Transparent Relay Channel Estimation Using Dedicated Pilot Signals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in providing transparent relay that is backwards compatible with legacy mobile stations, as they often require new signaling mechanisms or channels, which can lead to channel quality measurement and estimation degradation due to non-contiguous transmission from relay stations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where a relay station receives data and dedicated pilot signals from a base station, nulls the common pilot signals, and transmits both data and dedicated pilot signals to a mobile station over the same channel resources, allowing for transparent relay without requiring additional signaling mechanisms or channels, thus maintaining compatibility with legacy systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If relay station transmits common pilot signals along with data, then channel estimation can be performed, but channel quality measurement accuracy degrades due to non-contiguous transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pilot signal transmission by separating common pilot signals from dedicated pilot signals. The relay station transmits only dedicated pilot signals (which are contiguous with data) while the base station transmits common pilot signals, thereby avoiding the degradation of channel quality measurement accuracy while maintaining reliable channel estimation through dedicated pilots.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dedicated pilot signals as an intermediary mechanism specifically for relay station transmissions. These dedicated pilot signals enable the mobile station to perform channel estimation for relayed data without requiring the relay station to transmit common pilot signals, thus preserving measurement accuracy while enabling reliable estimation.
2Productivity
If relay station transmits data and common pilot signals over same channel resources, then resource utilization improves, but channel quality measurement and estimation degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pilot signal functionality by dividing common pilot signals (for channel quality measurement) from dedicated pilot signals (for channel estimation). This segmentation allows the relay station to transmit only dedicated pilot signals over the same channel resources as data, maintaining resource utilization efficiency while avoiding measurement accuracy degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the channel estimation function from the common pilot signals and assigns it to dedicated pilot signals transmitted by the relay station. This extraction allows common pilot signals to be excluded from relay station transmissions, preserving channel quality measurement accuracy while maintaining efficient resource utilization through dedicated pilots.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transparent relay is implemented without new signaling mechanisms, then backwards compatibility with legacy mobile stations is maintained, but channel quality measurement degradation may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the mobile station to self-adapt to relay station transmissions by using dedicated pilot signals that are automatically available in the received signal. The mobile station can perform channel estimation using these dedicated pilots without requiring any new signaling mechanisms or awareness of relay presence, thus maintaining backwards compatibility while preventing measurement degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dedicated pilot signals as an intermediary that bridges the gap between transparent relay operation and accurate channel estimation. These signals enable legacy mobile stations to perform reliable channel estimation without requiring knowledge of relay station presence or new signaling mechanisms, thus maintaining compatibility while preventing measurement degradation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for enabling downlink transparent relay in a wireless communication network. In a wireless communications network, a base station and a mobile station may communicate with each other via a relay station, as needed. Transparent relay may allow for relay communication between a base station and a mobile station although the mobile station is unaware of the relay station. However, non-contiguous transmission of a relay station may lead to channel quality measurement and channel estimation degradation during downlink transparent relay. According to some aspects, a base station may schedule a mobile station to a transmission mode that utilizes dedicated pilot signals for downlink transparent relay, and a relay station may transmit data and dedicated pilot signals over the same channel resources as the base station. According to some aspects, the relay station may null common pilot signals transmitted by the base station.