Dynamic Demodulation Indication for Wireless Resource Allocation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current LTE PDCCH and ePDCCH designs are inadequate for supporting massive MIMO and 5G requirements, as they do not enable efficient UE-specific beamforming, leading to dynamic resource wastage and latency issues in data decoding, particularly for narrow band terminals and time-critical applications.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a dynamic demodulation indication (DI) system that allows the terminal device to determine the usage of configured resources for demodulating the direct physical channel (dPDCH) based on a second physical channel (PDCCH), enabling flexible resource allocation and faster decoding by indicating whether to use or not use PDCCH resources dynamically.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If ePDCCH is used for control signaling, then UE-specific beamforming is supported, but resource elements are wasted when PDCCH is not present

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE-specific beamforming capabilityVSAvoidradio resource wastage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a dynamic indicator that switches between two modes: using PDCCH resources for control signaling when needed, and releasing those resources for data transmission when not needed. This dynamic switching allows the system to adapt to varying control signaling requirements while maximizing resource utilization, resolving the contradiction between supporting UE-specific beamforming and avoiding resource wastage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If ePDCCH is used for control signaling, then UE-specific beamforming is enabled, but decoding latency increases for time-critical applications

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE-specific beamforming capabilityVSAvoiddata decoding latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic indicator mechanism enables the system to switch between ePDCCH-based control signaling (which supports beamforming) and PDCCH-based control signaling (which enables faster decoding). For time-critical applications, the system can dynamically select the PDCCH path, reducing decoding latency while maintaining beamforming capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If PDCCH resources are always allocated for control signaling, then control information can be transmitted, but resources cannot be used for data transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol information transmissionVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where PDCCH resources are allocated only when control signaling is actually needed. The indicator dynamically switches between allocating resources to PDCCH for control information transmission and releasing them for data transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between ensuring reliable control information transmission and maximizing data transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of manufacture

If ePDCCH is used, then control region can be pre-configured, but rate-matching complexity increases around ePDCCH

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol region configurationVSAvoidrate-matching complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic indicator simplifies rate-matching by providing clear, dynamic information about whether PDCCH resources are occupied. When the indicator shows PDCCH is not present, the UE can directly use those resources for data transmission without complex rate-matching around ePDCCH, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to pre-configure control regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3433964B1Dynamic demodulation indication
Publication Date: 2020.08.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3433964B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3433964B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3433964B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an improved applying of dynamic demodulation for a first physical channel (rPDCH) of a radio access of a terminal device (10) to a base station (30) of a wireless communication network. The improved dynamic demodulation is achieved by obtaining (S110), at the terminal device, a demodulation indicator, Dl, said Dl indicating a usage of configured resources of a second physical channel (PDCCH) for demodulating a part or all of the first physical channel (rPDCH); and by demodulating (S130), at the terminal device, data received on the first physical channel (rPDCH) based on the Dl.