Cross-Carrier PUCCH Selection for Lower HARQ Feedback Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile communication technologies face challenges in optimizing latency and reliability due to non-optimal TDD UL/DL configurations, particularly in 5G NR deployments, leading to increased delays and reduced spectral efficiency, especially in scenarios with mixed URLLC and eMBB traffic.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic and static cross-carrier PUCCH signaling and configuration methods, including static and dynamic approaches for selecting component carriers and PUCCH transmission, to reduce latency and HARQ feedback delay by utilizing the nearest UL transmission opportunity across inter-band carriers with different TDD patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If TDD uplink and downlink configurations are used in 5G NR deployments, then bandwidth availability is improved, but latency performance deteriorates due to non-optimal TDD patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic PUCCH carrier switching that allows the system to adaptively select between different component carriers based on real-time TDD pattern conditions. The UE can dynamically switch PUCCH transmission from a first CC to a second CC when the first CC's TDD pattern causes excessive latency, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining TDD bandwidth availability and reducing latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the transmission parameter by switching the PUCCH carrier frequency between different component carriers with different TDD configurations. This parameter change allows the system to optimize latency performance by selecting carriers with more favorable uplink opportunities while maintaining the overall TDD bandwidth structure.
2Reliability
If guard time gaps are increased to switch between UL and DL transmissions, then reliability is improved, but spectral efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the PUCCH transmission across multiple component carriers, allowing different carriers to handle different traffic types (URLLC vs eMBB). This segmentation enables the system to maintain reliable URLLC transmissions on carriers with appropriate TDD patterns while allowing other carriers to optimize for spectral efficiency, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and spectral efficiency.
3Loss of time
If inter-band TDD carrier aggregation is used to mitigate alignment delay, then latency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the UE autonomously monitors TDD pattern conditions on different component carriers and automatically switches PUCCH transmission carriers based on predefined criteria. This self-service approach reduces alignment delay without requiring complex network-controlled carrier switching, thereby improving latency while limiting the increase in device complexity.
4Loss of time
If dynamic PUCCH carrier switching is implemented, then latency is reduced, but signaling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple component carriers with different TDD patterns and pre-establishing the criteria for PUCCH carrier switching. The network configures the UE with multiple CCs and switching rules in advance, allowing the UE to perform rapid carrier switching without real-time signaling overhead, thereby reducing latency while controlling signaling complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Various solutions for dynamic and static cross-carrier physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) signaling and configuration in mobile communications are described. An apparatus, implementable in a UE, selects a component carrier (CC) from a plurality of CCs with a static approach or a dynamic approach. The UE then performs a PUCCH transmission to a network using the selected CC.