Multi-Carrier Reference Signal Scheduling to Reduce DCI Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently scheduling reference signals across multiple carriers, leading to inefficiencies in resource allocation and communication performance.
Innovation Solution
A single instance of downlink control information (DCI) is used to schedule reference signals across multiple carriers, indicating whether reference signals are scheduled on two or more carriers, allowing devices to determine how to transmit or receive these signals efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If separate DCI instances are used to schedule reference signals on each carrier, then scheduling flexibility is maintained, but control signaling overhead increases and resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple reference signal scheduling operations into a single DCI instance that can schedule reference signals across multiple carriers simultaneously. This merging approach reduces the number of separate DCI messages needed, thereby reducing control signaling overhead while improving resource allocation efficiency through unified scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The DCI structure is designed to be universal, capable of scheduling reference signals on multiple carriers through a single instance. This multi-functional DCI can indicate reference signal scheduling information for different carriers using bitmap fields and carrier indication fields, allowing one DCI to perform what previously required multiple separate DCI instances.
2Ease of operation
If multiple DCI instances are used for multi-carrier reference signal scheduling, then carrier-specific control is maintained, but device complexity and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges carrier-specific reference signal scheduling information into a unified DCI structure that handles multiple carriers simultaneously. This reduces the number of separate processing operations needed at the device side, simplifying device processing while maintaining the ability to control each carrier's reference signal scheduling through the unified DCI.
3Productivity
If reference signals are scheduled independently on each carrier, then carrier-specific optimization is achieved, but overall communication efficiency decreases due to fragmented resource management
Solution Approach 1:
The DCI structure incorporates universal scheduling capabilities that can adapt to different carrier configurations. Through bitmap fields and carrier indication fields, the single DCI instance can selectively schedule reference signals on specific carriers based on network conditions and requirements, maintaining carrier-specific optimization while achieving overall communication efficiency through unified management.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects relate to scheduling reference signals across multiple carriers (e.g., across cells). Signaling may be used to indicate whether reference signals are scheduled across multiple carriers. For example, a single instance of downlink control information (e.g., the downlink control information sent via a single time slot) that schedules multiple carriers (e.g., multiple component carriers) may include an indication of whether reference signals are scheduled for two or more of the scheduled carriers.