Multicarrier Symbol Alignment for Overlapped Frequency Bands

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multicarrier apparatuses operating on overlapped frequency bands with different sub-carrier spacings face challenges in aligning and communicating effectively, as they typically require synchronized symbol durations and common sub-carriers to establish a communication link.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that determine the sub-carrier spacing used by one multicarrier apparatus and generate consecutive identical symbols to align nodes, allowing them to identify common sub-carriers and establish communication using shared frequency bands by sending and receiving beacon messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multicarrier apparatuses use different sub-carrier spacings to operate on overlapped frequency bands, then frequency band utilization is improved, but alignment and communication effectiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency band utilizationVSAvoidcommunication effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the time parameter by generating consecutive identical symbols with extended duration. The second apparatus transmits multiple identical symbols sequentially, where the total time duration matches the symbol duration of the first apparatus. This parameter transformation allows apparatuses with different sub-carrier spacings to achieve temporal alignment and effective communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If consecutive identical symbols are generated to align nodes with different symbol durations, then communication alignment is improved, but signal complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication alignmentVSAvoidsignal generation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by generating consecutive identical symbols. Instead of creating a completely new complex signal pattern, the system simply repeats the same symbol multiple times in sequence. This copying approach achieves the required temporal alignment while keeping the signal generation process relatively simple and manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2537279B1Symbol generation in different multicarrier systems operating in overlapped frequency bandwidths
Publication Date: 2018.10.03 LANTIQ BET GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2537279B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2537279B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2537279B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

At least one implementation herein enables at least two multicarrier apparatuses or nodes operating on overlapped frequency bands with different tone spacing to communicate. In particular, a first node may use a tone spacing that is less than the tone spacing used by a second node. The first and second nodes may communicate and are thus aligned when the second node transmits identical symbols over a time duration equal to a length of a symbol used by the first node.