PUCCH Resource Allocation via Congestion Level Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing PUCCH resource allocation schemes in communications systems face challenges with efficient utilization and sharing among UEs, leading to increased fragmentation and resource allocation failures, which impact both uplink and downlink traffic.

Innovation Solution

Categorizing PUCCH resources into congestion level groups based on the number of UEs sharing them, assigning these groups to different parts of the frequency spectrum, and prioritizing resource allocation to ensure efficient utilization and minimize failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple UEs share the same PUCCH resources to minimize impact on uplink traffic, then resource utilization efficiency improves, but PUCCH HARQ-ACK resource allocation failures increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidPUCCH HARQ-ACK resource allocation success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The PUCCH resources are segmented into multiple resource sets, where the first resource set contains resources that can be shared by multiple UEs, and the second resource set contains dedicated resources. This segmentation allows the system to balance between resource utilization efficiency and allocation success rate by providing both shared and dedicated options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The network pre-configures multiple PUCCH resource sets with different sharing characteristics before UE connections are established. This preliminary action enables UEs to have access to both shared and dedicated resources from the outset, ensuring that allocation failures are minimized while maintaining efficient resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If each UE is configured with one dedicated PUCCH resource to secure PUCCH HARQ-ACK resources, then resource allocation success rate improves, but spectrum fragmentation increases impacting uplink traffic

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePUCCH HARQ-ACK resource allocation success rateVSAvoiduplink traffic efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The PUCCH resources are divided into two distinct sets: a first set for shared resources and a second set for dedicated resources. This segmentation allows the system to provide dedicated resources to ensure allocation success while limiting the number of dedicated resources to minimize spectrum fragmentation and maintain uplink traffic efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality levels of resource allocation are provided locally within the resource sets. High-priority UEs or UEs requiring guaranteed service can access dedicated resources in the second set, while other UEs can utilize shared resources from the first set, optimizing overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If PUCCH resources are shared among multiple UEs, then resource utilization improves, but resource allocation conflicts increase leading to allocation failures

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePUCCH resource utilizationVSAvoidresource allocation conflicts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting PUCCH resources into shared and dedicated sets, the system reduces allocation conflicts within the shared set by providing an escape path to dedicated resources when conflicts occur, thereby maintaining high utilization while minimizing harmful conflicts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second set of dedicated PUCCH resources acts as an intermediary solution when the first set of shared resources experiences allocation conflicts. This intermediary mechanism resolves conflicts by allowing UEs to switch to dedicated resources, reducing the harmful effects of conflicts while maintaining efficient utilization of shared resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240080823A1Method and network node for handling pucch resources in a frequency spectrum of the communications system

Publication Date: 2024.03.07 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method performed by a network node in a communications system for handling PUCCH resources in a frequency spectrum. The network node categorizes the PUCCH resources into a plurality of congestion level groups. The network node assigns the categorized PUCCH resources to different parts of the frequency spectrum. The first congestion level group is assigned to a first part of the frequency spectrum and the PUCCH resources categorized in the second congestion level group are assigned to a second part of the spectrum. The network node determines that the PUCCH resources categorized in the first congestion level group and assigned to the first part of the frequency spectrum should be used by the UE prior to using the PUCCH resources categorized in the second congestion level group and assigned to the second part of the frequency spectrum.