PUCCH Power Control on Secondary Carriers With Closed-Loop Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for improved power control mechanisms during uplink transmissions, particularly in wireless communication systems utilizing carrier aggregation, to address issues related to delays and inefficiencies in transmitting uplink control information on secondary component carriers.

Innovation Solution

Implementing carrier-specific accumulative closed-loop power control, where power control values are separately accumulated for each uplink component carrier, including a primary and secondary component carrier, to optimize PUCCH transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If carrier aggregation is implemented to allow UE to communicate using primary and secondary component carriers, then communication capacity and data rate are improved, but power control complexity and transmission delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capacityVSAvoidpower control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the power control mechanism by introducing carrier-specific accumulative closed-loop power control, where separate power control values are maintained for each component carrier (primary and secondary). This segmentation allows independent power adjustment per carrier, resolving the complexity issue by organizing power control parameters in a structured, carrier-specific manner rather than a unified approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring power control parameters including pathloss reference signals and power control adjustment states for each component carrier before transmission begins. The base station prepares and signals these parameters to the UE in advance through RRC configuration, enabling the UE to perform power control calculations efficiently without real-time delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If carrier aggregation is implemented to allow UE to communicate using primary and secondary component carriers, then communication capacity and data rate are improved, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capacityVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station pre-configures power control parameters including pathloss reference signals, power control adjustment states, and initial power values for each component carrier before the UE needs to transmit. This preliminary configuration eliminates real-time calculation delays and allows the UE to immediately perform power control adjustments when transmission is required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the UE to autonomously perform power control calculations using pre-configured parameters and accumulated power control values stored for each component carrier. The UE independently determines transmit power based on pathloss measurements and accumulated adjustments without requiring continuous base station intervention, thereby reducing transmission delay.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If separate power control values are accumulated for each component carrier, then power control accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control accuracyVSAvoidpower control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments power control parameters and accumulation states by component carrier, with separate accumulative closed-loop power control values maintained for the primary component carrier and each secondary component carrier. This segmentation improves accuracy by allowing carrier-specific optimization while organizing complexity into manageable, structured units that can be independently configured and managed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces specific parameters such as pathloss reference signal identifiers and power control adjustment state indicators that change per component carrier. These parameter variations enable accurate, carrier-specific power control while providing a standardized framework that manages complexity through consistent parameter naming and organization across different carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4218310B1Power control for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmissions on secondary component carrier
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4218310B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4218310B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4218310B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects relate to supporting power control for physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmissions on an uplink secondary component carrier (SCC) of a wireless communication system. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) receives a power control configuration from a base station for use by the UE for a PUCCH transmission on a selected uplink SCC. The UE then transmits, based at least in part on the power control configuration, the PUCCH to the base station on the selected uplink SCC. Closed-loop and open-loop power control examples are provided. In some aspects, common or shared power control configurations are provided by the base station for use with each component carrier of a PUCCH group. In other aspects, carrier-specific power control configurations are provided by the base station.