Carrier Aggregation Scheduling via Cell-Specific Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP LTE standards lack specific carrier aggregation scheduling schemes, leading to increased complexity in network scheduling and user terminal receiver design, which complicates the use of carrier aggregation for improving data throughput in wireless networks with limited spectrum.
Innovation Solution
A method for scheduling traffic streams by determining cell and traffic characteristics, assigning each traffic stream to a single cell for its entire duration based on calculated thresholds or ranks, simplifying user terminal receiver design and reducing complexity by avoiding shared higher layers and storage buffers between radios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation is implemented to increase throughput and coverage, then data throughput and coverage area are improved, but network scheduling complexity and user terminal receiver design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the carrier aggregation system into independent cell-specific schedulers, where each cell maintains its own scheduling independence. This segmentation allows each cell to handle traffic streams autonomously without requiring complex inter-cell coordination at the user terminal, thereby maintaining throughput benefits while reducing receiver design complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the user terminal manage complex carrier aggregation scheduling across multiple cells, the patent inverts the approach by having the network side (eNodeB) perform the scheduling decisions. Each cell's scheduler independently assigns resources, and the user terminal simply executes these decisions without complex processing, thus improving throughput while reducing terminal complexity
2Area of stationary object
If carrier aggregation is implemented to increase throughput and coverage, then coverage area is improved, but network scheduling complexity and user terminal receiver design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the coverage area into multiple independent cells, each with its own scheduler. This segmentation allows each cell to independently manage its coverage area and resources, expanding overall coverage without requiring the user terminal to handle complex multi-cell coordination, thus increasing coverage area while maintaining receiver simplicity
3Productivity
If scheduling flexibility is increased to take advantage of carrier aggregation, then throughput is improved, but network scheduling complexity and user terminal receiver design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scheduling function into independent cell-specific schedulers that operate autonomously. Each scheduler can apply flexible scheduling algorithms within its cell without coordinating with other cells, maintaining throughput optimization through flexibility while reducing overall system complexity by eliminating inter-scheduler coordination requirements
Solution Approach 2:
Each cell's scheduler operates independently and self-sufficiently, making scheduling decisions based on local conditions without requiring complex interaction with other cell schedulers or user terminal processing. This self-service approach maintains scheduling flexibility for throughput optimization while reducing the operational complexity at the network and terminal levels
Data Source
AI summary
A method, implemented by one or more processors, for scheduling traffic streams in a communication network includes determining, via a processor, a plurality of sets of one or more cell characteristics. Each set of cell characteristics in the plurality of sets of cell characteristics corresponds to a different cell in a plurality of cells. The method also includes determining, via a processor, a first set of one or more traffic characteristics corresponding to a first traffic stream, selecting, via a processor, a first cell from the plurality of cells based on (i) the plurality of sets of cell characteristics and (ii) the first set of traffic characteristics, and assigning, via a processor, the first traffic stream to the first cell for an entire duration of the first traffic stream.