PDCCH Allocation Signaling for Faster UE Decoding and PDSCH Reuse

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G systems, the process of decoding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is resource-intensive due to blind decoding of all resource element groups, which hinders efficient scheduling and utilization of unused resource elements for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) data.

Innovation Solution

Introduce predefined downlink control information (PDCCH-DCI) encoded with a common RNTI (PDCCH-RNTI) to inform user equipment (UE) of resource element group allocation patterns, allowing partial blind decoding and enabling the scheduler to reuse unused resource elements for PDSCH data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If UE scans and decodes all resource element groups to find matching data, then complete data retrieval is ensured, but decoding time and computational resources increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retrieval completenessVSAvoiddecoding time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary action by transmitting PDCCH-DCI that pre-indicates the allocation pattern of resource element groups before the UE needs to decode data. This allows the UE to know in advance which resource element groups contain relevant data, enabling the UE to skip unnecessary decoding operations and focus only on allocated patterns, thereby reducing decoding time while maintaining complete data retrieval.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If UE decodes all resource element groups with all aggregation levels, then all possible data is captured, but computational resources and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata completenessVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the resource element groups into allocated and unallocated patterns based on PDCCH-DCI indication. Instead of processing all resource element groups uniformly, the UE segments the decoding process to only process allocated patterns, reducing computational complexity while ensuring all necessary data is captured through the pattern-based filtering mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If PDCCH uses blind decoding for all resource element groups, then data reliability is maintained, but system overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Quantity of substance

If all resource element groups are used for PDCCH data, then control information is fully transmitted, but data channel resource utilization decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol information capacityVSAvoiddata channel throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces dynamic resource allocation where the base station can flexibly assign resource element groups to either PDCCH control information or PDSCH data based on current system needs. By using PDCCH-DCI to indicate allocation patterns, the system dynamically adjusts which resource element groups are available for control versus data transmission, optimizing overall system throughput while ensuring sufficient control information capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12621813B2Downlink control information to schedule downlink data on physical channel and enhance control channel decoding

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

The technology described herein is directed towards informing user equipment of which physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) locations in a slot symbol are allocated for (PDCCH) information. With the user equipment having this allocation information, a base station (e.g., gNodeB) scheduler can schedule unused PDCCH resource element group(s) to a UE for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) decoding. Further, because the allocation pattern is known to a UE, the UE need not blindly scan and decode all potential resource element groups in a slot, instead only decoding the PDCCH data in the allocated pattern to find the UE-specific information, and thereby proceed with PDSCH decoding. A defined identifier at a predefined symbol location informs the user equipment when the PDCCH allocation information is present. If not present, the UE blindly decodes all the resource element groups to find the UE-specific information to decode PDSCH data, as is currently done.