Hybrid Analog Digital Multiplexing for Small Cell Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current small-cell solutions for combined 3GPP and Wi-Fi traffic require costly baseband processing at the small-cell site, which is inefficient and not cost-effective, especially when trying to transport Wi-Fi traffic to a centralized processing site, as they demand higher bandwidth and linear optical/electrical converters, and are not suitable for Wi-Fi due to dynamic power range issues.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid analog and digital multiplexing method where analog 3GPP radio signals are multiplexed with high data rate digital Wi-Fi signals for transmission over a medium like optical fiber, allowing 3GPP signals to be transported to a centralized baseband processing site without local processing at the small-cell site, while Wi-Fi traffic is terminated and backhauled digitally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If baseband processing of 3GPP traffic is performed at the small-cell site, then radio coordination and mobility management are improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to requiring high-bandwidth converters and linear optical/electrical converters
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the signal processing functions by separating 3GPP traffic from Wi-Fi traffic. The 3GPP baseband processing is extracted from the small-cell site and performed remotely at a centralized location, while the small-cell site only handles radio frequency functions and Wi-Fi traffic. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex baseband processing equipment at distributed small-cell sites while maintaining radio coordination capabilities through the remote processing architecture.
2Area of stationary object
If Wi-Fi traffic is transported to a centralized processing site, then infrastructure consolidation is improved, but bandwidth requirements and conversion costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts 3GPP traffic from the digital domain and transports it in the analog domain alongside Wi-Fi traffic. By taking out the 3GPP baseband processing function from the small-cell site and performing it remotely, the system consolidates processing infrastructure without requiring high-bandwidth digital conversion at the small-cell site. The analog transport of 3GPP signals eliminates the need for expensive linear optical/electrical converters while enabling infrastructure consolidation.
3Device complexity
If a common Ethernet link is used for both 3GPP and Wi-Fi traffic, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but signal interference and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary approach by using a common Ethernet link for Wi-Fi traffic while transporting 3GPP traffic in the analog domain through a separate path. The analog 3GPP signals are multiplexed with the digital Wi-Fi signals on the same physical medium without requiring digital conversion, thereby reducing infrastructure costs while avoiding the signal interference and processing complexity that would arise from mixing both traffic types in the digital domain.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method in a node of a telecommunication network comprises receiving a digital communication signal from a first signal source, wherein the digital communication signal comprises a plurality of low amplitude windows, step 101, and receiving one or more analog subcarrier signals from a second signal source, step 103. The method further comprises multiplexing the one or more analog subcarrier signals into one or more of the plurality of low amplitude windows of the digital communication signal, step 105.