Wireless Ambient Device Backscatter Overlays for Low-Power Cellular IoT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless ambient devices, such as ambient IoT devices, face challenges in enabling mobile-originated communications without an energy source or with limited energy storage, particularly in cellular communication networks like 3GPP, due to high power consumption and size constraints, which limits their applicability and sustainability.
Innovation Solution
The devices harness energy from periodic broadcast channel transmissions, such as PBCH signals, to synchronize and transmit backscatter reports, allowing mobile-originated communications by overlaying these transmissions, thus eliminating the need for activation signals and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wireless ambient devices transmit communications using traditional methods in cellular networks, then mobile-originated communications can be achieved, but power consumption increases and device size must increase to accommodate energy storage
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless ambient device transmits backscatter reports periodically overlaying periodic broadcast channel transmissions (PBCH) from the wireless network node. This periodic transmission approach allows the device to operate sustainably by harvesting energy during receive periods and transmitting during designated periods, eliminating continuous power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The device harvests energy from the periodic broadcast channel transmissions it receives from the network node and uses this harvested energy to power its own backscatter transmissions. This self-powered operation eliminates the need for external activation signals and reduces dependency on internal energy storage
2Ease of operation
If wireless ambient devices include energy storage components to enable mobile-originated communications, then transmission capability is achieved, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional active transmission mechanisms (requiring power amplifiers, batteries, and complex transceivers) with backscatter modulation. The device modulates the reflected broadcast channel signals to carry its reports, eliminating the need for energy storage components and reducing device size to ambient dimensions
3Use of energy by moving object
If wireless ambient devices use backscatter communication overlaying periodic broadcast channels, then power consumption is reduced and device size decreases, but detection complexity increases for receiving devices
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving device (UE or network node) is pre-configured with the periodicity and timing of the broadcast channel transmissions. This preliminary configuration enables the receiver to predict when backscatter reports will occur and prepare appropriate detection algorithms in advance, reducing real-time detection complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic broadcast channel transmissions serve as an intermediary carrier wave for the backscatter communication. The device's reports are modulated onto these existing broadcast signals, allowing the receiver to detect communications using standard broadcast channel reception infrastructure with minimal additional complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables sustainable, low-power mobile-originated communications for ambient IoT devices, reducing device size, cost, and energy reliance, facilitating large-scale deployment and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
The devices harness energy from periodic broadcast channel transmissions, such as PBCH signals, to synchronize and transmit backscatter reports, allowing mobile-originated communications by overlaying these transmissions
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method, comprising obtaining, in a cellular communication network, a configuration configuring the apparatus to receive one or more transmissions from a wireless ambient device, wherein said one or more transmissions are to overlay one or more periodic broadcast channel transmissions of a wireless network node and detecting said one or more transmissions of the wireless ambient device in accordance with the configuration.