HARQ Feedback Resource Segmentation for Shortened TTI

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in HARQ feedback due to collisions between legacy PUCCH and shortened PUCCH resources, leading to resource waste and increased latency in next-generation networks like 5G, particularly in TDD configurations with varying TTI lengths.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves multiplexing ACK/NACK responses of different TTI lengths in an efficient manner by separating resource sets based on offset values and resource allocation indices, ensuring non-overlapping and optimized use of resources for both legacy and shortened TTI transmissions, thereby reducing collisions and improving resource utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If HARQ feedback resources are shared between legacy and shortened TTI, then resource utilization improves, but resource collisions occur leading to feedback failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidHARQ feedback reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The PUCCH resource space is segmented into distinct regions: legacy PUCCH resources (nPUCCH,1 to nPUCCH,1+NRG-1) and shortened PUCCH resources (nPUCCH,1+NRG to nPUCCH,1+2NRG-1). This segmentation prevents collisions by allocating separate resource pools for different TTI types while maintaining overall resource utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If separate resource sets are allocated for legacy and shortened TTI, then resource collisions are avoided, but resource waste increases due to dedicated allocation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHARQ feedback reliabilityVSAvoidresource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects between legacy and shortened TTI configurations based on service requirements. The offset value k is adjusted dynamically to map shortened PUCCH resources to appropriate uplink subframes, allowing flexible resource allocation that adapts to different traffic patterns and reduces waste while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of time

If processing time for HARQ feedback is reduced in shortened TTI, then latency decreases, but resource allocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHARQ feedback latencyVSAvoidresource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network pre-configures offset values and resource mapping parameters through RRC signaling before shortened TTI transmission begins. This preliminary configuration establishes the resource allocation rules in advance, allowing the UE to quickly determine feedback resources without complex real-time calculations, thus reducing latency while managing complexity through pre-computed parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3316507B1Method and apparatus for improving HARQ feedback in shortened TTI in a wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2020.07.01 ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC
  • EP3316507B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3316507B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3316507B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses for improving HARQ feedback in shortened TTI in a wireless communication system are disclosed herein. In one method, a user equipment is configured with a processing interval between receiving a downlink data and transmitting a corresponding acknowledgement (ACK)/ negative acknowledgement (NACK) response (1105). The UE receives downlink data with 1 millisecond TTI at a downlink subframe (1110). The UE transmits the ACK/NACK response of the downlink data on a resource at an uplink subframe, wherein the resource is based on an offset value if the processing interval is shorter than 4 milliseconds (1115).