Relay Device Beam Forming Control via Base Station Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
In radio communication systems, existing repeaters lack the ability to perform beam forming and transmission control, making them inefficient in directing signals to terminal devices, especially in environments with mixed base station devices compatible and incompatible with Network Controlled Repeater (NCR) control.
Innovation Solution
A relay device is designed with a control unit that determines whether to perform relay processing based on support information from the base station device, and a relay unit that performs amplification and transfer processing under the control of the base station device, enabling beam forming and appropriate signal direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple repeater is used for signal amplification, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but beam forming capability and transmission control are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device is designed to operate in multiple modes (autonomous mode and control mode) and can function as both a simple signal amplifier and a network-controlled repeater with beam forming capabilities. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware to adapt to different operational requirements without requiring separate device types.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device dynamically switches between autonomous mode (independent operation) and control mode (network-controlled operation with beam forming) based on received support information from base stations. This dynamic adaptability allows the device to optimize its functionality according to the specific network environment and base station capabilities.
2Reliability
If network controlled repeater with beam forming is implemented, then signal directionality and transmission control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base station acts as an intermediary that provides control information (support information indicating NCR control capability) to the relay device. This intermediary mechanism allows the relay device to determine its operational mode without requiring complex internal decision-making logic, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device autonomously determines whether to operate in control mode or autonomous mode by processing support information received from base stations. This self-service capability allows the device to automatically configure its own operation without requiring manual intervention or overly complex control systems.
3Ease of operation
If relay device operates in autonomous mode only, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to mixed base station environments is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device dynamically adapts its operation mode based on the capabilities of serving base stations. When a base station with NCR control capability is detected, the relay device switches to control mode for optimized performance. When only legacy base stations are available, it operates in autonomous mode, ensuring continuous operation across mixed environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device is designed to support both autonomous operation and network-controlled operation, making it universally compatible with different base station types. This dual-mode capability ensures the device can operate effectively whether deployed with modern NCR-capable base stations or legacy base stations without requiring different hardware variants.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay device of relaying a signal received from a base station device to a terminal device includes: a controller configured to determine whether or not to perform relay processing of a first signal transmitted by a first base station device under control of the first base station device according to support information that indicates whether or not the first base station device has a control function of the relay device; and relay processor circuitry configured to perform the relay processing under the control of the first base station device in a case where the controller determines to perform the relay processing under the control of the first base station device, wherein the relay processing includes amplification and transfer processing of the first signal.