Network coding mode selector

A wireless communication system comprising:

• a first node configured to generate a first node entity;
• a second node configured to generate a second node entity;
• a network coding node configured to receive over a radio interface plural input entities including the first node entity and the second node entity;
• a mode determination unit configured to make a determination which of plural transmission modes is to be a selected transmission mode for transmitting output entities from the network coding node over the radio interface, the plural transmission modes including at least two of the following:
• (1) an analog network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node are network-combined by signal interference at a signal level into one analog network-combined output entity;
• (2) a digital network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node are network-combined by operation at a bit level at the network coding node into one or plural digital network-combined output entities;
• and
• (3) a symbol-level network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities are already modulated and network-coding is performed on the already-modulated plural input entities to provide one or plural symbol-level network-combined output entities;
• wherein the mode determination unit is configured to make the determination by selecting, for each candidate transmission mode, an appropriate expression for sum achievable rate to evaluate;
• and comparing a resulting evaluation for each selected expression with an evaluation of an expression of a competing candidate transmission mode, and wherein the selection depends on factors including whether an end-to-end (E2E) analysis or non-end-to-end (non-E2E) analysis is utilized
• wherein the network coding node is configured to implement the transmission mode determination of the mode determination unit.

A mode determination unit configured to make a determination which of plural transmission modes is to be a selected transmission mode for transmitting one or more output packets from a network coding node over a radio interface, the plural transmission modes including at least two of the following:

• (1) an analog network-coded mode wherein plural input signals provided to a network coding node are network-combined by signal interference at a signal level at the network coding node into one analog network-combined output entity;
• (2) a digital network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node are network-combined by operation at a bit level at the network coding node into one digital network-combined output entities;
• and
• (3) a symbol level network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities are already modulated and network coding is performed on the already modulated plural input entities to provide one or plural symbol-level network-combined output entities;
• and
• wherein the mode determination unit is configured to make the determination by selecting, for each candidate transmission mode, an appropriate expression for sum achievable rate to evaluate;
• and comparing a resulting evaluation for each selected expression with an evaluation of and expression of a competing candidate transmission mode, and wherein the selection depends on factors including whether and end-to-end (E2E) analysis or non-end-to-end (non-E2E) analysis is utilized.

A network coding node of a wireless communication system comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive the plural input entities over the radio interface
• a mode determination unit configured to make a determination which of plural transmission modes is to be a selected transmission mode for transmitting output entities over the radio interface, the plural transmission modes including at least two of the following:
• (1) an analog network-coded mode wherein plural input signals provided to the network coding node are network-combined by signal interference at a signal level at the network coding node into one analog network-combined output entity;
• (2) a digital network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities provided to the network coding node are network-combined by operation at a bit level at the network coding node into one or plural digital network-combined output entities;
• and
• (3) a symbol-level network-coded mode wherein the plural input entities are already modulated and network-coding is performed on the already-modulated plural input entities to provide one or plural symbol-level network-combined output entities;
• and
• wherein the mode determination unit is configured to make the determination by selecting, for each candidate transmission mode, an appropriate expression for sum achievable rate to evaluate;
• and comparing a resulting evaluation for each selected expression with an evaluation of and expression of a competing candidate transmission mode, and wherein the selection depends on factors including whether and end-to-end (E2E) analysis or non-end-to-end (non-E2E) analysis is utilized;
• a network coding unit configured to implement the selected transmission mode in accordance with the determination with respect to the plural input entities;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit entities either one analog network-combined output entity in the analog network-coded mode, one or plural digital network-combined output entities in the digital network-coded mode;
• or one or plural symbol-level network-combined output entities in the symbol-level network-coded mode.