NR-IoT Downlink Repetition Puncturing at Synchronization Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G NR technologies are inadequate for IoT devices requiring low cost, low complexity, and coverage enhancement, failing to meet the speed and latency demands of services like video monitoring and industrial sensing.
Innovation Solution
A downlink transmission method and apparatus that cancels or punctures transmissions when they overlap with synchronization signal blocks, allowing for conflict-free and efficient data transmission in NR-IoT devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If downlink transmission repetitions are sent to achieve coverage enhancement, then coverage is improved, but resource conflict with synchronization signal blocks occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The base station determines in advance whether there is resource overlap between downlink transmission repetitions and synchronization signal blocks before actual transmission. When overlap is detected, the base station proactively cancels or punctures the downlink transmission repetition, preventing the resource conflict from occurring in the first place
Solution Approach 2:
When resource overlap is detected, the patent extracts (removes) the conflicting downlink transmission repetition from the transmission schedule, allowing the synchronization signal block to be transmitted without interference while maintaining the coverage enhancement through remaining non-conflicting repetitions
2Device complexity
If NR-IoT buffer size is limited to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation by allowing the NR-IoT device to flexibly adjust its operation based on the actual number of successfully received repetitions. The device maintains a limited buffer size for low complexity but dynamically processes varying numbers of repetitions (from 1 to N) based on coverage enhancement requirements and resource availability, optimizing the trade-off between complexity and efficiency
3Object-generated harmful factors
If downlink transmission is canceled upon overlap detection, then resource conflict is avoided, but transmission reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of canceling the entire downlink transmission when overlap is detected, the patent applies partial action by puncturing only the overlapping portion of the transmission resources. This allows the non-overlapping portions of the downlink transmission repetition to continue, maintaining partial transmission reliability while avoiding resource conflict
Solution Approach 2:
When overlap is detected, the patent discards only the conflicting portion of the downlink transmission repetition and recovers/retains the non-conflicting portions. The terminal device can still successfully decode the transmission using the recovered non-overlapping repetitions, thereby maintaining overall transmission reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A downlink transmission sending method is applicable to a base station. For a downlink transmission in N repetitions, in response to determining that the repetition overlaps with transmission resources of one or more synchronization signal blocks, sending the downlink transmission on first transmission resources is canceled, or the downlink transmission by puncturing the first transmission resources is sent. The first transmission resources are for the repetition and overlap with the transmission resources of the one or more synchronization signal blocks over at least one resource element (RE). N is a positive integer equal to or greater than 2.