Component Carrier Timing Synchronization for LTE-A
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier aggregation in LTE-Advanced systems faces challenges due to self-interference and differing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing in specific time division duplex (TDD) configurations, making it difficult to manage data transmission across aggregated component carriers.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to determine and synchronize the timing of data reception and transmission for aggregated component carriers, with the option to prevent data transmission on carriers with different timings, ensuring alignment with an anchor carrier's timing to prevent self-interference and optimize HARQ timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If specific TDD configurations are provided for each aggregated component carrier, then carrier aggregation can be implemented with flexible timing, but self-interference occurs and HARQ timing becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments TDD configurations by designating one component carrier as the anchor carrier with its own specific TDD configuration, while other component carriers use a common TDD configuration. This segmentation allows the anchor carrier to maintain flexible timing adaptation while other carriers operate with consistent timing to avoid self-interference and HARQ timing issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotentiality in timing by establishing a common TDD configuration that is applied uniformly across multiple component carriers. This ensures that all carriers operate on the same timing schedule, eliminating timing differences that cause self-interference and HARQ synchronization problems, while the anchor carrier maintains its specific configuration for adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different TDD configurations are used for different component carriers, then each carrier can be optimized independently, but HARQ timing becomes different across carriers making aggregation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments HARQ timing management by separating the anchor carrier (which may have different timing) from other component carriers (which share common timing). This segmentation simplifies HARQ timing management across the aggregated carriers while still allowing the anchor carrier to be optimized independently for specific requirements.
3Productivity
If data transmission is allowed on all aggregated carriers simultaneously, then bandwidth utilization is maximized, but self-interference occurs when timings are misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by synchronizing the timing of data transmission across multiple component carriers through a common TDD configuration. This ensures that uplink and downlink transmissions are properly aligned in time, preventing self-interference while maintaining high bandwidth utilization. The anchor carrier's specific configuration is reconciled with the common configuration to achieve timing alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of configuring a component carrier includes determining how timings of receiving and/or sending data for at least two aggregated component carriers in at least one time period are related; and setting the timing of receiving and/or sending data for the at least two aggregated component carriers based on the determining.