5G Paging Group Preamble Association for Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G communication systems using higher carrier frequencies, beamforming technology faces challenges in efficiently transmitting signals due to severe fading and the need for beam sweeping, which increases overheads, especially in the transmission of random access preambles.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a method and apparatus for reducing the overheads of random access preambles by associating multiple paging groups with a single random access preamble, either in a one-to-one manner or through cyclic reuse, thereby optimizing the use of limited random access preambles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If beamforming technology is used to improve signal transmission in 5G systems, then signal directivity and transmission efficiency are improved, but beam sweeping overheads increase due to the need to cover unknown terminal locations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal transmission reliabilityVSAvoidbeam sweeping overheads
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The network device sends a paging indication message before the actual paging message to inform terminal devices of upcoming paging. This preliminary action allows terminal devices to prepare and feedback their beam information in advance, reducing the need for extensive beam sweeping when the actual paging message is transmitted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Terminal devices feedback random access preambles in response to paging indication messages. This feedback mechanism provides the network device with information about terminal device beam directions, enabling optimized beam selection for subsequent paging message transmission and reducing beam sweeping overheads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If random access preambles are used for terminal devices to feedback beam information, then beam direction information is obtained, but overheads are relatively high due to the large amount of information in each preamble

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam information feedbackVSAvoidrandom access preamble overheads
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The paging process is segmented into two stages: first sending a paging indication message with group information, then sending the actual paging message. Terminal devices only feedback random access preambles when their group is indicated in the paging indication, segmenting the feedback requirement and reducing overall preamble overheads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring all terminal devices to feedback random access preambles, only terminal devices whose groups are indicated in the paging indication message are required to feedback. This partial action approach reduces the total number of preambles needed while still obtaining necessary beam information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3739980B1Signal transmission method and device
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3739980B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3739980B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3739980B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application provides a signal transmission method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, a paging indication sent by a network device, where the paging indication carries information about a plurality of paging groups; and sending, by the terminal device to the network device based on an association relationship between a paged paging group in the plurality of paging groups and a random access preamble, a random access preamble associated with a paging group in which the terminal device is located. In the foregoing solution, only the paged paging group is associated with the random access preamble, and a paging group that is not paged does not need to be associated with a random access preamble, thereby reducing overheads of random access preambles.