Compact DCI Format for 5G NR Signaling Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current New Radio (NR) systems face challenges in reducing blind decoding attempts and signaling overhead for downlink control information (DCI) due to multiple payload sizes, which affects power consumption and resource allocation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a compact DCI format that combines random access response, paging, system information block, and single cell multicast control channel change messages within a single transmission, using a grouped broadcast message and flag fields to distinguish between PDCCH and PDSCH indications, and employing dedicated RNTI values for CRC scrambling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple DCI payload sizes are supported, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple DCI formats (DCI 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3) into a unified compact DCI format structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate payload sizes from 7 different formats to a smaller set of standardized sizes, thereby reducing blind decoding attempts while preserving the ability to convey diverse control information through flexible field configurations within the unified format.
Solution Approach 2:
The compact DCI format is designed to serve multiple functions across different scenarios. By making the format universally applicable with configurable fields that can represent different control information types (scheduling assignments, scheduling grants, paging, random access response, system information), the system achieves versatility without requiring separate specialized formats for each function, thus reducing overall complexity.
2Device complexity
If DCI payload sizes are reduced, then device complexity is lowered, but loss of information increases due to padding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the presence and size of specific fields within the compact DCI format based on the actual control information being conveyed. Instead of using fixed-size padded formats, the configuration of fields (such as frequency domain resource assignment, time domain resource assignment, modulation and coding scheme) is adapted to match the information requirements, thereby minimizing padding while preserving all necessary control information.
3Use of energy by moving object
If blind decoding attempts are reduced, then power consumption is lowered, but adaptability decreases due to limited DCI format options
Solution Approach 1:
The compact DCI format introduces dynamic configurability where fields can be selectively included or excluded based on the specific control information type being transmitted. This dynamic structure allows the format to adapt to different scenarios (downlink scheduling, uplink scheduling, paging, random access) without requiring multiple static format definitions, thereby reducing blind decoding attempts while maintaining full adaptability across all use cases.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) or network device gNB can process or generate downlink control information transmissions for new radio (NR) systems or networks based on a compact DCI format. The DCI can include a grouped broadcast message for reduced signaling overhead that comprises random access response (RAR) message, a paging message, a system information block (SIB) message, another message information type, or any combination thereof. The DCI transmission can be determined as comprising paging information based on a direct indication in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) only or both in the PDCCH and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) based on a flag field of the DCI transmission. Other configurations can also further reduce signaling overhead additionally or alternatively.