Uplink Power Control for Overlapping Short TTIs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current LTE communication systems experience latency due to the 8ms round trip delay in Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) processes, which is caused by the 1ms minimum Transmission Time Interval (TTI) for uplink transmissions, leading to delayed transmission and reception of communication signals.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a method and apparatus that allows for shorter minimum Transmit Time Intervals (TTIs), such as 0.5ms or ~140us, to reduce latency by enabling User Equipment (UE) to transmit data using shortened Physical Uplink Shared Channels (PUSCH) scheduled over Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) spanning fewer SC-FDMA symbols, and configuring UEs to operate in a shortened TTI mode to overlap transmissions in time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the minimum Transmission Time Interval (TTI) is set to 1ms for uplink transmissions, then the system maintains compatibility with current LTE standards and ensures reliable power control, but the HARQ round trip delay becomes 8ms causing transmission latency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control reliabilityVSAvoidHARQ round trip delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the TTI into shorter durations (e.g., 0.5ms or ~140us) to reduce the HARQ round trip delay. By dividing the transmission time into smaller intervals, the system achieves faster retransmission cycles while maintaining power control through separate parameter sets for different TTI lengths

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic adaptability by allowing the system to switch between different TTI lengths (1ms, 0.5ms, ~140us) based on traffic requirements. The power control parameters are dynamically adjusted according to the selected TTI length, enabling the system to optimize between latency and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If shorter TTIs (0.5ms or ~140us) are implemented to reduce latency, then the HARQ round trip delay decreases and transmission speed improves, but the system complexity increases due to overlapping transmissions and power control coordination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission latencyVSAvoidpower control coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different power control parameters locally to different TTI lengths and transmission types. By configuring separate power control parameter sets for each TTI length and transmission scenario, the system manages complexity through localized parameter management rather than system-wide complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an additional dimension of power control by adding a TTI length dimension to the power control parameter space. This allows the system to manage overlapping transmissions by controlling power across multiple dimensions (time, frequency, and TTI length)

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If multiple uplink transmissions with different TTI lengths overlap in time, then resource utilization improves and latency is reduced, but determining appropriate transmission power becomes challenging due to conflicting power requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidtransmission power determination
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the power control parameters based on the TTI length of each transmission. By associating different power control parameter sets with different TTI lengths, the system can determine appropriate transmission power for overlapping transmissions by selecting the parameters corresponding to each transmission's TTI length

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates separate power control parameter copies for different TTI lengths and transmission types. This allows the system to maintain identical power control logic while using different parameter values for different transmission scenarios, simplifying the determination of transmission power for overlapping transmissions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3412076B1Method and apparatus for uplink power control when uplink transmissions overlap in time for at least one symbol duration
Publication Date: 2021.10.27 MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
  • EP3412076B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3412076B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3412076B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method and apparatus schedule uplink transmissions with reduced latency. A first transmission power of a first uplink transmission can be determined (1030) at a device based on a first set of higher layer configured power control parameters associated with a first TTI length. The first uplink transmission can span the first TTI length. The first TTI length can include a first number of symbols. A second transmission power of a second uplink transmission can be determined (1040) based on a second set of higher layer configured power control parameters associated with a second TTI length. The second uplink transmission can span the second TTI length. The second TTI length can include a second number of symbols. The first uplink transmission can be transmitted (1050) in a subframe using the first transmission power. At least the second uplink transmission can be transmitted (1060) in the subframe using the second transmission power. The first uplink transmission and the second uplink transmission can overlap in time for at least one symbol duration.