e-PDCCH Allocation via e-PCFICH Position Indication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently allocating a downlink control channel in multi-node systems, leading to increased complexity for user equipment to detect control channels, especially with the introduction of distributed multi-node systems and advanced MIMO techniques.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of an enhanced physical control format indicator channel (e-PCFICH) that indicates position information for a new downlink control channel, known as the e-PDCCH, to minimize complexity for user equipment detection and support multiple nodes in a multi-node system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a new downlink control channel (e-PDCCH) is introduced to support multiple nodes in a multi-node system, then the capacity and reliability of downlink control channel transmission is improved, but the complexity of blind decoding for user equipment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of downlink control channel transmissionVSAvoidcomplexity of blind decoding for user equipment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an enhanced physical control format indicator channel (e-PCFICH) as an intermediary element that carries position information about the e-PDCCH. This intermediary channel helps user equipment locate the control channel without requiring extensive blind decoding across the entire frequency band, thus maintaining reliability while reducing decoding complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The e-PCFICH is transmitted before the e-PDCCH to provide advance position information. By performing this preliminary action of indicating the control channel location, the system allows user equipment to directly navigate to the e-PDCCH position without exhaustive searching, thereby reducing blind decoding complexity while ensuring reliable control channel delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If distributed multi-node systems are deployed to increase data capacity, then the data capacity within limited frequency is improved, but the complexity of control channel allocation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata capacity within limited frequencyVSAvoidcomplexity of control channel allocation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the control channel allocation into separate components: the e-PCFICH for position indication and the e-PDCCH for actual control data. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling distributed multi-node systems to increase data capacity while keeping control channel allocation complexity manageable through structured division of functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If an enhanced physical control format indicator channel (e-PCFICH) is introduced to indicate position information, then the detection efficiency for user equipment is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection efficiency for user equipmentVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The e-PCFICH serves multiple functions: it indicates the position of the e-PDCCH, enables efficient detection by user equipment, and supports distributed multi-node systems. By designing this single element to perform multiple functions, the patent improves detection efficiency without requiring additional separate mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2731283B1Method and apparatus for allocating a downlink control channel in a wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2731283B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2731283B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2731283B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a method and apparatus for allocating a downlink control channel in a wireless communication system. A base station allocates at least one control channel element (CCE), which contains a plurality of resource elements (REs), in a data region of one resource block (RB), allocates an enhanced physical downlink control channel (e-PDCCH) corresponding to said at least one CCE, and transmits a downlink control signal through the allocated e-PDCCH.