Support for asynchronous adaptation to uplink and downlink traffic demands for wireless communication

• US 9,288,797 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Khoryaev, Alexey, Shilov, Mikhail, Panteleev, Sergey, Chervyakov, Andrey, Lomayev, Artyom
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAMARA, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US13/592,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 370277-278, 370/282, 370/310.2, 370/315, 370328-338, 370/341, 4554221-460, 455/464, 455/509, 455524-525
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0073 Acquisition of primary synchronisation channel, e.g. detection of cell-ID within cell-ID group
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0033 arrangements specific to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0077 Cooperative coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1635 Cumulative acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message applying to all previous messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1819 with retransmission of additional or different redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1864 ARQ related signaling H04L1/1607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1877 for semi-reliable protocols, e.g. for less sensitive applications like streaming video buffer level management for video bitstream control arrangements H04N21/44004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1896 ARQ related signaling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6275 based on priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 : the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 : Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 : Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 : Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 : Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 : Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1446 : of transmission speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 : using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 : Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 : adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 : adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 : involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 : Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 : Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/04 : Traffic adaptive resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 : radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 : using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 : Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 : in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 : where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 : where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 : Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 : taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 : Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1268 : of uplink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 : of downlink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 : between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 : based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 : of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 : collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Technology is discussed to allow transmission points within a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) to adapt to Up Link (UL) and Down Link (DL) traffic demands independently. To mitigate potential interference arising from transmission points scheduled for conflicting UL and DL transmissions, measurements between transmission points can be made to indicate a level of coupling. Based on the various levels of coupling between transmission points, clusters can be formed. Where a high level of coupling is present, transmission points can be included in a common cluster. Where a low level of coupling is present, they can be isolated. Transmission points within the same cluster are scheduled with a common pattern of UL and DL transmissions to avoid interference. Transmission points in different clusters can have different patterns of UL and DL transmission to independently adapt to the relative demands for UL and DL transmissions experienced within these different clusters.

Claims

1. A method for interference management and traffic adaptation in a wireless network with different Up Link and Down Link time slots and adaptive, asynchronous directional traffic resource allocation, the method comprising:

measuring, at a first eNodeB, a unit of coupling information between the first eNodeB and an adjacent eNodeB;

making a clustering determination based on the unit of coupling information, wherein the clustering determination comprises one of a first determination that the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB belong in a common cluster and a second determination that the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are isolated, wherein making the clustering determination based on the unit of coupling information further comprises reaching the first determination where at least one of a first condition and a second condition is met, wherein;

the first condition is that a performance of the first eNodeB is not substantiall egraded by a transmission direction of the adjacent eNodeB, and

the second condition is that a change of the transmission direction of the adjacent eNodeB does not substantially degrade the performance of the first eNodeB; and

,

otherwise reaching the second determination; and

configuring the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB with a common Up Link-Down Link (UL-DL) configuration where the fi rst determination has been made and configuring the first eNodeB with a first UL-DL configuration independently from a potentially differing UL-DL configuration pertaining to the adjacent eNodeB where the second determination has been made.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a coupling metric is selected to characterize the unit of coupling information and a coupling threshold is used to determine that the performance of the first eNodeB is substantially degraded where the unit of coupling information is one of at the coupling threshold and above the coupling threshold for the coupling metric, otherwise that the first eNodeB is not substantially degraded where the unit of coupling information is below the coupling threshold for the coupling metric.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the coupling threshold based on one of:

an estimate of a level of inter-cell interference calculated from the unit of coupling information where a transmission power of the adjacent eNodeB is known;

an average power of a useful UL signal; and

an average level of uplink inter-cell interference where all eNodeBs in the common cluster operate to receive uplink transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising one of:

merging the common cluster with a second cluster where the common cluster and the second cluster have at least one eNodeB in common that couples the common and adjacent clusters; and

dividing a merged cluster into sub-clusters where at least one adapted eNodeB within the merged cluster can adapt to changing traffic demands in a manner such that at least one of the first condition and the second condition no longer obtain between the at least one adapted eNodeB and at least one additional eNodeB in the merged cluster, such that each sub-cluster can apply a different UL-DL configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adapting a UL-DL configuration in substantially real-time to changing uplink and downlink traffic demands at any of the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB, wherein the UL-DL configuration comprises one of:

the common UL-DL configuration where the first determination has been made and the changing UL and DL traffic demands are communicated between eNodeBs in the common cluster over a low-latency backhaul infrastructure, and

the first UL-DL configuration where the second determination has been made.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating at least one of uplink and downlink traffic needs between the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB in the common cluster over a low-latency backhaul infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining at least one of the common UL-DL configuration and a restricted set of UL-DL configurations for the common UL-DL configuration on the basis of at least one of joint UL and DL needs throughout the common cluster and splitting a difference between UL and DL traffic demands at the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB in the common cluster.

8. A device for adapting to asymmetric uplink and Down Link traffic loads in a wireless network comprising:

a coupling measurement module, operating at one of a first eNodeB and a network level entity, configured to a make coupling measurement on a Down Link (DL) transmission from an adjacent eNodeB to the first eNodeB, wherein the coupling measurement module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor;

an analysis module, in communication with the coupling measurement module, configured to compare the coupling measurement to a coupling threshold to determine that the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are coupled where the coupling measurement is one of at the coupling threshold and above the coupling threshold, and to determine that the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are isolated where the coupling measurement is below the coupling threshold, wherein the analysis module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor;

a configuration module, in communication with the analysis module, configured to identify a common Up Link (UL)-DL configuration where the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are coupled and a first UL-DL configuration for the first eNodeB independently of a second UL-DL configuration for the adjacent eNodeB where the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are isolated, wherein the configuration module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor; and

an update module, in communication with the configuration module, wherein the update module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the update module is configured to do one of;

update the common UL-DL configuration to adapt in substantially real time to changing traffic direction needs at both the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB where the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are coupled in the common cluster; and

update the first UL-DL configuration independently of the second UL-DL configuration to adapt substantially in real time to changing traffic direction needs at the first eNodeB where the first eNodeB and the adjacent eNodeB are isolated.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a communication module, in communication with the configuration module, wherein the communication module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the communication module is configured to do at least one of

send traffic direction information about traffic direction needs at the first eNodeB to the adjacent eNodeB;

and

receive traffic direction information about traffic direction needs at the adjacent eNodeB.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising a calculation module, in communication with the analysis module, wherein the calculation module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the calculation module is configured to calculate the coupling threshold based on at least one of:

an estimate of a level of DL inter-cell interference by analyzing a coupling metric in terms of the coupling measurement and transmission power of the adjacent eNodeB;

useful signal powers associated with multiple user terminals associated with the first eNodeB; and

uplink inter-cell interference associated with multiple deployed eNodeBs measured during a time where all eNodeBs operate to receive a UL transmission.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising an optimization module, in communication with the calculation module, wherein the optimization module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the optimization module is configured to optimize the coupling threshold based on feedback about at least one of throughput, a coupling measurement, Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), and one of system and cell traffic loading information can be used to optimize the value of coupling threshold.

12. The device of claim 8, further comprising a merger module, in communication with the communication module, wherein the merger module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the merger module is configured to respond to an eNodeB list from a second cluster of coupled eNodeBs to determine a need to merge the second cluster and a first cluster to which the eNodeB belongs, wherein the first cluster can be any of the common cluster and the first eNodeB in isolation, where the eNodeB list includes an intersection eNodeB common to the first cluster and the second cluster;

and otherwise to leave the first cluster unaltered.

13. The device of claim 8, further comprising an isolation module, in communication with the communication module, wherein the isolation module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor configured to indicate when at least one of the second cluster and an isolated eNodeB belonging to the common cluster can have a UL-DL configuration distinct from the common UL-DL configuration of the common cluster.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement instructions for a method for mitigating interference during adaption to asymmetric DL transmission among multiple eNodeBs, the method comprising:

determining a coupling level between a first eNodeB and each of at least one additional eNodeB;

clustering the first eNodeB with any eNodeB from the at least one additional eNodeB with a corresponding coupling level greater than a coupling threshold to create a common cluster, wherein the common cluster comprises the first eNodeB and the at least one additional eNodeB;

setting a common Time Division Duplex (TDD) configuration for the common cluster to avoid interference between uplink (UL) traffic and DL (downlink) traffic; and

at least one of;

communicating directional traffic information from the first eNodeB to the at least one additional eNodeB in the common cluster over a backhaul link; and

receiving at the first eNodeB directional traffic information over the backhaul link from the at least one additional eNodeB in the common cluster.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

monitoring the common cluster for changing directional traffic demands in the common cluster; and

adapting the common TDD configuration for the common cluster in substantially real time to respond to the changing directional traffic demands independently of any TDD configuration corresponding to any eNodeB outside of the common cluster.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising calculating the coupling threshold by:

using knowledge about at least one transmission power of at least one of the at least one additional eNodeBs to estimate a level of inter-cell interference;

averaging a plurality of useful signal powers associated with multiple eNodeBs in the common cluster; and

averaging a plurality of levels of UL inter-cell interference associated with multiple eNodeBs in the common cluster measured during a time where all eNodeBs in the common cluster operate to receive UL transmission.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, the method further comprising optimizing the coupling threshold with feedback about at least one of throughput received at the at least one additional eNodeB and a coupling level for the at least one additional eNodeB.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

acquiring a list of eNodeBs in a second cluster of eNodeBs from a contact eNodeB in the second cluster of eNodeBs, wherein the second cluster of eNodeBs can have any number of member eNodeBs, including a single member eNodeB; and

merging the second cluster of eNodeBs with the common cluster for purposes of determining the common TDD configuration where the common cluster and the second cluster share an intersection eNodeB.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein is further configured to reside on at least one of a MaCro-eNodeB (MCN), a Low Power Node (LPN), and a network level entity.

20. A device for avoiding interference while adapting to asynchronous directional traffic at various eNodeBs in a wireless network, the device comprising:

an interference module configured to estimate an interference level from a Down Link (DL) eNodeB as received at the first eNodeB, wherein the interference module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor;

an isolation module, in communication with the interference module and operating at the first eNodeB, configured to indicate where the interference level is sufficiently low to allow the first eNodeB to be isolated by accommodating UL transmission while the DL eNodeB transmits a DL transmission and where the interference level is sufficiently high to require the first eNodeB and the DL eNodeB to be aggregated in a common cluster to synchronize transmission directions, wherein the isolation module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor; and

a traffic response module, in communication with the isolation module and operating at the first eNodeB, configured to create a Time Division Duplex (TDD) configuration to respond to directional traffic for eNodeBs associated with the first eNodeB in the common cluster where the first eNodeB belongs to the common cluster and independently respond to directional traffic for the first eNodeB where the first eNodeB is isolated, wherein the traffic response module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor; and

an optimization module, in communication with the isolation module and operating at the first eNodeB, wherein the optimization module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the optimization module is configured to optimize a coupling threshold used to determine whether the first eNodeB belongs to the common cluster by;

monitoring the inter-cell interference level from opposite transmission directions of adjacent cells; and

analyzing traffic adaptation capabilities and traffic demands within a set of isolated cells and a set of common cell clusters.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising a monitoring module, in communication with the traffic response module and operating at the first eNodeB, wherein the monitoring module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the monitoring module is configured to:

monitor directional traffic for eNodeBs associated with the first eNodeB in the common cluster where the first eNodeB belongs to the common cluster, where directional traffic information is communicated from at least one other eNodeB in the common cluster to the first eNodeB over a low-latency backhaul infrastructure, and monitor just the first eNodeB where the first eNodeB is isolated; and

indicate to the traffic response module when to change the TDD configuration to accommodate a change in directional traffic in near real time.

22. The device of claim 20, further comprising a merger module, in communication with the traffic response module and operating at the first eNodeB, wherein the merger module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the merger module is configured to include at least one of an additional eNodeB and an additional cluster to the common cluster upon a determination that at least one of the additional eNodeB and the additional cluster share a common eNodeB with the common cluster.

23. The device of claim 20, further comprising a balancing module, in communication with the traffic response module and operating at the first eNodeB, wherein the balancing module is implemented as a hardware circuit or is stored in a memory device for execution by a computer processor and the balancing module is configured to reconcile competing UL and DL directional traffic demands at different eNodeBs within the common cluster to create the TDD configuration so as to respond to the competing traffic demands.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the device resides on at least one of a MaCro-eNodeB (MCN), a Low Power Node (LPN), and a network entity at a network level.