Multi-Band Discovery Reference Signal Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems face challenges in multi-band operation, particularly with millimeter wave (mmW) communications experiencing higher signal attenuation, reduced coverage, and increased power consumption due to higher frequencies, which limits the effectiveness of existing techniques for efficient high-band communications.
Innovation Solution
The described techniques involve transmitting discovery reference signals (DRS) on multiple frequency bands, including anchoring high-band DRS transmissions to low-band DRS, to facilitate efficient cell discovery and reduce power consumption by optimizing DRS latency and signaling overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mmW communications are used to provide greater bandwidth, then data rate is improved, but signal attenuation increases and coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the frequency spectrum into multiple bands (low-band, mid-band, high-band/mmW) and uses each band for different purposes. Low-band provides broad coverage while high-band provides high data rate, allowing the system to combine the advantages of both segments to resolve the contradiction between coverage and data rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple frequency bands into a unified multi-band operation system. By merging low-band coverage capabilities with high-band data rate capabilities in a single communication framework, the system achieves both extensive coverage and high productivity simultaneously.
2Productivity
If mmW communications are used to provide greater bandwidth, then data rate is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic discovery reference signals (DRS) transmitted at specific intervals rather than continuous transmission. This periodic action allows the system to maintain mmW connectivity and high data rate capability while significantly reducing average power consumption by keeping the radio in low-power states between DRS occasions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements autonomous power management where the UE autonomously determines when to activate the high-band radio based on DRS detection from the network, eliminating the need for continuous network control signaling and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining data rate capability.
3Loss of time
If DRS is transmitted frequently to reduce latency, then cell discovery speed is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the temporal parameters of DRS transmission by introducing configurable periodicities and time windows (DMTC windows). By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves fast cell discovery (low latency) while minimizing the total number of DRS transmissions, thereby reducing signaling overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The network performs preliminary configuration of DRS parameters including periodicity, time window duration, and frequency location before actual DRS transmission. This preliminary action allows UEs to efficiently anticipate and monitor for DRS at predictable intervals, reducing the need for frequent transmissions and minimizing signaling overhead while maintaining low latency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. Some wireless communications systems may support multi-band operation. Different frequency bands may experience different communication characteristics (e.g., frequency-dependent fading), which may result in undesirable interference patterns and/or coverage gaps. The described techniques provide for discovery procedures for multi-band operation. The discovery procedures may allow for improved throughput, improved energy efficiency, reduced signaling overhead, as well as other benefits for a wireless communications system. Generally, the described techniques provide for efficient discovery reference signal (DRS) transmissions over multiple frequency bands. The timing of the DRS transmissions across the different bands may be related or the DRS transmission timing for each band may be determined independently.