Sounding Reference Signal Design for New Radio Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

New Radio (NR) systems face challenges in managing sounding reference signals (SRSs) due to the large number of active user equipment (UEs) per cell, which exceeds that of traditional LTE systems, requiring an improved SRS approach to support higher user capacity and more flexible physical resource mapping.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves configuring UE-specific Zadoff-Chu sequence roots for SRS sequences, allowing multiple roots for each sequence length, and using SRS resource pooling to maintain orthogonality while allowing partially overlapping SRSs, enabling more flexible physical resource mapping and reducing interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If traditional LTE SRS sequence generation methods are used in NR systems, then the system can maintain backward compatibility, but the number of active UEs per cell cannot be sufficiently supported due to limited SRS sequence resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of active UEs per cellVSAvoidSRS sequence resource flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters of SRS sequence generation by introducing multiple Zadoff-Chu sequence roots for each sequence length and making SRS sequences a function of both sequence root and physical resource block (PRB) position. This parameter change enables support for a larger number of UEs while maintaining orthogonality and reducing interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the SRS sequence space by dividing it into multiple sequence roots, where each root can generate multiple sequences based on different PRB positions. This segmentation allows more UEs to be supported by allocating different sequence roots and/or different PRB-based sequences to different UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If SRS sequences are made a function of PRB position to support more UEs, then UE capacity increases, but sequence orthogonality and interference management become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of supported UEsVSAvoidsequence orthogonality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces sequence root as an additional parameter to control orthogonality. By selecting appropriate Zadoff-Chu sequence roots with orthogonal properties and combining them with PRB-position-dependent sequence generation, the system maintains orthogonality while supporting more UEs through diversified sequence assignments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If multiple Zadoff-Chu sequence roots are configured for each sequence length, then more UEs can be supported with unique sequences, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of unique SRS sequencesVSAvoidSRS configuration and management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic SRS sequence assignment where the sequence root and PRB position are configured based on UE-specific requirements and network conditions. This dynamic approach allows flexible resource allocation while managing complexity through standardized configuration procedures and automated network-side management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3883202B1Sounding reference signal design
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3883202B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3883202B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3883202B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and devices for assigning sounding reference signals (SRS) resources to UEs in a wireless communication network are provided. Configuration information is sent to a UE, the configuration information pertaining to a first sequence identifier (ID) to be used by the UE to generate a plurality of SRS sequences to be sent by the UE as at least part of a first SRS. Each SRS sequence of the plurality of SRS sequences is a function of a respective SRS sequence root that is a function of the first sequence ID. The first sequence ID may be a UE-specific sequence ID that is a function of a UE-specific ID associated with the UE, such as a Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI).