MC-DCI Information Field Sizing for Multi-Cell Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication technologies are limited by single-cell scheduling in downlink control information (DCI), which cannot efficiently manage the increasing demand for scheduling data across multiple cells due to fragmented frequency resources.
Innovation Solution
The method and apparatus determine the size and content of information fields in multi-cell downlink control information (MC-DCI) using configuration signaling, predefined conditions, and legacy DCI sizes to schedule multiple cells, enabling terminals and network devices to accurately identify and manage multiple scheduled cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If one piece of downlink control information (DCI) schedules only one cell, then the scheduling simplicity is maintained, but the ability to schedule multiple cells simultaneously is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The DCI message is designed to perform multiple functions: it can schedule a single cell or multiple cells simultaneously by incorporating a cell indication field that identifies one or more scheduled cells. This multi-functionality allows the same DCI structure to adapt to different scheduling scenarios without requiring separate signaling mechanisms for single-cell and multi-cell scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The DCI structure is segmented into distinct fields, including a cell indication field that separately identifies scheduled cells. This segmentation allows the system to flexibly indicate one or multiple cells within the same DCI message, enabling multi-cell scheduling while maintaining clear structure and interpretation rules for each field.
2Productivity
If frequency resources are fragmented into multiple cells, then resource utilization flexibility increases, but the scheduling efficiency decreases due to inability to schedule multiple cells simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cell scheduling indications are merged into a single DCI message through the cell indication field. Instead of requiring separate DCI messages for each cell, the invention combines the scheduling information for multiple cells into one unified DCI structure, thereby improving scheduling efficiency while maintaining flexibility in frequency resource management.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the DCI structure is extended to support multiple cells, then the multi-cell scheduling capability is enhanced, but the information field size and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cell indication field is designed with local quality optimization: it uses a compact representation that adapts to the number of scheduled cells. The field size and encoding scheme are tailored to efficiently represent one or multiple cells without unnecessarily increasing the overall DCI information field size, thereby balancing multi-cell capability with information efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining an information field is performed by a terminal, and includes: determining, based on at least one of a predefined mode or configuration signaling, a size of at least one information field in multi-cell downlink control information (MC-DCI) for scheduling multiple cells.