Multi-cell Scheduling via Unified DCI Common Field
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased control overhead and decoding complexity for User Equipment (UE) in multi-cell scheduling scenarios, particularly due to the need to handle multiple cells simultaneously and decode downlink control information (DCI) efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus and method that includes a radio transceiver and a modem processor, which receives DCI with a common field containing a minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator only when configured, and schedules multiple cells based on this information, or uses padding values to maintain a fixed DCI size, thereby reducing control overhead and decoding complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple cells are scheduled simultaneously with separate DCI, then each cell can be scheduled independently with full control information, but the control overhead and decoding complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cell scheduling operations into a single unified DCI message. Instead of transmitting separate DCI for each cell, the network device generates one DCI that schedules multiple cells simultaneously, reducing control overhead and decoding complexity while maintaining independent scheduling capability for each cell
Solution Approach 2:
The DCI message is designed to serve multiple functions by incorporating cell-specific scheduling information for multiple cells within a single structure. The common field and cell-specific fields work together to provide universal scheduling capability across multiple cells, allowing one DCI to perform what previously required multiple separate DCI messages
2Manufacturing precision
If DCI includes all necessary control information for each cell, then scheduling precision is maintained, but the size of DCI increases leading to higher overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The DCI is segmented into distinct functional fields: a common field containing scheduling offset indicators applicable to multiple cells, and cell-specific fields containing individual cell scheduling information. This segmentation allows the DCI to maintain complete scheduling precision for each cell while organizing information efficiently to minimize overall size and overhead
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces configurable parameters such as the minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator in the common field, which can be adjusted based on network conditions and cell characteristics. This parameter change capability allows the DCI to adapt its information content to maintain scheduling precision while optimizing the amount of control information transmitted, thereby reducing overhead
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus comprises a radio transceiver and a modem processor. The radio transceiver is configured to transmit or receive wireless signals to communicate with a network device. The modem processor is coupled to the radio transceiver and configured to perform operations comprising: receiving a downlink (DL) control information (DCI) from the network device, wherein the DCI comprises a common field with a minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator in response to a higher layer parameter being configured, and the DCI does not comprise the common field with the minimum applicable scheduling offset indicator in response to the higher layer parameter being not configured; and scheduling a plurality of cells for the communication apparatus according to the DCI.