Viterbi Decoder Path Metric Screening for LTE Blind Decoding

Solution Overview

Problem

The blind decoding process in LTE systems is inefficient due to numerous incorrect decoding attempts, leading to significant time wastage and battery power consumption, as the number of blind decoding attempts is high and many yield useless results due to incorrectly assumed parameters.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize a Viterbi decoder to receive TBCC-encoded data, select candidates, determine final path metric values, and determine early termination of decoding based on PM-related values, thereby reducing unnecessary decoding attempts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blind decoding is performed for all possible candidates with various aggregation levels and CCE numbers, then the probability of finding the correct control information increases, but the decoding time and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoiddecoding time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary path metric calculations during the training section before completing the full decoding process. By calculating path metrics for all possible states at intermediate steps and comparing them against threshold values, the system can early-terminate decoding for candidates that are unlikely to be correct, thus reducing overall decoding time while maintaining reliability for promising candidates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the decoding process by changing the evaluation parameter from completing full decoding for all candidates to using path metric values as a filtering criterion. This parameter change allows the system to identify and eliminate incorrect candidates based on their path metric characteristics during the training section, reducing the number of full decoding operations needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If blind decoding is performed for all possible candidates with various aggregation levels and CCE numbers, then the probability of finding the correct control information increases, but the power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary path metric calculations during the training section before completing the full decoding process. By calculating path metrics for all possible states at intermediate steps and comparing them against threshold values, the system can early-terminate decoding for candidates that are unlikely to be correct, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliability for promising candidates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the decoding process by changing the evaluation parameter from completing full decoding for all candidates to using path metric values as a filtering criterion. This parameter change allows the system to identify and eliminate incorrect candidates based on their path metric characteristics during the training section, reducing the number of full decoding operations needed and thereby reducing power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the Viterbi decoder completes full decoding for all candidates, then decoding accuracy is maintained, but unnecessary decoding operations waste time and power

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecoding accuracyVSAvoiddecoding efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary path metric calculations during the training section before completing the full decoding process. By calculating path metrics for all possible states at intermediate steps and comparing them against threshold values, the system can early-terminate decoding for candidates that are unlikely to be correct, thus reducing overall decoding time while maintaining reliability for promising candidates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the path metric calculation and evaluation as a separate preliminary step from the full decoding process. By separating this evaluation function and performing it during the training section, the system can identify and eliminate incorrect candidates before investing resources in complete decoding operations, thereby improving decoding efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10439652B2Method for controlling decoding process based on path metric value and computing apparatus and mobile device for controlling the same

Publication Date: 2019.10.08 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A mobile device includes a display, a mobile-communication modem including a Viterbi decoder (VD) configured to decode a tail biting convolutional code (TBCC)-encoded data, a memory coupled to the mobile-communication modem, and a wireless antenna coupled to the mobile-communication modem and to receive a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). The VD is configured to: receive data encoded by TBCC; select a candidate to initiate a training section; determine final path metric (PM) values of possible states at a last step of the training section; determine a PM-related value based on the final PM values of the possible states; and determine an early termination of a decoding for the candidate based on the PM-related value.