Shared Soft Metric Buffer for Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aggregated-spectrum communication systems require large memory buffers to handle multiple component carriers, leading to increased cost, size, and power consumption, particularly when using Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) schemes that buffer soft metrics for each carrier.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a shared buffer in receivers that selectively assigns storage locations for processing information from multiple component carriers, allowing for reduced buffer size while still effectively managing soft metrics, with schemes like First-Needs-First-Gets allocation and adaptive partitioning to prioritize and manage data based on time of arrival and component carrier importance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate buffers are allocated for each component carrier, then processing reliability is improved, but memory size and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate buffers for multiple component carriers into a single shared buffer structure. The shared buffer uses dynamic allocation mechanisms where storage locations are selectably assignable to different component carriers based on current processing needs, thereby reducing total memory requirements while maintaining processing reliability through flexible resource sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer allocation is made dynamic through time-varying assignment of storage locations to different component carriers. The system adapts buffer allocation based on instantaneous traffic conditions, carrier priorities, and processing requirements, allowing the same physical memory resources to serve multiple carriers efficiently at different times.
2Loss of information
If buffer capacity is increased to handle all component carriers simultaneously, then information retention is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shared buffer is designed to serve multiple component carriers universally, with storage locations that can be dynamically assigned to any carrier needing buffering resources. This multi-functional buffer replaces multiple dedicated buffers, reducing device complexity while maintaining adequate information retention through flexible resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes buffer allocation parameters dynamically based on carrier priorities, traffic conditions, and processing states. By adjusting allocation parameters rather than increasing fixed buffer capacity, the system maintains information retention for critical carriers while avoiding the complexity and cost of provisioning maximum capacity for all carriers simultaneously.
3Speed
If dedicated buffers are used for each carrier, then processing speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging dedicated buffers into a shared buffer structure, the system reduces the total number of buffer management operations and memory access conflicts. The shared buffer with intelligent allocation mechanisms maintains processing speed by ensuring critical data is readily accessible while reducing power consumption through more efficient memory utilization and fewer idle buffer resources.
Data Source
AI summary
A method in a receiver includes receiving from a transmitter an aggregated-spectrum signal including at least first and second component carriers in respective spectral bands. Information related to processing one or more of the component carriers is buffered in at least one shared buffer, such that storage locations in the shared buffer are selectably assignable for storing at least first information related to the processing of the first component carrier and second information related to the processing of the second component carrier. The one or more of the component carriers are processed in the receiver using the information buffered in the shared buffer.