Coverage Enhancing Device Signal Redirection for Wireless Discovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in reducing power consumption during the discovery of wireless devices (WDs) within a network node's range, as they often require wide beam transmission which is difficult to achieve with restricted phase changes.

Innovation Solution

The communication system employs a network node, aiding wireless devices, and a coverage enhancing device (CED) configured to redirect signals according to a predetermined spatial pattern. The network node sends configuration messages to the aiding WDs and CED to align discovery resources with CED configurations, allowing aiding WDs to send discovery signals that are redirected by the CED to cover a wide area efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the network node uses beamforming to scan for WDs within range, then the coverage area is improved, but the power consumption and time required for discovery increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a coverage enhancing device (CED) as an intermediary component that reflects or redirects signals between the network node and WDs. The CED is configured with specific spatial patterns to redirect signals across wide coverage areas without requiring the network node to perform extensive beamforming operations, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining broad coverage capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system divides the coverage area into multiple regions that can be independently targeted by configuring the CED with different spatial patterns. Instead of using a single wide beam from the network node, the CED segments the coverage area and redirects signals to specific regions, reducing the overall power and time required for comprehensive discovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If the network node uses beamforming to scan for WDs within range, then the coverage area is improved, but the time required for discovery increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoiddiscovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The CED acts as a signal intermediary that can rapidly redirect beams to different spatial regions without the network node needing to physically steer its antenna array through multiple positions. This mediation significantly reduces the time required to scan coverage areas while maintaining comprehensive WD discovery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The CED is pre-configured with multiple spatial patterns that correspond to different coverage regions. This preliminary configuration allows the system to instantly switch between different coverage areas without performing time-consuming beam steering operations, thereby reducing discovery time while maintaining wide area coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If the CED is restricted to phase changes only for configuration, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to achieve wide beams is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration complexityVSAvoidbeam width

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the configuration parameter from simple phase shifts to spatial pattern configurations. By configuring the CED with spatial patterns that define reflection directions and coverage areas, the system achieves wide beam capability through parameter optimization rather than complex hardware reconfiguration, maintaining low device complexity while improving beam width

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces power consumption by leveraging aiding WDs and CEDs to provide discovery signals, thereby shortening the time needed to sweep an area for undiscovered WDs and improving spectral efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a coverage enhancing device, CED, configured to redirect signals according to a predetermined spatial pattern

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSignal redirection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS20250031058A1Communication system with coverage enhancing device and aiding wireless devices

Publication Date: 2025.01.23 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A communication system is provided. The communication system comprises a network node. The communication system comprises one or more aiding wireless devices, such as a plurality of aiding wireless devices. The communication system may comprise a coverage enhancing device, CED, configured to redirect signals according to a predetermined spatial pattern. The network node may be configured to send, to the plurality of aiding WDs, a WD configuration message to configure the plurality of aiding WDs for contemporaneously sending discovery signals. In a first configuration of the CED, the CED may be configured to redirect a first set of discovery signals emitted by the plurality of aiding WDs according to a first predetermined spatial pattern.