Staggered Frequency Reuse Patterns for Wireless Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cellular communication systems face limitations in system capacity due to high control-channel overhead associated with higher-order frequency reuse patterns, making them impractical for efficient traffic channel communication.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a relay and distribution apparatus with an antenna system that lays down beams in overlapping P-cell and Q-cell frequency reuse patterns, where P-cell is for control channels and Q-cell is for traffic channels, allowing for higher-order cell frequency reuse patterns without increasing control-channel overhead, and also using staggered M × N-cell frequency reuse patterns to optimize traffic channel transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If higher-order frequency reuse patterns (e.g., nine-, twelve-color) are used to increase system capacity, then traffic channel capacity is improved, but control-channel overhead increases proportionally making the system impractical

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidcontrol-channel overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency reuse function into two independent parts: control channels use a low-order P-cell reuse pattern while traffic channels use a high-order Q-cell reuse pattern. This segmentation allows each channel type to operate with optimal reuse parameters independently, achieving high system capacity without proportional control-channel overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dimensional separation by assigning different reuse orders to different functional dimensions: control channels operate in a P-cell dimensional space while traffic channels operate in a Q-cell dimensional space. This dimensional change enables the system to achieve high-order reuse benefits for traffic without incurring high-order overhead for control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If conventional systems use P-cell frequency reuse pattern for both control and traffic channels, then control-channel management is simplified, but system capacity is limited due to inability to use higher-order reuse patterns

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol-channel managementVSAvoidsystem capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality parameters (reuse orders) to different functional areas: control channels use conservative P-cell reuse for reliable management, while traffic channels use aggressive Q-cell reuse for maximum capacity. This local quality differentiation optimizes both control simplicity and system capacity simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2757820B1Staggered cells for wireless coverage
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 THE BOEING CO
  • EP2757820B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2757820B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2757820B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

A relay and distribution apparatus is provided for a cellular communication system. The relay and distribution apparatus includes an antenna system configured to lay down beams in overlapping first and M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns. The first frequency reuse pattern may be for communication of control channels of a cellular communication system, and the second frequency reuse patterns may be for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system. The second frequency reuse patterns may be staggered with one another. And cells of the second frequency reuse patterns may have a size only a fraction of which is for transmission of traffic channels any of which may be assignable through a control channel of the first reuse frequency pattern.