Uplink Power Control via Time Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE-A Rel-11, the uplink power control scheme is inadequate for handling simultaneous transmissions over carriers with different timing advances, leading to potential power exceeding the maximum allowed transmit power, especially when signals overlap across subframes, causing unintended simultaneous transmissions and requiring unspecified power scaling rules for channels like PUSCH and SRS.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for controlling uplink power by dividing the transmission time of uplink channels/signals into multiple segments, where each segment has consistent power levels, and performing power control within each segment to ensure the total transmit power does not exceed the maximum allowed, using techniques such as equal proportion scaling or prioritized scaling across channels and frequency bands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If uplink power control is performed using conventional subframe-based schemes in LTE-A Rel-11, then power control can be implemented for simultaneous transmissions, but the total transmit power may exceed the maximum allowed when signals overlap across subframes with different timing advances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for simultaneous transmissions with different timing advancesVSAvoidpower control accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the transmission time into multiple time segments within a subframe, where each segment corresponds to a specific timing advance group. Power control is then performed independently for each time segment, allowing accurate power management for signals with different timing advances while preventing total power from exceeding the maximum allowed in any segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If power control is performed without time segment division, then the power control scheme is simpler, but it cannot handle the case where uplink channels overlap across subframes with different timing advances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower control scheme complexityVSAvoidhandling of overlapping transmissions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces time segment division to handle overlapping transmissions with different timing advances. By dividing the subframe into multiple time segments and performing power control independently in each segment, the system can accurately manage power for complex simultaneous transmissions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If equal proportion scaling is applied to all uplink channels, then power distribution is simpler, but it does not prioritize critical channels like PUCCH over other channels when power exceeds maximum

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower scaling rule complexityVSAvoidchannel priority guarantee
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies different power scaling rules to different uplink channels based on their priority and importance. Critical channels like PUCCH are protected from scaling down, while other channels are scaled down proportionally when power exceeds the maximum. This ensures that important control information is always transmitted with sufficient power while still managing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2790446B1Uplink power control method and device
Publication Date: 2017.11.08 CHINA ACAD OF TELECOMM TECH
  • EP2790446B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2790446B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2790446B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed is an uplink power control method, which is used for realizing power control over uplink channels with different uplink transmission times so as to ensure that the total transmit power of terminal equipment in a sub-frame does not exceed maximum transmit power and that a system can work normally. The method comprises the following steps: the terminal equipment determines the target transmit power of each uplink channel/signal transmitted in a current uplink sub-frame; the terminal equipment divides the transmission time of the uplink channels/signals in the current uplink sub-frame into a plurality of transmission time buckets, wherein the uplink channels/signals at any moment in each transmission time bucket are the same, and the uplink channels/signals in each transmission time bucket are not exactly the same as those in the other transmission time buckets; and in each transmission time bucket, the terminal equipment performs the power control on the target transmit power of the uplink channels/signals transmitted in the transmission time bucket to ensure that the transmit power sum of the uplink channels/signals transmitted in the transmission time bucket does not exceed the preset maximum transmit power of the terminal equipment after the power control. Also disclosed a device for implementing the method.