Reference Signal Group Offset Configuration for CoMP Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

In coordinated multi-point (CoMP) communication systems, existing technologies fail to effectively configure reference signals for user equipment (UEs) served by multiple cells, leading to interference between UEs, which hampers channel estimation and overall system performance.

Innovation Solution

The method involves acquiring group number information and group offset information for UEs served by multiple cells, updating group numbers to ensure orthogonality, and coordinating resource allocation and emission parameters to prevent interference, allowing UEs to send reference signals at specific times or with specific bandwidths to avoid collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If reference signals are allocated to multiple UEs served by multiple cells in CoMP systems, then resource utilization and system capacity are improved, but interference between UEs increases and channel estimation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidinterference between UEs
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The reference signal resource space is segmented by introducing group number information and group offset information. UEs are divided into different groups based on their serving cells, and each group is assigned specific reference signal sequences through group-specific parameters. This segmentation allows multiple UEs to share time-frequency resources while maintaining orthogonality within each group, thereby increasing system capacity without causing inter-UE interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different group offset values are assigned to different UEs or UE groups based on their specific serving cell configurations. This local differentiation ensures that each UE receives reference signals with locally optimized parameters tailored to its CoMP configuration, maintaining high channel estimation performance while enabling multiple UEs to coexist on the same resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the same reference signal resources are shared among multiple UEs for resource efficiency, then resource utilization is improved, but orthogonality between reference signals is lost and channel estimation accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidchannel estimation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters of reference signal sequences by introducing group number information and group offset information as configurable parameters. These parameters modify the underlying sequence generation formulas, allowing the system to generate orthogonal sequences dynamically. By adjusting these parameters based on UE grouping and serving cell configurations, the system maintains orthogonality and channel estimation accuracy while enabling resource sharing among multiple UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If reference signal sequences are made orthogonal across all UEs to eliminate interference, then channel estimation performance is improved, but resource allocation flexibility and system capacity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel estimation performanceVSAvoidsystem capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the orthogonality dimension from traditional single-cell UE separation to multi-cell UE grouping. By introducing group number information that identifies serving cell combinations, the system creates an additional dimension for resource differentiation. This allows reference signals to be orthogonal within each group while enabling non-orthogonal (but manageable) relationships between groups, thereby supporting more UEs than traditional orthogonal designs while maintaining adequate channel estimation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3396999B1Method, device and user equipment for configuring reference signal
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3396999B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3396999B1 patent drawingFigure 4~8
  • EP3396999B1 patent drawingFigure 9~11

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, device and user equipment for configuring a reference signal. The method includes: acquiring group number information of a reference signal allocated for a user equipment UE respectively by each cell; acquiring, according to the group number information, group offset information of a reference signal of a user equipment UEm served by at least two cells at the same time in the UE; and sending the group offset information to the UEm, so that the UEm acquires new group number information according to the allocated group number information of the reference signal and the group offset information, and sends a reference signal according to the new group number information. In the method, device and user equipment for configuring a reference signal provided by the embodiments of the present invention, a reference signal is sent according to new group number information, thereby avoiding interference generated by a UE in each cell on a scheduled UEm when an eNB schedules the UEm.