PUCCH Resource Sharing via Unique SR Periodicity Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE networks, the limited availability of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources leads to inefficiencies, as existing methods struggle to accurately identify and manage scheduling requests from multiple user equipment (UEs), resulting in delayed data transmission and increased processing load on base stations.

Innovation Solution

Assigning unique transmission masks to each UE to define re-occurring transmission occasions for scheduling requests, allowing for the identification of UEs through recognized SR periodicity patterns, and associating prohibit timer values to manage transmission times, enabling efficient sharing of a single PUCCH resource.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a single PUCCH resource is shared among multiple UEs to increase resource utilization, then resource efficiency is improved, but the ability to accurately identify individual UEs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidUE identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by assigning each UE a unique periodicity pattern for transmitting scheduling requests on the shared PUCCH resource. Each UE transmits SRs at regular intervals specific to its assigned pattern, allowing the network to identify which UE is transmitting by detecting the periodicity of the received signal. This resolves the contradiction by enabling accurate UE identification through temporal patterns while maintaining efficient sharing of the single PUCCH resource among multiple UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Loss of time

If PUCCH scheduling resources are allocated to all communication devices to reduce delay, then scheduling speed is improved, but the number of available PRBs for traffic data decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling delayVSAvoidavailable PRBs for traffic data

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the scheduling request transmissions of multiple UEs onto a single shared PUCCH resource by assigning each UE a unique periodicity pattern. Instead of allocating separate dedicated PUCCH resources to each UE (which would consume many PRBs), the system combines all SR transmissions into one resource. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining fast scheduling response times while preserving the maximum number of PRBs for actual traffic data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

By using periodic transmission patterns with unique periods for each UE, the system enables multiple UEs to share a single PUCCH resource without collision. The network can identify which UE is transmitting based on the detected periodicity, allowing efficient resource usage while maintaining low scheduling delay for all UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Device complexity

If random access procedure is used instead of PUCCH scheduling resource to send scheduling requests, then resource allocation is simplified, but processing load and delay increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation complexityVSAvoidprocessing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the single PUCCH resource universal by enabling it to serve multiple UEs simultaneously through assigned periodicity patterns. This single resource performs the function of multiple dedicated PUCCH resources, allowing the system to maintain simple resource allocation (avoiding complex RA procedures) while reducing processing load compared to handling individual RA procedures for each UE.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3266139B1Sharing of a pucch resource among communication devices using different periodicity patterns

Publication Date: 2018.12.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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AI summary

This disclosure relates to a method (100) performed by a network node supporting the use of a single Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, resource to a plurality of communication devices such that the plurality of communication devices can share the single PUCCH resource. Different transmission masks are assigned (110) to different communication devices, each transmission mask indicating re- occurring transmission occasions at which each communication device is either allowed or disallowed to transmit Scheduling Requests, SRs, to the network node, whereby a different SR periodicity pattern is defined for each one of the plurality communication devices. When a burst of Scheduling Requests, SRs, is received (130) from a communication device, the communication device can be identified (140) by recognition of the SR periodicity pattern of the received burst of SRs. Also, an uplink grant may be transmitted (150) to the thus identified communication device.