Beam Management for Interference Mitigation in Wireless Networks

Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless networks, particularly in 5G access systems, interference from downlink transmissions can negatively impact the operation of backhaul systems due to shared spectrum, leading to decreased signal-to-interference plus noise ratio and errors in received signals.

Innovation Solution

An interference mitigation method that determines the location of base stations relative to wireless nodes and identifies beam-reduction regions with interfering transmit beams, causing the base stations to decrease transmit power or shut off these beams to reduce interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If base stations transmit signals at full power to maintain 5G access system performance, then system productivity is improved, but interference to backhaul nodes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improve5G access system performanceVSAvoidinterference to backhaul nodes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different spatial regions. Instead of uniformly reducing power for all beams, the system identifies specific beam-reduction regions where interference occurs and applies power reduction only to beams directed toward those regions. This allows full power transmission in non-interfering areas while mitigating interference in specific directions, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining system performance and reducing harmful interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the transmission system into multiple independent beams, each capable of having its power independently controlled. By determining which specific beams cause interference to backhaul nodes and selectively reducing power only for those beams while maintaining full power for other beams, the system resolves the contradiction between overall system productivity and local interference mitigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-generated harmful factors

If base stations reduce transmit power for interfering beams to mitigate interference, then interference to backhaul nodes is reduced, but signal strength for affected 5G users decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference to backhaul nodesVSAvoidsignal strength for 5G users

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different spatial regions. Instead of uniformly reducing power for all beams, the system identifies specific beam-reduction regions where interference occurs and applies power reduction only to beams directed toward those regions. This allows full power transmission in non-interfering areas while mitigating interference in specific directions, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining system performance and reducing harmful interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the transmission system into multiple independent beams, each capable of having its power independently controlled. By determining which specific beams cause interference to backhaul nodes and selectively reducing power only for those beams while maintaining full power for other beams, the system resolves the contradiction between overall system productivity and local interference mitigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-generated harmful factors

If beam-reduction region is determined based on location data, then interference mitigation is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference to backhaul nodesVSAvoidbeam management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the base station to autonomously determine beam-reduction regions based on its own location data and the locations of backhaul nodes. The base station independently performs the determination of which beams require power reduction without requiring external intervention or complex centralized control, thus reducing overall system complexity while achieving interference mitigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-determining beam-reduction regions based on location data before actual interference occurs. The base station identifies which beams need power reduction in advance, allowing for proactive interference mitigation rather than reactive correction, which simplifies the overall system operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10743262B2Beam management for interference mitigation for wireless networks

Publication Date: 2020.08.11 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY

AI summary

A technique of reducing interference at a wireless node includes: determining a location of a base station relative to a wireless node, determining, based at least on the location of the base station relative to the wireless node, a beam-reduction region that includes one or more interfering transmit beams of the base station within the beam-reduction region, and causing the base station to decrease a transmit power for the one or more interfering transmit beams within the beam-reduction region.