Cross-Carrier Scheduling Using SCells to Expand PCell PDCCH Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current carrier aggregation scenarios in communication systems are limited by the PDCCH capacity of primary cells, leading to insufficient resources and increased blind detections due to restricted cross-carrier scheduling capabilities.

Innovation Solution

Implementing methods and apparatuses that enable cross-carrier scheduling from secondary cells to primary cells, allowing the primary cells to utilize the secondary cells' PDCCH resources, thereby enhancing the PDCCH capacity and reducing the need for self-scheduling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cross-carrier scheduling is configured from PCell to SCell, then scheduling information can be transmitted, but the PDCCH capacity of the PCell becomes limited and blind detection burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling information transmissionVSAvoidPDCCH capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional cross-carrier scheduling direction by enabling SCell to schedule PCell instead of PCell scheduling SCell. This allows the PCell to utilize PDCCH resources from the SCell, thereby increasing the overall PDCCH capacity and reducing the blind detection burden on the PCell.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the SCell to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a data transmission cell and a scheduling cell for the PCell. This multi-functionality allows the SCell's PDCCH resources to be utilized for scheduling the PCell, thereby increasing the overall system capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If only PCell to SCell cross-carrier scheduling is supported, then implementation is simple, but the PDCCH capacity is limited and resources are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidPDCCH resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a new scheduling direction (SCell to PCell) that is opposite to the traditional direction. This inversion effectively doubles the possible scheduling directions, thereby increasing the available PDCCH resources without significantly complicating the implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to the scheduling architecture by allowing scheduling from secondary cells to primary cells, in addition to the traditional primary-to-secondary scheduling. This dimensional expansion increases the resource pool available for scheduling.

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

Data Source

PatentEP4084551B1Cross-carrier scheduling method and apparatus, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 BEIJING SPREADTRUM HI TECH COMM TECH CO LTD
  • EP4084551B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4084551B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4084551B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular, to methods and apparatuses for cross-carrier scheduling, and a storage medium. The method includes the following. A network-side device transmits higher-layer signaling indicating that a primary cell (PCell) supports cross-carrier scheduling by one or more secondary cells (SCells). In implementations of the disclosure, the network-side device transmits the higher-layer signaling indicating that the PCell supports cross-carrier scheduling by the one or more SCells, such that the one or more SCells can perform cross-carrier scheduling on the PCell, thereby reducing the use of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the PCell, increasing a PDCCH capacity of the PCell, avoiding a limited PDCCH capacity of the PCell because the PCell only can support self-carrier scheduling or cross-carrier scheduling on other cells in related art, and ensuring sufficient PDCCH resources for the PCell.