Wideband Digital RF Transport System Bandwidth Allocation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wideband digital RF transport systems inefficiently utilize bandwidth by allocating equal amounts of bandwidth for different channels, leading to underutilization, as they are tied to a single sample rate, which does not match the varying bandwidth requirements of individual channels.

Innovation Solution

The system dynamically allocates bandwidth by selecting an optimal clock sample rate for each bandwidth segment, allowing proportional allocation and transmission of different bandwidths on a common platform, using analog-to-digital and digital up-converter devices to customize bandwidth allocation based on user needs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If equal bandwidth segments are allocated to all wideband channels on a common physical layer, then the system maintains simplicity in transport structure, but bandwidth utilization becomes inefficient and substantially underutilized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport structure simplicityVSAvoidbandwidth utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transport system into multiple virtual channels, each capable of carrying different bandwidth segments. Instead of treating all channels uniformly with equal bandwidth allocation, the system divides the transport capacity into separable segments that can be dynamically assigned to different wideband channels based on their specific bandwidth requirements, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and bandwidth utilization efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation where the bandwidth assigned to each virtual channel can be adjusted based on demand. The system allows bandwidth segments to be dynamically assigned and reassigned among different wideband channels, transforming the static equal-bandwidth structure into a dynamic allocation mechanism that optimizes bandwidth utilization while maintaining manageable system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a single sample rate is used for all digitized signals on the transport layer, then the system maintains uniformity in signal processing, but the system cannot accommodate varying bandwidth requirements of different wideband channels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing uniformityVSAvoidbandwidth requirement accommodation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing each virtual channel to have its own sample rate tailored to its specific bandwidth requirements. Instead of enforcing a single uniform sample rate across all channels, the system enables each channel to operate with the appropriate sample rate for its bandwidth needs, thereby accommodating varying bandwidth requirements while maintaining manageable signal processing through the virtual channel abstraction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the sample rate parameter for different virtual channels based on their bandwidth requirements. The system allows the sample rate to vary across channels, with each channel configured with the appropriate sample rate (e.g., 10 MHz for smaller bandwidth channels, 40 MHz for larger bandwidth channels), thus enabling the system to accommodate varying bandwidth requirements while maintaining organized signal processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If 25 MHz bandwidth blocks are allocated to all wideband channels, then the system maintains regularity in bandwidth segmentation, but channels with bandwidth requirements less than 25 MHz experience substantial underutilization

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth segmentation regularityVSAvoidbandwidth capacity utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by allocating bandwidth segments that precisely match the requirements of each wideband channel rather than universally allocating full 25 MHz blocks. The system assigns only the necessary bandwidth portion to each channel (e.g., 5 MHz to a 5 MHz channel, 10 MHz to a 10 MHz channel), eliminating the waste of allocating excessive bandwidth to channels that require less, thereby improving overall bandwidth capacity utilization while maintaining organized segmentation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3751760A1System and method for enhancing the performance of wideband digital RF transport systems
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC
  • EP3751760A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3751760A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3751760A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method for enhancing the performance of wideband digital RF transport systems is disclosed, which enables the transport of different bandwidth segments on a plurality of wideband channels by selecting an optimal clock sample rate for each bandwidth segment to be transported. Thus, the bandwidth segments are proportionally allocated so that an optimum amount of bandwidth can be transported at the serial bit rate. As one example, a system for enhancing the performance of a wideband digital RF transport system is disclosed, which includes a transmit unit, a receive unit, and an optical transmission medium connected between the transmit unit and the receive unit. The transmit unit includes a plurality of wideband RF analog signal inputs coupled to a plurality of analog-to-digital, digital down-converter (AID DDC) devices. Notably, the sample rate of each AID DDC device is determined by a respective sample clock. The digitized wideband RF segments at the outputs of the AID DDC devices are combined and converted to a frame structure, converted to serial form, and transmitted on the optical transmission medium to the receive unit. A light detector device in the receive unit detects the serial bit stream on the optical transmission medium, the serialized frames are converted back to the original frame format, and the original digitized wideband RF segments are reconstructed. Each digitized wideband RF segment is coupled to a respective D/A digital up-converter (D/A DUC) device associated with a particular wideband RF signal input on the transmit side. Notably, the output sample rate of each DI A DUC device is determined by a respective sample clock, which provides the same sample rate as that of the associated AID DDC device in the transmit unit. The sample rate of each AID DDC device (and associated D/A DUC device) is pre-selected so that the transmission medium can transport the optimum amount of RF bandwidth at the given serial bit rate.