RRH Power Amplifier Segmentation for Wideband MIMO Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional distributed base stations with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems face challenges in efficiently managing high frequency bandwidth, leading to large, heavy, and expensive RRHs with low operational efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves tuning each power amplifier path in the RRH to different center frequencies, allowing for wide aggregate frequency bandwidth coverage while maintaining high efficiency. This approach divides the communication channel to prevent any single RF power amplifier from carrying excessive bandwidth, enabling efficient operation and reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high frequency bandwidth is used in RF systems, then channel capacity increases, but operational efficiency decreases and RRHs become large, heavy, and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel capacityVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the communication channel into multiple narrower sub-channels, each handled by a separate RF power amplifier. This segmentation allows each PA to operate efficiently on a limited bandwidth while the aggregate system provides high total bandwidth and capacity, resolving the contradiction between high channel capacity and operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If high frequency bandwidth is used in RF systems, then channel capacity increases, but RRH size and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel capacityVSAvoidRRH weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the channel into multiple narrowband sub-channels and using separate PAs for each, the system achieves high aggregate bandwidth without requiring a single high-bandwidth PA. This reduces the size and weight of the RRH compared to conventional single-PA high-bandwidth designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple narrowband PA outputs to create a high-bandwidth aggregate channel. By merging the outputs of multiple efficient narrowband PAs, the system achieves high channel capacity while keeping individual PA units small and lightweight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If high frequency bandwidth is used in RF systems, then channel capacity increases, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel capacityVSAvoidRRH manufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the high-bandwidth channel into multiple narrowband sub-channels, allowing the use of multiple inexpensive narrowband PAs instead of a single expensive high-bandwidth PA. This segmentation strategy reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining high aggregate channel capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Use of energy by moving object

If communication channel is divided into multiple paths, then PA efficiency increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePA efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel into multiple paths with separate PAs to improve efficiency. The baseband unit manages the complexity by dynamically allocating resources across segments, achieving high PA efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12323175B2Cellular network that dynamically adjusts bandwidth and number of MIMO paths based on realized channel capacity

Publication Date: 2025.06.03 TALKINGHEADS WIRELESS INC

AI summary

Described are concepts, systems and techniques for dividing a communication channel such that no single radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) in a remote radio head (RRH) operates over an excessively wide frequency bandwidth. This allows efficient operation of the RF PA wherein each PA transmit path is tuned for operation at a respective one of a plurality of different center frequencies (f0, f0+Δf, . . . f0+(n−1)Δf where n is an integer corresponding to the number of RF PA transmit paths.