Adaptive Repetition Regime for Coverage Enhanced Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
User equipment deployed in areas of high attenuation faces challenges in decoding downlink information, leading to poor network coverage, especially for immobile devices like Smart meters, where existing techniques like repetition may not be sufficient to provide reliable communication.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to determine a modulation and coding regime and identify a repetition regime for user equipment, allowing for flexible modulation and coding schemes and varying repetition levels based on radio conditions, which are communicated to the user equipment to enhance coverage without increasing signaling overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If repetition of messaging is used to enhance coverage, then network coverage is improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the repetition regime adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The network can dynamically configure different repetition levels (R14, R12, R10, R8, R4, R2) based on current radio conditions, allowing the system to optimize between coverage enhancement and spectral efficiency usage depending on the attenuation level experienced by user equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of repetition level from a fixed value to a configurable parameter that can be adjusted in six different levels. By varying the repetition parameter according to radio conditions and coverage requirements, the system can achieve coverage enhancement while controlling spectral efficiency consumption through selective application of different repetition levels.
2Reliability
If repetition levels are increased to improve coverage in high attenuation areas, then decoding reliability is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing repetition selectively rather than uniformly across all user equipment and all transmissions. The network determines appropriate repetition levels based on specific radio conditions and coverage requirements, applying repetition only where and when needed to achieve decoding reliability, thereby avoiding unnecessary signaling overhead for equipment in good coverage areas.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible modulation and coding schemes are implemented, then adaptability to different radio conditions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a unified framework that handles multiple modulation and coding schemes within a single repetition regime structure. The same six repetition levels (R14, R12, R10, R8, R4, R2) can be applied across different MCS types, allowing the system to maintain adaptability to various radio conditions while using a standardized, manageable complexity approach rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each MCS.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Aspects provide methods for controlling user equipment operation in a wireless communications network configured to support communication with the user equipment according to a communication mode which utilises repetition of messaging; computer program products and network nodes operable to perform those methods. One method comprises: determining a modulation and coding regime to be used by the user equipment; identifying a repetition regime to be implemented by the user equipment in conjunction with the modulation and coding regime; and communicating an indication of the determined modulation and coding regime and identified repetition regime to the user equipment. Aspects recognise that when implementing a coverage enhanced region within a network it is possible that fixed repetition levels can be defined for CE-MTC UE. Those fixed repetition levels can be implemented by a network and recognise differences between the CE-MTC UE radio condition. That is to say, the number of repetitions used may correspond to radio condition being experienced at a machine-type communication device: those in poorer coverage regions will be selected to receive a greater number of repetitions than those in a better radio coverage region. The granularity of such repetition levels may subject to a given operator's implementation of a coverage enhanced region. The first aspect recognises that it is possible to implement varying repetition levels for user equipment operating in the coverage enhanced region supported by a network access node. Those varying repetition levels can be configured at the network access node; for example, an eNodeB.