Uplink Modulation Order Suppression for Voice Muting Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, concurrent uplink transmissions from multiple user equipment (UEs) can cause interference, leading to uplink voice muting issues, particularly in latency-sensitive communications like voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), due to high uplink noise resulting from high-order modulation schemes requiring higher transmission power.
Innovation Solution
The access node detects a threshold high rate of uplink voice muting and suppresses the modulation order used by UEs for uplink air-interface communication, directing them to use a lower modulation order than what corresponds with their most recently determined channel quality, thereby reducing uplink noise and mitigating voice muting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-order modulation schemes are used for uplink communication, then data rate is improved, but uplink noise increases causing voice muting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the modulation order adjustable rather than fixed. The network device dynamically controls the modulation order of uplink communication based on detected voice muting rates. When voice muting is detected, the modulation order is reduced; when voice muting is not detected, the modulation order can be increased to improve data rate. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining high data rate and reducing uplink noise that causes voice muting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the modulation order parameter to control the relationship between data rate and uplink noise. By changing the modulation order from high to low, the system reduces the transmission power requirement and consequently reduces uplink noise, which prevents voice muting. This parameter adjustment allows the system to trade off data rate for noise reduction when voice communication quality is compromised.
2Productivity
If high transmission power is used to support high-order modulation, then data rate is improved, but uplink noise increases causing interference to other UEs
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the modulation order based on network conditions and voice muting detection. When voice muting is detected in the network, the modulation order is reduced, which consequently reduces the transmission power required and the uplink noise generated. This dynamic control prevents one UE's high-power transmission from interfering with other UEs' voice communications, resolving the contradiction between achieving high data rate and minimizing harmful interference to other users.
3Reliability
If modulation order is reduced to suppress uplink noise, then voice muting is prevented, but data rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic modulation order adjustment that adapts to network conditions. The modulation order is reduced only when and where voice muting is detected, rather than being uniformly reduced across all communications. This allows the system to maintain high data rates in areas or times when voice muting is not an issue, while selectively reducing modulation order to protect voice communication reliability in affected areas, thus resolving the contradiction between voice reliability and overall data rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the modulation order adjustment targeted and selective rather than universal. The network device detects voice muting in specific cells or time periods and applies modulation order reduction only in those specific locations or times. This allows different parts of the network to operate with different modulation orders optimized for their local conditions, maintaining high data rates where voice muting is not problematic while ensuring voice reliability where it is an issue.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for controlling uplink air-interface communication over an air interface from a given user equipment device (UE) to the access node, where the uplink air-interface communication normally operates with a modulation order corresponding with a most recently determined channel quality of the given UE. An example method includes (i) detecting at least a threshold high rate of uplink voice muting on the air interface, and (ii) responsive to at least the detecting of the threshold high rate of uplink voice muting on the air interface, suppressing the modulation order used for the uplink air-interface communication from the given UE to the access node over the air interface.