Multi-Transport Block Grants With Time-Diversity Gaps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LTE systems face inefficiencies in multi-transport block grant transmissions, particularly for Category M User Equipment (UE), due to limitations such as reduced data capacity, increased complexity, and the inability to support time diversity and blind decoding of different sized DCI messages, which are necessary for efficient scheduling and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

The method involves interleaving transport blocks with gaps of predetermined periods to facilitate time diversity and reduce the size of downlink control information (DCI) by using techniques like a multi-grant flag, same modulation and coding scheme for all TBs, and limiting resource choices, thereby optimizing resource usage and reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple transport blocks are scheduled individually with separate grants, then each transport block can be transmitted with full resources, but the number of unused sub-frames increases and data rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata rateVSAvoidunused sub-frames
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple transport block schedules into a single multi-TB grant that can schedule up to 8 transport blocks simultaneously. This merging of scheduling operations eliminates the need for separate grants for each TB, reducing control channel overhead and eliminating unused sub-frames between individual TB transmissions, thereby improving data rate and resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple transport blocks are transmitted in sequence without gaps, then resource usage is maximized, but time diversity cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime diversityVSAvoidresource usage efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic gaps between transport block transmissions within the multi-TB grant structure. These regularly spaced gaps enable time diversity by separating transmissions in time, allowing the system to exploit varying channel conditions across different time instances while still maintaining high resource utilization through the consolidated grant approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the UE performs blind decoding of MPDCCH for different sized DCI messages, then flexible scheduling is enabled, but the UE complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling flexibilityVSAvoidUE complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a unified DCI message format for multi-TB grants that maintains consistent structure and size regardless of the number of transport blocks scheduled. This homogenization of the control message format eliminates the need for blind decoding of multiple DCI sizes, reducing UE complexity while preserving scheduling flexibility through the use of indicator fields within the standardized message structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentEP3834570B1Method and apparatus for multi-transport block grant transmissions
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 SIERRA WIRELESS ULC
  • EP3834570B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3834570B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~5C
  • EP3834570B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

There is provided a method and system for transmitting control information for user equipment. According to embodiments there is provided a method and apparatus for enabling multi-transport block scheduling with time diversity. According to embodiments, there is provided a method and apparatus for managing multi-transport block transmission.