Collocated Carrier Aggregation Decision Module for UE Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The LTE-Advanced standard does not provide mechanisms for cellular networks to advertise whether allocated component carriers (CCs) are collocated, leading to increased processing complexity and power consumption in User Equipment (UE) transmitter and receiver architectures, as UE assumes worst-case scenarios for CC collocation without awareness of transmitter architecture.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an adjacent collocated CA decision module that determines whether allocated CCs are collocated based on signaling information or transmission conditions, allowing for simultaneous processing using a single receive or transmit chain when CCs are adjacent collocated, thereby reducing complexity and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UE processes CCs using separate receive chains without knowing transmitter architecture, then reliability is improved by handling worst-case scenarios, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE autonomously determines whether received CCs are adjacent collocated by checking specific conditions (intra-band adjacent frequency, same eNodeB, timing alignment within cyclic prefix) and configures its receiver architecture accordingly. This self-service approach eliminates the need for network signaling while reducing complexity and power consumption by using a single receive chain when conditions are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver architecture dynamically adapts its configuration based on the determined collocation status of CCs. When CCs are determined to be adjacent collocated, the UE uses a single receive chain with time-multiplexed processing; when not collocated, it switches to separate receive chains. This dynamic adaptation optimizes the balance between reliability and complexity/power consumption.
2Device complexity
If UE uses single receive chain for adjacent collocated CCs, then device complexity and power consumption are reduced, but adaptability decreases without knowledge of transmitter architecture
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver architecture implements dynamic adaptability by automatically determining CC collocation status through condition checking and switching between processing modes. This maintains full adaptability to different transmission scenarios while enabling complexity reduction when conditions permit, eliminating the need for static conservative design.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE self-determines the appropriate processing architecture by evaluating received signals against collocation conditions, eliminating the need for network-provided architecture information. This self-service mechanism preserves adaptability while enabling optimized single-chain processing when applicable.
3Reliability
If UE assumes worst-case non-collocated scenario, then processing reliability is maintained, but power consumption increases due to always using separate receive chains
Solution Approach 1:
The power consumption is dynamically optimized by switching between processing modes based on determined CC collocation status. When adjacent collocated conditions are met, the UE uses power-efficient single-chain processing; otherwise, it uses the more power-consuming separate-chain approach. This dynamic switching maintains reliability while reducing average power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE autonomously determines when it can safely use the lower-power single receive chain configuration by self-evaluating CC collocation conditions, eliminating the need to always operate in high-power mode. This self-service optimization reduces power consumption while maintaining processing reliability through condition-based architecture selection.
Data Source
AI summary
In a communications network with carrier aggregation (CA), embodiments enable the network to advertise to a supported wireless device not only whether or not aggregated component carriers allocated to the wireless are intra-band adjacent but further whether or not the allocated component carriers are collocated. Embodiments further enable the wireless to advertise its CA capabilities including the support of adjacent collocated CA and/or non-adjacent collocated CA. Embodiments thus provide systems/methods for the exploitation of special conditions provided by adjacent collocated component carriers to reduce processing complexity and power consumption for certain types of wireless device transmitter/receiver architectures and to support intra-band adjacent CA for other types of UE transmitter/receiver architectures.