Radio Access Unit Injection Locked Oscillator Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current small cell base station architectures for wireless communication are hindered by high power consumption, large size, and high costs due to complex designs and the need for local oscillators and GPS receivers, which are challenging to manage, especially in heterogeneous mobile communication systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an injection locked oscillator in the radio access unit that decouples and regenerates the oscillator signal from a central unit's transmitted signal, eliminating the need for local oscillators and GPS receivers, thereby reducing power consumption and size while using renewable energy sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a local oscillator and GPS receiver are used in the radio access unit, then the phase noise performance and frequency stability are improved, but the power consumption and device size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the oscillator function from the radio access unit and relocates it to the central unit. The central unit generates the oscillator signal which is then transmitted to and used by the radio access unit, eliminating the need for a local oscillator in the access unit while maintaining frequency stability and phase noise performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit performs multiple functions: it acts as both the data source and the oscillator signal source for the radio access unit. By combining these functions in one unit, the system eliminates redundant components in the radio access unit, reducing its power consumption and size while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If a local oscillator is used in the radio access unit, then the frequency stability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillator component is extracted from the radio access unit and placed in the central unit. This extraction reduces the component count and complexity of the radio access unit while maintaining frequency stability through the transmitted oscillator signal.
3Reliability
If GPS receiver is used in the radio access unit, then the synchronous reference signal generation is improved, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The GPS receiver function is extracted from the radio access unit and relocated to the central unit. The central unit acquires the synchronous reference signal and uses it to generate the oscillator signal, which is then transmitted to the radio access unit, eliminating the need for a GPS receiver in the access unit and reducing its size.
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 leads to a significantly reduced power consumption, size, and cost of the radio access unit, enabling easier and cheaper deployment of autonomous wireless small cell base stations with improved phase noise performance and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The radio access unit comprises an injection locked oscillator and an upconversion mixer. The received first signal is applied to a duplexer for decoupling the data part and the oscillator part of the received signal. The decoupled oscillator part of the received first signal is applied to the injection locked oscillator, which generates an oscillator signal.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A method for wireless communication in a communication network comprising at least one central unit and at least one radio access unit for wireless connection of user terminals is proposed. The method comprises the step of receiving by the radio access unit a first signal transmitted by the central unit on a communication link between the central unit and the radio access unit. The received first signal comprises a data part and an oscillator part. The data part and the oscillator part of the received first signal are decoupled. A data signal to be transmitted is upconverted by using the oscillator part of the received first signal. Further, a radio access unit performing the method is proposed.