Sidelink Carrier Aggregation Configuration for D2D Communication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication technologies are inadequate to support advanced sidelink carrier aggregation techniques, particularly in device-to-device communication, as they rely on legacy cell concepts that are not suitable for sidelink scenarios and lack efficient resource management and configuration mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A method for sidelink carrier aggregation in device-to-device communication, where user equipment (UE) can transmit a sidelink carrier aggregation configuration to another UE or a base station, enabling communication on multiple sidelink carriers, with configuration details including carrier frequencies, deactivation timers, and resource allocation, allowing for flexible and efficient resource management during handovers and communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If legacy cell concepts and RRC signaling are used for carrier aggregation in sidelink communication, then basic carrier aggregation can be supported, but advanced carrier aggregation techniques cannot be implemented and resource management is inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarrier aggregation technique supportVSAvoidconfiguration mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the carrier aggregation configuration into separate components: sidelink carrier aggregation configuration transmitted via PC5 interface and Uu interface carrier aggregation configuration. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each configuration path, enabling advanced sidelink-specific CA techniques while maintaining compatibility with legacy Uu interface mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a base station as an intermediary that receives sidelink carrier aggregation configuration from first UE, validates it, and forwards relevant information to second UE. This intermediary mechanism enables complex sidelink CA configuration while offloading processing burden from direct UE-UE communication, improving resource management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple sidelink carriers are configured for device-to-device communication, then data throughput increases, but resource management and configuration becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata throughputVSAvoidresource management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where UEs report sidelink channel quality and resource utilization metrics to the base station. The base station uses this feedback to dynamically adjust sidelink carrier aggregation configuration, optimizing throughput while managing resource allocation complexity across multiple carriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic activation and deactivation of sidelink carriers based on traffic conditions and channel quality. The base station can add or release sidelink component carriers dynamically, allowing the system to adapt resource management complexity to actual throughput requirements rather than maintaining fixed complex configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If sidelink carrier aggregation configuration is transmitted directly between UEs, then configuration speed increases, but reliability and coordination with base station decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration speedVSAvoidconfiguration coordination
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the base station pre-configure sidelink carrier aggregation parameters and resource pools before actual sidelink communication begins. This preliminary configuration ensures reliability and coordination while allowing fast activation during actual data transmission, combining both speed and reliability benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3662706B1Methods and computing device for carrying out wireless device-to-device communication using sidelink carrier aggregation
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 ZTE CORP
  • EP3662706B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3662706B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3662706B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

A method for carrying out wireless device-to-device communication involves: a first user equipment transmitting a sidelink carrier aggregation configuration to a second user equipment; and the first user equipment communicating directly with the second user equipment on a plurality of sidelink carriers in accordance with the sidelink carrier aggregation configuration. In some implementations, a base station receives, from a first user equipment, a sidelink carrier aggregation configuration. The base station then transmits the sidelink carrier aggregation configuration to a second user equipment.