Time Multiplexing Unicast Multicast Signals Wireless Carrier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems, particularly CDMA systems, inefficiently utilize the available frequency spectrum when delivering multicast signals, as they often allocate a full carrier frequency for multicast or broadcast services, which is not an expeditious use of resources.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a remote station and base station configuration that multiplexes unicast and multicast/broadcast signals in time on different carrier frequencies, allowing for efficient use of the frequency spectrum by using a synchronization control channel on one carrier frequency and a shared physical channel on another, with the unicast signal being multiplexed with the multicast or broadcast signal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a full carrier frequency is allocated to carry multicast or broadcast signal, then the multicast service can be delivered reliably, but the frequency spectrum utilization becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulticast service deliveryVSAvoidfrequency spectrum utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges unicast and multicast services onto the same carrier frequency by dividing the frequency band into different bands (first band for unicast, second band for multicast) within the same carrier. This allows both services to share the carrier frequency simultaneously, improving spectrum utilization while maintaining reliable multicast delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the carrier frequency into multiple bands, with the first band dedicated to unicast signals and the second band dedicated to multicast or broadcast signals. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each service type while sharing the same carrier resource, resolving the contradiction between reliable multicast delivery and efficient spectrum use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of energy

If the same carrier frequency is used for both unicast and multicast signals, then frequency spectrum utilization improves, but signal interference and detection difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency spectrum utilizationVSAvoidsignal detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the carrier frequency into distinct bands (first band for unicast, second band for multicast) to separate the signals in the frequency domain. This segmentation prevents interference between unicast and multicast signals while allowing both to share the same carrier frequency, thus improving spectrum utilization without compromising signal detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent assigns different quality characteristics to different bands within the carrier frequency. The first band is optimized for unicast communication while the second band is optimized for multicast or broadcast signals. This local quality differentiation allows each signal type to be detected and processed with appropriate parameters, reducing detection difficulty.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If separate carrier frequencies are used for unicast and multicast signals, then signal detection is simplified, but frequency spectrum utilization becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal detectionVSAvoidfrequency spectrum utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines unicast and multicast services on the same carrier frequency by allocating different bands within that carrier to different services. This merging approach improves frequency spectrum utilization while maintaining simplified detection through band-specific processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of separating services by using different carrier frequencies (one dimension), the patent introduces a new dimension by dividing the carrier frequency into multiple bands. This dimensional change allows both services to share the same carrier while maintaining signal detection simplicity through band-specific allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8644200B2Time multiplexing of unicast and multicast signals on a downlink carrier frequency in a wireless communication system

Publication Date: 2014.02.04 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A remote station, for a wireless communication system, includes a receiver configured to receive on a first downlink a synchronization control channel on a first carrier frequency and on a second downlink a shared physical channel on a second carrier frequency different than the first carrier frequency. The shared physical channel includes a first physical shared channel having a unicast signal and a second physical shared channel having a multicast or broadcast signal, the unicast signal being multiplexed in time with the multicast or broadcast signal. The remote station includes a control processor configured to generate an acknowledgement signal on an uplink based on the unicast signal.