Link Quality Analyzer for Communications Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Communications systems face challenges in determining link quality due to noise and changing signal-to-noise ratios, making it difficult to distinguish between desired signals and noise, and existing error correction techniques do not provide insights into link quality even when error-free messages are received.

Innovation Solution

A communications system comprising a transmitter, receiver, and link analyzer that encodes and decodes messages using error correction codes, compares demodulated coded information with re-encoded information to generate a link quality metric, which is indicative of the link quality, allowing for optimization of transmission parameters such as power level and code rate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If error correction codes are used to correct noise-induced errors, then message reliability is improved, but link quality information is lost because the decoded message appears error-free

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage reliabilityVSAvoidlink quality information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the link quality analyzer comparing re-encoded information with demodulated coded information) that mediates between the error correction decoding process and the need for link quality assessment. This intermediary comparison process allows extraction of link quality metrics without compromising the error-free decoded message output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using the link quality metric information to adjust transmission parameters such as power level and code rate. The link quality analyzer provides feedback about channel conditions, enabling the transmitter to adapt its encoding parameters to optimize both reliability and spectral efficiency dynamically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If transmission power is increased to improve signal strength, then link quality is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelink qualityVSAvoidtransmission energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts transmission parameters including power level based on real-time link quality metrics. The transmitter can increase power when link quality degrades and decrease power when conditions are favorable, optimizing the energy-reliability tradeoff rather than maintaining constant high power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes transmission parameters such as power level and code rate based on link quality conditions. By varying these parameters adaptively, the system achieves reliable communication with minimized energy consumption, adjusting the balance between power and reliability based on actual channel conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If error correction coding is applied to all transmissions, then decoding reliability is improved, but data rate decreases due to redundant information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding reliabilityVSAvoiddata rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies error correction coding selectively rather than uniformly to all transmissions. Based on link quality metrics, the transmitter can adjust the code rate and amount of redundancy, using stronger coding when needed and weaker or no coding when the channel is good, thus optimizing the balance between reliability and data rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Productivity

If link quality metrics are monitored continuously to optimize transmission parameters, then communication efficiency is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The link quality analyzer performs self-service by automatically comparing re-encoded information with demodulated coded information to generate link quality metrics without requiring external intervention. This automated process enables continuous monitoring and adaptive optimization while keeping the processing architecture manageable and integrated within the existing communication system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20230362736A1Link quality analyzer and associated systems

Publication Date: 2023.11.09 JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

AI summary

A communications system may include a transmitter, a receiver, and a link analyzer. The transmitter may be configured to encode a message with an error correction code, and also modulate and transmit the encoded message via a communications link. The receiver may be configured to receive the message via the communications link, demodulate the transmission to generate demodulated coded information, and decode the demodulated coded information using the error correction code to generate a decoded message. The link analyzer may be configured to re-encode the decoded message to generate re-encoded information, compare the re-encoded information to the demodulated coded information, and generate a link quality metric value based on the comparison of the re-encoded information with the demodulated coded information. The link quality metric value may be indicative of a link quality of the communications link.