Wireless Network Node DCI Bandwidth Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In LTE wireless communication systems, the varying transmission bandwidths for different user equipment (UEs) create challenges in scheduling and demodulation, as the Downlink Control Information (DCI) payload and physical location depend on the assumed bandwidth, leading to issues with legacy and new UE compatibility and spectrum utilization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where wireless network nodes transmit information about available transmission bandwidths and configure downlink control messages to represent specific bandwidths, allowing UEs to determine the correct bandwidth for decoding, thereby providing a common search space for control signaling across different bandwidths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If different transmission bandwidths are provided for different UEs, then spectrum utilization is improved, but DCI decoding reliability deteriorates because UEs cannot determine the correct bandwidth assumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common search space as an intermediary mechanism that carries DCI messages with bandwidth indication information. This common search space acts as a mediator between the network's multi-bandwidth operation and individual UEs, allowing UEs to first determine the correct bandwidth assumption by decoding DCI in the common search space, and then proceed to decode UE-specific DCI messages with the correct bandwidth context.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a common search space is provided for all bandwidths, then UE compatibility is improved, but control signaling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control signaling into two distinct parts: a common search space that is shared across all bandwidths and contains bandwidth-indicative DCI messages, and UE-specific search spaces that contain UE-specific DCI messages. This segmentation allows legacy UEs to operate with simplified processing (only needing to handle the common search space) while new UEs can utilize both common and UE-specific search spaces for enhanced functionality.
3Manufacturing precision
If DCI payload depends on carrier bandwidth, then scheduling precision is improved, but legacy UE compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the network transmit bandwidth indication information in the common search space before transmitting UE-specific DCI messages. This allows legacy UEs to first determine the active bandwidth configuration and then use this information to correctly interpret subsequent UE-specific DCI messages, ensuring backward compatibility while maintaining scheduling precision for different bandwidths.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method of transmitting downlink control signalling in a wireless network node of a cellular communication system, when the node provides more than one transmission bandwidth. In particular it relates to a method in a wireless network node of a cellular communication system for transmitting downlink control signalling to at least one wireless device. The wireless network node operates over at least two different transmission bandwidths. The method comprises transmitting information about at least one of the transmission bandwidths to wireless devices in the cellular communication system, configuring properties of at least one downlink control message, to represent one of the at least two different transmission bandwidths and transmitting the at least one downlink control message to the at least one wireless device in the cellular communication system.