Radio Frame Offset Scheduling for Base Station Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radio Access Network (RAN) base stations in cellular telecommunications systems consume excessive power due to over-dimensioned power amplifiers, which are required to handle high peak data rates, leading to inefficient power usage and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where the transmission time of radio frames in adjacent cells is synchronized and offset to minimize simultaneous data transmissions, allowing for data compression into fewer subframes, thereby reducing power consumption and improving interference situations by enabling parts of the radio base station to enter micro-sleep mode during empty subframes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the power amplifier is dimensioned to handle high peak data rates, then the data transmission capability is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by introducing frame offsets that cause different cells to transmit data frames at different times. This creates periodic transmission patterns where the power amplifier can operate at high power during transmission periods and reduce power during idle periods, rather than continuously operating at high power levels. The frame offset mechanism enables the system to maintain peak power capability when needed while reducing average power consumption.
2Productivity
If data transmissions are scheduled simultaneously in all cells, then the network throughput is improved, but the interference between cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the transmission timeline into offset segments for different cells. Instead of all cells transmitting simultaneously, each cell is assigned a different frame offset, segmenting the overall transmission schedule. This segmentation reduces inter-cell interference while maintaining network throughput by ensuring that not all cells are transmitting at the exact same time, thereby reducing harmful interference.
3Reliability
If the radio base station operates continuously to handle traffic, then the service availability is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables periodic operation patterns where the radio base station alternates between active transmission periods and idle periods. By implementing frame offsets, the system creates regular cycles of transmission and idle time, allowing the base station to enter low-power states during idle periods while maintaining service availability during transmission periods. This periodic action resolves the contradiction between continuous operation and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method in a radio base station for scheduling data transmissions to a user equipment in a first cell. The radio base station is comprised in a telecommunications network comprising at least the first cell and a second cell wherein the radio base station serves at least the first cell. A transmission time of the first cell is divided into a first radio frame comprising a first number of subframes synchronized to a clock. A transmission time of the second cell is divided into a second radio frame comprising an equal number of subframes of equal time length as the first radio frame. The second radio frame is being synchronized to the same clock as the first radio frame. The radio base station receives a first data transmission to be transmitted the user equipment in the first cell, schedules the first data transmission to a minimum of subframes of a first radio frame of the first cell, and transmits the first radio frame offset in time in relation to a second radio frame of the second cell for minimizing simultaneously data transmissions within the cells.