PDCCH Candidate Monitoring with TCI State Mapping in NR Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

In future radio communication systems like NR, the performance of the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) is not adequately addressed, which can hinder improvements in communication quality and throughput.

Innovation Solution

A terminal is equipped with a receiving section that associates multiple PDCCH candidates with different Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states, allowing the UE to monitor these candidates using corresponding TCI states for improved reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple PDCCH candidates are monitored with different TCI states, then communication quality and throughput are improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidterminal processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal divides PDCCH monitoring into multiple segments, each associated with a specific TCI state. Different PDCCH candidates are monitored separately using different TCI states, allowing the terminal to process control channels from multiple transmission beams or spatial directions independently, thereby improving reliability without overwhelming processing requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal performs preliminary configuration of TCI states and PDCCH candidate associations before actual PDCCH reception. By pre-configuring which TCI states correspond to which PDCCH candidates, the terminal prepares the monitoring structure in advance, reducing real-time processing complexity while maintaining the ability to monitor multiple candidates effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple PDCCH candidates are monitored with different TCI states, then throughput is improved, but monitoring overhead and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata throughputVSAvoidPDCCH monitoring time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal employs periodic monitoring of PDCCH candidates associated with different TCI states rather than continuous monitoring. By scheduling monitoring at specific periodic intervals for each TCI state, the system achieves improved throughput through diversified reception opportunities while reducing overall monitoring time and resource consumption compared to continuous full-duplex monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12574191B2Terminal, radio communication method, and base station

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 NTT DOCOMO INC

AI summary

A terminal according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a receiving section that receives information associating a plurality of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates with respectively a plurality of different transmission configuration indication (TCI) states, and a control section that monitors at least one of the plurality of PDCCH candidates by use of a corresponding TCI state, based on the information. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a PDCCH can be appropriately received.