Network Device Blind Area Management via Frequency Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency communications systems, particularly in millimeter-wave bands, face challenges with blind areas due to obstacles, beam misalignment, and interference, leading to poor communication quality and data transmission issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a network-side device with MAC layer state machines that identify and manage blind area scenarios by triggering blind area management processes, including quick beam search and interference coordination, to switch between high and low frequency bands and adjust beam configurations, ensuring optimal communication states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high frequency band is used for data transmission, then data transmission rate is improved, but path loss increases and communication reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic frequency switching between high-frequency and low-frequency bands based on real-time link quality assessment. When the high-frequency link quality deteriorates below a threshold, the system dynamically switches to low-frequency band for reliable communication, and vice versa. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to exploit high data rates when conditions permit while ensuring reliability when conditions deteriorate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating frequency parameter adaptively based on link quality conditions. The system monitors high-frequency link quality and switches between frequency bands (high-frequency: 24 GHz or 38 GHz, low-frequency: sub-6 GHz) to optimize the trade-off between data transmission rate and communication reliability. This parameter change enables the system to achieve high productivity when possible while maintaining reliability under adverse conditions.
2Power
If beam forming technology is used to compensate path loss, then antenna gain is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two operational modes: high-frequency mode with beam forming and low-frequency mode without beam forming. By dividing the operation into distinct segments based on link quality conditions, the system applies beam forming complexity only when necessary (in high-frequency mode) while using simpler operations in low-frequency mode, thus managing overall system complexity while achieving required antenna gain when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts beam forming operations based on link quality assessment. When high-frequency link quality is good, beam forming is actively applied to maintain antenna gain. When link quality deteriorates and the system switches to low-frequency band, beam forming operations are reduced or eliminated. This dynamic control of beam forming complexity resolves the contradiction by applying complexity only when it provides necessary performance benefits.
3Reliability
If MAC layer state machines are implemented for blind area management, then communication quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functional MAC layer state machines that perform multiple functions: link quality assessment, blind area detection, frequency switching control, and beam forming management. By consolidating these functions into universal state machines (including quick beam search state machine and interference coordination state machine), the system improves communication quality through comprehensive management while avoiding the complexity increase that would result from separate dedicated mechanisms for each function.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a network-side device, user equipment, and a blind area management method, so as to enable user equipment in a blind area in a high-frequency communications system to restore normal communication as quickly as possible. The network-side device includes a receiving module configured to receive measurement information sent by user equipment, a determining module configured to determine a status of the user equipment according to the measurement information, and a blind area state processing module. The blind area state processing module starts a quick beam search process when the user equipment is in a beam biased state, so as to find a new beam pair capable of converting the user equipment to a normal communication state; converts the status of the user equipment to a blocked state if no new beam pair capable of converting the user equipment to the normal communication state is found within a preset time; and when the status of the user equipment is the blocked state, instructs the user equipment to break a high-frequency connection, and enables the network-side device to perform data communication with the user equipment by using a low frequency band.