NAICS Power Offset Signaling for Inter-Cell Interference Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network-assisted interference cancellation and suppression (NAICS) techniques in broadband wireless communications lack effective methods to provide user equipment (UE) with necessary network-side parameters, such as power offset values, to enhance inter-cell interference mitigation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of power offset signaling techniques, where serving eNBs transmit NAICS assistance information, including serving cell and proximate cell power offset information, within RadioResourceConfigDedicated fields of RRC connection control messages to UE, enabling more precise interference mitigation algorithms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If network-side parameters such as power offset values are provided to UE to enhance interference mitigation, then spectral efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional signaling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power offset signaling is segmented into two distinct parameters: pa (power offset between CRS and PDSCH) and pa2 (power offset between CRS and PDSCH for QPSK modulation). This segmentation allows the system to provide detailed interference mitigation information while organizing the signaling in a structured manner within the RRC connection control message, balancing the need for comprehensive parameters with manageable signaling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The network pre-calculates and provides the power offset values (pa and pa2) to the UE through RRC signaling before the UE needs to perform interference cancellation. This preliminary action enables the UE to have all necessary parameters ready in advance, improving spectral efficiency without requiring complex real-time signaling during data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple power offset parameters are signaled to support different modulation schemes, then adaptability is improved, but loss of information increases due to larger signaling overhead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodulation scheme adaptabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Different power offset parameters are assigned to different modulation schemes based on their specific requirements. The pa parameter is used for general PDSCH power offset, while pa2 is specifically tailored for QPSK modulation. This local quality approach ensures each modulation scheme receives the appropriate power offset information without requiring all parameters to be signaled for every scheme, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses parameter changes to adapt to different modulation schemes by selecting appropriate power offset values (pa or pa2) based on the modulation type. This allows the network to provide precise control over PDSCH power for different modulations without requiring separate complete parameter sets for each scheme, thereby reducing the information loss due to signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If power offset information is included in RRC connection control messages, then interference mitigation effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to modified protocol procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference mitigation effectivenessVSAvoidprotocol implementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The RRC connection control message structure is extended to include power offset parameters (pa and pa2) that serve multiple functions: they provide interference mitigation information for NAICS receivers, support different modulation schemes, and enable both semi-static and dynamic signaling mechanisms. This multi-functionality improves interference mitigation effectiveness while avoiding the need for separate dedicated signaling protocols, thereby maintaining relative ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The RRC connection control message acts as an intermediary that carries power offset information from the network to the UE. By using this existing control message structure rather than creating new dedicated signaling procedures, the patent reduces protocol implementation complexity while still providing the necessary interference mitigation parameters to improve reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3150008B1Power offset signaling techniques for network-assisted interference cancellation and suppression (NAICS) receivers
Publication Date: 2021.10.27 INTEL CORP
  • EP3150008B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3150008B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3150008B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Power offset signaling techniques for network-assisted interference cancellation and suppression (NAICS) receivers are described. In one embodiment, for example, user equipment (UE) may comprise at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver, at least one RF antenna, and logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to receive a radio resource control (RRC) connection control message comprising a RadioResourceConfigDedicated field and perform a radio resource configuration procedure in response to receipt of the RRC connection control message, the RRC connection control message to comprise network-assisted interference cancellation and suppression (NAICS) assistance information that identifies a power offset value for one or more transmissions to the UE over a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) of a serving cell of the UE. Other embodiments are described and claimed.