Base Station Resource Block Sizing for Signaling Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Next generation communication systems face challenges in determining an optimal resource block size that balances throughput improvement, reduced signaling overhead, and resource utilization efficiency, as they currently only provide one size of resource block, forcing a compromise between these factors based on communication situations.
Innovation Solution
A base station with a scheduler, transmission unit, and resource block size adjustment unit that determines and adjusts resource block sizes based on channel quality indicators (CQI) and data size, allowing for multiple sizes of resource blocks to be assigned to users, thereby improving transmission efficiency and reducing signaling overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a smaller resource block size is used, then granular assignment of resource blocks can be achieved to improve throughput, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frequency band into multiple sub-bands, each containing multiple resource blocks. Instead of individually signaling each resource block assignment, the system segments the resource allocation into sub-band level assignments, reducing the total number of signaling bits required while maintaining fine-grained resource allocation capability within each sub-band.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of resource allocation by organizing resource blocks into sub-bands and using sub-band level signaling. This dimensional organization allows the system to reduce signaling overhead by one level (from individual RB to sub-band RB groups) while still achieving granular resource allocation through the combination of sub-band assignment and intra-sub-band resource block indication.
2Loss of information
If a larger resource block size is used, then signaling overhead is reduced, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments resource blocks into sub-bands with a moderate number of resource blocks each. This segmentation strikes a balance between individual resource block granularity and signaling efficiency, allowing the system to signal resource allocations at the sub-band level rather than individual RB level, reducing overhead while maintaining adequate resource utilization efficiency.
3Loss of information
If a larger resource block size is used, then signaling overhead is reduced, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic selection of sub-band configurations and resource block assignment patterns based on channel conditions, traffic types, and system load. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize the balance between signaling overhead and resource utilization efficiency for different operating scenarios, achieving versatility across various communication conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A base station comprises a scheduler (33) determining a resource block to assign a data channel for a user apparatus, wherein a plurality of resource blocks each occupying a predefined band and a predefined period are arranged in a frequency axis direction in a system band and each of the resource blocks is assigned to a single user apparatus and a transmission unit (32) generating a transmission signal for transmitting the data channel assigned to the resource block determined by the scheduler and transmitting the transmission signal to the user apparatus. The scheduler defines first resource blocks having a predefined size and second resource blocks having as twice size as the first resource blocks. A plurality of first resource blocks are locally arranged in two consecutive resource blocks in a system band. Resource block groups each consisting of two locally arranged consecutive first resource blocks are arranged so that one of the resource block groups is separated from an adjacent one of the resource block group by one second resource block such that the resource block groups are distributed over the system band.