Beamformed Point-to-Point Links for In-Band Backhaul Interference Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless broadband networks face high costs and interference issues due to the need for separate transmission equipment and antennas for access and backhaul networks, with limited frequency diversity and modulation capabilities, leading to reduced capacity and increased latency.

Innovation Solution

A point-to-point communication system with high frequency diversity, variable modulation, and dynamically adapted beam forming, using omni-directional or directional antennas, integrated into a single module with a single controller for both access and backhaul communications, allowing for 'in-band' backhaul operation and interference mitigation mechanisms like transmit power control and spatial beam coordination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate transmission equipment and antennas are deployed for access and backhaul networks, then network functionality is ensured, but deployment cost and device complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork functionalityVSAvoiddeployment cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines access and backhaul transmission functions into a single integrated apparatus. The same antenna array and RF chains are used to perform both access communication with user equipment and backhaul communication with other base stations, eliminating the need for separate transmission equipment and reducing deployment costs while maintaining full network functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The base station apparatus is designed with multi-functionality where the antenna array and transmission components serve dual purposes: accessing user equipment in the access network and maintaining backhaul links with other base stations. This universal design allows a single piece of equipment to fulfill multiple network functions, reducing overall system complexity

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

2Area of stationary object

If high power transmission is used to maximize base station coverage area, then coverage is improved, but interference with neighboring cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebase station coverage areaVSAvoidinterference with neighboring cells
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmission function into separate beamforming operations for different directions. The antenna array generates distinct beams toward user equipment and toward backhaul partners, allowing targeted transmission that maximizes coverage in needed directions while minimizing interference in other directions through spatial separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces spatial dimension through beamforming, transitioning from omnidirectional or sector-based coverage to three-dimensional beam control. By shaping and directing energy in specific spatial directions, the system achieves extended coverage area while controlling interference through precise angular separation of transmission beams

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

3Productivity

If frequency resources are reused across multiple links, then network capacity increases, but interference between concurrent transmissions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacityVSAvoidinterference between concurrent transmissions
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent exploits the spatial dimension through beamforming to enable frequency reuse. By directing transmissions in different spatial directions using shaped beams, the system allows concurrent transmissions on the same frequency resources without significant interference, thereby increasing network capacity through spatial multiplexing of frequency channels

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements virtual sectorization where beamforming creates virtual directional sectors without physical antenna segmentation. Each beam acts as a virtual copy of a traditional sector, allowing frequency resources to be reused across different virtual sectors (beams) while maintaining isolation through spatial directionality, thus increasing capacity without proportionally increasing interference

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3694137B1Point-to-point communication method with interference mitigation
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3694137B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3694137B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3694137B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile broadband wireless network including at least two pairs of nodes arranged in a cluster, each pair coupled to form a link for wireless communication; each node including: an RF transceiver with associated modem; an antenna array arrangement, each antenna having a beam pattern selected to improve quality of transmission, coupled to the modem and arranged for multiple concurrent transmissions; a controller for controlling the transceiver, modem and antenna array arrangement for providing point to point communication; the controller including means for allocating MIMO streams and modulation to different antennas in the antenna array arrangement; and at least one interference mitigation mechanism implemented by the controller to minimize interference within the cluster during multiple concurrent transmissions, and a method of wireless communication.