Physical Layer DCI for Frequency Domain Resource Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication technologies face challenges in efficiently activating or deactivating frequency domain resources due to the time required for parsing MAC layer information elements, which cannot meet rapid service volume changes and results in delayed carrier activation/deactivation, especially in scenarios like burst services.
Innovation Solution
A frequency domain resource processing method where a RAN node configures and manages frequency domain resources using physical layer information, allowing for the activation or deactivation of multiple resources with a single piece of information, reducing parsing time and improving efficiency by grouping resources and using physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for instruction transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If MAC layer information elements are used to activate or deactivate carriers, then the activation/deactivation process can be performed, but it requires time for parsing the MAC information element which delays the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the MAC layer information element mechanism with a physical layer Downlink Control Information (DCI) mechanism. Specifically, DCI format 0 or DCI format 1 is used to carry activation/deactivation commands, eliminating the need to parse MAC layer information elements and significantly reducing processing time. The DCI is decoded at the physical layer, which is faster than MAC layer processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the layer level at which activation/deactivation commands are transmitted from MAC layer to physical layer. By using DCI formats (0 or 1) at the physical layer to carry the activation/deactivation indicators, the system achieves faster processing. The parameter change involves transmitting the same functional information (activation/deactivation status) through a different protocol layer with different processing characteristics.
2Ease of operation
If multiple frequency domain resources are activated or deactivated separately, then each resource can be controlled individually, but it increases the overhead of control information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple frequency domain resource activation/deactivation commands into a single DCI message. By using a unified DCI format that can carry indicators for multiple resources (e.g., multiple Bandwidth Parts or component carriers), the system reduces control information overhead while maintaining individual resource control capability. The DCI structure is designed to efficiently pack multiple resource indicators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the DCI format universal by designing it to handle multiple types of frequency domain resources (different Bandwidth Parts, different component carriers) through a unified structure. The same DCI format can activate/deactivate various resources by setting different indicator fields, eliminating the need for separate control messages for each resource type.
3Productivity
If rapid activation/deactivation of frequency domain resources is implemented, then spectrum resource utilization increases, but the processing complexity at the physical layer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency domain resources into manageable units (Bandwidth Parts or component carriers) that can be independently activated or deactivated through DCI. This segmentation allows rapid resource allocation without requiring complex processing of the entire frequency spectrum at once. Each resource unit can be controlled individually through dedicated indicator fields in the DCI.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary configuration of frequency domain resources (Bandwidth Parts, component carriers) during connection setup or reconfiguration phases. The RAN node pre-configures multiple resources and their parameters, so that during rapid activation/deactivation, only simple on/off commands need to be transmitted via DCI without requiring complex real-time processing or calculation of resource parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a frequency domain resource processing method, including: configuring, by a radio access network (RAN) node, a plurality of frequency domain resources for a terminal; and sending first information to the terminal, where the first information is carried on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the first information includes a plurality of information bits, the plurality of information bits correspond to the plurality of frequency domain resources respectively, and the information bits in the first information are used to instruct to activate or deactivate the frequency domain resources corresponding to the information bits. The RAN node activates or deactivates a frequency domain resource by using physical layer information. Compared with a manner of activating a carrier by using a MAC layer information element, this saves time for parsing the MAC information element. In addition, the corresponding plurality of information bits are respectively configured for the plurality of frequency domain resources, to instruct to activate or deactivate the corresponding frequency domain resources respectively. In this way, the plurality of frequency domain resources can be processed by sending only a piece of information. This improves frequency domain resource processing efficiency, and further increases frequency domain resource utilization.