Narrowband Common Control Channel Subband Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in transmitting control information, as transmitting control information across the entire bandwidth can lead to reduced throughput and increased processing and power consumption, especially in scenarios with tight link budgets.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a narrowband common control channel subband design that allows for data multiplexing with control information, where the common control region is divided into subbands, enabling different UEs to use dedicated control channel subbands, and configuring subbands using explicit signaling to simplify control channel processing and expand control channel capacity without significantly impacting processing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control information is transmitted across the entire bandwidth, then control coverage is improved, but throughput is reduced and processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The common control region is divided into multiple subbands in the frequency domain, allowing control information to be transmitted selectively across different bandwidth portions. This segmentation enables the system to maintain control coverage while freeing up other bandwidth for data transmission, thus improving throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces frequency-domain subband division as an additional dimension for control channel organization. By distributing control information across multiple frequency subbands rather than using a single wideband control region, the system achieves both coverage and throughput objectives.
2Reliability
If control information is transmitted across the entire bandwidth, then control coverage is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the control region into subbands allows the UE to process control information in smaller, distributed frequency portions rather than monitoring the entire bandwidth continuously. This reduces the computational burden and power consumption at the UE while maintaining control coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transmits control information in partial bandwidth portions (subbands) rather than the full bandwidth, which is sufficient to achieve control coverage while reducing the energy required for transmission and processing.
3Quantity of substance
If the control region duration is changed, then control capacity is adjusted, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the time duration of the control region, the patent segments the frequency bandwidth into subbands. This allows control capacity to be adjusted by allocating different numbers or sizes of subbands without modifying the time-domain structure, thereby avoiding increased processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent shifts the control capacity adjustment mechanism from the time domain (duration changes) to the frequency domain (subband allocation). This dimensional shift enables flexible control capacity management while maintaining a fixed time-domain structure, reducing processing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A base station may transmit control information using a narrowband common control region that occupies a portion of a system bandwidth. In some cases, data may be multiplexed during the same time period in tones that are not used by the common control region. The base station may transmit control region configuration information to one or more user equipment (UE) devices such as the bandwidth, central frequency, and multiplexing status of the common control region. In some cases, the common control region may be divided into subbands, and different UEs may be assigned to monitor different subbands. Unassigned UEs may monitor a default anchor subband.