Flexible Carrier Aggregation via Bandwidth Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently supporting flexible carrier aggregation, energy consumption, and frequency diversity, particularly in new radio access technology (NR) systems, which require efficient battery management and fast carrier activation/deactivation to accommodate varying bandwidths and usage scenarios.
Innovation Solution
The proposed method involves a user equipment (UE) reporting its capability for flexible carrier aggregation to the network, receiving configuration settings, and communicating through multiple physical carriers mapped to a single cell, allowing for efficient battery consumption and frequency diversity, while the base station configures and manages these carriers for optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation is implemented to support wideband operation, then system capacity and bandwidth utilization are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wideband carrier aggregation into multiple bandwidth parts (BWPs), where each BWP represents a segment of the total bandwidth. The UE can be configured with multiple BWPs but only activates one at a time, reducing the complexity of handling the entire wideband simultaneously while maintaining the ability to access the full bandwidth when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic BWP switching where the active BWP can be changed based on current communication needs, traffic conditions, and channel quality. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt bandwidth usage in real-time, maintaining high system capacity while reducing UE complexity and power consumption during low-traffic periods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bandwidth parts are configured for flexible bandwidth operation, then adaptability to different usage scenarios is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The total carrier bandwidth is segmented into multiple BWPs with different size configurations. Each BWP can be independently configured for specific usage scenarios (e.g., eMBB, mMTC, URLLC), allowing the UE to adapt to different requirements without processing the entire bandwidth simultaneously, thus managing complexity effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The BWP mechanism serves multiple functions: it enables flexible bandwidth adaptation, supports different numerologies, facilitates power saving modes, and provides fast carrier switching capability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each function, thereby managing overall device complexity while enhancing adaptability.
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring of multiple carriers is performed, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring of all configured carriers, the UE performs periodic monitoring based on BWP activation status. When a BWP is deactivated, the UE stops monitoring that carrier entirely, significantly reducing power consumption. The network can reactivate BWPs periodically or on-demand based on traffic patterns, maintaining reliability while enabling power saving during low-activity periods.
4Speed
If fast carrier activation and deactivation is implemented, then responsiveness to traffic changes is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple BWPs are pre-configured with different bandwidth and numerology parameters before actual communication begins. When fast switching is needed, the UE can immediately activate a pre-configured BWP without time-consuming setup procedures. This preliminary configuration reduces the complexity of real-time carrier management while enabling rapid activation and deactivation in response to traffic changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for supporting a flexible carrier aggregation in a new radio access technology (RAT) system is provided. A user equipment (UE) reports UE capability for supporting a flexible carrier aggregation in a single cell to a network, receives a configuration of the flexible carrier aggregation from the network, and communicates with the network via multiple physical carriers configured by the flexible carrier aggregation. The multiple physical carriers may be mapped to the single cell by the flexible carrier aggregation. Or, one physical carrier may be mapped to multiple cells by the flexible carrier aggregation.