TDD Base Station Uplink Timing for High-Delay Connection Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile communication systems, high delays can prevent the establishment of connections between a base station and user equipment, particularly in scenarios with repeaters or challenging environments like subways and tunnels, leading to connectivity issues in 5G networks with TDD configurations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining signaling delays, scheduling uplink transmissions, and adjusting the timing of communication protocols to compensate for delays by aligning symbol patterns and reducing the number of symbols used for uplink transmissions, ensuring they fit within the expected uplink slot.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system uses TDD configuration with fixed slot structures, then the downlink capacity is maximized, but connections cannot be established when delay exceeds the predetermined threshold

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishment reliabilityVSAvoiddelay tolerance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the uplink slot structure adaptive rather than fixed. The base station determines the actual delay and dynamically adjusts the uplink slot configuration (number of symbols, timing advance) based on the measured delay, allowing the system to adapt to varying delay conditions while maintaining TDD operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the timing parameters of the uplink slot based on the measured delay. Specifically, it adjusts the timing advance value and the number of uplink symbols allocated, transforming the rigid TDD slot structure into a flexible configuration that can accommodate different delay scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the downlink slot is shortened to increase guard period, then delay compensation is improved, but downlink capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelay compensation capabilityVSAvoiddownlink capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of shortening the downlink slot to compensate for delay (the conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by keeping the downlink slot intact and instead adjusting the uplink slot configuration. This allows delay compensation without sacrificing downlink capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Measurement precision

If the uplink slot is shortened to fit delayed transmissions, then synchronization is improved, but the number of transmission symbols is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidnumber of transmission symbols
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary delay measurement and calculation before configuring the uplink slot. By determining the actual delay in advance and pre-calculating the appropriate timing advance and symbol allocation, the system achieves accurate synchronization while optimizing the number of symbols used

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4672831A1Method for managing a connection in a mobile telecommunications system, apparatus for a base station, base station, and mobile telecommunications system
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
  • EP4672831A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4672831A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4672831A1 patent drawingFigure 3-1

AI summary

Provided is a method (1) for managing a connection in a mobile telecommunications system (10), the method (1) including: determining (2) a signaling delay between a user equipment, UE (30), and a base station (20) of the mobile telecommunications system (10); determining (3) if the signaling delay is above a predetermined threshold; and if the signaling delay is above the predetermined threshold: scheduling (4), based on the signaling delay and for the UE (30), a UE transmission symbol pattern; using (5), based on the signaling delay and for the base station (20), a base station reception symbol pattern, wherein a beginning of the UE transmission symbol pattern is offset with respect to a beginning of the base station reception symbol pattern by at least one symbol (53).