Mobile Station Resource Block Assignment via Dynamic Carrier Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current resource block assignment methods in mobile stations are inflexible and limited, particularly when transitioning from Downlink Dual Carrier (DLDC) to Downlink Multi Carrier (DLMC) operations, leading to underutilization of processing power and reduced user experience due to fixed carrier limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method where a network node receives indications from a mobile station of its maximum capable downlink timeslots, resource blocks, and carriers, allowing for flexible assignment of resource blocks independent of fixed carrier counts, enabling full utilization of frequency and time domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If Downlink Dual Carrier (DLDC) is used with fixed carrier limitations, then device complexity and size are controlled, but the number of processable carriers is limited to two
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is designed to handle multiple carriers through a single receive chain using DLMC technology, making the receiver universal rather than dedicated to specific carrier numbers. This allows the same hardware to process any number of carriers up to the processing power limit, eliminating the fixed two-carrier limitation of DLDC while avoiding the complexity of multiple receive chains.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by introducing flexible carrier aggregation where the number of carriers is no longer fixed at two but can be dynamically adjusted based on processing capabilities. The network node and mobile station exchange capability indicators to determine the optimal number of carriers, transforming the rigid DLDC parameter structure into a flexible DLMC framework.
2Productivity
If more carriers are added to increase processing capacity, then user experience and data rates improve, but device size and complexity increase due to additional receive chains
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple carrier reception capabilities are merged into a single receive chain through DLMC technology. Instead of having separate physical receive chains for each carrier (which would increase device size), the system combines carrier processing functions in the baseband domain, allowing multiple carriers to be processed through one physical receiver path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of adding physical receive chains (hardware multiplication) with a signal processing approach using a single receive chain and baseband processing (software/digital substitution). This substitution allows increased processing capacity without proportional increases in physical device size.
3Ease of operation
If resource block assignment is based on fixed carrier counts, then assignment simplicity is maintained, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The resource block assignment system transitions from static fixed-carrier-based allocation to dynamic allocation based on actual mobile station capabilities. The network node receives capability indicators and adjusts resource block assignments dynamically, allowing optimal utilization of available processing resources while maintaining automated operation through standardized signaling procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A method in a network node for assigning resource blocks to a Mobile Station, MS, served by the network node. The MS is capable of downlink multicarrier operation. The network node receives from the MS an indication of a maximum number of consecutive downlink timeslots that the MS is capable of receiving on a given carrier during a TTI. The network node receives, from the MS, an indication of a maximum number of resource blocks that the MS is capable of processing during a TTI. The network node receives, from the MS, an indication of a maximum number of carriers supported by the MS. The network node assigns resource blocks to the MS, based on the received indication of a maximum number of consecutive downlink TS, the received indication of a maximum number of resource blocks and the received indication of a maximum number of carriers.