Wireless Backhaul Resource Segmentation for IAB Capacity Crunch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Future wireless communications networks face challenges in efficiently supporting a wide range of devices with varying data traffic profiles, particularly in scenarios where infrastructure equipment connected to the core network experiences a 'capacity crunch' due to high data transmission demands.
Innovation Solution
Implementing spectral efficiency enhancing techniques such as beam forming and slot aggregation for wireless backhaul links, utilizing higher order modulation and coding schemes, and configuring different slot aggregation factors for downlink and uplink to optimize resource allocation in integrated access and backhaul (IAB) networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wireless backhaul links are used to connect infrastructure equipment to the core network, then network coverage and flexibility are improved, but spectral efficiency and capacity are reduced due to capacity crunch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backhaul transmission by introducing a first set of resource blocks dedicated to backhaul communications and a second set for access communications. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each channel, ensuring that backhaul traffic receives sufficient spectral resources without being constrained by access link demands, thereby resolving the capacity crunch while maintaining network flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces frequency domain dimensionality by allocating specific resource blocks in the frequency spectrum for backhaul communications. This dimensional separation from access link resources enables simultaneous operation of backhaul and access services without mutual interference, effectively increasing the available spectral efficiency for backhaul links while maintaining broad network coverage.
2Productivity
If higher data rates are transmitted over wireless backhaul links, then service quality is improved, but transmission reliability deteriorates in challenging propagation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by configuring different slot aggregation factors specifically for backhaul links experiencing challenging propagation conditions. Instead of uniform configuration across all links, the system locally adapts the aggregation factor for each backhaul link based on its specific channel conditions, allowing high data rates where conditions permit while maintaining reliability where propagation is difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation by allowing the slot aggregation factor for backhaul communications to be independently configured and adjusted based on real-time channel conditions. This dynamic parameter adjustment enables the system to optimize the trade-off between data rate and transmission reliability for each specific backhaul link, rather than using static configuration.
3Reliability
If slot aggregation is configured for backhaul communications, then transmission reliability is improved, but resource allocation flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by introducing configurable slot aggregation factors as adjustable parameters for backhaul communications. The system can change the aggregation factor parameter based on channel conditions, providing both reliability improvement through aggregation and flexibility through configurable parameter adjustment. Different aggregation factors can be applied to different backhaul links or time periods as needed.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of controlling communications within a wireless communications network is provided. The wireless communications network comprises a plurality of infrastructure equipment each being configured to communicate with one or more others of the infrastructure equipment via a backhaul communications link, one or more of the infrastructure equipment each being configured to communicate with one or more communications devices via an access link. The method comprises receiving, at a first of the infrastructure equipment acting as a donor node connected to a core network part of the wireless communications network, signals representing data from one or more others of the infrastructure equipment, the data having been received at the one or more others of the infrastructure equipment from one or more of the communications devices or from other infrastructure equipment, and transmitting, by the first infrastructure equipment, the data from the one or more others of the infrastructure equipment to the core network part of the wireless communications network. At least one of the infrastructure equipment uses at least one spectral efficiency enhancing technique to receive the signals, the at least one spectral efficiency enhancing technique allowing the at least one infrastructure equipment to receive the signals in the backhaul communications link, the at least one spectral efficiency enhancing technique not allowing the at least one infrastructure equipment to receive the signals in the access link.