Layered Relay Node Selection for Wireless Network Interference Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The practical implementation of wireless self-backhauled networks is hindered by the need for efficient selection of relay nodes, as existing methods either require all access nodes to act as relays or fail to maximize signal quality, leading to unnecessary network interference and increased complexity at destination nodes.
Innovation Solution
Defining two or more layers of relay nodes based on signal quality thresholds, where only nodes with sufficient signal quality are selected to relay traffic data, and the destination node decodes only signals from the final layer, treating others as noise, thereby improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary processing and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all access nodes are used as relay nodes to maximize signal quality at the destination node, then the signal quality improves, but the network interference increases and the complexity at the destination node increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the set of all access nodes into multiple layers based on their signal quality metrics. Only nodes in specific layers are selected as relay nodes, dividing the relay function across structured groups rather than using all nodes uniformly. This segmentation reduces network interference while maintaining signal quality by selectively activating relay nodes based on their contribution to the destination signal.
2Reliability
If all access nodes are used as relay nodes to maximize signal quality at the destination node, then the signal quality improves, but the complexity at the destination node increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments relay nodes into layers and restricts destination node processing to only the final layer, reducing the number of signals that must be decoded simultaneously. This layered segmentation simplifies the destination node's computational complexity while preserving signal quality through selective relay node activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and processes only the most relevant signals at the destination node - specifically, only signals from the final layer of relay nodes are decoded, while signals from intermediate layers are treated as noise or discarded. This extraction principle reduces processing complexity by focusing computational resources on the most valuable signal components.
3Productivity
If more relay nodes are selected to convey traffic data, then the data throughput increases, but the energy consumption at relay nodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selecting only a subset of access nodes as relay nodes based on signal quality criteria, rather than activating all available nodes. This partial selection achieves sufficient data throughput while significantly reducing the total energy consumption across the network, as fewer nodes are actively relaying traffic data.
Data Source
AI summary
The proposed layer solution defines two or more layers of relay nodes to convey traffic data from a source node to a destination node. All of the nodes in a given layer were selected for that layer because they each satisfied a signal quality requirement specified for that layer, where all relay nodes defined in one layer simultaneously start transmitting in response to a received transmission. Due to the layered approach, the destination node may be configured to decode only the traffic data relayed by the relay nodes in the immediately preceding (final) layer while treating any remaining received signals as noise. As a result, only those access nodes most likely to significantly contribute to and improve the signal quality of traffic data received at the destination node are selected as relay nodes for a particular source-destination node pair.