Interference Mitigation for Wireless Control Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication networks face interference issues on control channels due to transmissions from neighboring base stations and user equipment, degrading network performance.

Innovation Solution

A technique where user equipment detects high interference on control channels and sends a request to interfering stations to reduce their transmit power, allowing for less interference and improved reception of control channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If interfering base stations transmit at high power to maintain their own communication quality, then their transmission reliability is improved, but interference on control channels from desired base stations increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidinterference on control channels
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating between desired signals and interfering signals. The UE identifies specific interfering base stations and requests interference coordination only for resources used by desired control channels, allowing interfering base stations to maintain high power on non-conflicting resources while reducing power only where necessary to protect control channel reception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback through the interference coordination request mechanism. The UE monitors control channel quality, identifies interference sources, and sends feedback requests to interfering base stations. The interfering base stations respond by adjusting their transmit power or resource allocation, creating a closed-loop system that continuously optimizes the balance between transmission reliability and interference mitigation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If interfering stations reduce transmit power on control channel resources, then interference on control channels is reduced, but their own transmission power and coverage are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference on control channelsVSAvoidtransmit power
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the frequency-time resources into control channel resources and data channel resources. Interfering base stations are requested to reduce power or avoid transmission only on control channel resources (PDCCH, PHICH, PUCCH) while maintaining full power on data channel resources (PDSCH, PUSCH), thus protecting control channel reception without significantly degrading overall system capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by requesting interference coordination only for specific control channel resources rather than reducing power across all resources. The interfering base stations reduce power partially (only on conflicted control channel resources) rather than excessively (across all resources), maintaining optimal power levels where no conflict exists.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2506646B1Interference mitigation for control channels in a wireless communication network
Publication Date: 2019.05.01 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2506646B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2506646B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2506646B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques for mitigating interference on control channels in a wireless communication network are described. A base station transmits a request to one or more interfering user equipments (UEs) to reduce interference on radio resources used for a control channel by one or more UEs served by the base station; one or more interfering UEs receive a request from the base station and reduce transmit power on the radio resources to reduce interference to the control channel from the base station; the base station then receives on the radio resources the control channel from the one or more served UEs, the radio resources having reduced interference from the one or more interfering UEs.