Timing Advance Command Grouping for Wireless Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 3GPP LTE systems, maintaining uplink time alignment across multiple component carriers increases signaling overhead, as each serving cell requires individual time alignment management, which becomes inefficient with the introduction of carrier aggregation.
Innovation Solution
Grouping serving cells with similar time alignment properties allows for the application of a single uplink time alignment value to each group, reducing signaling overhead by using a time alignment group identifier within MAC control elements to manage timing alignment commands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If individual time alignment management is applied to each serving cell, then uplink time alignment accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent groups multiple serving cells into time alignment groups, where a single timing advance command can be applied to multiple cells simultaneously. This merging approach reduces the number of separate timing advance commands needed, thereby reducing signaling overhead while still maintaining proper time alignment for each cell through the group-based management mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The timing advance command is designed to serve multiple serving cells within a time alignment group simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate timing advance commands for each cell, a single command performs the universal function of aligning uplink timing across multiple cells, improving signaling efficiency without sacrificing alignment accuracy.
2Productivity
If carrier aggregation with multiple component carriers is introduced, then system capacity and bandwidth are improved, but complexity of time alignment management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments serving cells into distinct time alignment groups, allowing independent management of timing alignment for each group. This segmentation approach enables the system to handle multiple component carriers in carrier aggregation by organizing them into manageable groups, reducing the overall complexity of time alignment management while preserving system capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging multiple serving cells into time alignment groups, the patent reduces the number of independent time alignment management processes required. This merging approach simplifies the management complexity associated with carrier aggregation, as the system can manage groups rather than individual cells, while still supporting multiple component carriers for high system capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method of receiving a timing advance command by a user equipment in a wireless communication system. A terminal receives information on a time advance group from a base station, and also receives the tuning advance command corresponding to the time advance group from the base station.