Dynamic Preamble Assignment for Relay Stations

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Solution Overview

Problem

IEEE 802.16 networks face challenges in maintaining high data-rate communication at cell boundaries due to link budget stress, leading to poor coverage areas, which can be mitigated by deploying relay stations but at increased capital and operational expenses. Additionally, mobile relay stations face interference issues due to limited preamble sequences, necessitating a dynamic preamble assignment system.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a dynamic preamble assignment system within wireless communication networks, where relay stations can switch preambles to minimize interference by using a communication management block to manage links and switch preambles when handovers occur, ensuring compatibility and reducing interference with neighboring base stations and relay stations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If relay stations are deployed in areas with poor coverage to extend network coverage and maintain high data-rate links, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but capital expenditure and operational expenditure increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork coverage areaVSAvoiddeployment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing base station preamble sequences serve dual purposes: both for base station identification and for relay station communication. By allowing relay stations to use the same preamble sequences as base stations (with proper management), the system extends coverage without deploying additional dedicated relay infrastructure, thereby reducing CAPEX and OPEX while maintaining high data-rate links in poor coverage areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables relay stations to copy and use the same preamble sequences that base stations use for their communications. This copying approach allows relay stations to operate using existing base station resources and sequences, avoiding the need for separate relay-specific preamble designs and reducing overall system complexity and deployment costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If mobile relay stations use fixed preamble sequences to communicate with base stations, then communication simplicity is maintained, but interference occurs when multiple relay stations use the same preambles in neighboring cells

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication simplicityVSAvoidinterference between relay stations

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from static, fixed preamble assignment to dynamic preamble assignment for relay stations. The communication management block at the base station dynamically selects and assigns preambles to relay stations based on current network conditions, neighboring cell configurations, and interference levels. This dynamic approach maintains communication simplicity while eliminating interference through adaptive preamble selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the base station's communication management block monitors preamble usage in neighboring cells and network conditions, then uses this information to make informed decisions about preamble assignment to relay stations. This feedback loop ensures that relay stations are assigned unique preambles that do not cause interference while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the number of preamble sequences is increased to provide unique preambles for all relay stations in a network, then interference is reduced, but system complexity and resource overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference between relay stationsVSAvoidpreamble sequence management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the preamble resource pools of base stations and relay stations into a single shared pool. Instead of maintaining separate preamble sequences for base stations and relay stations, the system allows both to draw from the same preamble sequences managed by the base station's communication management block. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity while preventing interference through centralized coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The base station's communication management block acts as an intermediary that coordinates preamble usage between base stations and relay stations. This intermediary manages the shared preamble pool, assigns preambles to relay stations, and ensures that no two relay stations in interfering ranges use the same preamble. This centralized mediation simplifies the system compared to distributed preamble management while effectively preventing interference

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7742452B2System and method for dynamic preamble assignment

Publication Date: 2010.06.22 ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

A method of operation of a multi-hop wireless communication system comprising operating a first device to communicate with one or more network devices using a preamble sequence; locating the first device within range of a network entity; and switching the preamble sequence of the first device to a second preamble for communicating with the one or more network devices.