Base Station Emulation Controller for Energy Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for reducing energy consumption in cellular base stations during low load conditions fail to accurately determine which terminals should be handled by active or awakened base stations, leading to inefficiencies in energy management.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where active base stations take over the management of idle cell areas by emulating the active mode of the idle base station, using the same cell identity, allowing for efficient distribution of traffic and resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If base stations are put into idle mode during low load to reduce energy consumption, then energy consumption is reduced, but the network loses information about which terminals should be handled by active or awakened base stations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase station energy consumptionVSAvoidterminal assignment information

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies copying by creating a virtual representation of the idle base station's cell through emulation. When a base station goes idle, another active base station emulates the idle one by using its cell identity and managing its coverage area, effectively copying the cell's functional characteristics without physically activating the idle base station. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining service continuity through the copy while keeping the original in low-power mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the network unit maintains terminal activity information and coordinates the emulation process. The network unit acts as a mediator that tracks which terminals are active in emulated cells and manages the handover decisions, ensuring that terminal assignment information is preserved centrally even when individual base stations are idle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If active base stations enlarge their coverage to cover idle base station areas, then coverage is maintained, but it is not possible to determine whether awakening idle base stations would be helpful

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidterminal activity information

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring terminal activity in emulated cells and using this information to make informed decisions about base station awakening. The network unit tracks terminal movements and activity patterns in real-time, providing feedback that determines when it becomes beneficial to wake up idle base stations based on actual observed conditions rather than estimates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physically expanding base station coverage areas with a virtual substitution method. Instead of having active base stations physically extend their transmission ranges to cover idle areas, the system uses emulation where the idle base station's cell identity is virtually maintained by active base stations, substituting physical expansion with virtual representation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If base stations emulate active mode by taking over cell management, then seamless service is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidbase station system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by enabling active base stations to perform multiple functions: managing their own cells while simultaneously emulating idle base stations' cells. The same base station infrastructure and processing units are used for both native cell management and emulation tasks, making the system multi-functional without requiring separate dedicated resources for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8897780B2Managing energy consumption of base stations

Publication Date: 2014.11.25 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A base station includes an emulation controller (20) configured to receive signals indicating that another base station in an active mode managing a cell, having a predetermined cell identity and coverage area, will go into an idle mode and no longer manage the cell, and to determine terminal activity in the cell. A baseband processing unit (18) is connected to the emulation controller (20) and configured to emulate the active mode of the other base station by taking over management of the cell, in at least part of its coverage area, using the same cell identity.