SRS Frequency Hopping Within Single Slots for Reduced-Capability UEs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in accurately and efficiently transmitting and receiving signals, particularly for reduced capability UEs with smaller bandwidths, due to limitations in configuring frequency hopping for sounding reference signals (SRS) that often exceed a single slot duration.

Innovation Solution

The method involves configuring frequency hopping for SRS transmissions in a wireless communication system by setting start positions and lengths of hops within a single slot, ensuring none of the hops extend beyond a single slot, and includes specific information such as start symbols, slot offsets, and hop bandwidths, applicable to both user equipment (UE) and base stations (BS).

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If frequency hopping configuration allows hops to extend beyond a single slot, then frequency hopping flexibility is improved, but signal transmission accuracy deteriorates for reduced capability UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency hopping flexibilityVSAvoidsignal transmission accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The frequency hopping configuration is segmented into multiple independent hop configurations, where each hop is confined to a single slot. This segmentation allows the system to maintain flexibility through multiple hops while ensuring each individual hop meets the accuracy requirements for reduced capability UEs by not extending beyond slot boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If frequency hopping configuration allows hops to extend beyond a single slot, then frequency hopping coverage is improved, but communication efficiency deteriorates for reduced capability UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency hopping coverageVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic frequency hopping across multiple slots, where each hop occurs within a single slot boundary. This periodic structure maintains comprehensive frequency coverage through multiple hops while improving communication efficiency by preventing hops from extending beyond slot boundaries, which would cause processing delays for reduced capability UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Quantity of substance

If frequency hopping configuration allows hops to extend beyond a single slot, then frequency resource utilization is improved, but device complexity increases for reduced capability UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency resource utilizationVSAvoidUE processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frequency hopping configuration is divided into discrete hop segments, each confined to a single slot. This segmentation maintains effective frequency resource utilization through multiple hops while reducing device complexity for reduced capability UEs, as each hop can be processed independently within slot boundaries without requiring complex cross-slot processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4694011A1Method and device for transmitting/receiving signal in wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4694011A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4694011A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4694011A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A method by which a terminal transmits a sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system, according to at least one from among embodiments disclosed in the present specification, comprises: receiving, through higher layer signaling, configuration information regarding an SRS for positioning; and transmitting, on the basis of the configuration information including a frequency hopping configuration for the SRS for positioning, the SRS for positioning in a frequency band of each of a plurality of hops, wherein the frequency hopping configuration can include, on a time domain, i) information regarding a start position of each hop and ii) information regarding the length of each hop, and the terminal could not expect that a single hop from among the plurality of hops configured on the basis of the frequency hopping configuration would be configured beyond a single slot.