User Equipment Group Relaying for High-Frequency Coverage Gaps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing density of user equipment and the use of high spectrum frequencies like mmW and THz lead to limited communication range and coverage in wireless networks, with communication occurring primarily through point-to-point connections without cooperation among nearby devices.
Innovation Solution
User equipment forms groups to facilitate cooperative communication, with active devices coordinating data transfer and passive devices communicating indirectly through active devices, utilizing device-to-device links and base station support to enhance coverage and capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If point-to-point connections are used between user equipment and base station, then communication simplicity is maintained, but communication range and coverage are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediate user equipment devices that act as relays between disconnected user equipment and the base station. These intermediary devices receive configuration messages from the base station and forward them to disconnected devices, extending the communication range without requiring direct point-to-point connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication path into multiple hops through intermediate devices. Instead of a single direct connection, the communication is divided into segments: base station to intermediate device, and intermediate device to disconnected device, allowing signals to reach farther distances through multiple smaller transmission steps.
2Productivity
If user equipment density increases, then network capacity is improved, but signal loss and coverage limitation worsen at high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the communication capabilities of multiple user equipment devices into a cooperative network. Connected devices share their communication resources and relay capabilities with disconnected devices, combining individual limited-range signals into a collective extended-coverage network that maintains reliability despite high frequency limitations.
3Reliability
If cooperative communication is implemented among user equipment, then communication range and reliability are enhanced, but device complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base station acts as a central intermediary that manages the complexity of cooperative communication. It generates configuration messages that coordinate the behavior of intermediate user equipment devices, centralizing the coordination logic and reducing the complexity burden on individual user equipment while maintaining reliable cooperative communication.
4Productivity
If high spectrum frequencies (mmW, THz) are used, then data transmission capacity is improved, but coverage range is reduced due to signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the high-frequency signal transmission into multiple shorter hops through intermediate user equipment. Each segment transmits data at high capacity over a short distance, and the segments are chained together to achieve long-range coverage, preserving the high data transmission capacity of mmW and THz frequencies while overcoming their inherent limited range.
Data Source
AI summary
User equipment in close proximity may transfer data and control information. For example, the user equipment may exchange data or data sets between each other. Each user equipment can receive and transmit data using radio access technologies. A group of user equipments may include active user equipment and passive user equipment. Active user equipment connects with one or more base stations and transfers data on a wireless communication network via the base station. The active user equipment may communicate with other active user equipment and passive user equipment. Passive user equipment may not connect to any base station and/or the wireless communication network and may communicate with other passive user equipment and active user equipment (e.g., via a sidelink, peer-to-peer, or device-to-device channel).