HARQ Carrier Switching for Cross-Cell ACK/NACK Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQ) across different frequency bands and spectrum types, particularly in transitioning from LTE to NR technology, which requires improved carrier switching mechanisms to enhance latency, reliability, and bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic waveform switching for uplink communications by signaling a user equipment (UE) to switch between different waveform types, using a common DCI size for blind decoding and indicator-based switching, thereby reducing computing resources and latency while increasing network coverage and capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier switching is implemented for HARQ across different frequency bands and spectrum types, then network bandwidth and throughput are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the HARQ process by introducing separate HARQ entity identifiers for different spectrum types (licensed and unlicensed). This allows independent management of HARQ processes on different frequency bands, enabling efficient carrier switching without requiring the entire HARQ management system to be redesigned, thus improving bandwidth utilization while controlling complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal HARQ framework that can operate across multiple spectrum types using a common set of HARQ entities. The same HARQ entity can serve both licensed and unlicensed spectrum operations, allowing the system to handle diverse carrier scenarios with a unified mechanism, thereby improving overall network bandwidth without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Productivity
If carrier switching is implemented for HARQ across different frequency bands and spectrum types, then network throughput is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic carrier switching between licensed and unlicensed spectrum based on channel conditions, traffic requirements, and spectrum availability. The system can adaptively select which carrier to use for HARQ operations, optimizing throughput while consuming power only when and where needed, rather than continuously operating on all carriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different HARQ management strategies to different spectrum types locally. Licensed spectrum HARQ processes use one set of parameters and timing, while unlicensed spectrum uses another set, allowing each to be optimized independently for their specific characteristics. This localized optimization improves overall throughput while avoiding the power waste of applying a single suboptimal configuration everywhere.
3Reliability
If carrier switching is implemented for HARQ across different frequency bands and spectrum types, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments HARQ process management by introducing spectrum-type-specific HARQ entity identifiers, allowing independent tracking and management of HARQ processes on licensed versus unlicensed spectrum. This segmentation enables reliable operation on each spectrum type while keeping the complexity of managing each segment manageable, rather than requiring a single complex unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of spectrum-type identifiers that mediate between the physical HARQ entities and the multiple spectrum types. This intermediary allows the system to handle the complexity of multi-spectrum operations in a structured way, improving reliability by ensuring proper mapping and management while containing overall system complexity through modular organization.
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless communications systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving, from a network unit via a single physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) communication, a configuration scheduling multiple physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications; transmitting, to the network unit via a first cell, a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) communication comprising acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) feedback associated with a first subset of the multiple PDSCH communications; and transmitting, to the network unit, via a second cell, a second PUCCH communication comprising ACK/NACK feedback associated with a second subset of the multiple PDSCH communications, wherein the second cell is different from the first cell.