RAN Device Coding Rate Coordination Across Wireless Coverage Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in voice quality due to changing Capacity Operating Point (COP) values as access terminals move between cells or sectors, leading to inconsistent voice quality and wasteful use of transmission capacity, as COP values are typically fixed without considering network loading conditions across different coverage areas.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented in a radio access network (RAN) device to determine weighted averages of transmission rates across neighboring wireless coverage zones, allowing for dynamic selection of coding rates for new communication sessions based on handoff rates and capacity loading conditions, ensuring consistent codec operation across cells or sectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If COP values are fixed for each cell or sector, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but voice quality consistency deteriorates and transmission capacity efficiency worsens when terminals hand off between coverage areas with different network loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic COP selection by allowing the target cell or sector to determine an appropriate COP value for an accessing terminal based on current network loading conditions, rather than using fixed COP values. This enables the system to adapt COP assignments in real-time during handoff scenarios, maintaining consistent voice quality across coverage areas with varying load conditions while resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and service reliability
2Device complexity
If COP values are fixed without considering network loading conditions, then device complexity is reduced, but transmission capacity efficiency deteriorates due to wasteful allocation of transmission resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the COP parameter dynamically based on network loading conditions in the target cell or sector. When a terminal requests handoff, the target cell/sector evaluates its current loading and selects an appropriate COP value that optimizes transmission capacity utilization. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by improving resource efficiency without requiring complex multi-parameter configurations at the terminal device
3Adaptability or versatility
If COP values change as terminals move between cells or sectors, then adaptability to different network conditions is improved, but voice quality consistency deteriorates due to frequent changes in coding rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the target cell or sector as an intermediary that mediates the COP selection process during handoff. Instead of the terminal device directly changing COP values based on location, the target cell/sector acts as an intermediary that evaluates network conditions and determines the appropriate COP value to assign. This intermediary approach maintains adaptability to different network conditions while ensuring voice quality consistency through centralized control
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is disclosed for coordinating codec consistency across wireless coverage areas. When a new communication session is set up for an access terminal in a given wireless coverage of a wireless communication system, a network device, such as a base station, can determine a coding rate to assign for the new session in a manner that accounts for network capacity variations across the wireless coverage areas. The network device can determine a weighted average of coding rates supported in a given wireless coverage area and in each of one or more neighboring wireless coverage areas. Weighting factors in the weighted average can account for rates of inbound and outbound handoffs from and to the neighboring wireless coverage areas. The network device can then select a coding rate for the new communication session based on the determined weighted average.