Distributed Mobile Radio System for Building Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing high-speed data services in densely populated buildings with many glass surfaces, which are poorly covered by external base stations due to heat transfer resistance, leading to poor cell phone reception and increased installation costs for mobile radio transmission systems.
Innovation Solution
A mobile radio transmission system with a first baseband unit and gateway device installed within the building, connected to a remote control device, allowing for local Internet access and decentralized user data processing while centralizing control data transmission, using LTE or LTE-A radio cells and integrating a Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), serving gateway, and packet data network gateway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external base stations are used to provide mobile radio coverage, then the service provider can maintain centralized control, but the building receives poor coverage due to heat transfer resistance from metal coatings on glass surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the mobile radio network into distributed components within the building. Baseband units and transmitting/receiving units are placed in different locations throughout the building, creating multiple local access points that bypass the shielding effect of metal coatings on external glass surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from external to internal deployment by placing transmitting and receiving units inside the building. This dimensional shift from outside to inside the building structure allows the system to operate within the enclosed space, avoiding the shielding effect of external metal coatings.
2Device complexity
If all network units are operated centrally at the service provider, then control is simplified, but broadband connection requirements increase complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts user plane data processing functions from the centralized service provider and places them in local baseband units within the building. This extraction allows user data to be processed locally without requiring high-capacity broadband connections to the service provider, reducing installation complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The network control functions are segmented into control plane (remaining centralized) and user plane (distributed locally). This segmentation allows simplified broadband connections for control traffic while user data traffic is handled locally, reducing the burden on broadband infrastructure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple mobile phone providers operate in the same building, then service competition increases, but broadband connection requirements become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The local baseband units are designed with universal functionality to support multiple mobile phone providers. Each baseband unit can serve different operators simultaneously, allowing multiple providers to operate in the same building without requiring separate broadband connections for each provider.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses virtualization to create virtual network instances on shared physical infrastructure. Multiple providers can share the same physical broadband connection through virtual network functions, reducing complexity while supporting multi-provider operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile communication system (1) provides multiple mobile communication cells in a building (2) or campus. It comprises a first baseband unit (10a) and a first gateway unit (13a) that can be connected to a data network (6). At least one transmit and/or receive unit (4) is connected to the baseband unit (10a). The at least one transmit and/or receive unit (4) is configured to provide at least one first mobile communication cell (1a). A subscriber device (5a, 5b, 5c) in the building (2) can exchange information with the data network (6) via this first mobile communication cell (1a). A first control unit (12a) is connected to the first baseband unit (10a) and the first gateway unit (13a).The first baseband unit (10a) and the first gateway unit (13a) are installed in the building (2) or campus where at least one transmit and/or receive unit (4) provides at least one first mobile cell (1a), whereas the first control unit (12a) is located away from it at an operating company.