Macro Cell Control Channel Duplication for Femto Integration

Solution Overview

Problem

In cellular mobile radio networks, especially UMTS and LTE, existing technologies face challenges in allowing flexible modification of common or broadcast channel information within a macro cell to support femto cell integration, leading to inefficient battery usage and limited deployment of femto cells due to high processing efforts and reduced battery lifetime in user equipment.

Innovation Solution

A method that duplicates the first control channel signal of a macro cell, modifying specific information elements while maintaining synchronization and physical layer configuration, allowing user equipment to differentiate between macro and femto cell signals, enabling differentiated parameterization and network configurations within overlapping areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If common or broadcast channel information is modified to support femto cell integration, then femto cell deployment flexibility is improved, but user equipment processing effort increases and battery lifetime decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefemto cell deployment flexibilityVSAvoidbattery lifetime

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the macro cell coverage area into multiple virtual cells by modifying broadcast channel information with different virtual cell identifiers. This allows user equipment to identify and connect to specific virtual cells corresponding to femto cell locations without requiring full femto cell deployment, thereby reducing processing effort and energy consumption while maintaining deployment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces virtual cell identifiers as an intermediary mechanism in the broadcast channel information. These virtual cell identifiers act as mediators that guide user equipment to femto cell coverage areas without requiring direct femto cell signals, reducing the processing burden on user equipment and extending battery lifetime while enabling flexible femto cell deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If common or broadcast channel information is modified to support femto cell integration, then femto cell deployment flexibility is improved, but user equipment processing effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefemto cell deployment flexibilityVSAvoiduser equipment processing effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the macro cell coverage area into multiple virtual cells by modifying broadcast channel information with different virtual cell identifiers. This allows user equipment to identify and connect to specific virtual cells corresponding to femto cell locations without requiring full femto cell deployment, thereby reducing processing effort and energy consumption while maintaining deployment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces virtual cell identifiers as an intermediary mechanism in the broadcast channel information. These virtual cell identifiers act as mediators that guide user equipment to femto cell coverage areas without requiring direct femto cell signals, reducing the processing burden on user equipment and extending battery lifetime while enabling flexible femto cell deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If modified control channel signals are transmitted in overlapping areas, then differentiated parameterization is enabled, but signal differentiation becomes difficult for user equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedifferentiated parameterizationVSAvoidsignal differentiation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by modifying broadcast channel information with location-specific virtual cell identifiers that correspond to different geographical areas within the macro cell. This allows differentiated parameterization for different regions while maintaining clear signal differentiation through unique virtual cell identifiers that user equipment can easily detect and use for location-based service provisioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2446669B1Method and program for channel modification in a macrocell of a mobile radio access network

Publication Date: 2020.01.01 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a method for channel modification in a macro cell of a mobile radio access network (e.g. a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) or LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile radio access network), the macro cell having a first transmitter, and the macro cell overlapping at least partly with a femto cell having a second transmitter, the method comprising the steps of providing a first control channel signal transmitted by the first transmitter and generating a second control channel signal transmitted by the second transmitter, wherein the second control channel signal is obtained by duplicating the first control channel signal except for at least one information element of the first control channel signal, wherein "duplication" means that the second control channel signal is transmitted by using the same physical layer configuration parameters, in particular carrier frequency, scrambling and channelisation code as the first control channel signal.