Adapting Numerology Based on Timing Advance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, such as NR, face inefficiencies in maximizing transmission time per slot due to fixed numerologies, leading to suboptimal data transmission utilization and latency in critical machine-type communication scenarios, where UEs have varying timing advance values based on their positions.
Innovation Solution
Adapting numerology and slot structure based on measured timing advance for each User Equipment (UE), allowing for higher subcarrier spacing for UEs closer to the base station to increase transmission time and reduce latency, by selecting an appropriate numerology and slot structure that optimizes latency and throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fixed numerologies are used in current wireless communication systems, then system simplicity and ease of operation are maintained, but transmission time utilization and data transmission efficiency deteriorate due to inability to adapt to varying UE positions and timing advance values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic numerology selection where the network node adapts the numerology (subcarrier spacing, slot structure) based on the UE's timing advance value. UEs with smaller timing advance values (closer to base station) are assigned numerologies with larger subcarrier spacing and shorter slot durations, maximizing their transmission time utilization. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize productivity for each UE while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized adaptation rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key numerology parameters (subcarrier spacing, slot structure, cyclic prefix length) based on UE position and timing advance values. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes transmission time utilization for UEs at different distances from the base station, resolving the productivity improvement while keeping device complexity acceptable through systematic parameter adaptation.
2Loss of time
If higher subcarrier spacing is used for UEs closer to base station, then transmission time within slot increases and latency decreases, but system complexity increases due to multiple numerology configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting different subcarrier spacing values (e.g., 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 60 kHz) based on UE timing advance categories. UEs with smaller timing advance values receive higher subcarrier spacing configurations, which reduce slot duration and thereby reduce end-to-end latency. The complexity is managed through standardized parameter sets defined in the protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects numerology parameters based on real-time UE position and timing advance measurements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to minimize latency for each UE by assigning appropriate subcarrier spacing, while the underlying complexity is abstracted away through automated network-controlled selection rather than UE-side complexity.
3Productivity
If uniform slot structure is used for all UEs, then ease of operation and network management are maintained, but communication efficiency deteriorates for UEs with varying timing advance values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different slot structures and numerologies to UEs based on their specific timing advance values and positions relative to the base station. UEs with smaller timing advance values receive optimized configurations with shorter slot durations, while UEs with larger timing advance values receive configurations with longer slots. This localized optimization improves communication efficiency while the network manages the diversity through standardized adaptation rules.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method in a network node for adapting a numerology and slot structure depending on a position of a wireless device is provided. The position of the wireless device is measured by a timing advance (TA). For example, the method comprises: measuring a timing advance value for a User Equipment (UE); selecting a numerology and slot structure for UE data transmission based on the measured timing advance value; and sending an indication of the selected numerology and slot structure to the UE. A network node for carrying out this method is also provided.