Carrier Aggregation Capability Reporting to Reduce Signaling Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing carrier aggregation reporting mechanisms in LTE systems result in redundant reporting of UE capabilities, leading to wastage of signaling resources and limited capability representation, especially when sub-combinations of carrier combinations are not implicitly indicated, and inter-frequency measurement efficiency is restricted.

Innovation Solution

The UE determines and reports carrier combinations and their sub-combinations based on predefined sequence numbers, allowing direct indication of shared capabilities and reducing redundant reporting, while optimizing inter-frequency measurement efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the UE reports information about each carrier combination separately to indicate capability information, then the base station can learn the UE capabilities, but signaling resources are wasted due to repeated reporting of sub-combinations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability information completenessVSAvoidsignaling resource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the reporting of sub-combinations into the reporting of the parent carrier combination. When the UE reports a carrier combination, it implicitly indicates support for all sub-combinations of that combination, eliminating the need for separate reporting of each sub-combination while maintaining complete capability information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reporting mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it reports the specific carrier combination capabilities while also implicitly indicating support for all sub-combinations. This multi-functional approach reduces signaling overhead without losing capability information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the UE reports only the lowest capability in capabilities corresponding to carriers in the carrier combination, then the reporting is simplified, but the base station cannot thoroughly learn capabilities of carriers supported by the UE

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereporting simplicityVSAvoidcarrier capability information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the capability information reporting by allowing the UE to report capability information for each individual carrier within the carrier combination separately. This enables the base station to learn the specific capabilities of each carrier while maintaining a structured and organized reporting format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If the UE implicitly indicates support for sub-combinations of a carrier combination, then signaling resources are conserved, but the existing reporting mechanism does not support this implicit indication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling resource conservationVSAvoidreporting mechanism flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic interpretation rules that allow the reporting mechanism to adapt based on the reported carrier combination. The base station dynamically infers support for sub-combinations based on the parent combination reporting, making the system flexible without requiring changes to the fundamental reporting structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4358558B1Capability reporting apparatus and method
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4358558B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4358558B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(c)
  • EP4358558B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention provides a carrier aggregation capability reporting apparatus and method, so as to prevent UE from repeatedly reporting capability information corresponding to a carrier combination supported by the UE, and reduce waste of signaling resources used for reporting. The method in the present invention includes: determining, by user equipment UE, information about a carrier combination supported by the UE and information about a sub-combination that is of the carrier combination and that is supported by the UE; and reporting, by the UE to a base station, the determined information about the carrier combination supported by the UE and the determined information about the sub-combination that is of the carrier combination and that is supported by the UE.