Master-Slave Base Station Scheduling for Carrier Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing carrier aggregation systems in LTE-A networks face issues with low-capacity user equipment operating on multiple base stations, leading to wrong scheduling conditions and performance losses, especially when transitioning between base stations, due to independent data scheduling and non-ideal retransmissions.

Innovation Solution

A data transmission method where a first base station communicates with a second base station to instruct user equipment to operate on specific carriers, allowing time-sharing between base stations, reducing the probability of wrong scheduling and performance losses by dynamically determining operating times and dividing labor between base stations for user equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If carrier aggregation between base stations is introduced to enable user equipment to access multiple base stations, then the data transmission capacity and service quality are improved, but wrong scheduling conditions occur and performance losses increase due to independent data scheduling by each base station

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capacityVSAvoidscheduling accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the scheduling functions of multiple base stations by introducing a master base station that performs unified scheduling for multiple downlink carriers, while slave base stations execute the unified scheduling decisions. This combination resolves the conflict between maintaining high data transmission capacity through multi-base station carrier aggregation and ensuring scheduling accuracy through centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an X2 interface as an intermediary communication channel between base stations, allowing the master base station to send unified scheduling information to slave base stations. This intermediary mechanism enables coordinated scheduling across multiple base stations, preventing wrong scheduling conditions while maintaining the benefits of carrier aggregation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If low-capacity user equipment operates on carriers corresponding to multiple base stations simultaneously, then the data transmission capacity is improved, but the user equipment generates wrong scheduling conditions since data scheduling of multiple downlink carriers is independently performed by each base station

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capacityVSAvoidscheduling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the scheduling operations of multiple base stations into a unified scheduling process performed by the master base station. This merging of scheduling functions simplifies the operation for user equipment, as they receive unified scheduling instructions from one master base station rather than having to independently manage scheduling from multiple slave base stations, thereby reducing scheduling complexity while maintaining high data transmission capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If non-ideal retransmission is performed between base stations in carrier aggregation between base stations, then the system flexibility is improved, but real-time data transmission cannot be achieved between the base stations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem flexibilityVSAvoiddata transmission speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the master base station perform unified scheduling in advance and send scheduling information to slave base stations before actual data transmission occurs. This advance preparation allows slave base stations to be ready for real-time data transmission without requiring complex real-time negotiations or retransmissions, thus maintaining system flexibility while achieving real-time data transmission speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2890195B1Data transmission method, base station and user equipment
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2890195B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2890195B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2890195B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a data transmission method, a base station and user equipment. The method includes: sending, by a first base station, first information to a second base station, or receiving, by the first base station, the first information sent by the second base station, wherein the first information is used for indicating that the second base station is to serve user equipment; sending, by the first base station, second information to the user equipment, wherein the second information is used for instructing the user equipment to operate on a carrier corresponding to the second base station, for enabling the user equipment to operate on the carrier corresponding to the second base station after the user equipment receives the second information. By adopting the data transmission method, the base station and the user equipment provided by the embodiments of the present invention, the user equipment which can not operates simultaneously in cells corresponding to two base stations may operate in a time-sharing manner in a system of multi-carrier polymerization between the base stations, so that the probability of wrong scheduling of high-capacity user equipment is reduced, and the performance loss caused by wrong scheduling is avoided.