Cooperative Relaying Parameter Segmentation for Wireless Network Scaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication networks using cooperative relaying are limited by their inability to effectively scale with increasing numbers of relay stations, leading to high protocol overhead and inefficiencies in managing large networks, which restricts the full utilization of cooperative relaying benefits such as directivity and diversity gains.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that distribute functionality between relay stations, transmitters, and receivers, using relative and common transmission parameters to optimize signal forwarding, allowing for coherent combining and power control, thereby enabling efficient communication with a large number of relay stations without significant increase in protocol overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the number of relay stations is increased to improve directivity and diversity gains, then signal-to-noise ratio and communication robustness are enhanced, but protocol overhead and network management complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication robustnessVSAvoidnetwork management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cooperative relaying system into distributed relay stations that independently perform local signal processing and forwarding decisions. Each relay station operates autonomously to forward signals from transmitters to receivers, eliminating the need for centralized coordination and reducing protocol overhead while maintaining communication robustness through distributed diversity gains

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Relay stations are designed to self-configure and self-manage within the network. Each relay station independently characterizes communication links, determines optimal transmission parameters, and forwards signals without requiring extensive centralized control, thereby reducing network management complexity while enabling scalable deployment of numerous relay stations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Area of stationary object

If more relay stations are deployed to extend coverage and improve data rates, then communication performance is enhanced, but battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidbattery consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic relay selection and activation where relay stations are activated or deactivated based on real-time communication conditions, traffic demands, and battery status. This dynamic operation allows the network to extend coverage by activating additional relays when needed while conserving battery power by keeping relays in low-power states when not required, thus resolving the contradiction between coverage extension and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If relay stations forward signals using centralized parameter control, then transmission optimization is improved, but protocol overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidprotocol overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmission parameter control into two parts: common transmission parameters determined centrally and distributed to all relay stations, and relative transmission parameters determined locally at each relay station based on local link conditions. This segmentation allows relay stations to optimize signal forwarding efficiently using local parameters while minimizing protocol overhead by only exchanging essential common parameters centrally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring all relay stations to use identical centralized parameters, the patent allows each relay station to use partial centralized parameters (common parameters) combined with local adjustments (relative parameters). This partial centralized control achieves transmission optimization where needed while avoiding the excessive protocol overhead that would result from fully centralized parameter distribution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS7933549B2Method and architecture for wireless communication networks using cooperative relaying

Publication Date: 2011.04.26 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The present invention relates to wireless networks using cooperative relaying which in a communication session involve more than one relay station. In the method according to the present invention, a transmitter 210′, a receiver 220′ and at least one relay station 215 are engaged in a communication session. The relay station 215 forwards signals from a first link between the transmitter 210′ and the relay station 215 to a second link between the relay stations 215 and the receiver 220′. The relay station 215 forwards the signal with the use of a relative transmission parameter and optionally a common transmission parameter. The relative transmission parameter is determined locally in each relay station 215 and based on a characterization of a first link, or the second link or a combination of the first and second link.