Base Station Search Space Configuration for Blind Decoding Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for resource allocation in LTE and LTE-A systems, particularly when using PDCCH and R-PDCCH regions, lead to an increase in blind decoding operations by terminals, resulting in higher power consumption, processing delay, and circuit scale, while also potentially reducing flexibility and increasing the blocking probability of resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

A method to configure a search space with varying associations between the number of concatenated CCEs and candidates targeted for decoding, depending on the control channel, allowing for efficient allocation of resources without increasing blind decoding operations, by optimizing the number of unit region candidates in both PDCCH and R-PDCCH regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the terminal performs blind decoding on all candidates in both PDCCH and R-PDCCH regions with fixed association, then resource allocation flexibility is maintained, but the number of blind decoding operations increases leading to higher power consumption and processing delay

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the association between the number of concatenated CCEs and the number of candidates variable rather than fixed. The base station dynamically adjusts this association based on the control channel type (PDCCH or R-PDCCH) and transmission conditions, allowing the system to adapt resource allocation flexibility while controlling blind decoding operations. The terminal is configured with different association patterns for different control channel regions, enabling flexible resource allocation without uniformly increasing blind decoding across all regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the number of candidates targeted for decoding is increased in both PDCCH and R-PDCCH regions, then resource allocation flexibility is improved, but the blocking probability of resource allocation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation flexibilityVSAvoidblocking probability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by configuring different association patterns between concatenated CCEs and candidates for different control channel regions. Specifically, the PDCCH region and R-PDCCH region have different numbers of candidates configured for each aggregation level. This allows the system to optimize resource allocation flexibility locally in each region while controlling the overall blocking probability by not uniformly increasing candidates across all regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the terminal performs more blind decoding operations to detect control channels in both PDCCH and R-PDCCH regions, then control channel detection reliability is improved, but processing delay and circuit scale increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol channel detection reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the control channel search space into distinct regions (PDCCH region and R-PDCCH region) with different candidate configurations. The terminal performs blind decoding separately in each region with region-specific association patterns between CCEs and candidates. This segmentation allows the system to maintain detection reliability by ensuring sufficient candidates in each region while reducing overall processing delay by avoiding redundant blind decoding operations across uniformly configured regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2597919B1Base station, terminal, search space setting method and decoding method
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 SUN PATENT TRUST
  • EP2597919B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2597919B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2597919B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention provides a base station that does not cause the number of blind decodings to be increased and further can prevent the flexibility of resource allocation from degrading. A search space setting unit (103) sets search spaces each of which is constituted by one or more control channel elements (CCEs) and each of which is to be decoded in the terminals and each of which is defined by a plurality of to-be-decoded candidates. An allocating unit (108) places, in one of the plurality of to-be-decoded candidates included in the search space, a control channel. The number of connections of CCEs constituting the to-be-decoded candidate is associated with the number of to-be-decoded candidates. The search space setting unit (103) causes, in accordance with the control channel to be transmitted, the association of the number of connections of CCEs constituting the to-be-decoded candidate with the number of to-be-decoded candidates to differ.