Wireless Networks Without TPC for Millimeter-Wave Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing efficient wireless communications for electronic devices at high frequencies, such as millimeter wave frequencies, is challenging due to difficulties in managing transmit power control (TPC) signals, which can lead to resource inefficiencies and complex scheduling.
Innovation Solution
Electronic devices and base stations communicate without TPC signals by using maximum output power levels and path loss-based grouping, employing TDMA, OFDMA, or combined TDMA/OFDMA schemes to optimize network resources and simplify scheduling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmit power control (TPC) signals are used for wireless communications at high frequencies, then communication reliability is improved, but network resource efficiency deteriorates and scheduling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the TPC signaling mechanism from the wireless communication system operating at frequencies above 57 GHz. By removing the TPC uplink and downlink signals, the system achieves maximum network resource efficiency while maintaining reliable communications through alternative power management approaches specific to millimeter wave frequencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters by disabling TPC functionality specifically for frequency bands above 57 GHz. This parameter change allows the system to optimize for high-frequency characteristics where path loss compensation through traditional TPC mechanisms is less effective, thereby improving overall network resource utilization.
2Reliability
If transmit power control (TPC) signals are used for wireless communications at high frequencies, then communication reliability is improved, but scheduling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the TPC signaling component from the communication protocol stack, thereby eliminating the complexity associated with TPC signal generation, transmission, reception, and processing. This extraction simplifies the scheduling architecture while maintaining communication reliability through frequency-appropriate power control alternatives.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using TPC signals to control transmit power as in traditional systems, the patent inverts the approach by having user equipment transmit at maximum power levels without TPC modulation, and relying on receiver-side processing and alternative mechanisms to maintain communication quality at high frequencies.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless network may include a base station and user equipment (UE). The UE and base station may perform initial access operations at frequencies greater than or equal to 57 GHz without the use of transmit power control (TPC) signals. The UE devices and the base station may also perform connected mode operations at these frequencies without the use of TPC signals. The UE may perform power saving operations without the use of TPC signals. The base station may handle communications for multiple UE devices in its cell by partitioning the UE into groups based on the estimated path loss for each UE. The base station may perform TDMA, OFDMA, or a combination of TDMA/OFDMA scheduling for the UE devices. Performing these communications without TPC signaling maximizes the amount of network resources available for other purposes, simplifies communication scheduling, and maximizes the efficiency of the network.