PUCCH Carrier Selection in Carrier Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional wireless communication methods face challenges in efficiently managing uplink control channels, particularly in carrier aggregation scenarios where PUCCH transmission is limited, leading to high power consumption, increased feedback time-delay, and reduced Quality of Service due to differing HARQ RTT between primary and secondary carriers.

Innovation Solution

A method that allows user equipment to dynamically select a transmission carrier for uplink signals based on priority assignments considering expected power loss, burden, number of uplink subframes, and primary/secondary attributes, enabling flexible carrier adjustment for PUCCH transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If PUCCH is transmitted only via primary carrier, then system complexity is reduced, but uplink control channel burden on macro base station increases and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PUCCH transmission function across multiple component carriers rather than concentrating it on a single primary carrier. This allows the uplink control channel burden to be distributed, reducing both the load on the macro base station and the power consumption of the UE by enabling transmission on carriers with more favorable conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic selection of PUCCH transmission carriers based on real-time conditions such as path loss, uplink subframe availability, and carrier aggregation configuration. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing conditions and optimize power consumption while maintaining control channel functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If PUCCH is transmitted only via primary carrier, then transmission protocol is simplified, but feedback time-delay increases when primary carrier has limited uplink subframes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission protocol complexityVSAvoidfeedback time-delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the PUCCH transmission function across multiple component carriers, allowing feedback to be transmitted on carriers that have available uplink subframes. This segmentation enables the system to bypass the time-delay issue on the primary carrier by utilizing secondary carriers with more favorable timing characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the transmission parameter (carrier selection) based on the availability of uplink subframes. By monitoring the timing characteristics of different carriers and selecting the appropriate carrier for PUCCH transmission, the system optimizes feedback time-delay while managing protocol complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If macro cell carrier serves as primary carrier, then carrier aggregation is established, but uplink transmission power consumption becomes excessively high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarrier aggregation capabilityVSAvoiduplink transmission power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selecting different component carriers for PUCCH transmission based on their specific characteristics such as path loss and uplink subframe availability. Instead of using a fixed primary carrier, the system chooses the carrier with the most favorable local conditions, thereby reducing uplink transmission power consumption while maintaining carrier aggregation functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Productivity

If TDD carrier with limited uplink subframes serves as primary carrier, then TDD carrier aggregation is implemented, but PUCCH feedback time-delay and retransmission time-delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTDD carrier aggregation capabilityVSAvoidPUCCH feedback time-delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the control channel transmission across multiple carriers, allowing the system to utilize TDD carriers for data transmission while offloading PUCCH feedback to carriers with more favorable uplink subframe configurations. This segmentation resolves the time-delay issue while preserving TDD carrier aggregation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3101981B1Method, base station and user equipment for radio communication in radio communication system
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3101981B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3101981B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3101981B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method, base station and user equipment (UE) for radio communication in a radio communication system, the radio communication system comprising a base station and a UE, the UE communicating with the base station in carrier aggregation mode over a plurality of component carriers. The method comprises: the base station assigns a priority to each component carrier according to at least one of the following rules to enable the UE to select, on the overlapped uplink subframes, the component carrier having the highest priority for uplink signal transmission, the rules comprising: desired power loss of uplink signal transmission over the component carrier, burden of uplink signal transmission over the component carrier, number of uplink subframes of the component carrier, and primary/secondary attributes of the component carrier for transmission of a downlink signal corresponding to the uplink signal transmitted over the component carrier. The method, base station and UE of the present disclosure can flexibly adjust the transmission carrier of a PUCCH, and optimize transmission performance of downlink data and PUCCH.