PDCCH Detection via Control Channel Assistance Information

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication networks, existing methods for control channel detection in user equipment (UE) are inefficient, leading to unnecessary resource usage and power consumption due to blind detection of control information, especially in scenarios with varying channel conditions and data transmission amounts.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a processing circuit that receives and processes digital samples to detect control channel assistance information, allowing for flexible allocation of transmission resources and reducing unnecessary searches by using physical assistance control channels (PACCH) to indicate the presence or absence of physical downlink control channels (PDCCH), thereby optimizing resource usage and power management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blind detection of control information is performed in all resource elements, then control information detection coverage is ensured, but power consumption and resource usage increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol information detection coverageVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first detecting control channel assistance information (such as PACCH) before performing blind detection of control information. This preliminary detection indicates whether control information is present in the current resource elements, allowing the UE to avoid unnecessary blind detection when no control information is transmitted, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining reliable detection coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces control channel assistance information as an intermediary element that mediates between the need for reliable control information detection and the desire to reduce power consumption. This assistance information acts as a indicator that guides the blind detection process, enabling the UE to selectively perform detection only when control information is actually present, thus resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and energy efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If blind detection of control information is performed across all resource elements, then detection completeness is maintained, but processing time and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection completenessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary detection of control channel assistance information before blind detection of control information. This preliminary action provides advance knowledge of whether control information is present, allowing the UE to skip unnecessary blind detection processes and thereby reducing processing time while maintaining detection completeness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and utilizes control channel assistance information separately from the main control information detection process. By taking out this assistance information and using it to guide the blind detection, the system eliminates unnecessary detection operations, thus reducing processing time without compromising detection completeness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Use of energy by moving object

If control channel assistance information is used to guide detection, then power consumption is reduced, but detection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddetection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the control channel detection process into two distinct parts: first detecting control channel assistance information, and then based on that result, selectively performing blind detection of control information. This segmentation simplifies the overall detection logic by breaking it into manageable stages, reducing detection complexity while enabling power savings through selective detection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3513610B1Pdcch detection based on control channel assistance information
Publication Date: 2023.12.13 MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE LTD
  • EP3513610B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3513610B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3513610B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus that includes a receiving circuit and a processing circuit. The receiving circuit is configured to receive signals transmitted from a second apparatus to the apparatus and generate digital samples in response to the received signals. The signals have a plurality of resource elements. The processing circuit is configured to receive the digital samples, process the digital samples to generate symbols carried by the resource elements, detect control channel assistance information at a predetermined position of the resource elements and detect control information based on the detection of the control channel assistance information.