Dynamic Antenna Activation for Carrier Aggregation Resource Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communications systems, when the service network provides only a single component carrier, the processing engines configured for additional carriers are in an idle mode, leading to inefficient resource utilization and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves configuring additional antennas for processing engines when the system is operating in a single component carrier scenario, allowing dynamic activation of these antennas based on the number of component carriers provided, thereby optimizing resource usage and enhancing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If processing engines are configured for multiple component carriers, then carrier aggregation capability is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates when single component carrier is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configuration of processing engines that can adapt their operation mode based on the number of component carriers provided. When a single component carrier is provided, the processing engines are configured to operate in a single-carrier mode with optimized resource allocation, while maintaining the capability to switch to multi-carrier mode when needed. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to be versatile when needed while maintaining high resource utilization in single-carrier scenarios.
2Reliability
If additional antennas are activated for single component carrier, then diversity gain is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the additional antennas and their associated processing engines to serve multiple functions. These antennas can be activated for single component carrier operation to provide diversity gain, and can be deactivated or repurposed when multiple component carriers are provided. This multi-functional design allows the system to achieve reliability improvement through diversity gain when needed, while avoiding permanent increases in device complexity by making the additional antenna configuration conditional and reversible.
Data Source
AI summary
A communications apparatus and method are provided. The communications method for an apparatus capable of Carrier Aggregation (CA), wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of processing engines and antennas, includes the steps of determining whether the apparatus is configured in a single component carrier for a first group of the antennas, and activating a second group of the antennas when the apparatus is configured in the single component carrier. T the first group of antennas are configured for a first part of the processing engines and the second group of antennas are configured for a second part of the processing engines, and the first part of the processing engines and the second part of the processing engines share a MIMO detector.