HARQ-ACK Feedback Control in Non-Terrestrial Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In communication systems, particularly in non-terrestrial networks (NTN) with long communication distances, the Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process is often disabled to improve data transmission efficiency, but this introduces uncertainty about terminal device communication and can lead to scenarios where terminal devices receive all downlink transmissions of disabled HARQ processes within a feedback window, causing signaling overhead and impacting communication efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A communication method where terminal devices determine whether to transmit HARQ-ACK information based on the reception of specific physical channels, and network devices decide on receiving HARQ-ACK information, using assignment index information to manage HARQ feedback, thereby reducing signaling overhead and improving communication efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If HARQ feedback is disabled to improve data transmission efficiency in NTN systems, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but signaling overhead increases and communication efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary HARQ-ACK feedback transmissions for disabled HARQ processes. Terminal devices determine whether to transmit HARQ-ACK information based on reception of physical channels, and network devices determine whether to receive such information, effectively taking out the harmful signaling overhead while preserving essential feedback mechanisms.
2Productivity
If HARQ feedback is disabled to improve data transmission efficiency, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but communication efficiency deteriorates due to uncertainty in terminal device communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic determination mechanisms where terminal devices and network devices adaptively decide whether to transmit/receive HARQ-ACK information based on physical channel reception. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize communication efficiency by enabling feedback when beneficial and disabling it when unnecessary, rather than using a static HARQ disable configuration.
3Reliability
If terminal devices receive all downlink transmissions of disabled HARQ processes within a feedback window, then complete reception is achieved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating treatment of different physical channels and HARQ processes. Terminal devices determine HARQ-ACK transmission on a per-process basis based on reception status, rather than uniformly transmitting feedback for all received transmissions. This localized approach ensures reliable reception tracking only where necessary while reducing overall signaling overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a communication method and a storage medium. The communication method includes: determining, by a terminal device, a reception of a first physical channel and/or a second physical channel; and determining, by the terminal device, whether to transmit a hybrid automatic repeat-request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information according to the reception of at least one the first physical channel and/or at least one the second physical channel.