HARQ-ACK Multiplexing for 5G Radio Resource Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communications networks face challenges in efficiently supporting a diverse range of devices with varying data traffic profiles and requirements, such as high data rate, low latency, and high reliability, particularly in 5G and new radio (NR) systems, due to increased complexity and the need for efficient radio resource management.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a communications device and infrastructure equipment that receive and transmit signals through a wireless radio interface, with the device determining successful signal reception on downlink channels and providing acknowledgement number indications, and the infrastructure equipment retransmitting signals based on threshold conditions, optimizing radio resource usage and reducing HARQ-ACK overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual HARQ-ACK feedback is provided for each downlink transmission occasion, then reliability of data transmission is improved, but HARQ-ACK overhead and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple HARQ-ACK feedback indications into a single uplink transmission by multiplexing them on the same physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). This merging approach reduces the number of separate feedback transmissions while maintaining comprehensive acknowledgment coverage for multiple downlink transmissions, thereby reducing device complexity and overhead while preserving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables a single uplink control channel to serve multiple functions by carrying HARQ-ACK feedback for multiple downlink transmission occasions simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows the uplink channel to handle both acknowledgment and retransmission requests in a unified manner, reducing the need for separate dedicated channels for each feedback type and lowering overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If HARQ-ACK feedback is transmitted for every downlink channel, then data transmission reliability is improved, but radio resource overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple HARQ-ACK feedback indications into consolidated uplink transmissions, reducing the total number of feedback messages sent over the radio interface. By combining acknowledgments for multiple downlink channels into single uplink control or shared channel transmissions, the system reduces radio resource overhead while maintaining complete feedback coverage for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements efficient feedback mechanisms where the network can determine which downlink transmissions were successfully received by the device through the multiplexed HARQ-ACK indications. This feedback approach allows the network to identify missing acknowledgments and trigger targeted retransmissions only when necessary, optimizing radio resource usage while ensuring data transmission reliability.
3Reliability
If the network monitors all downlink channels for successful reception, then data transmission reliability is improved, but network processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple HARQ-ACK feedback indications into a single uplink transmission that the network processes together. This merging allows the network to evaluate the reception status of multiple downlink channels in one processing operation rather than separately monitoring each channel, thereby reducing network processing complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the device reports acknowledgment status for multiple downlink channels through multiplexed HARQ-ACK indications. The network uses this consolidated feedback to efficiently determine which transmissions require retransmission, reducing the processing burden compared to individual channel monitoring while ensuring reliable data delivery through targeted retransmission decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a communications device configured to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from a wireless communications network via a wireless radio interface provided by the wireless 5 communications network is provided. The method comprises receiving, from the wireless communications network, signals on one or more downlink channels, each of the downlink channels being within one of a plurality of downlink transmission occasions, determining, for each of the downlink channels, whether or not the signals have been successfully received by the communications device, and transmitting, to the wireless communications network, an uplink control channel comprising an acknowledgement number indication, wherein the acknowledgement number indication indicates the number of the downlink transmission occasions within which the communications device determines that the signals were successfully received on one of the downlink channels.