Autonomous Signal Combining in Wireless Relay User Agents

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication networks, particularly in LTE systems, user agents (UAs) face challenges in receiving and decoding signals due to varying channel conditions, leading to potential data loss and reduced service quality, as they often rely on a single communication link which may be affected by propagation characteristics and power consumption issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing autonomous combining in user agents, where signals from both access nodes and relay nodes are demodulated and combined, potentially using incremental redundancy or blind decoding, to enhance data reception and improve service quality, while also optimizing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single communication link is used for data transmission, then device complexity is reduced, but data reception reliability deteriorates due to channel conditions and propagation characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication link structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple communication links (direct link from access node and relayed link from relay node) into a unified communication path. The user agent receives and combines signals from both the access node and relay node, merging multiple transmission paths to improve data reception reliability while managing device complexity through coordinated signal processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The relay node acts as an intermediary between the access node and user agent. It receives signals from the access node, processes them, and forwards them to the user agent via the relayed link. This intermediary structure enables diverse signal paths without requiring direct complex coordination between the access node and all user agents, thus improving reliability while controlling system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If signals from multiple sources are combined, then data reception accuracy improves, but device complexity increases due to demodulation and combining operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception accuracyVSAvoidsignal processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user agent autonomously performs demodulation and combining of signals from multiple sources without requiring external control. The device independently processes received signals, determines the need for combining based on channel conditions, and executes the combining operations. This self-service approach improves data reception accuracy while managing processing complexity within the user agent itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The signal processing operations are dynamically adjusted based on channel conditions. The user agent determines whether to perform autonomous combining based on received signal quality and channel state. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt processing complexity to actual needs, improving accuracy when necessary while avoiding unnecessary processing when channel conditions are good.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If autonomous combining is implemented, then service quality improves through error reduction, but power consumption increases due to additional processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements partial combining operations based on actual need. The user agent performs autonomous combining only when channel conditions indicate potential data loss or when signal quality metrics suggest benefit from combining. This partial action approach improves service quality and error reduction while avoiding continuous full-power processing that would excessively increase power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes processing parameters dynamically based on channel conditions. The user agent monitors signal quality, channel state, and error rates, adjusting whether to perform combining operations and how aggressively to process signals. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maintain high service quality while optimizing power consumption by avoiding unnecessary processing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2377251B1Apparatus and method for autonomous combining in a wireless relay network
Publication Date: 2017.12.06 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2377251B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2377251B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2377251B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A user agent capable of autonomous combining. The user agent can be implemented as a processor configured to promote receiving a first signal from an access node and a second signal from a relay node. The processor may be further configured to combine the first and second signals.