Single DCI Multi-Cell Scheduling With Lower Control Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, including 3GPP NR, are limited by the inability to use a single downlink control information (DCI) to schedule physical data channels on multiple cells or component carriers, necessitating separate DCIs for each cell, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a single DCI format that can schedule physical data channels on multiple cells or component carriers by incorporating multi-carrier radio network temporary identifiers, carrier indicator fields, bandwidth part indicators, and other DCI fields configured to handle multiple cells concurrently, allowing for unified scheduling across multiple cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate DCIs are used for each cell, then each cell can be scheduled independently, but the control channel overhead and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate DCI messages into a single unified DCI that can schedule multiple cells simultaneously. This is achieved by combining cell indicator fields, resource allocation fields, and other scheduling parameters for multiple cells into one DCI structure, thereby reducing control channel overhead while maintaining the ability to independently schedule each cell
Solution Approach 2:
The unified DCI structure is designed to perform multiple scheduling functions across different cells through multi-functionality. The DCI includes flexible fields that can indicate resource allocations, modulation schemes, and other parameters for multiple cells, allowing a single DCI to serve multiple scheduling purposes that previously required separate DCI messages
2Loss of information
If multiple DCIs are transmitted for multiple cells, then each cell's scheduling information can be conveyed, but the resource allocation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines scheduling information for multiple cells into a single DCI message, merging what would otherwise be separate information streams. This reduces the total number of control messages while ensuring all necessary scheduling information for multiple cells is conveyed through shared and cell-specific fields within the unified DCI structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by adding cell indicator fields and multi-cell resource allocation dimensions to the DCI structure. This allows the DCI to operate in an expanded parameter space where multiple cells can be addressed simultaneously through additional indexing and identification dimensions, improving resource allocation efficiency without losing scheduling information completeness
3Reliability
If separate DCIs are used for each cell, then cell-specific scheduling control is maintained, but the latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cell-specific scheduling controls into a single DCI transmission, reducing the time required to send multiple separate DCI messages. The unified DCI maintains cell-specific control precision through included fields that specify scheduling parameters for each individual cell, achieving both reduced latency and maintained control precision simultaneously
4Quantity of substance
If a single DCI schedules multiple cells, then resource overhead is reduced, but the DCI format complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unified DCI format is segmented into distinct functional sections including cell indicator fields, resource allocation fields, modulation and coding scheme fields, and other parameter fields for multiple cells. This segmentation allows the complex DCI structure to be organized into manageable, independently interpretable components, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining the ability to schedule multiple cells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by using flexible field lengths and optional elements in the DCI structure that can be adjusted based on the number of cells being scheduled. This allows the DCI format to adapt its complexity level dynamically, reducing overhead for simple cases while maintaining full functionality for complex multi-cell scheduling scenarios
Data Source
AI summary
A single Data Control Information (DCI) may be used to schedule physical data channels, e.g., PDSCH/PUSCH, for a given device/user equipment (UE) on multiple cells. Accordingly, a single DCI may be transmitted to a device/UE to schedule physical data channels on multiple cells for the device/UE, for example to concurrently schedule the physical data channels for the device on multiple cells/component carriers. The single DCI may include multiple DCI fields for indicating required communication parameters. Each DCI field of at least a subset of the multiple DCI fields is either used for every cell of the multiple cells or for a corresponding single cell of the multiple cells. Whether a single DCI field or multiple DCI fields are used for a given relevant communication parameter may be determined individually for each of the relevant communication parameters which are to be indicated in the single DCI.