Codebook-Based Interference Alignment for Wireless Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interference alignment schemes in wireless communication systems require perfect global channel knowledge and are sensitive to channel estimation and quantization errors, antenna configuration, and mobility, leading to high feedback overhead and coordination complexity.

Innovation Solution

A codebook-based interference alignment scheme that uses local channel state information, where directional and amplitude information is fed back instead of full channel information, allowing transmitters to align interference in the null space of predefined vectors, reducing the need for extensive feedback and improving robustness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If perfect global channel knowledge is used for interference alignment, then interference alignment performance is improved, but feedback overhead and coordination complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference alignment performanceVSAvoidfeedback overhead and coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential channel information (directional and amplitude information) needed for interference alignment, rather than requiring complete global channel knowledge. This selective extraction reduces feedback overhead while maintaining sufficient performance for interference alignment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from global channel knowledge requirements to local channel state information at each transmitter. Each transmitter only needs local CSI about its own channel conditions, eliminating the need for complex global coordination and reducing feedback overhead significantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If full channel information is fed back, then channel knowledge accuracy is improved, but feedback overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel knowledge accuracyVSAvoidfeedback overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the critical components of channel information (directional and amplitude information) that are necessary for interference alignment, discarding redundant details. This extraction maintains sufficient accuracy for the alignment operation while dramatically reducing the amount of feedback data required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If traditional orthogonalization schemes are used, then coordination complexity is reduced, but throughput performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordination complexityVSAvoidthroughput performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables each transmitter to perform interference alignment independently using local channel state information, without requiring complex coordination with other transmitters. This self-service approach maintains the simplicity of traditional schemes while achieving the performance benefits of interference alignment through autonomous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2665198B1Codebook based downlink multi-user interference alignment scheme
Publication Date: 2018.07.11 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2665198B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2665198B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2665198B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for operating a receiver having multiple receive antennas to process a signal from a first affiliated transmitter and align interference from a second interfering transmitter includes providing a codebook of predefined matrices. Each predefined matrix has an identifier associated therewith. A first channel matrix and a second channel matrix are assembled for the first and the second transmitters. An equivalent direct channel matrix is determined from the first and second channel matrices, and predetermined reference vectors are selected from a plurality of predetermined vectors. A predefined matrix is selected from the codebook based upon the equivalent direct channel matrix and an identifier for the predefined matrix is fed back to the first transmitter. A signal is received and decoded using a combining matrix derived from the predetermined reference vectors and an inverse of the second channel matrix, thereby reducing interference from the interfering transmitters.