User Terminal Control for Flexible Downlink Resource Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In next-generation mobile communication systems, the flexible allocation of fields for transmitting downlink control information can lead to conflicts with other information or signals, resulting in a decline in communication quality and resource efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A user terminal is equipped with a receiving section and a control section that applies predetermined controls for monitoring downlink control channel detection, even when the downlink signal overlaps with other signals, by avoiding collisions through advanced resource management techniques such as shifting or skipping resource sets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fields for transmitting downlink control information are allocated in a flexible manner, then resource utilization is improved, but conflicts with other information or signals occur leading to decline in communication quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidcommunication quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the terminal skip monitoring of downlink control channels in advance when it is determined that no downlink control information is transmitted in a slot. This prevents wasted processing resources and potential conflicts with other signals, while maintaining flexible resource allocation. The terminal proactively avoids monitoring in slots where control information is absent, thereby improving resource utilization without compromising communication quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If flexible allocation of control resource sets is implemented, then resource efficiency is improved, but conflicts with other signals lead to decline in communication quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidsignal conflicts
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting and removing the monitoring process for downlink control channels when it is determined that no control information is transmitted. This eliminates the harmful effect of signal conflicts and unnecessary processing, while preserving the flexible resource allocation mechanism. The terminal selectively removes monitoring operations in slots where control information is absent, thereby improving resource efficiency without introducing signal conflicts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If monitoring of downlink control channel is performed in all slots, then communication quality is maintained, but resource efficiency declines due to unnecessary processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidresource efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having the terminal monitor downlink control channels only in slots where control information is actually transmitted, rather than monitoring in all slots. This selective monitoring approach maintains communication quality for necessary control information while avoiding unnecessary processing in slots where no control information is present, thereby improving resource efficiency without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3641438B1User terminal and wireless communication method
Publication Date: 2023.12.06 NTT DOCOMO INC
  • EP3641438B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3641438B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3641438B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention is directed to reducing the decline in the quality of communication, the drop in resource efficiency and so forth, even when fields (control resource sets) for allocating downlink control information are allocated in a flexible way. A user terminal has a receiving section that receives a downlink signal and a control section that, when the downlink signal is different from a signal that represents downlink control information, and a radio resource of the downlink signal overlaps a monitoring field for downlink control channel detection, applies a predetermined control to the monitoring field for downlink control channel detection.