Downlink Slot UE Sensing via Segmented TDD Resources

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing downlink slots for user equipment (UE) sensing while maintaining downlink-heavy configurations for data communication and minimizing interference with legacy UEs.

Innovation Solution

Allow UEs to transmit sensing signals in downlink slots by configuring TDD formats to accommodate sensing operations, enabling interference management and resource control to reduce overhead and maintain downlink capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If downlink slots are configured for data communication, then downlink capacity is improved, but UE sensing capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedownlink capacityVSAvoidUE sensing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The downlink slot is segmented into different resource regions: some resources are allocated for downlink data communication while other resources are allocated for UE sensing signal transmission. This segmentation allows both downlink capacity and UE sensing capability to coexist by dividing the time-frequency resources into distinct functional areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If TDD format is configured for downlink-heavy communication, then downlink throughput is improved, but interference to legacy UEs increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedownlink throughputVSAvoidinterference to legacy UEs

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different quality characteristics are applied to different parts of the downlink slot: resources designated for sensing signals have characteristics optimized for sensing (e.g., specific reference signal patterns), while resources for data communication have characteristics optimized for throughput. This local differentiation allows legacy UEs to ignore sensing resources while new UEs can perform sensing, reducing interference impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If sensing signals are transmitted in downlink slots, then UE sensing precision is improved, but resource overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUE sensing precisionVSAvoidresource overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The downlink slot structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it simultaneously supports downlink data communication, UE sensing operations, and maintains compatibility with legacy UEs. By making the downlink slot multi-functional through careful resource allocation, the system achieves sensing precision without proportionally increasing overall resource overhead, as the same slot structure serves multiple purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250247199A1Techniques for enabling user equipment sensing in downlink slots

Publication Date: 2025.07.31 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Aspects described herein relate to receiving, from a network entity, a time division duplexing (TDD) format configuration indicating at least a portion of multiple time divisions as being configured for downlink data communications from the network entity, and transmitting or receiving, in a subset of at least the portion of the multiple time divisions, a signal to enable sensing the UE by one or more other UEs.