Method for realizing uplink and downlink frame synchronization of base station based on synchronization assistant

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a method for realizing uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant, and relates to the technical field of wireless communication, and the method comprises the following steps: the synchronization assistant is started to obtain all time data of a neighbor cell synchronization assistant in a period, and arbitration of selecting a central node is carried out to obtain the central node; the synchronization assistant serves as a center node and periodically broadcasts time data of the base station; after receiving the time data broadcasted by the central node, the neighbor cell synchronization assistant of the neighbor cell base station corrects the time data and returns the corrected time data to the synchronization assistant; the synchronization assistant sends the corrected time data to the base station; the base station receives time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data. According to the technical scheme provided by the invention, uplink and downlink frame synchronization between asynchronous Internet of Things base stations can be realized, so that the effect of efficient and reliable communication of a communication system is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of wireless communications, and in particular to a method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant. Background Art

[0002] Amid the rapid growth of the Internet of Everything (IoT), the large-scale deployment of asynchronous IoT base stations (such as LoRa base stations, NB-IoT micro base stations, and industrial wireless sensor nodes) faces significant challenges. Asynchrony here refers to clock asynchrony between base stations. These base stations are often cost-sensitive (the hardware cost per node must be kept below $10) and require challenging installation conditions (deployed in remote areas, underground spaces, on mobile devices, or in situations lacking a stable power supply), making traditional synchronization methods (such as GPS timing and the PTP network clock protocol) impractical. However, in densely populated, multi-base station, multi-user networks, co-channel interference caused by misaligned uplink and downlink frame timing between base stations is becoming increasingly problematic, directly impacting data transmission stability and overall network performance. In this environment, ensuring uplink and downlink frame synchronization between base stations is crucial. Traditional communication systems often face interference caused by differing transmission timings between neighboring base stations, resulting in frame misalignment and increased data transmission delays and loss rates. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant, so as to achieve uplink and downlink frame synchronization between base stations.

[0004] Other features and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by practice of the present application.

[0005] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a method for implementing uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant is provided, wherein the base station is equipped with a synchronization assistant, and the method includes:

[0006] The synchronization assistant is powered on to obtain all time data of synchronization assistants in neighboring cells within a period, and performs arbitration to select a central node to obtain the central node;

[0007] The synchronization assistant acts as a central node and periodically broadcasts the base station's time data;

[0008] The neighboring cell synchronization assistant of the neighboring cell base station corrects the time data after receiving the time data broadcast by the central node and sends it back to the synchronization assistant;

[0009] The synchronization assistant sends the corrected time data to the base station;

[0010] The base station receives the time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, after the base station adjusts its own communication frame, the method further includes:

[0012] The synchronization assistant reads the time data of the base station after a random delay, corrects the time data, and then broadcasts it to the neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the process of starting the synchronization assistant to obtain all time data of the neighboring cell synchronization assistant within a period includes:

[0014] The neighborhood synchronization assistant periodically receives time counting data of a base station equipped with the neighborhood synchronization assistant, and calibrates the time counting data to the time when the base station sends the time counting.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the arbitration process for selecting a central node includes:

[0016] After the device with the largest continuous operation time count of the base station becomes the central node, the synchronization assistant performs timing synchronization on the neighboring base stations based on the system time count of the base station.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the above solution, during the arbitration process, the base station continuous operation time count is the same, and the unique device address is used as the arbitration condition:

[0018] When the system continuous operation time counts are the same in neighboring base stations of the base station, a unique address is used as an arbitration condition, and the one with a larger address is preferentially determined as the central node.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the above solution, the correction process includes:

[0020] The time when the synchronization assistant of the base station sends the message and the time when the synchronization assistant neighboring node of the base station receives the message are regarded as the same moment of absolute time.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the base station receives time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data, including:

[0022] When the base station receives the time data for the first time, it calculates an initial frame header using the time data, calculates a frame header deviation between the initial frame header and an actual frame header, and adjusts a frame header of its own communication frame based on the frame header deviation;

[0023] When the base station receives the time data for the second time, it calculates the frame header deviation between the base station's own frame header and the upper-level node during the period, and calculates a self-adjustment period based on the frame header deviation. The base station adjusts the frame header of its own communication frame according to the self-adjustment period.

[0024] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a method for implementing uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant is provided, wherein the base station is equipped with a synchronization assistant, including:

[0025] The synchronization assistant obtains world time data and randomly delays it;

[0026] The synchronization assistant corrects the world time data and broadcasts the corrected data to neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals;

[0027] The neighboring cell synchronization assistant arbitrates and corrects the received world time data and then sends it to the base station;

[0028] The base station receives the world time data and corrects it according to the local time, and adjusts its own communication frame based on the corrected world time data.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the devices used by the synchronization assistant to obtain world time data include: GPS and Beidou system.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, adjusting the own communication frame based on the corrected world time data includes:

[0031] Frame information is calculated based on the corrected world time data, and the base station's own communication frame is adjusted using the frame information.

[0032] The technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. Reduce wireless uplink and downlink interference;

[0034] 2. Improve the stability of the entire wireless system;

[0035] 3. Reduce the delay of data transmission;

[0036] 4. Reduce wireless service data loss rate;

[0037] 5. Greatly improve the flexibility of wireless network.

[0038] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrating embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the specification, explaining the principles of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0040] Figure 1 A flowchart of a method for implementing uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing an example of deployment overview of a base station and a synchronization assistant according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a data transmission process between synchronization assistant A and synchronization assistant B according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0043] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a conflict fallback mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0044] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating a process of synchronizing time with a base station by a synchronization assistant according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0045] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing a process of synchronizing base station time with a synchronization assistant according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0046] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an uplink and downlink frame alignment mechanism between base station A and base station B according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concepts of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0048] In addition, described feature, structure or characteristic can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner.In the following description, many specific details are provided so as to provide a full understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the technical scheme of the present application can be put into practice without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, devices, steps etc. can be adopted. In other cases, known methods, devices, implementations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid blurring the various aspects of the application.

[0049] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not necessarily include all contents and operations / steps, nor must they be executed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps may be decomposed, while others may be combined or partially combined. Therefore, the actual execution order may vary depending on the actual situation.

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] The following will describe some embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features therein may be combined with each other.

[0052] See also Figure 1 , shows a flow chart of a method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, a method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant is shown, wherein the base station is equipped with a synchronization assistant, and the method specifically includes steps S100 to S500.

[0054] refer to Figure 1 In step S100, the synchronization assistant is powered on to obtain all time data of the synchronization assistants in the neighboring area within a period, and performs arbitration to select the central node to obtain the central node.

[0055] It can be understood that, in this embodiment, one base station is equipped with one synchronization assistant, and the neighboring cell synchronization assistant in this embodiment refers to the synchronization assistants of other base stations adjacent to one base station.

[0056] For example, Figure 2 As shown, base station A is adjacent to base station B (base station A and base station B are in a superior-subordinate node relationship), base station A is equipped with synchronization assistant A, and base station B is equipped with synchronization assistant B. Then synchronization assistant B is the neighboring synchronization assistant of synchronization assistant A.

[0057] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, the process of starting the synchronization assistant to obtain all time data of the neighboring synchronization assistant within a period includes:

[0058] The neighborhood synchronization assistant periodically receives time counting data of a base station equipped with the neighborhood synchronization assistant, and calibrates the time counting data to the time when the base station sends the time counting.

[0059] For example, see Figure 3 , which shows the data transmission process between synchronization assistant A and synchronization assistant B.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown in the figure, synchronization assistant A periodically obtains the time counter of base station B, restores the current counter time to the count at the time of scheduled transmission, and then sends the obtained base station time counter data to neighboring synchronization assistant B using the scheduled broadcast mechanism. When neighboring synchronization assistant B receives the message, it records the correspondence between the local time counter at the time of receiving the message and the time counter of the synchronization data.

[0061] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, the arbitration process for selecting a central node includes:

[0062] After the device with the largest continuous operation time count of the base station becomes the central node, the synchronization assistant performs timing synchronization on the neighboring base stations based on the system time count of the base station.

[0063] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, during the arbitration process, the base station continuous operation time count is the same, and the unique device address is used as the arbitration condition:

[0064] When the system continuous operation time counts are the same in neighboring base stations of the base station, a unique address is used as an arbitration condition, and the one with a larger address is preferentially determined as the central node.

[0065] It is understandable that this embodiment provides a neighboring cell arbitration mechanism, which can ensure that the received neighboring cell timing synchronization data is updated and managed within the same cycle to select a synchronization timing target device.

[0066] Continue to refer Figure 1 , step S200, the synchronization assistant acts as a central node and periodically broadcasts the time data of the base station.

[0067] Continue to refer Figure 1 In step S300, the neighboring cell synchronization assistant of the neighboring cell base station corrects the time data after receiving the time data broadcast by the central node and sends it back to the synchronization assistant.

[0068] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, the correction process includes:

[0069] The time when the synchronization assistant of the base station sends the message and the time when the synchronization assistant neighboring node of the base station receives the message are regarded as the same moment of absolute time.

[0070] It should be noted that the communication between synchronization assistants can ignore the radio transmission time.

[0071] For example, Figure 3 As shown, the system time counter of the target device obtained by communication and the system running time counter of the local synchronization assistant have a one-to-one correspondence. When using this timing data, the current system running time counter minus the system running time counter at the time the message is received is the error time. After the error is corrected, the time accuracy reaches us.

[0072] In addition, the synchronization assistant will periodically trigger time synchronization. In order to reduce communication conflicts, such as Figure 4 As shown, within each cycle, the synchronization assistant initiates time synchronization communication after a random backoff. The synchronization assistant also uses a unique ID as a random backoff factor, selecting a backoff mechanism from up to 255 different random mechanisms. Devices currently experiencing communication conflicts will be able to avoid conflicts in subsequent rounds of time synchronization.

[0073] Continue to refer Figure 1 , step S400, the synchronization assistant sends the corrected time data to the base station.

[0074] It should be noted that a high-precision transmission mechanism is used between the synchronization assistant and the base station. For example, the process of synchronizing the time of the synchronization assistant to the base station is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the process is as follows:

[0075] (1) The synchronization assistant triggers a base station interrupt at time Ta0. The synchronization assistant and the base station record the interruption time Ta0 and Tb0 respectively.

[0076] (2) The synchronization assistant transmits the Ta0 time to the base station, and the base station records the reception completion time Tb0. At this time, the synchronization assistant time Ta1 can be calculated as Tb1-Tb0+Ta0;

[0077] (3) The base station sets Ta1 as its own time and keeps it synchronized with the synchronization assistant time.

[0078] The process of synchronizing the base station time with the Sync Assistant is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the process is as follows:

[0079] (1) The synchronization assistant triggers a base station interrupt at time Ta0. The synchronization assistant and the base station record the interruption time Ta0 and Tb0 respectively.

[0080] (2) The synchronization assistant sends a command to the base station to obtain the time;

[0081] (3) After receiving the command, the base station transmits the time Tb0 to the synchronization assistant, which records the reception completion time Ta1. At this time, the base station time Tb1 = Ta1 - Ta0 + Tb0 can be calculated;

[0082] (4) The synchronization assistant sets Tb1 to its own time and keeps it synchronized with the base station time.

[0083] refer to Figure 1 , step S500, the base station receives time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data.

[0084] It can be understood that by adjusting its own communication frame, the purpose of aligning the uplink and downlink frame structures of the base station can be achieved.

[0085] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, the base station receives time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data, including:

[0086] When the base station receives the time data for the first time, it calculates an initial frame header using the time data, calculates a frame header deviation between the initial frame header and an actual frame header, and adjusts a frame header of its own communication frame based on the frame header deviation;

[0087] When the base station receives the time data for the second time, it calculates the frame header deviation between the base station's own frame header and the upper-level node during the period, and calculates a self-adjustment period based on the frame header deviation. The base station adjusts the frame header of its own communication frame according to the self-adjustment period.

[0088] For example, Figure 7 As shown, base station B adjusts its own frame header according to the received time to keep synchronization with the upper-level node base station A, specifically including:

[0089] a. Reinitialize the frame header

[0090] When the time is received for the first time, the initial frame header calculated by the time will definitely deviate greatly from its actual frame header. At this time, the frame header itself will be reinitialized according to the deviation value and synchronized with the upper-level node.

[0091] Figure 7 At time t0, base station A sends its own frame header fh0_a to base station B. Base station B receives the data at time t1, reads its own frame header fh1_b and dfe count counter1_b at this moment, and then calculates the frame header fh0_b of base station B at time t0 through diff_time, calculates the frame header deviation fh_offset, and finally calculates the new frame header fh_new. fh_new is synchronized with base station A.

[0092] b. Calculate crystal deviation

[0093] When the time is received for the second time, the deviation between its own frame header and the upper-level node within the period is calculated, and the self-adjustment period is calculated.

[0094] exist Figure 7 At time t2, base station A repeats operation a and calculates the self-adjustment period self_re_cycles based on fh_offset. Base station B fine-tunes its own frame header according to the self-adjustment period to keep synchronization with base station A.

[0095] c. Self-adjusting frame header

[0096] According to the self-adjustment cycle, the frame header is periodically adjusted to keep synchronization with the upper-level node, and the subsequent received time is used to calibrate the adjustment cycle.

[0097] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, after the base station adjusts its own communication frame, the method further includes:

[0098] The synchronization assistant reads the time data of the base station after a random delay, corrects the time data, and then broadcasts it to the neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals.

[0099] It can be understood that this step can enable the neighboring base station and the current base station to achieve frame structure alignment.

[0100] It should be noted that in all embodiments of the present application, a serial port connection is used for communication between the base station and the synchronization assistant.

[0101] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application provides another method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant. This method does not obtain time data from a neighboring cell synchronization assistant, but directly obtains high-precision world time data from the GPS or Beidou system. The specific method includes:

[0102] Step S201, the synchronization assistant obtains world time data and randomly delays;

[0103] Step S202: The synchronization assistant corrects the world time data and broadcasts the corrected data to neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals.

[0104] Step S203: The neighboring cell synchronization assistant arbitrates and corrects the received world time data and then sends it to the base station;

[0105] Step S204: the base station receives the world time data and corrects it according to the local time, and adjusts its own communication frame based on the corrected world time data.

[0106] In some feasible embodiments, based on the above solution, adjusting the own communication frame based on the corrected world time data includes:

[0107] Frame information is calculated based on the corrected world time data, and the base station's own communication frame is adjusted using the frame information.

[0108] In summary, the technical solution provided by this application, by introducing a synchronization assistant, can provide accurate time references for each base station, ensuring that they can align the communication frame structure during data transmission. This synchronization mechanism effectively improves the coordination ability between base stations, reduces signal interference and data transmission conflicts, and improves the overall efficiency and reliability of the network. In addition, the design of layered transmission makes the underlying communication scheduling more flexible, and can optimize resource allocation according to different application scenarios and device requirements, thereby improving the adaptability of the network. In general, the purpose of adopting the synchronization assistant layered transmission solution is to achieve efficient and reliable communication, ensure that various devices in large-scale Internet of Things applications can smoothly interact with data, and provide strong technical support for the widespread promotion of smart applications in the future.

[0109] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the embodiments disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present application that follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art that are not disclosed in this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant, characterized in that: The base station is equipped with a synchronization assistant, and the method includes: The synchronization assistant is powered on to obtain all time data of synchronization assistants in neighboring cells within a period, and performs arbitration to select a central node to obtain the central node; The synchronization assistant acts as a central node and periodically broadcasts the base station's time data; The neighboring cell synchronization assistant of the neighboring cell base station corrects the time data after receiving the time data broadcast by the central node and sends it back to the synchronization assistant; The synchronization assistant sends the corrected time data to the base station; The base station receives the time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that After the base station adjusts its own communication frame, it also includes: The synchronization assistant reads the time data of the base station after a random delay, corrects the time data, and then broadcasts it to the neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The process of starting the synchronization assistant to obtain all time data of the neighboring synchronization assistant within a period includes: The neighborhood synchronization assistant periodically receives time counting data of a base station equipped with the neighborhood synchronization assistant, and calibrates the time counting data to the time when the base station sends the time counting.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The arbitration process for selecting a central node includes: After the device with the largest continuous operation time count of the base station becomes the central node, the synchronization assistant performs timing synchronization on the neighboring base stations based on the system time count of the base station.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that During the arbitration process, the base station has the same continuous operation time count, and the unique device address is used as the arbitration condition: When the system continuous operation time counts are the same in neighboring base stations of the base station, a unique address is used as an arbitration condition, and the one with a larger address is preferentially determined as the central node.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The correction process includes: The time when the synchronization assistant of the base station sends the message and the time when the synchronization assistant neighboring node of the base station receives the message are regarded as the same moment of absolute time.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The base station receives time data and adjusts its own communication frame based on the time data, including: When the base station receives the time data for the first time, it calculates an initial frame header using the time data, calculates a frame header deviation between the initial frame header and an actual frame header, and adjusts a frame header of its own communication frame based on the frame header deviation; When the base station receives the time data for the second time, it calculates the frame header deviation between the base station's own frame header and the upper-level node during the period, and calculates a self-adjustment period based on the frame header deviation. The base station adjusts the frame header of its own communication frame according to the self-adjustment period.

8. A method for achieving uplink and downlink frame synchronization of a base station based on a synchronization assistant, characterized in that: The base station is equipped with a synchronization assistant, and the method includes: The synchronization assistant obtains world time data and randomly delays it; The synchronization assistant corrects the world time data and broadcasts the corrected data to neighboring synchronization assistants at regular intervals; The neighboring cell synchronization assistant arbitrates and corrects the received world time data and then sends it to the base station; The base station receives the world time data and corrects it according to the local time, and adjusts its own communication frame based on the corrected world time data.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The devices used by the synchronization assistant to obtain world time data include: GPS and Beidou system.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The adjusting the own communication frame based on the corrected world time data comprises: Frame information is calculated based on the corrected world time data, and the base station's own communication frame is adjusted using the frame information.

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