Positional Coding for Reliable Peer-to-Peer Control Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

In peer-to-peer wireless communication systems, collisions on shared communication resources can lead to signal interference and errors in measuring signal strength or detecting signal energy, particularly when devices unintentionally select overlapping resources for transmitting signals.

Innovation Solution

The method involves positional coding to encode control information, where signal energy is placed on specific tone-symbols to create a pattern that conveys the value, and both sending and receiving devices identify the same subset of resources using a device or connection identifier, allowing them to distinguish reliable tone-symbols from unreliable ones based on energy patterns and noise estimates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If devices select from a large set of communication resources to reduce collision risk, then collision probability decreases, but measurement precision of signal strength deteriorates due to partial collisions on overlapping resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidsignal strength measurement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication resources into multiple subsets, where each device is assigned a specific subset for control signal transmission. This segmentation reduces the probability of collision between different devices while maintaining sufficient resources for accurate signal measurement within each subset.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where devices transmit control signals using positional coding on assigned resources, and receiving devices measure signal strength on these same resources. This intermediary approach allows both collision reduction through resource assignment and accurate measurement through dedicated measurement resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If devices transmit control signals on shared resources without centralized coordination, then system autonomy increases, but signal detection reliability deteriorates due to unintentional collisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeer-to-peer autonomyVSAvoidsignal detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assigning specific resource subsets to different device pairs before communication begins. This preliminary resource allocation enables autonomous peer-to-peer communication while preventing collisions, as each device knows in advance which resources to use for control signal transmission and measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics through the use of connection identifiers that dynamically determine resource subset assignment. The resource allocation adapts to different connection scenarios while maintaining the collision-avoidance structure, allowing the system to handle multiple peer-to-peer connections autonomously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If positional coding is used to encode control information on specific tone-symbols, then information transmission efficiency increases, but vulnerability to interference increases when another device uses overlapping resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol signal transmission efficiencyVSAvoidinterference from overlapping signals
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the available tone-symbols into multiple non-overlapping subsets, assigning each subset to a specific device pair. This segmentation maintains the efficiency of positional coding while eliminating interference from other devices, as each device transmits control information on dedicated resources that do not overlap with others.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2165492B1Methods and apparatus for communicating in a peer to peer system where device communications may partially interfere with one another
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2165492B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2165492B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2165492B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and Apparatus for communicating information, e.g., control information, e.g., in the form of a control value, between communications devices, e.g., peer to peer communications devices, are described. Positional coding is used to encode a value to be communicated and the encoded value it then transmitted on a set of communications resources with the placement of signal energy on individual ones of the resources being used to create a pattern used to convey the value to be communicated. Resources, e.g., tone-symbols, which communicate unreliable signal portions due to interference are identified and not used in the positional decoding operation as either an energy carrying tone-symbol or a non-energy carrying tone-symbol.