Aerial Wireless Device Detection via ToA and RSRP Metrics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication networks face challenges in identifying and managing aerial wireless devices, such as drones, which cause signal interference and performance reduction due to high altitude, leading to inefficient network handling and pricing schemes.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using Time-of-Arrival (ToA) metrics and other parameters like Timing Advance (TA), Rise-over-Thermal (RoT), and Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) to determine if a wireless device is aerial, allowing the network to optimize its algorithms and pricing schemes accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If aerial wireless devices are allowed to operate in the network, then network coverage and connectivity are improved, but signal interference and network performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork coverageVSAvoidsignal interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments wireless devices into terrestrial and aerial categories based on their operational characteristics. By identifying aerial devices through specific metrics (ToA, TA, RoT, RSRP patterns), the network can apply differentiated handling strategies for each segment, allowing aerial devices to operate while mitigating their interference impact on terrestrial devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes network parameters dynamically based on device type. When aerial devices are detected through metric analysis, the network adjusts resource allocation, pricing schemes, and algorithmic parameters specifically for aerial devices, thereby maintaining network performance while accommodating the expanded coverage provided by aerial operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If conventional network algorithms are used for aerial devices, then device complexity is reduced, but network performance and resource allocation efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealgorithm complexityVSAvoidnetwork performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables aerial devices to self-identify through their inherent communication metrics. The devices report standard metrics (ToA, TA, RoT, RSRP) that the network analyzes to automatically determine aerial status, eliminating the need for complex external detection mechanisms while enabling differentiated resource allocation and optimized performance for aerial operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If aerial devices are not identified, then network management is simplified, but economic differentiation and optimized pricing schemes cannot be implemented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork management complexityVSAvoidpricing scheme flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the network continuously monitors communication metrics (ToA, TA, RoT, RSRP) from wireless devices and uses this feedback to identify aerial devices. This feedback loop enables the network to dynamically adjust pricing schemes and resource allocation based on device type, achieving economic differentiation while maintaining relatively simple management through automated metric-based classification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3646659B1Method and network nodes for determining whether a wireless device is aerial
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3646659B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3646659B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3646659B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method and one or more network nodes (110a-c; 210a-c) for use in a wireless communication network (100; 200) to determine whether a wireless device 5 (120a; 120b; 120c; 220) is aerial. The one or more one or more network nodes (110a- c; 210a-c) communicate (405) with the wireless device (120a; 120b; 120c; 220) to instruct to report one or more metrics of wireless device parameters. The one or more network nodes (120a-c; 210a-c) receives (406) from the wireless device (120a; 120b; 120c; 220) a report of the metrics and then compares (408) the reported metrics to 0 terrestrial metrics to determine whether the wireless device (120a; 120b; 120c; 220) is aerial.