Multi-Hopping Wireless Relay Network Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular networks face challenges in expanding coverage and improving capacity, particularly in areas with weak signal strength and high interference, leading to inefficient resource allocation and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multi-hopping technology, where wireless devices can communicate with a cellular base station via other wireless devices in the cell using non-cellular interfaces, allowing for extended coverage and efficient bandwidth usage, and enabling devices to dynamically adjust their communication methods based on signal strength, battery life, and interference levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If wireless devices directly communicate with cellular base station in single-hop mode, then communication simplicity is maintained, but coverage is limited in marginal areas with weak signal strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary wireless devices (relay nodes) that mediate communication between remote wireless devices and cellular base stations. These intermediary devices receive signals from devices in marginal areas and forward them to base stations, extending coverage without requiring direct single-hop connectivity. This resolves the contradiction by accepting increased structural complexity to achieve expanded coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the direct communication path into multiple hops through intermediary devices. Instead of requiring a single direct connection, the communication route is divided into multiple segments (device-to-relay-to-relay-to-base station), allowing signals to traverse through intermediate nodes to reach distant devices, thereby expanding coverage area at the cost of increased communication structure complexity.
2Productivity
If wireless devices transmit at high power to maintain data rate in low signal strength areas, then throughput is maintained, but battery consumption increases and interference to neighboring cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
Relay nodes act as intermediaries that receive low-power transmissions from devices in marginal areas and forward them to base stations. This allows originating devices to transmit at lower power levels while still achieving adequate throughput through the relay-assisted path, reducing battery consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables different transmission power levels for different communication paths. Devices in marginal areas can use lower power when communicating through relays, while devices with good signal strength can use higher power for direct connections. This localized adaptation of transmission quality optimizes battery usage while maintaining overall network productivity.
3Quantity of substance
If more frequency channels are allocated to serve more users, then user capacity increases, but spectrum efficiency decreases due to frequency reuse limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends communication from two dimensions (direct device-to-base station) to three dimensions by introducing intermediate relay nodes in the communication path. This additional spatial dimension allows frequency reuse across multiple hops, enabling more users to be served with the same spectrum resources, thereby increasing user capacity while maintaining or improving spectrum efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, wireless device and computer program product for expanding the coverage of a cellular network. A wireless device (e.g., cellular telephone) is able to communicate with a base station in a cell of the cellular network over a non-cellular interface via another wireless device in a cell through the use of multi-hopping. A wireless device may request permission to communicate with the base station over a non-cellular interface via hopping off another wireless device when its signal strength is below a threshold. Alternatively, a wireless device may receive a request to communicate with the base station over a non-cellular interface via hopping off the wireless device that sent the request when that wireless device has excess capacity in its bandwidth with the base station. By enabling wireless devices to communicate with a base station in such a manner, the effective capacity of the cellular network is expanded and the effective capacity of the cellular network is improved.