Reference Signal Puncturing Indicators for Reliable High-Priority Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently delivering high-priority data, such as ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), by puncturing reference signals (RS) without causing interference or loss of information in the RS.

Innovation Solution

Configuring RS with a puncturable subset and an unpuncturable subset, where the unpuncturable subset indicates whether the puncturable subset has been punctured, allowing network nodes to transmit high-priority data while maintaining RS integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If reference signals are punctured to deliver high-priority data, then data transmission speed and latency are improved, but reference signal integrity and reception accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidreference signal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reference signal resources are segmented into puncturable resources and unpuncturable resources. The unpuncturable resources maintain reference signal integrity for accurate UE reception and processing, while the puncturable resources can be overwritten by high-priority data transmissions, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining signal integrity and enabling fast data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If reference signals are punctured for high-priority data transmission, then latency is reduced, but information loss in reference signals occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovelatencyVSAvoidreference signal information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The critical reference signal information is extracted and placed in unpuncturable resources that are protected from being overwritten by data transmissions. This extraction ensures that essential reference signal information is preserved even when other resources are punctured for low-latency data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If reference signals are configured to be puncturable, then spectral efficiency is enhanced, but interference and signal loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidinterference and signal loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the reference signal resources are assigned different qualities: puncturable resources can be overwritten by data transmissions to improve spectral efficiency, while unpuncturable resources maintain high quality reference signal characteristics free from interference. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between spectral efficiency and signal quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12381680B2Puncturing indicator of a portion of a reference signal within an unpunctured portion of the reference signal

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Disclosed are techniques related to wireless communication system in which a network node (e.g., a base station, gNB, etc.) may be allowed to puncture a reference signal (RS) to deliver high priority data (e.g., URLLC data) to a user equipment (UE) that is not currently being served by the network node. The RS may comprise a puncturable subset and an unpuncturable subset. The puncturable subset may comprise resources of the RS that are allowed to be punctured, and the unpuncturable subset may comprise resources of the RS that are prohibited from being punctured. The network node may transmit the RS such that unpuncturable subset indicates whether or not the puncturable subset of the RS has or has not been punctured.