Mobile Station PDCCH Search Space Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile communication systems using multiple component carriers, conventional systems face inefficiencies in broadcasting system information and uplink power control due to limited PDCCH candidates in the common search space, leading to overflow and challenges in decoding processing.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a mobile station apparatus and base station apparatus that monitor a physical downlink control channel in both a common search space and a mobile station-specific search space across one or more component carriers, allowing for efficient decoding processing by extending the search space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the common search space is used for broadcasting system information and uplink power control in multi-component carrier systems, then system information can be broadcast to multiple mobile stations, but the limited number of PDCCH candidates causes overflow and decoding inefficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem information broadcasting capabilityVSAvoidPDCCH decoding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the common search space into multiple separate common search spaces, each associated with different component carriers. This segmentation allows PDCCH candidates to be distributed across multiple search spaces, preventing overflow in any single search space while maintaining the ability to broadcast system information to multiple mobile stations efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple PDCCH candidates are arranged in the common search space to handle multiple component carriers, then more system information can be broadcast, but the search space overflows and becomes difficult to manage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-component carrier supportVSAvoidsearch space management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the common search space into multiple independent common search spaces, each handling specific component carriers. This reduces the number of PDCCH candidates per search space to manageable levels while collectively supporting multiple component carriers, thereby reducing search space management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimension by creating multiple common search spaces instead of expanding a single search space. This dimensional change allows the system to handle multiple component carriers by distributing PDCCH assignments across different search space instances, making management more organized and efficient.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If the number of PDCCH candidates is increased to improve broadcasting capability, then more system information can be transmitted, but decoding processing becomes more difficult and less efficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of system information transmittedVSAvoidPDCCH decoding difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PDCCH decoding task by distributing candidates across multiple common search spaces. Each mobile station decodes PDCCH in its assigned common search space with a manageable number of candidates, reducing decoding difficulty while the collective capacity of multiple search spaces maintains high system information transmission volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2509378B1Mobile station apparatus, base station apparatus and processing methods
Publication Date: 2019.05.22 SHARP KK
  • EP2509378B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2509378B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2509378B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication system, a mobile station apparatus, a base station apparatus, and a processing method are provided that can perform decoding processing of a PDCCH related to a search space efficiently, and can perform communication promptly. A mobile station apparatus for performing communication with a base station apparatus in a mobile communication system: performs monitoring of a physical downlink control channel in a common search space commonly determined for mobile station apparatuses in a cell, and an UE-specific search space determined for each mobile station apparatus in the cell search; and performs monitoring of the physical downlink control channel also in an extension search space in accordance with an instruction from the base station apparatus.