Terminal Control Channel Monitoring in High Frequency Bands

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional terminals struggle to perform effective monitoring of control channels in high frequency bands above 52.6 GHz due to limitations in subcarrier spacing, leading to increased load and power consumption, and inability to support mandatory capabilities.

Innovation Solution

The terminal is configured to monitor control channels using a wider subcarrier spacing, such as 480 kHz or greater, allowing for increased symbols in the CORESET and adjusted aggregation levels, monitoring occasions, and blind decodes to accommodate higher frequency bands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional subcarrier spacing is used for control channel monitoring, then terminal compatibility is maintained, but monitoring performance in high frequency bands deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol channel monitoring performanceVSAvoidfrequency band adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic subcarrier spacing adaptation where the terminal can flexibly switch between conventional SCS (e.g., 15 kHz, 30 kHz) and extended SCS (e.g., 60 kHz, 120 kHz, 240 kHz, 480 kHz) based on the operating frequency band. This dynamic adjustment allows optimal monitoring performance in high frequency bands while maintaining compatibility in lower bands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the subcarrier spacing parameter according to frequency band requirements. In high frequency bands (e.g., above 52.6 GHz), extended SCS values are applied to improve monitoring reliability, while conventional SCS values are used in lower frequency bands to maintain compatibility with existing terminals and networks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If extended subcarrier spacing is used in high frequency bands, then monitoring reliability improves, but terminal processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol channel monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidterminal processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies extended subcarrier spacing selectively only in high frequency bands where it is needed for reliable monitoring, rather than uniformly across all frequency bands. This localized application of extended SCS reduces unnecessary processing complexity in lower frequency bands while maintaining high reliability where required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If extended subcarrier spacing is used, then control channel monitoring in high frequency bands is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh frequency band monitoring capabilityVSAvoidterminal power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the subcarrier spacing parameter based on operating conditions, using extended SCS only when operating in high frequency bands. This conditional parameter change ensures that the additional power consumption associated with extended SCS processing is incurred only when necessary for high frequency operation, not during normal low frequency operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240056272A1Terminal, and base station

Publication Date: 2024.02.15 NTT DOCOMO INC

AI summary

A terminal includes: a control unit configured to perform monitoring of a control channel in an area in which, in a case of using a certain SCS, a number of symbols is greater than a number of symbols corresponding to another SCS that is less than the certain SCS; and a reception unit configured to receive control information via the control channel.