Base Station Dormant State Control for Wireless Capacity and Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, dense deployments of base stations lead to increased energy consumption and interference, resulting in sub-optimal performance due to continuous operation even when not serving user equipment (UEs), which hampers the full exploitation of base station capacity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method and apparatus that allow cells to transition between operational states, including a dormant state with periodic low duty cycle transmission and an active state, based on monitoring of wireless communications, to minimize interference and energy consumption by only transmitting when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If base stations are deployed densely to increase wireless capacity, then network capacity is improved, but energy consumption increases due to continuous operation
Solution Approach 1:
The base station operates in multiple dynamic states (active, dormant, off) and transitions between them based on traffic conditions. This dynamic operation allows the system to adapt to varying demand, maintaining high capacity when needed while reducing energy consumption during low-traffic periods by switching to dormant or off states.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station performs periodic monitoring of wireless communications even in dormant state to detect UE activity. This periodic action enables the system to maintain readiness for capacity provision while minimizing continuous operation, transitioning to active state only when traffic is detected.
2Reliability
If base stations operate continuously to serve UEs, then service availability is improved, but interference increases due to simultaneous transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The base station dynamically adjusts its operational state based on real-time monitoring of wireless communications. By transitioning between active, dormant, and off states, the system maintains service availability when UEs are present while reducing interference during periods when no UEs are being served.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station continuously monitors wireless communications to detect UE activity and uses this feedback to determine state transitions. This feedback mechanism ensures the base station remains available to serve UEs when needed while minimizing interference by entering dormant or off states when no UEs are present.
3Reliability
If base stations transmit continuously to maintain coverage, then coverage reliability is improved, but capacity utilization decreases when no UEs are served
Solution Approach 1:
The base station operates dynamically in multiple states (active, dormant, off) rather than continuously transmitting. This allows the system to maintain coverage reliability when UEs are present while avoiding wasted capacity during periods of no activity, thereby improving overall capacity utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station autonomously monitors wireless communications and determines its own state transitions based on detected UE activity. This self-service capability allows the system to maintain coverage when needed while optimizing capacity utilization by entering low-power states during idle periods without requiring continuous external control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods providing an enhanced new carrier type (eNCT) operable to adapt cells of a wireless communication network for opportunistic behavior that adapts to the geo-temporal traffic distribution are disclosed. Embodiments of eNCT operation provide for transmission of downlink common channels by cells employing eNCT techniques only when needed. Base stations implementing eNCT techniques herein may transition between two or more operational states, such as an active state wherein full base station functionality is performed and a dormant state wherein limited base station functionality is performed, based upon geo-temporal traffic distribution within the network. Thus, when a base station is not actively serving a user equipment (UE), the downlink transmission by the base station, and resulting interference, may be reduced or even eliminated.