HARQ Procedure Management for Multiple Numerologies in 5G

The patent segments the HARQ process into multiple independent HARQ entities, with each entity dedicated to a specific numerology. This allows each numerology to have its own HARQ timing, processes, and acknowledgments, enabling independent optimization for different service requirements while maintaining clear separation to manage complexity.

The patent introduces a new dimension of numerology-specific HARQ management by creating HARQ entities that are indexed not only by carrier but also by numerology type. This dimensional expansion allows the system to handle multiple numerologies simultaneously with distinct HARQ parameters for each.

The patent creates a universal HARQ framework where HARQ entities can serve multiple functions across different numerologies. Each HARQ entity is designed to handle both downlink and uplink HARQ processes, and can be dynamically activated or deactivated based on service requirements, providing multi-functionality that reduces overall system complexity.

The patent implements dynamic HARQ entity activation where not all HARQ entities are active simultaneously. The system dynamically activates only the HARQ entities needed for currently active numerologies, allowing the device to adapt its complexity level based on real-time service requirements rather than maintaining fixed high complexity.

The patent segments HARQ timing management by creating separate timing configurations for each numerology-specific HARQ entity. This allows each numerology to have optimized timing parameters (k1, k2, k3 values) tailored to its service requirements without interfering with other numerologies, while the segmentation itself manages the coordination complexity through clear separation.

The patent applies local quality optimization by allowing different HARQ timing characteristics for different numerologies based on their specific service requirements. Each numerology can have locally optimized timing parameters suited to its traffic type (e.g., ultra-reliable low-latency communication vs. enhanced mobile broadband) without requiring global timing coordination.

The patent segments the HARQ-ACK codebook into separate codebooks for each numerology, allowing independent feedback timing for each numerology. This segmentation enables low-latency feedback for time-sensitive numerologies while still maintaining efficient multi-carrier support, avoiding the latency penalty of joint codebooks while preserving productivity benefits.

The patent applies partial joint codebook approach where HARQ-ACK feedback is jointly reported for some numerologies with similar timing requirements while maintaining separate feedback for numerologies with stringent latency requirements. This partial application of joint codebooking provides a balance between efficiency and latency performance.