Downlink control information for scheduling communications using differential information

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may receive downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI. The UE may transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI. Numerous other aspects are described.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication and to techniques and apparatuses for downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling communications using differential information.

BACKGROUND

SUMMARY

In some aspects, a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

In some aspects, a method of wireless communication performed by a base station includes transmitting, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

In some aspects, a UE for wireless communication includes a memory and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: receive DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

In some aspects, a base station for wireless communication includes a memory and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: transmit, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

In some aspects, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions for wireless communication includes one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a UE, cause the UE to: receive DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

In some aspects, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions for wireless communication includes one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a base station, cause the base station to: transmit, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

In some aspects, an apparatus for wireless communication includes means for receiving DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and means for transmitting or means for receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

In some aspects, an apparatus for wireless communication includes means for transmitting, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and means for transmitting or means for receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In some aspects, the UE120may include a communication manager140. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the communication manager140may receive downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI. Additionally, or alternatively, the communication manager140may perform one or more other operations described herein.

In some aspects, the base station110may include a communication manager150. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, the communication manager150may transmit, to a UE120, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI. Additionally, or alternatively, the communication manager150may perform one or more other operations described herein.

In some aspects, the UE120includes means for receiving DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and/or means for transmitting or means for receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI. The means for the UE120to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of communication manager140, antenna252, demodulator254, MIMO detector256, receive processor258, transmit processor264, TX MIMO processor266, modulator254, controller/processor280, or memory282.

In some aspects, the base station110includes means for transmitting, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and/or means for transmitting or means for receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI. The means for the base station110to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of communication manager150, transmit processor220, TX MIMO processor230, modulator232, antenna234, demodulator232, MIMO detector236, receive processor238, controller/processor240, memory242, or scheduler246.

FIG.3is a diagram illustrating an example300of a slot format, in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.3, time-frequency resources in a radio access network may be partitioned into resource blocks, shown by a single resource block (RB)305. An RB305is sometimes referred to as a physical resource block (PRB). An RB305includes a set of subcarriers (e.g., 12 subcarriers) and a set of symbols (e.g., 14 symbols) that are schedulable by a base station110as a unit. In some aspects, an RB305may include a set of subcarriers in a single slot. As shown, a single time-frequency resource included in an RB305may be referred to as a resource element (RE)310. An RE310may include a single subcarrier (e.g., in frequency) and a single symbol (e.g., in time). A symbol may be referred to as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. An RE310may be used to transmit one modulated symbol, which may be a real value or a complex value.

In some telecommunication systems (e.g., NR), RBs305may span 12 subcarriers with a subcarrier spacing of, for example, 15 kilohertz (kHz), 30 kHz, 60 kHz, or 120 kHz, among other examples, over a 0.1 millisecond (ms) duration. A radio frame may include 40 slots and may have a length of 10 ms. Consequently, each slot may have a length of 0.25 ms. However, a slot length may vary depending on a numerology used to communicate (e.g., a subcarrier spacing and/or a cyclic prefix format). A slot may be configured with a link direction (e.g., downlink or uplink) for transmission. In some aspects, the link direction for a slot may be dynamically configured.

As shown inFIG.3, a slot may include a control region and a data region. The control region may be used for transmitting or receiving control communications (e.g., control channel communications, such as physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) communications or physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) communications). The data region may be used for transmitting or receiving data communications (e.g., shared channel communications, such as physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) communications or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communications). For example, DCI may be transmitted in the control region of a slot to schedule one or more communications. The control region may include one or more (e.g., three, as shown inFIG.3) symbols located at the beginning of the slot.

DCI may be used to schedule communications in a wireless network. For example, a base station may transmit, to a UE, DCI to schedule communications (e.g., downlink communications or uplink communications). A DCI message may indicate one or more parameters for a communication. For example, the DCI message may indicate a carrier, a bandwidth part, a frequency domain resource allocation, a time domain resource allocation, a virtual resource block (VRB)-to-PRB mapping, a PRB bundling size, an MCS, a redundancy version, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARD) process information, a resource indicator, antenna ports, power control commands, and/or a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, among other examples. The base station and the UE may use the parameters indicated by the DCI to transmit and/or receive the communication.

DCI may be transmitted on the PDCCH (e.g., in a control region of a slot). In some examples, a DCI may use a DCI format. For example, DCI formats may include a DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, DCI format 0_2, DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 1_2, DCI format 2_0, DCI format 2_1, DCI format 2_2, DCI format 2_3, DCI format 2_4, DCI format 2_5, DCI format 2_6, DCI format 3_0, and/or DCI format 3_1, among other examples. Different DCI formats may be associated with different usages and/or may include fields corresponding to different parameters. Some DCI formats may have the same size (e.g., the same number of bits) and some DCI formats may have different sizes. The DCI formats (e.g., the content and/or the usages associated with the DCI formats) may be defined, or otherwise fixed, by a wireless communication standard, such as the 3GPP.

However, a significant signaling overhead exists associated with transmitting DCI on PDCCH resources (e.g., in a control region of a slot). For example, for each communication scheduled by DCI, a DCI message may be transmitted that includes all parameters associated with the scheduled communication. As a number of beams used to transmit and/or receive communications and/or a number of UEs in the wireless network increases, the signaling overhead associated with DCI may also increase. For example, at higher frequency bands (e.g., FR2 and/or higher frequency bands, such as high band 5G frequency bands or 6G frequency bands) a larger number of beams may be used (e.g., by base stations and/or UEs) and/or a larger number of UEs may be included in a wireless network. As a result, signaling overhead associated with communicating DCI may significantly increase as DCI may be needed to schedule communications using the larger number of beams and/or to schedule communications for the larger number of UEs. An increase in the PDCCH resources used (e.g., for DCI) may result in a decrease in available data resources (e.g., PUSCH resources and/or PDSCH resources) for base stations and/or UEs. This may reduce a communication performance of base stations and UEs communicating in the wireless network.

Some techniques and apparatuses described herein enable DCI for scheduling communications using differential information. For example, a base station may transmit a first DCI using full information (e.g., using a DCI format, as described elsewhere herein). The base station may determine that one or more parameters for communications have not changed or have only changed a small amount (e.g., within a threshold). Therefore, the base station110may transmit a second DCI using differential information which utilizes information transmitted in the first DCI for indicating parameters for a communication to be scheduled by the second DCI. For example, “differential information” may refer to information that is reused from the first DCI (e.g., a value for a parameter from the first DCI is reused for the second DCI, and therefore does not need to be indicated in the second DCI) and/or may refer to information that is modified from information included in the first DCI (e.g., the second DCI may indicate a modification to a value indicated by the first DCI, which may use a smaller size than if the full value were to be indicated). For example, differential information may be associated with information (or may be based at least in part on information) included in another DCI message.

For example, channel conditions and/or environment conditions may change minimally between DCI messages transmitted by a base station. Therefore, a base station may utilize differential information to reduce a size of DCI transmitted by the base station when the channel conditions and/or environment conditions have not significantly changed from a previously transmitted DCI. In some aspects, one or more DCI formats may be defined that use differential information. For example, if the base station determines that values of one or more parameters for a communication are the same as (or are within a threshold amount of) values indicated in a previous DCI, the base station may select a DCI format that uses differential information to schedule the communication. In some aspects, the base station may use the DCI format that uses differential information regardless of whether feedback information (e.g., acknowledgement (ACK) feedback or negative ACK (NACK) feedback) is received for the previous DCI. In some other aspects, the base station may use the DCI format that uses differential information only after receiving feedback information indicating that the previous DCI was successfully received and decoded by the UE (e.g., only after receiving ACK feedback associated with the previous DCI).

As a result, a signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may be significantly reduced. For example, the base station may be enabled to reduce an amount of information included in the DCI (e.g., may be enabled to reduce a number of bits needed for the DCI or a payload size of the DCI) by using differential information. Reducing the signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may increase a scheduling flexibility for the base station. Additionally, reducing the signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may increase available resources for data communications.

FIG.4is a diagram illustrating an example400associated with DCI for scheduling communications using differential information, in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.4, a base station110and a UE120may communicate with one another in a wireless network, such as the wireless network100. As shown inFIG.4, the base station110may use DCI that uses differential information (and a reduced payload size) for scheduling communications (e.g., uplink communications or downlink communications) for the UE120.

As shown by reference number405, the base station110may transmit, and the UE120may receive, configuration information. In some aspects, the UE120may receive the configuration information via one or more of radio resource control (RRC) signaling, medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) signaling, and/or DCI signaling, among other examples. In some aspects, the configuration information may include an indication of one or more configuration parameters (e.g., already known to the UE120) for selection by the UE120, and/or explicit configuration information for the UE120to use to configure the UE120, among other examples.

In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120is to transmit an indication of UE capability (e.g., UE support) to receive DCI that uses differential information. For example, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120is to transmit an indication of a UE capability to support one or more DCI formats that use differential information. In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120is to receive DCI, for scheduling a communication, that uses differential information associated with (e.g., indicated by) a previous DCI. In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120is to transmit (e.g., for an uplink communication) or receive (e.g., for a downlink communication) the communication using parameter(s) indicated by the differential information.

In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that, when the DCI that uses differential information does not include a field associated with a parameter, the UE120is to reuse a value for the parameter that is indicated by the previous DCI. In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that, when the DCI that uses differential information indicates a modification for a value of a parameter relative to the value of the parameter that is indicated by the previous DCI, the UE120is to modify the value indicated by the previous DCI and use the modified value for the parameter for transmitting or receiving the communication.

In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120is to transmit feedback information associated with a previous DCI (e.g., a DCI that includes full information) to enable the base station110to use a DCI format that uses differential information. In some aspects, the configuration information may indicate that the UE120does not need to transmit feedback information for the previous DCI to enable the base station110to use a DCI format that uses differential information.

As shown by reference number410, the UE120may configure the UE120based at least in part on the configuration information. In some aspects, the UE120may be configured to perform one or more operations described herein based at least in part on the configuration information.

In some aspects, as shown by reference number415, the UE120may transmit, and the base station110may receive, capability information associated with the UE120. For example, the capability information may indicate whether the UE120supports (e.g., is capable of receiving and/or decoding) DCI that uses differential information. For example, the capability information may include an indication that the UE supports or does not support one or more DCI formats associated with using differential information (e.g., one or more DCI formats that use differential information).

The base station110may determine whether to schedule communications for the UE120using DCI that includes differential information based at least in part on the capability information. For example, if the capability information indicates that the UE120does not support (e.g., is not capable of receiving and/or decoding) DCI that uses differential information, then the base station110may refrain from transmitting DCI, to the UE120, that uses differential information. If the capability information indicates that the UE120does support (e.g., is capable of receiving and/or decoding) DCI that uses differential information, then the base station110may transmit DCI, to the UE120, that uses differential information (e.g., as described in more detail elsewhere herein).

As shown by reference number420, the base station110may transmit, and the UE120may receive, DCI scheduling a communication (e.g., an uplink communication or a downlink communication). The DCI may include full information. “Full information” may refer to information included in DCI that indicates values for a set of parameters (e.g., and does not use any differential information). For example, DCI that includes full information may use DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, DCI format 0_2, DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 1_2, DCI format 2_0, DCI format 2_1, DCI format 2_2, DCI format 2_3, DCI format 2_4, DCI format 2_5, DCI format 2_6, DCI format 3_0, a DCI format 3_1, and/or another DCI format defined, or otherwise fixed, by a wireless communication standard.

DCI that is used as a reference by DCI that includes differential information may be referred to as “anchor DCI.” For example, an anchor DCI may be a DCI that indicates full information for parameters of a communication. In some aspects, an anchor DCI may be a DCI that includes full information. In some aspects, an anchor DCI may be a DCI that includes full information for a first one or more parameters and differential information for a second one or more parameters, where the DCI is used as a reference for another DCI that uses differential information relative to (or reusing) the full information for the first one or more parameters. For example, an anchor DCI may be a last received DCI that includes full information (e.g., an actual value or information) for a parameter for which a later DCI uses differential information. In some aspects, which DCI message is to serve as an anchor DCI may be indicated to the UE120. For example, the base station110may indicate that a DCI transmitted by the base station110is to serve as an anchor DCI for one or more future DCI messages that use differential information. In some aspects, the UE120may determine which DCI message is to serve as an anchor DCI based at least in part on determining a most recently received DCI that includes full information for a parameter that is indicated using differential information in a later DCI.

In some aspects, as shown by reference number425, the UE120may transmit, and the base station110may receive, feedback information for the DCI (e.g., with the anchor DCI). For example, the UE120may transmit feedback information that indicates whether the UE120has successfully received and/or decoded the anchor DCI (e.g., ACK feedback or NACK feedback). In some aspects, the UE120may transmit the feedback information based at least in part on an indication received from the base station110. For example, the base station110may transmit, to the UE120, an indication to transmit feedback information for the anchor DCI (and/or for all DCI that include full information).

In some aspects, the indication to transmit feedback information for the anchor DCI (and/or for all DCI that include full information) may be included in the anchor DCI. In some other aspects, the indication to transmit feedback information for the anchor DCI (and/or for all DCI that include full information) may be included in the configuration information. In some other aspects, the indication to transmit feedback information for the anchor DCI (and/or for all DCI that include full information) may be included in another message, such as an RRC message, a MAC-CE message, or a DCI message. The base station110may use the feedback information to determine whether DCI that includes differential information (e.g., relative to information included in the anchor DCI) can be used, as described in more detail elsewhere herein.

As shown by reference number430, the base station110and the UE120may communicate (e.g., transmit and/or receive) a message scheduled by the DCI (e.g., by the anchor DCI and/or the DCI that includes full information). For example, if the message is an uplink message, the UE120may transmit, and the base station110may receive, the message using one or more parameters and/or resources indicated by the DCI. If the message is a downlink message, the base station110may transmit, and the UE120may receive, the message using one or more parameters and/or resources indicated by the DCI.

As shown by reference number435, the base station110may determine that DCI using differential information can be used by the base station110. For example, the base station110may determine that the UE120supports a DCI format that uses differential information (e.g., based at least in part on the capability information reported by the UE120). In some aspects, the base station110may determine that DCI using differential information can be used based at least in part on determining that a value for a parameter has not changed from a value indicated by the previous DCI (e.g., by the anchor DCI). For example, the base station110may determine that an allocation rank for a communication, a bandwidth (e.g., a bandwidth part) for the communication, a frequency domain resource allocation for the communication, a time domain resource allocation for the communication, and/or antenna port(s) to be used for the communication, among other examples, are to be the same values or information as used for a previous communication (e.g., scheduling by the anchor DCI). In other words, the base station110may determine that information or values for one or more parameters to be included in the DCI would be repeated from the previous DCI (e.g., the anchor DCI) if the information or values were to be included in the DCI. Therefore, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information for the DCI to reduce a signaling overhead associated with the DCI.

In some aspects, the base station110may determine that DCI using differential information can be used based at least in part on determining that a change in a value for a parameter from the value for the parameter indicated in the previous DCI (e.g., in the anchor DCI) is less than or equal to a threshold. For example, the base station110may determine that a value for a parameter to be indicated in the DCI is within the threshold amount of a value of the parameter indicated in the previous DCI (e.g., in the anchor DCI). This may enable the base station110to use differential information in the DCI to indicate a modification to the value, rather than the full value, to reduce a size of the DCI. For example, an indication of a MCS may use a size of 5 bits. However, if a change of an index value of the MCS (e.g., from an index value of an MCS indicated by the previous DCI and/or the anchor DCI) is within a threshold amount, the base station110may be enabled to use a fewer number of bits (e.g., 2 bits or 3 bits) to indicate the modification of the index value, rather than the full index value. For example, to indicate a full range of indices for possible MCSs, 5 bits may be needed. However, 2 bits may be used to indicate that an index of the MCS is to be decreased by 2 (e.g., a value of “00”), to be decreased by 1 (e.g., a value of “00”), to remain the same (e.g., a value of “10”), or to be increased by 1 (e.g., a value of “11”). Therefore, a fewer number of bits may be used by the base station110to indicate the MCS (e.g., by using differential information) than if the index value of the MCS were to be indicated by the base station110. The base station110may indicate modifications for values of other parameters indicated by the DCI in a similar manner as described above.

For example, the base station110may determine that channel conditions measured and/or detected by the base station110have not changed (or that an amount of change of a channel condition is less than or equal to a threshold amount) from channel conditions that were present at the time that the anchor DCI was transmitted. Therefore, the base station110may determine that parameters for an upcoming communication are to be approximately the same as parameters used for a previous communication (e.g., that was scheduled by the anchor DCI). In other words, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information when scheduling information (e.g., one or more parameters for a communication) to be indicated in DCI remains the same or only slightly changed from previously transmitted scheduling information (e.g., in a previous DCI or an anchor DCI). As a result, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information to reduce a size of the DCI to be transmitted by the base station110.

In some aspects, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information based at least in part on the one or more parameters that are to be indicated using differential information. For example, a set of DCI formats may be defined (e.g., by the base station110or by a wireless communication standard, such as the 3GPP) that use differential information. In some aspects, the set of DCI formats may include different parameters and may enable the base station110to use differential information for different parameters. For example, a first DCI format may not include fields for a first one or more parameters (e.g., indicating that information for the one or more parameters is to be reused from an anchor DCI) and/or may include fields for a second one or more parameters that indicate that a modification is to be indicated (e.g., rather than an actual value). A second DCI format may not include fields for a third one or more parameters (e.g., indicating that information for the one or more parameters is to be reused from an anchor DCI) and/or may include fields for a fourth one or more parameters that indicate that a modification is to be indicated (e.g., rather than an actual value).

Therefore, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information based at least in part on the parameter(s) that are to be indicated using differential information (e.g., the base station110may select the DCI format that enables the base station110to use differential information to indicate the parameter(s)). For example, if the base station110determines that a frequency domain resource allocation or assignment for a communication is to remain the same as a frequency domain resource allocation or assignment for a previous communication (e.g., indicated by an anchor DCI), then the base station110may select a DCI format that enables the base station110to indicate the frequency domain resource allocation or assignment using differential information (e.g., a DCI format that omits or does not include a field associated with frequency domain resource allocations or assignments).

In some aspects, the base station110may select a DCI format that uses differential information based at least in part on a format of the DCI to be transmitted. For example, one or more reduced DCI formats (e.g., DCI formats that use differential information) may be defined (e.g., by the base station110or by a wireless communication standard) for full DCI formats (e.g., DCI formats that do not use differential information). For example, one or more reduced DCI formats may be defined for a DCI format 0_0, one or more reduced DCI formats may be defined for a DCI format 0_1, one or more reduced DCI formats may be defined for a DCI format 0_2, one or more reduced DCI formats may be defined for a DCI format 1_0, and so on. Therefore, if the base station110determines that a particular DCI format (e.g., DCI format 0_1) is to be used to schedule a communication, then the base station110may select a reduced DCI format associated with the particular DCI format (e.g., DCI format 0_1).

In some aspects, the base station110may select information to be included in the DCI based at least in part on the one or more parameters that are to be indicated using differential information. For example, if the base station110determines that a bandwidth part to be used for an upcoming communication is to remain the same as a bandwidth part used by a previous communication (e.g., indicated by an anchor DCI), then the base station110may determine that a field or information associated with indicating the bandwidth part is to not be included in the DCI that uses differential information. As another example, if the base station110determines that an index for an MCS for an upcoming communication is to be increased by a value of 1 from an index for an MCS used by a previous communication (e.g., indicated by an anchor DCI or another DCI that used differential information), then the base station110may determine that a modification value (e.g., indicating that the index for the MCS is to be increased by a value of 1, rather than indicating that actual index value) is to be included in the DCI that uses differential information.

As shown by reference number440, the base station110may transmit, and the UE120may receive, DCI that schedules a communication (e.g., an uplink communication or a downlink communication). The DCI may use differential information to indicate values for one or more parameters of the communication. The DCI may use a DCI format that is associated with using differential information. In some aspects, the DCI may not include a field associated with one or more parameters for the communication (e.g., and therefore may not indicate information associated with the one or more parameters). In some aspects, the DCI may indicate a modification for a value of a parameter of the communication relative to the value of the parameter that is indicated by the previous DCI (e.g., by an anchor DCI, or another DCI that used differential information, that scheduled a different communication). For example, the DCI may indicate values of information for one or more parameters using differential information. As described elsewhere herein, the differential information may indicate that information indicated by the previous DCI (e.g., by an anchor DCI) is to be reused or may indicate a modification of information indicated by the previous DCI (e.g., by the anchor DCI).

As shown by reference number445, the UE120may determine information or values for parameters of the communication using information indicated by the DCI. For example, the UE120may determine information or values for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information indicated by the DCI. In some aspects, when the DCI omits or does not include a field (or information) for a parameter, the UE120may determine that a value or information for the parameter is to be reused from an anchor DCI. For example, if the DCI omits or does not include a field (or information) for a time domain resource allocation (e.g., for indicating an index value of a time domain resource allocation table), then the UE120may determine that information for the time domain resource allocation (e.g., the index value of a time domain resource allocation table) is to be reused from the information indicated by the anchor DCI. For example, the UE120may determine a most recently received DCI that indicated a value of the parameter that was omitted in the DCI (e.g., may determine the anchor DCI). The UE120may determine, based at least in part on the DCI omitting a field or value for the parameter, that the value of the parameter that was indicated in the most recently received DCI that indicated the value of the parameter (e.g., the value indicated by the anchor DCI) is to be reused for the communication that is scheduled by the DCI that omits or does not include a field (or information) for the parameter.

In some aspects, the modification for the value of the parameter may be relative to a last value of the parameter as determined by the UE120based at least in part on differential information indicated in the previous DCI (e.g., the most recently received DCI). For example, a first DCI may indicate that an index for an MCS for a first communication is 24 (e.g., using full information and/or by indicating the index value of “24”). A second DCI may indicate that the index value is to be increased by 1 (e.g., using differential information, resulting in an index value of 25 (e.g., 24+1=25) for a communication scheduled by the second DCI). A third DCI may indicate that the index value is to be decreased by 2 (e.g., using differential information, resulting in an index value of 23 (e.g., 25−2=23) for a communication scheduled by the third DCI). In other words, DCI that indicates a modification of a value of a parameter may modify the value relative to the last received and/or determined value of the parameter (e.g., which may be indicated by an actual value of the parameter or may be indicated using differential information).

As shown by reference number450, the base station110and the UE120may transmit and/or receive a communication scheduled by the DCI that uses differential information. For example, if the communication is an uplink communication (e.g., a PUSCH communication), then the UE120may transmit, and the base station110may receive, the communication using one or more parameters and/or resources indicated by the DCI. If the communication is a downlink communication (e.g., a PDSCH communication), then the base station110may transmit, and the UE120may receive, the communication using one or more parameters and/or resources indicated by the DCI. For example, the communication may use a value for a parameter that is reused from (e.g., indicated by) an anchor DCI. As another example, the communication may use a value for a parameter that is modified from a value indicated by a previous DCI (e.g., an anchor DCI and/or a previously received DCI that uses differential information).

As a result, a signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may be significantly reduced. For example, the base station110may be enabled to reduce an amount of information included in the DCI (e.g., may be enabled to reduce a number of bits needed for the DCI or a payload size of the DCI) by using differential information. Reducing the signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may increase a scheduling flexibility for the base station110. Additionally, reducing the signaling overhead associated with transmitting DCI may increase available resources for data communications, thereby improving communication performance of the UE120and the base station110(e.g., by enabling the UE120and/or the base station110to communicate more data).

FIG.5is a diagram illustrating an example500associated with a DCI format for scheduling communications using differential information, in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.5, a table is shown depicting parameters that may be indicated in a DCI that uses a DCI format 1_1. For example, the table indicates different fields (for different parameters) and a number of bits (e.g., a size) that is associated with each field. As shown inFIG.5, DCI that uses differential information may enable one or more fields to be omitted and/or may enable a size of one or more fields to be decreased.

For example, as shown by reference number505, information for one or more parameters may be potentially removed or omitted for DCI that uses differential information. For example, information or values for the fields indicated by reference number505may be reused from a previously transmitted DCI (e.g., an anchor DCI). For example, the one or more fields that may be removed or omitted in the DCI that uses differential information include a carrier indicator field, a bandwidth part indicator field, a frequency domain resource assignment or allocation field, a time domain resource assignment or allocation field, a VRB-to-PRB mapping field, a PRB bundling size indicator field, and/or a rate matching indicator field. For example, if the values for the one or more fields remain the same from values indicated by a previous DCI, then a base station110may be enabled to transmit a DCI that omits or removes the one or more fields, as described in more detail elsewhere herein.

As shown inFIG.5, removing, or omitting, the one or more fields may result in a reduction of a size of the DCI to be transmitted by the base station110. For example, removing or omitting a time domain resource assignment or allocation field may result in a size of the DCI being reduced by up to 4 bits. As another example, removing or omitting a carrier indicator field may result in a size of the DCI being reduced by up to 3 bits.

As shown by reference number510, information for one or more parameters may be potentially reduced for DCI that uses differential information. For example, some information may be indicated using a modification value (e.g., rather than an actual value) for a parameter, which may result in a size of the indication to be reduced. For example, as shown inFIG.5, an indication of an MCS to be used for a communication may be associated with a size of 5 bits. However, if a modification value is indicated (e.g., rather than an actual value of an MCS index), then a size of the indication of the MCS may be reduced. For example, a size of the MCS field may be reduced to 2 bits to enable the base station110to indicate 4 potential modification values. For example, the base station110may be enabled to indicate that an MCS index is to be decreased by 2 (e.g., using a value of “00”), that an MCS index is to be decreased by 1 (e.g., using a value of “01”), that an MCS index is to remain the same (e.g., using a value of “10”), or that an MCS index is to be increased by 1 (e.g., using a value of “11”). As another example, a size of the MCS field may be reduced to 3 bits to enable the base station110to indicate 8 potential modification values.

As shown by reference number515, information for one or more parameters may be potentially removed or omitted for DCI that uses differential information. For example, information or values for the fields indicated by reference number515may be reused from a previously transmitted DCI (e.g., an anchor DCI). For example, the one or more fields that may be removed or omitted in the DCI that uses differential information include an antenna port indicator field, and/or a transmission configuration indication field. For example, if the values for the one or more fields remain the same from values indicated by a previous DCI, then a base station110may be enabled to transmit a DCI that omits or removes the one or more fields, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. As shown inFIG.5, removing, or omitting, the one or more fields may result in a reduction of a size of the DCI to be transmitted by the base station110. For example, removing or omitting an antenna port indicator field may result in a size of the DCI being reduced by up to 6 bits.

The fields and/or parameters described above are provided as examples. Other fields and/or parameters may be removed or reduced in a similar manner as described herein. Moreover, the table depicted inFIG.5for DCI format 1_1 is provided as an example. Information and/or fields associated with other DCI formats may be removed and/or reduced in a similar manner as described herein.

As indicated above,FIG.5is provided as an example. Other examples may differ from what is described with respect toFIG.5. For example, other DCI formats may use differential information in a similar manner as described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, other fields or parameters may be indicated using differential information in a similar manner as described herein.

FIG.6is a diagram illustrating an example process600performed, for example, by a UE, in accordance with the present disclosure. Example process600is an example where the UE (e.g., UE120) performs operations associated with DCI for scheduling communications using differential information.

As shown inFIG.6, in some aspects, process600may include receiving DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI (block610). For example, the UE (e.g., using communication manager140and/or reception component802, depicted inFIG.8) may receive DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.6, in some aspects, process600may optionally include determining values or information for the one or more parameters of the communication based at least in part on the differential information (block620). For example, the UE (e.g., using communication manager140and/or determination component808, depicted inFIG.8) may determine values or information for the one or more parameters of the communication based at least in part on the differential information, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.6, in some aspects, process600may include transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI (block630). For example, the UE (e.g., using communication manager140, transmission component804, and/or reception component802, depicted inFIG.8) may transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI, as described above.

In a first aspect, the DCI uses a format associated with using differential information.

In a second aspect, a field associated with a parameter of the one or more parameters is not included in the DCI, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes transmitting or receiving the communication using a value for the parameter that is indicated by the anchor DCI.

In a third aspect, the DCI indicates a modification for a value of a parameter relative to the value of the parameter that is indicated to the UE, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes transmitting or receiving the communication using a modified value for the parameter based at least in part on the modification indicated by the DCI.

In a fourth aspect, process600includes receiving, from a base station, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information, receiving, from the base station, the anchor DCI, and transmitting, to the base station, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, and receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the feedback information.

In a fifth aspect, the differential information indicates that information indicated by the anchor DCI is to be reused or indicates a modification of information indicated by the anchor DCI.

In a sixth aspect, process600includes transmitting an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, and receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

In a seventh aspect, the one or more parameters include at least one of a carrier indicator, a bandwidth part indicator, a frequency domain resource allocation, a time domain resource allocation, a VRB-to-PRB mapping, a PRB bundling size indicator, a rate matching indicator, a modulation and coding scheme, an antenna port indicator, or a transmission configuration indication.

In an eighth aspect, the communication is a downlink communication, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

In a ninth aspect, the communication is an uplink communication, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes transmitting the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

FIG.7is a diagram illustrating an example process700performed, for example, by a base station, in accordance with the present disclosure. Example process700is an example where the base station (e.g., base station110) performs operations associated with DCI for scheduling communications using differential information.

As shown inFIG.7, in some aspects, process700may optionally include determining that DCI that uses differential information may be used to schedule a communication (block710). For example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager150and/or determination component908, depicted inFIG.9) may determine that DCI that uses differential information may be used to schedule a communication, as described above.

As shown inFIG.7, in some aspects, process700may optionally include selecting a DCI format that is associated with using differential information (block720). For example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager150and/or determination component908, depicted inFIG.9) may select a DCI format that is associated with using differential information, as described above.

As shown inFIG.7, in some aspects, process700may optionally include determining differential information to be indicated by DCI to schedule a communication (block730). For example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager150and/or determination component908, depicted inFIG.9) may determine differential information to be indicated by DCI to schedule a communication, as described above.

As shown inFIG.7, in some aspects, process700may include transmitting, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI (block740). For example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager150and/or transmission component904, depicted inFIG.9) may transmit, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI, as described above.

As further shown inFIG.7, in some aspects, process700may include transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI (block750). For example, the base station (e.g., using communication manager150, transmission component904, and/or reception component902, depicted inFIG.9) may transmit or receive the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI, as described above.

In a first aspect, the DCI uses a format associated with using differential information.

In a second aspect, process700includes transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI indicating a first value for a parameter of the one or more parameters, and selecting a DCI format, for the DCI, that uses differential information based at least in part on a second value for the parameter, that is to be indicated in the DCI, being the same as the first value or within a threshold amount of the first value.

In a third aspect, a field associated with a parameter of the one or more parameters is not included in the DCI, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes transmitting or receiving the communication using a value for the parameter that is indicated by the anchor DCI.

In a fifth aspect, process700includes transmitting, to the UE, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information, transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI, and receiving, from the UE, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, and transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the feedback information.

In a sixth aspect, process700includes transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI, and transmitting the DCI includes transmitting the anchor DCI regardless of whether information associated with the anchor DCI is received by the base station.

In a seventh aspect, the differential information indicates that information indicated by the anchor DCI is to be reused or indicates a modification of information indicated by the anchor DCI.

In an eighth aspect, process700includes receiving an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, and transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

In a ninth aspect, the one or more parameters include at least one of a carrier indicator, a bandwidth part indicator, a frequency domain resource allocation, a time domain resource allocation, a VRB-to-PRB mapping, a PRB bundling size indicator, a rate matching indicator, a modulation and coding scheme, an antenna port indicator, or a transmission configuration indication.

In a tenth aspect, the communication is a downlink communication, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes transmitting the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

In an eleventh aspect, the communication is an uplink communication, and transmitting or receiving the communication includes receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

The reception component802may receive DCI that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI. The transmission component804may transmit, or the reception component802may receive, the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

The determination component808may determine values or information for the one or more parameters of the communication based at least in part on the differential information (and/or information indicated by the anchor DCI).

The reception component802may receive, from a base station, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information.

The reception component802may receive, from the base station, the anchor DCI. The transmission component804may transmit, to the base station, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, wherein receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the feedback information.

The transmission component804may transmit an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, wherein receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

The transmission component904may transmit, to a UE, DCI that schedules a communication, the DCI indicating information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI. The transmission component904may transmit, or the reception component902may receive, the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

The determination component908may determine that DCI that uses differential information may be used to schedule the communication. The determination component908may select a DCI format that is associated with using differential information (e.g., to be used for the DCI). The determination component908may determine the differential information to be indicated by the DCI to schedule the communication.

The transmission component904may transmit, to the UE, the anchor DCI indicating a first value for a parameter of the one or more parameters.

The determination component908may select a DCI format, for the DCI, that uses differential information based at least in part on a second value for the parameter, that is to be indicated in the DCI, being the same as the first value or within a threshold amount of the first value.

The transmission component904may transmit, to the UE, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information.

The transmission component904may transmit, to the UE, the anchor DCI. The reception component902may receive, from the UE, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, wherein transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the feedback information.

The transmission component904may transmit, to the UE, the anchor DCI, wherein transmitting the DCI comprises transmitting the anchor DCI regardless of whether information associated with the anchor DCI is received by the base station.

The reception component902may receive an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, wherein transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

Aspect 1: A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

Aspect 2: The method of Aspect 1, wherein the DCI uses a format associated with using differential information.

Aspect 3: The method of any of Aspects 1-2, wherein a field associated with a parameter of the one or more parameters is not included in the DCI, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises: transmitting or receiving the communication using a value for the parameter that is indicated by the anchor DCI.

Aspect 4: The method of any of Aspects 1-3, wherein the DCI indicates a modification for a value of a parameter relative to the value of the parameter that is indicated to the UE, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises: transmitting or receiving the communication using a modified value for the parameter based at least in part on the modification indicated by the DCI.

Aspect 5: The method of any of Aspects 1-4, further comprising: receiving, from a base station, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information; receiving, from the base station, the anchor DCI; and transmitting, to the base station, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, wherein receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the feedback information.

Aspect 6: The method of any of Aspects 1-5, wherein the differential information indicates that information indicated by the anchor DCI is to be reused or indicates a modification of information indicated by the anchor DCI.

Aspect 7: The method of any of Aspects 1-6, further comprising: transmitting an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, wherein receiving the DCI is based at least in part on transmitting the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

Aspect 8: The method of any of Aspects 1-7, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of: a carrier indicator, a bandwidth part indicator, a frequency domain resource allocation, a time domain resource allocation, a virtual resource block (VRB) to physical resource block (PRB) mapping, a PRB bundling size indicator, a rate matching indicator, a modulation and coding scheme, an antenna port indicator, or a transmission configuration indication.

Aspect 9: The method of any of Aspects 1-8, wherein the communication is a downlink communication, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises receiving the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

Aspect 10: The method of any of Aspects 1-8, wherein the communication is an uplink communication, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises transmitting the communication based at least in part on receiving the DCI.

Aspect 11: A method of wireless communication performed by a base station, comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE) downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a communication, wherein the DCI indicates information for one or more parameters of the communication using differential information associated with information included in an anchor DCI; and transmitting or receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

Aspect 12: The method of Aspect 11, wherein the DCI uses a format associated with using differential information.

Aspect 13: The method of any of Aspects 11-12, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI indicating a first value for a parameter of the one or more parameters; and selecting a DCI format, for the DCI, that uses differential information based at least in part on a second value for the parameter, that is to be indicated in the DCI, being the same as the first value or within a threshold amount of the first value.

Aspect 14: The method of any of Aspects 11-13, wherein a field associated with a parameter of the one or more parameters is not included in the DCI, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises: transmitting or receiving the communication using a value for the parameter that is indicated by the anchor DCI.

Aspect 15: The method of any of Aspects 11-14, wherein the DCI indicates a modification for a value of a parameter relative to the value of the parameter that is indicated to the UE, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises: transmitting or receiving the communication using a modified value for the parameter based at least in part on the modification indicated by the DCI.

Aspect 16: The method of any of Aspects 11-15, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, an indication that feedback information is to be provided for DCI that does not include differential information; transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI; and receiving, from the UE, feedback information associated with the anchor DCI indicating that the anchor DCI was successfully decoded, wherein transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the feedback information.

Aspect 17: The method of any of Aspects 11-15, further comprising: transmitting, to the UE, the anchor DCI, wherein transmitting the DCI comprises transmitting the anchor DCI regardless of whether information associated with the anchor DCI is received by the base station.

Aspect 18: The method of any of Aspects 11-17, wherein the differential information indicates that information indicated by the anchor DCI is to be reused or indicates a modification of information indicated by the anchor DCI.

Aspect 19: The method of any of Aspects 11-18, further comprising: receiving an indication that the UE supports a DCI format associated with using differential information, wherein transmitting the DCI is based at least in part on receiving the indication that the UE supports the DCI format.

Aspect 20: The method of any of Aspects 11-19, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of: a carrier indicator, a bandwidth part indicator, a frequency domain resource allocation, a time domain resource allocation, a virtual resource block (VRB) to physical resource block (PRB) mapping, a PRB bundling size indicator, a rate matching indicator, a modulation and coding scheme, an antenna port indicator, or a transmission configuration indication.

Aspect 21: The method of any of Aspects 11-20, wherein the communication is a downlink communication, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises transmitting the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

Aspect 22: The method of any of Aspects 11-20, wherein the communication is an uplink communication, and wherein transmitting or receiving the communication comprises receiving the communication based at least in part on transmitting the DCI.

Aspect 24: A device for wireless communication, comprising a memory and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to perform the method of one or more of Aspects 1-10.

Aspect 25: An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising at least one means for performing the method of one or more of Aspects 1-10.