Wireless Feeder Network Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for bandwidth and the need for smaller, more deployable access base stations in wireless access networks lead to higher costs for wired and wireless backhaul connections, with existing solutions being inflexible and resource-intensive, particularly when using relay stations for traffic passing between base stations.
Innovation Solution
A wireless feeder network using an evolutionary algorithm to dynamically allocate resource blocks across feeder links, adjusting schedules based on traffic reports to maximize spectral efficiency and adapt to changing conditions, allowing for flexible placement of access base stations while minimizing backhaul costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cell splitting techniques are used to increase system capacity by adding more access base stations, then bandwidth demand is met, but the cost of providing wired or wireless point-to-point backhaul connections significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple backhaul connections into a shared wireless backhaul infrastructure. Instead of providing dedicated point-to-point connections from each base station to the core network, multiple base stations share common backhaul resources through wireless feeder links, reducing the total quantity of backhaul connections required while maintaining system capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless backhaul system provides multi-functional capability by serving multiple base stations simultaneously through shared feeder links. The same wireless infrastructure performs the backhaul function for multiple access points, making the backhaul system universal rather than dedicated to individual base stations.
2Device complexity
If relay stations are used to pass traffic between base stations, then backhaul connection requirements are reduced, but a significant amount of total network resources are consumed for relay traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the backhaul traffic from the access network resources. By providing dedicated wireless backhaul links separate from the access links serving user equipment, the system removes relay traffic demands from the access network, allowing access resources to be fully dedicated to user traffic without being consumed by backhaul relay functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If access base stations are made smaller and deployed on street furniture for easier placement, then deployment flexibility is improved, but power consumption and connectivity requirements become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the access base station functionality with street furniture structures. By integrating small base stations into existing infrastructure like lamp posts and signage, the system combines multiple functions (structural support, power delivery, data connectivity) into a single deployment unit, reducing the complexity of separate installations while maintaining placement flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling a wireless feeder network used to couple access base stations of an access network with a communications network. The wireless feeder network comprises a plurality of feeder base stations coupled to the communications network and a plurality of feeder terminals coupled to associated access base stations. Each feeder terminal has a feeder link with a feeder base station, and the feeder links are established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. Sounding data obtained from the wireless feeder network is used to compute an initial global schedule to allocate to each feeder link at least one resource block, and the global schedule is distributed whereafter the wireless feeder network operates in accordance with the currently distributed global schedule to pass traffic between the communications network and the access base stations. Using traffic reports received during use, an evolutionary algorithm is applied to modify the global schedule, with the resultant updated global schedule then being distributed for use. This enables the allocation of resource blocks to individual feeder links to be varied over time taking account of traffic within the wireless feeder network, thereby improving spectral efficiency.