Separate Uplink Channel for Cell Edge Users in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, cell edge users often experience collisions and signal loss due to high load and power limitations, leading to reduced system coverage and unfair resource distribution.
Innovation Solution
A mobile station equipped with units for monitoring activity, detecting collisions, and determining channel quality communicates with a base station on a separate radio channel when channel quality falls below a threshold, allowing it to avoid competing with power-limited users closer to the base station, and anticipates future resource needs by sending scheduling requests even when data is not available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cell edge users transmit on contention-based channel, then they can access the channel immediately, but they experience high collision probability and signal loss due to power limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments users into two groups: cell center users (near the base station) and cell edge users (far from the base station). Cell center users use contention-based channels while cell edge users are assigned dedicated scheduled resources. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing cell edge users to reliably access the channel through dedicated resources rather than competing in contention-based channels where they would collide with stronger signals from cell center users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If power control is deployed to balance received powers, then fairness improves, but power-limited users still cannot increase transmit power and lose in contention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts power-limited cell edge users from the contention-based channel and assigns them dedicated scheduled resources. This removes them from the competitive environment where power control cannot compensate for their power limitations, ensuring they can transmit reliably without being outcompeted by users with higher transmit power.
3Reliability
If scheduled MAC protocol is used, then delay and collision probability decrease, but users cannot transmit immediately when data is available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic resource allocation scheme where users can transition between contention-based and scheduled resources. Users start with contention-based access for immediate transmission, and when the base station detects collisions or poor channel conditions, it dynamically reassigns those users to scheduled resources, balancing immediate access needs with collision avoidance.
4Reliability
If cell edge users continuously retransmit after collisions, then they attempt to reach the base station, but system load increases and coverage is unnecessarily limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by proactively assigning dedicated scheduled resources to cell edge users before they experience repeated collisions. The base station monitors channel conditions and user performance, and when it detects that a user is struggling with collisions, it preemptively allocates dedicated resources to that user, preventing the need for continuous retransmissions and improving overall system efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a mobile station (200), a base station (300). a method and a computer program for communication in a wireless communication network (100), where cell edge user experiencing difficulties on the contention-based channel are treated differently than those users who are not power limited and/or do not experience collisions. Suggested solutions to this problem may be different treatment of the cell edge users in contrast to users located closer to the base station (300) either by communication over an orthogonal scheduled channel, or by forcing mobile stations (200) who have successfully sent their data to wait a specific time period or by dividing the mobile stations (200) into different groups based on the signal attenuation experienced by the different mobile stations (200).