BBU Signal Combining for Multi-pRRU Uplink Coverage and Noise Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in current communication technologies is the imbalance between uplink performance and cost, as increasing the number of pRRUs for radio frequency combination leads to higher noise floors and increased costs, while reducing pRRUs compromises coverage and capacity.

Innovation Solution

A communication method and device that involves grouping and combining signals in both time and frequency domains, and adjusting bandwidths to improve uplink performance without increasing the number of pRRUs, while supporting multiple RHUBs to enhance coverage area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the quantity of pRRUs is increased for radio frequency combination, then coverage area is improved, but noise floor increases and uplink performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoiduplink performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the signal processing into two domains: time domain for combining multiple pRRU signals, and frequency domain for bandwidth adjustment. This segmentation allows selective combination of signals in time domain while controlling noise through frequency domain filtering, resolving the contradiction between combining more signals for coverage and controlling noise floor for uplink performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from single-domain signal processing to dual-domain processing (time domain for signal combination, frequency domain for bandwidth control). This dimensional approach enables simultaneous achievement of coverage expansion through multi-pRRU combination and uplink performance maintenance through frequency-selective noise control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the quantity of pRRUs is reduced to lower noise floor, then uplink performance is improved, but coverage area and capacity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuplink performanceVSAvoidcoverage area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges signals from multiple pRRUs in the time domain to achieve coverage expansion, while simultaneously applying frequency domain filtering to control noise floor. This merging approach allows maintaining uplink performance by selectively combining only beneficial signal components across multiple pRRUs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If more BBUs are deployed to support fewer pRRUs, then uplink performance is maintained, but carrier costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuplink performanceVSAvoidcarrier cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing BBUs multi-functional by enabling them to handle time-domain signal combination and frequency-domain bandwidth adjustment. This universality allows a single BBU to efficiently manage multiple pRRUs without requiring additional BBU deployments, thereby maintaining uplink performance while reducing carrier costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3920434B1Communication method and device
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3920434B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3920434B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3920434B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A communication method and device are provided, to resolve a problem in a current technology that uplink performance and low costs cannot be balanced when radio frequency combination is performed on uplink data of a plurality of pRRUs. The method includes: receiving, by a BBU, M groups of signals, where each group of signals includes N signals, M is an integer greater than 0, and N is a maximum quantity of signals supported when a physical cell of the BBU demodulates a signal; determining, by the BBU, H groups of signals that carry data and that are in the M groups of signals, where 0<H≤M; combining, by the BBU, the H groups of signals into one group of data; and demodulating, by the BBU, the combined group of data.