Radio Base Station Uplink Scheduling via Diversity Gain

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Radio base stations (RBS) face challenges in efficiently scheduling uplink resources due to imbalanced antenna branches, which can lead to dropped calls and inefficient resource utilization, especially when antenna branches experience different feeder attenuations, filter disparities, or variations in the radio environment.

Innovation Solution

The RBS determines a diversity gain of its multiple receiving antenna branches based on signal quality parameters such as RSSI, RSCP, SIR, RSRP, or RTWP, and uses this gain to schedule uplink transmissions, ensuring proper scheduling even when branches are not balanced.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RBS uses multiple receiving antenna branches for uplink reception, then the signal reception capability is improved, but the scheduling accuracy deteriorates when antenna branches are imbalanced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal reception capabilityVSAvoidscheduling accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the diversity gain parameter based on the measured signal quality parameters (RSSI, RSCP, SIR, RSRP, RTWP) from each antenna branch. When antenna branches are imbalanced, the system modifies the diversity gain to reflect the actual effective signal quality, thereby maintaining accurate scheduling decisions despite the hardware imbalance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the antenna branches are imbalanced due to feeder attenuation or filter disparities, then the hardware configuration becomes simpler, but the uplink transmission quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware configuration simplicityVSAvoiduplink transmission quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors signal quality parameters from each antenna branch and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the diversity gain. This closed-loop approach compensates for hardware imbalances without requiring complex manual calibration or matching of feeder and filter components during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the RBS schedules uplink resources without considering antenna branch imbalance, then the scheduling process is simpler, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling process simplicityVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent automatically adjusts the diversity gain parameter based on real-time signal quality measurements, enabling the scheduling algorithm to adapt to antenna branch imbalances without requiring complex manual configuration or intervention. This maintains operational simplicity while improving resource utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If the RBS automatically determines diversity gain, then the system adaptability is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem adaptabilityVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-calibration by automatically measuring signal quality parameters from each antenna branch and determining the appropriate diversity gain without external intervention. This self-service approach enables adaptability to different antenna configurations while keeping the computational burden manageable through direct measurement and calculation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2936909B1A radio base station and a method therein for scheduling uplink resources
Publication Date: 2017.11.01 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2936909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2936909B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2936909B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An RBS and a method performed by an RBS for scheduling uplink resources to at least one UEare provided. The RBS comprises at least two receiving antenna branches and the RBS is operable in aradiocommunication network.The method comprises receiving (110) transmissions from the at least one UE by means of the at least two receiving antenna branches; and determining (120) at least one parameter relating tosignal quality of the received transmissions. The method further comprises determining (130) a diversity gain of the at least two receiving antenna branches, wherein the diversity gain is determined based on the determined parameter(s); and scheduling (140) uplink transmissions for the at least one UE based on the determined diversity gain.