CG-PUSCH Repetition Control for Contention-Based Unlicensed Uplink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Future wireless communications networks face challenges in efficiently supporting a diverse range of devices with varying data traffic profiles and requirements, particularly in unlicensed frequency bands, where transmissions can be interrupted by contention and interference, leading to inefficiencies in latency and reliability for services like URLLC and eMBB.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating communications devices that involves using configured grant physical uplink shared channel resources in unlicensed frequency bands, allowing flexible transmission occasions through a contentious access procedure, and multiplexing uplink control information into a subset of repetitions to ensure transmission success.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If configured grant PUSCH resources are used in unlicensed frequency bands, then flexible transmission occasions are provided for uplink communications, but transmissions may be interrupted by contention and interference from other communications systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a contentious access procedure (such as Listen-Before-Talk) before transmitting uplink transport blocks. This preliminary check detects whether the channel is free from interference by other communications systems, allowing the device to prepare and execute transmission only when conditions are favorable, thus preventing interruptions and ensuring reliable delivery of URLLC and eMBB data.
2Reliability
If multiple repetitions of uplink transport blocks are scheduled for transmission, then transmission reliability is improved, but transmission latency increases due to multiple transmission occasions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transmission process adaptive rather than static. Multiple repetitions are scheduled, but the actual transmission behavior changes dynamically based on channel conditions detected during the contentious access procedure. If the channel is clear, transmission proceeds immediately without waiting for subsequent repetition occasions, thus maintaining reliability through the availability of multiple opportunities while minimizing latency by utilizing the first available opportunity.
3Productivity
If uplink control information is multiplexed into a subset of transmitted repetitions, then resource efficiency is improved, but the complexity of managing transmission occasions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining uplink control information with uplink data transmissions. The control information is multiplexed into a subset of the transmitted repetitions, merging two types of information (data and control) into a single transmission resource. This improves resource efficiency by utilizing existing transmission occasions for dual purposes, while the structured approach to selecting which repetitions carry control information helps manage the associated complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method of operating a communications device receiving from a wireless access network a configured grant of physical uplink shared channel, CG-PUSCH, resources of a wireless access interface which includes physical resources of an unlicensed frequency bandwidth. The CG-PUSCH resources provide flexible transmission occasions to transmit uplink transport blocks as a plurality of K repetitions. Each repetition is one of a plurality of redundancy versions, the opportunities of the CG-PUSCH are accessible for transmission according to a contention access procedure.The procedure is performed to transmit the uplink transport blocks as a plurality of K repetitions in the transmission occasions. For each uplink transport block, uplink control information, UCI, is transmitted. The UCI relates to the CG. The CG-UCI provides an indication for the transmitted K plurality of repetitions and is multiplexed into a subset of the transmitted K plurality of repetitions.