Downlink Control Information Transmission via Frequency Diversity

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication, the consecutive distribution of subcarriers carrying downlink control information in the frequency domain prevents the realization of frequency diversity gain, which is essential for reliable and efficient data transmission.

Innovation Solution

The method involves dividing target resources into non-overlapping resource subsets in the frequency domain, selecting control channel bearing resource units from each subset, and ensuring they are inconsecutive in frequency, allowing for the transmission of downlink control information across these units to achieve a frequency diversity gain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If subcarriers carrying downlink control information are distributed consecutively in frequency domain, then resource allocation is simple, but frequency diversity gain cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation simplicityVSAvoidfrequency diversity gain
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the frequency domain resources into multiple non-overlapping resource subsets. Control channel bearing resource units are selected from different subsets, ensuring they are not consecutive in frequency domain. This segmentation approach maintains resource allocation simplicity while achieving frequency diversity gain by distributing control information across separated frequency resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If subcarriers carrying downlink control information are distributed inconsecutive in frequency domain, then frequency diversity gain is ensured, but resource allocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency diversity gainVSAvoidresource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-dividing frequency domain into structured resource subsets and defining clear selection rules (selecting from different subsets), the patent achieves inconsecutive frequency distribution for diversity gain while keeping allocation manageable through the subset framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the frequency domain distribution parameter from consecutive to inconsecutive by selecting resource units from different non-overlapping subsets, thereby achieving frequency diversity while maintaining allocation efficiency through the subset structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If terminal device receives downlink control information on wider frequency domain width, then coverage is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecoverageVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and utilizes frequency diversity gain from inconsecutive resource distribution, which improves coverage through diversity while allowing terminal devices to operate on narrower frequency domain width, thereby reducing power consumption compared to wide continuous frequency allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4099787B1Downlink control information transmission method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.01.31 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4099787B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4099787B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4099787B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a downlink control information transmission method and apparatus, where the method includes: dividing target resources into M resource subsets, where at least a part of at least two resource subsets in the M resource subsets do not overlap in frequency domain, and each resource subset includes at least one control channel bearing resource unit, where M is an integer, and M ≥ 2; determining a first resource set based on the M resource subsets, where the first resource set includes N control channel bearing resource units, at least two of the N control channel bearing resource units belong to different resource subsets, and at least two of the N control channel bearing resource units are inconsecutive in frequency domain, where N ≥ 2; and sending first downlink control information to a terminal device on the first resource set. Downlink control information is sent on N control channel bearing resource units that are inconsecutive in frequency domain, so that a frequency diversity gain is ensured.