SCell Cross-Carrier Scheduling for PDCCH Load Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing cross-carrier scheduling, particularly in dynamic spectrum sharing scenarios where the carrier used for new radio (NR) primary cells is also used for serving LTE users, leading to limited opportunities for control channel transmission on the NR primary cell.
Innovation Solution
The proposed method involves configuring a secondary cell (SCell) as a scheduling cell for cross-carrier scheduling, allowing it to monitor and schedule physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)/physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the primary cell, enhancing control signaling capacity by linking PDCCH search space sets between the SCell and primary cell, and using a special secondary cell (sSCell) to reduce PDCCH load on the primary cell.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cross-carrier scheduling is implemented to schedule PDSCH on PCell via SCell, then control signaling capacity is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scheduling function by configuring a specific SCell as a scheduling cell dedicated to scheduling PDSCH on PCell. This separates the scheduling responsibility from the traditional PCell PDCCH, allowing the SCell to handle control signaling for PCell while PCell focuses on data transmission. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by improving control signaling capacity through dedicated scheduling resources without requiring the entire PCell to handle both scheduling and data functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an SCell as an intermediary element between the base station and PCell for scheduling purposes. The SCell configured as a scheduling cell acts as a mediator that receives scheduling decisions and transmits them to the UE for PCell PDSCH. This intermediary approach improves control signaling capacity by providing an additional control channel path while maintaining clear functional separation between scheduling and data transmission roles.
2Quantity of substance
If SCell is configured as scheduling cell for PCell, then PDCCH load on PCell is reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase for accurate scheduling information detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the scheduling function from the PCell PDCCH and relocates it to a dedicated SCell. By taking out the scheduling responsibility from the PCell, the system reduces the PDCCH load on PCell while maintaining scheduling accuracy through the extracted SCell's dedicated monitoring resources. This extraction allows PCell to focus solely on data transmission without the overhead of scheduling control signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional PCell-based scheduling mechanism with an SCell-based scheduling mechanism. This substitution involves configuring the SCell as a scheduling cell with dedicated monitoring capabilities, which replaces the mechanical scheduling process on PCell with a parallel process on the SCell. The substitution reduces PDCCH load while maintaining detection accuracy through the SCell's specialized monitoring configuration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple SCells are configured for scheduling, then scheduling flexibility is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to increased configuration management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by allowing SCells to serve dual purposes: both as regular serving cells for data transmission and as scheduling cells for controlling PCell PDSCH. This universality improves scheduling flexibility by enabling dynamic allocation of scheduling functions to different SCells based on network conditions. The patent maintains ease of operation by providing standardized configuration procedures for designating SCells as scheduling cells, making the added flexibility manageable through consistent operational patterns.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication device (104,1000) can operate in a communications network (4410) and be configured to communicate with a network node (102, 1100) operating in the communications network (4410) via a primary cell, PCell, and a secondary cell, SCell. The communication device can receive (1320) a configuration message from the network node (102, 1100) indicating to monitor the SCell for first scheduling information associated with communications via the PCell. Responsive to receiving the configuration message, the communication device (104, 1000) can monitor (1330) the SCell for the first scheduling information associated with communication via the PCell. Responsive to receiving the configuration message, the communication device (104, 1000) can monitor (1340) the PCell for second scheduling information associated with communication via the PCell. Responsive to receiving the configuration message, the communication device (104, 1000) can receive )1360), via the SCell, the first scheduling information associated with communication via the PCell.