MIMO SM Uplink Resource Allocation for ACK/NACK Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

In conventional mobile communication systems, it is unclear how base station apparatuses allocate uplink resources for mobile stations to transmit ACK/NACK information for multiple downlink transport blocks, leading to inefficiencies in resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a method where the base station apparatus explicitly sets and indicates uplink resources using the RRC signaling, allowing mobile stations to efficiently determine the resources needed for transmitting ACK/NACK information by utilizing channel selection and resource indication information, such as the ACK Resource Indicator (ARI), to manage the allocation of PUCCH resources across multiple cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the base station apparatus transmits multiple downlink transport blocks using MIMO SM, then the downlink data transmission capacity is improved, but the complexity of uplink resource allocation for ACK/NACK feedback becomes unclear and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedownlink data transmission capacityVSAvoiduplink resource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the uplink resource allocation by associating each downlink transport block with a specific PUCCH resource. When multiple transport blocks are transmitted, separate PUCCH resources are allocated for each block's ACK/NACK feedback, allowing independent management and reducing allocation complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base station apparatus pre-configures and indicates PUCCH resource information to the mobile station apparatus before downlink data transmission. This preliminary resource indication enables the mobile station to prepare ACK/NACK feedback resources in advance, eliminating the need for complex dynamic allocation after transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If explicit PUCCH resource indication is implemented for multiple transport blocks, then the resource allocation efficiency is improved, but the signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reuses existing PDCCH fields (such as the TPC field for PUCCH) to carry PUCCH resource indication information. This multi-functional use of existing signaling fields provides explicit resource indication without adding separate dedicated signaling, thereby controlling overhead while improving allocation efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2624652B1Mobile-station device and communication method
Publication Date: 2021.05.05 SHARP KK
  • EP2624652B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2624652B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2624652B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile communication system and a communication method are provided in which, when a base station apparatus and a mobile station apparatus applies MIMO SM to downlink data to perform transmission and reception, the base station apparatus can efficiently allocate, to the mobile station apparatus, an uplink resource for transmitting information indicating an ACK/NACK for downlink data. The mobile station apparatus communicating with the base station apparatus determines the number of resources of a physical uplink control channel explicitly set by the base station apparatus from a cell set by the base station apparatus, a downlink transmission mode for the cell set by the base station apparatus and a physical downlink shared channel scheduled by a downlink assignment transmitted by the base station apparatus in a primary cell.