Control Information Combining for Wireless Signal Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication systems face challenges in ensuring reliable decoding of control information, particularly for user equipment (UE) with poor channel conditions, as existing methods struggle to enhance the likelihood of successful reception and decoding of control transmissions.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves combining multiple instances of control information at the UE by identifying optimal time and frequency locations for transmission based on parameters such as identification parameters, index values, frequency parameters, and multiplexing patterns, allowing the UE to generate a combined signal for decoding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple instances of control information are transmitted in different time and frequency locations, then the reliability of receiving control information is improved, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of receiving control informationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple instances of control information (same RMSI scheduling information) transmitted in different time and frequency locations by performing signal combining operations at the UE. The UE identifies multiple search candidates across different monitoring occasions, combines their corresponding CCEs, and attempts to decode the combined signal, thereby improving reception reliability through signal aggregation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the control information transmission into multiple instances distributed across different time locations (monitoring occasions) and frequency locations (CORESETs). Each instance is transmitted independently in a separate CCE, allowing the UE to receive and combine these segmented instances to reconstruct the complete control information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multiple search candidates are monitored in the search space, then the likelihood of successful decoding is improved, but the processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelikelihood of successful decodingVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary identification of monitoring occasions and search candidates before actual decoding. The UE identifies the set of monitoring occasions available for RMSI scheduling information and determines time and frequency locations based on parameters associated with monitoring occasions, preparing the combining operation in advance to reduce overall processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple control information instances from different search candidates into a single combined signal for decoding. By combining signals from multiple CCEs before decoding, the UE improves the likelihood of successful decoding while reducing the number of separate decoding attempts required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple instances of control information are transmitted with different time and frequency locations, then the adaptability to channel conditions is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to channel conditionsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adaptation to channel conditions by transmitting control information instances across multiple time and frequency locations with different characteristics. The UE adapts its receiving strategy by identifying monitoring occasions based on parameters such as identification parameters, index values, frequency parameters, and multiplexing patterns, allowing flexible adaptation to varying channel conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes transmission parameters including time locations (monitoring occasions), frequency locations (CORESETs), and multiplexing patterns to create diverse instances of control information. These parameter variations allow the system to adapt to different channel conditions while the UE uses identified parameters to locate and combine the appropriate instances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3777388B1Resource identification techniques for combining multiple instances of system information
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3777388B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3777388B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3777388B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described for transmissions of multiple instances of control information, such as remaining minimum system information (RMSI) that may be used for system access by a user equipment (UE). The multiple instances of the control information may be transmitted in a number of monitoring occasions that may be monitored by a UE, and within the monitoring occasions, the control information may be transmitted using different time locations, frequency locations, or combinations thereof. The locations may be identified based at least in part on one or more parameters associated with at least a first monitoring occasion. The one or more parameters may include an identification parameter associated with the base station or monitoring occasion, an index value associated with the monitoring occasion, a frequency parameter associated with the monitoring occasion, a control information multiplexing pattern, or any combination thereof.