Carrier Aggregation Same Frequency Control Channel Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier aggregation in LTE networks may not offer performance gains when the network is loaded, and can be disabled due to lack of available spectrum or infrastructure, limiting its benefits to peak data rate increases in lightly loaded conditions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a user equipment (UE) can communicate with a primary serving cell and a target cell using two radios operating on the same frequency, facilitating handovers and data transmission without relying on the downlink control channel of the primary serving cell for scheduling or channel side information, to enhance mobility and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation is implemented over two cells on the same frequency, then data transmission rates and network efficiency are improved, but control channel resource conflicts and handover management complexity arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control functions by introducing a secondary cell that handles data transmission independently, while the primary cell focuses on control signaling. This separation allows the UE to communicate with the secondary cell using a second radio without interfering with the primary cell's control channel resources, thus improving data transmission rates while maintaining manageable handover complexity through clear functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secondary serving cell as an intermediary for data transmission purposes. This secondary cell acts as a mediator that handles data traffic separately from the primary cell's control functions, allowing the UE to utilize a second radio for data communication without conflicting with the primary cell's control channel resources, thereby resolving the resource conflict while maintaining system efficiency.
2Device complexity
If carrier aggregation is disabled due to lack of spectrum or infrastructure, then system complexity is reduced, but peak data rate performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the secondary cell to serve multiple purposes: it functions as a data transmission carrier while also potentially serving as a handover target. The UE's second radio can be dynamically allocated for data transmission with the secondary cell, and the same infrastructure can support handover operations, thus achieving multi-functionality without requiring separate dedicated infrastructure for each function, maintaining system simplicity while improving peak data rates.
3Productivity
If the downlink control channel of the primary serving cell is used to schedule target cell downlink transmission, then control resource utilization is maximized, but scheduling conflicts and interference occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scheduling functions by assigning the primary cell's downlink control channel exclusively for primary cell scheduling tasks and introducing a separate uplink control channel for secondary cell scheduling requests and acknowledgments. This segmentation eliminates scheduling conflicts between primary and secondary cells, ensuring reliable control signaling while maintaining efficient resource utilization through dedicated control channels for each cell type.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus communicates with a primary serving cell via a first radio, detects a presence of a target cell, sends a first message to the primary serving cell indicating the detected presence of the target cell, receives a command from the primary serving cell to add the target cell as a secondary serving cell, and communicates with at least one of the primary serving cell or the target cell via a second radio to facilitate a handover to the target cell. The first radio and the second radio operate on a same frequency. A downlink control channel of the primary serving cell is not used to schedule a target cell downlink transmission. An uplink control channel to the primary serving cell is not used to provide an acknowledgment of the target cell downlink transmission. The uplink control channel to the primary serving cell is not used to provide channel side information for the target cell downlink transmission.