Wireless Feeder Network Dynamic Resource Block Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for bandwidth and the need for smaller, more deployable access base stations in various locations, such as street furniture, while maintaining a spectrally efficient wireless backhaul connection, are hindered by the high costs of wired and wireless point-to-point backhaul connections and the inefficiency of resource allocation in existing wireless feeder networks.
Innovation Solution
A wireless feeder network that dynamically allocates resource blocks between a centrally administered schedule and feeder base station administered schedules based on current traffic requirements, using orthogonal resources like TDMA, FDMA, or CDMA approaches, to optimize resource usage and adapt to fluctuating network traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired backhaul connections are provided from each base station to the communications network, then reliable connection is achieved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple base stations share a common wireless feeder link to the network, merging their backhaul requirements into a single shared connection rather than requiring separate wired connections for each base station
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces wired mechanical backhaul connections with wireless feeder links, eliminating the need for physical cable infrastructure while maintaining network connectivity
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated wireless point-to-point backhaul is provided for each base station, then connection flexibility is improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates due to fixed frequency allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource block allocation where the centrally administered schedule can adaptively reassign frequency resources to different feeder links based on current traffic conditions, making the system both flexible and spectrally efficient
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes frequency allocation parameters dynamically through the centrally administered schedule, adjusting which resource blocks are assigned to which feeder links based on real-time network conditions rather than using fixed allocations
3Productivity
If cell splitting techniques are used to increase system capacity, then bandwidth demand is met, but backhaul connection cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple access base stations resulting from cell splitting share common wireless feeder links to the network, consolidating backhaul requirements and reducing the total number of separate connections needed
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless feeder network infrastructure serves multiple access base stations simultaneously, making the backhaul system universal rather than dedicated to single base stations
4Ease of manufacture
If relay traffic is used to reduce backhaul connection costs, then deployment cost is reduced, but resource efficiency deteriorates due to significant resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into access base stations and feeder base stations with dedicated feeder links, separating the backhaul function from access traffic to avoid consuming access network resources for relay traffic
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 connecting 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 having a feeder link with a feeder base station, and the feeder links being established over a wireless resource comprising a plurality of resource blocks. The method comprises the steps of: allocating resource blocks for use by the plurality of feeder base stations and the plurality of feeder terminals to establish the feeder links, wherein the resource blocks are allocated between a centrally administered schedule in which each resource block is associated with a predetermined feeder link and at least one feeder base station administered schedule in which a set of resource blocks is associated with a predetermined feeder base station, the predetermined feeder base station being configured to implement the feeder base station administered schedule dynamically by using the set of resource blocks in dependence on current traffic requirements of the predetermined feeder base station; monitoring network traffic being carried by the feeder links to determine at least one characteristic of the network traffic; and re-allocating the resource blocks between the centrally administered schedule and the at least one feeder base station administered schedule in dependence on the at least one characteristic of the network traffic.