SFN Indication Transmission for Low-Coverage MTC Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smart metering MTC devices in low-coverage environments face challenges in receiving System Frame Number (SFN) information due to low transmission performance, leading to communication issues with base stations, and existing solutions require additional deployment of resources or relay devices to enhance coverage.

Innovation Solution

A method where a base station sets multiple resource locations within an SFN information cycle period to transmit SFN indication information, allowing terminals to detect and compute SFN, improving coverage performance without additional deployment by using repeated transmissions over radio frames and sub-frames, ensuring reliable communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If SFN information is transmitted using traditional MIB with 40ms scheduling period, then system overhead is reduced, but coverage performance deteriorates in low-coverage environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem overheadVSAvoidcoverage performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic transmission of SFN information at multiple resource locations within an SFN information cycle period (1024 radio frames). By setting X resource locations where SFN indication information is transmitted periodically, the system ensures reliable reception in low-coverage environments while maintaining controlled system overhead through the cyclic structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments SFN information transmission by dividing the SFN information cycle period into multiple resource locations. Instead of transmitting all SFN information in a single MIB block, the transmission is segmented across X different resource locations, each containing SFN indication information, thereby improving coverage through spatial and temporal distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If additional relay devices or sites are deployed to enhance coverage, then coverage performance is improved, but deployment cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage performanceVSAvoiddeployment cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the existing base station to self-enhance its coverage capability by transmitting SFN information at multiple resource locations within the SFN information cycle period. This self-service approach improves coverage performance without requiring additional relay devices or site deployments, thereby avoiding increased deployment costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If SFN information is transmitted with longer repetition periods to save resources, then system overhead is reduced, but reception reliability deteriorates for MTC devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem overheadVSAvoidreception reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic flexibility in SFN information transmission by allowing configurable parameters including the SFN information cycle period length, the number of resource locations X, and the interval between resource locations. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt transmission density to coverage requirements, ensuring reception reliability for MTC devices while controlling system overhead through optimized parameter selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2981015B1System frame number information transmission method, base station, terminal and system
Publication Date: 2017.12.27 ZTE CORP
  • EP2981015B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2981015B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2981015B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A method and a system for transmitting System Frame Number (SFN) information. The method includes that a base station sets X resource locations for carrying SFN indication information in one SFN information cycle period; and the base station transmits the SFN indication information at at least one resource location in each SFN information cycle period. Moreover, a base station and a terminal are provided in order to improve the coverage performance of a smart metering Machine Type Communication (MTC) terminal device deployed in a low-coverage environment and ensure the normal communication requirement of the MTC terminal device without additional deployment of a site and a relay station.