Uplink Control Coding Switch for HARQ ACK/NACK and SR Bits

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no specific description in prior art on how to switch between Dual Reed-Muller Coding (DRMC) and Single Reed-Muller Coding (SRMC) schemes when encoding ACK/NACK information and uplink control information, such as Scheduling Request (SR) and Channel State Information (CSI), in LTE-A mobile station apparatuses.

Innovation Solution

A mobile station apparatus that determines the number of bits for HARQ information based on downlink subframes and serving cells, applies spatial bundling when necessary, and selects between DRMC and SRMC coding schemes based on the number of bits for HARQ and SR information, either by concatenating and coding bit sequences together or separately coding them, to efficiently switch between coding schemes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Dual Reed-Muller Coding (DRMC) is used to encode ACK/NACK information and uplink control information, then the coding capacity and reliability are improved, but the processing complexity and overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoding reliabilityVSAvoidcoding scheme complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic switching between DRMC and SRMC coding schemes based on the number of bits required for HARQ information. When the bit count exceeds a threshold, DRMC is activated to provide enhanced reliability; when the bit count is below the threshold, SRMC is used to reduce processing complexity. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by adjusting the coding scheme complexity according to actual communication needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the coding scheme parameter (from DRMC to SRMC) based on the number of bits for HARQ information. By monitoring the bit count parameter and switching coding schemes accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between coding reliability and processing complexity, applying DRMC only when necessary to maintain reliability while avoiding unnecessary complexity in simpler scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the number of serving cells and downlink subframes is increased to support more data transmission, then the data transmission capacity is improved, but the number of bits for HARQ information increases requiring more complex coding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission capacityVSAvoidcoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically selects between SRMC and DRMC coding schemes based on the actual number of bits generated from multiple serving cells and downlink subframes. As the system scales to support more data transmission through carrier aggregation and MIMO, the bit count increases and triggers switching to DRMC only when necessary, thereby maintaining data transmission capacity while avoiding unnecessary coding complexity in scenarios with fewer bits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the coding approach by creating two distinct coding paths (SRMC for smaller bit counts, DRMC for larger bit counts) based on the HARQ information size. This segmentation allows the system to handle varying data transmission capacities through multiple serving cells and subframes efficiently, applying the appropriate level of coding complexity matching the actual information volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If spatial bundling is applied to reduce the number of bits for HARQ information, then the coding overhead is reduced, but the granularity of HARQ feedback is decreased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of bitsVSAvoidHARQ feedback granularity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the application of spatial bundling and coding scheme selection based on the resulting bit count. When spatial bundling is applied to reduce bit count from multiple transport blocks, the system evaluates whether the reduced granularity is acceptable or if DRMC should be used instead to maintain finer HARQ feedback precision. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by allowing flexible trade-off management between bit reduction and feedback granularity based on channel conditions and requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2634946B1Mobile station device, processing method, and integrated circuit
Publication Date: 2018.01.10 SHARP KK
  • EP2634946B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2634946B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2634946B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile station apparatus efficiently switches coding schemes when coding both information indicating an ACK/NACK and first control information. A mobile station apparatus 200 determines a number of bits of information on a HARQ based on a number of downlink subframes corresponding to the information on a HARQ transmitted in a certain uplink subframe, a number of set serving cells, and a transmission mode set in each serving cell, applies spatial bundling to the information on a HARQ in a case where the determined number of bits of the information on a HARQ exceeds a predetermined value, and selects one of a first coding scheme and a second coding scheme based on the number of bits of the information on a HARQ to which spatial bundling has been applied and a number of bits of a scheduling request and codes both the information on a HARQ and the scheduling request.