Joint HARQ ID and NDI Encoding for Wireless Grant Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE wireless communication systems, the existing mechanisms for multi-transport block grant transmissions in Category M User Equipment (UE) require significant overhead due to the need to specify up to 16 bits for hybrid automatic repeat request identifiers (HARQ IDs) and new data indication (NDI) values, leading to inefficient data transmission.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for joint coding of HARQ IDs and NDI values using piecewise linear encoding and combinatoric sums, allowing for the reduction of the total bits required for transmission by eliminating redundant data and using a unique index to represent HARQ ID-NDI pairs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If separate 8-bit fields are used for HARQ ID and NDI, then complete scheduling information can be transmitted, but the grant size increases to 16 bits causing inefficient data transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling information completenessVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the HARQ ID field and NDI field into a single joint encoding structure. Instead of transmitting separate 8-bit fields for HARQ ID and NDI (totaling 16 bits), the invention merges these into a unified field that represents both parameters together, reducing the total bit requirement to 13 bits while preserving all necessary scheduling information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter representation from separate fixed-length fields to a joint encoded parameter structure. By transforming the way HARQ ID and NDI are represented and transmitted, the system achieves more efficient encoding that reduces overhead bits while maintaining complete scheduling information capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If 16 bits are allocated for HARQ ID and NDI transmission, then all scheduling combinations are supported, but the control overhead increases reducing available data resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling combination supportVSAvoidavailable data resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the HARQ ID and NDI parameters into a single joint encoding field, reducing the total bit allocation from 16 bits to 13 bits. This merging eliminates redundant information while maintaining support for all necessary scheduling combinations, thereby freeing up 3 bits that can be used for additional data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates redundant information from the separate HARQ ID and NDI fields. By analyzing the overlapping information content in these separate fields, the invention removes unnecessary redundancy and creates a more compact joint representation that uses fewer bits while preserving all essential scheduling capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11381349B2Method and apparatus for facilitating transmissions in a wireless communication system

Publication Date: 2022.07.05 SEMTECH CORP

AI summary

There is provided methods and associated base station and user equipment, for facilitating transmissions in a wireless communication system. The mapping between an index and its corresponding HARQ ID or HARQ ID & NDI pair can be done using one or more equations relating the two entities. The equations can be defined in two configurations, one for encoding HARQ ID or HARQ ID & NDI pair and a second for decoding the encoded HARQ ID or HARQ ID & NDI pair to determine the HARQ ID or HARQ ID and NDI.