Multi-Channel TVWS Wireless Communication System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing television white space (TVWS) channels for multi-channel signaling, particularly in maintaining non-interfering operations with broadcast television and ensuring optimal spectral mask requirements, which limits the effective use of available bandwidth and channel allocation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a wireless communication system that supports contiguous and non-contiguous channel operations within TVWS, using OFDM modulation and adaptive modulation coding sets for each channel, along with a modified signal field structure to ensure central placement within available tones, allowing for efficient channel utilization and interference minimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional single-channel wireless communication is used, then system complexity is low, but bandwidth utilization is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the available TVWS spectrum into multiple independent channels (e.g., 6 MHz, 8 MHz, or 20 MHz channels) that can be simultaneously accessed. Each channel is treated as a separate communication resource with its own signaling structure, allowing the system to aggregate bandwidth from multiple segments while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized processing for each channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal multi-channel signaling framework that can operate across different channel configurations (contiguous or non-contiguous, various bandwidths). The same basic signaling structure and OFDM modulation approach works across all channel types, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to different spectral conditions without requiring entirely separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If TVWS channels are utilized for wireless communication, then available bandwidth increases, but interference with broadcast television may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidinterference with broadcast television
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different signaling and modulation characteristics to different channels based on their specific properties and interference conditions. Each TVWS channel can be independently configured with appropriate spectral masks, power levels, and modulation schemes tailored to its local environment and interference constraints, allowing optimized performance while minimizing harm to broadcast television.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates signaling fields that convey channel allocation, bandwidth, and spectral mask information to receiving devices. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively adjust transmission parameters based on channel conditions and interference levels, ensuring that communications proceed only when interference thresholds are not exceeded and bandwidth is properly coordinated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If contiguous channel operations are implemented, then spectral efficiency improves, but flexibility in channel allocation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidchannel allocation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic channel allocation where the system can switch between contiguous and non-contiguous channel configurations based on real-time spectral conditions, available bandwidth, and communication requirements. The signaling framework supports both modes operatively, allowing the system to adapt its channel aggregation strategy dynamically rather than being fixed to one approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If adaptive modulation coding sets are used for each channel, then communication reliability improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs adaptive modulation and coding schemes where key parameters (modulation order, coding rate, constellation size) are dynamically adjusted for each channel based on channel quality measurements and signal conditions. This allows the system to optimize reliability for each channel independently while using standardized parameter sets that can be efficiently processed, balancing reliability improvements with acceptable processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2665217B1Multi-channel support within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications
Publication Date: 2016.07.13 BROADCOM INC
  • EP2665217B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2665217B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2665217B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Multi-channel support within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A processor of the communication device is implemented to process a signal to generate processed signals. Also, the communication device includes multiple inverse discrete fast Fourier transform (IDFT) processors respectively to process the processed signals to generate a signal streams respectively across channels (e.g., a first of the IDFT processors is implemented to process a first processed signal to generate a first signal stream based on a fast Fourier transform (FFT) channelization across a first number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) tones, and a second of the IDFT processors is implemented to process a second processed signal to generate a second signal stream based on the FFT channelization across a second number of OFDM tones). The communication device also includes communication interface(s) to transmit the signal streams to at least one additional communication device.