Cooperative Relay Signal Processing for Wireless Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooperative relay in wireless telecommunication networks faces challenges in achieving accurate synchronization and power matching, requiring specific channel conditions, which increases design and measurement complexity, and limits performance improvement.

Innovation Solution

The method involves multiple relay devices processing and forwarding signals using space diversity or space multiplexing techniques, allowing for space diversity or space multiplexing gain by employing power control to ensure signals from different relay devices are at the same power level, and using specific encoding and decoding methods based on network topology and channel parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cooperative relay combines signals from different relay stations, then signal reliability is improved, but synchronization accuracy and power matching requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal reliabilityVSAvoidsynchronization accuracy and power matching
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cooperative relay process into distinct phases: broadcast phase where source transmits to all relays, receive phase where relays independently decode, and forward phase where relays transmit processed signals. This segmentation allows each relay to operate independently with simple decode-and-forward logic, eliminating complex synchronization and power matching requirements while maintaining signal reliability through diversity combining at the destination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each relay device autonomously performs signal reception, decoding, and retransmission without requiring coordination with other relays. The relays self-manage their operations independently, processing received signals and forwarding them based on local channel conditions, which simplifies the overall system complexity and removes the need for precise inter-relay synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If cooperative relay requires accurate synchronization and power match, then signal combining performance is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal combining performanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the relay operation into independent time slots and phases, where relays receive, process, and forward signals in a structured sequence. This temporal segmentation allows simple independent operation at each relay without complex real-time coordination, reducing system complexity while maintaining effective signal combining through the structured phased approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each relay independently copies the source signal through decode-and-forward operation, creating redundant signal paths without requiring precise coordination. This copying approach simplifies relay functionality to basic decoding and retransmission, reducing device complexity while the destination combines multiple copied signals to achieve reliable reception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If cooperative relay uses specific channel conditions such as orthogonality, then signal processing performance is improved, but design and measurement difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing performanceVSAvoiddesign and measurement difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the operational parameters of relay devices to operate in decode-and-forward mode with independent decoding at each relay. This parameter change eliminates the need for orthogonal channel conditions, as each relay processes signals independently based on local channel characteristics. The destination then combines signals from multiple relays, achieving good signal processing performance without requiring special channel orthogonality, thus simplifying design and measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If cooperative relay improves performance, then system reliability is enhanced, but channel condition dependency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance improvementVSAvoidchannel condition dependency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication into broadcast and forward phases, where relays independently process signals based on their local channel conditions. This segmentation allows each relay to adapt to its own channel environment without requiring uniform channel conditions across all relays, reducing overall channel dependency while maintaining performance improvement through diversity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic operation where each relay independently adjusts its transmission based on local channel conditions and received signal quality. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to maintain performance improvement across varying channel conditions, as relays can optimize their forward transmissions according to their specific channel environments rather than requiring uniform channel characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2017975B1The method and device for combined relay with multiple relay stations in wireless communication networks
Publication Date: 2017.02.01 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2017975B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2017975B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2017975B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention provides a method and device for cooperative relay with multiple relay stations in the wireless telecommunication network. To be specific, according to the invention, in single-hop or multi-hop relay telecommunication link, the relay device and other relay devices within the same hop select space diversity or space multiplexing to carry out cooperative relay operation according to the processing indicating information from the base station, thus obtaining space diversity gain and space multiplexing gain.