Bandwidth Agnostic Tone Mapping for Wireless Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems, particularly in LTE technology, face challenges in achieving efficient synchronization between base stations and user equipment due to limitations in mapping coded bits of broadcast channels to tones, which can be affected by varying system bandwidths, impacting initial system access and data path decoding.

Innovation Solution

The technique involves mapping coded bits of a physical broadcast channel or beamformed reference signal to tones in a subframe in a bandwidth-agnostic manner, allowing the same set of tones to be used regardless of system bandwidth, enabling devices to determine tone locations without prior knowledge of the system bandwidth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If coded bits are mapped to tones based on system bandwidth, then the mapping can accommodate different bandwidth configurations, but the tone locations become variable and require prior knowledge of system bandwidth for proper decoding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth adaptationVSAvoidsynchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the bandwidth-dependent variable mapping and replaces it with a fixed, predetermined mapping pattern. The tone locations are determined by a fixed formula based on resource block indexing, independent of system bandwidth. This extraction of the variable component and replacement with a constant pattern resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for bandwidth knowledge while maintaining adaptability through the fixed pattern's universal applicability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the mapping parameter from bandwidth-dependent to bandwidth-independent. Instead of using system bandwidth as a variable in the tone location calculation, the patent uses a fixed resource block index-based formula. This parameter change allows the same mapping pattern to be applied across different bandwidth configurations without requiring devices to know the system bandwidth beforehand, thus reducing synchronization complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If tone mapping is performed before knowing system bandwidth, then initial access can proceed, but the mapping may not optimally utilize available bandwidth resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinitial access timeVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a fixed tone mapping pattern in advance, before system bandwidth is known. The predetermined mapping based on resource block indexes allows immediate tone assignment during initial access without waiting for bandwidth information. This preliminary establishment of mapping rules enables fast initial access while the fixed pattern ensures efficient and consistent resource utilization across all bandwidth configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If bandwidth-specific tone mapping is used, then resource allocation can be optimized for each bandwidth, but user equipment cannot determine tone locations without decoding system information first

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetone location accuracyVSAvoidtone identification ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by designing a tone mapping system where user equipment can autonomously determine tone locations using a fixed, predetermined formula based on resource block indexes. The mapping pattern is self-describing and does not require external system information decoding. This self-service mechanism maintains precise tone location determination while greatly simplifying the ease of operation, as devices can independently calculate their tone locations without additional signaling or decoding steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3449593B1Bandwith agnostic tone mapping
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3449593B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3449593B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3449593B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed in this application are techniques to enabling and employing bandwidth agnostic tone mapping. Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for mapping coded bits of a broadcast channel to tones of a symbol. Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for mapping bits of a beamformed reference signal (BRS) signal to tones of a symbol. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.