Cell Sector-Clustering for Joint Decoding in Mobile Networks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional approaches for joint decoding in mobile communication networks do not optimize decoding performance due to interference from outside the master cell.

Innovation Solution

The network is partitioned into disjoint, wind-spinner-shaped clusters of sectors, where the center cells act as master cells, and all receive signals from sectors not pertaining to the master cell are quantized and sent to the master cell for joint decoding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all sectors in surrounding cells are included in joint decoding, then decoding performance is improved through increased diversity, but interference from outside the master cell increases and complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding performanceVSAvoidinterference from outside master cell
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The network is partitioned into disjoint clusters of sectors, where each cluster is associated with a master cell. Only sectors within the same cluster are jointly decoded at the master cell, while sectors in other clusters are treated as interference. This segmentation reduces the number of sectors involved in joint decoding, thereby reducing interference and complexity while maintaining decoding performance through optimized cluster formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all sectors in surrounding cells are included in joint decoding, then decoding performance is improved through increased diversity, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding performanceVSAvoidcomplexity of joint decoding
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network is divided into disjoint clusters, limiting joint decoding operations to only the sectors within each cluster. This segmentation reduces the computational complexity by avoiding joint decoding across all surrounding cell sectors, while still providing diversity gain through cooperative decoding within the optimized cluster structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If conventional opportunistic 3-sector decoding is used, then implementation is simple, but decoding performance is not optimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of decoding implementationVSAvoiddecoding performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically forms clusters of sectors based on channel conditions and interference patterns, allowing the set of sectors involved in joint decoding to adapt to changing network conditions. This dynamic clustering approach optimizes decoding performance by selecting the most beneficial sector combinations, while maintaining implementation feasibility through systematic cluster formation rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If disjoint wind-spinner-shaped clusters are formed, then interference is reduced and decoding performance is optimized, but network partitioning complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding performanceVSAvoidnetwork partitioning complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric wind-spinner-shaped cluster formations rather than symmetric regular patterns. Each master cell's cluster extends preferentially in certain directions to minimize interference from specific neighboring cells, creating an asymmetric partitioning that optimizes decoding performance. This asymmetric structure allows for reduced interference while maintaining manageable network partitioning through systematic formation rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3777286B1Cell sector-clustering for joint decoding of messages
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3777286B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3777286B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3777286B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a network 120 comprising a plurality of base stations 110, 103, each base station 110, 103 serving a cell 101, 104 and each cell 101, 104 being partitioned into a plurality of sectors 107. The plurality of base stations 110, 103 comprise a primary base station 110 for serving a first cell 101 and a plurality of secondary base stations 103 each for serving a respective second cell 104 adjacent to the first cell 101. Each secondary base station 103 is configured to send, to the primary base station 110, information 102 representing at least one message 105 originating from at least one terminal 106 located in the respective second cell 104 of the secondary base station 103 in one specific sector 107 adjacent to the first cell 101. The primary base station 110 is configured to jointly decode the information 102 sent from the secondary base station 103 and at least one message 105 originating from at least one terminal 106 located in the first cell 101.