Dynamic Guard Zone Allocation for Bandwidth Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional networks waste bandwidth due to fixed guard zones, which reduce overall bandwidth utilization, and existing flexible OFDM/OFDMA frame structures do not effectively address this issue.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where guard zones are dynamically allocated through scheduling within the entire carrier bandwidth, allowing for flexible resource block assignment and sub-carrier indexing to optimize bandwidth utilization without fixed guard bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed guard zones are permanently reserved adjacent to scheduling bandwidths, then channel separation between adjacent carriers is achieved, but bandwidth utilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transforming fixed, permanent guard zones into dynamic, flexible guard zones that are allocated through scheduling decisions. The guard zones are no longer statically reserved but are dynamically created by the scheduler based on current transmission needs, allowing the system to adapt guard zone placement to actual channel conditions and traffic requirements, thereby improving bandwidth utilization while maintaining channel separation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of guard zone allocation from a fixed structural parameter to a flexible scheduling parameter. By changing how guard zones are defined (from permanent reservations to scheduled exclusions), the system can adjust guard zone characteristics based on operational conditions, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable channel separation and maximizing bandwidth utilization
2Object-affected harmful factors
If guard bands are defined at low and high frequency ends of each carrier bandwidth, then inter-carrier interference is prevented, but overall system bandwidth is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by eliminating the permanent reservation of guard bands and instead recovering those bandwidth resources for productive use through scheduling. The guard band function is discarded as a fixed structure but recovered as a flexible scheduling constraint, allowing the same frequency resources to serve both as guard bands when needed and as data transmission resources when safe to do so, thereby reducing bandwidth waste while maintaining interference protection
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible OFDM/OFDMA frame structure is implemented, then better support for flexible numerology transmission is achieved, but inter-numerology-band interference occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by using the scheduling mechanism as a mediator between flexible numerology transmissions and interference prevention. The scheduler acts as an intermediary that coordinates transmissions across different numerology bands, allocating resources in a way that enables flexible numerology support while preventing inter-band interference through intelligent resource management rather than rigid frequency separation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3C
Figure 3D~3F
AI summary
Methods of bandwidth utilization are provided. Within a scheduling bandwidth, which may be an entire carrier bandwidth or a sub-band, scheduling is used to reserve a guard zone at the edge of the scheduled bandwidth. This can be based on the frequency localization capabilities of a transmitter that is to be scheduled. The guard zone may be defined to a resolution that is the same as the scheduling resolution in which case the guard zone is defined entirely through scheduling. Alternatively, the guard zone may be defined to a resolution smaller than the scheduling resolution in which case scheduling and further signaling may be employed to define the guard zone.