Uplink BWP Determination for HARQ Feedback in Multi-BWP 5G Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G communications, when multiple bandwidth parts (BWPs) are activated on a single carrier, the uplink BWP used for HARQ feedback cannot be determined, leading to inefficiencies in data transmission and resource management.

Innovation Solution

A method where the terminal device receives configuration messages from the network device to determine the appropriate uplink BWP for HARQ feedback, using downlink control information (DCI) or radio resource control (RRC) signaling to identify the BWP, and activates it if necessary, ensuring it is in an active state for accurate feedback transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple BWPs are activated on one carrier to support concurrent data of different service types, then the adaptability and service capability are improved, but the method to determine the uplink BWP for HARQ feedback becomes unclear and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice type support capabilityVSAvoidBWP determination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network device pre-configures multiple uplink BWPs and establishes correspondence relationships between them and downlink BWPs before actual data transmission. This preliminary configuration includes setting up BWP groups and defining which uplink BWP should be used for HARQ feedback of specific downlink BWPs, so that the terminal device can directly follow the pre-established rules without complex real-time determination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces BWP groups as an intermediary concept to manage the correspondence between uplink and downlink BWPs. By grouping related BWPs together and defining group-level correspondence, the system simplifies the determination process - the terminal only needs to identify which BWP group the downlink BWP belongs to, and then use the corresponding uplink BWP from that group for HARQ feedback

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If only one BWP is activated on one carrier as in existing solutions, then the BWP determination method is simple, but the adaptability to support multiple service types concurrently is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveBWP determination complexityVSAvoidservice type support capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single BWP activation model into multiple parallel BWP configurations. Instead of one active BWP, the system allows multiple BWPs to be activated simultaneously, each potentially serving different service types (e.g., eMBB, URLLC). The segmentation is further applied by dividing BWPs into groups with defined correspondence relationships, making the multi-BWP system manageable while maintaining simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple BWPs are activated without clear determination rules, then the service capability is improved, but the resource management efficiency and data transmission efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-BWP activation capabilityVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The network device pre-configures multiple uplink BWPs and establishes correspondence relationships between them and downlink BWPs before actual data transmission. This preliminary configuration includes setting up BWP groups and defining which uplink BWP should be used for HARQ feedback of specific downlink BWPs, so that the terminal device can directly follow the pre-established rules without complex real-time determination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the terminal device sends HARQ feedback through the determined uplink BWP, and the network device receives this feedback to adjust and optimize the BWP configuration and correspondence relationships. This feedback loop ensures that the system can adapt to actual transmission conditions while maintaining efficient resource utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3787211B1Communication method and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3787211B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3787211B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3787211B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application provides a communication method and a communications apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, a configuration message from a network device, where the configuration message is used to configure a plurality of uplink BWPs and a plurality of downlink BWPs; determining, by the terminal device, a first BWP in the plurality of uplink BWPs, where the first BWP is used to transmit feedback information of downlink information that is on a second BWP, and the second BWP is any one of the plurality of downlink BWPs; receiving, by the terminal device, the downlink information on the second BWP; and sending, by the terminal device, the feedback information of the downlink information by using the first BWP, so that a BWP on which the feedback information is sent can be determined in a scenario in which a plurality of BWPs are activated.