Adaptive SINR Control via Receiver Gain Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current approaches to managing inter-system interference in radio frequency (RF) communications are inadequate, particularly in environments with high power disparities, leading to issues like overload, intermodulation, and dynamic range reduction, especially as RF resources become congested and diverse services operate in close proximity.

Innovation Solution

The method involves a mobile device detecting interference and requesting the base station to increase transmission power of the desired signal while reducing the signal strength of the received signal through adjustments in receiver gain or attenuation, thereby improving the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) without the need for expensive filters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If expensive and large filters are used to reduce interference, then interference reduction is improved, but device cost and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference reductionVSAvoiddevice cost and size

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the operating parameters of the receiver by dynamically adjusting gain stages and insertion loss settings based on detected interference conditions. Instead of using fixed filters, the system adapts receiver parameters to optimize signal reception while minimizing interference impact, thereby avoiding the need for expensive and large filter components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/filter-based interference reduction approach with an electronic control system. The base station and mobile device exchange control messages to coordinate receiver adjustments, substituting physical filters with software-controlled parameter adjustments that achieve interference mitigation without additional hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If receiver gain is increased to improve desired signal reception, then signal reception is improved, but overload from interfering signals worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal receptionVSAvoidoverload from interfering signals

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of receiver gain stages based on real-time interference detection. The system continuously monitors signal conditions and adapts the gain settings accordingly, allowing the receiver to optimize between capturing weak desired signals and avoiding overload from strong interfering signals. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making gain a variable parameter rather than a fixed setting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the mobile device detects interference conditions and communicates with the base station to coordinate receiver adjustments. The base station sends control messages instructing the mobile device to adjust specific receiver stages, creating a closed-loop system that continuously optimizes signal reception while preventing overload based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If transmission power is increased to overcome interference, then desired signal strength is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesired signal strengthVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the signal transmission problem by identifying and targeting only the specific time-frequency resources affected by interference. Instead of increasing transmission power across all resources, the system applies power adjustments only where needed, thereby maintaining desired signal strength in interfered resources while conserving energy in non-interfered resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by increasing transmission power only for specific control messages or specific resource blocks that are affected by interference, rather than uniformly increasing power for all transmissions. This selective approach ensures sufficient signal strength where needed while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9913224B2Adaptive SINR control

Publication Date: 2018.03.06 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

An adaptive SINR control process is triggered based on various quality measures associated with the received signal in a mobile device or on a geographic region in which a base station and an interferer are located. As part of the adaptive SINR control process, the mobile device reduces the signal level of the received signal, which reduces both the signal strength of the desired signal and the interfering signal. If the control process is triggered on the mobile device side, after detecting the presence of interference, the mobile device sends a request that the base station increase its transmit power of the desired signal to improve the receiving SINR in the mobile device. Alternatively, the mobile device may receive information from the base station causing the mobile device to reduce the signal level of the received signal based on quality indicators sent by the mobile device to the base station or based on geographic location of the base station.