Base Station Optical Switch Port Reduction via Passive Wavelength Demultiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In base station systems, the increase in radio resources and subdivided provision areas leads to waste due to the need for multiple optical switch ports, which decreases reliability and increases failure rates, especially when radio schemes are diversified and demand varies by time zone.
Innovation Solution
A passive light functional unit is introduced between base station functional units and provision areas to demultiplex and combine signal wavelengths, reducing the need for active optical switch ports and minimizing resource waste, while an optical switch is used to manage radio schemes between provision areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical switch ports are used to accommodate diversified radio schemes in subdivided provision areas, then the system can support more radio schemes and provision areas, but the number of optical switch ports increases leading to decreased reliability and increased failure rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical switching function into two parts: a passive optical multiplexer/demultiplexer that handles wavelength routing without active components, and a minimal active optical switch that only performs necessary switching. This segmentation removes unnecessary active components from the signal path, improving reliability while maintaining support for multiple radio schemes through wavelength division multiplexing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a passive optical multiplexer/demultiplexer as an intermediary device between the optical switch and the radio access networks. This intermediary handles the complex wavelength routing functions passively, allowing the active optical switch to have fewer ports and simpler operation, thereby improving overall system reliability without sacrificing adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If radio resources are arranged based on peak demand to support all provision areas simultaneously, then all provision areas can be served, but resource waste occurs when demand is biased toward certain areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic allocation of radio resources by using wavelength division multiplexing to allow different wavelengths to be assigned to different provision areas based on real-time demand. The optical switching system can dynamically reconfigure which wavelengths serve which provision areas, allowing resources to be concentrated in high-demand areas while maintaining the capability to serve all areas when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical infrastructure is designed with universal wavelength multiplexing capability that allows the same physical infrastructure to serve multiple provision areas with different radio schemes simultaneously. Different wavelengths can be routed to different provision areas based on demand, making the system universally applicable to various demand scenarios without requiring dedicated resources for each area.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of optical switch ports is increased to accommodate more radio schemes, then more radio schemes can be supported, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional switching architecture (spatial ports) to a three-dimensional architecture by adding the wavelength dimension. Instead of requiring one port per radio scheme, the system uses wavelength division multiplexing to allow multiple radio schemes to share the same physical ports through different wavelengths, dramatically reducing the number of required ports and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses wavelength copying/multiplexing to create multiple logical channels over a single physical infrastructure. Instead of building separate physical paths for each radio scheme, the system creates virtual copies through different wavelengths, allowing the same physical optical switch ports to handle multiple radio schemes simultaneously with minimal additional complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the number of optical switch ports, prevents resource waste, and enhances reliability by using a passive component for signal management and an active switch for radio scheme accommodation, addressing the inefficiencies in resource allocation and reliability in subdivided areas with diverse radio schemes.
Implementation Method 1
a passive light functional unit demultiplexes and combines a plurality of downlink signal wavelengths and uplink signal wavelengths
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is a base station system S that connects each of base station functional units that provides each of radio schemes and each of antenna units in each of provision areas via an optical fiber section, the base station system including passive light functional units disposed between each of base station functional units and each of antenna unit and including each downlink signal output port to which each downlink signal wavelength is allocated and each uplink signal output port to which each uplink signal wavelength is allocated and an optical switch disposed between each of the antenna units and the passive light functional units, accommodates some of each of the radio schemes, and switches to which one of the provision areas the some of the radio schemes are provided.