Multi-Slot PDCCH Monitoring for Short-Slot NR Control Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of detecting a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in shorter slots due to larger subcarrier spacing in higher-carrier frequency operations, such as those above 52.6 GHz, is exacerbated by the difficulty in PDCCH detection, necessitating improved techniques.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multi-slot PDCCH monitoring with search space set configurations, including UE-specific search space sets and common search space sets, to manage PDCCH monitoring occasions and control channel elements across multiple slots, with capabilities to handle overbooking and dropping of search space sets as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If larger subcarrier spacing is used in higher-carrier frequency operations, then bandwidth and throughput are improved, but slot duration becomes shorter making PDCCH detection more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends PDCCH monitoring from single-slot to multi-slot dimension, allowing the UE to aggregate monitoring opportunities across multiple slots. This dimensional extension compensates for the reduced detection probability in individual short slots caused by larger SCS, maintaining reliable control channel detection while preserving high throughput benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The network configures the UE with multi-slot monitoring patterns in advance, preparing the UE to monitor PDCCH across multiple slots proactively. This preliminary configuration enables the UE to be ready for PDCCH detection opportunities throughout the multi-slot period, ensuring timely detection despite the compressed slot structure from larger SCS.
2Reliability
If multi-slot PDCCH monitoring is implemented, then PDCCH detection reliability is improved, but monitoring complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring capacity into per-slot and multi-slot components, with distinct maximum numbers of PDCCH candidates and CCEs for each. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by defining separate limits for different time scales, making it easier for the UE to handle monitoring requirements through structured resource allocation rather than monolithic complex monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces configurable parameters including slot group size (X), number of monitoring slots (Y), and their combinations to adapt monitoring behavior to different service requirements. By changing these parameters dynamically, the system can adjust monitoring complexity to match actual needs, balancing reliability improvement against device complexity through flexible parameter optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment (UE) configured for operation in a fifth-generation new radio (NR) system may decode higher-layer signalling comprising configuration information received from a gNodeB (gNB) that configures the UE with search space (SS) sets for multi-slot physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring. At least some slots of the SS sets may be indicated to have a PDCCH monitoring occasion (MO) and each SS set may be configured in a number (Y) of consecutive slots (MO slots) within slot groups of a slot group size that comprises of a number (X) of consecutive slots. The UE may perform multi-slot PDCCH monitoring by monitoring the MO slots for PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping control channel elements (CCEs). Slot groups may have X consecutive slots (slot group size=X) and there are Y consecutive MO slots within each slot group.