Network Device Control of Coverage Enhancement Mode

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless devices experience poor network coverage leading to dropped calls, lost packets, and connectivity issues due to weak signal strength, especially in congested areas, causing excessive network traffic and processing load on base stations.

Innovation Solution

Centralized network device control of the coverage enhancement mode, prioritizing wireless devices based on class of service and network measurements to determine the level of duplication for packet transmission, reducing unnecessary duplicate transmissions and optimizing network resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wireless devices transmit multiple copies of packets to improve reception reliability in poor coverage areas, then the likelihood of successful packet reception increases, but network congestion and processing load on base stations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket reception reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the coverage enhancement level parameter based on network conditions and device priority. High-priority devices (e.g., emergency management personnel) receive higher coverage enhancement levels with more packet copies, while low-priority devices receive lower levels, optimizing the balance between reliability and network throughput

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Different coverage enhancement levels are applied to different wireless devices based on their priority and location. Instead of uniform packet duplication across all devices, the system applies localized quality adjustments where only specific devices in poor coverage areas receive enhanced duplication, reducing overall network congestion while maintaining reliability for critical devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If wireless devices in poor coverage areas transmit more packet copies to ensure delivery, then connection reliability improves, but network resource utilization and base station processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The network device adjusts the coverage enhancement parameter dynamically based on real-time network conditions and device priority. This allows the system to maintain connection reliability for high-priority devices while controlling overall network traffic volume by applying lower enhancement levels to low-priority devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless device autonomously determines the number of packet copies to transmit based on the coverage enhancement level received from the network device. This self-service mechanism allows devices to adapt their transmission behavior without requiring continuous network intervention, reducing signaling overhead and processing load

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If all wireless devices independently determine to use coverage enhancement mode based on their own signal strength measurements, then each device can optimize its own connection reliability, but network congestion increases due to excessive duplicate packets from multiple devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual device connection reliabilityVSAvoidoverall network performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network device acts as an intermediary that receives coverage enhancement requests from wireless devices and determines the appropriate coverage enhancement level based on device priority and network conditions. This centralized control mechanism prevents the network congestion that would result from all devices independently deciding to use coverage enhancement, while still allowing each device to maintain its connection reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The coverage enhancement level is dynamically adjusted by the network device based on changing network conditions and device priority. This dynamic control allows the system to respond to varying traffic loads and maintain overall network performance while ensuring reliable connections for high-priority devices when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10219283B2Network device based control of a coverage enhancement mode

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A device may detect a trigger to configure a coverage enhancement mode for a wireless device. The wireless device may be associated with a particular coverage area. The device may determine information associated with one or more wireless devices connected to a network. The network may be associated with the particular coverage area. The information may be associated with a level of network traffic of the network. The device may determine a level of coverage enhancement for the wireless device based on the information associated with the one or more wireless devices connected to the network. The device may transmit an instruction to cause the wireless device to utilize the level of coverage enhancement for the coverage enhancement mode.