5G Non-Consecutive Control Channels for Frequency Diversity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the 5G wireless communications system, the lack of system bandwidth information in broadcast signals and the consecutive frequency domain resources of control channels lead to interference and hinder frequency diversity gains, making it difficult for user equipment to obtain inbound bandwidth information.

Innovation Solution

The configuration information of control channel resource sets is used to indicate non-consecutive time-frequency resources with intervals, allowing terminal devices to determine the control channel resources more effectively, thereby enhancing frequency diversity gains and improving transmission efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If control channel resources are allocated in consecutive frequency domain resources, then resource allocation is simple and continuous, but frequency diversity gain is reduced and interference increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency diversity gainVSAvoidresource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control channel resources are segmented into multiple non-consecutive frequency domain resource blocks instead of being allocated as a continuous block. This segmentation allows the terminal to receive control information across dispersed frequency resources, thereby achieving frequency diversity gain while maintaining manageable allocation complexity through standardized resource block definitions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If system bandwidth information is not included in broadcast information, then broadcast information size is reduced, but terminal devices cannot obtain inbound bandwidth information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebroadcast information sizeVSAvoidbandwidth information availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device determines the control channel resource set configuration (including frequency domain resources and bandwidth information) autonomously based on pre-configured parameters and the detected synchronization signal block, without requiring explicit system bandwidth information in the broadcast information. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional broadcast information while ensuring the terminal obtains necessary bandwidth information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3627937B1Information transmission method, terminal device, and network device
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3627937B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3627937B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3627937B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides an information transmission method, a terminal device, and a network device. The method includes: receiving, by the terminal device, configuration information of a control channel resource set, where the configuration information is used to indicate the control channel resource set, and the configuration information includes at least one of a quantity of time-frequency resource blocks of a control channel and an interval between two adjacent time-frequency resource blocks; determining, by the terminal device, a time-frequency resource of the control channel based on the configuration information; and receiving, by the terminal device, control information on the time-frequency resource of the control channel. The configuration information of the control channel resource set is used to indicate the time-frequency resource of the control channel. The time-frequency resource of the control channel is inconsecutive and includes a plurality of time-frequency resource blocks, and there is an interval between the plurality of time-frequency resource blocks. When receiving the control information on the control channel, the terminal device may obtain a better frequency diversity gain, to improve transmission efficiency.