Bandwidth Parts and CORESET Configuration for Power-Efficient 5G Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G base stations face inefficiencies in supporting both UEs with single wideband carriers and those using intra-band carrier aggregation over the same contiguous spectrum, leading to power inefficiencies and suboptimal bandwidth usage, especially in frequency bands above 3GHz.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of bandwidth parts (BWPs) and configurable CORESETs allows for dynamic RF bandwidth adaptation, partitioning broadcast system information, and timer-triggered transmissions to ensure efficient operation and power management across UEs with varying bandwidth requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If carrier aggregation is used to support multiple RF chains for larger data bandwidth, then data bandwidth is improved, but transition time increases and transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata bandwidthVSAvoidtransition time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic BWP switching that allows the UE to transition between different bandwidth configurations on the same carrier. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to activate wider bandwidths when needed without requiring full carrier aggregation setup, reducing transition time while maintaining the ability to support large data bandwidth requirements through configured BWPs that can be activated based on traffic conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If single wideband carrier operation is used for large continuous spectrum, then control efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the wideband carrier into multiple Bandwidth Parts (BWPs), allowing the UE to configure and activate only the necessary bandwidth portion for current traffic needs. This segmentation enables the system to maintain the control efficiency of single-carrier operation while reducing power consumption by avoiding activation of the full wideband carrier when only partial bandwidth is required. The UE can switch between different BWP configurations based on application requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters by configuring multiple BWPs with different bandwidth sizes, subcarrier spacings, and cyclic prefix lengths within the same carrier. This allows dynamic parameter adjustment based on traffic conditions, enabling the system to optimize between control efficiency and power consumption by selecting appropriate BWP parameters for different service requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If wideband operation is used to support large data transmission, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but power saving deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth efficiencyVSAvoidpower saving
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic BWP switching that allows the system to adapt bandwidth usage to actual traffic conditions. When large data transmission is required, wider BWPs are activated to achieve high bandwidth efficiency. When traffic demand is low, the system switches to narrower BWPs or suspends BWP activation, achieving power saving. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making bandwidth efficiency and power saving context-dependent rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3616457B1Power-efficient operation for wider bandwidth
Publication Date: 2022.03.09 MEDIATEK INC
  • EP3616457B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3616457B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3616457B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5B

AI summary

Apparatus and methods are provided for power-efficient operation for wide bandwidth. In one novel aspect, the configuration of the CORESET with CSS includes at least one of the time duration of the CORESET within a slot and the periodicity of the CORESET burst. In another embodiment, each configured BWP includes at least one CORESET with UE-specific search space and one CORESET with CSS. In another embodiment, at least one of the configured BWPs includes one CORESET with type-1 CSS for PCell. Each configured BWPs includes one CORESET with type-2 CSS for both PCell and SCell and at least one CORESET with UE- specific search space for PCell and SCell. In another novel aspect, a timer-triggered transmission of activating DL BWP indication in all DL BWP configured is used when the UE mis-detects or false-alarms the explicit signaling for BWP switch.