Wireless Sensor Base Station Coexistence Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless network systems, multiple radio circuits operating in the same or similar frequency bands experience interference, leading to reduced network bandwidth and increased power consumption in mobile devices due to concurrent transmission and reception operations.
Innovation Solution
A coexistence controller is implemented to coordinate the scheduling of transmission and reception operations among radio circuits, assigning priorities and adjusting transmission parameters to minimize interference, such as suppressing transmitting operations of one circuit during receiving operations of another with higher priority, and employing RF filtering and channel steering to optimize frequency usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple radio circuits operate concurrently in the same frequency band to increase network bandwidth, then network bandwidth is improved, but interference among radio circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements time-division multiplexing where radio circuits operate in periodic time slots rather than continuously. Each radio circuit is granted transmission opportunities at specific time intervals, allowing multiple circuits to share the frequency band without simultaneous operation. This periodic scheduling enables increased overall network bandwidth while preventing interference by ensuring radios are not active at the same time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation parameters of radio circuits based on real-time conditions. The base station controller monitors channel quality, interference levels, and traffic demands to optimize transmission timing and frequency allocation. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maximize bandwidth utilization while maintaining acceptable interference levels through flexible resource allocation.
2Speed
If multiple radio circuits operate concurrently to improve network speed, then network speed is improved, but power consumption in mobile devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
Mobile devices are configured to operate radio circuits in periodic time slots rather than continuously. During non-active periods, the radio circuits are powered down or placed in low-power states. This periodic operation pattern enables the system to achieve high network speeds during active transmission windows while significantly reducing power consumption during idle periods, as the mobile device radio can be turned off when not transmitting or receiving data.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If transmission operations are suppressed to reduce interference, then interference is reduced, but network bandwidth decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously suppressing transmission operations, the system uses periodic time-division multiplexing where each radio circuit is granted transmission opportunities at specific time slots. This approach allows transmission to occur frequently enough to maintain high network bandwidth while ensuring that transmissions from different circuits are separated in time, thereby preventing interference. The periodic nature ensures both high utilization and low interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous network operation by ensuring that while individual radio circuits are suppressed at times, other circuits are actively transmitting. This continuity of useful action across the system as a whole maintains high network bandwidth even though individual circuits experience periodic suppression. The overall network throughput remains high because transmission activity is continuously distributed across multiple circuits rather than being globally suppressed.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for reducing interference, in a network device, among multiple radio circuits operating in a same or similar frequency band and in close physical proximity. In some embodiments, a network device includes a first and a second wireless network circuit. The network circuits operate in a same radio frequency band and are collocated. The second network circuit is assigned a higher priority than the first network circuit. The device further includes a coexistence controller coupled to the network circuits via a communication bus and configured to selectively suppress transmitting operations of the first network circuit during receiving operations of the second network circuit. Among other benefits, the embodiments can increase wireless network bandwidth and reduce mobile device power consumption by providing coordination among the radio circuits so that the transmitting and receiving operations are performed in a way that they do not interfere with their respective antennas.