Frequency Resource Overlap Control for Grant-Free Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In grant-free systems, overlapping time-frequency resources selected by different terminal devices cause interference, affecting data demodulation performance, especially in large-scale access scenarios with numerous devices.

Innovation Solution

A communication method that designs non-orthogonal frequency resources with controlled overlapping bandwidths to reduce interference, allowing for flexible access scenarios with varying numbers of sending devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If orthogonal frequency resources are used, then interference between different sending devices is minimized, but the number of available frequency resources is limited and cannot meet large-scale access scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of available frequency resourcesVSAvoidinterference between sending devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of frequency resource orthogonality to non-orthogonality. By allowing controlled overlapping of frequency resources with overlap bandwidth less than or equal to a first threshold, the system increases the number of available frequency resources from N to Nf (where Nf > N), enabling support for large-scale access scenarios while maintaining acceptable interference levels through the threshold constraint

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If non-orthogonal frequency resources with large overlapping bandwidth are used, then more frequency resources are available, but interference during data transmission increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of frequency resourcesVSAvoidinterference during data transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a critical parameter constraint by limiting the overlapping bandwidth between any two non-orthogonal frequency resources to be less than or equal to a first threshold. This parameter control enables the system to utilize non-orthogonal frequency resources (increasing availability from N to Nf resources) while preventing excessive interference during data transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality control by allowing non-orthogonal overlapping only within controlled local regions (specific bandwidth segments) rather than across the entire frequency spectrum. The overlapping bandwidth constraint ensures that interference is localized and bounded, preventing widespread degradation of data transmission quality while still providing the benefits of increased resource availability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If orthogonal frequency resources are used, then system transmission performance is maintained, but the system cannot flexibly adapt to different quantities of sending devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility for different access scenariosVSAvoiddemodulation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic adaptability by allowing the frequency resource allocation to adjust between orthogonal and non-orthogonal modes based on the number of sending devices. The system can flexibly configure frequency resources with controlled non-orthogonality when needed, rather than being fixed to purely orthogonal allocations, enabling adaptation to varying access scenario requirements while maintaining acceptable performance through the overlapping bandwidth threshold

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4716341A1Communication method and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4716341A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4716341A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4716341A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication method includes: determining a first frequency resource corresponding to first data, and sending the first data on the first frequency resource, where the first frequency resource is a frequency resource in a first frequency resource set, the first frequency resource set includes Nf frequency resources, any two of the Nf frequency resources are different, a bandwidth of an overlapping frequency resource between at least two of the Nf frequency resources is greater than 0, a bandwidth of an overlapping frequency resource between any two of the Nf frequency resources is less than or equal to a first threshold, and Nf is an integer greater than or equal to 2. According to the method, mutual interference between a plurality of sending devices that is caused when the plurality of sending devices simultaneously transmit data can be reduced. In addition, more frequency resources are designed to support more sending devices, to achieve higher flexibility.