Wireless Network Path Loss Determination for Directional Antenna Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks face challenges in maintaining reliable backhaul connectivity due to equipment failures, physical obstructions, and interference from other sources, especially in unlicensed frequency bands, where traditional methods like WiFi struggle to adapt to rapid spatial and temporal interference variations.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a subset of nodes in a wireless network participate in a sounding process to determine path losses, allowing for the selection of a directional antenna configuration that optimizes data transmission by assessing the ability of transmitter node receiver node pairs to communicate, using omni-directional signals and measurement reports to calculate path losses and improve network configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If small cells are deployed to provide enhanced quality of service and target capacity hot-spots, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but the number of feeder terminals increases and engineering complexity at new installation sites increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-organizing and self-configuring capabilities in wireless network nodes, enabling them to automatically perform functions such as neighbor relationship establishment, parameter configuration, and interference management without manual engineering intervention. This allows rapid deployment of small cells with reduced engineering complexity while maintaining enhanced network capacity and coverage.
2Reliability
If nodes are configured to reconfigure themselves to provide different communications paths during outage, then network reliability is improved, but the complexity of automatic configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where wireless network nodes continuously monitor link quality, detect outages, and automatically trigger reconfiguration procedures. Nodes exchange measurement reports and path loss information to dynamically select alternative communication paths, maintaining network availability through automated responses to changing conditions without requiring complex manual intervention.
3Ease of manufacture
If a contention-based protocol like WiFi is used to operate in licence-exempt frequency bands, then deployment cost is reduced, but the ability to address rapid spatial and temporal interference pattern variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic interference management in wireless network nodes operating in licence-exempt bands. Nodes continuously measure path loss and signal conditions, automatically adjust transmission parameters, and adapt communication paths in response to rapid spatial and temporal interference variations. This dynamic adaptation capability maintains cost-effective deployment while overcoming the limitations of traditional contention-based protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes. A subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node. Measurement reports are received from the subset of nodes, each measurement report comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength. A path loss is determined in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs. Then a directional configuration is selected for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.