PUCCH Collision Handling Through Slot Reassignment and Retransmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE and LTE-A systems, physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) collisions occur, leading to incorrect reception by the gNB due to overlapping transmission intervals, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.

Innovation Solution

A communication device and method that involves transmitting a first PUCCH in a first slot, dropping a second PUCCH in an overlapped second slot, and retransmitting the second PUCCH in a later third slot, using power boosting and priority-based UCI dropping to resolve collisions and ensure correct reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple PUCCHs are transmitted in overlapped time intervals, then uplink control information transmission capacity is improved, but PUCCH collision occurs and information accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuplink control information transmission capacityVSAvoidinformation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PUCCH transmission timeline into distinct slots, dividing the overlapped time intervals into separate transmission opportunities. By segmenting the transmission schedule and assigning different slots to different PUCCHs, the system maintains high transmission capacity while eliminating collisions that compromise information accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by determining transmission priorities and selecting which PUCCHs to transmit in advance before actual transmission occurs. The system pre-determines the transmission order and resource allocation based on priority rules, ensuring that critical control information is transmitted first while avoiding overlapping transmissions that would cause collisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If PUCCH transmission priority is increased to prevent collision, then information accuracy is improved, but transmission time flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accuracyVSAvoidtransmission time flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the transmission schedule adaptable rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts transmission timing based on detected collisions and priority rules, allowing flexible reordering of PUCCH transmissions. This dynamic approach maintains information accuracy through priority-based selection while preserving time flexibility by allowing the scheduler to adapt to various collision scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3876468B1Device and method for handling physical uplink control channel collision
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 ACER INC
  • EP3876468B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3876468B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3876468B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication device for handling a physical uplink (UL) control channel (PUCCH) collision comprises at least one storage device; and at least one processing circuit, coupled to the at least one storage device. The at least one storage device stores instructions, and the at least one processing circuit is configured to execute the instructions of: transmitting a first PUCCH in at least one first physical resource block (PRB) of at least one first slot to a network; dropping a second PUCCH in at least one second PRB of at least one second slot, wherein the at least one second slot is overlapped with the at least one first slot; and transmitting the second PUCCH in at least one third PRB of at least one third slot to the network, wherein the at least one third slot is after the at least one first slot.