PDCCH CORESET Configuration for 5G Wireless Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 5G communication systems face challenges in efficiently providing services, particularly in supporting a large number of IoT devices with low-cost, long battery life and wide coverage, while also ensuring ultralow-latency and ultrahigh-reliability communications for mission-critical applications.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves a method and apparatus for effectively configuring and managing the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in 5G wireless communication systems, allowing for flexible symbol lengths in CORESET configurations, multiple CORESETs for PDCCH transmission, and dynamic TCI state allocation to enhance PDCCH reception quality and coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple CORESETs with flexible symbol lengths are configured for PDCCH transmission, then PDCCH reception quality and coverage are improved, but device complexity and configuration overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePDCCH reception qualityVSAvoidconfiguration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control resource set (CORESET) is segmented into multiple configurations with different symbol lengths (1-3 symbols). Each CORESET configuration represents a segmented approach to PDCCH transmission, allowing the system to divide the control channel resources into distinct, manageable units with specific characteristics. This segmentation enables selective use of different CORESET configurations based on channel conditions and service requirements, improving reception quality without requiring a complete redesign of the PDCCH structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic TCI state allocation that allows the transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states to be dynamically assigned to different CORESETs based on current channel conditions. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to adjust PDCCH transmission parameters in real-time, optimizing reception quality for diverse service types (eMBB, URLLC, mMTC) while managing configuration complexity through automated state allocation rather than static pre-configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If dynamic TCI state allocation is implemented for multiple CORESETs, then beam management and PDCCH reception quality are enhanced, but processing overhead and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePDCCH reception qualityVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

TCI states are pre-configured and stored in the terminal device before actual PDCCH transmission. This preliminary action allows the device to have ready-made beam configuration states that can be quickly activated without real-time computation. When PDCCH transmission occurs, the base station simply indicates which pre-configured TCI state to use, significantly reducing processing overhead compared to dynamic beam calculation and selection during transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The TCI state acts as an intermediary between the base station's beamforming intentions and the terminal's reception configuration. Instead of directly controlling complex beamforming parameters during transmission, the system uses TCI states as intermediate representations that encapsulate beam configuration information. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the interaction between base station and terminal, reducing processing overhead while maintaining enhanced beam management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If flexible symbol length configurations are used in CORESET, then adaptability to different service requirements is improved, but configuration management and resource allocation complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice adaptabilityVSAvoidconfiguration management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by allowing CORESET configurations to vary in symbol length (1, 2, or 3 symbols) based on service requirements. This parameter variation provides adaptability for different service types: shorter symbol lengths for low-latency URLLC services, and longer symbol lengths for coverage-enhanced mMTC services. The configurable parameter approach enables flexible resource allocation without requiring fundamentally different system architectures for each service type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The CORESET configuration framework serves multiple functions across different service types (eMBB, URLLC, mMTC) through a unified structure. The same CORESET configuration mechanism handles diverse service requirements by adjusting parameters like symbol length and TCI states, rather than requiring separate dedicated configurations for each service. This universal approach reduces configuration management complexity compared to having service-specific configuration systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4022831B1Method and apparatus for transmitting physical downlink control channel in wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4022831B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4022831B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4022831B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses are provided for a wireless communication system in which configuration information on a search space for monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is received from a base station. The configuration information includes information on a plurality of control resource sets (CORESETs) for the PDCCH. A PDCCH candidate set is identified for each of the plurality of CORESETs, based on the configuration information and an offset. The offset is used to adjust an index of a control channel element (CCE) in each PDCCH candidate set. The search space is determined based on the identified PDCCH candidate set for each of the plurality of CORESETs. The PDCCH is monitored based on the determined search space.