Distributed Antenna System Carrier Routing and Timing Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital distributed antenna systems (DAS) face challenges in routing aggregated carriers, particularly due to the strong relationship between carrier pairs, which requires careful timing alignment to prevent time differences and ensure seamless transmission in coverage areas.
Innovation Solution
The method involves identifying aggregated carriers through communication with a radio resource management database, determining the appropriate DRU for transport, and using delay elements like ring buffers or fractional delay filters to align the carriers, ensuring no time difference when submitted to wireless communication devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If aggregated carriers are transported through the DAS without special routing considerations, then the DAS structure is simple and easy to operate, but timing alignment between carriers is lost and network performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by identifying aggregated carriers before they enter the DAS routing system. The DMU recognizes carrier aggregation relationships in advance and establishes special routing paths for these carriers, ensuring timing alignment is maintained throughout transport. This pre-identification prevents timing misalignment issues that would otherwise require complex corrective measures downstream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a radio resource management database that stores carrier aggregation relationship information. This database acts as a mediator between the DAS routing system and the aggregated carriers, providing the necessary routing instructions to maintain timing alignment without requiring direct complex interactions between all system components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If aggregated carriers are routed through different paths in the DAS, then routing flexibility is improved, but processing delays cause time differences between carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the routing parameters for aggregated carriers based on their specific timing requirements. The system modifies path selection, processing priority, and delay compensation parameters to ensure that despite different physical paths through the DAS, all aggregated carriers arrive at the DRU with proper timing alignment. This involves changing routing parameters in real-time based on carrier aggregation relationships.
3Device complexity
If carrier aggregation relationships are not identified, then the DAS can treat all carriers independently simplifying processing, but aggregated carriers may not be transmitted to the intended coverage area resulting in network capacity wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing carriers into two categories: aggregated carriers that require special handling and independent carriers that can be processed conventionally. The DMU segments the carrier stream by identifying aggregation relationships, then routes aggregated carriers through dedicated paths while allowing independent carriers to follow standard processing. This segmentation maintains simplicity for the majority of carriers while providing specialized handling only where needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a digital distributed antenna system (DAS, 300) and a method performed by the digital DAS (300) of routing aggregated carriers. In an aspect of the invention, a method performed by a digital DAS (300) is provided for routing aggregated carriers received by at least one digital master unit (301) of the DAS to at least one digital remote unit (304) of the DAS. The method comprises identifying (S101) the received aggregated carriers to be transmitted to a wireless communication device located in a coverage area served by the at least one digital remote unit (304), and routing (S102) the identified aggregated carriers through the DAS (300) such that the carriers are transported to said at least one digital remote unit (304) for transmission to the wireless communication device.