Inter-TRP Interference Measurement in 5G NR Guard Periods

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G New Radio (NR) communication systems, accurately measuring inter-TRP interference is challenging due to dynamic time division duplex (TDD) configurations, which affects link adaptation and scheduling, especially in dense networks with smaller coverage radii.

Innovation Solution

A method is proposed where a victim TRP configures interference measurement resources, such as channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) and demodulation reference signals (DM-RS), during a guard period to determine inter-TRP interference by receiving predefined interference signals from neighboring TRPs, allowing for precise interference measurement and link adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If dynamic TDD configurations are used in dense networks, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but inter-TRP interference measurement becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacityVSAvoidinter-TRP interference measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by configuring interference measurement resources (IMRs) in advance during the guard period before actual data transmission begins. This allows the victim TRP to pre-measure and report inter-TRP interference characteristics, enabling the network to perform link adaptation and scheduling decisions based on accurate interference information before dynamic TDD transmissions start, thus resolving the measurement accuracy issue while maintaining network capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If interference measurement resources are configured during guard period, then inter-TRP interference measurement accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinter-TRP interference measurement accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the victim TRP to autonomously measure inter-TRP interference using pre-configured IMRs during the guard period and automatically generate interference measurement reports. This self-measurement and self-reporting mechanism eliminates the need for complex centralized interference management, reducing system complexity while achieving accurate inter-TRP interference measurement for link adaptation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3602850B1Method for interference measurement in new radio (NR) communication systems
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 APPLE INC
  • EP3602850B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3602850B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3602850B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus configured to be employed in a victim transmission reception point (TRP) associated with a new radio (NR) communication system is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a memory interface and a processing circuit. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is configured to process one or more predefined interference signals respectively received from one or more interfering TRPs during a guard period of the victim TRP. In some embodiments, the guard period comprises a time period between a downlink (DL) transmission and an uplink (UL) transmission associated with a time division duplex (TDD) frame of the victim TRP. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to determine an inter-TRP interference based on the one or more predefined interference signals. In some embodiments, the inter-TRP interference comprises a measurement of a UL interference at the victim TRP from the one or more interfering TRPs.