Tertiary Component Carrier Control for User Terminal Load Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The load on user terminals increases when the number of configured component carriers (CCs) is expanded, particularly when using unlicensed CCs, leading to unnecessary operations and potential communication interference in next-generation mobile communication systems.
Innovation Solution
Introducing a Tertiary CC (TCC) that operates differently from primary and secondary CCs, with distinct control and measurement operations, allowing for reduced load on user terminals by applying simpler control and measurement methods, and using Listen Before Talk (LBT) for unlicensed bands to minimize interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of configured component carriers (CCs) is expanded to support more flexible and faster communication, then the communication flexibility and speed are improved, but the load on user terminals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments CCs into two categories: licensed CCs and unlicensed CCs. This segmentation allows the system to apply different control and measurement operations to each type, reducing the overall complexity for the user terminal while maintaining support for a larger number of CCs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing simplified control and measurement operations specifically for unlicensed CCs rather than applying full operations to all CCs. This reduces the user terminal load while still enabling support for expanded numbers of CCs for higher communication speeds
2Area of stationary object
If unlicensed CCs are configured to utilize available frequency bands, then the system bandwidth is improved, but cross-interference with other systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces Listen Before Talk (LBT) as an intermediary mechanism between the unlicensed CC transmission and other systems sharing the same frequency band. LBT allows the system to detect and avoid cross-interference with Wi-Fi, other operators' LTE-U, and millimeter-wave radars while still utilizing the unlicensed bandwidth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by requiring the system to perform LBT before transmitting on unlicensed CCs. This preliminary check prevents cross-interference from occurring in the first place, allowing the system to utilize unlicensed bandwidth without harmful interference to other systems
3Device complexity
If simplified control and measurement operations are applied to TCCs, then the user terminal load is reduced, but the measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the measurement operations based on the type of CC. Licensed CCs receive full measurement operations to ensure high precision, while unlicensed CCs receive simplified operations appropriate to their characteristics and interference environment, optimizing the balance between load and precision for each local context
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is designed reduce the increase of load in user terminals even when the number of CCs that can be configured in a user terminal is expanded from that of existing systems and/or when CA is executed using unlicensed CCs. A user terminal communicates with a radio base station by means of carrier aggregation using a plurality of component carriers (CCs), and has a receiving section that receives DL signals transmitted from each CC, a measurement section that makes measurements by using the DL signals, and a control section that controls the receiving operations in the receiving section and the measurement operations in the measurement section, and, when a plurality of CCs, including at least a first CC, which corresponds to a primary CC of an existing system, and a third CC, which is different from the first CC and a second CC that corresponds to a secondary CC of the existing system, are configured, the control section applies, to the third CC, receiving operations and/or measurement operations that are different from those of the second CC.