NR UCI Channel Coding with Unequal Protection for HP and LP Bits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems, particularly 5G NR, face challenges in effectively providing unequal error protection for low priority (LP) and high priority (HP) uplink control information (UCI) during multiplexing, which can lead to inconsistent data reliability and efficiency in transmission.

Innovation Solution

A method involving encoding LP UCI bits once and HP UCI bits twice using separate encoders, followed by multiplexing and transmission through physical channels, along with transmitting coding rate information to manage encoding processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If HP UCI and LP UCI are multiplexed using a single encoder, then device complexity is reduced, but data reliability deteriorates due to inability to provide differential error protection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidencoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the encoding process by introducing separate encoders for HP UCI and LP UCI. The first encoder processes HP UCI bits while the second encoder processes LP UCI bits, allowing differential error protection strategies for different priority data streams. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable differential protection while managing complexity through structured separation of encoding functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing different encoding treatments to different parts of the data stream based on priority. HP UCI bits receive enhanced error protection through the first encoder, while LP UCI bits use the second encoder. This localized differentiation of encoding quality resolves the contradiction by tailoring protection levels to specific data requirements rather than applying uniform encoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If HP UCI bits are encoded twice and LP UCI bits are encoded once, then error protection for HP UCI is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple encoding passes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveerror protectionVSAvoidencoding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the encoding operations into distinct first and second encoders, where the first encoder performs double encoding on HP UCI bits and the second encoder performs single encoding on LP UCI bits. This segmentation enables differentiated reliability levels while organizing complexity into manageable, separate encoding modules rather than a monolithic complex encoder.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the encoding parameters by applying different numbers of encoding passes (once vs. twice) to different data streams. This parameter variation allows HP UCI to achieve higher error protection through repeated encoding while LP UCI uses simpler single encoding, resolving the contradiction between enhanced protection and controlled complexity through parameter differentiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If separate encoders are used for HP UCI and LP UCI, then differential error protection is achieved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedifferential error protectionVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the encoding function into specialized first and second encoders that operate in parallel on HP and LP UCI respectively. This segmentation enables differential error protection while improving processing efficiency through parallelization, resolving the contradiction by distributing processing load across multiple specialized components rather than sequential processing in a single encoder.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates encoders with multi-functionality where the first encoder is designed to handle HP UCI with enhanced protection requirements, and the second encoder handles LP UCI with standard protection. These encoders serve multiple purposes including error protection, data prioritization, and efficient resource allocation, resolving the contradiction by making the encoding system universally applicable to different data priorities while maintaining processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12581527B2Channel coding with unequal error protection for LP UCI and HP UCI multiplexing in NR
Publication Date: 2026.03.17 QUALCOMM INC
  • US12581527B2 patent drawing
  • US12581527B2 patent drawing
  • US12581527B2 patent drawing

AI summary

This disclosure provides systems, devices, apparatus, and methods, including computer programs encoded on storage media, for channel coding techniques based on unequal error protection for multiplexed LP UCI and HP UCI. In aspects, a UE may multiplex a set of LP UCI bits with a set of HP UCI bits. The set of HP UCI bits may be encoded through both a first encoder and a second encoder, and the set of LP UCI bits may be encoded through the second encoder to generate a set of coded UCI bits. The UE may transmit, to a base station, the set of coded UCI bits through one of a PUCCH or a PUSCH.