ACK/NACK Bundling for Carrier Aggregation Uplink Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems employing carrier aggregation, existing methods face challenges in efficiently transmitting ACK/NACK signals across multiple downlink component carriers to a single uplink component carrier, leading to increased re-transmission overhead and power consumption issues.
Innovation Solution
A method for transmitting ACK/NACK state information by receiving multiple transmission blocks through multiple downlink component carriers, determining responses, mapping them to ACK/NACK state information, and transmitting this information through a single uplink component carrier using PUCCH resources, with optional modulation using QPSK, thereby reducing the number of PUCCH resources needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ACK/NACK signals are transmitted separately for each downlink component carrier using multiple PUCCH resources, then reliable data feedback is achieved, but the number of PUCCH resources increases and power consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple ACK/NACK signals from different downlink component carriers into a single bundled ACK/NACK signal. Instead of transmitting separate ACK/NACK signals for each component carrier using multiple PUCCH resources, the method bundles these signals together and transmits them through a single PUCCH resource on the uplink component carrier, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining feedback reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes a single PUCCH resource serve multiple functions by using it to transmit bundled ACK/NACK signals for multiple downlink component carriers. This multi-functional approach allows one uplink resource to handle feedback for several downlink carriers, reducing the total number of PUCCH resources needed and lowering overall power consumption
2Loss of information
If ACK/NACK signals are transmitted separately for each downlink component carrier, then complete feedback information is provided, but re-transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple ACK/NACK signals into a single bundled signal that contains feedback information for multiple downlink component carriers. This bundling approach reduces re-transmission overhead by consolidating feedback transmissions, while still providing complete feedback information through the bundled signal structure
3Reliability
If multiple PUCCH resources are allocated for ACK/NACK transmission across multiple component carriers, then feedback reliability is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of multiple PUCCH resources into a single PUCCH resource that carries bundled ACK/NACK signals. This reduces device complexity by simplifying PUCCH resource management, while maintaining transmission reliability through the bundled feedback mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling a single PUCCH resource to handle ACK/NACK feedback for multiple downlink component carriers. This universal resource reduces the complexity of resource allocation and management while maintaining comprehensive feedback coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transmitting Acknowledgement/Negative-Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) state information to a base station (BS) at a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system. The method according to one embodiment includes receiving two or more transmission blocks through two or more downlink component carriers from the BS; and transmitting information on a number of ACK responses among ACK/NACK responses corresponding to each of the two or more transmission blocks through a single uplink component carrier to the BS.