Remote Device Quality Feedback for Centralized Radio Resource Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The separation of radio physical layer functions from central aggregation devices to remote devices in LTE and 5G systems complicates cooperation between the radio physical layer and upper layers, such as the MAC scheduler, making appropriate radio resource assignment to user devices challenging due to difficulties in feedback and coordination of downlink quality information.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a quality information acquiring unit in the remote device to collect and transmit downlink quality information, such as CQI, PMI, and RI, to the central aggregation device, which then uses this information to assign radio resources to user devices, facilitating effective radio resource management despite the separation of functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the function of the radio physical layer is mounted in the remote device and the upper layer is mounted in the central aggregation device, then the required transmission band for the front-haul can be reduced, but the cooperation between the radio physical layer and the upper layer becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission bandVSAvoidcooperation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a quality information transmitting unit as an intermediary component in the remote device that collects downlink quality information from the radio physical layer and transmits it to the upper layer in the central aggregation device. This intermediary mechanism facilitates communication and cooperation between the separated layers without requiring increased transmission bandwidth, thus resolving the contradiction between bandwidth reduction and cooperation difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If the function of the upper layer such as the MAC scheduler is mounted in the central aggregation device, then the radio resource assignment can be centralized, but the feedback of downlink quality information from the remote device to the central aggregation device becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecentralized controlVSAvoidquality information feedback
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the quality information transmitting unit that systematically collects downlink quality information (including CQI, PMI, and RI) from the radio physical layer in the remote device and transmits it to the upper layer in the central aggregation device. This feedback loop ensures that centralized control can operate with accurate, real-time quality information without loss, resolving the contradiction between centralized automation and information feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If the radio physical layer and upper layer are separated into different devices, then the transmission band requirement is reduced, but the appropriate assignment of radio resource to user device becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission bandVSAvoidradio resource assignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The quality information transmitting unit serves as an intermediary that bridges the separated radio physical layer and upper layer, ensuring accurate transmission of downlink quality information (CQI, PMI, RI) from the remote device to the central aggregation device. This enables the upper layer to make accurate radio resource assignment decisions despite the physical separation, maintaining manufacturing precision while reducing transmission bandwidth requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3435703B1Wireless base station, remote device and communication control method
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 NTT DOCOMO INC
  • EP3435703B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3435703B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3435703B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication control method according to the present invention is implemented in a radio base station (200) including a remote device (260) and a central aggregation device (210) and that performs radio communication with a user device (300) . The communication method includes acquiring including the remote device (260) acquiring via a predetermined uplink channel downlink quality information indicating radio communication quality in downlink acquired by the user device (300); transmitting including the remote device (260) transmitting to the central aggregation device (210) a quality data series containing one or more pieces of the downlink quality information acquired at the acquiring; and performing including the central aggregation device (210) performing assignment of a radio resource to the user device (300) based on the quality data series.