Dynamic Frequency Band Control for Macro Small Cell Load Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cellular communication systems, terminal devices face increased burden when connected to both macro and small cells using separate frequency bands, leading to higher wireless communication loads and potential backward compatibility issues.

Innovation Solution

A communication control device and method that allows terminal devices to use one primary frequency band and one or more secondary frequency bands, dynamically switching between macro and small cell frequency bands to reduce the load and ensure compatibility, by controlling the use of frequency bands within the control unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If terminal devices are connected to both macro cell and small cell using separate frequency bands, then communication capacity is expanded, but the burden on terminal devices increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capacityVSAvoidterminal device burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control plane functions of macro cell and small cell into a single base station controller. The terminal device performs transactions with only one base station (the controlling base station) rather than separately with both macro and small cell base stations. This consolidation reduces the number of transactions and control signaling overhead at the terminal device while maintaining the ability to utilize both macro and small cell resources for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If terminal devices perform dozens of transactions with both macro cell and small cell, then connection is established, but the load on terminal device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishmentVSAvoidterminal device load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the control plane transactions from the terminal device by centralizing them at the base station controller. The terminal device only needs to perform transactions with its serving base station for user plane data, while the controller handles coordination with both macro and small cells. This extraction of control functions reduces the transaction burden and energy consumption at the terminal device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If separate frequency bands are used between macro cell and small cell, then interference is reduced, but terminal device has to manage multiple frequency bands

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinterferenceVSAvoidfrequency band management
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The base station controller serves multiple functions: it acts as the controlling base station for control plane transactions, coordinates resource allocation across both macro and small cells, and manages frequency band assignments. This multi-functional controller simplifies terminal device operations by providing a single point of contact while maintaining the interference-reducing benefit of separate frequency bands through centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2916579B1Communication control device, terminal device, program, and communication control method
Publication Date: 2019.09.04 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP2916579B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2916579B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2916579B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a communication control device including a control unit configured to control wireless communication by a terminal device capable of performing wireless communication using one primary frequency band and one or more secondary frequency bands when the terminal device is located within a macro cell. When the terminal device is located within a small cell overlapped by the macro cell partially or entirely and the macro cell, the control unit controls the terminal device in a manner that one of one or more frequency bands for wireless communication in one of the macro cell and the small cell is used as the primary frequency band, and each of one or more frequency bands for wireless communication in the other of the macro cell and the small cell is used as the secondary frequency band.