PUCCH SCell Activation via Pre-Activation Measurement Reports
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Solution Overview
Problem
In conventional 5G technology, unknown physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) secondary cells (SCells) with valid or invalid timing advance (TA) cannot be successfully activated due to unsuccessful measurement reports, hindering network instructions for activation, such as downlink TCI state indication and uplink spatial relation configuration.
Innovation Solution
A user equipment (UE) receives a PUCCH SCell activation command and transmits a layer 1 (L1) or layer 3 (L3) report through an uplink channel on a special cell (SpCell) or SCell before the unknown target PUCCH SCell is activated, allowing the network node to obtain necessary measurement information and perform corresponding operations for successful activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network node transmits an activation command for an unknown PUCCH SCell to the UE, then the activation process can be initiated, but the measurement report cannot be transmitted successfully on the activating PUCCH SCell, causing activation failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an alternative uplink channel (PUSCH or PUCCH on a different cell) as an intermediary to transmit the measurement report. Instead of attempting to transmit the measurement report on the unknown PUCCH SCell that has not yet been activated, the UE transmits the report through a different uplink channel or cell that is already active, thereby bypassing the activation dependency issue and enabling successful measurement report transmission.
2Reliability
If the UE waits for PUCCH SCell activation before transmitting measurement report, then the report can be sent on the correct channel, but the activation process cannot proceed without the measurement report, creating a deadlock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by transmitting the measurement report before the PUCCH SCell activation is complete. The UE sends the measurement report through an alternative uplink channel in advance, so that when the activation completes, the network node already has the necessary measurement information to proceed with configuration instructions, eliminating the deadlock and reducing activation delay.
3Reliability
If the network node provides activation instructions after measurement report failure, then the PUCCH SCell can be activated, but without successful measurement reports, the network cannot indicate proper downlink TCI state or uplink spatial relation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an alternative uplink channel as an intermediary to successfully transmit the measurement report to the network node. This enables the network to obtain the necessary measurement information (downlink TCI state, uplink spatial relation) and provide proper activation instructions, resolving the information loss issue while maintaining activation completion.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus and methods for unknown physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) secondary cell (SCell) activation are proposed. The network node may transmit a PUCCH SCell activation command for an unknown target PUCCH SCell to the UE. After receiving the PUCCH SCell activation command for the unknown target PUCCH SCell, the UE may transmit a layer 1 (L1) report or a layer 3 (L3) report for the unknown target PUCCH SCell to the network node before the unknown target PUCCH SCell is activated. The network node may obtain measurement information based on the L1 report or the L3 report before the unknown target PUCCH SCell is activated. Then, the network node may perform corresponding operations based on the L1 report or the L3 report before the unknown target PUCCH SCell is activated.