Control Information Transmission in Downlink Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication technologies, such as LTE and NR, face inefficiencies in control information transmission due to high resource and power overheads from periodic transmission of reference signals and HARQ feedback, particularly in scenarios where data transmission is infrequent, leading to increased energy consumption and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control information transmission mechanism that multiplexes control information with downlink data in a physical downlink data channel, using a dedicated control information domain, and transmitting control information prior to data to reduce overhead, with flexible configuration and encoding modes to optimize resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control information is transmitted through reserved bits in the downlink physical control channel, then timing relationship and resource allocation can be indicated, but downlink control channel overhead and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts control information from the downlink control channel and places it in the downlink data channel instead. Specifically, control information including timing relationship indicators and resource allocation details are transmitted within the downlink shared channel (PDSCH) data packets, separating control plane and user plane transmissions to reduce control channel overhead and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges control information with downlink data transmission by embedding control indicators within the downlink shared channel. The control information is combined with data packets and transmitted together through the same physical channel, eliminating the need for separate reserved bits in the control channel and reducing overall transmission overhead.
2Reliability
If reference signals are transmitted periodically in LTE, then channel estimation and demodulation can be performed, but resource overhead and energy consumption increase when data transmission is infrequent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reference signal transmission where the presence and configuration of reference signals are determined by data transmission requirements. When data is transmitted, appropriate reference signals are included; when no data is transmitted, reference signals are omitted. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliable channel estimation when needed while avoiding unnecessary power overhead during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms continuous periodic reference signal transmission into event-triggered periodic transmission. Reference signals are transmitted periodically only when data transmission occurs, with the periodicity and configuration adjusted based on traffic conditions. This approach maintains the benefits of periodic channel estimation while significantly reducing energy consumption during low-activity periods.
3Device complexity
If DCI of fixed size is used to indicate timing relationship changes and HARQ feedback allocation, then transmission is simple, but resource overhead and power overhead increase due to high reliability requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by transmitting only the necessary control information within the data channel rather than using full-sized DCI messages. Instead of indicating all possible timing relationships and resource allocations through reserved bits, the system transmits only the specific control information needed for the current data transmission, reducing overhead while maintaining simplicity.
4Loss of energy
If aperiodic transmission of downlink reference signals is adopted, then resource overhead is reduced, but control information overhead increases when transmitted through reserved bits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control information for aperiodic reference signal transmission with downlink data packets. The control information indicating whether reference signals should be transmitted and their configuration parameters are embedded within the PDSCH data channel rather than using separate reserved bits in the control channel. This approach simultaneously reduces reference signal overhead and eliminates additional control information overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a control information transmission method and apparatus. The control information transmission method applied to a base station includes: transmitting first control information in a physical downlink control channel, the first control information is used for indicating a downlink resource area, the downlink resource area is used for transmitting the physical downlink control channel and a physical downlink data channel, or for transmitting the physical downlink data channel; transmitting second control information in the physical downlink control channel or the physical downlink data channel; and determining, according to the second control information, whether to transmit third control information in the physical downlink data channel.