ACK/NACK Feedback Transmission Using PUCCH Format 1a/1b

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE TDD systems, Rel-10 UEs without carrier aggregation face a lack of ACK/NACK transmission mechanisms when configured to use PUCCH format 3, especially when receiving only SPS PDSCH and a PDCCH with a DL DAI value of 1 in the feedback window, leading to incomplete feedback and potential misinterpretation of control signaling.

Innovation Solution

The method involves transmitting ACK/NACK feedback information using PUCCH format 1a/1b resources by the UE, employing ACK/NACK bundling or channel selection, and utilizing specific LTE-A mapping tables to determine the correct PUCCH resources for SPS PDSCH and PDCCH, ensuring accurate feedback even when PUCCH format 3 resources are not available.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If PUCCH format 3 is configured for ACK/NACK transmission, then the feedback capacity is improved, but the device complexity increases and resource availability decreases for certain UE scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback capacityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the PUCCH format parameter from format 3 to format 1a/1b based on the feedback scenario, allowing Rel-10 UEs to adapt to different transmission requirements without being constrained by the initially configured format 3, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining feedback capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic selection between PUCCH format 1a/1b and format 3 based on whether the UE can obtain format 3 resources, making the system flexible and adaptive to different resource availability scenarios rather than being static

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If PUCCH format 3 resources are not obtainable, then resource availability decreases, but the feedback transmission must still be reliable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback reliabilityVSAvoidresource availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prepares alternative PUCCH format 1a/1b resources in advance for scenarios where format 3 resources are not available, ensuring that feedback transmission can immediately switch to a reliable alternative without interruption or loss of feedback reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate mechanism (PUCCH format 1a/1b) that mediates between the ideal scenario (PUCCH format 3) and the constrained scenario (no format 3 resources), providing a fallback path that maintains feedback reliability when the primary resource is unavailable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If ACK/NACK bundling is used, then the transmission overhead is reduced, but the measurement precision of feedback information decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission overheadVSAvoidfeedback precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies ACK/NACK bundling partially - only when PUCCH format 3 resources are not obtainable and for specific UE scenarios (Rel-10 UEs without carrier aggregation), while maintaining full feedback precision through format 3 when resources are available, thus balancing overhead reduction with precision preservation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2704345B1ACK/NACK feedback information transmission methods
Publication Date: 2017.04.26 CHINA ACAD OF TELECOMM TECH
  • EP2704345B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2704345B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2704345B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for ACK/NACK transmission. When a terminal device only received a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in which a downlink assignment index (DAI) value is equal to 1 in a feedback window, the terminal device transmits ACK/NACK feedback information corresponding to the SPS PDSCH and ACK/NACK feedback information corresponding to the PDCCH on PUCCH format 1a/1b resource using PUCCH format 1b with channel selection or ACK/NACK bundling. Therefore, when a base station configures PUCCH format 3 resource for transmitting feedback but the terminal device cannot obtain the PUCCH format 3 resource, ACK/NACK can still be transmitted.