Early PUSCH Termination via DCI Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication systems, especially in 5G NR, user equipment (UE) continues to send unnecessary repetitions of uplink data even after successful decoding by the base station due to the lack of explicit HARQ-ACK feedback, leading to wastage of transmission power and resources.

Innovation Solution

The base station provides explicit or implicit DCI feedback to the UE indicating successful decoding of uplink data, allowing the UE to terminate subsequent repetitions after a time gap following a CORESET, which is configurable based on PDCCH and PUSCH subcarrier spacing, processing capability, and other timing considerations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the UE continues to send repetitions of uplink data without explicit HARQ-ACK feedback, then the transmission reliability is maintained, but the power consumption and resource waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces explicit HARQ-ACK feedback from the base station to the UE. When the base station successfully decodes the PUSCH transmission, it sends a NACK indication to the UE, allowing the UE to terminate remaining repetitions. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable transmission confirmation while preventing unnecessary power consumption from redundant repetitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the UE sends multiple repetitions of uplink data, then the transmission reliability is improved, but the transmission time and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary decoding of PUSCH repetitions and sends NACK indications before all scheduled repetitions are transmitted. This allows the UE to terminate repetitions early based on actual decoding status, reducing transmission time while maintaining reliability through selective repetition transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The NACK feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of transmission duration. When the base station decodes successfully, it immediately notifies the UE to stop remaining repetitions, optimizing transmission time while preserving reliability through the feedback-driven termination decision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the base station provides explicit HARQ-ACK feedback for PUSCH transmissions, then the resource efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reuses existing DCI (Downlink Control Information) structures for PUSCH feedback, specifically utilizing DCI format 0_0 or 0_1 with specific bit configurations. This approach achieves resource efficiency through explicit feedback while minimizing system complexity by leveraging existing control mechanisms rather than introducing entirely new feedback structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent achieves feedback functionality by changing parameter interpretations within existing DCI formats. By configuring specific bits (e.g., setting all bits to 1 or using predefined patterns) to indicate NACK, the system achieves efficient feedback without adding significant complexity, as the same DCI structure serves both scheduling and feedback purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4289091B1Early termination of pusch transmission
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4289091B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4289091B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP4289091B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects are provided allowing a UE to perform early termination of repetitions of an ongoing PUSCH transmission in response to a DCI from a base station indicating whether a prior PUSCH transmission or repetition was successfully decoded. The UE obtains information configuring an uplink data transmission and a repetition of the uplink data transmission. The UE sends the uplink data transmission to a base station. The UE terminates the repetition of the uplink data transmission in response to reception of downlink information in a downlink control channel. Thus, UE power reduction and enhanced resource efficiency may be achieved. Moreover, the repetition is terminated after a time gap following a CORESET where the downlink control channel is received. As a result, a start time for terminating PUSCH repetitions may be configured to accommodate various timing considerations such as dynamic TDD, different numeralogies between PDCCH and PUSCH, and multiple PUSCH processing capabilities.