DCI Indicator Field for Multi-Carrier BWP Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is no specific solution for downlink control information (DCI) to indicate the parameter of an active bandwidth part (BWP) for multiple carriers in New Radio (NR) technology, leading to increased control signaling overhead.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that enable a terminal to determine a BWP configuration based on a mapping relationship between BWP configurations and index values indicated by an indicator field in the DCI, allowing the terminal to determine the parameter of an active BWP on a scheduled carrier, thereby reducing signaling overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If one DCI is used to schedule PDSCH or PUSCH on multiple carriers, then control signaling overhead is reduced, but there is no specific solution to indicate the parameter of the active BWP of one or more carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the BWP indication for multiple carriers into a single indicator field within the DCI. Instead of having separate BWP indication mechanisms for each carrier, the invention combines them into one unified indication structure that can simultaneously indicate active BWP parameters across multiple carriers, thereby reducing control signaling overhead while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator field in the DCI is designed to serve multiple functions: it can indicate active BWP parameters for one carrier, multiple carriers, or a combination thereof, depending on the configuration. This multi-functional design allows the same DCI structure to handle various scheduling scenarios without requiring separate indication mechanisms, thus reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If separate DCI is used for each carrier scheduling, then BWP indication is straightforward, but control signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines BWP indication information for multiple carriers into a single indicator field within one DCI message. This merging approach maintains the clarity of BWP indication by using a structured format that can clearly identify active BWP parameters, while simultaneously reducing the number of separate DCI messages needed, thus lowering control signaling overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple indicator fields are used for BWP indication on multiple carriers, then each carrier's BWP can be indicated independently, but DCI size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a single indicator field that can function universally to indicate BWP parameters for one or multiple carriers depending on configuration. This multi-functional approach maintains the adaptability to handle different scheduling scenarios (single carrier or multi-carrier) while avoiding the need for multiple separate indicator fields, thus preventing DCI size from increasing unnecessarily.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator field's interpretation changes based on configuration parameters. The same indicator field can represent different meanings or scopes (single carrier vs. multiple carriers) depending on higher-layer configuration, allowing the system to adapt to different scenarios without changing the DCI structure or size.
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure provides an information processing method and apparatus, terminal and network device, and pertains to the field of communication technology. The method includes: a terminal receives downlink control information (DCI) from a network device, wherein the DCI is used for scheduling at least one carrier, and includes at least one indicator field, the indicator field indicating an index value; the terminal determines a bandwidth part (BWP) configuration corresponding to a first index value indicated by a first indicator field according to a mapping relationship between BWP configurations corresponding to the at least one carrier and index values, the first indicator field being one of the at least one indicator field; the terminal determines a parameter of an active BWP on a first scheduled carrier according to the BWP configuration corresponding to the first index value, the first scheduled carrier being at least one of the at least one carrier.