QCL Association Between SRS and PUCCH for Decoding Performance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques for transmitting uplink control information in wireless communications systems are deficient, leading to impaired communication throughput due to decoding failures at the base station, which can result in latency and reliability issues that do not meet stringent requirements.

Innovation Solution

Configuring a quasi co-location (QCL) association between sounding reference signal (SRS) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmissions to enhance PUCCH detection performance by associating antenna ports and applying Type A and Type D QCL associations based on time, frequency, and spatial domain characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional techniques for transmitting uplink control information are used, then device complexity is reduced, but decoding performance deteriorates leading to communication throughput impairment

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePUCCH decoding performanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary channel estimation using SRS transmissions before receiving PUCCH. By pre-establishing channel characteristics through SRS, the system prepares decoding conditions in advance, improving PUCCH decoding performance without adding complex real-time processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

SRS transmissions serve as an intermediary between the UE and PUCCH decoding process. The SRS provides channel state information that mediates and facilitates accurate PUCCH reception, acting as a reference that improves decoding without requiring direct modification of the PUCCH structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If retransmission of control information is performed, then reliability is improved, but latency increases resulting in unacceptable communication performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary channel quality assessment using SRS before PUCCH transmission. By pre-evaluating channel conditions and configuring appropriate QCL associations, the base station can more reliably decode PUCCH on first attempt, reducing the need for retransmissions and thereby minimizing latency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The SRS transmission provides feedback information about uplink channel conditions to the base station. This feedback enables the base station to adaptively configure PUCCH reception parameters, improving decoding success rate and reducing retransmission requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If QCL association between SRS and PUCCH is configured, then PUCCH detection performance is enhanced, but device complexity increases due to additional configuration and processing

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePUCCH detection performanceVSAvoidconfiguration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The SRS resource configuration serves multiple functions: it acts as both an uplink channel sounding signal and a reference for PUCCH QCL association. By making the SRS multi-functional, the system avoids adding separate reference signals, thereby reducing overall configuration complexity while improving detection performance

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the SRS and PUCCH configurations by establishing QCL associations between them. Instead of treating them as separate independent configurations, the system combines their relationships through QCL parameters, reducing the number of independent configuration elements needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3815285B1Reference signal and uplink control channel association design
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3815285B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3815285B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3815285B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A base station may configure a user equipment (UE) with quasi co-located (QCL) associations between a physical uplink control channel and a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission for at least one time and frequency domain channel parameter. The UE may transmit, in accordance with the QCL association, a control channel transmission via the physical uplink control channel using an antenna port that is quasi co-located with at least one antenna port for transmitting the SRS transmission and transmit, in accordance with the QCL association, the SRS transmission via the at least one antenna port. In another example, the base station may configure the UE with an antenna port association between an SRS transmission and a physical uplink control channel. The UE may transmit the SRS transmission and a control channel transmission in accordance with the antenna port association.