Massive MIMO RAN xApp for Inter-Cell Interference Mitigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Massive MIMO systems experience bursty and sharp interference due to beam-formed transmissions colliding in the same direction, leading to packet reception failures and performance degradation, especially for URLLC traffic, with current solutions causing packet delay and resource waste.
Innovation Solution
An inter-cell interference management RAN application (xApp) deployed across RICs to manage interference by collecting user and traffic reports, determining resource needs, and implementing allowance and blocking policies to mitigate interference through coordinated resource allocation across base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If beam-formed transmission is used to achieve higher data rate and extended coverage, then network throughput and coverage are improved, but inter-cell interference increases causing packet reception failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) as an intermediary component between base stations to coordinate beamforming operations across cells. The RIC collects beamforming configuration information from multiple base stations, analyzes potential interference scenarios, and generates coordinated beamforming strategies that prevent simultaneous transmissions in conflicting directions, thereby maintaining high throughput while reducing packet reception failures
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where base stations report transmission status, interference levels, and packet reception metrics to the RIC. The RIC uses this feedback to dynamically adjust beamforming configurations and resource allocations, enabling continuous optimization of the trade-off between throughput and reliability based on real-time network conditions
2Reliability
If retransmission is used to recover from packet reception failures, then reliability is improved, but packet delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by proactively coordinating beamforming configurations before interference occurs. The RIC analyzes predicted interference scenarios and pre-adjusts beamforming directions and resource allocations to prevent packet reception failures, eliminating the need for reactive retransmissions and associated delays
3Object-affected harmful factors
If partial frequency re-use is used to limit transmission bandwidth in high interference neighborhoods, then interference is reduced, but resource utilization decreases causing system capacity degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the RIC continuously monitors interference levels and traffic demands, then adaptively adjusts frequency resource assignments and beamforming configurations. This dynamic approach allows the system to use frequency re-use when interference is low and apply partial frequency re-use only when necessary, optimizing the balance between interference reduction and resource utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by implementing interference mitigation measures selectively in specific cells and frequency resources where interference problems occur, rather than applying uniform frequency re-use across the entire network. This localized approach maintains high resource utilization in low-interference areas while protecting against interference in problematic neighborhoods
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for mitigating inter-region interference for multiple regions serviced by multiple RAN (Radio Access Network) base stations. The method is performed for each region serviced by each particular RAN base station. The method identifies a set of one or more sub-regions receiving interfering signals from other RAN base stations. The method specifies, for each particular sub-region in the identified set of sub-regions that receives interfering signals from the particular RAN base station and another RAN base station, (1) an allow policy that identifies an allowed first set of carrier resources of the particular RAN base station that are to be allocated to a set of one or more user equipments operating in the particular sub-region, and (2) a block policy that identifies a blocked second set of carrier resource of the other RAN base station that correspond to the first set of resources and that cannot be allocated to the set of user equipments operating in the particular sub-region. The method distributes the specified allow and block policies to the RAN base stations.