Single MAC-CE TCI Activation to Reduce Carrier Aggregation Signaling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face increased signaling overhead due to the use of multiple MAC-CEs for configuring active transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states in each component carrier (CC) during carrier aggregation, leading to inefficiencies in signaling, power consumption, and communication latency.

Innovation Solution

A single MAC-CE command is used to activate multiple sets of active TCI states for groups of component carriers and bandwidth parts, reducing the number of MAC-CEs required and optimizing signaling by indicating shared TCI states across multiple CCs/BWPs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple MAC-CEs are used to configure active TCI states for each component carrier during carrier aggregation, then the TCI states can be configured for each CC individually, but the signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveTCI state configuration flexibilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple MAC-CEs into a single MAC-CE that can configure active TCI states across multiple component carriers simultaneously. This merging approach maintains the ability to individually configure TCI states for each CC while significantly reducing the number of separate MAC-CE messages required, thereby reducing signaling overhead while preserving configuration flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal MAC-CE structure that can serve multiple component carriers with a single message. This multi-functional MAC-CE is designed to handle TCI state configuration for different CCs with potentially different parameters, allowing one message to perform what previously required multiple specialized messages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple MAC-CEs are used for configuring active TCI states in each component carrier, then individual CC configuration is achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By merging multiple MAC-CE configurations into a single MAC-CE message, the patent reduces the total number of signaling transmissions required. This reduction in message exchanges directly decreases the power consumption associated with signal processing, message encoding, decoding, and transmission/reception operations in the UE.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple MAC-CEs are used for TCI state configuration in carrier aggregation, then each CC can be configured separately, but communication latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveper-CC configurationVSAvoidcommunication latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple sequential MAC-CE configuration messages into a single simultaneous configuration message. This eliminates the sequential processing time required to handle multiple separate MAC-CEs, thereby reducing communication latency while maintaining the ability to configure TCI states for each component carrier individually within the single message structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12408174B2Transmission configuration indicator state activation techniques for carrier aggregation

Publication Date: 2025.09.02 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described in which different component carriers (CCs) or bandwidth parts (BWPs) of a system operating according to carrier aggregation may be configured with different transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states. A base station may transmit control information to a user equipment (UE) to activate two or more CCs, and that indicates two or more different sets of TCI states that are activated for the two or more CCs. The control information may be transmitted to the UE in a single MAC-CE. The single MAC-CE to activate different sets of TCI states at CCs or BWPs may allow for a reduced number of MAC-CEs used for conveying the set of active TCI states for the CCS or BWPs.