Virtual Carrier Aggregation for Wireless Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Next-generation wireless networks face challenges in providing higher throughput to support increasing numbers of subscribers and data-intensive applications like video and high-definition images, as existing carrier aggregation and dual connectivity techniques have limitations in synchronization and coordination across multiple component carriers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of virtual carrier and virtual connection aggregation systems, which allow for the use of physical and virtual component carriers with the same carrier frequency and bandwidth, but with different carrier indices, to enhance data transmission efficiency. These systems can be associated with common MAC, RLC, and PDCP sublayers, and share common synchronization channels and search spaces, enabling improved synchronization and coordination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation and dual connectivity techniques are used to transmit data over multiple component carriers, then the overall throughput is increased, but the synchronization and coordination between multiple transmit points becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the component carriers into two distinct groups: those associated with a first transmit point and those associated with a second transmit point. Each group is independently managed with its own synchronization and coordination mechanisms, thereby reducing the overall complexity compared to managing all carriers as a single group while still achieving high throughput through aggregated carriers from multiple transmit points.
2Productivity
If multiple transmit points with non-ideal backhaul links are used, then coverage and capacity are improved, but the latency and synchronization difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments carriers into groups associated with different transmit points, allowing each group to be independently synchronized. This segmentation enables the system to accommodate non-ideal backhaul links between transmit points by treating each group's timing independently, thereby reducing the impact of backhaul latency on overall system performance while still providing enhanced coverage and capacity through multiple transmit points.
3Productivity
If more component carriers are aggregated, then the data rate is increased, but the complexity of managing and coordinating the carriers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the aggregated component carriers into multiple groups, with each group managed independently by its associated transmit point. This segmentation reduces carrier management complexity by allowing localized decision-making for each group rather than requiring centralized coordination of all carriers, thereby enabling higher data rates through carrier aggregation while keeping management complexity tractable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of organization by grouping carriers according to their associated transmit point rather than managing them as a flat set. This dimensional reorganization (from a single-level carrier list to a hierarchical structure with transmit-point-level grouping) simplifies management complexity while preserving the high data rate benefits of aggregating multiple carriers across different transmit points.
Data Source
AI summary
Carrier aggregation and dual connectivity leverage multiple component carriers to increase the effective bandwidth available to a given UE. Embodiments of this disclosure extend the concept of carrier aggregation and dual connectivity by using a physical component carrier and one or more virtual component carriers from one physical component carrier group and/or one virtual component carrier group, which have the same carrier frequency and carrier bandwidth as the physical component carrier, to transmit data streams to a user equipment. Data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and the virtual component carrier(s) may be orthogonal in the time domain or code domain. Alternatively, data streams communicated over the physical component carrier and the virtual component carrier(s) may be non-orthogonal, in which case the UE may need to decode the respective data streams using non-orthogonal signal processing techniques.