Dynamic Carrier Aggregation Management for Small Cell Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carrier aggregation in cellular wireless networks can lead to unacceptably high interference when macro base stations and small cells use the same wireless carrier band, especially if small cells are heavily loaded, which can result in reduced service quality.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically assess the load and number of small cells operating on the secondary carrier of a macro base station to determine whether to activate carrier aggregation, refraining from aggregation if the load exceeds a threshold to prevent interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation is activated when operational conditions indicate it should be used, then service quality and data transmission efficiency are improved, but interference on the secondary carrier increases when small cells are heavily loaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic management of carrier aggregation by continuously monitoring small cell load conditions and adjusting carrier aggregation activation accordingly. The system transitions from static carrier aggregation decisions to dynamic ones based on real-time load assessment, preventing aggregation activation when small cell load exceeds thresholds and maintaining it when conditions are favorable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the macro base station receives load information from small cells and uses this feedback to make informed carrier aggregation decisions. The system monitors small cell load conditions, processes this information, and adjusts carrier aggregation activation based on the feedback, creating a closed-loop control system that balances performance and interference
2Productivity
If carrier aggregation is activated under all operational conditions, then network capacity and throughput are increased, but service quality deteriorates due to unacceptably high interference from heavily loaded small cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of carrier aggregation by introducing load-based activation thresholds. Instead of activating carrier aggregation based solely on operational conditions, the system modifies the activation decision by incorporating small cell load parameters, preventing activation when load exceeds acceptable levels and thus maintaining service quality while preserving network capacity benefits when conditions are favorable
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the macro base station refrains from carrier aggregation when small cell load is high, then interference is reduced, but data transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts carrier aggregation activation based on real-time small cell load conditions, refraining from activation when load is high to reduce interference and enabling activation when load is acceptable to maintain data transmission efficiency. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize the trade-off between interference reduction and productivity based on current network conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system for dynamically managing carrier aggregation based on operating conditions of small cells in a wireless communication system. A first base station may be configured for providing wireless services on a first wireless carrier band and a second wireless carrier band. One or more additional base stations may each configured for providing wireless services on the second wireless carrier band. A determination can be made that a load on the one or more additional base stations exceeds a threshold level while each is providing wireless coverage within a region that at least partially overlaps with wireless coverage provided by the first base station. In response, the first base can be caused to refrain from aggregating the first and second wireless carrier bands for providing wireless services under operational conditions defined to cause the base station to aggregate the first and second wireless carrier bands.