Mobile Station-Assisted Interference Mitigation in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

In heterogeneous wireless networks, the increase in the number of access points due to smaller cells leads to significant coverage overlap, resulting in unacceptable levels of interference that negate the benefits of improved signal levels, as current systems lack mechanisms for direct communication and real-time cooperation between access points to mitigate interference effectively.

Innovation Solution

A mobile station assists in mitigating interference by communicating interference mitigation data between access points, processing conflicting radio resource claims, and adjusting transmit power levels or resource assignments to minimize interference, enabling dynamic radio resource allocation across neighboring cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If smaller cells are deployed to increase network capacity, then signal levels are improved, but interference levels increase due to coverage overlap

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal levelVSAvoidinterference level
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile station acts as an intermediary between access points, receiving resource claim information from one access point and forwarding it to another access point. This intermediary role enables indirect communication between access points that lack direct communication paths, allowing them to coordinate resource allocation and mitigate interference in heterogeneous wireless networks with unequal backhaul connectivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where mobile stations report received resource claim information from neighboring access points to their serving access point. This feedback loop enables access points to adjust their resource allocation decisions based on information about neighboring cell resource usage, thereby coordinating transmissions and reducing interference in overlapping coverage areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If access points operate independently without direct communication, then device complexity is reduced, but interference coordination fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess point communication complexityVSAvoidinterference level
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile station serves as a mediator that enables communication between access points without requiring direct communication infrastructure between them. By routing resource claim information through the mobile station, the system achieves interference coordination while maintaining operational simplicity at the access point level, as each access point only needs to communicate with its connected mobile stations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Each access point independently manages its own resource allocation based on information received through mobile stations, making autonomous decisions without requiring centralized control or direct coordination with other access points. This self-service approach reduces system complexity while still enabling interference mitigation through distributed decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If centralized network control is implemented for coordination, then interference mitigation is improved, but network complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference levelVSAvoidnetwork control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the coordination function from centralized network control and distributes it to individual access points that make independent resource allocation decisions. Each access point processes resource claim information received through mobile stations and autonomously determines its resource allocation, eliminating the need for complex centralized coordination while still achieving interference mitigation through distributed decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2708061B1Access point for mobile station-assisted interference mitigation
Publication Date: 2017.03.29 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2708061B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2708061B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2708061B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Devices and methods are provided for using a mobile station to mitigate interference between wireless access points. A mobile station communicates interference mitigation data corresponding to a first and second set of radio resources between a first and second wireless access point (AP). The interference mitigation data is processed by the first wireless AP to resolve conflicts in the claiming, and subsequent assignment, of the first and second radio resource assignments to the mobile station.