Joint Channel Sensing for Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication networks face inefficiencies due to increased noise and interference as the number of devices grows, leading to reduced signal quality and communication speed, particularly when using unlicensed frequency spectrum, which requires power-consuming channel access monitoring operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a joint sensing operation between base stations and user equipment (UE) devices, which includes a direction-based scan of beams during a first window of a frame period to determine if the network medium is idle, allowing for coordinated communication decisions during a second window, thereby reducing power consumption and improving throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If channel access monitoring operations are performed individually by each device, then channel access can be monitored, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines channel sensing operations of multiple devices (UE and base station) into a joint sensing operation. Both devices perform sensing during the same time window and share results, eliminating redundant monitoring and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliable channel access detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint sensing operation allows devices to serve each other's monitoring needs. When one device performs sensing, the other benefits from the same channel state information, reducing the need for duplicate sensing operations and thereby reducing total energy expenditure.
2Productivity
If the number of devices accessing the network increases, then network capacity grows, but interference and noise increase reducing signal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The joint sensing operation provides real-time feedback about channel conditions to both devices. By continuously monitoring and sharing channel state information, devices can adapt their transmissions to avoid high-interference periods and select optimal transmission parameters, thereby maintaining signal quality as network capacity increases.
Solution Approach 2:
Devices perform joint sensing operations before transmission to preliminarily assess channel conditions. This advance knowledge allows them to prepare appropriate transmission parameters and avoid initiating transmissions during high-interference conditions, thus preventing degradation of signal quality as more devices access the network.
3Quantity of substance
If unlicensed frequency spectrum is used, then bandwidth availability increases, but channel access monitoring becomes more power-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies joint sensing operations specifically for unlicensed spectrum access. By merging the sensing efforts of multiple devices and sharing channel state information, the system maintains the bandwidth benefits of unlicensed spectrum while reducing the cumulative power consumption that would otherwise result from each device independently monitoring the channel.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of wireless communication includes performing, by a user equipment (UE) device, a channel sensing operation during a first window of a frame period associated with a wireless communication network. Performing the channel sensing operation includes performing a direction-based scan of one or more beams associated with the wireless communication network, and the channel sensing operation is included in a joint sensing operation performed with a base station. The method further includes, based at least in part on a result of the channel sensing operation, determining whether to perform, during a second window of the frame period, one or more communication operations with the base station.