Inter-RAT Spectrum Sharing for Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network providers face challenges in supporting both legacy and new radio access technologies, as legacy devices may not be compatible with new infrastructure, limiting the frequency spectrum and bandwidth available for advanced networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing inter-radio access technology spectrum sharing, where a base station using a legacy RAT notifies a base station using an advanced RAT of available communication resources, allowing the advanced network to temporarily expand its frequency spectrum by utilizing these resources, thereby enhancing bandwidth and phasing out the legacy network as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a provider implements a new radio access technology in the infrastructure, then the bandwidth and capacity for new user devices are improved, but the frequency spectrum available for the new technology is limited because legacy user devices require separate legacy network support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic spectrum sharing where the frequency spectrum is not permanently allocated to either legacy or new radio access technologies. Instead, the spectrum is dynamically assigned based on real-time demand and device type. Base stations can switch between serving legacy devices and new technology devices, allowing the new technology to expand its bandwidth when spectrum becomes available from legacy devices that have been migrated or turned off.
2Reliability
If a provider provides separate wireless networks for legacy and new technologies, then compatibility with legacy devices is maintained, but the frequency spectrum and bandwidth for the new technology network are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the legacy and new radio access technology networks into a unified infrastructure. A single base station can simultaneously support both legacy devices (using older RATs) and new technology devices (using advanced RATs). This consolidation allows the provider to maintain legacy device compatibility while gradually transitioning to new technologies, and enables dynamic allocation of spectrum resources between the two technologies based on actual usage patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If legacy user devices are supported on a separate legacy network, then backward compatibility is ensured, but the overall utilization of frequency spectrum is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of base stations to dynamically adjust which radio access technology they serve. As legacy devices are phased out or migrate to new technologies, the base stations transition from supporting legacy RATs to supporting new RATs. This parameter change allows the frequency spectrum to be reallocated from legacy uses to new technology uses, thereby increasing overall spectrum utilization efficiency while maintaining compatibility during the transition period.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure describes techniques for, and systems that enable, inter-radio access technology spectrum sharing. For example, a wireless network provider can cause a legacy wireless network to share temporarily available communication resources with a new wireless network. By enabling the legacy wireless network to share its frequency spectrum with the new wireless network, the wireless network provider can temporarily expand a frequency spectrum of the new wireless network. By doing so, the wireless network can better utilize advantages of the new wireless network and provide a better experience to user devices equipped with the new communication technology.