PUCCH Power Control for LTE-A Carrier Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the LTE-A system, determining the current power control adjustment state and transmitted power of the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) is challenging when response information ACK/NACK of multiple Physical Downlink Shared Channels (PDSCH) is sent on one PUCCH, as existing methods lack clear mechanisms for integrating power control commands across multiple component carriers.

Innovation Solution

A power control method where the base station indicates multiple transmitted power control commands for the PUCCH, allowing the user equipment to determine the power control adjustment state using either absolute or accumulated values based on configured parameters, and the method involves transmitting these commands in downlink control information formats like DCI format 3/3A, with the user equipment using functions such as minimum, maximum, average, or sum to combine power control commands from multiple subframes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple transmitted power control commands are indicated for PUCCH in LTE-A carrier aggregation, then the adaptability of power control across multiple component carriers is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need to integrate and process multiple commands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control adaptabilityVSAvoidpower control processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the power control adjustment state into multiple separate adjustment states, each corresponding to a specific component carrier. Instead of integrating multiple power control commands into a single aggregated value, the system maintains distinct adjustment states (e.g., g1(i), g2(i), ..., gN(i)) for each component carrier. This segmentation allows the UE to process each command independently and apply them to their respective carriers, reducing the complexity of integrating multiple commands while maintaining adaptability across the carrier aggregation scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If accumulated value power control is used for PUCCH, then the stability of power control adjustment is improved, but the loss of information increases due to accumulation of multiple TPC commands over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control stabilityVSAvoidTPC command information loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic selection between two power control adjustment modes: accumulated value mode and absolute value mode. The system can dynamically switch between these modes based on the specific scenario requirements. In the accumulated value mode, multiple TPC commands are accumulated to provide stable power control adjustments. In the absolute value mode, each TPC command is applied independently without accumulation, preventing information loss. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize between stability and information retention based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2498554B1Power control method, base station and terminal for physical uplink control channel
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 ZTE CORP
  • EP2498554B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2498554B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2498554B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A power control method for a Physical Uplink Control Channel, which includes: when the response information of multiple Physical Downlink Shared Channels (PDSCH) sent by a base station over multiple component carriers is sent on one Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), the base station indicating a unified transmitted power control command for the Physical Uplink Control Channel; or the base station indicating multiple transmitted power control commands for the Physical Uplink Control Channel. The present invention also provides a base station and a user equipment.