; and to divide users accessing the same macro base station into a macro base station user group. The interference map construction module is used to construct an edge user group interference map based on the edge user group segmentation results of small base stations. The virtual resource allocation module is used to allocate virtual resources to all macro base station user groups, small base station central user groups, and edge user groups based on the edge user group interference map, with user groups as the unit. The edge user groups of small base stations are allocated different virtual resources from the macro base station user groups, while the central user groups of small base stations are allocated the same virtual resources from the macro base station user groups. The time-domain resource allocation module is used to determine the time-domain resource segments contained in the virtual resources of a user group based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, and to allocate them as time-domain resources for actual scheduling use to each user group. Based on the allocation results of the virtual resources and user information, determine the time-domain resource segments included in the virtual resources of the user group, including: Based on the user load information in the user information, determine the weighting factor I for each user group when participating in resource allocation. g ; Calculate the proportion of the computation factor of each virtual resource to the sum of the computation factors of all virtual resources. Combine this proportion with the number T of allocable time-domain resources within a configuration period to calculate the value used to determine the value of each virtual resource V. n The first parameter L corresponding to the number of time-domain resources n Among them, for all user groups allocated to the same virtual resource, the largest weight factor in the user group is taken as the virtual resource calculation factor; According to virtual resource V n The first parameter of the first n-1 virtual resources is used to calculate the value used to determine the virtual resource V. n The second parameter corresponding to the number of time-domain resources, i.e. Based on control parameter α and first parameter L n Second parameter And the number T of time-domain resources that can be allocated within a configuration period, calculate the starting index. and end index Then determine the virtual resource V n The corresponding time-domain resources are The T allocatable time-domain resources are represented as R = {R0, R1, ..., R...} T-1 }; Calculate the starting index according to the following formula. and end index Where G represents the set of user groups consisting of all macro base station users and small base station users, g represents user group, g∈G; a(g) represents the virtual resource V allocated to user group g. n .

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a processor and a memory; wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, which is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store computer programs; wherein the computer programs, when executed by a processor, implement the time-domain resource allocation method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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