Control Resource Set Configuration for Wireless Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, particularly in LTE and 5G radio systems, user devices face complexity in blind decoding of physical downlink control channels (PDCCH) due to interleaved resource elements across multiple OFDM symbols and frequency subcarriers, which increases computational requirements and decoding complexity, especially at higher frequencies where beamforming techniques are used.

Innovation Solution

The configuration of control resource sets (CORESETs) is enhanced by dynamically allocating PDCCH candidates across different beam link pairs and OFDM symbols, allowing flexible transmission and search spaces to reduce decoding complexity, with base stations configuring CCEs and REGs in a manner that optimizes signal robustness and channel estimation, using distributed or localized mapping strategies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If REGs of PDCCH are interleaved and spread across multiple OFDM symbols and frequency subcarriers to achieve time and frequency gain, then signal robustness is improved, but user device blind decoding complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal robustnessVSAvoidblind decoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control resource set is divided into multiple Control Channel Candidates, each candidate corresponding to a specific set of CCEs and REGs. This segmentation allows the user device to search for PDCCH in a structured manner across multiple candidates rather than blindly decoding all possible REG combinations, thereby reducing decoding complexity while maintaining signal robustness through distributed REG allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic search space configurations where the set of control channel candidates can be adjusted based on channel conditions, aggregation levels, and other parameters. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt the search complexity to actual needs, reducing blind decoding complexity when conditions permit while maintaining robustness when channel quality is poor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple control resource sets with different attributes are configured to support flexible PDCCH transmission and beamforming, then adaptability is improved, but configuration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexible PDCCH transmissionVSAvoidconfiguration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control resource set configuration is designed to be universal, supporting multiple functions including unicast, multicast, and broadcast transmissions through a unified framework. The same control resource set structure can accommodate different beamforming configurations, aggregation levels, and service types, reducing the need for separate configurations for each scenario and thereby simplifying overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter-based configuration where control resource sets are defined by a set of parameters (e.g., frequency resources, time resources, CCE-to-REG mapping, aggregation levels) that can be dynamically adjusted. This parameterized approach allows flexible adaptation to different transmission scenarios without requiring fundamentally different configuration structures, managing complexity through standardized parameter sets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If analog beamforming is used to transmit PDCCH on different beams, then coverage and signal quality are improved, but all REGs of a PDCCH must be on one OFDM symbol which limits flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage and signal qualityVSAvoidPDCCH configuration flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the beamforming constraint by introducing an additional dimension in the resource allocation structure. Instead of being confined to a single OFDM symbol per beam, the control channel candidates can span multiple symbols and frequencies while maintaining beam-specific characteristics. This multi-dimensional approach allows REGs to be distributed across time and frequency while still supporting beamforming, thereby achieving both coverage improvement and configuration flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3603030B1Methods and apparatuses for configuring a control resource set in a wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP LTD
  • EP3603030B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3603030B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3603030B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses for configuring a control resource set and a search space corresponding thereto in a wireless communication system, the method including transmitting a configuration of a control resource set and transmitting a control channel on the control resource set in accordance with the configuration of the control resource set. The control resource set is in a control region including time and frequency resources. The configuration of the control resource set includes: an indication of a starting symbol of the search space in the control resource set, an indication of a number of symbols of the control resource set, an indication of physical resource blocks (PRBs) in the control resource set, and an indication of CCE to resource element group (REG) mapping.