Uplink Interference Detection via Quiet Resource Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless network operators face challenges in identifying and mitigating external interference from unlicensed users, which degrades the performance of licensed wireless equipment, making it difficult to locate and neutralize interference sources, especially when the cellular network is not the primary user of a spectrum allocation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for dynamically detecting and locating external interference at base stations by creating an interference neighbor list, determining quiet resource blocks, and analyzing signals to identify and prioritize interference detection, allowing the cellular network to avoid using affected spectrum portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the cellular network continuously monitors all resource blocks for interference detection, then interference detection accuracy is improved, but network overhead and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous spectrum into discrete resource blocks and further segments the detection process by identifying specific quiet resource blocks where interference measurement occurs. This segmentation allows the system to monitor only relevant frequency-time slots rather than continuously monitoring all resource blocks, thereby maintaining detection accuracy while reducing system complexity and overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of monitoring all resource blocks equally, the patent applies partial action by selectively monitoring only the quiet resource blocks that are identified through coordination with neighboring base stations. This partial monitoring approach focuses detection resources on the most critical measurement opportunities, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining sufficient detection accuracy.
2Reliability
If the network prioritizes interference detection over data transmission by allocating quiet resource blocks, then interference detection capability is improved, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic interference detection by allocating quiet resource blocks at specific intervals rather than continuously. The quiet resource blocks are distributed periodically in the time-frequency grid, allowing the system to perform interference measurements at regular intervals while maintaining data transmission during non-detection periods. This periodic approach ensures reliable interference detection capability while minimizing impact on overall data transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the allocation of quiet resource blocks based on network conditions and interference detection requirements. The scheduling of quiet resource blocks can be adapted to prioritize detection in certain time-frequency regions while maintaining transmission in others, allowing the system to balance reliability and productivity dynamically rather than using a fixed static allocation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple base stations coordinate their transmission schedules to create common quiet resource blocks, then interference detection coverage is improved, but coordination overhead and network complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmission schedules of multiple neighboring base stations to identify common quiet resource blocks that can be used for coordinated interference detection. By combining schedule information from multiple base stations and finding overlapping quiet periods, the system achieves broader interference detection coverage while sharing the coordination burden across the network, thereby improving coverage without proportionally increasing individual base station overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Identifying interference in a cellular network may include creating an interference neighbor list for a target base station that includes a plurality of neighboring base stations, determining a plurality of quiet resource blocks common to the plurality of neighboring base stations and the target base station, and analyzing signals received at the target base station during the plurality of quiet resource blocks. Whether to modify uplink transmission schedules, and the extent of modification, may be determined based on traffic levels.