Wireless Terminal Time-Division Multiplexing for Inter-Cell Interference

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

High-density base station deployments lead to increased inter-cell interference, limiting cell capacity and user performance at cell edges due to stronger overlap areas between neighboring cells.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication method where a terminal in an overlap area receives downlink information from only one network side device at a time, alternating between uplink and downlink transmission periods to avoid interference, allowing independent uplink and downlink transmissions without the need for physical layer synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high-density base stations are deployed to increase access rate, then access rate is improved, but inter-cell interference increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess rateVSAvoidinter-cell interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by configuring different uplink-downlink transmission patterns in different time periods for adjacent cells. Specifically, a first uplink-downlink transmission pattern is configured in a first time period while a second uplink-downlink transmission pattern is configured in a second time period, creating periodic time-division multiplexing that reduces inter-cell interference while maintaining high access rates through dense base station deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If base stations are made denser to provide higher access rate, then access rate is improved, but cell-edge user performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess rateVSAvoidcell-edge user performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing periodic time-division multiplexing where adjacent cells use different transmission patterns in different time periods. This periodic alternation ensures that cell-edge users experience reduced interference during their scheduled reception periods, thereby improving reliability while maintaining the high access rate enabled by dense base station deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If uplink-downlink transmission patterns are coordinated between adjacent cells, then inter-cell interference is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinter-cell interferenceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces system complexity by using periodic action with pre-configured transmission patterns. The network device configures periodic uplink-downlink transmission patterns for multiple cells, where the periodicity and pattern types are standardized and repeatable. This approach simplifies coordination compared to dynamic per-subframe coordination, as the patterns can be semi-statically configured and maintained over multiple radio frames

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring uplink-downlink transmission patterns for adjacent cells before data transmission begins. The network device provides configuration information to user equipment in advance, allowing the UE to know which pattern to expect in which time period. This preliminary configuration reduces real-time coordination complexity and enables simpler UE implementation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3214877B1Wireless communication method, equipment and system
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3214877B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3214877B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3214877B1 patent drawingFigure 6(a)~6(d)

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications technologies, and provide a wireless communication method, a device, and a system, so as to cancel or reduce inter-cell interference, to a terminal, between neighboring cells. The method includes: sending, by the terminal, uplink information to a first network side device in a first time period; and receiving, by the terminal in a second time period, downlink information sent by a second network side device, where the first time period and the second time period are a same time period. The embodiments of the present invention are used for wireless communication.