Partial-Bandwidth SRS Frequency Hopping for Lower UE Power

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in SRS transmission due to the use of full bandwidth, which can be unnecessary and power-intensive, especially for UEs near the cell edge, limiting the number of UEs that can transmit SRS and incurring excessive power overhead.

Innovation Solution

Implementing SRS transmission using a partial SRS bandwidth through frequency hopping patterns and sequence generation, allowing UEs to transmit SRS over a limited bandwidth, thereby reducing power consumption and enabling more UEs to participate in SRS transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If full SRS bandwidth is used for transmission, then channel estimation accuracy is improved, but power overhead increases and fewer UEs can transmit SRS

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel estimation accuracyVSAvoidpower overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The SRS transmission bandwidth is segmented into multiple partial bandwidths, allowing UEs to transmit SRS on only a portion of the total bandwidth at any given time. This segmentation enables the system to maintain adequate channel estimation accuracy while significantly reducing the power overhead required for SRS transmission, thereby allowing more UEs to participate in SRS transmission simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring all UEs to transmit SRS across the full bandwidth, the system implements partial action by allowing each UE to transmit SRS on a limited partial bandwidth. This partial transmission approach reduces individual UE power consumption and enables a larger number of UEs to perform SRS transmission, with the overall system still achieving sufficient channel state information through the combined partial transmissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If full SRS bandwidth is used for transmission, then uplink channel coverage is improved, but the number of UEs that can transmit SRS is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuplink channel coverageVSAvoidnumber of UEs transmitting SRS

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The total SRS bandwidth is divided into multiple partial bandwidth segments that can be allocated to different UEs. This segmentation allows multiple UEs to transmit SRS simultaneously on different bandwidth portions, increasing the number of UEs that can participate in channel sounding while each UE maintains reliable uplink channel coverage on its assigned partial bandwidth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system accepts partial SRS transmission from each UE (rather than full bandwidth transmission from each UE) to enable a larger number of UEs to transmit SRS. By accumulating channel state information from multiple partial transmissions across different UEs, the system achieves comprehensive uplink channel coverage while maximizing the number of participating UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If frequency hopping is used for SRS transmission, then power overhead is reduced, but transmission complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower overheadVSAvoidtransmission complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Frequency hopping is implemented by segmenting the SRS transmission across multiple frequency hops rather than using a continuous full-bandwidth transmission. Each hop transmits on a smaller bandwidth portion, reducing per-transmission power overhead. The segmentation into manageable frequency hops makes the complexity tractable through standardized hopping patterns and configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Frequency hopping utilizes periodic action by transmitting SRS on different frequency subsets in a regular hopping pattern across multiple time instances. This periodic frequency switching reduces instantaneous power overhead requirements while the standardized periodic nature of the hopping pattern keeps implementation complexity manageable through predictable, repeating sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12512953B2Methods and apparatuses for frequency hopping of sounding reference signals in partial bandwidths

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

In some scenarios, SRS transmission over the full SRS bandwidth may be unnecessary and/or inefficient. Therefore, a need exists for approaches to SRS transmission over less than the full SRS bandwidth. Described herein are techniques and solutions of SRS transmission using only a portion of the full SRS bandwidth, or a partial SRS bandwidth. The present disclosure provides for SRS transmission using a partial SRS bandwidth through sounding patterns that use only the partial SRS bandwidth and/or using a partial SRS bandwidth through various SRS sequence generation configured for the partial SRS bandwidth. An apparatus receives an SRS configuration indicating a full SRS bandwidth; determines a frequency hopping pattern for SRS transmission based on the SRS configuration, and the frequency hopping pattern is limited to a partial SRS bandwidth less than the full SRS bandwidth; and transmits the SRS transmission to the base station based on the frequency hopping pattern.