Frequency Hopping for Narrowband Low Cost UE in Wireless Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP LTE systems face challenges in supporting low-cost user equipment (UE) with limited radio frequency (RF) capabilities, particularly in receiving downlink data from wideband systems while minimizing cost and battery consumption, especially for machine-type communication (MTC) devices that require reduced RF and baseband complexity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves transmitting control signals and data for low-cost UE using frequency hopping techniques, enabling the UE to operate within a narrow bandwidth, and configuring the base station to handle frequency hopping for efficient data transmission, including signaling for subband configuration and hopping patterns to optimize resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the operating frequency bandwidth of MTC UE is reduced to lower cost and battery consumption, then the RF/baseband complexity is significantly decreased, but the UE cannot receive downlink data from wideband systems effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wideband system bandwidth into multiple subbands, allowing the MTC UE to operate in a narrow bandwidth (one subband) while the base station transmits data across the entire wideband. The UE receives data in segments across different subframes on different subbands, reconstructing the complete downlink data through frequency hopping. This segmentation enables low-complexity narrowband UE to access wideband systems effectively.
2Reliability
If frequency hopping is implemented for MTC UE to enable wideband data reception, then the downlink data reception capability is improved, but the UE complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base station performs preliminary actions by determining the frequency hopping pattern and subband configuration in advance, then signaling this information to the MTC UE through system information blocks (SIB) or dedicated RRC signaling. The UE receives the pre-configured hopping parameters (source subband, destination subband, hopping timing) before data transmission begins, eliminating the need for complex real-time frequency hopping decisions at the UE side. This preliminary configuration simplifies the UE processing while enabling effective frequency hopping.
3Productivity
If the base station transmits data across the entire system bandwidth, then the system capacity and resource utilization are maximized, but the narrowband MTC UE cannot process the wideband signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different parts of the system to have different operational characteristics. The base station transmits data across the entire system bandwidth using wideband resources, while the MTC UE processes only a localized narrow portion (one subband) at a time. Through frequency hopping, the UE sequentially accesses different local subbands, effectively receiving the complete wideband data stream without requiring wideband processing capability. This enables the narrowband UE to benefit from wideband system capacity while maintaining low processing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for transmitting a control signal or data for a low cost user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. A base station transmits information on frequency hopping for the low cost UE, and transmits the control signal or data to the low cost UE according to the information on frequency hopping.