Virtual Carrier Resource Allocation for Reduced Capability Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communications networks face inefficiencies in resource allocation, particularly for reduced capability devices that require less bandwidth, leading to increased complexity and cost in transceiver units, limiting the widespread deployment of devices like smart meters.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of virtual carriers within a host carrier, where reduced capability devices are allocated specific sections of communications resources, allowing them to operate efficiently with reduced complexity transceiver units, and sharing common system information across multiple virtual carriers to optimize resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mobile communications networks allocate communications resources to reduced capability devices across the entire host carrier bandwidth, then the devices can access all available resources, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The host carrier bandwidth is segmented into multiple virtual carriers, each with a narrower bandwidth. Reduced capability devices are allocated to specific virtual carriers matching their reception capabilities, allowing them to access resources efficiently without requiring full host carrier bandwidth processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the communications resources within the host carrier are designated with different properties - some sections form virtual carriers suitable for reduced capability devices while others remain for full capability devices. This local differentiation allows optimized resource allocation without forcing all devices to handle the entire bandwidth.
2Productivity
If mobile communications networks create multiple virtual carriers for reduced capability devices, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network element is designed to provide multiple functions: it can allocate resources to reduced capability devices through virtual carriers while simultaneously maintaining support for full capability devices across the entire host carrier bandwidth. This multi-functionality allows the system to serve diverse device types without requiring separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Virtual carriers act as intermediaries between the host carrier and reduced capability devices. The network element creates these virtual carrier structures that translate the full host carrier resources into manageable, capability-matched allocations, simplifying the interaction between the network and constrained devices.
3Ease of operation
If common system information is transmitted on each virtual carrier separately, then each device can receive information for its specific carrier, but communications resources are used inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
Common system information that is identical across multiple virtual carriers is transmitted once on a reference virtual carrier rather than being repeated on each virtual carrier. This merging of redundant information transmissions reduces overall resource consumption while ensuring all devices can access the necessary system information.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting independent copies of common system information on each virtual carrier, the system transmits a single master copy on the reference virtual carrier. Devices can then obtain this information without requiring separate transmissions, eliminating redundant resource usage while maintaining information availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile communications network includes one or more network elements providing a wireless access interface for communications devices. The wireless access interface provides plural communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier. First and second sections of communications resources within respective first and second frequency ranges for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices form respective first and second virtual carriers. Each of the first and second frequency ranges is within the host frequency range, wherein the communications device is configured with a reduced capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth less than the host frequency range and equal to at least one of the first or second frequency range. The communications device is configured to receive the first signalling data from the control channel and the common system information from the one or more communications resources identified by the first signalling data.