Search Space Set Configuration for Low-Complexity UE Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-complexity user equipment (UEs) in New Radio (NR) communication face challenges in coverage due to reduced bandwidth and antennas, leading to decreased maximum Aggregation Level (AL) and receiving diversity gain, necessitating adaptive configuration of search space sets for coverage recovery.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that enable low-complexity UEs to determine the configuration of a search space set based on received signaling, specifically by adjusting the number of Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) repetitions based on coverage recovery requirements, bandwidth, and the number of receiving antennas, to enhance coverage and aggregation levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the bandwidth is reduced from 100 MHz to 50 MHz, 20 MHz, 10 MHz or 5 MHz, then the cost of user equipment is reduced, but the coverage or effective cell radius decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple PDCCH transmissions (repetitions) to achieve coverage recovery. By merging multiple transmissions of the same control information across different time resources, the system compensates for the reduced bandwidth and antenna count, enabling low-complexity UEs to achieve adequate signal accumulation for reliable detection while maintaining cost-effective hardware configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptation mechanisms where the network can configure different search space set parameters (such as aggregation levels, monitoring occasions, and repetition counts) based on the UE's capability indicators. This allows the system to dynamically adjust control channel resources to match the reduced capabilities of low-complexity UEs, optimizing coverage without requiring full-bandwidth hardware.
2Ease of manufacture
If the number of receiving antennas is reduced from 4 to 2 or 1, then the cost of user equipment is reduced, but the receiving diversity gain decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs time-domain merging of multiple PDCCH repetitions to compensate for the loss of spatial diversity. By transmitting the same control information multiple times across different time instances and allowing the UE to combine these repetitions, the system recovers the diversity gain that would otherwise be provided by multiple antennas, enabling single-antenna or dual-antenna UEs to achieve reliable reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the time-domain parameters of PDCCH transmission, specifically introducing repetition factors and extended monitoring occasions. This parameter change transforms the control channel transmission from a single-instance spatial diversity approach to a multi-instance time diversity approach, allowing UEs with reduced antenna counts to achieve adequate reliability through temporal redundancy.
3Ease of manufacture
If the bandwidth is reduced, then the cost of user equipment is reduced, but the maximum Aggregation Level of PDCCH decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the control channel resource allocation from the frequency domain (bandwidth-limited) to the time domain through PDCCH repetitions. By adding the time dimension as an additional resource axis, the system compensates for the reduced frequency resources available to low-complexity UEs, allowing adequate aggregation levels to be achieved through temporal accumulation rather than spectral occupancy.
4Area of stationary object
If search space set 0 is configured for coverage recovery, then coverage is improved, but the configuration must be adapted to different coverage loss scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the UE reports its capability indicators (bandwidth, antenna count, processing capabilities) to the network, and the network responds with appropriate search space set configurations. This closed-loop feedback enables the system to automatically adapt the coverage recovery configuration to match the specific UE capabilities and expected coverage loss scenarios, eliminating the need for manual configuration tuning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic configuration of search space set parameters based on UE capability indicators. The network can adjust aggregation levels, monitoring occasion periodicities, and repetition counts in real-time according to the UE's reported capabilities and the detected signal conditions, allowing the same search space set 0 to serve multiple coverage scenarios through dynamic parameter adjustment rather than static configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining configuration of a search space set, and a computer readable storage medium are provided. The method includes receiving signaling; and determining the configuration of the search space set based on the signaling.