Phase-Aligned Repeater Wireless Stations for 5G Coverage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RF repeaters in 5G networks do not perform well due to the focused beam-based communication, as they lack the advanced antenna systems used by base stations, leading to poor coverage and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multiple repeater wireless stations that receive and retransmit wireless signals with phase shifts to align them with the original signals, ensuring constructive interference and improved signal strength at mobile devices, using communication management resources to control phase shifts based on distances and locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional RF repeaters are used in 5G networks, then device cost is reduced, but signal quality and coverage are degraded due to lack of advanced antenna systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a base station as an intermediary that performs beamforming processing on signals before transmitting them to simple repeaters. This mediator handles the complex antenna system functions centrally, allowing cost-effective repeaters to maintain high signal quality by relaying pre-processed beams without needing their own advanced antenna systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the base station's beamforming capability by processing signals at the base station and having multiple repeaters transmit identical phase-aligned copies to the target device. This copying approach allows simple repeaters to deliver high-quality signals without possessing complex antenna systems themselves.
2Device complexity
If conventional RF repeaters omni-directionally re-transmit focused beams, then device complexity is reduced, but coverage and signal focus are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The base station acts as a mediator that performs beamforming calculations and signal processing before transmission. Simple repeaters only need to relay these pre-formed beams, maintaining coverage quality without requiring complex antenna systems or beamforming capabilities at the repeater level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the beamforming function from the repetition function. The base station handles the complex beamforming segmentation, while simple repeaters handle only the signal repetition task. This functional segmentation allows low-complexity repeaters to maintain high coverage quality through centralized intelligence.
3Reliability
If phase shifts are applied at repeater stations, then signal alignment and strength are improved, but system complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base station serves as a central mediator that calculates and distributes phase shift information to all repeaters. This centralized control approach ensures accurate signal alignment at the target device while keeping individual repeaters simple, as they only need to apply received phase adjustments rather than performing complex calculations themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the base station receives information about repeater locations and target device positions, then calculates appropriate phase shifts and communicates them back to the repeaters. This feedback loop enables automatic phase alignment without requiring complex local decision-making at each repeater.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances wireless connectivity by providing a strong, aligned signal to mobile devices, reducing communication failures and supporting higher data rates, while maintaining efficient use of wireless resources.
Implementation Method 1
controls phase shifts (time delays) of the second wireless signals from the repeater wireless stations such that the second wireless signals received by the mobile communication device are phase aligned
Implementation Method 2
The communication management hardware controls phase shifts (time delays) of the second wireless signals from the repeater wireless stations such that the second wireless signals received by the mobile communication device are phase aligned. The receiving mobile communication device receives a strong signal
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system includes multiple repeater wireless stations and communication management hardware. The multiple repeater wireless stations receive first wireless signals from a wireless base station. The multiple repeater wireless stations transmit second wireless signals from the multiple repeater wireless stations to a mobile communication device. The second wireless signals are reproductions of the first wireless signals. The communication management hardware controls phase shifts of the second wireless signals in time such that the second wireless signals received by the mobile communication device are phase aligned.