Random Access Preamble Scrambling for Inter-Cell Interference Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the NB-IoT system, target cells experience false alarms due to inter-cell interference during random access preamble transmission, as existing mechanisms lack effective interference randomization and synchronization, leading to collisions in deep coverage scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A terminal device obtains a scrambling code sequence based on its cell identifier, generates or obtains it, and uses this sequence to scramble the random access preamble, ensuring orthogonality through synchronization or cyclic shift, thereby eliminating inter-cell interference and reducing false alarms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cell-specific scrambling code sequences are used to orthogonalize interference and reduce false alarms, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional scrambling operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefalse alarm reductionVSAvoidscrambling operation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies cell-specific scrambling code sequences to randomly access preambles transmitted by terminal devices. Each cell uses a unique scrambling code identified by a cell-specific parameter, creating locally differentiated signal characteristics that enable orthogonalization of interference between cells. This local quality differentiation resolves the false alarm problem while maintaining system-wide compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cell-specific parameters (such as cell ID, frequency offset, or time offset) to modify the scrambling code sequences used in random access preambles. By changing the scrambling code parameter based on cell identity, the system transforms identical preambles into cell-distinguishable signals, thereby eliminating inter-cell interference and reducing false alarms without requiring fundamental system architecture changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If frequency hopping is used within limited subcarriers to support multiple preambles, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in distinguishing cells with identical sequences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepreamble multiplexing capacityVSAvoidcell identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies cell-specific scrambling code sequences to randomly access preambles transmitted by terminal devices. Each cell uses a unique scrambling code identified by a cell-specific parameter, creating locally differentiated signal characteristics that enable orthogonalization of interference between cells. This local quality differentiation resolves the false alarm problem while maintaining system-wide compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cell-specific parameters (such as cell ID, frequency offset, or time offset) to modify the scrambling code sequences used in random access preambles. By changing the scrambling code parameter based on cell identity, the system transforms identical preambles into cell-distinguishable signals, thereby eliminating inter-cell interference and reducing false alarms without requiring fundamental system architecture changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3641471B1Method and device for transmitting random access preamble
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3641471B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3641471B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3641471B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a random access preamble transmission method and an apparatus. The method includes: obtaining, by a terminal device, a scrambling code sequence, scrambling a random access preamble by using the scrambling code sequence, and finally sending a scrambled random access preamble to a network device. In this technical solution, the terminal device scrambles the random access preamble, and sends the scrambled random access preamble, to effectively eliminate inter-cell interference, and resolve a possible target cell false alarm problem.