Power Headroom Report MAC Control Element Bitmap

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Solution Overview

Problem

In carrier aggregation networks, existing power headroom reporting methods face challenges such as increased overhead due to separate MAC sub-headers for each power headroom report and limitations in indicating multiple component carriers, which complicates simultaneous reporting across all serving cells.

Innovation Solution

A new power headroom report MAC control element is introduced, starting with a bitmap that indicates which power headroom reports are being reported, allowing for efficient reporting of scheduled serving cells and reducing overhead by eliminating the need for separate sub-headers for each individual report.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If separate MAC sub-headers are used for each power headroom report, then individual reporting is enabled, but overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower headroom reporting completenessVSAvoidMAC sub-header overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple power headroom reports into a single MAC control element by merging them after a bitmap indication, eliminating the need for separate MAC sub-headers for each report. This reduces overhead while maintaining complete reporting of power headroom information across multiple component carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal MAC control element structure that can indicate and report power headroom information for multiple component carriers simultaneously. The bitmap field provides a universal indication mechanism, and the subsequent reports provide universal power headroom data across all scheduled serving cells.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If cross carrier indicator is used for each power headroom report, then carrier identification is enabled, but R bit capacity is insufficient for 5 component carriers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent carrier indication capabilityVSAvoidindication mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from using limited R bits in MAC sub-headers to a bitmap dimension that can represent multiple component carriers. The bitmap provides a new dimensional approach to carrier indication, where each bit corresponds to a specific component carrier, enabling indication of up to 5 or more carriers without increasing per-report complexity.

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

3Measurement precision

If power headroom reports are sent on individual component carriers, then carrier-specific reporting is achieved, but simultaneous reporting across all carriers is not possible due to HARQ timing differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarrier-specific power headroom accuracyVSAvoidreporting synchronization time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a bitmap as an intermediary that precedes the power headroom reports in a single MAC control element. This bitmap mediates between the need for carrier-specific reporting and simultaneous transmission by indicating which component carriers have power headroom reports included, allowing all reports to be sent together despite HARQ timing differences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2583505B1Carrier aggregation with power headroom report
Publication Date: 2019.03.20 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP2583505B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2583505B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2583505B1 patent drawingFigure 6A

AI summary

Methods, apparatuses, and software can be used for providing power headroom reporting in a telecommunication system. A method can include configuring a user equipment to send a power headroom report control element in uplink, wherein the power headroom report control element includes a bitmap indicating which power headroom reports are being reported. The method can further include receiving the power headroom report control element from the user equipment. The method additionally can include processing the received power headroom report control element based on the configuration of the user equipment.