Bandwidth Part Switching Feedback Mechanism for 5G Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 5G NR BWP switching mechanisms are inadequate for switching bandwidth parts without uplink or downlink grants, and lack feedback on the success or failure of the switch at the terminal device.
Innovation Solution
A network entity sends a triggering message with information to switch the source bandwidth part to a target bandwidth part, including scheduling data reception and acknowledgment messages, with iterations to ensure successful switching and provide feedback through data reception non-acknowledgment messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If DCI-based BWP switch is used to dynamically switch active BWP, then bandwidth flexibility and power consumption reduction are improved, but the system cannot perform BWP switch when there is no Uplink and/or Downlink grant, and lacks feedback on switch success or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the terminal device sends an acknowledgment message (ACK or NACK) to the network entity to confirm whether the BWP switching was successful. The network entity transmits a first message containing BWP switching indication, and the terminal device responds with a second message indicating the switching result. This feedback loop resolves the issue of lacking BWP switch confirmation while maintaining the flexibility of DCI-based switching.
2Productivity
If the target reception time slot is scheduled too close to the triggering time slot, then time efficiency is improved, but the terminal device does not have sufficient time to complete the bandwidth switch operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent schedules the target reception time slot to occur after a time offset that is greater than or equal to the bandwidth switch delay from the triggering time slot. This preliminary timing arrangement ensures that the terminal device has sufficient time to complete the BWP switching operation before needing to receive data on the target BWP, thereby guaranteeing reliable switching while maintaining efficient timing.
Data Source
AI summary
A network entity for switching a source bandwidth part used by a terminal device to a target bandwidth part. The network entity includes circuitry configured for sending a triggering message at a triggering time slot to the terminal device, the triggering message including: a first information indicating the target bandwidth part; a second information indicating to the terminal device to schedule reception of data from the network entity at a target reception time slot; a third information indicating to the terminal device to schedule transmission of a data reception acknowledgment or non-acknowledgment message to the network entity at a target transmission time slot.