Base Station Status Management for Power Savings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current power-saving technologies for base stations are inefficient, leading to high energy consumption and potential service quality deterioration when base stations enter sleep mode, as they reduce coverage areas and cause call loss or service quality issues for mobile terminals.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for status management of base stations that measure overall traffic load and transfer base stations from an awake mode to a sleep mode, adjusting antenna connections to ensure seamless handover to awake base stations, thereby minimizing service impact and maximizing energy efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If base stations are transferred to sleep mode to save power, then energy consumption is reduced, but coverage area is reduced and service quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidservice quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base station system dynamically adjusts the number of active base stations based on real-time traffic load conditions. When traffic load is low, base stations are transferred to sleep mode to save energy; when traffic load increases, base stations are activated to maintain service quality. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between energy saving and service quality maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational state parameter of base stations between 'awake' and 'sleep' modes based on traffic load thresholds. By monitoring traffic load and adjusting the operational parameter of base stations, the system achieves energy savings during low-traffic periods while maintaining adequate service capacity during high-traffic periods, thus resolving the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If base stations are transferred to sleep mode, then power consumption is reduced, but call loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcall loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by anticipating traffic patterns and proactively managing base station states. Traffic load is monitored in advance, and base stations are transferred to or from sleep mode based on predicted traffic conditions, preventing call loss before it occurs while maximizing energy savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring traffic load and using this information to adjust base station operational states. The feedback loop ensures that base stations are activated in advance of traffic increases, preventing call loss while maintaining energy efficiency during low-traffic periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If more base stations remain in awake mode, then service quality is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by activating only the necessary number of base stations required to handle current traffic load, rather than keeping all base stations in awake mode. This partial activation maintains adequate service quality while reducing energy consumption by leaving excess base stations in sleep mode during low-traffic periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2681945B1Apparatus and method for saving power of base stations

Publication Date: 2017.12.06 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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AI summary

The invention discloses a method and a device for status management of base stations in a communication network. The method comprises measuring overall traffic load of the base stations (210) and transferring at least one of the base stations from an awaken mode to a sleep mode based on the measurement (220).