Partitioned Downlink Shared Control Channel Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in downlink signaling due to variable resource allocations and overhead issues in UE-specific control signaling, leading to increased latency and unsustainable SCCH overhead.
Innovation Solution
Partitioning the allocation table into a fixed-length and variable-length partitions, with the first partition having a known transport format, allowing for efficient mapping to a fixed portion of the frequency bandwidth, enabling joint encoding and reduced overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If joint encoding of control signals for multiple UEs is used, then overhead is reduced and processing efficiency is improved, but the encoded block length becomes variable requiring additional signaling
Solution Approach 1:
The allocation table is segmented into multiple partitions, each with a predetermined maximum length. This segmentation allows the system to maintain fixed block lengths for encoding while still supporting variable numbers of UEs by selectively including or excluding partitions, thereby resolving the contradiction between overhead reduction and block length determination complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The maximum length of each partition is predetermined and known to all UEs before transmission. This preliminary definition of partition boundaries enables UEs to efficiently determine the actual encoded block length by checking which partitions contain valid data, eliminating the need for complex dynamic length negotiation and reducing both overhead and processing complexity.
2Loss of energy
If uniform encoding and modulation is used for all UEs, then encoding overhead is minimized, but the coding rate must be low enough for cell edge UEs resulting in unsustainable SCCH overhead
Solution Approach 1:
Different encoding and modulation schemes are applied to different partitions of the allocation table based on local requirements. Partitions containing UEs with better channel conditions can use higher coding rates and more efficient modulation, while partitions with cell edge UEs use more robust encoding. This local optimization reduces overall SCCH overhead while maintaining adequate performance for all UEs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the allocation table is transmitted with variable length to accommodate varying numbers of UEs, then resource allocation flexibility is improved, but decoding complexity increases and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The allocation table is divided into multiple fixed-length partitions, each capable of independently accommodating UE allocations. This segmentation allows the system to transmit only the necessary partitions based on the number of UEs, maintaining flexibility while enabling UEs to quickly identify and decode only the relevant partitions, thereby reducing decoding latency compared to processing a single variable-length structure.
4Device complexity
If blind decoding is used to determine encoded block length, then no additional signaling is required, but the number of possibilities is too large making the scheme infeasible
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the allocation table into multiple fixed-length partitions with predetermined maximum lengths, the system dramatically reduces the number of possible encoded block lengths. UEs can determine the actual length by checking partition boundaries and validity indicators, making the decoding process feasible while requiring no additional signaling for length information.
Solution Approach 2:
The predetermined partition structure and maximum lengths are established before transmission, enabling UEs to efficiently determine the actual encoded block length through simple boundary checks rather than exhaustive blind decoding. This preliminary structuring makes the system feasible while maintaining signaling efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Resources are allocated on a shared downlink control channel by an allocation table that is partitioned into a first, fixed length partition and into at least one second, variable length partition. The fixed length and the modulation and coding scheme MCS of the first partition is known a priori. The second variable length and the MCS of the second partition may be given in the first partition. Robustness may be varied between different second partitions of the same allocation table, or even within a single second partition to account for users at different proximity to the network node giving the allocations. Users may be identified in the first partition (e.g., a fixed number of users), and/or in the second partition (either additional allocated users or all users being allocated if the first partition does not identify users). Method, apparatus, computer program, integrated circuit and systems are detailed.