Systems and methods for configuring carriers using overlapping sets of candidate numerologies

Abstract

It is possible to reduce the implementation complexity associated with dynamic carrier configuration by defining overlapping sets of candidate numerologies for at least some carriers in the network. A common numerology is included in sets of candidate numerologies pre-associated with two different carriers. This reduces the amount of numerologies that need to be supported by the corresponding user equipments (UEs) and base stations, which in turn reduces the complexity of those devices, e.g., less complex hardware, protocol stacks, and software, lower storage and processing requirements, etc. The common numerology specifies a common subset of physical layer parameters for both carriers. In one example, the common numerology specifies the same sub-carrier frequency spacing and symbol duration for both carriers. The common numerology may further specify the same cyclic prefix (CP) length for symbols communicated over both carriers.