Floating-Instant Coordinated Multipoint for NR-U Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face interference and congestion issues in New Radio (NR) unlicensed (NR-U) networks due to increased demand for mobile broadband access, leading to inefficiencies in shared communication spectrum access among network nodes and user equipment (UEs).
Innovation Solution
A two-phase floating-instant coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operation is introduced, where network nodes and UEs perform full and abbreviated Listen Before Talk (LBT) procedures to determine availability for joint CoMP transmissions, allowing for efficient resource sharing and reduced interference by switching to joint CoMP transmissions only when sufficient nodes are available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple network nodes perform full LBT procedures independently to access shared spectrum, then each node can determine channel availability, but network efficiency deteriorates due to increased interference and congestion
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple network nodes are merged into a CoMP cluster that performs coordinated channel access. Instead of independent full LBT procedures, the cluster operates as a unified entity that shares channel access decisions, thereby maintaining reliable channel access while improving network efficiency by reducing redundant LBT operations and coordinating transmissions to minimize interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary channel access assessment through abbreviated LBT procedures before committing to full CoMP transmissions. This preliminary action allows nodes to quickly evaluate channel availability and coordinate with the leading node, avoiding the need for each node to perform complete independent LBT procedures and thereby improving network efficiency while maintaining access reliability.
2Productivity
If network nodes perform coordinated CoMP transmissions, then resource utilization improves, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The CoMP coordination process is segmented into distinct phases: channel access phase where the leading node performs full LBT, coordination phase where the leading node communicates with cluster nodes, and transmission phase where coordinated CoMP occurs. This segmentation reduces coordination complexity by breaking down the complex coordinated transmission process into manageable, sequential steps while maintaining high resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The leading node acts as an intermediary that centralizes coordination functions. It performs the full LBT procedure, makes the channel access decision, and communicates this decision to other cluster nodes. This intermediary approach simplifies the system by consolidating coordination complexity in a single node rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination among all cluster nodes, thereby enabling efficient resource utilization with reduced overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If all cluster nodes perform full LBT procedures, then channel access reliability is maintained, but access time increases due to redundant procedures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring all cluster nodes to perform complete full LBT procedures, the system applies partial action where only the leading node performs the full LBT procedure. Other cluster nodes perform abbreviated LBT or rely on the leading node's channel access decision. This partial action approach maintains channel access reliability through the leading node's thorough assessment while significantly reducing the total access time by eliminating redundant full LBT procedures across all nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
Two-phase floating-instant coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operation is disclosed. The CoMP operation may be initiated by the network via a CoMP cluster of network nodes or by user equipments (UEs) configured for uplink CoMP transmissions. The first phase is initiated after a first node to conduct a successful full listen before talk (LBT) procedure signals the other participating nodes to perform an abbreviated LBT procedure and identifies the beginning of the second phase. After success of the full and abbreviated LBT procedures, each associated node will initiate a first transmission in the first phase. The leading node determines how many of the other nodes are available for transmission and decides, based on that amount and the rules of the network, whether to continue with the CoMP operations. If enough of the other nodes are available, the participating nodes will conduct the CoMP transmissions at the identified beginning of the second phase.