UAV Uplink Interference Management via Neighbor Cell Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular networks face challenges in managing uplink interference from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) due to their altitude, which affects terrestrial UE devices and lacks efficient network coordination to optimize handovers and resource allocation without neighbor cell information.
Innovation Solution
The UAV informs its serving cell about uplink interference experienced by neighboring cells, enabling the serving cell to make handover or scheduling decisions, and the UAV can adjust its transmission resources or monitor specific System Information Block messages based on downlink signal strength to mitigate interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the UAV transmits uplink signals to the serving cell, then the serving cell can provide communication services to the UAV, but uplink interference is caused to neighboring cells
Solution Approach 1:
The neighboring cell measures uplink interference from the UAV and feeds back an interference indicator to the UAV via downlink signaling. The UAV then reports this interference information to the serving cell, which uses the feedback to adjust handover decisions or uplink resource allocation, thereby resolving the interference while maintaining communication services.
Solution Approach 2:
The interference indicator message acts as an intermediary carrier, transmitting interference information from the neighboring cell to the UAV, and subsequently from the UAV to the serving cell. This intermediary mechanism enables indirect communication between cells that don't have direct information sharing, allowing interference management without disrupting normal UAV communication.
2Ease of operation
If the serving cell makes handover or scheduling decisions without neighbor cell information, then the serving cell can independently manage UAV communications, but interference management effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The neighboring cell autonomously measures its own uplink interference conditions and generates interference indicators without requiring assistance from the serving cell. This self-service approach allows each cell to independently assess its interference environment while still contributing to overall network-wide interference management through the standardized feedback mechanism.
3Loss of information
If the UAV monitors all neighboring cell System Information Block messages, then the UAV can detect uplink interference indicators from any neighboring cell, but the UAV's power consumption and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interference indicator message contains targeted information specifically about uplink interference conditions, allowing the UAV to focus its monitoring efforts on relevant interference information rather than processing all System Information Block messages. This localized information approach reduces the UAV's processing burden and power consumption while maintaining complete interference detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A neighboring cell determines that uplink interference from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) exceeds a first threshold at the neighboring cell. The neighboring cell transmits an uplink interference indicator to the UAV. In some examples, the UAV informs its serving cell of the uplink interference experienced by the neighboring cell. The serving cell can utilize information received from the UAV to make handover decisions or scheduling decisions for the UAV that caused the uplink interference. In other examples, the UAV can temporarily refrain from transmitting on at least some of its uplink resources or utilize different uplink resources for uplink data transmissions. In still other examples, the UAV can utilize downlink measurements to select which neighboring base station System Information Block messages should be monitored for an uplink interference indicator.