Intelligent Pico-Cell Wireless-to-Wireline Signal Conversion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless devices often experience coverage issues inside buildings due to the inability of electromagnetic signals to propagate through common building materials, leading to degraded or lost connectivity with external networks.

Innovation Solution

An intelligent pico-cell system that detects wireless devices, converts their signals to a protocol suitable for broadband connections, and transmits them over a wireline network, effectively acting as a localized cellular base station to maintain high-quality communication within a building environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wireless devices communicate directly with external networks, then connectivity is maintained outside buildings, but signal propagation fails inside buildings due to electromagnetic interference from building materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnectivity reliabilityVSAvoidsignal propagation blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pico-cell as an intermediary device that receives wireless signals from mobile devices inside buildings, converts them to wired signals, and transmits them over wireline networks to external networks. This mediator bypasses the building material blockage problem by using a different transmission medium (wired connection) for the external link while maintaining wireless connectivity for indoor devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If pico-cells are deployed to provide indoor coverage, then signal propagation inside buildings is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindoor connectivityVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical approach of penetrating electromagnetic signals through building materials with an electronic conversion system. The pico-cell converts wireless electromagnetic signals to wired electrical signals, substituting the problematic propagation mechanism with a reliable conversion and transmission mechanism over existing wireline infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If signal conversion from wireless to wired protocol is implemented, then protocol compatibility is achieved, but processing complexity and conversion overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidsignal conversion complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the pico-cell a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs wireless signal reception, protocol conversion, wired signal transmission, and network management functions. By consolidating these functions into a single universal device, the overall system complexity is reduced compared to having separate dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7623857B1Intelligent pico-cell for transport of wireless device communications over wireline networks

Publication Date: 2009.11.24 BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION(US)

AI summary

In one embodiment a pico cell may be used to detect a presence of a wireless device and receive a wireless signal from the wireless device. The wireless signal may then be converted from a protocol used by the wireless device to a converted signal in a protocol suitable for use with a broadband connection. The converted signal may then be transmitted over the broadband connection.