NCR Beam Forwarding Across Multiple Slots With Lower Signaling Overhead

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, the signaling overhead increases due to the need for independent indication of beam direction and time resources for network-controlled repeater (NCR-Fwd) operations across multiple slots, leading to ambiguity in forwarding operations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the NCR receiving beam index and time resource information from a base station, allowing the NCR-Fwd to perform forwarding operations using the informed beam index across multiple slots, reducing signaling overhead and clarifying operation ambiguity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If independent indication of beam direction and time resources is performed for each slot, then forwarding operation control precision is improved, but signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforwarding operation control precisionVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the time resource indication into two parts: a common time resource indicator applicable to multiple slots, and slot-specific offsets. This segmentation allows the beam direction indication to be reused across multiple slots while still enabling precise control for each slot through offset adjustments, thereby reducing redundant signaling overhead while maintaining control precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the beam direction indication with a group of time resource indicators that can be applied across multiple slots. By combining these indications into a unified signaling structure, the system reduces the total number of separate signaling messages required, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining the ability to precisely control forwarding operations in each slot through the combined information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If beam direction is re-indicated in each slot, then forwarding operation reliability is improved, but signaling complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforwarding operation reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary indication of beam direction and common time resources before the actual forwarding operations in multiple slots. This preliminary action establishes a baseline configuration that can be reliably applied across slots, reducing the need for repeated full re-indications and thereby simplifying signaling while maintaining reliability through the pre-established configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic slot-specific offsets that can adjust the common time resource indication for each individual slot. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows the system to maintain high reliability by adapting to slot-specific conditions while keeping signaling complexity low by only transmitting the necessary offset information rather than complete re-indications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If time resource information covers multiple slots, then signaling efficiency is improved, but operation ambiguity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling efficiencyVSAvoidoperation ambiguity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing slot-specific offset information that customizes the common time resource indication for each individual slot. This localized adjustment ensures that while the common indication improves signaling efficiency, each slot can still have precise, unambiguous time resource allocation through its specific offset, thereby eliminating operation ambiguity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to the time resource indication by introducing slot offset values that operate in addition to the common time resource indicator. This dimensional extension allows the system to maintain signaling efficiency through the common indicator while resolving ambiguity through the additional slot-specific dimension, effectively solving the contradiction by operating in multiple informational dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4657940A1Operating method of apparatus in wireless communication system, and apparatus using same method
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4657940A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4657940A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4657940A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an operating method of an apparatus in a wireless communication system, and an apparatus using the method. According to the method, an NCR-MT of an NCR including the NCR-MT and an NCR-Fwd receives, from a base station, a beam index applied to an access link between the NCR-Fwd and a terminal and time resource information related to the beam index, and the NCR-Fwd performs a forwarding operation by using a beam indicated by the beam index in a time resource indicated by the time resource information. The time resource information indicates resources of a plurality of slots to which the beam index is applicable.