Cell Clustering for Flexible TDD Interference Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cellular communication systems face challenges in managing inter-cell interference due to inflexible Time Division Duplex (TDD) configurations in heterogeneous networks, where different cells require unique uplink-downlink resource allocations to optimize traffic handling, leading to inter-cell cross-link interference.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for specifying and coordinating desired uplink-downlink configurations within a cell cluster, allowing for flexible TDD communication by defining configurations based on traffic conditions and priority factors, enabling coordinated active transmissions across cells to mitigate interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If different UL-DL configurations are adopted in different cells to adapt to traffic situations, then resource efficiency and power saving are improved, but inter-cell cross-link interference is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidinter-cell cross-link interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The network is divided into cell clusters, where each cluster independently coordinates its UL-DL configurations. This segmentation allows different clusters to adopt different configurations adapted to their local traffic conditions while limiting interference to within-cluster coordination only, thus resolving the contradiction between resource efficiency and interference mitigation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each cell within a cluster is allowed to have customized UL-DL configurations based on its local traffic characteristics, rather than enforcing a uniform configuration across the entire network. This local quality approach enables traffic-adaptive resource allocation while the cluster coordination mechanism ensures that local optimizations do not cause harmful cross-link interference with neighboring clusters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the same UL-DL configuration is used in all cells to avoid inter-cell interference, then interference mitigation is improved, but resource efficiency and traffic adaptation capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference mitigationVSAvoidresource efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into multiple cell clusters, each capable of independent configuration optimization. Within each cluster, cells can adopt different UL-DL configurations adapted to their traffic needs, while the segmentation ensures that interference management is localized, thus achieving both interference mitigation and resource efficiency simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts UL-DL configurations based on real-time traffic conditions within each cell cluster. Rather than using static uniform configurations, the dynamic adaptation allows the network to optimize resource allocation for current traffic patterns while the cluster coordination mechanism dynamically manages interference, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10560849B2Cell clustering based configuration of flexible time division duplex communication
Publication Date: 2020.02.11 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD
  • US10560849B2 patent drawing
  • US10560849B2 patent drawing
  • US10560849B2 patent drawing

AI summary

There are provided measures for cell clustering based configuration of flexible time division duplex communication, such as e.g. in layered heterogeneous network deployments. Such measures may exemplarily comprise measures for specifying a desired uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in a subject cell of a cellular communication system, obtaining at least one desired uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in at least one neighboring cell of the cellular communication system, wherein the at least one neighboring cell and the subject cell belong to the same cell cluster, and defining an uplink-downlink configuration for time division duplex communication in at least the subject cell of the cell cluster out of a set of predefined uplink-downlink configurations with flexible subframe patterns for flexible time division duplex communication on the basis of the specified desired uplink-downlink configuration for the subject cell and the obtained at least one desired uplink-downlink configuration for the at least one neighboring cell.