DE102015103248A1 - RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING A NETWORK CODING - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for processing a message to be transmitted in a radio communication network will be described. The method includes channel coding a first bitstream representing a message. A combined bitstream is generated by combining at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream, the second bitstream at least partially representing the message. The channel coded first bit stream is configured to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

Embodiments described herein relate generally to the field of radio communications, and more particularly to techniques for encoding and / or decoding signals transmitted over at least two radio links.

BACKGROUND

Radio communication networks use channel coding to improve the integrity and quality of the received information. Various channel coding techniques are known, including Forward Error Correction (FEC), e.g. using convolutional codes and / or block codes. In general, the channel coding adds extra bits (so-called parity bits) to a bitstream to be transmitted and uses these extra bits to recover the transmitted information at the receiver even in the event that some of the transmitted bits are lost or misdetected at the receiver.

Bit-level transmission between different devices is based on physical layer (PHY) functionality. The PHY functionality includes, among other things, channel coding and nesting. Various channel coding schemes may be available and are defined in existing mobile communication standards. Typically, existing standard channel coding schemes in advanced PHY channel coding definitions should be maintained to keep transmission compatible with standard or legacy devices, i. with devices which do not support modified coding schemes to be implemented in the further developed standard. This causes limitations for the extension of channel coding in a standard.

For these and other reasons, it is a goal to modify available physical layer encoding schemes in existing standards to improve the performance of the mobile communications network while keeping transmission compatible with standard devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a better understanding of examples of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate examples and together with the description serve to explain principles of examples. Other examples and many of the intended advantages of examples will become apparent as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description.

1 is a schematic representation of an exemplary wireless communication network.

2 is a directed graph illustrating a classic butterfly web.

3 is a model that exemplifies the application of the classic butterfly net of 2 illustrated on a radio communication network.

4 FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a generic model of a radio communication network, as illustrated by the application of the model of FIG 3 to an exemplary heterogeneous radio communication network.

5 Figure 13 is a block diagram illustrating a constrained model of an exemplary wireless communication network.

6 Figure 11 is an illustration of a radio communication network indicating radio links available to legacy receivers and radio links not available to legacy receivers.

7 illustrates a plurality of directional radio links and a shared radio link for data transmission in a radio communication network.

8A Figure 13 is a block diagram illustrating channel coders and a channel decoder used to transmit and receive data over two radio links in a radio communication network.

8B Figure 13 is a block diagram illustrating channel coders and channel decoders used to transmit and receive data over three radio links in a radio communication network.

9 FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary error correction approach for a bit stream received over a first radio link through a network coded bit stream received over a second radio link.

10 is an exemplary illustration of a convolutional channel coder.

11 FIG. 12 illustrates an example data transfer approach using three radio links to provide more flexibility and / or fewer errors.

12 Figure 13 is a block diagram illustrating a plurality of possible receiver architectures that may be used in a radio communication network.

13 Figure 4 is an illustration of a radio communication network indicating the approach of network coding for a mobile station-to-mobile station connection.

14 Figure 13 is a block diagram illustrating an example implementation of two conventional convolutional channel encoders and an exemplary implementation of a network encoding combiner.

15 is a graph illustrating the bit error rate (BER) versus Eb / No of two radio links with and without network coding.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustrative embodiments how the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

It will be understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, like reference numerals designate corresponding identical or similar parts.

As used in this specification, the terms "coupled" and / or "connected" are not intended to generally mean that the elements must be directly coupled or interconnected; Intermediate functional elements may be provided between the "coupled" or "connected" elements. Although not limited to this meaning, the terms "coupled" and / or "connected" may also be understood to optionally disclose an implementation in which the elements are directly coupled or interconnected without intervening elements between the "coupled" or "connected" elements are provided.

It is understood that embodiments may be implemented in discrete circuits, partially integrated circuits, or fully integrated circuits. Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented on a single semiconductor chip or on a plurality of interconnected semiconductor chips. Moreover, it will be understood that embodiments may be implemented in software or dedicated hardware or partially in software and partly in dedicated hardware.

Methods and apparatus described herein may be implemented in a base station (NodeB, eNodeB) or a mobile device (or mobile station or user equipment (UE)). The described devices may include integrated circuits and / or passive elements and may be manufactured according to various technologies. For example, the Circuits as logic integrated circuits, analog integrated circuits, mixed signal integrated circuits, optical circuits, memory circuits, integrated passive elements, etc., can be formed.

The transmitters, channel encoders and channel decoders and receivers described herein can be used for various wireless communication networks. The expressions "network", "system" and "radio communication system" can be used synonymously here.

A radio communication network as described herein may be a heterogeneous radio communication network. A heterogeneous radio communication network may be a network in which various radio access technologies (RATs) are integrated and can be managed together. For example, 5G (5 ^th generation) communication systems support various RATs.

Various RATs use various radio access technologies specified in corresponding mobile communication standards. As an example, consider a RAT implementing Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology. As an example, a WCDMA (wideband CDMA) system defined by 3GPP (3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project) is a system using CDMA technology. Other networks that implement CDMA include Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), cdma20000, etc. UTRA includes wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) and other CDMA variants. cdma2000 includes IS-2000, IS-95 and IS-856 standards. Other RATs contemplated herein may implement Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and / or Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) technologies, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks and derivatives thereof, such as Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS), including eg developments such as HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access) and / or HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). In addition, RATs considered herein may use Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technology, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks or Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA) based networks, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20 or Flash OFDM.RTM. In addition, RATs that implement millimeter-wave (mmWave) technologies can be considered here. As an example, 5G communication systems will support a mmWave RAT.

Although examples are disclosed herein with respect to LTS and LTE-A wireless networks, examples and teachings herein may be equally applied to other wireless network standards such as, but not limited to: cellular wide area radio communication technology, eg, comprising Global System for Mobile Communications. (GSM) radio communication technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) radio communication technology, Enhanced Data Rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio communication technology, and / or Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio communication technology, eg UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Freedom of Multimedia Access), 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution), 3GPP LTE Advanced (Long Term Evolution Advanced), CDMA2000 (Code Division Multiple Access 2000), Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD), Mobitex, 3G ( Third Generation), CSD (Circuit Switched Data), HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data), UMTS (3G) (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Sy Third Generation), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access), HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Accesss), High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) TDD, TD-CDMA (Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access), TD-SCDMA (Time Division-Synchronous code Division Multiple Access), 3GPP Rel. 8 (Pre-4G) (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 8 (Pre-4 ^th generation)), 3GPP Rel. 9 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 9), 3GPP Rel. 10 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 10), 3GPP Rel. 11 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 11), 3GPP Rel. 12 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 12), 3GPP Rel. 13 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 13 ), 3GPP Rel. 14 (3 ^rd generation Partnership Project release 14) UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial radio Access) E-UTRA (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access), LTE Advanced (4G) (Long Term Evolution Advanced (4 ^th Generation)), cdmaOne (2G), CDMA2000 (3G) (Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (Third Generation)), EV -DO (Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data Only), AMPS (1G) (Advanced Mobile Phone System (1 ^st Generation)), TACS / ETACS (Total Access Communication System / Extended Total Access Communication System), D-AMPS ( 2G) (Digital AMPS (2 ^nd Generation)), PTT (Push-to-talk), MTS (Mobile Telephone System), IMTS (Improved Mobile Telephone System), AMTS (Advanced Mobile Telephone System), OLT (Norwegian for Off-Road Mobile Telefoni, Public Land Mobile Telephony), MTD (Swedish Abbreviation for Mobile Telephone System D or Mobile Telephony System D), Autotel / PALM (Public Automated Land Mobile), ARP (Finnish for Autoradiopuhelin "Car Telephone"), NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephony), Hicap (High Capacitive Version of NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone)), CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Da ta), Mobitex, Data-TAC, Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), PDC ( Personal Digital Cellular), CSD (Circuit Switched Data), PHS (Personal Mobile Phone System), Wideband Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (WiDEN), iBurst, Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA, also referred to as 3GPP Generic Access Network or GAN standard) , Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig) standard, mmWave standards in general (wireless systems operating at 10 to 70 GHz and above), WiFi ( IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ad / af / etc. ), WiMAX ( IEEE 802.16a / e ), Etc.

It should be noted that the mobile communication standards referred to herein are intended to encompass all existing and future versions of the standard (eg IEEE 802.11 / a / b / g / ac / ad / n / af / etc. ... for Wi-Fi based on IEEE 802.11 ).

Although some RATs provide non-directional or quasi-omnidirectional transmission, other RATs, such as e.g. a mmWave RAT, provide transmissions that are typically (high) directive, e.g. by using highly directive patch antennas, etc. As an example, LTE and / or Wi-Fi may provide for quasi-omnidirectional transmission, while mmWave technology provides for (high) directional transmission.

The term (quasi) omnidirectional (or (quasi-isotropic), as used in this disclosure for a technology or wireless connection, may be e.g. Mean a radio link frequency range less than e.g. 6 GHz, whereas the term directional used here for a technology or radio link, e.g. may mean mmWave technologies having a radio frequency range of e.g. above 6 GHz. It should be noted that within this meaning, some technologies with "weaker" directional properties, such as LTE, can still be considered as (quasi) omnidirectional technologies rather than directional technologies.

More specifically, in the case of a sector-based transmission, as is typically the case for cellular base stations, the proposed new techniques may be applied to a single sector or to all sectors or to any combination of sectors. Other sectors would then resort to the traditional coding schemes. Also, in the case where beamforming is performed (and thus not the entire space is covered by directional transmission), the proposed scheme can be applied to the channel codes in the system based on beamforming or subsystem (in the case of some Transmissions, some employing beamforming or any other form of directional transmission, and others employing (quasi) isotropic or (quasi) omnidirectional transmission). Typical single antenna transmissions (such as monopole or dipole antenna transmissions) are considered (quasi) isotropic or (quasi) omnidirectional.

1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary wireless communication network 100 of which a mobile station and two base stations BS1, BS2 are shown. As an example, the radio communication network 100 be a 5G network. The radio communication network 100 can be a shared radio connection 110 eg with a carrier frequency of less than 6 GHz, which connects the mobile station MS to the two (or more) remote base stations BS1, BS2. The shared radio connection 110 may be a quasi-isotropic radio connection. Furthermore, the mobile station MS can have a first directional radio link 120_1 be connected to the first base station BS1 and can via a second directional radio link 120_2 be connected to the second base station BS2. It should be noted that the mobile station MS may be a hand-held radio device, a mobile phone or any similar device. A mobile station MS can also be referred to here as "user equipment" (UE). The base stations BS1, BS2 may comprise any base stations used in radio communication networks, eg base stations with macrocells, picocells, femtocells, target cells, etc. As an example, base stations with different capabilities, eg different TX power classes, may be involved. Thus, the term eNodeB as used occasionally for base stations described herein is to be construed as including various specific terms such as MeNB (macro-eNodeB), PeNB (pico-eNodeB) and HeNB (femto / home-eNodeB), etc The base stations BS1, BS2 can transmit and / or receive mmWave transmissions, eg with a carrier frequency equal to or greater than 6 GHz.

In what follows, the question is how to modify available physical layer channel coding schemes (PHY) of existing standards so that a common transmission can be achieved in at least two RATs. Examples of the existing standards may be, for example, LTE, Wi-Fi, etc., or derivatives thereof. The existing standard (s) can be shared, for example radio link 110 use. The future standard may be an implementation of any RAT using, for example, the (high) directive radio links 120_1 . 120_2 be.

Embodiments described below are directed to the performance of the radio communications network 100 while the PHY layer channel coding schemes are over the shared radio link 110 used to be left essentially unchanged. So the transmissions remain in the radio communication network 100 compatible with standard (or legacy) mobile stations MS that only support the channel coding schemes used for the shared radio link 110 used, for example, the PHY channel coding schemes given in LTE or Wi-Fi, etc., and derivatives thereof. Further, embodiments described herein may enable the implementation of proprietary devices (ie, extensions that are not defined in any underlying standard) that control the transmission method in a heterogeneous radio communication network 100 support, as described here. These devices (transmitters, channel encoders, receivers, channel decoders) may remain compatible with legacy devices because of existing channel coding schemes used for one of the shared radio link 110 and the first and / or second directional radio link 120_1 / 120_2 can not be changed, although the modifications implemented in the channel decoding are based on the other of the shared radio link 110 and the first and / or second directional radio link 120_1 / 120_2 be applied.

Thus, embodiments described herein use modification of existing PHY channel coding schemes in a context of a (heterogeneous) radio communication network 100 with a shared radio connection 110 and (high) directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 which are to be operated simultaneously. As already stated, the shared radio connection 110 be a quasi-omnidirectional (quasi-isotropic) radio link and / or may typically operate in a frequency range of less than 6GHz, and the (high) directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 may typically be mmWave radio links and / or operated in a frequency range greater than, for example, 6GHz (note that although the mmWave spectrum is sometimes defined starting at 30GHz in the art, here the term mmWave is used is used for a frequency range of, for example, about 3 or 6 GHz to about 300 GHz, for example). This approach makes it possible to leave a first transmission bit stream substantially unchanged (eg transmitted over the shared radio connection 110 operating at less than 6GHz, for example) while modifying at least a second transmit bitstream to produce a so-called combined bitstream. This combined bit stream is then to be transmitted via another radio link (eg via one of the first and second directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 ). The combined bitstream can be generated by combining coded bits of the first transmission bitstream with bits of the second transmission bitstream.

At the receiver side, a standard (legacy) receiver will still be able to decode the first transmission bitstream (encoded using an existing RAT), and a proprietary receiver will be able to completely decode the first transmission bitstream and the combined bitstream that are common in the (heterogeneous) radio communication network 100 be sent. It should be noted that it is also possible for the first bitstream to be via one of the first and second directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 and the combined bitstream over the shared radio link 110 to send.

Embodiments described herein may utilize features of a so-called butterfly network known in network coding theory. 2 illustrates a classic butterfly mesh 200 design. The butterfly net 200 is a network coding example represented by the directed graph of 2 can be modeled. It comprises a single message source S having information A and B to be sent to two particular recipients (destinations) X and Y. For example, information A and B may be encoded as a single bit A = 0 or 1, or a single bit B = 0 or 1 (this example may be generalized to bit packets A and B, where each bit packet may comprise n bits, n = 1, 2, ...). Each receiver X and Y would like to have both information A and B. Everyone in 2 Nine channels illustrated may carry only a single value, eg, a single bit (or bit packet) is transmitted in each timeslot. It is assumed that each channel, as indicated by the directed edges (lines) in 2 represents, is error free, and the single source S wants to send bits A and B at the highest possible rate to the two receivers X and Y.

By simply replicating information (ie bits A or B) at each node T, U, V, W, the maximum multicast rate would be 1.5 bits per unit time. This is the maximum achievable rate by any "routing solution" if the intermediate node V can only perform one bit replication. In this In this case, the central channel between the intermediate node V and the node W would only be able to carry the bit A (the information A) or the bit B (the information B), but not both. In the case of transport of information A, the receiver X would receive information A twice and not receive any information B at all. The choice of sending information B through the intermediate node V would lead to the same problem of receiving only information, namely information B, for the receiver Y. That is, the routing is insufficient because no routing scheme can send both the information A and B to both receivers X and Y simultaneously.

How out 2 As can be seen, the "network coding solution" can achieve a throughput of two bit packets per timeslot because the intermediate node V no longer blocks a bit packet A or B, but its modulo 2 sum A ⊕ B through the shared channel between the intermediate node V and the intermediate node W sends. The modulo 2 sum corresponds to XOR (EXCLUSIVE-OR) and gives 0 ⊕ 0 = 0, 1 ⊕ 0 = 1, 0 ⊕ 1 = 1, 1 ⊕ 1 = 0. For the receiver X and the receiver Y, both information A and In this way, all nine channels are used only once, whereas without network coding, ie in the case of the application of the routing solution, at least one channel would have been used twice, also supplying B within each timeslot. That is, in this design, not only does network coding provide better throughput than can be achieved with routing alone, it also provides maximum multicast throughput, making it optimal.

In embodiments described below, the network coding is as described in connection with 2 explained on (heterogeneous) radio communication networks 100 with the potential of maximizing throughput (ie bit rate) and reducing latency and power consumption. As will be described in more detail below, a proprietary receiver (ie, implemented in a mobile station MS or base station BS1, BS2) would be able to completely decode both information A and B, while a legacy receiver (eg, receiver X) would only be capable would be to decode the left direct communication channel (node T to the receiver X), and / or a legacy receiver (receiver Y) would only be able to decode the right direct communication channel (node U to the receiver Y). While (proprietary) receivers according to embodiments described herein may use the middle path channel (node V to node W), legacy receivers would not be able to use the combined information sent over that channel.

As an example, the single source S may be implemented in a mobile station MS, while the two receivers X and Y may be implemented as receivers in base stations BS1 and BS2, respectively. As explained in more detail below, it is e.g. For reasons of improved error correction, flexibility, etc., it is also possible to use a common reception (i.e., a single receiver) to process the information A, B, and A ⊕ B received by the receivers X and Y.

3 illustrates an exemplary application of the classic butterfly network 200 , this in 2 is shown in the (heterogeneous) radio communication network 100 , as in 1 illustrated. The above in conjunction with the classic butterfly net 200 described features may equally for the radio communication network 100 and a repetition of these features will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

A single message source S, for example a mobile station MS, outputs information A and B (again encoded by bits A and B), which refer eg to the same message, to a first message source S1 and a second message source S2. These message sources S1 and S2 may be "virtual" message sources implemented in the same device as a "real" single message source S. The first message source S1 then transmits the information A via the first directional radio link 120_1 and the second message source S2 transmits the information B via the second directional radio link 120_2 , Both of the message sources S1 and S2 send the information A and B to a combiner C. The combiner C is adapted to generate a first bit stream which encodes information A (and thus contains the bit A or bit packet A) received from the message source S1, and combining a second bitstream encoded with information B (thus including bit B or bit packet B) received from the message source S2. The combiner C outputs combined information transmitted via the shared radio link 110 be sent. On the other hand, the first bit stream output from the message source S1 becomes via the first directional radio link 120_1 is transmitted and then the second bit stream, which is output from the second message source S2, via the second directional radio link 120_2 Posted.

A first receiver, eg a base station BS1, receives the transmitted first bitstream and the transmitted combined bitstream, performs an operation OP1 on these two bitstreams and may carry the first bitstream carrying information A and the second bitstream carrying information B, decode. Similarly, a second receiver, eg a second base station BS2, receives the transmitted second bit stream and the transmitted combined bit stream, performs an operation OP2 thereon and may decode the first bit stream carrying information A and the second bitstream carrying information B. ,

It should be noted that the in 2 and 3 used characters A and B respectively on information A and B or on bit packets A and B, which encode this information A and B respectively.

4 is a representation that is an application of the general model of 2 and 3 to an exemplary heterogeneous radio communication network 100 using an existing RAT that provides for quasi-omnidirectional transmission and a RAT that provides for highly directional mmWave transmission. The news source S1 refers to S1 of 3 and the message source S2 refers to S2 of 3 , The first bitstream output from the message source S1 may be in a channel coder 401 may be channel coded using a first channel code 1, and the second bit stream output from the message source S2 may be through an (optional) channel coder 402 be channel coded using a second channel code 2. The channel coder 401 performs channel coding that corresponds to a RAT1 (eg, a RAT that provides for intra-directional transmission) and the channel encoder 402 performs channel coding according to a RAT2 (eg, a RAT providing directional transmission).

The channel coded bitstreams provided by the first channel coder 401 and the second channel encoder 402 can then be spent in a combiner 430 are input to the combiner C of 3 can correspond. The combiner 430 can be a first combined bitstream 431 and a second combined bitstream 432 deliver.

These two bit streams 431 and 432 can be further coded according to the PHY the RAT1 or RAT2 (eg nested, dotted, etc.). The optional further channel coding from the (optional) further channel coder 411 is adapted for RAT1 transmission and, for example, optimized, and the (optional) further channel coding, which from the (optional) further channel coder 412 is adapted for a RAT2 transmission and optimized, for example.

Here, the combination or network encoding operation behind each, eg, two channel coding operations (eg, the channel coder 401 . 402 ) applied. This approach can be easily extended to any number of RATs to combine, and thus to any number of channel codes to be combined. For example, this can be achieved by a hierarchy, ie, in the first stage, a combination or network coding operation is performed on first stage channel coders (eg, channel coders 401 . 422 ), another such network coding operation is applied to second-stage channel coders (eg, channel coders 411 . 412 Then, again, the respective output pairs are combined by a network encoding operation in a second stage, this may possibly be performed (if necessary) for a third stage, where again the output pairs of previous network coding operations are combined in a new network coding operation, etc. It may Also, the order of the channel encoder outputs to be combined by a network coding operation, for example, as required, any possibility can be provided. That is, instead of the encoder outputs 401 and 402 as well as the coding outputs 411 and 412 To combine, one could use the encoder outputs 401 and 412 and or 402 and 411 or combine any other permutation across all stages. It is also possible that the outputs of the network coding operation of a particular stage (e.g. the second stage) may be combined, for example by a network coding operation, with the outputs of a previous stage (e.g. the first stage) or the direct outputs of the original channel coder. Then, the outputs of the encoding stage consist of any suitable combination of the outputs of the original channel coders and / or the outputs of the network coding operations of any of the stages.

It is also possible that the proposed combination or network coding operation (or similar operation) is not applied to the outputs of the respective channel coders, but elsewhere in the communication chain, e.g. to the inputs of the channel coders, e.g. in the MIMO / SIMO / MISO coding levels (Multiple Input Multiple Output), etc. It can also be used in the Media Access Control Layer or in any other ISO Layer are applied.

4 illustrates a propagation channel 110_1 and a propagation channel 110_2 the shared radio link 110 corresponding, for example, RAT1, and further the first directional radio link 120_1 corresponding to a first propagation channel of RAT2 and the second directional radio link 120_2 corresponding to a second propagation channel of RAT2. As an example, the propagation channel 110_1 a channel with a frequency <6 GHz of the (quasi) omnidirectional radio link, the propagation channel 110_2 may be a channel with a frequency <6 GHz of the (quasi) omnidirectional radio link, the first propagation channel may be a mmWave channel of the first directional radio link 120_1 and the second propagation channel may be a mmWave channel of the second directional radio link 120_2 be.

In the general model of a radio communication network 400 , this in 4 is illustrated, a first receiver R1 and a second receiver R2 are illustrated. The first receiver R1 receives the output of the first propagation channel 110_1 of RAT1 and the output of the first propagation channel 120_1 from RAT2. Assuming that the first receiver R1 is a legacy RAT1 receiver, the first receiver R1 may be the output of the propagation channel 110_1 decode to receive the message sent from the message source S1. In the case that the first receiver R1 is an extended RAT1 receiver that can decode information that is transmitted via the RAT2 directional propagation channel 120_1 are received, the first receiver R1 will be able to decode information from the message source S1 and information from the message source S2. The same applies analogously to the second receiver R2, which is the output of the second RAT1 propagation channel 110_2 and the output of the second directional RAT2 propagation channel 120_2 receives.

5 illustrates a model of an exemplary wireless communication network 500 , The model can be a limited model of the general model of the 4 shown radio communication network 400 represent. The constraints may refer to self-imposed limits to conform to a given standard, eg, a RAT1 standard.

Similar to the radio communication network 400 can the radio communication network 500 a news source S1 and a news source S2. The message source S1 and the message source S2 may also be referred to as message sources S1 and S2. Furthermore, the radio communication network comprises 500 (or more precisely a transmitter operating in the radio communications network 500 implemented) a first channel coder 501 and an (optional) second channel encoder 502 , The first channel coder 501 may be the first channel coder 401 and the second channel coder 502 may be the second channel encoder 402 from 4 correspond.

The radio communication network 500 (or more precisely a transmitter operating in the radio communications network 500 implemented) further comprises a combiner 530 , The combiner 530 can the combiner 430 of the radio communication network 400 correspond. The combiner 530 has a first input which receives a coded first bit stream from the first channel coder 501 receives, and may have a second input which comprises a coded second bit stream from the channel coder 502 receives. It should be noted that the second channel coder 502 can be optional. If the channel coder 502 is missing, the combiner receives 530 at its second input, the (non-channel coded) second bit stream from the second message source.

The combiner 530 In this example, it implements low complexity and zero-delay encoding on the input bitstreams. The low-complexity and zero-delay coding may be exclusive OR processing on the combiner input bitstreams 530 use. As will be described in greater detail below, various different operations may be performed using exclusive OR processing on the incoming bitstreams for low complexity coding and zero delay in the combiner 530 be available.

The combiner 530 can use a random coding of the incoming bit streams. A non-coding uses a code rate of 1.

The combiner 530 can use Raptor encoding of the incoming bitstreams. A Raptor encoding means that a Raptor (Rapid Tornado) code is applied. Raptor codes encode a given message consisting of a number k of bits into a potentially unrestricted sequence of encoded bits so that knowledge of any k or more encoded bits allows the message to be reconstructed with a certain non-zero probability ,

Aside from the code examples above, any other code may be used instead, whether it be free or not. It is also possible to use a convolutional code, a turbo code, a low-density parity check code, a Reed-Solomon code, any block code, etc., for the combining operation. Likewise, it is typically possible to combine one or more of the "original" channel codes with each other with the new encoding operation with a new received code (replacing both the original code and the new encoding operation).

The encoded first bitstream from the first encoder 501 is output via a first propagation channel 510 Posted. The first propagation channel 510 can be a first propagation channel 110_1 or 110_2 by RAT1, as in 4 illustrated. The transmitted first bit stream becomes a first message sink 540_1 and to a second news desk 540_2 directed. The first and second news sink 540_1 . 540_2 can be detected by the first and second receivers R1 and R2, respectively 4 be implemented. That is, if the first news sink 540_1 implemented by a RAT1 legacy receiver, and if the second message sink 540_2 implemented by another RAT1 legacy receiver, both receivers are able to recover the information (message) received from the first message source over the shared propagation channel 510 be sent.

The output of the combiner 530 is via a first directive radio link 520_1 and a second direct radio connection 520_2 Posted. In one aspect, the combined bitstream flowing over the first directional propagation channel 520_1 is the same combined bit stream that is sent via the second directive propagation channel 520_2 is sent.

The first news sink 540_1 receives the transmitted bit stream from the shared propagation channel 510 is output, and the combined bit stream from the first directive propagation channel 520_1 is issued. If the first news sink 540_1 implemented by an extended receiver operating on RAT1 and RAT2 is the first message sink 540_1 capable of decoding the message output from the first message source S1 and the message output from the second message source S2.

The second news sink 540_2 receives the bitstream that passes through the shared propagation channel 510 is sent, and the combined bitstream, via the second directive propagation channel 520_2 is sent. If the second news sink 540_2 implemented by an extended receiver that works with RAT1 and RAT2, the second message sink 540_2 be able to decode the message output from the first message source S1 and the message output from the second message source S2.

It should be noted that the messages sent by the first and second message sources S1, S2 may be interdependent. As an example, the second bitstream output from the second message source S2 may be derived either from a bitstream output from a single message source S representing the message (see FIG 2 . 3 ), or the first bitstream output from the first message source S1. As an example, the bits contained in the second bitstream output from the second message source S2 may be redundant bits of the bits contained in the first bitstream output from the first message source S1. In this case, the "network coding" concept used in the radio communication networks 400 . 500 no decoding of two particular messages in each of the receivers R1, R2 ( 4 ) or any of the news sinks 540_1 . 540_2 ( 5 but may be used to improve the performance of the network in terms of throughput, decoding quality, and hence latency, if an ARQ (Automated Repeat Request) or Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) method - especially a HARQ method with soft combination - for channel coding in the radio communication networks 400 . 500 is used, especially in RAT1. The eg individual news source S (in 4 . 5 . 6 . 8A . 8B . 14 not shown) from which the single bitstream originates (from which the first and second bitstreams are derived) may be, for example, a single source coder such as a video encoder, an audio (or speech) coder, etc. For example, this single bit stream may already contain redundancy, since it could be source coded, as is well known. The single bitstream (and / or the first and second bitstreams) may be user data of these message sources. Thus, the individual message source S1 may also be referred to as a single data source S1, and the first and second message sources S1, S2 may also be referred to as data sources S1 and S2, respectively. In all of these cases, the combiner C combines at least some of the bits of the first user data bitstream and the second user data bitstream, eg, each bit or every other bit or bit, etc., of the first one User data bitstream and / or the second user data bitstream. "At least some of the bits" of a bitstream is also referred to herein as "at least a portion" or "at least a subset" of a bitstream.

It should be noted that the underlying concept of \ "network coding \" as discussed above is considered an alternative to the brute-force approach of substantially modifying the physical layer (PHY) by defining a total optimal channel code for a heterogeneous radio communication network can. This approach (defining a total optimal channel code for a radio communication network supporting a plurality of RATs) would potentially result in (slightly) better system performance compared to the solution presented here. However, a substantial change in PHY encoding would only be possible with a new device generation and would require the integration of the new PHY encoding into the related standards or system designs. Typically, such integration would involve a great deal of time, effort, and standardization work. In addition, a major change in the PHY coding scheme is difficult to integrate into a standard, and any overall optimal code would in any case greatly increase overall complexity in a sender and / or receiver.

Therefore, it is altogether questionable whether any "brute-force" approach of substantially changing the channel coding scheme to an optimal coding algorithm would be worth the extra complexity and effort of standardizing and designing and defining such optimal coding scheme.

In contrast to the brute-force approach, the concept disclosed herein leaves a first transmit bit stream unchanged (eg, the bit stream sent over the shared and / or the (quasi) omnidirectional radio link). A second transmission bitstream is modified by passing a channel coded bitstream of the first (original) channel coder 501 and a second bit stream optionally through a second (original) channel encoder 502 channel-coded. This modification can be achieved by a not significantly increased in the transmitter complexity, since the combiner 430 . 530 for example, adding an EXCLUSIVE-OR operation to the sender functionality (the combiner 430 . 530 and in particular an EXCLUSIVE OR operation performed in the combiner 430 . 530 can be implemented in hardware or in software).

As for the receivers R1, R2 (eg the news sinks) 540_1 . 540_2 The developer has the choice of a compromise between power and energy consumption. The developer may choose to continue using traditional decoding approaches without noticeably increasing performance. Alternatively, the designer may decide to expend more energy for a more complex decoding scheme (eg, a common trellis decode for a common decode of both received bitstreams), as described in greater detail below.

6 illustrates an embodiment of a radio communication network 600 , The radio communication network 600 supports legacy receivers. The representation of 6 corresponds to the radio communication network 100 , as in 3 shown. All the functionality that is enclosed by the dashed line, ie the functionality of combiner C, the shared radio link 110 of the decoding operation 1 and the decoding operation 2 on, for example, one or a plurality of receivers and the reconstruction of information B by the decoding operation 1 (corresponding to OP1 of FIG 3 ) and the reconstruction of information A by the decoding operation 2 (corresponding to OP2 of FIG 3 ), is not available for legacy receivers. This functionality can be implemented only in advanced (proprietary) equipment, ie, in enhanced transmitters and / or one or more enhanced receivers, as disclosed herein.

7 illustrates a plurality of directional radio links and a shared radio link for data uplink transmission in a radio communication network in which a mobile station MS (transmitter) having two base stations BS1, BS2 over a shared connection 110 and two directional compounds 120_1 and 120_2 connected is. As stated above, the shared connection could be 110 and the directional connections 120_1 . 120_2 eg LTE or mmWave radio links, but it could also be any other suitable standards, such as Wi-Fi ( IEEE 802.11a / b / g / ac / ad / n / af / etc. ), Bluetooth, WiMAX, etc., can be used with different coding schemes. The above description relating to radio communication networks 100 . 400 . 500 and the concept of "network coding" also apply to the uplink radio link design of 7 , and for the sake of brevity, repetitions are waived.

In the 7 The design shown is that of the classic "butterfly net" of 2 similar and especially adapted for network coding. According to an embodiment, the transmitted bitstreams received at the base stations BS1, BS2 may be channel decoded at each base station BS1, BS2. In this case, the over the shared radio link 110 transmitted bit stream and the over the first directional radio link 120_1 transmitted bit stream in the base station BS1 channel-decoded, and that via the shared radio link 110 transmitted bitstream and via the second directional radio link 120_2 transmitted bitstreams are channel decoded at the second base station BS2.

According to another embodiment, central processing, such as coordinated multipoint (CoMP) processing, may optionally be applied to combine the signals received at both base stations BS1, BS2. In this case, a common decoding is performed on the basis of at least one bit stream received at the first base station BS1 and at least one bit stream received at the second base station BS2. Typically, a common decode may be performed on at least three received bitstreams or on all received bitstreams, as in FIG 7 shown.

8A exemplifies an example radio communication network 800 and a transmitter and / or receiver or channel decoder used therein. The transmitter, for example a mobile station MS transmitter, provides for two message sources S1, S2 within the context described above. The message source S1 outputs the first bit stream a of bits a _i , and the message source S2 outputs the second bit stream b of bits b _i . The channel coder 801 , the channel encoder 501 from 5 encodes the first bitstream a into a channel coded first bitstream A. The optional channel encoder 802 , the channel encoder 502 from 5 may channel the second bitstream b into the second channel coded bitstream B.

The e.g. Channel coded second bit stream B is then written in combiner C by applying an operation such as an XOR operation on the second (e.g., channel encoded) bitstream B and the first channel encoded bitstream A.

The first channel-coded bitstream A is then transmitted over a first propagation channel 810 , which is the shared radio link 110 and the RAT1 propagation channel 510 from 5 may be sent to one or both base stations BS1 and BS2. Furthermore, the combined bitstream is transmitted via a second propagation channel 820 , for example, either the first directional radio link 120_1 and the RAT2 propagation channel 520_1 from 5 or the second directional radio link 120_2 and the RAT2 propagation channel 520_2 from 5 may correspond to a common channel decoder 850 Posted. The common channel decoder 850 can either be located in or associated with the first base station BS1 (and then operate together on the transmitted first bit stream passing over the shared radio link 110 is received, and the transmitted second bit stream, via the first directional radio link 120_1 is received) or may be located in or associated with the second base station BS2 (and then operate in concert on the transmitted first bit stream passing over the shared radio link 110 is received, and the transmitted combined bit stream, via the second directional radio link 120_2 received) or may be located at or associated with a central location to perform central processing, eg, including central channel decoding, eg, CoMP processing. In this case, the common decoder 850 operate together on at least two or three or all of the transmitted bit streams transmitted over the shared radio link 110 (first propagation channel 810 ), the first directional radio link 120_1 (second propagation channel) and the second directional radio link 120_2 (in 8A not shown), as in 7 shown. In all cases, the common channel decoder 850 output a first bitstream which is a reconstruction of the first bitstream a of the message source S1, and can output a second bitstream b which is a reconstruction of the second bitstream b of the message source S2. These bitstreams a, b become a single message sink 860 a receiver, which may be located either in one of the base stations BS1 or BS2 or in the CoMP case at a central location.

In general, it may be possible, as in 8A as an example, cross-connect the transmission of the coded first bit stream and the combined bit stream so that the coded first bit stream first passes over the first propagation channel 810 and then over the second propagation channel 820 is sent, and the combined bitstream first over the second propagation channel 820 and then over the first propagation channel 810 is sent, and vice versa. As an example, the transmitter may optionally include a channel quality evaluation unit CQ configured to control the channel qualities of the channel propagation channels 810 . 820 optionally, and may optionally comprise a selector or cross-switch SW which is designed to select the propagation channel with the poorer channel quality as the first propagation channel, and the propagation channel with the better channel quality as the second propagation channel.

In the following, the two cases described above (local channel decoding / processing, referred to herein as "no CoMP", central channel decoding / processing, referred to herein as CoMP) will be described in detail. In the first case (ie no CoMP) independent channel decoders may be provided in the receivers (eg base stations BS1, BS2) and in the second case where the bit streams received at the multiple receivers (eg base stations BS1, BS2) are sent to a central location In order to be channel decoded and further processed (ie CoMP) together, a common channel decoder may be provided to provide overall common decoding.

Independent channel decoder (no CoMP)

The classic butterfly scheme, as in 2 and 3 can be adapted especially for a lossless or error-prone scenario, as it already shows important gains when both recipients want the same information A, B. That is, for example, with reference to 7 and 8A if both base stations BS1, BS2 receive the same information from the mobile station MS via both a directional radio link 120_1 or 120_2 (eg mmWave) as well as a shared radio connection 110 request (eg LTE or Wi-Fi), a typical butterfly scenario is provided. As an example, during roaming between two base stations BS1, BS2 during the handover, there is a scenario in which the mobile station MS wants to send the same information to these two different base stations BS1, BS2. In such a scenario, the first bitstream A and the second bitstream B may be to the two directional links 120_1 respectively. 120_2 while the combined bit stream (eg, using EXCLUSIVE OR operation A ⊕ B) over the shared radio link 110 is sent. In this way, the mobile station MS does not have to handle directly which base station BS1, BS2 receives which information during the handover, but simply sends the information (eg the first bitstream A) to a base station on a directional radio link 120_1 and then suddenly switches to the base station BS2 by transmitting the second bitstream B on the other directional radio link 120_2 , In the case that the base stations BS1 and BS2 do not strictly follow this procedure during the handover, they can still obtain the remaining information through the use of the shared radio link 110 received, which sends the combined bit stream, eg A ⊕ B. In this way, the robustness of the handover is increased and the probability of error during a handover is reduced by transmitting the information that must be sent for handover in RAT1 via the directional radio links 120_1 and 120_2 be sent and the shared radio link 110 for backup and error correction, if necessary.

8B Figure 14 shows a block diagram illustrating a transmitter and receiver implementation that is not designed for a CoMP operation. Briefly, the transmitter comprises message sources S1 and S2 and channel encoders 801 and 802 as already in 8A shown. In 8B For example, two receivers (eg, two base stations BS1, BS2) are provided, and each receiver each includes a single channel decoder 850_1 and 850_2 and a single news sink 860_1 and 860_2 ,

During the first channel-coded bit stream A over the first propagation channel 810 is sent and the combined bitstream over the second propagation channel 820 is sent as above related 8A 1, the third channel coded bit stream B is transmitted via a third propagation channel 830 sent, for example, the second directional radio link 120_2 and the RAT2 propagation channel 520_2 from 5 can correspond.

In this example, the channel decoders 850_1 and 850_2 both are designed to contain two independent channel decoders, one for decoding the received bitstream A and one for decoding the received bitstream B. In legacy equipment, only one of these two channel decoders will be available (eg, working in the channel decoder 850_1 only the channel decoder for the received bit stream A, and in the channel decoder 850_2 only the decoder works for the received bitstream B). In extended receivers (eg proprietary equipment), the channel decoder 850_1 however, generate the received second bitstream B by, for example, applying the exclusive OR operation, and then channel coding this bitstream to additionally obtain the recovered second bitstream b, and the channel decoder 850_2 may generate the received first bitstream A by, for example, applying the exclusive OR operation, and then channel coding this bitstream to additionally obtain the recovered second bitstream b. In this case, the individual messages sink 860_1 and 860_2 (which may be located in different remote receivers, such as in different base stations BS1, BS2) each receive the complete information output of both message sources S1 and S2.

It should be noted that each channel decoder 850_1 and 850_2 can also be implemented by a single channel decoder using common decoding based on eg a common trellis decoding scheme.

9 illustrates an example of error correction in a base station, eg base station BS2 (which the message sink 860_2 includes) for the above scenario. Channel coded transmitted bits B _i-1 , B _i , B _{i + 1} are transmitted via the second directional radio link 120_2 received, for example, with the third propagation channel 830 from 8B is associated. Further, the channel coded transmitted combined bits A _i-1 ⊕ B _i-1 , A _i ⊕ B _i , A _{i + 1} ⊕ B _{i + 1 become} over the shared radio link 110 received, for example, with the second propagation channel 820 in 8B is associated. It is assumed that an error occurs at bit B _i . In this case, the base station BS2 may use the combined bit A _i ⊕ B _i instead of B _i to obtain information about the erroneous bit B _i . That is, the shared radio link 110 is used for error correction, thereby improving the performance of the radio communication network in terms of throughput and latency.

Common channel decoder (CoMP)

The in 9 An example of an exemplary error correction process can also be applied to the case where the information received about the two base stations BS1, BS2 is channel decoded at a single central location, ie, the CoMP case. When the first and second bitstreams A, B as received from the base stations BS1 and BS2, respectively, are sent to a central location for channel decoding (as in CoMP processing), both base stations BS1, BS2 no longer need all the information to process. In this case, in a lossless scenario, half of the information would be enough. However, in a realistic and lossy scenario, this same interpretation can be done with the combined bitstream (eg, A ⊕ B) that is over the shared radio link 110 is sent, continue to be used for error correction. For example, with renewed reference to 9 correct an error in B _i with the knowledge of A _i and the knowledge of the combined bit (eg A _i ⊕ B _i ) to obtain B _i = A _i ⊕ (A _i ⊕ B _i ). That is, most of the time, all the shared information (ie, the combined bitstream) must be over the shared radio link 110 are sent, not channel decoded, but only if an error occurs on the transmitted bit streams A or B, for example via the directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 can be sent, the shared information (ie the bits of the combined bitstream) can be used for error correction.

In general, with reference to both scenarios described above (no CoMP and CoMP), the shared radio link must 110 , the first directional radio link 120_1 and the second directional radio link 120_2 have no identical throughput rates (although identical throughput rates can be used as discussed above with respect to the classic butterfly mesh design of 2 and 3 illustrated). In the case, for example, the directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 and the shared radio link have asymmetric (ie, different) throughput rates, the proposed combination of coded first bitstream A with the second bitstream b or B, eg, using an EXCLUSIVE OR operation (or any other suitable operation) may be applied to the all or part of the bitstream to be transmitted over the lower throughput radio link and to a portion of the bitstream to be transmitted over the higher throughput radio link while the remaining portion of the bitstream being over the radio link higher throughput is sent without modification. In this way it is possible, for example, to protect a limited number of, for example, latency-critical parts of the bit stream from being sent over the radio link with higher throughput.

As an example, the first and second directional radio link 120_1 . 120_2 a higher throughput rate than the shared radio link 110 provide. If the combined bitstream is over the shared radio link 110 In this case it would be with reference to the example of 9 it is possible to send only the combined bit A _i ⊕ B _i to protect the bit B _i while the combined bits A _i-1 ⊕ B _i-1 and A _{i + 1} ⊕ B _{i + 1 are} not sent.

In addition, the first and second directional radio link must 120_1 . 120_2 and the shared radio link 110 do not even have the same capacity. That is, the common used radio connection 110 For example, it may have a lower capacity than either of the first and second directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 , The above disclosure of different throughput rates of these radio links is identical for radio links of different capacities, and it is still possible to have the most important parts of the bit stream transmitted over the higher capacity radio link through a combined bit stream transmitted over the radio link at lower Capacity is sent to protect.

Alternatively, it is also possible to combine a plurality of bits of the bitstream transmitted over the radio link at a higher throughput rate than the number of bits to be transmitted over the lower throughput radio link. This could be achieved by combining the bits of the bitstream to be transmitted over the higher throughput radio link with repeated bits of the bitstream to be transmitted over the lower throughput radio link. In this case, the repeated bits are preferably interleaved (i.e., the sequence order is changed in accordance with a predetermined, e.g., quasi-random, interleave scheme), e.g. create different nesting patterns. Generally, in the case of asymmetric data rates, the bit stream of the lower data rate radio link can only be combined with a portion of the higher data rate radio bit rate bit stream.

As indicated above, the first and second bitstreams a, b of the two message sources S1, S2 (see FIG 8th ) at least partially to the same message from a common message source S 2 . 3 , is sent. The following will consider how the likelihood of errors can be minimized while transmitting the message data over at least two radio links to the same receiver, eg base station BS1 or base station BS2 or a central location, where the message data is transmitted via the at least three radio links 100 . 120_1 and 120_2 be sent, decoded. Minimizing the likelihood of errors will result in less message data being retransmitted, eg, through a data retransmission scheme, such as ARQ or HARQ, thereby improving both throughput and latency in the wireless communication network.

A simple way to derive a bit stream a, b from an initial bit stream representing the message to be transmitted is to simply divide the information encoded by the initial bit stream in half so that the first bit stream a and the second bit stream b are equal in number Have bits a _i and b _i .

For the example below, it can be assumed that a standard channel coder is used to channel both the bitstream a and the bitstream b. So can with reference to 4 . 5 and 8A . 8B channel encoder 401 . 501 . 801 and channel coders 402 . 502 . 802 are given as examples by the following channel coder description. It is to be noted, however, that other types of channel encoders may be used, including any type of channel encoder, convolutional codes, block codes, turbo codes, low density parity check (LDPC) codes, Reed-Solomon codes, etc. use.

10 illustrates an exemplary convolutional channel encoder 1000 , The channel coder 1000 may provide a code rate of 1/2, meaning that for each bit a _i, two bits A1 _i and A2 _{i are} output to form the encoded bit stream A. If the channel coder 1000 is used for a channel coding of the second bit stream b, two bits B1 _i and B2 _{i are} output analogously for each bit b _i . These two encoded bitstreams A and B (ie, (A1, A2) and (B1, B2)) are then transmitted over two radio links and channel decoding is performed on the received bitstreams to provide an estimated or recovered bitstream a and an estimated or recovered bitstream to receive b. The channel decoding can be done, for example, using Viterbi decoding, such as found in WLAN devices that can be found on the IEEE 802.11 standards are also known as Wi-Fi.

As is clear to those skilled in the art, the in 10 shown channel coder of (2, 1, 7) [133, 171] ₈ convolutional channel coder used in Wi-Fi.

However, according to various embodiments described herein, the channel coded bitstreams A and B are not sent as such but one type of network coding, for example, is used to transmit at least part of the coded information by combining the channel coded bitstreams A, B and by at least part of the coded bit streams A, B are replaced by a combined bit stream to be sent. For example, instead of sending (A1, A2) and (B1, B2) the same radio links and bandwidths are used to transmit (A1, A2) and eg (B1 ⊕ A1, B2 ⊕ A2). That is, the coded bit stream (B1, B2) is replaced by the combined bit stream, for example, from (B1 ⊕ A1, B2 ⊕ A2). That is, if, for example, the second radio link over which the bit stream is being transmitted is less error prone, the channel decoding will take advantage of the fact that the combined bit stream contains information about the coded first bit stream A to correct for some of the errors that occurred in the first Decoding of the coded first bitstream (A1, A2) occur.

In the above example, the combined bitstream was represented by (B1 ⊕ A1, B2 ⊕ A2). However, any other combination may be used, such as (A1, A2) and (B1, B2 ⊕ A2) or (B1, B1 ⊕ A1) or (B1, B1 ⊕ A2) or (B1, B2 ⊕ A1) or ( B2, B1 ⊕ A1) or (B2, B1 ⊕ A2) or (B2, B2 ⊕ A1) or (B2, B2 ⊕ A2). Another possible combination of coded bitstreams A and B would be to use, for example, (A1, A2) for the coded first bitstream to be transmitted over the first radio link, and to use (B1, A2) for the combined bitstream, for example the second radio link is to be sent. In this case, B2 is omitted, but can be recovered from the channel decoding, since B2 because of its generation by a channel coder, eg the channel coder 1000 from 10 , is redundant.

In the above examples, the channel coded first bitstream (A1, A2) is transmitted over the first radio link (eg, one of the directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 while the combined bitstream is being sent over the second radio link (which is the shared radio link 110 could be). Clearly, however, encoded bitstreams A and B are interchangeable in the above scheme, ie, "A" can be replaced by "B" (that is, A1 can be replaced by B1 and A2 can be replaced by B2), and "B" can be replaced by "A" (that is, B1 can be replaced by A1, and B2 can be replaced by A2).

It is further proposed that the channel qualities of the at least two radio links (eg the shared radio link 110 and at least one of the first and second directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 ), and as a radio link over which the coded bit stream is transmitted (ie (A1, A2) or (B1, B2)), to select the radio link with the worse channel quality, and as a radio link over which the combined bit stream is transmitted will choose the radio link with the better channel quality. That is, as an example, the second radio connection (eg the shared radio connection 110 ) is better than the first radio connection (eg one of the first or second directional radio link 120_1 . 120_2 ), the combination of (A1, A2) transmitted over the first radio link and eg (B1, B2 ⊕ A2) transmitted over the second radio link results in a better decoding result than the reverse radio link dialing. In this context, a "better" or better quality radio link may mean that this link has a higher SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) or higher SINR (Signal Interference plus Noise Ratio) or is less noisy ,

In the case that the channel quality on the first radio link (eg on one of the directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 ) is better compared to the second radio connection (eg the shared radio connection 110 ), with reference to the example given above, the encoded first bit stream (A1, A2) can then be sent over the second radio link, and then, for example, (B1, B2 ⊕ A2) can be sent over the first radio link. In both cases, the better quality radio link drives down the number of errors from the poorer quality radio link. As already in 8A As an example, it may be generally possible to cross-connect the transmission of the coded first bit stream and the combined bit stream so that the coded first bit stream is transmitted first over the first radio link and then over the second radio link, and the combined bit stream first over the second Radio connection and then sent over the first radio connection, and vice versa. As an example, the transmitter may include a channel quality evaluation unit configured to evaluate the channel qualities of the radio links, and a selector or cross switch configured to select as first radio link those with the poorer channel quality, and as the second radio link those with the channel to choose better channel quality.

As noted above, at least a portion of the first bitstream (ie, the first bitstream, or portions thereof, such as a subset of the first bitstream bits) is coupled to at least a portion of the second bitstream (ie, the second bitstream or portions thereof, such as a subset of the bits of the second bitstream). Some of the proposed mapping approaches of the first bit stream A_n ∍ (0, 1), n = 0, 1, ... and the second bit stream B_n ∍ (0, 1), n = 0, 1, ... are shown in Table 1 (note that in Table 1 the notation changes from A _i to A_n and from B _i to B_n slightly). As can be seen from Table 1, this new connection mapping (or this so-called new bitstream combination) differs from the classical scheme of sending A_n on one radio link and B_n on another radio link. As stated above, A_n and B_n may represent the outputs of the PHY channel coding (eg the channel coder 401 . 501 . 801 respectively. 402 . 502 . 802 possibly further processed by a bit interleaver eg for quasi-randomization of the order of the bits and / or a puncturing stage designed to clear some of the coded bits to modify the code rate). Table 1 Number of the proposed new mapping approach Radio connection 1 (eg directional mmWave connection, which is sent by two antennas in different directions, for example) Radio connection 2 (eg (quasi) omnidirectional connection, such as an LTE connection) 1 A_n, n = 0, 1 ... (B_n ⊕ A_f (n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 2 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1 ... (B_ (2n), B_ (2n + 1) ⊕ A_f (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that follows the series for the A_n bits modified 3 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1 ... (B_ (2n), A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 4 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1 ... (B_ (2n), B_ (2n) ⊕ A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 5 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1 ... (B_ (2n + 1), B_ (2n + 1) ⊕A_f (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function which follows the order for the A_n bits modified 6 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1 ... (B_ (2n + 1), B_ (2n) ⊕A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 7 (B_n ⊕ A_n), n = 0, 1, ... A_n, n = 0, 1, ... 8th (B_ (2n), B_ (2n + 1) ⊕A_f (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 9 (B_ (2n), A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 10 (B_ (2n), B_ (2n) ⊕A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 11 (B_ (2n + 1), B_ (2n + 1) ⊕A_f (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function which determines the order for the A_n Modified bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 12 (B_ (2n + 1), B_ (2n) ⊕ A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 13 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... (B_ (n), A_f (n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 14 (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, .... (B_ (n), B_ (n) ⊕ A_f (n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits 15 (B_ (2n), A_f (2n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... 16 (B_ (n), B_ (n) ⊕ A_f (n)), n = 0, 1, ..., f (n) is any suitable interleaving function that modifies the order for the A_n bits (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ...

In summary, an approach is disclosed herein to transmit data sent over two separate radio links using e.g. Channel encoding and decoding network coding techniques, e.g. decode them together, which can reduce the number of errors without adding any data overhead compared to a scenario where the data sent over the two separate radio links would be independently decoded. This approach can be used to minimize the amount of errors when the channel decoder has access only to two of the radio links, while at the same time all the received information can be recovered from any two radio links. In this way, not only could errors from any radio link be ignored (since each radio link can be considered redundant), but it is also possible to have only two available radio links, e.g. at a single base station to get all the information with typically fewer errors than in the classic case. Further, it should be noted from the bitstream mapping examples of Table 1 that either the EXCLUSIVE-OR operation can be applied to the entire channel-coded first bitstream or only to a portion of the channel-coded first bitstream. Similarly, the exclusive-OR coding operation may be applied to the entire (e.g., channel encoded) second bit stream or only to a portion of the (e.g., channel encoded) second bit stream.

If the message output from the single source S is not to be sent to a central location for channel decoding, but is to be decoded at each base station BS1 and BS2 (ie the recovered source bitstreams a and b are required to be at each individual base station BS1 or BS2) BS2), the hybrid design should be the most adapted, as described above. That is, as an example, the encoded first bit stream (A1, A2) may be over the weaker shared radio link 110 (eg Wi-Fi, LTE, etc.), and the first and second combined bitstreams, eg (B1, B2 ⊕ A2) and (B1 ⊕ A1, B2), can be transmitted via the better directional radio links 120_1 respectively. 120_2 be sent. It should be noted that the directional radio links 120_1 and 120_2 typically the higher throughput radio links than the shared radio link 110_1 are. This hybrid butterfly scenario is given as an example in 11 illustrated. It should be noted that 11 a specific example of the in 7 illustrated general scenarios.

According to a further possibility, the radio connection with the higher throughput (eg one or both of the directional radio links 120_1 . 120_2 ) may be used to transmit a bitstream that is partially or fully channel-coded, and delay-critical sections would be protected, eg, by the lower-throughput shared radio link (eg, the shared radio link 110 , such as Wi-Fi, LTE, etc.).

• (i) Senden des codierten ersten Bitstroms (A1, A2) über die erste Funkverbindung und Senden des (nicht-codierten) zweiten Bitstroms (b_n, b_n) über die zweite Funkverbindung, wobei b_n den Eingängen des zweiten Kanalcodierers 402, 502, 802 entspricht (es ist zu beachten, dass in diesem Fall die zweite Funkverbindung keine Kanalcodierung und auch keine Netzcodierung verwendet); oder
• (ii) Senden des codierten ersten Bitstroms (A1, A2) über die erste Funkverbindung und Senden des (nicht-codierten) ersten Bitstroms (a_n, b_n) über die zweite Funkverbindung, wobei a_n und b_n den Eingängen der jeweiligen ersten und zweiten Kanalcodierer 401, 501, 801 und 402, 502, 802 entsprechen (es ist zu beachten, dass in diesem Fall die zweite Funkverbindung keine Kanalcodierung und auch keine Netzcodierung verwendet).

According to yet another possibility, even a transmission without any network coding may be possible, such as:

• (i) transmitting the coded first bit stream (A1, A2) over the first radio link and transmitting the (unencoded) second bit stream (b_n, b_n) over the second radio link, wherein b_n the inputs of the second channel coder 402 . 502 . 802 (It should be noted that in this case the second radio link does not use channel coding or network coding); or
• (ii) transmitting the coded first bit stream (A1, A2) over the first radio link and transmitting the (unencoded) first bit stream (a_n, b_n) over the second radio link, where a_n and b_n are the inputs of the respective first and second channel coders 401 . 501 . 801 and 402 . 502 . 802 (note that in this case the second radio link does not use channel coding or network coding).

Similarly, the above transmission schemes could be applied to the first radio link even without network coding, and some different combinations among them can then be applied to both radio links (ie, in the above transmission schemes, "A" can be replaced with "B" and "B" can be replaced by "A").

Various receiver architectures are possible for operation in a radio communications network, as described herein. The receiver architecture may be chosen in dependence, e.g. which information was sent, what information is desired, and the quality of the radio links over which the information is sent.

Always at least two bitstreams, i. at least a first bitstream and a second bitstream, from a base station BS1 or from two or more base stations BS1, BS2, ..., etc., received.

In all cases, a receiver designed to operate in a radio communication network, as described herein, may include channel decoder equipment. The receiver may include a first receiver branch configured to receive a first bitstream, wherein the received first bitstream is a reconstruction of the channel coded first bitstream transmitted over the first wireless connection of the wireless communication network. The receiver may further comprise a second receiver branch configured to receive a combined bitstream, wherein the received combined bitstream is a reconstruction of the combined bitstream transmitted over the second wireless connection of the wireless communication network, the transmitted combined bitstream comprising a combination of the channel coded ones first bitstream with the second bitstream, and wherein the first bitstream and the second bitstream represent a message.

Further, the receiver may include a channel decoder configured for channel decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream. According to a first possibility, the received first bit stream and the received combined bit stream are channel decoded at each base station, i. the complete information of the message should be recovered at each base station (local processing, i.e. no CoMP). In this case, a single channel decoder for decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream is implemented at each base station BS1, BS2, ... as already explained above. This single channel decoder may share trellis channel decoding of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream.

This case of base station localized channel decoding (ie "local processing") is in the middle part of 12 illustrated. Generally, each base station BS1, BS2 comprises an RF stage 1201 . 1202 adapted to receive, down-mix and digitize the signals received over the at least two radio links to the first received bit stream 1211 respectively. 1212 and the received combined base station 1221 respectively. 1222 to create. The two received bit streams 1211 . 1221 are shared by a first channel decoder 1231 channel decoded, which is located at the first base station BS1, and the two received bit streams 1212 . 1222 are shared by a second channel decoder 1232 channel decoded, which is arranged at the second base station BS2.

If the received bit streams 1211 . 1221 and 1212 . 1222 in a single location, must be channel decoded ("central processing" or CoMP), some possibilities for a receiver and channel decoding architecture are feasible. As an example, as in the upper part of 12 can be a common recipient 1240 may be provided at a single location and, for example, CoMP may be used. The common receiver 1240 can eg with a first and a second network coding determination stage 1241 and 1242 , a first and a second buffer 1243 and 1244 , a first and a second decoder 1245 and 1246 and a common channel decoder 1247 be provided.

The network coding determination stages 1241 . 1242 determine whether in each case the received first bit stream 1211 or 1212 and in each case the received second bit stream 1221 or 1222 are network coded or not. If the second bitstream received 1221 or 1222 a received combined bit stream, as explained above, determines the respective network coding determination stage 1241 or 1242 the network coding. In this case, the received combined bitstream 1221 or 1222 in the respective buffer 1243 or 1244 are stored, and the first bitstream received 1211 or 1212 can in the respective channel decoder 1245 or 1246 channel decoded. Only in the case of an error during the decoding of the received first bitstream 1211 or 1212 occurs, becomes or becomes the received combined bit stream 1221 or 1222 - or the respective parts of where the error occurred - used for error correction. In this case, the common channel decoder 1247 used to get the required parts of the received combined bitstream 1221 . 1222 to decode each of the errors of the received first bitstream 1211 or 1212 to correct.

According to another receiver architecture, the common receiver is 1240 as illustrated above, is not located at a single location, but is duplicated at each base station BS1, BS2. Thus, it is also possible to use the scheme of using a buffer described above 1243 . 1244 for temporarily storing redundant information (eg, parity bits) from the received combined bitstream for local processing at each base station BS1, BS2. In this case, the first base station BS1 comprises the network coding determination stage 1241 , the buffer 1243 , the channel decoder 1245 and the channel decoder 1247 for a common channel decoding in the event that an error in the channel decoder 1245 occurs (note that the channel decoder 1247 then no longer a common channel decoder, but a single, local channel decoder). The second base station BS2 may then use the network coding determination stage 1242 , the buffer 1244 , the channel decoder 1246 and a replica of the channel decoder 1247 which is designed to work in the event that an error in the channel decoder 1246 occurs.

In other words, the upper part of FIG 12 However, a receiver architecture suitable for central processing, eg CoMP, can also be interpreted (by using the common channel decoder 1247 by two local channel decoders 1247 is replaced) to illustrate a receiver architecture suitable for local processing, eg non-CoMP.

The lower part of 12 illustrates yet another way to implement a receiver 1260 , In this case, the recipient is 1260 provided at a single location not associated with one of the first and second base stations BS1 or BS2. The recipient 1260 can be a common channel decoder 1261 include. The common channel decoder 1261 can on the received first bitstream 1211 and at the received combined bitstream 1221 the first base station BS1 and the received first bit stream 1212 and at the received combined bitstream 1222 operate the second base station BS2. The channel decoder 1261 may, for example, make a common decoding with the at least two best wireless connections. That is, the channel decoding may be performed on data transmitted through the shared connection and at least one of the directional radio links 120_1 or 120_2 be received. For legacy transmitters and / or receivers, the common channel decoder 1261 For example, the bitstreams channel decode over the first and second directional radio link 120_1 . 120_2 if these bit streams have been channel coded according to the standard coding scheme (eg of RAT1).

It should be noted that it is the common channel decoding approach, as in the lower part of FIG 12 allows to completely bypass all but two received bitstreams to jointly decode the complete information (or, alternatively, to use a third or more of the received bitstreams to drive the amount of error further down).

13 Figure 4 is an illustration of a radio communication network indicating the network coding approach for a mobile station to mobile station connection. 13 illustrates an exemplary wireless communication network 1300 , A network coding solution in a UE-to-UE design is considered. More specifically, a first mobile station UE1 transmits a coded first bitstream on the uplink via a first directional radio link 120_1 , On the other hand, a UE2 sends a first coded bit sequence on the uplink over a second directional radio link 120_2 , The base station BS (eNodeB) receives the respective coded first bit stream and sends on the downlink a combined bit stream over the shared radio link 110 (eg LTE, Wi-Fi, etc.). Then, each mobile station UE1, UE2 can decode the message transmitted from the other UE by sharing the first bit stream received from the other UE with the data of the combined bit stream transmitted from the other UE via the shared radio link. is decoded. The first and second directional radio link 120_1 . 120_2 can be used for next transmissions while the shared radio link 110 (eg LTE, Wi-Fi, etc.) sends the combined bitstream, eg the EXCLUSIVE-OR data, as in 13 illustrated.

Performance evaluation simulations have been made to verify the feasibility of using network coding in a multiple radio connection scenario, as described herein. 14 Figure 1 illustrates an example implementation of two convolutional channel encoders 1401 . 1402 which are adapted to channel-code the first bit sequence a output from the first message source S1 and the second bit sequence b output from the second message source S2. Here, by way of example, the first and second bitstreams a and b are simply derived by simply dividing the information of the message (ie, the bitstream output from the individual message source S) into half so that the same number of bits a ₁ and bits b _{1 of} the first bit stream a and the second bit stream b, respectively. It should be noted that the channel coder 1401 . 1402 exemplary specific implementations of the channel encoders 401 . 402 ; 501 . 502 ; 801 . 802 are as described here.

Each channel coder 1401 . 1402 for example, has a constraint length of 7 and is the channel coder found in WLAN products running on IEEE 802.11 standards used here at a rate R = k / n = 1/2. To improve error protection, a (7, [133, 171] ₈ ) convolutional code was chosen (ie, a constraint length of 7 with generator polynomials 133 ₈ and 171 ₈ ), which, for example, maximizes the maximum distance between codewords. [ 133 . 171 ] in octal numbers corresponds to [1011011, 1111001] in binary numbers, as in 14 It can be recognized which the convolutional decoder 1401 . 1402 shows.

The exemplary combiner, as in 14 The network coding scheme uses number 2 in Table 1, that is, when applied to the block image of 8B becomes (A_ (2n), A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... over the first radio link 810 is transmitted, and (B_ (2n), B_ (2n + 1) ⊕A_ (2n + 1)), n = 0, 1, ... is transmitted over the second radio link 820 Posted. It should be noted that the network coding scheme number 2 is a representative of the group of network coding schemes in which at most (or, for example, exactly) every other bit of the combined bitstream is generated by exclusive ORing the channel coded first bitstream and the second bitstream is used while the remaining bits of the combined bit stream are not generated using an EXCLUSIVE-OR operation. As indicated above, these remaining bits may be, for example, uncombined coded bits B1 _i or B2 _i, or even uncombined uncoded bits b _i, for example.

The decoding of both radio links 810 . 820 received bitstreams was made with a common trellis decoding, in which both compounds are decoded simultaneously. For this purpose, it was assumed that the number of memory elements of both encoders 1401 . 1402 was added and for each trellis transition, two input information bits were assumed. The decoding is done by a (2, 1, 7) Viterbi decoder.

15 illustrates the bit error rate (BER) versus Eb / No of the second radio link 820 (over which the combined bitstream is sent). The BER is used in the simulations on the basis of specific channel coder 1401 . 1402 and combiner C implementation of 14 receive. The simulations were performed on an AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) channel using BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying) modulation and Eb / No = 1 dB of the first radio link 810 performed.

How out 15 is apparent, the BER of the averaged uncoded radio link 1 (refers here to the radio link 810 ) and uncoded radio link 2 (refers here to the radio link 830 ) and the BER of the averaged convolutional coded radio connection 1 (here refers to the radio connection 810 ) and convolutionally coded radio connection 2 (here refers to the radio connection 830 ) is significantly worse than the BER of the convolutionally coded radio link 1 (here refers to the radio link 810 ) and network-coded radio link 2 (refers here to the radio link 820 ). More specifically, the simulations show that the channel decoding is as good as if the weaker radio link had the same capacity as the better radio link. This could not be better than this, which is the best achievable performance with good convolutional coded radio links.

EXAMPLES

The following examples include further embodiments.

Example 1 is a method of processing a message to be transmitted in a radio communication network, the method comprising: channel coding a first bit stream representing a message; Combining at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream to generate a combined bitstream, the second bitstream at least partially representing the message; wherein the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network.

In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 may optionally include that the radio communication network is a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology and the second radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access network second radio access technology.

In Example 3, the subject matter of any of Examples 1 to 2 may optionally include one of the first radio connection and the second radio connection being a quasi-omnidirectional radio connection, and the other radio connection being a directional radio connection.

In Example 4, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 3 may optionally include: evaluating the channel qualities of the two radio links; and
Select as the first radio link that which has the worse channel quality, and dial as the second radio link that which has the better channel quality.

In Example 5, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 4 may optionally include: cross-switching the transmission of the encoded first bitstream and the combined bitstream such that the encoded first bitstream is adapted to be transmitted over the second wireless connection and the combined bitstream is designed to be sent over the first radio link.

In Example 6, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 to 5 may optionally include channel encoding the second bitstream.

In Example 7, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 through 6 may optionally include that combining uses XOR processing on at least the portion of the channel encoded first bitstream and at least the portion of the second bitstream.

In Example 8, the subject matter of Example 7 may optionally include generating at most every other bit of the combined bitstream using exclusive-OR processing on the channel-encoded first bitstream and the second bitstream.

In Example 9, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1 through 8 may optionally include that combining uses random coding of the channel encoded first bitstream and the second bitstream.

In Example 10, the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-9 may optionally include that combining uses Raptor coding of the channel encoded first bitstream and the second bitstream.

In Example 11, the subject matter of any of Examples 1 through 10 may optionally include the first bitstream and the second bitstream being derived from a single bitstream representing the message.

In Example 12, the subject matter of Example 11 may optionally include that the bits contained in the second bitstream are redundant bits of the bits contained in the first bitstream.

Example 13 is a method of encoding data in a radio communication network, the method comprising: channel coding a first bit stream representing a message; Modifying a second bit stream that at least partially represents the message by combining bits thereof with bits of the channel coded first bit stream; wherein the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network.

In Example 14, the subject matter of Example 13 may optionally include the radio communication network being a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology and the second radio connection is a radio connection of second radio access technology.

Example 15 is a method for channel decoding in a radio communication network, the method comprising: receiving a first bit stream, wherein the received first bit stream is a reconstruction of a channel coded first bit stream transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network; Receiving a combined bitstream, the received combined bitstream being a reconstruction of a combined bitstream transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communications network, the transmitted combined bitstream being a combination of at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of the second bitstream; wherein the first bit stream and the second bit stream represent a message; and channel decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream.

In Example 16, the subject matter of Example 15 may optionally include performing trellis common channel decoding of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream.

In Example 17, the subject matter of any one of Examples 15 to 16 may optionally include: buffering the received combined bitstream; and using the buffered combined bitstream for channel decoding only in the event that a decoding error occurs in the channel decoding of the received first bitstream.

In Example 18, the subject matter of Examples 15-17 may optionally include transmitting at least one of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream over a shared radio link and being received at both a first base station and a second base station; the other is sent from the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream over a first directional radio link and is received only at the first base station; and channel decoding is performed at a central location based on the bitstreams received over the shared radio link and the bitstream received over the first directional radio link.

In Example 19, the subject matter of Example 18 may optionally include transmitting a third bit stream over a second directional radio link and being received only at the second base station; and the channel decoding is performed at the central location further based on the bitstreams received over the second directional radio link.

Example 20 is a transmitter of a radio communication network comprising: a first channel coder configured to channel a first bitstream representing a message; a combiner configured to include at least a portion of the channel encoded first bitstream with at least one Combining part of a second bitstream, the second bitstream at least partially representing the message, the combiner generating a combined bitstream; a first transmitter branch transmitting the channel coded first bit stream over a first radio link of the radio communication network; and a second transmitter branch that transmits the combined bitstream over a second radio link of the radio communication network.

In example 21, the subject matter of example 20 may optionally include the radio communication network being a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology, and the second radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access network second radio access technology.

In Example 22, the subject matter of Examples 20 to 21 may optionally include one of the first radio connection and the second radio connection being a quasi-omnidirectional connection and the other radio connection being a directional radio link.

In Example 23, the subject matter of Examples 20 to 22 may optionally further include: a channel quality evaluation unit configured to evaluate the channel qualities of two radio links; and a selector configured to select, as a first radio link, those with the worse channel quality, and as a second radio link to select those with the better quality.

In Example 24, the subject matter of Examples 20-23 may optionally include the selector configured to cross-connect the transmission of the encoded first bitstream and the combined bitstream such that the encoded first bitstream is transmitted over the second wireless link and the combined base station over the first radio connection is sent.

In Example 25, the subject matter of Examples 20-24 may optionally further include a second channel encoder configured to channel-code the second bitstream.

In Example 26, the subject matter of Examples 20-25 may optionally include the combiner comprising: an exclusive-OR stage included in the combiner, the exclusive-or stage being configured to include at least the portion of the channel-coded first bitstream and at least to process the part of the second bitstream.

Example 27 is channel coder equipment for operation in a radio communication network, comprising: a first channel coder configured to channel a first bitstream representing a message; a combiner configured to modify a second bit stream that at least partially represents the message by combining bits of the second bitstream with bits of the channel-coded first bitstream; wherein the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network.

In Example 28, the subject matter of Example 27 may optionally include the radio communication network being a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology and the second radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access network second radio access technology.

In example 29, the subject matter of example 27 may optionally include the combiner comprising an exclusive-OR stage configured to process at least a portion of the channel-encoded first bitstream and at least a portion of the second bitstream.

Example 30 is channel decoder equipment for operation in a radio communication network, comprising: a first receiver branch configured to receive a first bitstream, wherein the received first bitstream is a reconstruction of a channel encoded first bitstream transmitted over a first radio link of the wireless communication network ; a second receiver branch configured to receive a combined bitstream, the received combined bitstream being a reconstruction of a combined bitstream transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communications network, the transmitted combined bitstream comprising a combination of at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream; where the first bitstream and the second bit stream represents a message; and a channel decoder configured for channel decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream.

In example 31, the subject matter of example 30 may optionally include the channel decoder configured to perform a common trellis channel decoding of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream.

In Example 32, the subject matter of Examples 30 to 31 may optionally further include a buffer configured to buffer the received combined bit stream; wherein the channel decoder is configured to use the buffered combined bitstream for channel decoding in the event that a decoding error occurs in the channel decoding of the received first bitstream.

In Example 33, the subject matter of Examples 30-32 may optionally include transmitting at least one of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream over a shared radio link and being received at both a first base station and a second base station another of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream is transmitted over a first directional radio link and received only at the first base station; and that the channel decoder is located at a central location and adapted to perform channel decoding based on the bitstreams received over the shared radio link and the bitstream received over the first directional radio link.

In Example 34, the subject matter of Example 33 may optionally include transmitting a third bit stream over a second directional radio link and being received only at the second base station; and that channel decoding at the central location is further performed based on the bitstreams received over the second directional radio link.

Although specific embodiments and examples have been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternative and / or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments and examples described herein. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited non-patent literature

• IEEE 802.11 [0029]
• IEEE 802.16 [0029]
• IEEE 802.20 [0029]
• IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ad / af / etc. [0030]
• IEEE 802.16a / e [0030]
• IEEE 802.11 / a / b / g / ac / ad / n / af / etc. [0031]
• IEEE 802.11 [0031]
• IEEE 802.11a / b / g / ac / ad / n / af / etc. [0073]
• IEEE 802.11 standards [0095]
• IEEE 802.11 standards [0121]

Claims (25)

A method of processing a message to be transmitted in a radio communication network, the method comprising: Channel coding a first bit stream representing a message; Combining at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream to generate a combined bitstream, the second bitstream at least partially representing the message; in which the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio communication network is a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and wherein the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology, and the second radio connection is a radio connection of the second radio access technology. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the first radio link and the second radio link is a quasi-omnidirectional radio link, and the other radio link is a directional radio link. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: Evaluating the channel qualities of the two radio links; and Selecting as the first radio link, which has the worse channel quality, and selecting those as the second radio link, which has the better channel quality. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: Shifting the transmission of the coded first bit stream and the combined bit stream, so that the coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over the second radio link, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over the first radio link. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the second bit stream is channel coded. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said combining uses XOR processing on the at least a portion of the channel encoded first bitstream and the at least a portion of the second bitstream. The method of claim 7, wherein at most every other bit of the combined bit stream is generated using XOR processing on the channel coded first bit stream and the second bit stream. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first bitstream and the second bitstream are derived from a single bitstream representing the message. The method of claim 9, wherein the bits contained in the second bit stream are redundant bits of the bits contained in the first bit stream. A method of encoding data in a radio communication network, the method comprising: Channel coding a first bit stream representing a message; Modifying a second bit stream that at least partially represents the message by combining bits of the second bitstream with bits of the channel-coded first bitstream; in which the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network. The method of claim 11, wherein the radio communication network is a heterogeneous wireless network comprising a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, and wherein the first radio connection is a radio connection of the first radio access technology and the second radio connection is a radio connection of the second radio access technology. A method of channel decoding in a radio communication network, the method comprising: receiving a first bit stream, the received first bit stream being a reconstruction of a channel coded first bit stream transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network; Receiving a combined bitstream, the received combined bitstream being a reconstruction of a combined bitstream transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communications network, the transmitted combined bitstream being a combination of at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of the second bitstream; wherein the first bit stream and the second bit stream represent a message; and channel decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream. The method of claim 13, wherein a common trellis channel decoding of the received first bit stream and the received combined bit stream is performed. The method of claim 13 or 14, further comprising: Buffering the received combined bitstream; and Use the buffered combined bitstream for channel decoding in the event that a decoding error occurs in the channel decoding of the received first bitstream. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein at least one of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream is transmitted over a shared radio link and received at both a first base station and a second base station; the other is sent from the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream over a first directional radio link and is received only at the first base station; and channel decoding is performed at a central location based on the bitstreams received over the shared radio link and the bitstream received over the first directional radio link. The method of claim 16, wherein a third bit stream is sent over a second directional radio link and received at the second base station; and the channel decoding is performed at the central location further based on the bitstreams received over the second directional radio link. Transmitter of a radio communication network, comprising: a first channel coder configured to channel a first bitstream representing a message; a combiner configured to combine at least a portion of the channel-encoded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream, the second bitstream at least partially representing the message, the combiner generating a combined bitstream; a first transmitter branch transmitting the channel coded first bit stream over a first radio link of the radio communication network; and a second transmitter branch that transmits the combined bitstream over a second radio link of the radio communications network. The transmitter of claim 18, further comprising: a channel quality evaluation unit configured to evaluate the channel qualities of two radio links; and a selector configured to select, as the first radio link, those with the worse channel quality, and as the second radio link to select those with the better quality. A transmitter according to any of claims 18 or 19, wherein the combiner comprises: an exclusive-OR stage included in the combiner, the exclusive-or stage configured to process at least the portion of the channel-encoded first bitstream and at least the portion of the second bitstream. A channel encoder equipment for operation in a radio communications network, comprising: a first channel encoder configured to channel a first bitstream representing a message; a combiner configured to modify a second bit stream that at least partially represents the message by combining bits of the second bitstream with bits of the channel-coded first bitstream; wherein the channel coded first bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a first radio link of the radio communication network, and the combined bit stream is adapted to be transmitted over a second radio link of the radio communication network. The channel encoder kit of claim 21, wherein the combiner comprises an exclusive-OR stage configured to process at least a portion of the channel-coded first bitstream and at least a portion of the second bitstream. A channel decoder equipment for operation in a radio communication network, comprising: a first receiver branch configured to receive a first bitstream, the received first bitstream being a reconstruction of a channel coded first bitstream transmitted over a first radio link of the wireless communication network; a second receiver branch configured to receive a combined bitstream, wherein the received combined bitstream is a reconstruction of a combined bitstream transmitted over a second wireless connection of the wireless communication network, wherein the transmitted combined bitstream is a combination of at least a portion of the channel coded first bitstream with at least a portion of a second bitstream; wherein the first bit stream and the second bit stream represent a message; and a channel decoder designed for channel decoding the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream. The channel decoder equipment of claim 23, wherein the channel decoder is configured to perform trellis common channel decoding of the received first bitstream and the received combined bitstream. The channel decoder kit of claim 23 or 24, further comprising: a buffer configured to buffer the received combined bit stream; in which the channel decoder is adapted to use the buffered combined bitstream for channel decoding in the event that a decoding error occurs in the channel decoding of the received first bitstream.

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