Method for improving the operation of a receiving device in a communications network.

Abstract

This application relates to a method for improving the operation of a receiver in a communication network comprising the steps implemented in a control entity: the reception (21) of a message from a receiver, comprising time information associated with the receiver and determined by the receiver from trigger information detected in a signal received by the receiver, the trigger information corresponding to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in the received signal and not carrying time information; the determination (22) of receiver location information from the time information associated with the receiver and a predetermined reference time information known to the receiver and the control entity. Fig 2.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for improving the operation of a receiving device in a communications network.

[0001] 1. Scope of the invention

[0002] The present application is in the field of wireless telecommunications networks comprising at least one receiving device.

[0003] 2. Prior art

[0004] Fixed or mobile connected terminals, such as sensors used in the field of IoT (Internet of Things) or smartphones in the field of mobile telephony, have become indispensable objects in our daily lives. They can be used in physical environments where network coverage is sometimes insufficient to allow optimal reception of communication signals by the terminals.

[0005] To increase the communication capabilities of terminals, various technological improvements have been implemented, including the use of amplifiers. These devices, while boosting the terminal signal and thus improving reception in the covered area, require a constant power supply even when no terminal is present in the area and are potentially subject to regulatory limits in terms of transmission power.

[0006] The integration of more advanced components (such as higher-quality antennas) on terminals has also enabled better communication performance but presents drawbacks such as increased integration costs due to greater design and engineering complexity (for example, the increased size due to potentially higher density of transmit and receive hardware components). The expansion of frequency bands used by terminals contributes to increased communication capabilities but also increases the risk of interference and network congestion.

[0007] Furthermore, it is known that the precise location of the various entities in a network, such as terminals, improves its operation, particularly by optimizing the position of certain entities, such as reflective surfaces, in order to increase the power received by the terminals. A large number of location techniques exist today, requiring a minimum amount of information. For example, the GPS system relies on the presence of four satellites to determine the location of an object. However, the accuracy of the GPS system is variable and dependent on the environment, particularly inside a building. It is over 3 meters outdoors and over 5 meters indoors without additional corrections.

[0008] The purpose of this application is to propose improvements to at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art.

[0009] 3. Description of the invention

[0010] The present application aims to improve the situation by means of a method for improving the operation of at least a first receiving device in a communication network comprising at least one transmitting device and a control entity, comprising the following steps implemented in said control entity: - the reception of at least one first message from said first receiving device, said first message comprising at least one first temporal information associated with said first receiving device, said first temporal information being determined, by said first receiving device, from at least one trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said first receiving device, said trigger information corresponding to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in said received signal, said particular data field not carrying temporal information, - the determination of information representative of the location of said first receiving device from at least said first time information associated with said first receiving device and at least one predetermined and known reference time information of said at least one first receiving device and of said control entity.

[0011] Thus, the proposed solution allows a control entity in a communication network to determine the location information of a receiving device by receiving, from the receiving device, temporal information associated with the receiving device. To do this, the receiving device is capable of detecting a trigger signal in a received signal and determining a temporal information associated with it from this trigger signal. The control entity can then determine, at least from this temporal information, the location information of the receiving device and implement an action to improve the operation of this receiving device.For example, improving the functioning of the receiving device involves increasing the power of the signal it receives and can be achieved by modifying the parameters of other entities present in the network (for example, one or more reflective surfaces).

[0012] Thus, the principle of the proposed technique is based on the detection, by one or more receiving devices, of a predefined trigger information in a received signal, enabling them to determine a temporal information corresponding to the moment of detection of this trigger information. Since this temporal information is specific to each receiving device, it allows the control entity to determine the location information of these receiving devices by taking into account the times of reception of the trigger information.

[0013] In particular, the trigger information detected by the receiving device in a received signal does not correspond to dedicated synchronization or timestamp information, as is the case in known localization techniques. On the contrary, according to the proposed technique, the semantics or current value of the particular field to be monitored is irrelevant; rather, it is a change in the value of one or more specific fields that is detected. The trigger information is therefore not specific data transmitted in the signal, but corresponds to a change in the values ​​of one or more fields, primarily intended for signaling purposes, for example. The proposed technique therefore does not require the definition of a specific field, nor the use of a field dedicated to temporal information, but takes advantage of data present in a received signal, preferably so-called dynamic data, i.e.identified as changing value very regularly. The aim is therefore to monitor one or more specific data fields, independent of any specific temporal (or synchronization) information.

[0014] In addition, the control entity and the receiving device also have knowledge of a reference time information, representative of the moment when Ic / lcs particular fields to be monitored are emitted in the network.

[0015] According to one particular aspect, the method comprises the following steps implemented by said at least one first receiving device: - the detection, in said received signal, of said trigger information, - the triggering of a counter, - the transmission, to said control entity, of said first message including said first time information associated with said at least one first receiving device and representative of a current value of said counter.

[0016] Thus, according to this embodiment, the trigger information detected by the receiving device in a received signal causes a counter managed by the receiving device to be (re)set to zero, and the current value of the counter corresponds to a time information transmitted by the receiving device to the control entity, before the counter is reset upon receipt of another triggering information.

[0017] Thus, since the distance between the transmitting device and the control entity, as well as the distances between the transmitting device and each of the receiving devices, are different, the current values ​​received by the control entity from different receiving devices are also different. It is from these differences, as well as from the reference time information, that the control entity can, for example, determine the respective distances between itself and the different receiving devices and / or between the different receiving devices, depending on the amount of time information available to the control entity.

[0018] According to a particular feature, the method comprises the reception, by said control entity, of a second message from a second receiving device of said communication network comprising a second time information associated with the second receiving device, said second time information being determined, by the second receiving device, from said trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said second receiving device and wherein the determination of the information representing the location of the first receiving device also takes into account the second time information associated with the second receiving device.

[0019] Thus, according to this embodiment, the control entity has temporal information associated with at least two receiving devices of the network, relating to the detection of the same triggering information, which allows it to determine location information for the first receiving device. This can also allow it to determine location information for the second receiving device.

[0020] For example, the method is activated by the reception, by said at least a first receiving device, of information representative of said trigger information to be detected in said received signal.

[0021] Thus, according to this embodiment, the definition of the triggering information, i.e., the identification of the field(s) to be monitored, is transmitted in the signal and therefore received by the control entity and the receiving device(s), so as to activate the process. In this way, it is not necessary for the triggering information to be known beforehand by the network entities, and it can therefore be modified, for example, according to the network configuration and, in particular, the signaling data that can be transmitted and provide the fields to be monitored.

[0022] According to a particular aspect, said communication network also comprises at least one first reflective surface, and the method comprises a step improvement taking into account said information representative of the location of said first receiving device determined and belonging to the group comprising: - the modification of a parameter of said first reflective surface, and / or - the deactivation of said first reflective surface, and / or - the addition of at least a second reflective surface.

[0023] Thus, the location information determined by the control entity allows it to know at least the location of a receiving device, either absolutely if it has all the necessary data, or relatively, for example, with respect to another entity in the network (another receiving device). With this location, and knowing the position of one or more reflective surfaces present in the network, the control entity implements actions to improve the operation of this receiving device, for example, by modifying the number and / or configuration of the reflective surface(s) present in the network to increase the power received by the given receiving device.

[0024] For example, said message received by said control entity also includes a measurement of a power received by said first receiving device associated with said time information.

[0025] Thus, according to this embodiment, the control entity can associate a measurement of the power received by the receiving device with a reception time corresponding to the time information transmitted by the receiving device. This received power measurement can be used by the control entity to choose the improvement action to be applied to the network based on the location of the receiving device. For example, if the power measurement is low, then the control entity can modify a parameter of a reflective surface of the network in order to increase the power received at the location of the receiving device.

[0026] According to a particular feature, the method comprises the following steps implemented by said at least one first receiving device: - the reception of a message from said second receiving device of said communication network, said message comprising at least said second time information associated with the second receiving device, - the determination of indirect temporal information from the aforementioned first and second temporal information, - the transmission, to the said control entity, of the said indirect temporal information.

[0027] Thus, according to this embodiment, the network's receiving devices communicate with each other and can, in particular, exchange information with each other temporal. In this case, a receiving device can relay, to the control entity, so-called indirect temporal information which takes into account the distance between the two receiving devices, for the same detected trigger information.

[0028] This allows the controlling entity to have additional time information to determine more precisely the location information of the receiving devices.

[0029] According to another aspect, the present application also relates to a control entity comprising at least one processor configured to implement the method of the present application according to any one of its embodiments. Such a control entity corresponds to a device in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one first receiving device and at least one transmitting device, said control entity comprising at least one processor configured to: - receive at least one first message from said first receiving device, said first message comprising at least one first temporal information associated with said first receiving device, said first temporal information being determined, by said first receiving device, from at least one trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said first receiving device, said trigger information corresponding to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in said received signal, said particular data field not carrying temporal information, - determine information representative of the location of said first receiving device from at least said first time information associated with said first receiving device and at least one predetermined and known reference time information of said at least one first receiving device and of said control entity.

[0030] According to another aspect, the present application also relates to an electronic device comprising at least one processor configured to implement the method of the present application in any of its embodiments. Such a device corresponds to a receiving device in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one control entity and at least one transmitting device, said control entity comprising at least one processor configured to: - receive at least one signal, - to detect, in said received signal, said triggering information, - to trigger a counter, - transmit, to said control entity, said first message including said first time information associated with said at least one first receiving device and representative of a current value of said counter.

[0031] The present application also relates to a communication system in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one transmitting device, at least one receiving device as described above and at least one control entity as described above.

[0032] The present application also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the various embodiments of the above process, where the computer program is executed by a processor and a recording medium readable by an electronic device and on which the computer program is recorded.

[0033] For example, the present application thus relates to a computer program comprising instructions for the implementation, when the computer program is executed by a processor of an electronic device, of a method for improving the operation of a first receiving device of a communications network as described above.

[0034] For example, the present application also relates to a processor-readable recording medium of an electronic device on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for the implementation, when the computer program is executed by the processor, of a method for improving the operation of a first receiving device of a communications network as described above.

[0035] The program mentioned above may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0036] The recording (or information) media referred to in this application may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, a medium may include a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording means.

[0037] Such a means of storage can, for example, be a hard drive, a flash memory, etc.

[0038] On the other hand, an information medium can be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. A program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet-type network.

[0039] Alternatively, an information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which a program is incorporated; in the present application, the circuit is adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of any of the embodiments of the method which is the subject of this patent application.

[0040] 4. Brief description of the drawings

[0041] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of particular embodiments, given by way of simple illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the accompanying drawings, among which:

[0042] Figure 1 presents a simplified view of a system, cited by way of example, in which at least some embodiments of the method of the present application can be implemented.

[0043] Figure 2 presents an overview of the method for improving the operation of at least one receiving device in some of its embodiments.

[0044] Figure 3 presents a simplified view of a control device adapted to implement at least certain embodiments of the control method of the present application.

[0045] Fig. 4 presents a simplified view of a receiving device adapted to implement at least some embodiments of the control method of the present application.

[0046] 5. Description of embodiments

[0047] The present application aims to improve the receiving operation of at least one receiving device belonging to a physical wireless network such as a local area network or LAN (Local Area Network) and / or a wide area network, or WAN (Wide Area Network) (for example, the wireless communication network may be a corporate or home LAN or a WAN of the internet, or cellular, GSM - Global System for Mobile Communications, UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, Wifi - Wireless, etc. type), or even a satellite communication network, by taking advantage of the physical environment in which the receiving device is located, and more particularly of its precise location in this physical environment.

[0048] More specifically, unlike prior art solutions consisting of increasing the transmitting power of a transmitting device and / or the receiving capacity of a receiving device, the present technique is based on a precise location of the receiving device(s) within the system, so as to implement actions enabling the increase of the received power of the receiving device. wants to improve the operation. This improvement consists, for example, of ensuring that it is in a zone of maximum power, for example a power antinode, and can be achieved in particular by acting on the position, number or configuration of one or more reflective surfaces present in the system.

[0049] As a reminder, in the field of electromagnetic waves, the antinodes of an electromagnetic wave resulting from several waves correspond to specific points in space where the amplitude of the resulting wave is maximum. This phenomenon is due to the superposition of at least two waves, such as a wave emitted by the emitting device and a reflected and / or backscattered wave obtained respectively by reflection and / or backscattering of the emitted wave. When these waves superimpose constructively (that is, when their crests and troughs align), the amplitude of the resulting wave is maximized at certain points, thus forming an antinode.

[0050] Moreover, unlike existing localization solutions based on the transmission of time-based or synchronization information, the present technique does not use specific synchronization data but uses dynamic data from the signal received by the receiving devices and the control entity implementing the process.

[0051] The present application therefore proposes, in at least one embodiment, to determine the location, absolute or relative, of several devices present in the system, in particular the receiving devices, in order to improve their operation and thus act on the overall performance of the system.

[0052] Fig. 1 represents a 100 wireless telecommunications system in which certain embodiments of the method for optimizing the operation of the present application can be implemented.

[0053] By "wireless telecommunications system", we mean here a telecommunications system adapted for the implementation of wireless communications, and optionally wired communications.

[0054] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the system 100 comprises at least one transmitting device 12 and at least one receiving device Rxl, which may be, for example, respectively, a base station and a cellular telephone terminal in certain embodiments.

[0055] The transmitting device 12 is an electronic telecommunications device which, through a transmitting radio antenna, can radiate electromagnetic waves 120 into space.

[0056] The receiving device Rxl (and / or Rx2 and / or Rx3), which is also a telecommunications electronic device, has the capacity to receive waves (or signals) electromagnetic waves radiating into space via a receiving radio antenna.

[0057] The transmitting device 12 receives data 110 from a data server 11 and / or transmits data 110 / 120 via the RAN (Radio Access Network) to the receiving devices Rxl (and / or Rx2 and / or Rx3) and the control entity 13.

[0058] Among these data, we consider so-called dynamic data, i.e. whose values ​​(or the values ​​of certain fields) change often, which will be used, according to the present technique, by the control entity and at least one receiving device for the implementation of the invention, and thus allow the control entity to obtain temporal information to determine at least one absolute or relative location of at least one receiving device, as described in more detail below.

[0059] The system 100 may also include at least one reflective surface 14-1 placed in such a way that it can receive radiation emitted 120 by the emitting device 12. A reflected wave 121 then results from the reflection of incident Fonde 120 by the reflective surface.

[0060] Such a reflective surface can be a passive reflective surface or a reconfigurable reflective surface (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS)), i.e., a surface (structured as a two-dimensional matrix of elementary cells) allowing dynamic modification of the characteristics (particularly in terms of direction) of a reflected electromagnetic wave, in response to an incident wave, thanks to the possibility of modifying certain configuration parameters of the reflective surface, such as, for example, its angle of reflection, resulting in a phase shift of the reflected wave relative to the incident wave. In order to modify these configuration parameters, an RIS can therefore be supervised, or controlled, by a device such as a control entity 13 provided in the system 100 illustrated in [Fig. 1].A RIS can be integrated into a multitude of structures such as building facades, interior partitions, aerial platforms or roadside billboards.

[0061] The emitted wave 120 and reflected wave 121 can form a resultant wave having a power distribution 140, including power antinodes, particularly in the vicinity of the receiving device Rxl (and / or Rx2 and / or Rx3).

[0062] In certain embodiments, at least some of the receiving devices can communicate directly with each other. These may be, for example, fixed and / or mobile terminals using a communication mode known as "sidelink" or "device-to-device" (D2D), in certain communication standards (such as LTE-D (Long Term Evolution-Direct), 5G NR). (5G New Radio in English, 5G Nouvelle radio in French) for cellular networks or Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Z-Wave standards for other networks).

[0063] The control (or supervision) entity 13 can transmit or receive data / information to / from at least some of the system devices, including the reflective surface 14-1 / 14-2 as already indicated, but also the transmitting device 12, a receiving device Rxl / Rx2 / Rx3.

[0064] For example, as described in more detail below, the control entity 13 receives temporal information from one or more receiving devices, enabling it to determine the location of one or more devices of the system, including the receiving device(s). Furthermore, the control entity 13 can send configuration information to a RIS, such as the reflective surface 14-1.

[0065] Method 200 for improving the operation of at least one receiving device of the present application is now described in general terms and in connection with [Fig. 2], in some of its embodiments. Method 200 can be implemented, for example, by the aforementioned control entity 13.

[0066] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the method 200 comprises receiving 21 at least one first message from the first receiving device Rxl, the first message comprising at least one first temporal information It-Rxl associated with the first receiving device Rxl. According to any one embodiment of the present technique, this first temporal information It-Rxl is determined by the first receiving device from at least one trigger information detected in a signal received by the first receiving device. According to this embodiment, this trigger information corresponds to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in the received signal, this particular data field not carrying temporal information and not being semantically analyzed by the receiving device.Indeed, as already indicated, the determination of the location, by the controlling entity, of one or more receiving devices or other devices in the system, is not based on the detection of specific synchronization, location or time information in the received signal, but on the detection of a change in the value of a particular data field in the received signal.

[0067] Thus, it is known that certain data are considered dynamic data, denoted {FL.Fn}, the values ​​of some of whose fields change frequently and can therefore be advantageously used to trigger a counter when their value change is detected. The current value of this counter (at the time of transmission of the message from the receiving device to the control entity) which constitutes temporal information associated with the receiving device.

[0068] To achieve this, a convention is adopted within the system to define which particular data field(s) is / are monitored and whether the triggering information consists of detecting a change in a field value, the values ​​of several fields, or a change in a function applied to field values. The convention thus determines not only which particular field(s) is / are monitored, but also which triggering rule governs the detection of a change.

[0069] For example, the present technique relies on observing specific fields in the signaling portion of the RAN, without seeking to understand their semantics but simply to detect a modification. This observation / detection relies on a data analysis technique because the frame structure of the received signal is known (i.e., static data {Fa...Fz}, such as headers, and dynamic data {Fl...Fn} which change frequently and extensively).

[0070] The convention of the method therefore stipulates that all the receiving devices of the system, as well as the control entity, monitor the same fields among {Fl...Fn} and reset a counter to zero at a time T0 when the predefined triggering rule is met. Each receiving device and the control entity thus triggers a counter at different times T0, because the distance between the transmitting device and the control entity, and the distances between the transmitting device and each of the receiving devices, are different. The present technique relies on these different counter triggering times to determine temporal information associated with each receiving device and corresponding, in the system, to the detection of the same change in data values.It is then from this It-Rxi temporal information associated with each receiving device (and representative, as detailed below, of a current value of the triggered counter at the moment of detection of the trigger information) that the control entity can, in particular, determine the respective distances between the controller and the receiving devices and between the receiving devices themselves. Therefore, the control entity can determine, during a determination step 22, the absolute or relative locations of the receiving devices of the system.

[0071] To do this, the control entity must also know the time reference corresponding to the time of passage through the RAN of the trigger information, called BipS. Indeed, knowledge of this reference time information allows the control entity to associate each time information received from the receiving devices with a reference and thus to calculate representative time differences in the reception of the same trigger information. of different distances between the emitting device and each receiving device and the control entity itself.

[0072] According to a particular feature, the data server 11 sends an activation information for the method of the invention, i.e. for monitoring the fields and sending messages with the timing information from the receiving devices to the control entity, for example by transmitting the list of fields to be monitored.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the identification of the field(s) to be monitored is not transmitted in the signal but is determined by at least one receiver and communicated by the control entity to the other receivers. For example, the receivers indicate to the control entity that the field to be monitored corresponds to the data block of a <longueur>given to the <offset>given a message received regularly, and the controlling entity chooses the most appropriate proposal.

[0074] According to another example, the fields to be monitored change regularly, and a selection is made of the field(s) that provide the greatest improvement in operation. To this end, the data 130 exchanged between the receiving devices includes information for selecting the field(s) to be monitored and allows the field(s) to be selected independently of the sender and the controlling entity.

[0075] According to this variant, the data exchanged 131, 132, 133, between the receiving devices and the control entity, therefore include other information relating to the field(s) to be monitored.

[0076] A use case of the method implemented by a control entity 13 is now described, in a system illustrated in [Fig.1], comprising at least three receiving devices Rxl, Rx2 and Rx3 and at least two reflective surfaces 14-1 and 14-2.

[0077] It is assumed that the control entity 13 and the receiving devices Rxl, Rx2 and Rx3 detect, in a received signal 120, the triggering information and reset their respective counters to zero: - The control entity determines its counter: BipS-ctrl, - Each receiving device determines its BipS-Rxi counter.

[0078] According to a first embodiment, the control entity thus receives a first message from the first receiving device Rxl, carrying a time information It-Rxl corresponding to the current value of the BipS-Rxl counter at the time the message is sent. The control entity can then determine the distance between itself and the first receiving device Rxl, thanks to the difference between the two counters BipS-ctrl and BipS-Rxi, as well as by using the reference time information BipS, allowing it to be sure of comparing two counter values ​​corresponding to the detection of the same trigger information.

[0079] Furthermore, each receiving device, as well as the control entity, calculates a valid identifier for the duration of its counter. This identifier is modified each time a new trigger signal is detected and is calculated in the same way by each device. For example, this identifier is calculated using the same hash function applied to the value of the specific field(s) to be monitored to detect the trigger signal. This identifier is subsequently denoted hmea = hash({Fl...Fn}). In this way, each time signal transmitted by a receiving device can be uniquely identified (hmea-i), allowing the control entity to ensure that the time signals it compares to determine location information match.

[0080] In order for the control entity to be able to determine location information relating to each receiving device, it must have sufficient time information from the receiving devices to establish not only a sufficient number of equations to solve at a time t but also to establish a sufficient number of successive equations.

[0081] Accordingly, and according to a second variant, the control entity receives, for example, time information from the three receiving devices of the system, via separate messages emitted by each of the receiving devices and carrying time information representative of the detection, by each receiving device, of the same triggering information in the signal received by these receiving devices.

[0082] Furthermore, according to a third variant, a receiving device can itself receive temporal information from another receiving device and relay this temporal information to the control entity, so that the latter has more data.

[0083] More precisely, if the receiving device Rxl receives the BipS_Rx2 counter from the receiving device Rx2, it compares the value of this BipS_Rx2 counter with the current value of its own BipS_Rxl counter and deduces the value dt(Rxl, Rx2) representing a combination of the distance between Rxl and Rx2 and the distance between the transmitting device 12 and Rx2. It is then the value dt(Rxl, Rx2) that it transmits, along with BipS_Rxl, in the message to the control entity 13.

[0084] Thus, according to this variant, each receiving device transmits the current value of its counter not only to the control entity but also to all its neighboring receiving devices. In this way, the control entity has a great deal of temporal information, directly associated with a receiving device BipS_Rxi, or relayed dt(Rxi, Rxj). Thus, in the example of system 100 in [Fig. 1], the control entity can calculate the positions of the receiving devices Rxl to Rx3, from the BipS_Rxi and the dt(Rxi, Rxj), for example via a triangulation calculation.

[0085] The example described above assumes that the receiving device Rxi has been able to ensure that the hmea-j identifier, called indirect, received from its neighbor corresponds to the hmea-i identifier that it has itself calculated, and therefore that the time information of the two receiving devices corresponds to the detection of the same triggering information in the received signal.

[0086] Depending on its various variants and use cases, the control entity therefore receives a sufficient amount of temporal information enabling it to determine, in particular: - a relative time distance dt(Rxi, control entity) between itself and the receiving device Rxi, for each time information received from the receiving device Rxi, - a relative time distance dt(Rxi, Rxj) between two receiving devices Rxi and Rxj, received from the receiving device Rxi.

[0087] The control entity therefore has location information, relative or absolute, of the receiving devices of the system, which is much more precise than according to prior art techniques, because this location information is not based on imprecise GPS data or signal synchronization information, particularly in a residential or urban environment of implementation of the present technique.

[0088] From this location information, the control entity can implement actions to improve the operation of one or more receiving devices, also thanks to knowledge of the position of other entities of the system, such as reflective surfaces.

[0089] Indeed, for optimal operation of a system such as that illustrated in [Fig.1], the reflective surfaces must not only be as close as possible to the emitter but also to the receiving devices.

[0090] Thus, depending on the type of reflective surfaces, several actions can be implemented by the control entity, according to the method of the invention: - If it is possible to add one or more reflective surfaces, knowledge of the relative / absolute positions of existing reflective surfaces and receiving devices is useful because it is then possible to optimize the position at which the additional reflective surface(s) will be installed. - If it is not possible to add additional reflective surfaces or configure them differently, the objective is then to use the best-positioned reflective surfaces to improve the peak power received by a terminal at a given location, without using the least well-positioned reflective surfaces. - if it is possible to modify the configuration, i.e. the operating parameters (orientation, radioelectric characteristic: modification of the phase shift (for example by modifying an impedance to modify the phase of the reflected signal for example), ...), of one or more reflective surfaces, for example in the case of reconfigurable reflective surface RIS, knowledge of the relative / absolute positions of the reflective surfaces and the receiving devices is interesting because it allows the configuration of the RIS to be modified so as to move the associated power antinodes towards the receiving device(s) whose operation we wish to improve.

[0091] The present technique can also be implemented for a purpose other than increasing the power received by one or more receiving devices, but always with the aim of improving the operation of the communication network: thus, it could be a matter of "neutralizing" a receiving device, for example a receiving device which is over-consuming bandwidth, by keeping it in a power dip when it moves: it is therefore a matter here of reducing the power received at a point, which can be achieved by the actions described above with however the objective of reducing the power received at a point instead of increasing it.

[0092] The present technique therefore makes it possible more generally to control the power received at a point.

[0093] According to a particular feature, if the determination of the location information of the receiving devices of the system is implemented periodically, then the present technique can take into account the movements of the receiving devices, which greatly improves the operation in the case of mobile user terminals for example.

[0094] Finally, in a particular embodiment, the message transmitted by a receiving device to the control entity also carries a measurement of the power received by the receiving device at the time of detection of the triggering information. This power information received by the receiving devices thus allows the control entity to determine a power antinode map for each receiving device. Therefore, the control entity also has information on the signal power received by the receiving device(s), enabling it to refine the actions to be implemented based on the determined locations of the receiving devices (and the known locations of potential reflective surfaces).

[0095] Figure 3 illustrates a simplified structure of an electronic device 300, adapted to implement the principles of this application. The device 300 may, for example, correspond to the control entity 13 of the system 100 in Figure 1. According to the In terms of embodiments, it can be a communication terminal, a home Wifi device controlling several entities, or even a TV decoder.

[0096] The device 300 includes at least one memory 31 comprising a buffer memory, at least one processing unit 32, equipped for example with a programmable computing machine or a dedicated computing machine, for example a microprocessor P, and controlled by the computer program 33, implementing steps of the method for improving the operation according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0097] At initialization, the code instructions of the computer program 33 are, for example, loaded into a RAM memory before being executed by the microprocessor of the processing unit 32.

[0098] The device may also include, or be coupled to, at least one not illustrated I / O input / output module, such as a communication module, enabling for example the device 300 to communicate with other devices of the system 100, via wired or wireless communication interfaces, and / or such as an interface module with a user of the device (also referred to more simply in this application as a "user interface" or "human-machine interface").

[0099] In certain embodiments, the device 300 can be integrated into a communication terminal. In this case, the communication terminal acts as the controller.

[0100] Figure 4 illustrates a simplified structure of an electronic device 400, adapted to implement the principles of this application. The device 400 may, for example, correspond to the receiving device Rxl of the system 100 in Figure 1. Depending on the embodiment, it may be a fixed or mobile user terminal.

[0101] The device 400 comprises at least one memory 41 including a buffer memory, at least one processing unit 42, equipped for example with a programmable computing machine or a dedicated computing machine, for example a microprocessor P, and controlled by the computer program 43, implementing steps of the method for improving the operation according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0102] At initialization, the code instructions of the computer program 43 are, for example, loaded into a RAM memory before being executed by the microprocessor of the processing unit 42.

[0103] The device may also include, or be coupled to, at least one LO input / output module not shown, such as a communication module, enabling, for example, the device 400 to communicate with other devices in the system 100, via wired or wireless communication interfaces, and / or such as a user interface module for the device (also more simply referred to in this context as a user interface module). request "user interface" or "human-machine interface"). By user interface (or "human-machine interface") of the device, we mean, for example, an interface integrated into the device 400, or part of a third-party device connected to this device by wired or wireless means of communication. A user interface may, in particular, be a user interface, called an "output" user interface, adapted for rendering (or controlling the rendering) of an output element of a computer application used by the device 400, for example, an application running at least partially on the device 400 or an "online" application running at least partially remotely, for example, an application accessible via the device 400.Examples of a device's output user interface include one or more displays, specifically at least one graphic display (such as a touchscreen), one or more speakers, connected headphones, and one or more indicator lights such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Rendering here refers to the output of at least one user interface in any form, for example, including text, audio, and / or video components, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, a user interface can be an input user interface, adapted for receiving a command from a user of the device.This may include an action to be performed and / or a command to be sent to a computer application used by the device 400, for example an application running at least partially on the device 400. Examples of input user interfaces for the device 400 include a sensor, an audio and / or video acquisition means (microphone, camera (webcam) for example), a keyboard, a mouse.< / offset> < / longueur>

Claims

Demands

1. A method (200) for improving the operation of at least one first receiving device (Rxl) in a communication network (100) comprising at least one transmitting device (12) and a control entity (13), comprising the following steps implemented in said control entity: - the reception (21) of at least one first message from said first receiving device, said first message comprising at least one first associated time information (It-Rxl) from said first receiving device, said first time information being determined by said first receiving device from at least one trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said first receiving device, said trigger information corresponding to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in said received signal, said particular data field not carrying time information,- the determination (22) of a representative location information (Iloc-Rxl) of said first receiving device from at least said first temporal information associated with said first receiving device and at least one predetermined reference temporal information (BipS) known to said at least one first receiving device and to said control entity.

2. A method for improving the operation according to claim 1, comprising the following steps implemented by said at least one first receiving device: - detecting, in said received signal, said trigger information, - triggering a counter, - transmitting, to said control entity, said first message including said first timing information associated with said at least one first receiving device and representative of a current value of said meter.

3. A method for improving the operation according to any one of claims 1 and 2, comprising the reception, by said control entity, of a second message from a second receiving device of said communication network comprising a second time information associated with the second receiving device, said second time information being determined, by the second receiving device, from said trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said second receiving device and wherein the determination of the information representing the location of the first receiving device also takes into account the second time information associated with the second receiving device.

4. A method for improving the operation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, said method being activated by the reception, by said at least a first receiving device, of information representative of said trigger information to be detected in said received signal.

5. A method for improving the operation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, said communication network also comprising at least one first reflective surface, and the method comprising an improvement step taking into account said information representative of the location of said first determined receiving device and belonging to the group comprising: - the modification of a parameter of said first reflective surface, and / or - the deactivation of said first reflective surface, and / or - the addition of at least one second reflective surface.

6. A method of improving the operation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said message received by said control entity also includes a measurement of a power received by said first receiving device associated with said time information.

7. A method for improving the operation according to any one of claims 3 to 5, comprising the following steps carried out by said at least one first receiving device: - receiving a message from said second receiving device from said communication network, said message comprising at least said second time information associated with the second receiving device, - determining indirect time information from said first and second time information, - transmitting said indirect time information to said control entity.

8. Control entity in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one first receiving device and at least one transmitting device, said control entity comprising at least one processor configured to: - receive at least one first message from said first receiving device, said first message comprising at least one first time information associated with said first receiving device, said first time information being determined by said first receiving device from at least one trigger information detected in at least one signal received by said first receiving device, said trigger information corresponding to a change in the value of at least one particular data field in said received signal, said particular data field not carrying any time information,- determine information representative of the location of said first receiving device from at least said first temporal information associated with said first receiving device and at least one predetermined and known reference temporal information of said at least one first receiving device and of said control entity.

9. A receiving device in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one control entity and at less one transmitting device, said control device comprising at least one processor configured to: - receive at least one signal, - detect, in said received signal, of said trigger information, - trigger a counter, - transmit, to said control entity, said first message comprising said first time information associated with said at least one first receiving device and representative of a current value of said counter.

10. Communication system in a communication network, said communication network comprising at least one transmitting device, at least one receiving device according to claim 9 and at least one control entity according to claim 8.

11. Computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, when the computer program is executed by a processor.

12. A recording medium readable by an electronic device and on which the computer program according to claim 11 is recorded.

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