Downlink Control Channel Overhead Reduction via UE Parameter Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The overhead of the downlink control channel in LTE systems is high due to the inclusion of multiple scheduling parameters, leading to low frequency spectrum efficiency and suboptimal quality of experience (QoE) for user equipment (UE).
Innovation Solution
A method where the UE reports a scheduling parameter determined by the UE to the base station, with the base station responding whether the parameter needs modification, rather than including specific parameter values, thereby reducing the overhead of the downlink control channel and improving frequency spectrum utilization efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the base station includes all scheduling parameter values in the downlink control channel, then the UE can obtain complete scheduling information, but the downlink control channel overhead increases and frequency spectrum efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acknowledgment information from the complete scheduling parameter set. Instead of transmitting all scheduling parameters, the base station sends back only an acknowledgment indicating whether the UE's selected parameters are acceptable, significantly reducing downlink control channel overhead while maintaining scheduling information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE creates a local copy of the scheduling parameters by selecting them autonomously based on pre-configured parameter sets. This copying approach allows the UE to have complete scheduling information locally without requiring the base station to transmit all parameters, thereby reducing control channel overhead.
2Reliability
If the base station sends detailed scheduling parameters, then the UE can accurately configure transmission, but the frequency spectrum utilization efficiency decreases due to increased control channel overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE autonomously select scheduling parameters from pre-configured parameter sets before actual data transmission. This advance selection ensures transmission configuration accuracy is maintained while reducing the need for detailed parameter transmission, thereby improving frequency spectrum utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station provides feedback in the form of an acknowledgment indicating whether the UE's selected parameters are acceptable. This feedback mechanism ensures transmission configuration accuracy without requiring the base station to send detailed parameter values, thus maintaining reliability while improving spectral efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the UE autonomously selects scheduling parameters, then the QoE requirements can be better satisfied, but the base station must verify and potentially modify the parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the base station perform only partial verification of the UE's selected parameters through a simple acknowledgment mechanism. Instead of fully validating and reconfiguring all parameters, the base station checks whether the selected parameters are acceptable, reducing the complexity of the verification and modification process while still ensuring QoE requirements are met.
4Reliability
If the downlink control channel includes comprehensive scheduling information, then complete scheduling control is achieved, but the control channel occupies more resources reducing overall system capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acknowledgment component from the complete scheduling control information. The base station sends back only a minimal signal indicating whether the UE's parameter selection is acceptable, maintaining scheduling control completeness while significantly reducing control channel resource occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE maintains a local copy of the scheduling parameters through autonomous selection, eliminating the need for the base station to transmit comprehensive scheduling information. This copying approach preserves scheduling control completeness while freeing up control channel resources for other uses.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for scheduling downlink data transmission, which relate to the field of communications technologies, and are invented for effectively reducing an overhead of a downlink control channel. The method for scheduling downlink data transmission includes: sending scheduling basic information to a user equipment; receiving a scheduling request reported by the user equipment, where the scheduling request carries at least one scheduling parameter that is determined by the user equipment according to the scheduling basic information; determining whether the scheduling parameter determined by the user equipment in the scheduling request needs to be modified; sending a scheduling request response to the user equipment according to a result of the determining, where the scheduling request response indicates whether the scheduling parameter determined by the user equipment in the scheduling request needs to be modified; and if it is determined that there is a scheduling parameter that needs to be modified, sending, to the user equipment, a modified parameter value of the scheduling parameter that needs to be modified. The present invention may be applied to a wireless communications system such as 3GPP LTE.