Common ACK/NACK Signal Transmission in Softer Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mobile communication systems, especially during softer handover conditions, existing technologies face challenges in efficiently transmitting common ACK/NACK signals from multiple base station sectors to a user entity, leading to reduced channel efficiency and increased ACK/NACK signaling errors due to differing transmission statuses across sectors.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a mobile communication system combines data packets received from multiple sectors using maximal-ratio-combining to determine a common ACK/NACK signal, which is then transmitted to the user entity via each sector, enhancing signal-to-noise ratio and eliminating the need for higher-layer reporting, thereby improving channel efficiency and reducing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each base station sector transmits its own ACK/NACK signal to the user entity during softer handover, then transmission status can be accurately reflected, but channel efficiency is reduced and ACK/NACK signaling errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines ACK/NACK signals from multiple base station sectors into a single common ACK/NACK signal. The base station receives data packets from multiple sectors, determines transmission status based on the combined reception, and transmits a unified ACK/NACK signal to the user entity. This merging approach eliminates redundant signaling and reduces channel overhead while maintaining accurate transmission status indication.
2Device complexity
If ACK/NACK signals are transmitted through higher-layer signaling, then processing can be simplified, but transmission delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a physical channel as an intermediary for ACK/NACK signal transmission. Instead of using higher-layer signaling, the base station transmits the common ACK/NACK signal directly through a physical channel to the user entity. This physical channel intermediary enables faster transmission while the base station's combined determination logic maintains processing simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If multiple ACK/NACK signals are transmitted from different sectors, then individual sector performance can be monitored, but signal-to-noise ratio decreases and errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sector signals into a single common ACK/NACK signal transmission. By combining the determination results from all sectors and transmitting them as one unified signal, the system achieves the signal-to-noise ratio benefits of signal combining while maintaining accurate transmission status information. The base station's controller integrates feedback from all sectors before generating the common signal.
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 allows for improved data transport rates and reduced ACK/NACK signaling errors by transmitting a single common ACK/NACK signal across sectors, directly using a physical channel for ACK/NACK transmission, thus enhancing channel efficiency and eliminating the need for higher-layer reporting.
Implementation Method 1
combining the correspondingly received data packets, to obtain a signal having a highest signal-to-noise ratio
Implementation Method 2
combining the common ACK/NACK signals received from the at least one sector, to obtain a value having a highest signal-to-noise ratio
Data Source
AI summary
A packet data transmitting method and mobile communication system using the same enables transmission of common ACK/NACK information from each sector of a base station to a user entity in softer handover. The method includes receiving via at least one of the plurality of sectors a data packet from the mobile terminal, the data packet being correspondingly received for each of the at least one of the plurality of sectors; combining the correspondingly received data packets, to obtain a signal having a highest signal-to-noise ratio; decoding the value obtained by the combining; determining a transmission status of the data packet according to the decoding; and transmitting to the mobile terminal a common ACK/NACK signal including one of a common ACK signal and a common NACK signal according to the determining, the common ACK/NACK signal being transmitted via each of the at least one sector.