Shared-Spectrum Resource-Saving Transmission Across Successful LBT Subbands

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Solution Overview

Problem

In shared spectrum communication systems like NR-U, existing technologies face challenges in deciding whether to transmit data when some subbands fail LBT, leading to resource waste due to the requirement of successful LBT across all subbands.

Innovation Solution

Implement resource-saving data transmission modes by configuring devices to transmit data in subbands where LBT succeeds, even if some subbands fail, using configuration information for downlink and uplink transmissions, including conditions for successful and failed LBT operations, and anchor subbands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If successful LBT is required across all subbands before transmission, then channel access reliability is improved, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates due to resource waste when some subbands fail LBT

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel access reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency spectrum into multiple independent subbands and allows LBT operations to be performed independently on each subband. When some subbands fail LBT while others succeed, the system transmits data only on the successful subbands rather than abandoning the entire transmission opportunity. This segmentation enables partial resource utilization and improves transmission efficiency while maintaining reliability through selective access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different transmission qualities to different subbands based on their individual LBT outcomes. Successful subbands receive full transmission power and data allocation, while failed subbands are excluded from transmission. This local quality approach allows the system to optimize performance on a per-subband basis rather than applying a uniform transmission strategy across all subbands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If transmission is aborted when any subband fails LBT, then transmission reliability is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates due to wasted transmission opportunities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidresource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of partial LBT failures into a beneficial outcome by enabling selective transmission on successful subbands. Instead of treating LBT failure as a reason to abort the entire transmission (which wastes the transmission opportunity), the system identifies and transmits only on subbands where LBT succeeded, thereby converting the partial failure scenario into a partially successful transmission that utilizes available resources effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If configuration information is provided for resource-saving transmission, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional configuration management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidconfiguration management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces specific configuration parameters to enable resource-saving transmission, including: (1) a first parameter indicating whether resource-saving transmission is enabled, (2) a second parameter specifying the number of subbands for which LBT results are monitored, and (3) a third parameter indicating the threshold for determining when to transmit. These parameter changes provide a systematic way to control the complex behavior through manageable configuration variables that can be adjusted based on network conditions and requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4066555B1Configurations for resource-saving data transmissions in shared spectrum channel access
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 ZTE CORP
  • EP4066555B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4066555B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4066555B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Presented are systems, methods, apparatuses, or computer-readable media for configuration of resource-saving data transmissions in shared spectrum channel access. A first device may receive, from a second device, configuration information for resource-saving transmission. The first device may determine whether to use the resource-saving transmission in an unlicensed spectrum, according to the received configuration information for resource-saving transmission.