Carrier Status Indication via Downlink Control Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carrier aggregation technologies face delays and inefficiencies in indicating the activated or deactivated state of carriers due to high network load and transmission delays, particularly when using Media Access Control Control Elements (MAC CE) for user equipment (UE) in communication systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for carrier status indication using a downlink physical control channel to broadcast carrier status information, such as through a downlink physical control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), allowing user equipment to quickly determine carrier activation or deactivation states with reduced delay and network load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MAC CE is used to indicate carrier activation or deactivation state to user equipment, then the carrier state can be controlled, but the transmission delay increases and network load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the carrier state indication process by introducing a separate indication field in downlink control information specifically for carrier activation/deactivation, separating it from the MAC CE layer signaling. This segmentation allows the carrier state indication to be transmitted independently and more efficiently through the physical layer, reducing the overall delay while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the indication field in the downlink control information structure before actual carrier activation/deactivation operations. The base station prepares the indication mechanism in advance, so when carrier state changes are needed, the indication can be immediately transmitted without additional setup delay, thus reducing carrier activation delay while ensuring reliable state transfer.
2Reliability
If MAC CE is used to indicate carrier activation or deactivation state to user equipment, then the carrier state can be controlled, but the network load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the carrier state indication function from the MAC CE signaling layer and places it in the physical layer downlink control information. By taking out this specific function from the heavier MAC CE protocol, the patent reduces the overall network load while maintaining the reliability of carrier state indication through the more efficient physical layer transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the carrier state indication mechanism in the downlink control information, using a dedicated indication field that mirrors the essential carrier state information. This copying approach allows the same reliability function to be achieved with less signaling overhead, thereby reducing network load while maintaining carrier state control reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If carrier activation or deactivation is indicated one by one to user equipments, then each UE can be controlled individually, but channel resources are occupied and activation delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the carrier state indication for multiple user equipments into a single downlink control information transmission. By combining the indication functionality at the physical layer, the system can efficiently control multiple UEs simultaneously without occupying channel resources repeatedly, thus improving carrier activation efficiency while maintaining individual UE control capability through the unified indication mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications, and disclose a carrier status indication method and a device, which can reduce a delay of indicating an activated state or a deactivated state of a carrier, and improve efficiency of indicating the activated state or deactivated state of the carrier. A specific solution is as follows: determining, by a base station, a carrier status of a carrier, where the carrier status is an activated state or a deactivated state; indicating first carrier information to user equipment by using a downlink physical control channel, where the first carrier information includes the carrier status of the carrier, and the first carrier information is used to enable the user equipment to perform communication on the carrier according to the carrier status. The present invention is applied in a carrier switching process.