Signal Waveform Assignment for Machine-Type Communications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current machine-type communications (MTC) systems face challenges such as massive connections overwhelming LTE networks, high coverage requirements, cost constraints, power consumption limitations, and the need for asynchronous transmission modes in devices with limited power supplies.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine and assign signal waveforms with varying characteristic signal bandwidths to machine-type devices, allowing for efficient communication while minimizing power consumption and hardware costs, using techniques like narrow band communications, single carrier modulation, and adjustable bandwidth to support large numbers of devices with extended coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synchronous transmission mode is used to ensure coordinated communications, then transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase due to synchronization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional synchronous transmission approach by implementing asynchronous transmission. Instead of requiring devices to synchronize with the base station, the system allows devices to transmit independently without synchronization, thereby reducing device complexity and power consumption while maintaining transmission reliability through other mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the synchronization requirement from the transmission process. By removing the need for devices to synchronize with the base station, the system eliminates the complexity and power consumption associated with synchronization while maintaining reliable communication through alternative methods such as random access procedures and collision resolution mechanisms.
2Use of energy by moving object
If narrow band signal waveforms are used to reduce bandwidth requirements, then power consumption is reduced, but communication capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation where the signal waveform bandwidth is not fixed but can be adjusted based on communication requirements. The system can switch between narrow band waveforms for power-constrained devices and wider band waveforms for devices requiring higher capacity, allowing the network to optimize the trade-off between power consumption and communication capacity on a per-device basis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bandwidth parameter of signal waveforms to resolve the contradiction. By providing multiple signal waveform options with different bandwidth characteristics and allowing dynamic selection among them, the system can adjust the bandwidth parameter to match the specific needs of each device, thereby reducing power consumption for low-capacity devices while maintaining high communication capacity when needed.
3Area of stationary object
If wide coverage area is supported to accommodate remote sensors, then network accessibility is improved, but link budget requirements increase by 15-20 dB
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coverage area into different zones with different signal waveform requirements. Remote sensors in coverage-extended areas can utilize specific narrow band signal waveforms that are optimized for their transmission conditions, allowing the network to support wide coverage areas without uniformly increasing the link budget for all devices. The segmentation allows tailored resource allocation to different geographic regions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple signal waveforms with different bandwidths are allocated to support diverse MTC devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal signal waveform framework where a single device can support multiple signal waveform types through software configuration rather than dedicated hardware for each waveform. The device includes a signal waveform generator that can be configured to produce different narrow band and wide band waveforms based on network assignment, providing adaptability without proportionally increasing hardware complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating a machine-type device (MTD) includes determining communications requirements for a machine-type device (MTD), and assigning a first signal waveform selected from a plurality of signal waveforms to the MTD in accordance with the determined communications requirements, wherein each signal waveform has an associated characteristic signal bandwidth.