NPRACH Frequency Hopping for Interference Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in effectively enhancing the range of random access procedures and minimizing interference between preambles with different formats and those with the same format, particularly in next-generation communication systems requiring improved mobile broadband and massive machine-type communications.

Innovation Solution

The method involves efficient frequency hopping and resource mapping between legacy and enhanced preambles, including extended cyclic prefix durations and narrowed subcarrier spacings, to support larger cell radii and reduce interference, while allowing coexistence of legacy and enhanced preambles within the same NPRACH resource configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If frequency hopping is performed between random access preambles, then interference between preambles with different formats and same format is reduced, but frequency resource allocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference between preamblesVSAvoidfrequency resource allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The NPRACH frequency resources are divided into multiple frequency regions, with each region assigned to specific preamble formats. This segmentation allows legacy preambles and enhanced preambles to operate in separate frequency regions, reducing mutual interference while simplifying the frequency hopping mechanism within each region.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-configures frequency region mappings for different preamble formats before random access occurs. The UE is provided with configuration information that indicates which frequency regions correspond to which preamble formats, allowing the UE to select appropriate frequency resources in advance without complex real-time calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Length of stationary object

If extended cyclic prefix durations and narrowed subcarrier spacings are used, then support for larger cell radii is improved, but resource allocation efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell radiusVSAvoidresource allocation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different cyclic prefix durations and subcarrier spacings locally to different frequency regions based on the preamble format. Enhanced preambles use extended cyclic prefix and narrowed subcarrier spacing in their designated frequency regions to support larger cell radii, while legacy preambles maintain standard parameters in their regions, preserving overall resource allocation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces frequency region as an additional dimension for resource allocation. By mapping different preamble formats to different frequency regions, the system can apply different physical layer parameters (cyclic prefix duration, subcarrier spacing) in different frequency dimensions, enabling support for both large and small cell radii simultaneously without compromising overall system efficiency.

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

3Adaptability or versatility

If legacy and enhanced preambles coexist in the same NPRACH resource configuration, then system compatibility is improved, but interference between different preamble formats increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem compatibilityVSAvoidinterference between different preamble formats
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The NPRACH resources are segmented into multiple frequency regions, with each region dedicated to specific preamble formats. Legacy preambles are allocated to certain frequency regions while enhanced preambles are allocated to other frequency regions. This segmentation enables coexistence of different preamble formats in the same NPRACH configuration while minimizing mutual interference through frequency isolation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3668251B1Method for performing random access process and device therefor
Publication Date: 2022.12.28 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3668251B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3668251B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3668251B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for performing a random access process in a wireless communication system, and a device therefor and, more specifically, to a method and a device therefor, the method comprising the steps of: receiving narrowband physical random access channel (NPRACH) configuration information; and transmitting a random access preamble on the basis of the received NPRACH configuration information, wherein a sub-carrier spacing for the random access preamble is set to 3.75/N kHz, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, the random access preamble includes multiple symbol groups, the multiple symbol groups are transmitted on the basis of frequency-hopping, and a frequency-hopping distance between each of the multiple symbol groups includes a value between 3.75/N kHz and 6∗3.75 kHz.