Resource Block Index Modulation for IoT Spectral Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G and beyond, face challenges in efficiently allocating wireless network spectrum due to the large number of IoT devices transmitting small amounts of data, leading to inefficiencies in spectral usage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of resource block-level index modulation, where a base station conveys additional data by modulating index locations of resource blocks at the media access control layer, allowing for increased spectral efficiency without using additional time-frequency resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional resource allocation methods are used to support a large number of IoT devices, then network coverage and device connectivity are improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates due to inefficient resource usage for small data transactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension for data transmission by utilizing the index/location dimension of resource blocks in addition to the traditional amplitude and phase dimensions. By mapping data bits to specific resource block indices within a resource block group, the system enables an additional layer of information conveyance that does not consume extra spectral resources, thereby improving spectral efficiency while maintaining device connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frequency resources into resource block groups (RBGs), where each RBG contains multiple resource blocks. This segmentation allows the system to apply index modulation at the RBG level, enabling selective activation of specific resource blocks within each group to encode additional information. The segmentation structure facilitates efficient resource allocation for multiple IoT devices while improving spectral utilization
2Productivity
If additional time-frequency resources are allocated to transmit more data, then data transmission capacity is improved, but resource consumption increases which reduces spectral efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges traditional modulation techniques with index modulation by combining conventional amplitude and phase modulation with index-based resource block selection. Within each activated resource block, data is transmitted using standard modulation schemes, while the index of the activated block conveys additional information. This merging approach doubles the information capacity without requiring additional time-frequency resources, thereby maintaining spectral efficiency while improving data transmission capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the resource block index dimension to the traditional two-dimensional modulation space (amplitude and phase). By utilizing the index of activated resource blocks within resource block groups as an additional information carrier, the system effectively increases the dimensions of data transmission. This enables the conveyance of additional bits per resource block without consuming extra spectral resources, thereby improving productivity while maintaining spectral efficiency
3Loss of energy
If resource block index modulation is implemented to transmit additional data, then spectral efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional modulation and demodulation processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring resource block groups and establishing mapping relationships between data bits and resource block indices before transmission. The base station determines which resource blocks within each RBG to activate based on the data to be transmitted, and this indexing information is conveyed to user equipment through control signaling. This preliminary setup simplifies the actual transmission process and reduces real-time computational complexity at both transmitting and receiving ends
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces control signaling as an intermediary that carries information about activated resource block indices from the base station to user equipment. This intermediary mechanism separates the complex index modulation logic from the physical transmission process, allowing the main data transmission to use standard modulation schemes while the index information is conveyed through dedicated control channels. This approach reduces the complexity burden on the main data path and enables easier implementation
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques and apparatuses are described for resource block-level index modulation. In aspects, a wireless transmitter (120, 110) modulates (910) a first portion of data for a wireless receiver (110, 120) to provide modulation symbols that correspond to the first portion of the data. The wireless transmitter also selects (915), based on a value of a second portion of the data, respective index locations for one or more resource blocks by which to transmit the modulation symbols. The wireless transmitter then transmits (930) the modulation symbols to the wireless receiver using the one or more resource blocks having the respective index locations to convey the first portion of the data and the second portion of the data to the wireless receiver. By so doing, the wireless transmitter conveys (930) the second portion of the data without using additional time-frequency resources of a communication channel, which can be useful when concurrently transmitting small amounts of data to many wireless receivers.