Uplink Carrier Timing Synchronization for Multi-Carrier HSDPA

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Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-carrier HSDPA systems face complexity in reception and decoding of carriers at both Node B and UE, which complicates the transmission and reception of multiple carriers, leading to errors and inefficiencies compared to single-carrier systems.

Innovation Solution

The synchronization of uplink transmit timing across multiple carriers at the UE, using a synchronizing component to determine and maintain a phase relationship between anchor and non-anchor carriers, simplifies the decoding process and improves accuracy by aligning transmit waveforms, thereby facilitating parallel processing and enhancing position location accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multi-carrier HSDPA systems are employed to enhance data transmission capability, then throughput and communication capacity are improved, but reception and decoding complexity at Node B and UE increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission throughputVSAvoidreception and decoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the uplink carriers into anchor carriers and non-anchor carriers, with anchor carriers serving as reference for timing synchronization. This segmentation allows the system to manage multi-carrier complexity by establishing a hierarchical structure where anchor carriers provide timing references for multiple non-anchor carriers, simplifying the decoding process at Node B while maintaining multi-carrier throughput benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces timing synchronization information as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the multiple uplink carriers and the Node B receiver. This intermediary timing reference allows Node B to accurately receive and decode signals from multiple carriers by aligning them to a common timing framework established by anchor carriers, thereby reducing decoding complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If uplink carriers are transmitted with independent timing, then each carrier can be optimized independently, but timing alignment errors occur and position location accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarrier timing flexibilityVSAvoidposition location accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary timing synchronization by having UEs transmit timing information on anchor carriers before actual data transmission on non-anchor carriers. This preliminary action establishes a predetermined timing relationship that ensures accurate timing alignment during data transmission, thereby improving position location accuracy while maintaining the flexibility to optimize each carrier independently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2409466B1Carrier timing for wireless communications systems
Publication Date: 2016.04.27 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2409466B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2409466B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2409466B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Synchronization of uplink carriers for transmission is disclosed in accordance with different aspects. The uplink carriers that transmit information are configured such that at least one of the uplink carriers is an anchor carrier. When a plurality of carriers are thus configured for the uplink, they are synchronized such that they bear a predetermined phase relationship with each other. The predetermined phase relationship between the plurality of carriers depends on the transmit timing of the anchor carrier or a combination of transmit timings of the anchor carrier and one or more non-anchor carriers comprised within the uplink carriers.