Relay Beam Scanning for Wide IoT Coverage Under Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT systems face challenges in achieving wide coverage without increasing the number of beams, which is costly due to the need for numerous antenna elements, and suffer from data collisions and reduced reliability when congestion fluctuates.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication system with a mobile relay station that scans a communication target area using narrower beams, adjusting scanning speed based on congestion and position information to ensure uniform communication load across divided areas, allowing for wide coverage without excessive beams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the number of beams is increased to achieve wide coverage, then coverage area is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to need for numerous antenna elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beam scanning technology where a small number of antenna elements dynamically steer beams across different spatial directions over time. The antenna elements sequentially illuminate different regions by changing beam directions, achieving wide coverage without requiring a large number of simultaneous beams. This dynamic approach replaces static multi-beam configuration with time-varying single-beam or few-beam scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the time dimension to the beam coverage problem. Instead of providing spatial coverage through multiple simultaneous beams in different directions, the system achieves comprehensive coverage by scanning beams through different directions over time. This transforms a spatial problem into a space-time solution, where coverage is achieved by sequential illumination of different areas.
2Productivity
If beam scanning speed is increased to improve productivity, then data transmission rate is improved, but data collisions increase and communication reliability deteriorates under congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control where the relay device monitors communication congestion status and adjusts beam scanning speed accordingly. When congestion is detected (high number of connected terminals or data collisions), the scanning speed is reduced to allow more time for data transmission and reduce collisions. When congestion is low, scanning speed is increased to improve productivity. This adaptive feedback mechanism balances transmission rate and reliability based on real-time conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts beam scanning speed based on communication conditions rather than operating at a fixed speed. The scanning speed varies over time in response to changing congestion levels, terminal distributions, and data transmission requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the trade-off between productivity and reliability according to actual operational needs.
3Reliability
If beam emission range is narrowed to reduce data collisions, then communication reliability is improved, but coverage area decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic beam scanning to achieve both narrow beamwidth and wide coverage. The beam maintains a narrow emission range during transmission to reduce interference and improve reliability, but the beam direction changes over time to scan across different regions. This temporal movement of the narrow beam achieves comprehensive coverage without requiring a wide simultaneous beamwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the total coverage area into multiple small regions that are illuminated sequentially by the scanning beam. Instead of using one wide beam to cover all areas simultaneously, the system segments the coverage area and provides service to each segment in turn through beam scanning. This segmentation approach allows narrow beams to achieve wide overall coverage through time-multiplexed operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication system includes: one or more first communication devices located in one or more small areas among a plurality of small areas into which a communication target area is divided; a relay device; and a second communication device, in which the relay device includes: an antenna drive unit that drives one or more antennas to scan the plurality of small areas with one or more beams while emitting the beams to the communication target area, the beams each having an emission range narrower than the communication target area; a reception unit that acquires, from the antennas, a first wireless signal transmitted from the first communication devices located in the emission range; and a transmission unit that transmits a second wireless signal depending on the first wireless signal to the second communication device.