Uplink Control Channel Jamming Resilience via Dynamic Resource Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication systems are vulnerable to jamming attacks, where a jamming device interferes with the resources allocated for uplink communication between base stations and user equipment, disrupting communication by targeting specific devices due to the allocation of resources for multiple UEs being the same, making it difficult to prevent disruptions from limited-power jamming devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a time-varying allocation of resources for uplink control information, where the base station generates and transmits a shared pattern of resources to UEs using a secure radio channel, which can include a hopping sequence and periodicity, to prevent jamming by changing the resource allocation over time, ensuring that UEs can transmit uplink control information without disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a jamming device transmits signals to interfere with allocated radio resources, then communication between base stations and UEs is disrupted, but the jamming device has limited power and cannot identify precise locations of all UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidjamming interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the shared pattern of resources varies over time. The base station generates different resource allocations for different time periods, and UEs adapt their transmissions accordingly. This dynamic approach prevents jamming devices from effectively disrupting communication because the jamming signals cannot continuously track the changing resource locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The base station performs preliminary actions by generating and transmitting the shared pattern of resources to UEs before actual uplink transmissions occur. This advance provisioning of resource allocation information allows UEs to be pre-configured with jamming-resistant resource patterns, enabling them to transmit control information without being vulnerable to jamming attacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If uplink information for multiple UEs is allocated to the same resources, then resource utilization is efficient, but jamming devices can target these resources to disrupt communication for multiple UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidtargeted jamming attack
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the resource allocation into time-varying shared patterns. Instead of assigning fixed resources to individual UEs or grouping multiple UEs on the same resources, the system divides resources into time-dependent shared patterns that all UEs use differently at different times. This segmentation approach maintains efficient resource utilization while preventing targeted jamming because the shared resources change over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of resource allocation over time through the shared pattern mechanism. The base station generates resource allocations that vary in time domain characteristics, causing the same physical resources to be assigned to different UEs at different times. This parameter change approach allows efficient resource sharing while making jamming attacks ineffective since the target resources are not static.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If fixed resource allocation is used for uplink control information, then transmission is simple and reliable, but jamming devices can identify and disrupt these fixed resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission simplicityVSAvoidjamming vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms fixed resource allocation into dynamic resource allocation through the shared pattern mechanism. The base station generates time-varying resource allocations that are communicated to UEs, maintaining operational simplicity from the UE perspective while introducing temporal variability that prevents jamming devices from targeting fixed resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3437411B1Uplink control channel scheduling for jamming resilience
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3437411B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3437411B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3437411B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. The methods, systems, and devices may provide for a time varying allocation of resources which includes a shared pattern of resources. The shared pattern of resources may be generated, determined, or otherwise identified by a base station and transmitted to the user equipment (UE). The shared pattern of resources may include one or more resource blocks (RBs) allocated for uplink transmission such as uplink control information to be transmitted using a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or uplink data transmissions using a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).