MTC Communication System Using Aggregated Narrowbands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3GPP Rel-13 standards do not fully support MTC devices requiring higher data rates and mobility, particularly for delay-sensitive services, while maintaining power consumption and complexity reduction features.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a base station and machine type communication device system that uses sequence-based data transmission and ACK/NACK feedback, allowing for higher data rates by scheduling transmissions across multiple subframes and using extended or aggregated narrowbands, while maintaining efficient power consumption and complexity reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If 3GPP Rel-13 standards are used for MTC devices, then power consumption and complexity are reduced, but data rates and mobility support are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data transmission into multiple bundles transmitted across different subframes. Each bundle can be independently received and acknowledged, allowing the MTC device to process data in manageable portions while maintaining reduced complexity. The base station divides the overall transmission task into smaller units that fit within the capabilities of Rel-13 MTC devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends transmission from single subframe to multiple subframes in the time dimension, and from single narrowband to aggregated narrowbands in the frequency dimension. This multi-dimensional approach increases data rates by utilizing additional resources without requiring the MTC device itself to become more complex, as the device simply follows scheduling instructions.
2Productivity
If data is transmitted across multiple subframes to increase data rate, then productivity improves, but delay sensitivity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements ACK/NACK feedback for each data bundle to ensure reliable delivery. The MTC device sends acknowledgment for received bundles, allowing the base station to identify and retransmit only failed bundles. This feedback mechanism maintains high data rates by preventing retransmission of successfully received data while ensuring delay-sensitive services receive their data within acceptable timeframes.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station schedules data bundle transmissions in advance across multiple subframes, allowing the MTC device to prepare for reception. The scheduling information is provided beforehand, enabling the device to optimize its reception process and reduce processing delays when actual data arrives.
3Reliability
If ACK/NACK feedback is sent for each data bundle, then transmission reliability improves, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple ACK/NACK feedback indications into a single uplink transmission. Instead of sending separate feedback for each data bundle, the MTC device combines multiple acknowledgment states into one consolidated feedback message, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining the ability to track delivery status of individual bundles.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acknowledges receipt of data bundles, informs the base station about transmission success/failure, and enables selective retransmission. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate signaling channels or messages, optimizing the balance between reliability and overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system is disclosed in which a base station communicates with machine-type-communication (MTC) devices by dividing the base station's cell bandwidth into (non-overlapping) narrowbands and subframes in each narrowband. The base station generates and transmits control information (DCI) for allocating a set of physical resource blocks (PRBs) in a plurality of subframes for an MTC device. After the base station transmits the data, the MTC device generates and transmits an HARQ feedback indicating that i) the data has been successfully received in each one of the plurality of subframes (e.g. a single ‘ACK’) or ii) the data has not been received in at least one of the plurality of subframes (e.g. a single ‘NACK’).