Feedback Bundling for Power-Limited Wireless Devices

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in transmitting feedback for multiple component carriers, particularly for power-limited mobile devices, which increases power consumption and reduces data rates due to high feedback overhead.

Innovation Solution

Implementing feedback bundling schemes such as CC bundling, spatial bundling, and subframe bundling to reduce the quantity of feedback data transmitted on the uplink, by bundling ACK/NACK feedback across component carriers and using single codeword transmission modes, and configuring bundling on a per subset basis for scheduled or activated carriers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If feedback is transmitted for each component carrier separately, then feedback accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases and feedback overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines feedback from multiple component carriers into a single bundled feedback transmission. Specifically, ACK/NACK feedback bits from multiple downlink component carriers are bundled together and transmitted on a single uplink component carrier, reducing the total number of feedback transmissions required while maintaining feedback accuracy through the bundled information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the feedback transmission by dividing component carriers into different groups (first set and second set of component carriers) with different feedback bundling configurations. This allows selective application of bundling strategies to different carrier groups, optimizing the balance between feedback accuracy and power consumption for each segment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If feedback is transmitted for each component carrier separately, then feedback completeness is improved, but feedback overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback completenessVSAvoidfeedback overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges feedback information from multiple component carriers into bundled feedback transmissions. By combining ACK/NACK bits from multiple downlink carriers into single uplink transmissions, the total volume of feedback overhead is reduced while the bundled feedback maintains completeness of acknowledgment information for all carriers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically configures feedback bundling parameters including the division of component carriers into different sets, the number of component carriers per set, and the bundling mode (ACK/NACK bundling within sets). This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt feedback overhead to channel conditions and traffic requirements while maintaining feedback completeness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Use of energy by moving object

If feedback bundling is implemented, then power consumption is reduced and feedback overhead is reduced, but data rate may be inhibited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddata rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic feedback bundling configuration where the base station can adjust the number of component carriers in each set, the bundling mode, and which uplink carrier transmits bundled feedback. This dynamic adjustment allows optimization of data rate by reducing bundling when channel conditions are good and increasing bundling when power saving is prioritized, thus balancing power consumption and data rate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different feedback bundling configurations to different sets of component carriers. The first set and second set can have different numbers of carriers, different bundling modes, and different uplink transmission assignments. This localized quality approach allows certain carrier sets to maintain higher data rates while others prioritize power saving, achieving overall system optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3203669B1Feedback bundling for power-limited devices in wireless communications
Publication Date: 2018.09.26 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3203669B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3203669B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3203669B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of wireless communication from a mobile device (110) is described. The method comprising receiving (1005) downlink transmissions over a plurality of downlink component carriers (120, 215, 220, 225) from a base station (105), identifying (1010) transmission modes associated with the received downlink transmissions, identifying (1015) at least one feedback bundling scheme on at least one uplink carrier (115, 205, 210) for confirming receipt of the downlink transmissions, the feedback bundling scheme associated with a power limited condition of the mobile device (110), bundling (1020) feedback confirming receipt of the downlink transmissions on the downlink component carriers (120, 215, 220, 225) according to the feedback bundling scheme, and transmitting (1025) the bundled feedback to the base station (105) on the at least one uplink carrier (115, 205, 210). Accordingly, an apparatus is described.