Wireless Distribution System Remote Unit Identification via Temporal Delay Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless distribution systems (WDS), accurately pinpointing the location of client devices within indoor environments is challenging due to the combination of uplink communications signals from remote units, making it difficult to determine which remote unit a client device is communicating with, which is crucial for location-based services like E911.

Innovation Solution

Assigning unique temporal delay patterns to each remote unit in the WDS, allowing for the identification of the remote unit by analyzing delayed communications signals, thereby determining the client device's location.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If uplink communications signals from multiple remote units are combined in the central unit, then signal aggregation and distribution to the signal source is achieved, but the ability to determine which remote unit a client device is communicating with is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal aggregation efficiencyVSAvoidremote unit identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning unique temporal delay patterns to each remote unit's signal path. This creates distinguishable temporal characteristics for each remote unit's signals, allowing the central unit to identify which remote unit a client device is communicating with while still aggregating signals from multiple units. The unique temporal delay pattern acts as a local identifier that preserves remote unit information through the signal aggregation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If unique temporal delay patterns are assigned to each remote unit to enable identification, then location determination capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation determination accuracyVSAvoidsignal path configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring unique temporal delay patterns for each remote unit's signal path before client devices connect. The central unit is pre-programmed with these patterns, allowing it to automatically identify remote units based on the temporal delays in uplink signals. This preliminary configuration enables location determination without requiring complex real-time analysis or additional hardware modifications during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If temporal delay patterns are used to identify remote units, then location-based services become feasible, but processing time for signal analysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation-based services capabilityVSAvoidsignal analysis processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies feedback by having the central unit continuously monitor the temporal delays in uplink signals from remote units and compare them against the pre-stored unique temporal delay patterns. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically identify active remote units and determine client device locations in real-time. The pre-configured patterns enable rapid comparison and identification, minimizing processing time while maintaining accurate location-based services capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3434031B1Identifying remote units in a wireless distribution system (WDS) based on assigned unique temporal delay patterns
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC
  • EP3434031B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3434031B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3434031B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to identifying remote units in a wireless distribution system (WDS) based on assigned unique temporal delay patterns. The WDS includes a plurality of remote units configured to communicate communications signals in signal paths. Each of the signal paths is assigned a unique temporal delay pattern. The communications signals are digitally delayed by respective delay elements based on the plurality of unique temporal delay patterns to provide delayed communications signals. A remote unit identification system analyzes a delayed communications signal to determine a respective temporal delay pattern associated within the delayed communication signal. By uniquely identifying a remote unit from which a delayed communication signal is communicated, it is possible to determine the locations client devices in the WDS, thus enabling a variety of location-based services and optimizations in the WDS.