NB-IoT Multi-PRB Allocation Using Anchor and Additional RBs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing multiple physical resource blocks (PRBs) for narrowband systems, particularly in supporting narrowband Internet-of-Things (IoT) communications, where existing technologies struggle to effectively allocate and utilize additional frequency resources for improved coverage and interference reduction.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a user equipment (UE) performing a cell search based on signals in an anchor resource block (RB) and determining the location of additional RBs for narrowband communications, with the base station (BS) signaling the availability of these additional RBs, allowing for communication to occur in either the anchor RB or the additional RBs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If narrowband systems use only a single anchor resource block for communications, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but communication coverage is limited and interference reduction capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the frequency resources by designating one anchor RB for control and synchronization functions, and additional non-anchor RBs for data transmission. This segmentation allows the UE to perform cell search and system information acquisition on the anchor RB while utilizing additional RBs for enhanced coverage and reduced interference, thereby resolving the contradiction between coverage reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an additional dimension to resource block utilization by allowing communications to occur in both anchor RB and additional non-anchor RBs. The anchor RB operates in the traditional dimension for control functions, while additional RBs provide an extended dimension for data transmission, enabling improved coverage without significantly increasing device complexity through the use of indication bits rather than full resource management.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If additional resource blocks are allocated for narrowband communications, then interference reduction and coverage improvement are achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the resource allocation complexity from the UE by having the BS explicitly indicate which additional RBs are available for communication through compact indication mechanisms (e.g., bit fields in system information). This extraction allows the system to utilize multiple RBs for interference reduction and coverage improvement while the BS manages the complexity of frequency resource allocation, thereby resolving the contradiction between interference reduction and system complexity.
3Productivity
If the base station signals availability of additional RBs, then resource utilization efficiency is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation by using compact bit field indications instead of explicit resource allocation messages. The BS signals the availability of additional RBs through efficient parameter encoding (e.g., using a small number of bits to indicate RB indices or patterns), which improves frequency resource utilization efficiency while minimizing signaling overhead by transmitting only essential information rather than full resource allocation details.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for multiple physical resource block (PRB) operations for narrowband (NB) systems, such as NB internet-of-things (IoT). In one aspect, a method is provided which may be performed by a wireless device such as a user equipment (UE), which may be an NB-IoT device. The method generally includes performing a cell search based on one or more signals received in an anchor RB within a set of RBs available for narrowband communications with a base station (BS); determining a location of at least one additional RB available for the narrowband communications with the BS based on an indication received in the anchor RB; and performing narrowband communications with the BS using at least one of: the anchor RB or the at least one additional resource block.