Interference Suppression via Pilot Alignment and Parameter Coordination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current interference management in cellular networks is inadequate for maintaining user experience due to increased traffic demand, as existing methods either degrade downlink throughput or require significant processing from user equipment to determine favorable transmission parameters for interference suppression.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where a serving base station coordinates with an interfering base station to set transmission parameters in a scheduled time/frequency zone, signaling this information to user equipment, allowing for enhanced interference suppression without degrading downlink throughput. This involves determining and setting transmission parameters, such as transmission mode, power level, and pilot alignment, to create favorable network conditions for interference cancellation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If existing interference management methods are used, then interference suppression is achieved, but downlink throughput is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference suppressionVSAvoiddownlink throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The serving base station determines favorable transmission parameters for the interfering base station in advance, before the interference suppression zone is activated. This preliminary determination allows the interfering base station to be configured with parameters that will create favorable interference conditions, enabling the user equipment to effectively suppress interference without requiring throughput-reducing measures during data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the transmission parameters of the interfering base station (such as power level, modulation scheme, coding scheme, or resource allocation) to create favorable conditions for interference suppression. By adjusting these parameters, the interfering signal becomes more predictable and suppressible, allowing both interference reduction and maintained throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If user equipment determines transmission parameters for interference suppression, then interference cancellation is enabled, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference cancellationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The serving base station acts as an intermediary that determines the favorable transmission parameters for the interfering base station. Instead of requiring the user equipment to perform complex analysis and determination of these parameters, the serving base station performs this function centrally and communicates the determined parameters to both the interfering base station and the user equipment, significantly reducing user equipment processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If transmission parameters are set in scheduled time/frequency zone, then interference suppression is enhanced, but network coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference suppressionVSAvoidnetwork coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network coordinates interference suppression in segmented time-frequency resources by defining specific interference suppression zones. Rather than requiring continuous coordination across all resources, the system divides the time-frequency space into designated zones where interference suppression parameters are applied, reducing the overall coordination complexity to manageable segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2661002B1Interference Suppression for Cellular Networks
Publication Date: 2018.06.20 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD
  • EP2661002B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2661002B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2661002B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A framework for enabling a user equipment (UE) to apply interference suppression processing during network conditions that are favorable to interference suppression or that are known is provided. The framework includes an interference suppression (IS) time and frequency (time/frequency) zone, which can be scheduled by a serving base station and signaled to the UE. In an embodiment, the serving base station coordinates with the interfering base station(s) to create a network condition favorable to interference suppression at the UE during the IS time/frequency zone. In another embodiment, the serving base station opportunistically schedules the IS time/frequency zone for the UE whenever it determines favorable transmission parameters being used or scheduled for use by the interfering base station(s). The UE applies interference suppression processing within the IS time/frequency zone, thereby improving receiver performance. Outside the time/frequency zone, the UE may disable interference suppression processing so as not to degrade receiver performance.