Receiver Signal Extraction with Dynamic Decoder Path Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional signal combining methods introduce significant delays due to buffering, which reduces the performance of transmission by requiring buffering of the first received signal until receipt of the retransmitted signal, and fail to efficiently discriminate between new and retransmitted signals.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves buffering the first received signal until receipt of the second, generating a combined signal, decoding it with multiple decoders to produce estimated information signals, and providing error indications to determine the quality of the signals, allowing for faster operation by avoiding combining with retransmitted signals when error levels are low, and incorporating a quality check module to reduce power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If signal combining is used to provide diversity and energy gains, then the quality of extracted information is improved, but significant delay is introduced due to buffering

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of extracted informationVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts its operation mode based on channel conditions and signal quality. When the first received signal has sufficiently low error level, the system operates in fast path mode bypassing the buffer and combining operations. When error levels are high, it transitions to the traditional combining path with buffering, thus optimizing the trade-off between delay and reliability in real-time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes its operational parameters (buffering duration, combining operation execution) based on the error level parameter of the received signal. By monitoring the error indication and comparing it against thresholds, the system adjusts its processing path to minimize delay while maintaining information quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If traditional buffering and combining methods are used, then information quality is improved, but transmission performance is reduced due to delay

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation qualityVSAvoidtransmission performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The decoding process is segmented into multiple independent decoders operating in parallel. The first decoder processes the combined signal while the second decoder processes the original first received signal simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to evaluate multiple decoding paths without sequential dependency, reducing overall processing delay while maintaining quality through comparative selection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If multiple decoders are used to decode both combined and original signals, then accuracy of information extraction is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of information extractionVSAvoiddecoder configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements partial action by selectively activating decoding paths based on signal quality assessment. When the first received signal has low error levels, only the fast path decoder is activated. When error levels are high, both decoders are activated to perform combining operations. This partial activation reduces the average complexity while maintaining high accuracy when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2451107B1Method and arrangement for extracting information from signals in receivers
Publication Date: 2013.06.12 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2451107B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2451107B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2451107B1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

A method for extracting information from a first received signal (y1) and from a second received signal (y2), includes a step of buffering said first received signal (y1) until receipt of said second received signal (y2), generating a combined signal (y) from said first received signal (y1) and said second received signal (y2), decoding said combined signal (y) in a first decoder (D1) thereby generating a decoded combined signal (c2), further decoding said decoded combined signal (c2) by a second decoder (D2) for generating a first estimated information signal (m2), and further comprises a step of decoding said first received signal (y1) in a third decoder (D3) thereby generating a decoded first received signal (c1), for further provision to a fourth decoder (D4) for generating a second estimated information signal (m1) and for providing an error indication (e1) of said decoded first received signal , such that in case the error indication (e1) is below a predetermined limit (Emax), said second estimated information signal (m1) is provided , while in case the error indication is equal to or exceeding said predetermined limit (Emax) said first estimated information signal (m2) is provided as an output signal comprising the extracted information from said at least two received signals. Variants of the method, applicable to any number of received signals, as well as various arrangements for performing these methods are disclosed as well.