Virtual Carrier Resource Allocation for Reduced Capability Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile communications networks face challenges in efficiently supporting reduced capability devices, such as smart meters, which require less complex and less power-consuming transceivers due to their simpler data transmission needs, limiting their widespread deployment and increasing power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a virtual carrier system within mobile communications networks, where communications resources are dynamically allocated outside a core frequency range, allowing reduced capability devices to operate with a narrower bandwidth, reducing complexity and power consumption, and enabling flexible bandwidth selection based on device capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional mobile communications networks allocate resources across the full host bandwidth, then network capacity and data rate are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase for reduced capability devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the host bandwidth into a virtual carrier bandwidth (for reduced capability devices) and remaining bandwidth (for full capability devices). The virtual carrier is a subset of resource elements within the host carrier, allowing reduced capability devices to operate on a narrower bandwidth while full capability devices utilize the entire host bandwidth. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling differentiated resource allocation based on device capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different bandwidth allocations to different device types within the same host carrier. Reduced capability devices receive resource elements within the virtual carrier bandwidth (narrower portion), while full capability devices receive resource elements across the entire host bandwidth. This localized differentiation allows each device type to operate with appropriate complexity levels while maintaining overall network capacity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If reduced capability devices operate with narrower bandwidth, then power consumption and device cost are reduced, but network resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual carrier serves multiple functions: it provides a dedicated narrowband resource allocation for reduced capability devices while simultaneously being part of the overall host carrier structure that supports full capability devices. The same host carrier infrastructure serves both device types, with the virtual carrier acting as a universal interface that accommodates reduced capability devices without requiring separate network infrastructure, thereby maintaining network resource utilization efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If all devices must support full host bandwidth, then network compatibility and access simplicity are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase for devices with simpler needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts a virtual carrier from the host carrier, creating a separate narrowband resource allocation within the broader host bandwidth. This extracted virtual carrier can be selectively assigned to reduced capability devices, allowing them to operate with simpler transceivers that support only the narrower virtual carrier bandwidth. Full capability devices continue to access the entire host bandwidth as before. This extraction resolves the contradiction by providing optional simplified access without compromising full capability access.
Data Source
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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 a plurality of communications resource elements across a host frequency bandwidth, and includes, within the host frequency bandwidth, a first section of communications resource elements within a first frequency bandwidth for allocation preferably to reduced capability devices to receive signals representing the data transmitted by the transmitter unit within the first bandwidth forming a first virtual carrier, the reduced capability devices each having a receiver bandwidth which is greater than or equal to the first frequency bandwidth but less than the host frequency bandwidth. The communications device is configured to transmit to the mobile communications network a relative capability of the communications device to receive data via the wireless access interface, the relative capability comprising at least an indication of a relative bandwidth of the receiver unit to receive signals within the host frequency range greater than or equal to the first bandwidth, and to receive an allocation of communications resource elements which include communications resource elements which are outside the first virtual carrier, but within the bandwidth of the communications device, in response to the indication of the relative capability of the communications device. Communications devices of different capabilities can be allocated communications resources within different frequency ranges according to their capability, which can relieve congestion on a centre frequency of communications resources in which communications devices with a minimum bandwidth capability must receive communications resources for receiving down link signals.