Heterogeneous Base Station Coordination via Resource Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heterogeneous communications systems face challenges in managing interference between different types of base stations, such as macro cells and low power nodes, which affects link adaptation and interference coordination.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for coordinating base stations by signaling indicators of communication resources to user equipment, allowing for measurement and reporting of channel information, and supporting coordinated beam switching to mitigate interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple types of base stations (macro cells and low power nodes) are deployed in a heterogeneous communications system, then network coverage and capacity are improved, but interference between different base station types increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacityVSAvoidinterference
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication resources by introducing specific measurement resources that are separately configured for different base station types. The communications controller divides the overall resource pool into distinct measurement resources that can be selectively activated, allowing macro cells and low power nodes to operate with reduced mutual interference while maintaining overall network capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by configuring cell-specific measurement resources for each base station type. Each low power node and macro cell can have customized measurement resource configurations tailored to their specific interference environments, allowing localized optimization of measurement accuracy without affecting the entire network uniformly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If channel measurements are performed across all communications resources, then comprehensive channel information is obtained, but measurement complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel information completenessVSAvoidmeasurement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary measurement activities from the overall resource set by introducing specific measurement resources. Instead of requiring measurements across all communications resources, the system selectively activates only those resources needed for particular measurement purposes, thereby obtaining sufficient channel information while significantly reducing measurement complexity and processing overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by configuring a subset of measurement resources rather than requiring complete resource utilization for measurements. The communications controller can activate only the necessary portion of measurement resources based on current network conditions, achieving adequate channel information gathering with reduced complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3487208B1Method and apparatus for coordinating different types of base stations in a heterogeneous communications system
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3487208B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3487208B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3487208B1 patent drawingFigure 2c~2d

AI summary

A system and method for coordinating different types of base stations in a heterogeneous communications system are provided. A method of communications controller operations includes signaling an indicator of a subset of a plurality of communications resources controlled by a communications controller to a user equipment, and receiving a report comprising channel information associated with a measurement of signals transmitted in the subset from the user equipment.