Wireless Numerology Design with Symbol Boundary Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radio access technologies face challenges in meeting the demands of next-generation wireless communication networks due to constraints in timing, latency, and interference management, particularly with a single numerology, which limits their ability to accommodate increased data traffic and diverse services.

Innovation Solution

The development of wireless communication numerology designs that maintain symbol boundary alignment, allowing for the multiplexing of different numerologies with scaled tone or subcarrier spacings, enabling low latency communication and improved interference management through non-ambiguous symbol boundary timing references.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single numerology is used in current radio access technology, then backward compatibility is maintained, but the ability to meet diverse service demands (timing, latency, interference management) is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to meet diverse service demandsVSAvoidnumerology design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the time-frequency resource grid into multiple numerologies with different subcarrier spacings and symbol durations. Each numerology can be independently configured to meet specific service requirements (e.g., enhanced mobile broadband, ultra-reliable low-latency communication, massive machine type communication), allowing the system to handle diverse services simultaneously without requiring a complete redesign of the numerology structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic numerology selection and switching capabilities, where the system can adaptively choose different numerologies based on real-time service demands, channel conditions, and traffic patterns. This dynamic approach enables the network to optimize performance for different services while maintaining a unified framework, avoiding the need for static, overly complex numerology designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If different numerologies are multiplexed to accommodate increased data traffic and diverse services, then service adaptability improves, but symbol boundary alignment and timing reference ambiguity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata traffic capacityVSAvoidtiming reference ambiguity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces common timing references and synchronization signals that act as intermediaries between different numerologies. These common elements provide a unified timing baseline that allows multiple numerologies with different subcarrier spacings to coexist without timing conflicts. The synchronization mechanisms ensure that symbol boundaries across different numerologies can be properly aligned and referenced, eliminating timing ambiguity while enabling high-capacity multiplexing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If symbol boundary alignment is maintained across different numerologies, then interference management improves, but the complexity of coordinating multiple scaled numerologies increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference managementVSAvoidnumerology coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically varies key parameters (subcarrier spacing, symbol duration, cyclic prefix length) across different numerologies while maintaining mathematical relationships that ensure symbol boundary alignment. By establishing standardized parameter sets and scaling rules, the system can coordinate multiple numerologies with reduced complexity, as the parameter changes follow predictable patterns rather than requiring arbitrary adjustments for each numerology combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3455981B1Scalable numerology with symbol boundary alignment for uniform and non-uniform symbol duration in wireless communication
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3455981B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3455981B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3455981B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure provide various wireless communication numerology designs that can maintain symbol boundary alignment while multiplexing different numerologies in wireless communication. The symbols may be scaled for different tone or subcarrier spacings while maintaining the symbol boundary alignment between different numerologies. Maintaining the symbol-boundary alignment between different numerologies enables symbol-level numerology multiplexing. The disclosed numerology designs enable low latency communication and improved interference management, and provide non-ambiguous symbol boundary timing reference for multiplexing different numerologies.