TECHNICAL FIELD

The teachings of this disclosure relates to limiting of transmission power loss in wireless communication systems. More particularly, the teachings relates to a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, a method, computer program and computer program product for limiting a future transmission power loss in a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, a data providing device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, a method, computer program and computer program product for allowing a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system to limit a future transmission power loss as well as to a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system.

BACKGROUND

In wireless communication systems, the need for transmitting data by a wireless node is typically high. This need is expected to increase with the evolvement of Internet-of-Things (loT) and 5G systems. Thereby also transmission power losses of the used radio circuits may be a concern, such as power losses caused by increased on-state resistances of power amplifiers in the radio circuits.

Such transmission power losses have traditionally been handled through reactively influencing the radio circuits that are equipped with power amplifiers, such as through cooling the radio circuits after the transmission power losses have occurred.

However, such a reactive control mechanism is typically not fast or efficient enough.

There is therefore a need for a proactively limiting the transmission power losses.

Pre-emptive cooling is known from US 7971102, which discloses preemptive thermal management of a computing system based on cache performance. Cooling is more particularly performed based on so-called cache-missed statistic. This is done because cache misses increase the overall thermal energy for the computer system. However, a radio circuit does typically not comprise a cache and therefore the cooling principles of this document cannot be used in a radio circuit.

SUMMARY

The solution of this disclosure is directed towards proactively limiting transmission power losses in a wireless communication arrangement that comprises a wireless communication device and a data providing device.

This object is according to a first aspect achieved through a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, where the wireless communication arrangement additionally comprises a data providing device. Furthermore, the wireless communication device also comprises a radio circuit block comprising at least one radio circuit for wireless communication and at least one transmission power influencing unit. The transmission power influencing unit comprises a processor acting on computer instructions implementing the transmission power influencing unit through which the transmission power influencing unit is configured to: receive, from the data providing device, a power loss limitation frame comprising information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, and pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to a second aspect achieved through a method of limiting a future transmission power loss in a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system. The wireless communication arrangement additionally comprises a data providing device and the wireless communication device comprises a radio circuit block comprising at least one radio circuit. The method is performed by a transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device and comprises: receiving from the data providing device, a power loss limitation frame comprising information to limit a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, and pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to a third aspect achieved through a computer program for limiting a future transmission power loss in a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system. The wireless communication arrangement additionally comprises a data providing device and the wireless communication device comprises a radio circuit block having at least one radio circuit, The computer program comprises computer program code which when run by a processor of a transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device, causes the transmission power influencing unit to: receive, from the data providing device a power loss limitation frame comprising information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, and pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to a fourth aspect achieved through a computer program product for limiting a future transmission power loss in a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, where the computer program product comprises a data carrier with said computer program code according to the third aspect.

The information for limiting a future transmission power loss may be made in respect of data to be transmitted by the radio circuit block

According to a first variation of the first aspect, the transmission power influencing unit is in this case configured to pre-emptively influence the at least one of the radio circuits before the data is transmitted.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, this case the pre-emptive influencing of the at least one of the radio circuits is in this case made before the data is transmitted.

According to a second variation of the first and second aspects, the information has been generated by the data providing device based on an estimation of power required in the radio circuit block for transmitting the data. This estimation may additionally comprise information indicating a change in power usage due to the transmission of the data and the information may additionally comprise an estimated change in the power usage due to the transmission. The transmission power loss may be related to a physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit and the first radio circuit may have an operating value of the physical quantity.

According to a third variation of the first and second aspects, the preemptive influencing of the radio circuits for limiting the future transmission power loss may in this case comprise controlling the first radio circuit to change the operating value of the physical quantity.

According to a fourth variation of the first aspect, the transmission power influencing unit is further operative to obtain a current operating value of the physical quantity from at least the first radio circuit. In this case the pre-emptively influencing of at least one of the radio circuits may comprise pre-emptively influencing the first radio circuit based on the information and the obtained current operating value.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the method further comprises comprising obtaining a current operating value of the physical quantity from at least the first radio circuit. In this case the preemptively influencing of at least one of the radio circuits comprises preemptively influencing the first radio circuit based on the information and the obtained current operating value.

According to a fifth variation of the first aspect, the transmission power influencing unit is further operative to provide a notification about the current operating value of the physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit to the data providing device in order to allow it to include information for limiting the future transmission power loss of the first radio circuit in the information.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the method further comprises providing a notification about the current operating value of the physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit to the data providing device in order to allow it to include information for limiting the future transmission power loss of the first radio circuit in the information.

The radio circuit block may comprise more than one radio circuit and the information for limiting a future transmission power loss may comprise separate sets of information for separate limiting the transmission power loss of the radio circuits.

According to a sixth variation of the first aspect, the at least one transmission power influencing unit is configured to individually control the at least two radio circuits based on the corresponding sets of information.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the preemptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits based on the information comprises individually controlling the radio circuits based on the corresponding set of information.

The wireless communication derive may additionally comprise at least one power adjusting unit for adjusting the power of the at least one radio circuit.

According to a seventh variation of the first aspect, the transmission power influencing unit, when pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits, is in this case operative to control the power adjusting unit to adjust of the at least one radio circuit before the data to be transmitted arrives at the at least one radio circuit.

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the preemptively influencing of at least one of the radio circuits then comprises controlling the power adjusting unit to adjust the power of the at least one radio circuit before the data to be transmitted arrives at said at least one radio circuit.

The at least one power adjusting unit may be at least one cooling unit for cooling the at least one radio circuit.

According to an eighth variation of the first aspect, and the transmission power influencing unit when pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits is operative to control the at least one cooling unit to precool the at least one radio circuit before the data is transmitted

According to a corresponding variation of the second aspect, the controlling of the power adjusting unit comprises controlling the cooling unit to pre-cool the at least one radio circuit before the data is transmitted.

The above mentioned object is according to a fifth aspect also achieved through a data providing device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, where the wireless communication arrangement additionally comprises a wireless communication device having a radio circuit block comprising at least one radio circuit. The data providing device comprises a processor acting on computer instructions through which the data providing device is operative to obtain data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block estimate the power required by the radio circuit block to transmit the data, and transmit, to a transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device, a power loss limitation frame comprising information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, where the information has been generated based on the estimated required power, thereby allowing the transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device to pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to a sixth aspect also achieved by a method of allowing a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system to limit a future transmission power loss, where the wireless communication device comprises a radio circuit block comprising at least one radio circuit. The method is performed by a data providing device of the wireless communication arrangement and comprises: obtaining data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block, estimating a required power for the radio circuit block to transmit the data, and transmitting, to a transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device, information for limiting the estimated future transmission power loss, where the information has been generated based on the estimated required power, thereby allowing the transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device to pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to a seventh aspect also achieved through a computer program for allowing a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement to limit a future transmission power loss, where the wireless communication device comprises a radio circuit block comprising at least one radio circuit. The computer program comprises computer program code which when run by a processor of a data providing device of the wireless communication arrangement causes the data providing device to obtain data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block, estimate a power required by the radio circuit block to transmit the data, and transmit, to a transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device, information for limiting the estimated future transmission power loss, where the information has been generated based on the estimated required power, thereby allowing the transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device to pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The object is according to an eighth aspect also achieved through a computer program product for allowing a wireless communication device of a wireless communication arrangement to limit a future transmission power loss, the computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code according to the seventh aspect.

A ninth aspect is additionally directed towards a wireless communication arrangement in or for a wireless communication system, where the wireless communication arrangement comprises a data providing device and a wireless communication device comprising a radio circuit block comprising one or more radio circuits for wireless communication and at least one transmission power influencing unit.

The data providing device is operative to obtain data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block, estimate a power required by the radio circuit block to transmit said data, and transmit, to the transmission power influencing unit, information for limiting the estimated future transmission power loss, where the information has been generated based on the estimated required power. The transmission power influencing unit is configured to receive the information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, and pre-emptively influence at least one of the radio circuits based on the information. The wireless communication arrangement may be a wireless communication node of the wireless communication system.

According to a first variation of the fifth and sixth aspect, the information comprises power limitation symbols and is made in respect of data to be transmitted by the radio circuit block in order for the transmission power influencing unit to pre-emptively influence the at least one of the radio circuits before the data is transmitted.

According to a second variation of the fifth aspect, the data providing device is further configured to obtain a notification of a current operating value of the physical quantity from the wireless communication device and the information is generated also based on the notification.

According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, the method further comprises obtaining a notification of a current operating value of the physical quantity from the wireless communication device and the information has been generated also based on the notification.

There may be more than one radio circuit and the notification may comprise a notification of the current operating values of the more than one radio circuit. The estimating of a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block may in this case comprise estimating a future transmission power loss of the more than one radio circuits and the information for limiting the transmission power loss may comprise separate sets of information for the radio circuits,

According to a third variation of the fifth aspect, the data providing device is in this case further configured to determine a division of the data between the radio circuits based on the current operating values of the radio circuits. According to a corresponding variation of the sixth aspect, where the method in this case further comprises determining a division of the data between the radio circuits based on the current operating values of the radio circuits.

In variations of all the previously mentioned aspects, the power loss limitation frame is part of resource block to be transmitted by the radio circuit block. The frame may more particularly be provided as a dedicated group of resource elements, i.e. as a pre-defined combination of time intervals and subcarriers of the resource block The power loss limitation frame may additionally be provided on a communication link between the data providing device and the wireless communication device used for data to be transmitted by the wireless communication device.

Information regarding a particular portion of the data may more particularly be embedded in data that precedes this portion. For a symbol of the data to be transmitted in a certain transmission time interval, a power loss limitation frame may be included in this transmission time interval and may additionally comprises information about the power usage of the radio circuit at pre-selected transmission time intervals after the transmission time interval of the symbol.

The information for limiting a future transmission power loss may comprise at least one power value of the at least one radio circuit.

The power loss limitation frame may be a cooling frame. The at least one power value in the information for limiting the transmission power loss may in this case comprise cooling symbols.

The at least one radio circuit may comprise a power amplifier and the physical property of the radio circuit may be the turn-on resistance of the power amplifier. The estimation comprising information indicating a change in power usage due to the transmission of the data and the information may comprise an estimated change in the power usage due to the transmission.

It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/ comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The solution of this disclosure will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which: fig. i schematically shows an access network of a wireless communication system comprising base stations in cells as well as a number of pieces of user equipment that communicate with the base stations, fig. 2 shows a block schematic of a base station comprising a wireless communication device and a first realization of a data providing device, fig. 3 shows a block schematic of a second realization of the data providing device, fig. 4 shows a block schematic of a first variation of a radio circuit block in the wireless communication device, where the radio circuit block comprises a first realization of a transmission power influencing unit, fig. 5 shows a block schematic of a second realization of the transmission power influencing unit, fig. 6 schematically shows a resource block for the wireless communication device comprising a power loss limitation frame including information for limiting a future transmission power loss, fig. 7 shows a number of steps in a first embodiment of a method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss being performed by the data providing device, fig. 8 shows a number of steps in a first embodiment of a method of limiting a future power loss being performed by the wireless communication device, fig. 9 shows a number of steps in a variation of the first embodiment of the method of limiting a future power loss, fig. io schematically shows a radio circuit module comprising a pipe with cooling liquid, fig. n schematically shows a radio circuit module connected to a heat sink, fig. 12 shows method steps in a second embodiment of the method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss being performed by the data providing device, fig. 13 schematically shows method steps in a second embodiment of the method of limiting a future power loss and being performed by the wireless communication device, fig. 14 shows a block schematic of a second variation of the radio circuit block of the wireless communication device, fig. 15 shows a flow chart of a number of method steps in a third embodiment of the method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss being performed by the data providing device, fig. 16 shows a flow chart of a number of method steps in a third embodiment of the method of limiting a future power loss being performed by the wireless communication device, fig. 17 shows a computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code for implementing functionality of the data providing device, and fig. 18 shows a computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code for implementing functionality of the wireless communication device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth such as particular architectures, interfaces, techniques, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the solution of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the solution of this disclosure may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the solution of this disclosure with unnecessary detail.

Aspects of the present solution of this disclosure are concerned with the pre-emptive limiting of transmission power loss in a radio circuit block of a wireless communication device in a wireless communication system. The wireless communication device may more particularly be part of a wireless communication arrangement of the wireless communication system. The wireless communication arrangement may more particularly be a base station of the wireless communication system.

The wireless communication system may as an example be a mobile communication system like a fifth Generation (5G) mobile communication system or a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) mobile communication system.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a wireless communication system which may be a system according to any of the above described types. The system may furthermore comprise an access network AN 10. The access network 10 comprises a first radio base station BSi 12 providing coverage of a first cell Ci 14, a second radio base station BS2 18 providing coverage of a second cell C2 20, a third radio base station BS3 24 providing coverage of a third cell C3 26 and a fourth radio base station BS4 30 providing coverage of a fourth cell C4 32. It should here be realized that a base station may provide more than one cell. A base station is in these circumstances also often referred to as gNodeB or eNodeB.

In fig. 1 there is also shown a number of pieces of user equipment (UE), i.e. wireless devices that are capable of moving around. In this example there is a first user equipment UEi 16 in the first cell 14, a second user equipment UE2 22 in the second cell 20, a third user equipment UE3 28 in the third cell 26 and a fourth user equipment UE4 34 in the fourth cell 32. Each such UE communicates with the base station of the corresponding cell. It should also be realized that there may be more than one UE in a cell.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a block schematic of the first base station 12. The first base station comprises a data providing device DPD 36 and a wireless communication device WCD 42, where the data providing device 36 comprises a baseband modulator BB 38, a scheduler SCH 40 and a power loss estimator PLE 39, while the wireless communication device 42 comprises a radio circuit block RCB 44 and an antenna port 46 for connection to one or more antennas. The baseband modulator 38 has a communication link to the radio circuit block 44 over which data that is to be transmitted is conveyed. This link may be provided via a so-called Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI).

The base band modulator 38, the scheduler 40 and the power loss estimator 39 of the data providing device 36 may according to a first realization be provided as software blocks, for instance as software blocks in a program memory, but also as processing circuitry or hardware blocks for instance as one or more dedicated special purpose circuits, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Field- Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Fig. 3 shows a block schematic of a second realization of the data providing device 36. It may in this case be provided in the form of a processor PR 48 connected to a program memory M 50. The program memory 50 may comprise a number of computer instructions 51 implementing the functionality of the data providing device 36 and the processor 48 implements this functionality when acting on these instructions. It can thus be seen that the combination of processor 48 and memory 50 provides processing circuitry implementing the data providing device 36.

Fig. 4 shows a block schematic of a first variation of the radio circuit block 44 of the wireless communication device 42. The radio circuit block 44 comprises one or more radio circuits for wireless communication and in this case, there is only one first radio circuit. For simplicity, the radio circuit is represented by a first power amplifier PA 60, a modulator MOD 56 and a bias B 58, where the power amplifier is connected to one or more antennas, and in this case, there is only one antenna A 52. There is also a transmission power influencing unit 54 that receives data to be transmitted in a resource block RB from the base band modulator 38. The transmission power influencing unit 54 submits the resource block RB is to the modulator 56 and it is then transmitted on the antenna 52 via the power amplifier 60. The transmission power influencing unit 54 is also connected to the bias 58 for biasing of the power amplifier 60. In this variation there is also power adjusting unit PAU 62 attached to the radio circuit and as an example to the power amplifier 60. The power adjusting unit 62 may be a cooling unit used to cool the power amplifier 60 for limiting the transmission power loss of the power amplifier 60.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 may be provided as software blocks for instance as software blocks in a program memory, but also through processing circuitry or hardware blocks, such through one or more dedicated special purpose circuits, such as ASICs and FPGAs. Fig. 5 shows a second way of realizing the transmission power influencing unit 54. It may be provided in the form of a processor PR 64 connected to a program memory M 66. The program memory 66 may comprise a number of computer instructions 67 implementing the functionality of the transmission power influencing unit 54 and the processor 64 implements this functionality when acting on these instructions 67. It can thus be seen that the combination of processor 64 and memory 67 forms processing circuitry providing the transmission power influencing unit 54.

The general operation of the base station is the following.

Input bits from the upper Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) layers in the core network are passed through baseband blocks of the baseband modulator 38 for providing a baseband signal, which blocks typically comprise channel encoder, interleaver and rate matching, modulator, layer mapper, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulator etc.

Once the baseband signal is generated, it needs to be passed through a radio frequency (RF) chain provided by the radio circuit block 44 before it is sent to the antenna ports 46. The RF chain typically comprises of Digital to Analog converter (DAC), I/Q imbalance, oscillators, and power amplifier 60 (PA), where the DAC, I/Q imbalance and oscillators are part of the modulator 56. Note that the baseband signal generation depends on scheduler decisions from the upper layers e.g. layer 2 such as Media Access Control (MAC) layer.

The scheduler 40 provides the baseband modulator 38 with scheduling information which is added to the data that is to be transmitted by the base station 12. The data and scheduling information is then transferred from the baseband modulator 38 to the radio circuit block 44. The radio circuit block 44 then transmits the data and scheduling information in one or more resource blocks RB to the corresponding user equipment via one or more antennas 52 connected to the radio circuit block 44 via the antenna port 46.

Scheduler decisions are also influenced by the contents of a feedback channel FC from a receiver of the wireless communication device 42. For example, the receiver can inform what kind of modulation and code rate is suitable at any given instance. For example, when the receiver is having good signal to ratio, it might prefer higher order modulation say 256- Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) or 64-QAM, and when the receiver is having low signal to noise ratio, it might prefer low order modulation such as Quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) or 16-QAM.

The base station 12 also typically transmits a pilot signal to the UE 16. From the pilot or reference signal, the UE 16 computes a channel estimation and then computes parameters that are needed for Channel Status Information (CSI) reporting.

The CSI report may as an example comprise a channel quality indicator (CQI), precoding matrix index (PMI), rank information (RI) etc. The CSI report is sent to the gNodeB via the feedback channel FC either on a periodic basis or on demand-based CSI i.e. aperiodic CSI reporting.

The gNodeB scheduler 40 uses this information in choosing the parameters for scheduling of this particular UE 16. The gNodeB sends the scheduling parameters to the UE 16 in a downlink control channel called Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). After that actual data transfer takes place from gNodeB to the UE via a data traffic channel such as Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).

As is shown in fig. 4, the baseband modulator 38 sends data to the radio circuit block 44 in a resource block RB, which resource block comprises a power loss limitation frame PLLF. The power loss limitation frame comprises information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block 44, which information. The transmission power influencing unit 54 extracts this information from the power loss limitation frame PLLF of the resource block RB and generates a transmission power influencing control signal TPICS for the power adjusting unit 62 based on this information. The purpose of this will be described in more detail later.

In wireless communication systems, the need for transmitting data by a wireless node is typically high. This need is expected to increase with the evolvement of Internet-of-Things (loT) and 5G systems.

To meet the huge demand for data centric applications, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has specified for 5G, (also called New Radio (NR) access) the following requirements for 5G systems:

• Data rates of several tens of megabits per second should be supported for tens of thousands of users

• 1 gigabit per second to be offered simultaneously to tens of workers on the same office floor

• Several hundreds of thousands of simultaneous connections to be supported for massive sensor deployments

• Spectral efficiency should be significantly enhanced compared to 4G

• Coverage should be improved

• Signalling efficiency should be enhanced

• Latency should be reduced significantly compared to Long Term Evolution (LTE)

NR specification is made to support 3 services, that is:

1. Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): This is mainly for high broadband applications where the data rate is the main criteria. 2. Ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC): This is mainly for ultra-reliable communications where the packet error rate of io (-6) is required with less delay.

3. massive machine-type-communications (mMTC): This is mainly for connecting machine type of communications, where the number of devices is main criteria.

All in all this means that a 5G network is designed to transmit a large amount of data to the UEs.

However, the transmission of such large amounts of data may lead to power losses in the used radio circuits. The transmission power losses of the used radio circuits may thus be a concern.

Such transmission power losses have traditionally been mitigated through reactively influencing the radio circuits that are equipped with power amplifiers, such as through cooling the power amplifiers after the transmission power losses have occurred.

The traditional way to mitigate power loses is thus reactive in nature. One current cooling technology that is used in the radio circuits, is through employing a fan, the speed of which can be controlled.

In this conventional cooling technique, the fan is typically activated and deactivated many times to cool the power amplifier. However, thus type of reactive control mechanism is typically not fast enough. It may actually increase the power consumption of the power amplifier. When the power amplifier transmits at high power levels, the fan cooling cannot react in a fast way in the same manner as data traffic increases and decreases on the power amplifier, with higher power loss. An increase in data traffic increases the power loss of and inside the power amplifier, with increased temperature as a result. Another factor affecting the high-power loss of a power amplifier is the positive temperature coefficient of the on-state resistance of the used transistor. Also, the on-state resistance increases the power loss with increased temperature inside the radio circuit, for the same amount of traffic power.

As an alternative or a complement to using a fan, also convection cooling techniques are sometimes used, for instance using a convection cooled aluminium fin plate, to remove the heat from the radio circuit. However, these do not consider the temperature performance characteristic of the power amplifier either and increases the power losses.

With so much of power loss, the output power is reduced thereby reducing the coverage of the wireless communication system in addition to the reduced capacity of the cell.

Aspects of the present solution of this disclosure are directed towards improving on this situation.

This is done through proactively limiting the transmission power losses of the radio circuits.

It is for instance possible to estimate the power usage for the transmission of the data.

It is then possible to provide information for limiting a further transmission power loss based on the estimation and to use this information for pre-emptively influencing the radio circuits.

One factor affecting the high-power loss of a power amplifier is the positive temperature coefficient of the on-state resistance, that increases also the power loss with increased temperature inside the radio circuit, for the same amount of traffic power.

The power loss may be pre-emptively limited through influencing the radio circuit, which may be an influence to lower the on-state resistance of the power amplifier in the radio circuit. This lowering may additionally be carried out through cooling of the radio circuit.

How the limiting of power losses may be carried out according to a first embodiment will now be described with reference also being made to fig. 6, 7 and 8, where fig. 6 schematically shows a resource block comprising a power loss limitation frame including information for limiting a future transmission power loss, fig. 7 shows a number of steps in a method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss and being performed by the data providing device 36, while fig. 8 shows a number of steps in a method of limiting a future power loss being performed by the wireless communication device 42.

The data providing device 36 and more particularly the baseband modulator 38 of the data providing device 36 obtains data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block 44, step 68. This maybe data received by the first base station 12 from the core network for transmission to user equipment in the first cell 14, such as to the first UE 16. Based on this data, the power loss estimator 39 estimates power usage of the radio circuit block, step 70. The power usage estimation may additionally comprise information indicating a change in power usage due to the transmission of the data. The change in power may be a power increase, i.e. how much additional power that will be required by the radio circuits of the radio circuit block to transmit the data. The estimating may furthermore comprise an estimating of a transmission power loss caused by the power change, where the transmission power loss is the transmission power loss of the radio circuit block when transmitting the data. The transmission power loss may as an example be represented by an increase in the on-state resistance of the power amplifier 60 of the radio circuit that the power increase would result in.

The transmission power loss caused by the power increase may thereby be related to a physical quantity of the radio circuit, which in this case is the on-state resistance of the first power amplifier 60.

The power loss estimator 39 then generates information for limiting the future transmission power loss. This information may comprise power values of the estimated power usage of the radio circuit. The information may additionally or instead comprise an estimated change in the power usage. Such a change may be present as value changes of the estimated power usage power values. Alternatively, the information may comprise power values of the transmission power loss, where also a change in power loss may be present in these values. The transmission power loss may be represented by resistance values of the radio circuit power amplifier, where also a change in resistance may be present in the resistance values. The resistance values may be values of an on-state resistance of the radio circuit power amplifier. It is possible that the information only comprises one or a few on-state resistances values where each such on-state resistance value may be an estimated increase in the on-state resistance caused by a power increase in power values of the power usage estimation, an desired decrease in on-state resistance for countering the transmission power loss, an estimated on-state resistance caused by the power increase and/or a desired on-state resistance after the data transmission. The information may alternatively comprise a desired power headroom value for the radio circuit. The information may then be provided as one or more power limitation symbols. Fig. 6 schematically shows twelve such power limitation symbols 1011, 1010, 1001, 1000, 0111, 0110, 0101, 0100, 0011, 0010, 0001 and 0000 that make up such information for limiting the future transmission power loss. The information for limiting the future transmission power loss is then submitted from the power loss estimator 39 to the scheduler 40. The scheduler 40 may then insert the information 1011, 1010, 1001, 1000, 0111, 0110, 0101, 0100, 0011, 0010, 0001 and 0000 in a power loss limitation frame PLLF of the communication structure used for the transmission of data and thereafter the baseband modulator 38 transmits the information 1011, 1010, 1001, 1000, 0111, 0110, 0101, 0100, 0011, 0010, 0001 and 0000 to the transmission power influencing unit 54 of the wireless communication device 42 in the power loss limitation frame PLLF, and more particularly transmits the power loss limitation frame PLLF to the transmission power influencing unit 54 of the radio circuit block 44 in the wireless communication device 42, step 74. The transmission is here made via the communication link between the data providing device 36 and the wireless communication device42 that is dedicated to the data that is to be transmitted by the radio circuit, which may be via. the CPRI.

As can be seen in fig. 6, the power loss limitation frame PLLF with the information for limiting future transmission power loss in the form of power limitation symbols 1011, 1010, 1001, 1000, 0111, 0110, 0101, 0100, 0011, 0010, 0001 and 0000 is provided in resource elements of a resource block RB. The frame PLLF may more particularly be provided as a dedicated group of resource elements, i.e. as a pre-defined combination of time intervals and subcarriers of the resource block RB. It may as an example be provided through the resource elements in the same time interval or time slot of all subcarriers. The first two OFDM symbols at a first and a second time interval Til and TI2 of all subcarriers maybe used for a control channel. The sixth time interval TI6, i.e. the fourth OFDM symbol of all subcarriers SCi, SC2, SC3, SC4, SC5, SC6, Sc , SC8, SC9, SC10, SC121 and SC12 after the control channel symbols, are in this example used as the power loss limitation frame PLLF. It should however be realized that it is possible to use another time interval and subcarrier combination.

As is known, a transmission time interval (TTI) or slot comprises a number of resource blocks, such as 50 resource blocks, where one TTI may be used for one data symbol. It is possible that the power loss limitation frame PLLF is only used in some of the TTIs. It is also possible that a TTI having a power loss limitation frame in fact comprises a power loss limitation frame in all of its resource blocks. However, it is also possible that power loss imitation frames are only present in some or only one of these resource blocks of the TTI.

For instance, it is possible that power loss limitation frames are inserted in a TTI n with an nth symbol, where the power loss limitation frames comprise information about the power usage of the radio circuit at various predefined time instances after the time of the transmission of the nth symbol. This power usage information may thus comprise information or power limitation symbols with power values of TTIs at pre-defined positions after TTI n. The information may as an example comprise information about power usage of TTI n+1, TTI n+10 and TTI n+50. It can thereby be seen that for a symbol of said data to be transmitted in a certain TTI, the power loss limitation frame is included in this TTI and comprises information about the power usage of the radio circuit at pre-selected TTIs after the TTI of the symbol.

The power loss limitation frame PLLF that comprises the information may thereby be embedded in the data that is to be transmitted. Information regarding a particular portion of the data may more particularly be embedded in data that precedes this portion. The data may as an example be transmitted in a data traffic channel, such as Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) and the information may be placed in one or more resource blocks RB of one or more selected TTIs of this channel. The power loss limitation frame PLLF with the information may thus be a part of a resource block RB to be transmitted by the radio circuit block 44 to the first UE 16 in the first cell 14 and may more particularly be transmitted on a communication link between the data providing device 36 and the wireless communication device 42 that is used for the data the wireless communication device 42 is to transmit, where the communication link may be provided via the CPRI interface.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 then receives the power loss limitation frame PLLF with the information from the data providing device 36, step 76, which frame maybe thus be a part of the structure according the communication protocol used for transmitting the data to the first UE 16.

The information in the frame PLLF may then be extracted by the transmission power influencing unit 54. Thereafter it may use the instruction for pre-emptively limiting the future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block 44. It may thereby pre-emptively influence the radio circuit block 44 based on the information, step 78.

If the information comprises a power value, such as a power headroom value, the influencing may involve using this value as a new setting of the radio circuit, such as a new power headroom setting. As an alternative the power value of the information may be used as an offset with which a current setting of the radio circuit is changed. The value may additionally be used as a control value in a control loop used to control the radio circuit.

All of this influencing is furthermore performed before the data on which the power usage estimation was based is transmitted. As can be seen above, in some instances the transmission power influencing unit 54 may directly influence the radio circuit. The radio circuit may have an operating value of a physical quantity and the preemptively influencing of the radio circuits for limiting the future transmission power loss may comprise controlling the radio circuit to change the operating value of the physical quantity. A power value, such as a power head room, may as an example be directly used in the radio circuit to lower the power loss. In some other instances, such as the one shown in fig. 4, the transmission power influencing unit 54 may use a power adjusting unit 62 to influence the radio circuit. In this case it may send a transmission power influencing control signal TPICS to the power adjusting unit 62 for making the power adjusting unit control the radio circuit to lower the power loss, for instance through making the previously mentioned power headroom setting. In some variations the power adjusting unit 62 is a cooling unit used to cool the power amplifier 60. In this case the power loss limitation frame that comprises the instruction is a cooling frame and the instruction comprises a number of cooling symbols with a cooling control value. This cooling control value may be translated by the transmission power influencing unit into a cooling control signal used to control the cooling unit to cool the radio circuit, for instance in order to reduce the on-state resistance of the power amplifier in the radio circuit.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 may also forward the data to the radio circuit, which then transmits the data via the antenna 52.

The information for limiting a future transmission power loss is thus sent by the data providing device 36 in respect of data to be transmitted by the radio circuit block 44 and the transmission power influencing unit 54 preemptively influences the radio circuit block 44 using the information before the data is transmitted. It can in this way be seen that the power loss can be proactively avoided or limited, which improves the operation of the wireless communication device 42.

It is possible that the wireless communication device 42 lacks power estimating capability, in which case this functionality would have to be placed in the data providing device 36. It is furthermore possible that there could be several different wireless communication device suppliers, which may also necessitate the power estimating being performed in the data providing device 36 and with information for limiting transmission power loss being transmitted the wireless communication device 42.

In a variation of the first embodiment, the transmission power influencing unit 54 also considers a current status of the radio circuit when limiting the power loss. How this can be carried out is shown in a flow chart in fig. 9-

In this variation the transmission power influencing unit 54 receives the information for limiting further transmission power loss in the power loss limitation frame PLLF from the data providing device 36, step 80, which may be done in the same way as in the first variation. However, in this case the transmission power influencing unit 54 also obtains, from the radio circuit with the power amplifier 60, a current operating value COV of a physical quantity of the radio circuit that is to be influenced, step 82. If the physical quantity is power, it may obtain a power value of the power amplifier, such as current power headroom. However, if the physical quantity to be influenced is a resistance, such as an on-state resistance, the value may be the current on-state resistance of the radio circuit power amplifier 60. This resistance maybe directly obtained from the power amplifier. As an alternative it may be obtained through measuring the temperature of the amplifier 60 and then calculating the on-state resistance based on the measured temperature. If the power value of the information corresponds to an increase of the on-state resistance, the control may be the control to lower the current on-state resistance by an amount corresponding to the power value of the instruction.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 then pre-emptively influences the radio circuits based on the information and the obtained current operating value, step 84, which may be a lowering of the of the current on- sate resistance with an offset obtained via the power limitation values included in the information.

Various embodiments will now be described, where the physical quantity being influenced is the on-state resistance of the power amplifier and this influence is achieved through cooling of the radio circuit power amplifier. Thereby a power adjusting unit 62 is used in the radio circuit block and this power adjusting unit is a cooling unit. The power loss limitation frame is also a cooling frame and the power loss limitation symbols are cooling symbols.

Fig. 10 shows one way in which a power amplifier may be cooled. The radio circuit or the power amplifier may be provided through a semiconductor die 90 on a substrate 86 enclosed by a lid 88, where a pipe 92A with cooling fluid, such as cooling liquid, is placed between the lid 88 and the die 90 for cooling the die go.The die may additionally be a Ball Grid Array (BGA) die.

In this way there is provided a fully integrated cooling solution, in which the fluid cooling is brought closer and closer to the BGA die, with the potential of lowering the response time of the control. One example solution is to direct a dielectric liquid directly over (i.e. in direct contact with) a die, e.g. by means of an Electro Hydro Dynamic pump. Fig. 11 shows another way in which a power amplifier may be cooled. In this case the radio circuit or power amplifier is likewise realized as a semiconductor die 90 on a substrate 86 and enclosed by a lid 88. However, in this case the die 94 is in thermal contact with the lid 88 via a first optional thermal interface medium 94 and the lid 88 is in thermal contact with a heat sink 92B via a second optional thermal interface medium 96. Cooling of the heat sink may in this case be controlled through the use of a fan (not shown).

The power amplifier does in many cases comprise a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) having an on-state resistance that is a drain-source on-state resistance (RDSON).

A second embodiment will now be described with reference being made to fig. 12, which shows method steps in the method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss being performed by the data providing device and to fig.13, which shows method steps in the method of limiting a future power loss being performed by the wireless communication device.

As was mentioned earlier, cooling is performed and therefore the power loss limitation frame is a cooling frame in which the power limitation symbols are cooling symbols used for controlling cooling. There is also a power adjusting unit 62 in the radio circuit block 44 that is a cooling unit being controlled by the transmission power influencing unit 54 to cool the power amplifier 60. The power amplifier is furthermore based on a MOSFET and therefore the on-state resistance is the resistance RDSON. It should however be realized that other transistors could be contemplated, such as Junction Field-Effect Transistors (JFET).

As earlier, the baseband modulator 38 of the data providing device 36 obtains data intended to be transmitted, step 98, which maybe a number of symbols Yi, Y2, Y3, Yn, Y(n+1), ...Y(n+io), Y(n+5o) to be transmitted, where each symbol may be intended to be transmitted in a corresponding TTI. The power loss estimator 39 estimates the power required for transmitting the data, i.e. the power required for transmitting the symbols. The estimation of the power may again be an estimation of the power usage comprising information of the change in power required for transmitting the data by the radio circuit block, step 100, where the change in power may be an increase in power reflected by the change in time of the power values.

Pre-determined selected power values of the power required for transmitting the data symbols are then selected for being included in the information for limiting a future transmission power loss, where the power values may be selected in the following way.

For the symbols that follow an nth symbol Yn in an nth TTI, the power required by the radio circuit to transmit symbol Y(n+1) in TTI n+1, the power required by the radio circuit to transmit symbol Y(n+io) in TTI n+10 and the power required by the radio circuit to transmit the symbol Y(n+5o) in TTI n+50 are estimated and selected for inclusion in the information. Thereby power values are provided for each of TTI n+1, TTI n+10 and TTI n+ 50. Through these power values also information of the change in power usage is obtained, i.e. a change in required power for transmitting the data, which change in power is the change in power from TTI n to TTI n+ 50 via TTI n+1 and TTI n+10. It should here be realized that TTI n+1, TTIn+10 and TTI n+50 are mere examples of TTIs that could be selected. It is of course possible to select other TTIs after TTI n instead.

The power values of TTI n+1, TTI n+10 and TTI n+50 are then forwarded to the scheduler 40 for inclusion as cooling symbols in the information to limit future transmission power loss. The scheduler 40 then places the information in the form of the power values forming cooling symbols in a cooling frame of TTI n and the data is then transmitted, by the baseband modulator 38, to the transmitting power influencing unit 54 in the wireless communication device via the CPRI interface, to control the power amplifier climate. Thereby the cooling frame comprising cooling symbols with information about estimated change in power usage is transmitted from the baseband modulator 38 to the transmitting power influencing unit 54, step 104.

Put differently, the Baseband modulator 38 knows in advance and have information on several TTI, from the packages structures that had arrived into the scheduler 40. The power loss estimator 39 can therefore calculate the power of TTI n+1, TTI n+10, TTI n+50, and generate an extra control signal from which information about the change in power may be obtained for use in cooling the power amplifier 60 incorporated in the subframes and are sent out.

Where such n+i, n+10 and n+50 power symbols are created by the power loss estimator 39 and are included in future TTI control, they are generated/included in the forward packages, before the “time” is set, and may only be “visible” for the radio circuit block itself, to control the power amplifier cooling.

The cooling frame with the information that comprises the cooling symbols with information of the estimated change in power usage is then received by the transmission power influencing unit 54, step 106, which may involve extracting the instruction from the one or more resource blocks RB of TTI n.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 may additionally obtain a current on-state resistance RDSON from the power amplifier 60 of the radio circuit, step 108, which may be done through obtaining a measurement of the resistance RDSON or based on a measurement of the temperature of the amplifier 60. The transmission power influencing unit 54 may then determine a desired on-state resistance RDSON based on the instruction with the power values of TTI n+1, TTI n+io and TTI n+50 and the obtained current on-state resistance of the power amplifier 60, step no. It may more particularly determine a new and lower on-state resistance based on the information of the change in power usage represented by the power values and the current on-state resistance value. The change in power usage may be considered to cause a change in temperature, which in turn may cause a change in on-state resistance. This on-resistance change may for instance be used as an offset or an amount of resistance by which the current on-state resistance is to be decreased.

The transmission power influencing unit 54 then pre-cools the power amplifier 60 of the radio circuit for reaching the desired on-state resistance, step 112, which may be done through controlling the cooling unit 62 to cool the power amplifier 60 to a desired temperature corresponding to the desired on-state resistance, which cooling is thus done before the data is being transmitted by the radio circuit.

The operation could essentially be the following

Step 1: Initial start condition

Step 2: Cooling is getting in advance information about power increase (and power amplifier temperature will be e:g 100C)

Step 3. Cooling starts to lower the temperature (e.g. to 40C leading to a resistance improvement of 40%).

Step 4: After a time the data (that data/power was predicted arrived on the MOSFET) which gives a temperature increase (e.g. to 60C and an increase in RdsON).

Step 4: Gives an of o,9mohm and temperature of +60C.

As compared to an unpredicted state, there may be a RdsON difference from 0,9 mil at +60C, to i.2m(l, at 110C. The need to measure the RdsON values, is because the MOSFET has a positive temperature characteristic, that increases with high temperature, and is directly related to the power consumption. By doing so, the advantage is that the cooling does not have any time delay in cooling down the power amplifier, and cools it in advance to prohibit the power losses in the power amplifier in advance when the increased data package arrives to the power amplifier and are been transmitted.

The proactive control cooling of the power amplifier, in advance prohibits and changes the RdsON gradient, to be changed, and thereby the cooling gradient that is needed in high power operations, to reduces the total power loss. The cooling and power needed on the power amplifier, need less energy basically because the cooling closes made to the power amplifier, and also the cooling inertia to the heating/ cooling is made faster, compared to the reactive cooling.

In the example given above there was only one radio circuit comprising one power amplifier 60 on the radio circuit block 44. It should be realised that there may be more than one radio circuit in the radio circuit block 44. In this case it is possible that cooling is made differently for different radio circuits. For this reason, the information for limiting a future transmission power loss may comprise separate sets of information for limiting the transmission power loss of the radio circuits This may be necessary because the radio circuits may get differently heated. There may be different hotspots in the radio circuit block.

Fig. 14 schematically shows such a radio circuit block 44 with more than one radio circuit, where there is a first power amplifier PAA 60A, a second power amplifier PAB 60B, a third power amplifier PAC 60C and a fourth power amplifier PAD 60B. Each power amplifier is also provided with a corresponding power adjusting unit 62, which in this case is a cooling unit. There is thus a first cooling unit CUA 62A cooling the first power amplifier 60A, a second cooling unit CUB 62B cooling the second power amplifier 60B, a third cooling unit CUC 62C cooling the third power amplifier 60C and a fourth cooling unit CUD 62D cooling the fourth power amplifier 60D. As in the previous embodiments, there is also a transmission power influencing unit 54 which obtains current operating values of the power amplifiers, where in this case the current operating values are again MOSFET on-state resistances RDSON. These may again be directly obtained or based on measured temperatures of the amplifiers. The transmission power influencing unit 54 thus obtains a first on-state resistance RDSONA from the first power amplifier 60A, a second on-state resistance RDSONB from the second power amplifier 60B, a third on-state resistance RDSONC from the third power amplifier 60C and a fourth on- state resistance RDSOND from the fourth power amplifier 60D. As cooling is performed using cooling units, there are transmission power influencing control signals in the form of cooling control signals. Therefore the transmission power influencing unit 54 sends a first cooling control signal CCSA to the first cooling unit 62A, a second cooling control signal CCSB to the second cooling unit 62B, a third cooling control signal CCSC to the third cooling unit 62C and a fourth cooling control signal CCSD to the fourth cooling unit 62D.

The operation of this embodiment will now be described in further detail with reference also being made to fig. 15 and 16, where fig. 15 shows a flow chart of method steps in the method of allowing a wireless communication device to limit a future transmission power loss being performed by the data providing device and fig. 16 shows a flow chart of method steps in the method of limiting a future power loss being performed by the wireless communication device.

Again, the bandpass modulator 38 obtains data that is to be transmitted via the wireless communication device 42 to the user equipment 16, step 114. The power loss estimator 39 also obtains a notification N of the current on-state resistances RDSONA, RDSONB, RDSONC and RDSOND of the first, second, third and fourth power amplifiers 60A, 60B, 60C and 60D, step 116.

It may more particularly obtain the resistances in the following way. The transmission power influencing unit 54 of the wireless communicating device 42 may obtain the current resistances RDSONA, RDSONB, RDSONC and RDSOND of the power amplifiers 60A, 60B, 60C and 60D, step 126. It may do so through obtaining measurements of the on-state resistances or through obtaining temperature measurements and determining the current resistance of each power amplifier based on the corresponding temperature measurement. The transmission power influencing unit 54 may then send a notification N of the current resistances to the data providing device 36, step 128. It may do so through sending the notification N via the feedback channel FB to the scheduler 40 used for data from the UE. The scheduler 40 then forwards the notification N to the power loss estimator 39.

It is possible that the scheduler 40 determines a division of the symbols Y to be transmitted between the power amplifiers based on the on-state resistance differences. It may also consider the thermal performances of the different power amplifiers in the radio circuit block. It thus determines a division of data between the power amplifiers 60A, 60B, 60C and 60D based on the current resistances of the notification N, step 118. It may in this case weigh the power distributions so that a power amplifier having a low on-state resistance receives a higher share than a power amplifier having a higher on-state resistance.

The power loss estimator 39 then estimates the power usage of each power amplifier of the radio circuit block, where each such power usage estimation comprises information of a change of power usage over time, step 120. This estimation may thus be performed separately for the share of the data that is to be transmitted by each of the power amplifiers. This means that for each amplifier, the power required for transmission of the data assigned to the amplifier in question is estimated, where the estimation comprises information of the change of power usage over time, such as an increase in the power usage. This may again be done through including the estimated power of TTI n+1, TTI n+io and TTI n+50 in TTI n.

The data providing device 36 then provides information for limiting future transmission power loss in the form of cooling symbols that are made up of the power values that include information of the change of power usage in the radio circuit block, step 122. This means that the data providing device 36 provides the power values of each power amplifier 60A, 60B, 60C and 60D, which power values comprise the estimated power usage of each power amplifier in TTI n+1, TTI n+10 and TTI n+50 in the information in order to be placed in resource blocks of TTI n. There is thus a separate sets of power values for each of the power amplifiers.

The baseband modulator 38 then transmits a cooling frame CF with the above-mentioned power values associated with each power amplifier in the information for limiting power loss, step 124.

The cooling frame CF with the cooling symbols formed as power values is then received by the transmission power influencing unit 54 in the wireless communication device 42, step 130. The transmission power influencing unit 54 then determines desired on-state resistances RDSONA, RDSONB, RDSONC, RDSOND based on the power values of the cooling frame and the current on-state resistances RDSONA, RDSONB, RDSONC, RDSOND, step 132. The power values associated with a specific power amplifier may thus be used to determine an offset to adjust the corresponding current on-state resistance. Thereafter the transmission power influencing unit 54 controls each cooling unit 62A, 62B.62C and 62C using the cooling control signals CCSA, CCSB, CCSC and CCSD to pre-cool its corresponding power amplifier 60A, 60B, 60C and 60D for reaching the adjusted corresponding desired on-state resistance, step 134. It thus individually controls the radio circuits based on the corresponding sets of information.

Thereby a hotspot cooling can be provided where different parts of the radio circuit block are cooled differently. This is advantageous because the transmission power losses may vary in the different parts of the radio circuit block and these transmission power loss variations may thus be handled interpedently from each other.

The scheduler 40 may make sure that a current packet associated with TTI can tolerate the delay incurred in the radio circuit. One way to achieve this is to reduce the Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS) such that the existing packet will pass in minimum number of transmissions. That is the existing Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) mechanism works with 90 % pass rate in the first transmission. However, in out proposed method, the scheduler chooses the MCS such that the packet will pass with 99.9999% as an example there by reducing the number of retransmissions.

There are multiple ways to get the information about 99.9999 % MCS. For example, in NR the Radio Resource Control (RRC) can ask the UE to use different threshold and use different CQI table for reporting the CQI.

In another variation the wireless communication system can itself adjust the MCS based on the reported CQI with 10 % Block Error Rate (BLER).

HARQ-mechanism time delays are compatible with the cooling frame activation within the retransmission time of 6-8 TTI for one retransmission Every radio circuit has different design needs and considerations, but the cooling principles are the same. The implementation of FAN cooling using FINS, separate cooling FINS or use of two smaller FANS, instead of one large FAN, contributes and determinates the radio circuit size.

For hotspot cooling the usage of Thermal Electric, TE module or separate liquid or heat pipe can be used.

The general advantage to have a separate hotspot cooling used for PA MOSFET (that is a temperature hotspot), are critical affecting the total radio circuit size. The hotspot cooling can use segmented cooling, so the hotspots can use a separate cooling method compared to the rest of the board. Making the total need for radio cooling mush lower.

According to another variation, it is possible to segment the cooling need and usage of two control methods, one for hotspots and one for “rest of the board electronics” in order to reduce the radio circuit block.

It can be seen that various aspects provide

1) New control signal introduced inside the subframe package for PA hotspot control.

2) Power Loss Estimator calculates power usage for use as climate control values so called “cooling frames/ symbols” to be incorporated as control signal.

1) TTI n+i

2) TTI n+io

3) TTI n+50

3) Proactive hotspot control cooling based on RdsON characteristics and measurements.

4) Feedback signal added of RdsON back to scheduler.

5) Subframe information split to PA and hotspot local PA cooling The radio circuit block may additionally have a 4TX/4RX configuration or dual band radio units in order to improve the power savings.

The computer program code of the data providing device may be in the form of computer program product for instance in the form of a data carrier, such as a CD ROM disc or a memory stick. In this case the data carrier carries a computer program with the computer program code, which will implement the functionality of the above-described data providing device. One such data carrier 136 with computer program code 51 is schematically shown in fig. 17.

The computer program code of the transmission power influencing unit may also be in the form of computer program product for instance in the form of a data carrier, such as a CD ROM disc or a memory stick. In this case the data carrier carries a computer program with the computer program code, which will implement the transmission power influencing unit. One such data carrier 138 with computer program code 67 is schematically shown in fig. 18.

The processing circuitry of the transmission power influencing unit may furthermore be considered to comprise means for receiving, from the data providing device, a power loss limitation frame comprising information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block, and means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits based on the information.

The means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits may be means for pre-emptively influencing the at least one of the radio circuits before the data is transmitted.

When the transmission power loss is related to a physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit and the first radio circuit has an operating value of the physical quantity ,the means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits may comprise means for controlling the first radio circuit to change the operating value of the physical quantity.

The processing circuitry of the transmission power influencing unit may also be considered to comprise means for obtaining a current operating value of the physical quantity from at least the first radio circuit. In this cased the means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits may comprise means for pre-emptively influencing the first radio circuit based on the information and the obtained current operating value.

The processing circuitry of the transmission power influencing unit may also be considered to comprise means for providing a notification about the current operating value of the physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit to the data providing device.

When there are at least two radio circuits in the radio circuit block and the information for limiting a future transmission power loss comprises separate sets of information for limiting the transmission power loss of the radio circuits, the means for limiting a future transmission power loss may comprise means for individually controlling the at least two radio circuits based on the corresponding sets of information.

When the wireless communication derive comprises at least one power adjusting unit for adjusting the power of the at least one radio circuit, the means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits, may comprise means for controlling the power adjusting unit to adjust the at least one radio circuit before the data to be transmitted arrives at the at least one radio circuit.

When the at least one power adjusting unit is at least one cooling unit for cooling the at least one radio circuit, the means for pre-emptively influencing at least one of the radio circuits may comprise means for controlling the at least one cooling unit to pre-cool the at least one radio circuit before the data is transmitted

The processing circuitry of the data providing device may additionally be considered to comprise means for obtaining data intended to be transmitted via the radio circuit block means for estimating the power required by the radio circuit block to transmit the data and means for transmitting, to the transmission power influencing unit of the wireless communication device, a power loss limitation frame comprising information for limiting a future transmission power loss of the radio circuit block.

In case the transmission power loss is related to a physical quantity of at least one first radio circuit and the first radio circuit has an operating value of the physical quantity the processing circuitry of the data providing device may also be considered to comprise means for obtaining a notification of a current operating value of the physical quantity from the wireless communication device, where the information is generated also based on the notification.

If there is more than one radio circuit and the notification comprises a notification of the current operating values of the more than one radio circuit, the means for estimating required power may comprise means for estimating the required power for each of the more than one radio circuit and the processing circuitry of the data providing device may be considered to further comprise means for determining a division of the data between the radio circuits based on the current operating values of the radio circuits.

While the solution of this disclosure has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the solution is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements. Therefore, the solution is only to be limited by the following claims.