Bandwidth Part-Specific Downlink-Uplink Patterns for Flexible Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems lack flexibility in allocating resources for full-duplex communications, leading to inflexible scheduling and increased latency, as they often rely on fixed configurations of bandwidth parts (BWPs) with uniform downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) patterns.
Innovation Solution
Implementing BWP-specific DL-UL patterns, where each bandwidth part in a frequency band is configured with a unique pattern specifying dedicated time intervals for DL and UL, allowing for dynamic activation and deactivation of multiple BWPs to enable full-duplex operation with reduced signaling overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed configurations of bandwidth parts with uniform DL-UL patterns are used, then system complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but flexibility in resource allocation deteriorates and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the frequency band into multiple bandwidth parts (BWPs), each with its own independent DL-UL pattern configuration. This segmentation allows different portions of the spectrum to operate with different time division patterns, enabling flexible resource allocation while maintaining manageable complexity through modular configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic BWP activation and deactivation based on traffic conditions and service requirements. BWPs can be switched on or off dynamically, and different DL-UL patterns can be applied to different active BWPs, allowing the system to adapt to changing communication needs while reducing signaling overhead by keeping only necessary BWPs active.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic activation and deactivation of multiple BWPs is implemented, then flexibility in resource allocation is improved and latency is reduced, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures multiple BWPs with different DL-UL patterns to serve multiple functions simultaneously - some BWPs optimized for downlink traffic, others for uplink, and some configured for full-duplex operation. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle diverse traffic types efficiently while reusing configuration templates across BWPs to reduce signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key parameters such as the number of downlink slots, uplink slots, and flexible slots within DL-UL patterns to optimize performance for different service types. By parameterizing the BWP configurations and using RRC signaling to activate specific pre-configured BWPs, the system achieves flexible resource allocation while minimizing the signaling required compared to dynamic configuration of each parameter individually.
3Device complexity
If uniform DL-UL patterns are applied across all BWPs, then device complexity is reduced, but network speed and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of local quality by configuring each BWP with DL-UL patterns specifically optimized for its intended purpose and traffic characteristics. Downlink-heavy BWPs have more downlink slots, uplink-heavy BWPs have more uplink slots, and full-duplex BWPs have simultaneous downlink and uplink capabilities. This localized optimization improves network speed and productivity while the modular BWP structure keeps device complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may receive, from a base station, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) in a frequency band, wherein the configuration identifies a respective BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for each BWP of the plurality of BWPs, and wherein at least two of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs are configured with different BWP-specific DL-UL patterns and wherein each DL-UL pattern specifies which time intervals of a plurality of time intervals are dedicated to downlink and which time intervals of the plurality of time intervals are dedicated to uplink. The UE may communicate with the base station in one or more active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for each of the one or more active BWPs. Numerous other aspects are described.