Mini-slot Group Format for Control Channel Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing LTE systems, the inability to flexibly indicate the time-domain location of a mini-slot carrying a second control channel with different subcarrier widths leads to excessive energy consumption for terminals detecting control channels.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the format of mini-slot groups based on distinct subcarrier widths for first and second control channels, with the access network device sending signaling to indicate the time-domain location of mini-slots, allowing terminals to detect the second control channel only at specified locations, reducing unnecessary detection and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal detects control channels in all mini-slots, then the control information can be received reliably, but the energy consumption becomes excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control channel detection task from all mini-slots and concentrates it only in the first mini-slot. The terminal is configured to detect control channels only in the first mini-slot of each slot, while ignoring subsequent mini-slots. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by removing unnecessary detection operations from non-first mini-slots, thereby significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable control information reception through proper scheduling in the first mini-slot.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the subcarrier width changes between first and second control channels, then the system supports flexible numerology, but the terminal cannot determine time-domain locations of candidate control channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the terminal with the subcarrier width and time-domain location information of the first control channel before actual data transmission. The access network device sends configuration signaling that includes the subcarrier width (e.g., 15kHz, 30kHz, 60kHz, or 120kHz) and the specific time-domain location where the first control channel will be transmitted. This advance configuration enables the terminal to prepare the correct detection parameters in advance, resolving the difficulty of detecting control channels when subcarrier width changes between different control channels.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control channels are superimposed in time domain, then data scheduling flexibility is improved, but the terminal's detection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control channel transmission into two distinct parts: the first control channel transmitted in the first mini-slot and the second control channel transmitted in subsequent mini-slots. The terminal is configured to detect only the first control channel in the first mini-slot, which contains sufficient scheduling information. This segmentation approach maintains data scheduling flexibility through the two-channel structure while simplifying terminal detection complexity by eliminating the need to search and detect control channels in all mini-slots.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a communication method. An access network device and a terminal each determine a format of at least one mini-slot group based on a first subcarrier width used for a first control channel and a second subcarrier width used for a second control channel. The access network device sends first indication information and second indication information to the terminal, so that the terminal determines, based on the first indication information, a time-domain location of each mini-slot group in which the second control channel is carried, and determines, based on the format of the mini-slot group and the second indication information, a time-domain location of a mini-slot that is in each mini-slot group and in which the second control channel is carried. According to the method in this application, a time-domain location of a mini-slot in which a second control channel is carried can be flexibly indicated based on different subcarrier widths used for the second control channel, and the terminal may detect only some mini-slots, so as to reduce energy consumption of detecting all mini-slots by the terminal.