Component Carrier Group Bandwidth Part Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in bandwidth part (BWP) switching across multiple component carriers, particularly in power-saving scenarios where frequent signaling is required to switch all component carriers to a narrow bandwidth, leading to increased control channel monitoring and resource wastage.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where a UE receives an indication for a BWP switch on one component carrier, which is then applied to a set of additional component carriers, allowing for reduced signaling and efficient switching by pre-configuring lists of component carriers, enabling the UE to apply the same BWP switch across multiple carriers based on a single indication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual BWP switching signaling is sent for each component carrier, then precise bandwidth control is achieved, but signaling overhead and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth control precisionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple component carriers into a group and applies a single BWP switching indication to all carriers in the group simultaneously. This merging approach maintains precise bandwidth control across all carriers while reducing the number of separate signaling messages, thereby lowering power consumption during BWP switching operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal BWP switching mechanism where a single indication message serves multiple component carriers at once. This multi-functional approach allows the same signaling structure to control bandwidth across different carriers, eliminating the need for separate individual signaling and reducing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If individual BWP switching signaling is sent for each component carrier, then carrier-specific bandwidth control is achieved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth control precisionVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the signaling for multiple component carriers into a single unified indication message. This combining approach maintains the ability to control bandwidth precisely for each carrier within the group while significantly reducing the total amount of signaling overhead compared to sending separate messages for each carrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of energy

If frequent BWP switching is performed to save power, then power saving is achieved, but control channel monitoring increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcontrol channel monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines BWP switching indications for multiple carriers into a single message, allowing the UE to switch all carriers in a group simultaneously. This approach enables frequent power-saving BWP switches without proportionally increasing control channel monitoring overhead, as a single indication message controls multiple carriers at once.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11791971B2Component carrier group based bandwidth part switching

Publication Date: 2023.10.17 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A configuration to enable a UE to switch an active BWP for one or more component carriers in a set of multiple component carriers. The apparatus receives a first configuration for carrier aggregation involving multiple component carriers. The apparatus receives an indication for a BWP switch for one component carrier of the multiple component carriers. The apparatus applies the BWP switch to the one component carrier and a set of additional component carriers.