User Equipment Frequency Band Sub-band Segmentation for Initial Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G and New Radio (NR) networks, user equipment faces challenges in securing ultra-wideband frequencies, leading to increased search time and power consumption during cell access, which degrades performance compared to earlier systems like LTE and LTE-A.
Innovation Solution
The user equipment divides the frequency band into sub-bands and uses a stepwise approach with power measurement and correlation components of synchronization signals to rapidly identify effective sub-bands for initial access, reducing search time and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the user equipment searches for a cell in an ultra-wideband frequency (100 MHz or more), then the data throughput can be increased, but the search time and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ultra-wideband frequency band into multiple sub-bands and performs frequency search in a hierarchical manner. First, the entire frequency band is divided into several wide sub-bands, and the user equipment performs initial search in these sub-bands to identify which sub-band contains the target cell. Then, within the identified sub-band, further frequency search is conducted to locate the exact cell frequency. This segmentation approach reduces the total search time while maintaining the ability to access ultra-wideband frequencies for high throughput data transmission.
2Productivity
If the user equipment searches for a cell in an ultra-wideband frequency (100 MHz or more), then the data throughput can be increased, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frequency search process into multiple stages with decreasing power consumption requirements. The initial stage uses lower power to search for sub-band indicators in divided sub-bands. Once the target sub-band is identified, the user equipment concentrates its power resources on performing detailed frequency search only within that specific sub-band, rather than scanning the entire ultra-wideband frequency range. This significantly reduces overall power consumption while enabling access to high throughput ultra-wideband frequencies.
3Reliability
If the user equipment performs frequency search in the entire frequency band, then all possible cells can be detected, but the search time increases and overall performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frequency band into multiple sub-bands and implements a two-stage search process. In the first stage, the user equipment performs a coarse search across all sub-bands to identify which sub-band contains the target cell by detecting sub-band specific reference signals or synchronization signals. In the second stage, it performs a fine search within the identified sub-band to detect the exact cell. This approach maintains complete cell detection capability while significantly reducing search time and improving overall performance compared to searching the entire frequency band uniformly.
Data Source
AI summary
An operating method of a user equipment in a wireless communication system includes dividing a first frequency band, from among a plurality of frequency bands, into a plurality of sub-bands, based on a first radio frequency technology (RAT), measuring peak powers of each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, determining at least one effective sub-band from among the plurality of sub-bands, based on the measured peak powers, detecting, based on the determining of the at least one effective sub-band, a first effective signal through a frequency search operation using a correlation component of a synchronization signal corresponding to at least one of the first frequency band and the at least one effective sub-band, and performing initial access to a cell, based on the detecting the first effective signal.