Bandwidth Part Resource Management for Grant-Free Uplink

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing resources for uplink grant-free transmissions, particularly during bandwidth part deactivation, which can lead to resource inefficiencies and increased latency due to the need for frequent reconfiguration and signaling overhead.

Innovation Solution

The method involves a base station transmitting a bandwidth part configuration to a user equipment (UE), allowing the UE to deactivate one bandwidth part and activate another, while managing resources based on the configuration, which includes options to release or maintain resources upon deactivation to reduce latency and signaling overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bandwidth part deactivation is implemented to improve resource efficiency, then resource utilization is improved, but latency increases due to reconfiguration signaling overhead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple bandwidth parts and their associated uplink grant-free transmission resources before deactivation occurs. When a bandwidth part is deactivated, the UE retains the resource configuration information in memory, so that upon reactivation, the resources are immediately available without requiring reconfiguration signaling. This advance preparation resolves the contradiction by maintaining resource availability while enabling bandwidth part deactivation for resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If bandwidth part deactivation is implemented to reduce signaling overhead, then signaling overhead is reduced, but resource efficiency deteriorates due to resource release and reallocation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling overheadVSAvoidresource efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the resource configuration information from the active bandwidth part and stores it separately in the UE when deactivation occurs. This separation allows the bandwidth part to be deactivated with minimal signaling while preserving the essential resource allocation data. The extracted configuration can be quickly reapplied upon reactivation, thus reducing signaling overhead while maintaining resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the state parameter of the resource configuration from 'active' to 'dormant' upon bandwidth part deactivation, rather than completely releasing it. This parameter change allows the resources to be maintained in a low-power state with minimal signaling overhead, yet remain quickly reactivatable, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing signaling overhead and maintaining resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If resources are released upon bandwidth part deactivation to improve resource management, then resource management is improved, but latency increases due to reconfiguration time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource managementVSAvoidreconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining the resource configuration information in a dormant state rather than completely releasing it. The resource allocation parameters, physical resource block assignments, and transmission configurations are preserved in the UE's memory during the deactivated state. This preliminary preservation eliminates the need for time-consuming reconfiguration upon reactivation, thus improving resource management while minimizing reconfiguration latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3729894B1Managing release of resources for uplink grant-free transmissions on bandwidth part deactivation
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3729894B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3729894B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3729894B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may receive a bandwidth part configuration for a plurality of bandwidth parts, wherein a first bandwidth part of the plurality of bandwidth parts is identified as being activated and is associated with first resources allocated for uplink grant-free transmissions by the UE on the first bandwidth part. The UE may receive determine to deactivate the first bandwidth part and activate a second bandwidth part, and may determine to reactivate the first bandwidth part. The UE may identify second resources for uplink grant-free transmissions by the UE on the first bandwidth part based at least in part on the bandwidth part configuration. Numerous other aspects are provided.