Relay Control Channel Search Space Configuration for LTE-A
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunications systems with relay nodes face inefficiencies in relay control channel search space configuration, particularly in reducing blind detections for relay nodes in LTE-A systems, which affects the performance and complexity of relay node implementation.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid time division multiplexing (TDM) and frequency division multiplexing (FDM) scheme is implemented for relay-physical downlink control channel (R-PDCCH) and shared channel (R-PDSCH) multiplexing, allowing for early decoding of control information, simpler hardware implementation, and improved control channel capacity, while optimizing resource allocation and search space design to minimize blind decoding attempts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a relay node performs blind detection of R-PDCCH in all possible search spaces, then the control channel coverage is ensured, but the number of blind decoding attempts increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the R-PDCCH search space into multiple candidate sets, where each set corresponds to a specific aggregation level. Instead of blindly searching all possible locations, the relay node divides the search space into organized groups based on aggregation level parameters, reducing the number of blind decoding attempts while ensuring comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary configuration of search space candidates before actual R-PDCCH detection. The relay node pre-establishes candidate search spaces based on aggregation level parameters and higher-layer signaling, so that when R-PDCCH needs to be detected, the node only needs to search within these pre-defined candidates rather than all possible locations.
2Productivity
If the R-PDCCH search space is configured with multiple aggregation levels, then the control channel capacity is improved, but the search space complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different search space configurations to different aggregation levels locally. Each aggregation level has its own candidate set with specific properties (number of candidates, resource block assignments), allowing the system to optimize for control channel capacity at each level without uniformly increasing complexity across all levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the search space configuration dynamic by allowing higher-layer signaling to adjust the number of candidates and resource block assignments for each aggregation level based on actual network conditions and traffic requirements, rather than using fixed static configurations.
3Productivity
If the relay node monitors all downlink subframes for R-PDCCH, then the control information reception is maximized, but the processing load and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial monitoring by configuring the relay node to monitor only a subset of downlink subframes for R-PDCCH based on higher-layer signaling parameters. Instead of monitoring all downlink subframes, the node monitors only those subframes that are configured as candidates, reducing processing load and power consumption while still receiving necessary control information.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program are provided for implementing a control channel on a back-haul link of a relay system. The method can include, for example, hybrid time multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing a relay-physical downlink control channel and relay-physical downlink shared channel of a backhaul link for a relay node as a hybrid multiplexed set of symbols. The relay-physical downlink control channel can include a searching space with parameters semi-statically configured to be searched by the relay node. The method can also include transmitting the hybrid multiplexed set of symbols to the relay node.