Multi-Cell DCI Format Switching for Dormant-Cell Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-cell scheduling DCI formats face issues with high signaling overheads and low scheduling flexibility when one or more cells in the scheduled cell group are deactivated or set to a dormant state, leading to inefficiencies in data scheduling.
Innovation Solution
The terminal device and network device switch DCI formats based on the status of cells, stopping monitoring of the multi-cell scheduling DCI format when a cell enters an inactive or dormant state and transitioning to a single-cell scheduling DCI format, with conditions for determining when to switch, thereby reducing signaling overheads and improving flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the multi-cell scheduling DCI format is used when one or more cells are deactivated or set to dormant state, then the DCI format can still be monitored, but the signaling overhead increases and scheduling flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic DCI format switching based on cell state. When one or more cells in the scheduled cell group are deactivated or set to dormant state, the terminal switches from monitoring the multi-cell scheduling DCI format to monitoring the single-cell scheduling DCI format. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by adjusting the DCI format according to actual cell availability, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining scheduling capability for active cells.
2Reliability
If the multi-cell scheduling DCI format is continuously monitored, then scheduling coverage is maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic DCI format switching to reduce energy consumption. When cells are deactivated or set to dormant state, the terminal stops monitoring the multi-cell scheduling DCI format and switches to monitoring single-cell scheduling DCI format for remaining active cells. This dynamic adjustment reduces unnecessary monitoring operations and associated energy consumption while maintaining scheduling coverage for cells that are actually available.
3Device complexity
If the multi-cell scheduling DCI format is used with deactivated cells, then the DCI structure remains simple, but scheduling flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic DCI format selection based on cell state. When one or more cells are deactivated or set to dormant state, the system switches from the multi-cell scheduling DCI format to the single-cell scheduling DCI format. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction by adapting the DCI format to the actual number of active cells, thereby restoring scheduling flexibility without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides example communication methods and related apparatuses. One example method includes monitoring a first downlink control information (DCI) format, where the first DCI format is usable for scheduling data transmission of two or more cells. In response to a first cell entering an inactive state or a dormant state, monitoring the first DCI format is stopped, where the first cell is a cell that carries the first DCI format, or the first cell belongs to a first scheduled cell group, where the first scheduled cell group is a set of all cells capable of being scheduled in the first DCI format.