Reserving radio resources for planned actions

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a resource reservation entity (100) configured to reserve radio resources in a cellular network for a plurality of user entities connected to the cellular network, the plurality of user entities comprising at least one first user entity (10, 11) connected to a robotic device (20, 21) and at least one second user entity (30) not connected to any robotic device, the robotic device being controlled by control commands transmitted to the first user entity over the cellular network, the method comprising, at the resource reservation entity: - receiving a first message indicating a future resource requirement needed by the at least one first user entity to control at least one first task to be executed by the robotic device based on the control commands, the resource requirement comprising a first time period defined by a defined start time of the at least one first task and a duration of the at least one first task; - reserving radio resources for the plurality of user entities, wherein, in the reservation, a priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is increased for the duration of the first time period with respect to a priority assigned to the at least one second user entity, and the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity in the first time period.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a method for operating a resource reservation entity configured to reserve radio resources for multiple user entities in a cellular network. Furthermore, a corresponding resource reservation entity, a computer program including program code, and a carrier including the computer program are provided. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, customer demand for increasingly customized products in the manufacturing industry has been growing. Personalized production is one of the main motivations for manufacturers to begin utilizing new technologies that, for example, improve production line flexibility. A high degree of flexibility is typically required to achieve cost-effective and customized production by supporting rapid reconfiguration of production lines and simple application development.

[0003] Use cases for 5G URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications) include autonomous vehicles performing cooperative and safety functions, monitoring and control in smart grids, haptic feedback in telemedicine processes, control and coordination of unmanned aerial vehicles, robotics, and industrial automation.

[0004] One of the most challenging applications that demonstrates the importance and functionality of URLLC is low-level remote control of servo systems. Industrial applications such as robotic arms and robot cell control require large-scale collaboration of controlled servo systems, making the use cases even more challenging. Remote robot control is particularly emphasized in many industrial use cases where wireless communication can play a significant role, such as cell automation, automated guided vehicles, etc.

[0005] In wireless transmission, resource constraints are always present; for example, the availability of wireless spectrum and the rational allocation of resources are always effective problems to be solved. When multiple industrial devices (e.g., robotic arms) are connected via a wireless network, how to best utilize scarce radio resources becomes a problem. How to consider different radio resources during the system planning phase and reserve them during the execution phase is also challenging.

[0006] 5G systems (3GPP TS23.501) support Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC) and allow 5G systems to be transparently integrated as bridges in IEEE TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) networks. TSC ancillary information describes the TSC service characteristics to be used in 5G systems. Understanding TSN service modes helps gNBs more effectively schedule periodic, deterministic services via configuration granting, semi-persistent scheduling, or dynamic granting.

[0007] Further improvements are needed in controlling robotic devices via cellular networks. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This requirement is met by the features of the independent claims. Furthermore, additional aspects are described in the dependent claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect, a method is provided for operating a resource reservation entity configured to reserve radio resources in a cellular network for multiple user entities connected to the cellular network. The multiple user entities include at least one first user entity connected to a robotic device controlled by control commands transmitted via the cellular network to the first user entity, wherein the user entities also include second user entities not connected to any robotic device. The resource reservation entity receives a first message including future resource requirements for at least one first task to be performed by the robotic device based on control commands controlled by the at least one first user entity, wherein the resource requirements include a first time period defined by a defined start time and duration of the at least one first task. The resource reservation entity then reserves radio resources for the multiple user entities, wherein, in this reservation step, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity increases over the duration of the first time period relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity. Furthermore, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity during the first time period.

[0010] In addition, a corresponding resource reservation entity is provided, which includes a memory and at least one processing unit, wherein the memory contains instructions executable by the at least one processing unit. When the instructions are executed by the at least one processing unit, the resource reservation entity operates for the work described above or discussed in more detail below.

[0011] Alternatively, a resource reservation entity is provided, configured to reserve radio resources in a cellular network for multiple user entities connected to the cellular network. These user entities include at least one first user entity connected to a robotic device controlled by control commands transmitted via the cellular network to the first user entity. The user entities also include at least one second user entity not connected to any robotic device. The resource reservation entity includes a first module configured to receive a first message instructing the at least one first user entity on future resource requirements for at least one first task to be performed by the robotic device, based on control commands. The first message and resource requirements include a first time period defined by the defined start time and duration of the at least one first task. The resource reservation entity includes a second module configured to reserve radio resources for the multiple user entities, wherein, in the reservation, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity increases over the duration of the time period relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity, and the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity during the first time period.

[0012] This application helps improve the reservation process in a resource reservation entity because future resource requirements include not only the defined start time of control over the robot equipment but also its duration. Therefore, the resource reservation entity can perform pre-allocation in a timely manner. Preferably, the first message indicating future resource requirements is received from the control entity controlling the robot equipment, allowing the control entity or control application to directly initiate and transmit reservation requests.

[0013] Furthermore, a computer program including program code is provided, wherein execution of the program code causes at least one processing unit of the resource reservation entity to perform the method as described above or further detailed below. Additionally, a carrier including a computer program is provided, wherein the carrier is one of an electrical signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, or a computer-readable storage medium.

[0014] It should be understood that, without departing from the scope of this application, the features mentioned above and those described below can be used not only in the indicated combinations, but also in other combinations or individually. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the features of the above aspects and the embodiments described below can be combined with each other in other embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and additional features and effects of this application will become clear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0016] Figure 1The system architecture view is shown, where radio resources are reserved for controlling robotic devices.

[0017] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A more detailed view of the planning section of the system is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of radio resource reservation based on weighted scheduling is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 It shows in Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the message exchange between entities involved in the successful reservation and allocation of radio resources in the system.

[0020] Figure 5 It shows in Figure 1 The diagram illustrates message exchange between entities involved in reserving and allocating radio resources in the system shown, where the reservation process is unsuccessful.

[0021] Figure 6 An example schematic flowchart is shown, illustrating the method executed by the resource reservation entity during the resource reservation process.

[0022] Figure 7 An example schematic diagram is shown of a resource reservation entity configured to reserve radio resources for controlling robotic devices.

[0023] Figure 8 Another example schematic diagram is shown of a resource reservation entity configured to reserve radio resources for controlling robotic devices. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description of the embodiments should not be considered limiting. The scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments or drawings described below, which are merely illustrative.

[0025] The accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the elements shown are not necessarily to scale. Rather, the elements are shown so that their function and general purpose will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any connections or couplings between functional blocks, devices, components, or physical or functional units shown in the drawings and described below may also be achieved through indirect connections or couplings. Couplings between components may also be established through wired or wireless connections. Functional blocks may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0026] In the context of this application, the terms user entity, mobile entity, or user equipment (UE) refer to a device used, for example, by a person (e.g., a user) for his or her personal communications. A UE can be a telephone-type device (e.g., a telephone or session initiation protocol SIP or VoIP phone, cellular phone, mobile station, cordless phone) or a personal digital assistant-type device (e.g., a laptop, notebook computer, notepad, tablet computer with wireless data connectivity). In the current context, a UE is associated with non-human robotic devices. A UE may be equipped with a SIM subscriber identification module, which includes a unique identifier associated with the user as a UE, such as an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity), or GUTI (Globally Unique Temporary UE Identifier). The presence of a SIM within the UE uniquely customizes the UE through the user's subscription.

[0027] It should be noted that while there is a distinction between a user and a subscriber, there is also a close connection. A user accesses the cellular network by obtaining a network subscription, thus becoming a subscriber within the network. The network then identifies the subscriber and uses the associated subscription to identify relevant subscription data. The user can be the actual user of the UE, and the UE can also be a user who owns the subscription, but the user and the owner of the subscription can also be different.

[0028] The following section discusses a solution for instructing wireless networks on the radio resource requirements of applications controlling robotic devices during the execution of specific tasks. A radio resource reservation method is discussed based on weighted scheduling. Robotic devices operating in cellular networks can be controlled via wireless links, thus relaxing the required network characteristics while maintaining productivity KPIs. The proposed mechanism is also based on the fact that requirements can be softened during many phases of robotic device operation because they have no impact on the quality or performance of the robotic device.

[0029] Figure 1 The system architecture view is shown, where robotic devices such as devices 20 and 21 are controlled by control application 90 using cellular network 40. Planning module 80 processes problem and domain definitions to generate a plan, which will be combined with... Figure 2 Further details are discussed below. Application 90 uses the planning provided by planning module 80 to execute the actions of the robotic devices, where each robotic device connects to the cellular network using UE 10 or 11. Additionally, UE 30 is schematically shown, which is not connected to any robotic device but also requires the radio resources of the cellular network for communication. Control application 19 operates through the proposed interface IF. resThe transmission plan includes details such as the start time and duration of actions to indicate what resource requirements the robotic device might have from the cellular system when performing a task; in the illustrated implementation, this cellular system is implemented as a 5G system. Therefore, the cellular system can also be optimized to use only the necessary resources while meeting the application's requirements, without affecting the performance of the robotic device.

[0030] The planning module 80 and control application 90 can be located in the edge cloud 70. However, locations outside the cloud are also possible. Cellular network 40 includes a resource reservation entity 100, which receives information from the control application and is configured to reserve radio resources for the cellular network. The radio resource entity 100 is connected to the radio section 50 where the scheduler 60 of cellular network 40 is located; the scheduler 60 ultimately uses input from the resource reservation entity 100 to schedule the radio resources. It is also possible to implement the resource reservation entity 100 and the scheduler 60 in a single module.

[0031] Figure 2 A more detailed view of the planning module 80 is shown. During planning, the order of robot devices is translated into a problem definition. The order and robot cell models are set in a knowledge base 88, and the order is provided to problem 87, which forwards the information to planner 83. Planner 83 processes the problem and the domain definition given by domain 84, and proposes plan 82, which is provided to planning scheduler 86 and planning-to-time-domain mapper 81. Additionally, information from external strategic planning 85 can be used. The output of the planning includes information on the radio resource requirements for each action, which is then provided to the cellular network to optimize its resource allocation to meet the request. The planner creates a solution proposal that is executed in planning scheduler 86.

[0032] The following example shows the output of planner 83:

[0033] 107.0083:(UR_PICK_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX2 YELLOWBOX1 GEAR6)[3.0000]

[0034] 110.0085:(UR_PLACE_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX2 SHIPPINGBOX2 GEAR6)[4.5000]

[0035] 114.5090:(UR_MOVE UR YELLOWBOX2 YELLOWBOX4)[5.0000]

[0036] 119.5093:(UR_PICK_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX4 YELLOWBOX5 DISK10)[3.0000]

[0037] 122.5098:(UR_MOVE UR YELLOWBOX4 YELLOWBOX2)[5.0000]

[0038] 127.5100:(UR_PLACE_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX2 SHIPPINGBOX2 DISK10)[4.5000]

[0039] 132.0103:(HEBI_MOVE UR HEBI_DOF_SIX2 YELLOWBOX2 YELLOWBOX4)[5.0000]

[0040] 137.0105:(UR_PICK_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX4 YELLOWBOX5 DISK9)[3.0000]

[0041] 140.0110:(UR_MOVE UR YELLOWBOX4 YELLOWBOX2)[5.0000]

[0042] 145.0113:(UR_PLACE_PRECISE UR YELLOWBOX2 SHIPPINGBOX2 DISK9)[4.5000]

[0043] 149.5117:(UR_MOVE UR YELLOWBOX2 YELLOWBOX5)[10.0000]

[0044] Therefore, each row shown above includes the following fields:

[0045] The start time of the action, the action itself, and the duration of the action, all measured in seconds.

[0046] When realistically modeling actions within a domain definition, the provided plan represents real life well. The radio network should reserve the necessary resources at a given time for a given duration of a specific action of a robotic device connected to the cellular network via a specific UE.

[0047] The instructions for radio resource requirements will be discussed in more detail below.

[0048] The following text discloses how to do this via the interface IF. resThe above information is provided to consider radio resource requests from applications in a cellular network. This embodiment allows for fine-grained processing of necessary resources at the Transmission Time Interval (TTI) level of the packet scheduler in the radio portion of the network. The information provided regarding actions performed by the robotic device can then be converted into resource reservation time in the packet scheduler of the radio network. Figure 1 The scheduler 60 shown is responsible for allocating radio resources among different UEs and data streams. This can be implemented as an extension of the semi-persistent scheduling and configuration authorization process already specified for mobile devices, but with a shorter time scale.

[0049] Using this interface IF res The controller application can communicate with the scheduler via the resource reservation entity, and the application can also receive notifications about insufficient transmission power, which means that radio resources may be insufficient. The controller application 90 can notify the resource reservation entity 100 of the estimated execution time until radio resources need to be reserved, such as the duration of a robot action.

[0050] The application also provides a UE identifier, which generates services to be prioritized and latency limits that can be tolerated for packets during the reserved time period. Furthermore, the application can provide service patterns generated during the reserved time period.

[0051] The resource reservation entity can notify application 90 about insufficient transmission power.

[0052] Figure 4 This illustrates a possible message exchange between the control application 90 and the resource reservation entity 100. In step S41, a message is sent from the application to the resource reservation. This message may be a radio resource demand indication message and may include the following information elements:

[0053] - Allocated time

[0054] - Duration of robot actions

[0055] - UE ID to be assigned

[0056] -Preferred delay budget for grouping

[0057] - and the controller's business model.

[0058] The business model may include information about when there is business and when there is no business during the time period, and / or may include information about different priorities within the time period. In step S42, confirmation is sent back to the controller application 90.

[0059] Later, when UE scheduling is about to begin, the resource reservation entity sends a radio resource allocation message with the UE ID information element in step S43. Furthermore, later, when UE scheduling is completed within the reserved time period, in step S44, an allocation message including the allocated radio resources is sent to the controller application. This allocation message includes the UE ID information element, the result of successful allocation, and the reason why the reserved time period has ended.

[0060] Figure 5 The message exchange between the entities involved is illustrated, where the allocation process is for a UE with limited transmission power, meaning that the UE's transmission power is exhausted due to insufficient radio resources available.

[0061] In step S51, a radio resource demand indication message is sent to the reservation entity 100, wherein the message corresponds to Figure 4 The message sent in step S41 contains the same information elements as in step S41. In step S52, an acknowledgment is sent back to the controller application; however, this acknowledgment can also be a negative acknowledgment with a reason. Later, when UE scheduling is about to begin, a radio resource allocation message similar to the message in step S43 is sent in step S53, which also includes the UE ID. Then, UE scheduling is in progress, and transmission power is exhausted. In step S54, an allocation failure message is sent to the controller application. This message also includes the UE ID and the reason for its insufficient transmission power.

[0062] In the example shown, the controller application is the controller of the robotic device, while radio resource reservation is performed within the resource reservation entity. Radio resource reservation can also be implemented directly in the packet scheduler. Therefore, refer to... Figure 1 The scheduler 60 and the resource reservation entity 100 can be implemented in a single functional entity.

[0063] The proposed reservation process can be implemented as follows:

[0064] First, introduce timer T. res And set it as the estimated duration of the action, and via the interface IF res The timer is sent. Then, within each TTI, the identified user context data is prioritized until the timer expires.

[0065] Resource blocks within each TTI are limited, therefore it is essential to ensure the correct scheduling order of user contexts or user data is maintained. For example... Figure 1 As shown, there are ordinary UEs (e.g., UE30) that are not connected to the robot device and are not provided with reserved radio resources, while multiple UEs (e.g., UE10, 11) that require reserved radio resources can be provided at the same time.

[0066] Therefore, a weighted scheduling scheme can be used, which can adjust the reservation of radio resources at the TTI level or even at the resource block (RB) level to minimize unused radio resources.

[0067] To determine which of UEs (10, 11, or 30) should be scheduled, three factors can be considered. First, the UE's Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. QoS requirements reflect the different priorities required for different UEs to transmit data. Second, channel quality can be considered, which describes the quality of the radio connection obtained between the UE and its corresponding radio access node. A third factor could be the interference effect of the UEs on each other. This interference takes into account how physically distant the different UEs are. Weighted scheduling schemes can select UEs based on a weighted function that includes components of all three factors mentioned above. However, it is also possible to use only two or one of the above factors, such as the QoS requirements alone.

[0068] The first component of the weighting function (such as the Quality of Service (QoS) weight) is calculated for each UE and represents the urgency of packet transmission. Typically, the QoS weighting function ensures fair allocation because the UE receives an increasing weight as the time spent in the transmission buffer increases.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, it is recommended to add a constant C to the service quality weighting function. res until timer T res Expiration date. (For example) Figure 3 As shown in the upper left corner, curve 31 shows that the weight of the service quality requirement increases over time. As time increases, the corresponding data packets are located in the corresponding transmission buffer. Curve 32 then shows the time-dependent weighting function for the period during which the UE has scheduled the transmission of control commands to control the robot device. Figure 3 As shown, compared to a UE that does not send control commands over the network, curve 32 or the weights have an increased constant factor C. res .exist Figure 3 The right side shows the corresponding decrease in the weight function as the disturbance increases.

[0070] This method ensures that UEs requiring reserved radio resources are given increased priority. When the timer expires, the corresponding UE is treated as a normal UE again, and scheduling is no longer prioritized as the actions in the robot unit are completed.

[0071] C resThe value of C should be higher than the maximum weight of other UEs not connected to the robot device. Among the UEs they prioritize, UEs with stricter latency limits may have a higher value C than other UEs. res If business models are also available, for example, if they are signaled by their applications, then the constant factor C can be pre-calculated. res The optimal value. Radio resource reservation can be implemented as an optimization problem, where in Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, one part of the optimization problem includes the UE's Quality of Service (QoS) weights, while another part jointly considers two other factors, such as the UE's channel quality and interference impact. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the resource block weights consider both components. The optimization process for these components is known in itself; in this invention, only the QoS weights are modified compared to known methods, for example, by using a higher priority during the time period when control commands sent via the radio portion of the cellular network are needed to control the robotic device. The resource block weights can represent the loss based on the number of bits suffered by a scheduled UE on the same resource block in another cell. A detailed description of the resource block weight function is omitted because it is known to those skilled in the art. Figure 3 As shown, this is an iterative process where resource blocks are continuously assigned to UEs or different UEs. If a UE still has the highest weight and has remaining power, the UE weight is recalculated after each resource block is assigned to a UE. Otherwise, the next UE is used, and if this is the case, there may be insufficient power or transmission resources to transmit via the interface.

[0072] The advantage of the above solution is that radio resource allocation can be adjusted at the resource block level. This means that each UE uses as many radio resources as it actually needs, compared to dedicated allocation. Furthermore, weighted scheduling ensures that channel quality, fairness, and interference calculations are still considered in the scheduling order and final resource allocation even when multiple UEs require reserved radio resources.

[0073] Different actions performed by robotic equipment may require different radio resource reservations, or at least radio resource requirement estimates should be able to be transmitted to the resource reservation entity. Such resource requirement requests should be considered during the radio resource reservation process.

[0074] In addition to requesting resource reservations, feedback can be provided to the requesting entity regarding the success of the request. This, in turn, can help the requesting entity adjust the timing of high-precision actions to align with radio resource availability.

[0075] The reserved radio resources may be insufficient to accurately serve the tasks to be performed by the robotic device. The controller's PID (proportional-integral-derivative) error can be fed into the radio resource reservation process to reserve more resources if the target accuracy is not achieved. Planning can be implemented and processed in real time and fed back into the system. Furthermore, ladder logic, commonly used for controlling robotic devices with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), can be used. The PLC can have a strict execution time, which can be calculated and represented via timing diagrams. The timing is similar to the executable planning discussed in the previous sections above.

[0076] Furthermore, it allows switching between different channels that provide the necessary Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. It enables differentiated data services to support diverse application needs while efficiently utilizing radio resources. It is designed to support different access networks where QoS can be expected without additional signaling. A standardized packet marking scheme can inform the QoS enforcement function what QoS is being provided without any QoS signaling.

[0077] Figure 6 The steps performed by the resource reservation entity 100 in the above implementation are summarized. In step S61, the radio resource reservation entity receives a message indicating future resource requirements, wherein these resource requirements include a time period defined by the start time of a task to be performed by the robot device, and wherein the resource requirements also include the duration of the task. The task can be a single task or a sequence of tasks, wherein each task is defined by a corresponding start time and a corresponding time period in which the task will take. In step S62, radio resources are reserved for a number of UEs, wherein the priority of UEs connected to the robot device is increased, such that the scheduling of UEs connected to the robot device is prioritized compared with other UEs not connected to the robot device due to their higher priority. When the time period of the task to be performed by the robot device ends, the priority increase is removed again. After that time period, Figure 1 UEs 10 and 11 can have the same priority as UE 30, which is not recommended to robotic devices.

[0078] Figure 7A schematic architectural view of a resource reservation entity capable of performing the aforementioned resource reservation is shown. Resource reservation entity 100 includes an interface 110 provided for sending user data or control messages to other entities and for receiving user data and control messages from other entities. This interface is configured to receive messages indicating future resource needs, and if the scheduler and the resource reservation entity are implemented in different nodes, this interface can be used to forward determined reservations to the cellular system scheduler. Entity 100 also includes a processing unit 120 responsible for the operation of the resource reservation entity. Processing unit 120 includes one or more processors and can execute instructions stored in memory 130, which may include read-only memory, random access memory, mass storage devices, hard disks, etc. The memory may also include suitable program code to be executed by processing unit 120 to implement the aforementioned functions relating to the resource reservation entity.

[0079] Figure 8 Another schematic diagram of another resource entity 300 is shown, which includes a first module 310 configured to receive a first message containing future resource requirements for controlling a task to be performed by a robotic device. The message includes the duration and start time of the task. A module 320 is provided, configured to reserve radio resources for the UE via priority adaptation during the time period of the task to be performed.

[0080] Based on the above, some general conclusions can be drawn regarding resource reservation entities.

[0081] When a priority has been increased for a time period of a task, when that time period ends, the priority assigned to at least one first user entity connected to the robot device is reduced again relative to the priority assigned to other UEs (such as UE 30) not connected to the robot device.

[0082] A user entity connected to the robot device can be designated as the first user entity, while another user entity not connected to the robot device can be designated as the second user entity.

[0083] The future resource requirements received in the message may include the service patterns of radio resources during a first time period, wherein radio resources are reserved during the first time period in consideration of the received service patterns.

[0084] A timer can be activated at the defined start time of the first time period, and this timer expires at the end of the first time period. The priority assigned to at least one first user entity is controlled based on the activation of the timer. Therefore, as long as the timer is running, the priority assigned to a first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to a second user entity.

[0085] The reservation of radio resources may include the use of weighted reservation, wherein multiple factors are weighted to reserve radio resources for multiple user entities. The factors may include a first factor related to the quality of service requirements effective for the user entity, wherein the quality of service requirements depend on the priority assigned to the corresponding user entity, a second factor describing the quality of the obtained radio channel, and a third factor describing the interference level among at least some user entities.

[0086] To increase the priority of the first factor in the first time period, the weight assigned to the first factor can be increased by the first value in the first time period.

[0087] This first value can be a constant, and when the first time period ends, the increase in the first value of the assigned weight can be removed again. Resource requirements may also include the maximum possible delay of the control command up to when the control command is certain to reach the user entity, wherein radio resources are reserved in consideration of the maximum possible delay.

[0088] In addition, when the first time period is about to begin, a scheduling message can be sent to the first user entity, wherein the scheduling message includes a UE identifier that allows identification of at least one first user entity.

[0089] The future resource requirements received in the first message can also be associated with different tasks executed by one of the user entities in the task sequence. Furthermore, different time periods are defined for different tasks, and the priority assigned to the corresponding user entity increases in each of the different time periods relative to the priority of the second user entity.

[0090] In this context, the priority assigned to each of the different time periods can be different. Furthermore, when it is determined that radio resources cannot be reserved within the desired time period requested by future resource needs, the device control entity configured to control the robot can be notified.

[0091] The tasks performed by the robotic device can also be repetitive tasks performed multiple times. When the corresponding task is performed for the first time in several repetitions, feedback with an accuracy indication indicating a failure can be received. Then, when the first task is performed a second time after the first, this accuracy indication is taken into account when reserving radio resources for the first task. The priority assigned to the first time slot when performing the first task a second time is higher than the priority assigned to the first time slot when performing the first task a second time.

[0092] The solutions discussed above propose a method for requesting resource needs of robotic devices within a cellular network. The unit where the robotic device is located may have wireless connectivity and control devices (such as...) Figure 1 The controller application shown is connected to at least one robot device. As described above, the duration of each different action of the robot device is determined, and the time period in which the action will take is calculated. Furthermore, service quality requirements and radio resources for the robot device's wireless connection are considered. Additionally, radio resources are requested or reserved for the duration of the corresponding action performed by the robot device. Furthermore, feedback regarding successful requests can be received, and the robot device's motion planning can be adjusted accordingly if necessary.

[0093] The solutions discussed above provide improved productivity for robotic devices deployed in cellular networks because the necessary radio resources are guaranteed to be available throughout operation, resulting in improved control of the robotic devices.

Claims

1. A method for operating a resource reservation entity (100), the resource reservation entity (100) being configured to reserve radio resources in a cellular network for a plurality of user entities connected to the cellular network, the plurality of user entities including at least one first user entity (10, 11) connected to robotic devices (20, 21) and at least one second user entity (30) not connected to any robotic devices, the robotic devices (20, 21) being controlled by control commands transmitted through the cellular network to the first user entities, the method comprising: At the resource reservation entity, - Receive a first message from a device control entity configured to control the robot device, the first message instructing the at least one first user entity to control future resource requirements required by the robot device for at least one first task to be performed by the robot device based on the control command, the first message including a predetermined start time and duration of the at least one first task, the future resource requirements including a first time period defined by the predetermined start time and duration of the at least one first task; - The radio resources are reserved for the plurality of user entities, wherein, in the reservation, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity increases during the duration of the first time period relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity, and the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity during the first time period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, After the first time period ends, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is reduced again relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The future resource requirements include the service patterns of the radio resources during the first time period, wherein the radio resources are reserved during the first time period in consideration of the service patterns.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The timer is activated at the predetermined start time and expires at the end of the first time period, wherein the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is controlled based on the activation of the timer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The reservation of the radio resources includes the use of weighted reservation, in which multiple factors are weighted to reserve the radio resources for the plurality of user entities, the factors including: a first factor related to the quality of service requirements effective for the plurality of user entities, the quality of service requirements depending on the priority assigned to the plurality of user entities; a second factor describing the quality of the obtained radio channel; and a third factor describing the interference level among at least some of the plurality of user entities.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, In order to increase the priority of the first factor during the first time period, the weight assigned to the first factor is increased by a first value during the first time period.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The first value is a constant, and the increase of the first value for the assigned weight is removed at the end of the first time period.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The future resource requirements include the maximum possible delay of the control command up to when the control command is certain to reach the first user entity, wherein the radio resources are reserved taking into account the maximum possible delay.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the first time period is about to begin, a scheduling message is further sent to the at least one first user entity, the scheduling message including a UE identifier that allows identification of the at least one first user entity.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The future resource requirements received in the first message involve different tasks in a task sequence executed by one of the at least one first user entity, wherein different time periods are defined for the different tasks, and the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity increases in each of the different time periods relative to the priority of the second user entity.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, For each of the different time periods, the priority assigned to each of the different time periods is different.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, When it is determined that it is impossible to reserve the radio resources during the first time period requested by the future resource demand, the device control entity configured to control the robot device is notified.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one first task is a repetitive first task performed several times, wherein feedback with an accuracy indication indicating an accuracy of failure is received during the first execution of the first task in the several executions, wherein the accuracy indication is taken into account when reserving radio resources for the first task during the second execution of the first task after the first execution in the several executions, wherein the priority assigned to the first time period during the second execution of the first task is higher than the priority assigned to the first time period during the first execution of the first task.

14. A resource reservation entity (100) configured to reserve radio resources in a cellular network for a plurality of user entities connected to the cellular network, the plurality of user entities including at least one first user entity connected to a robotic device and at least one second user entity not connected to any robotic device, the robotic device being controlled by control commands sent to the first user entity via the cellular network, the resource reservation entity including a memory (130) and at least one processing unit (120), the memory containing instructions executable by the at least one processing unit, wherein, The resource reservation entity operation is used for: - Receive a first message from a device control entity configured to control the robot device, the first message instructing the at least one first user entity to control future resource requirements required by the robot device for at least one first task to be performed by the robot device based on the control command, the first message including a predetermined start time and duration of the at least one first task, the future resource requirements including a first time period defined by the predetermined start time and duration of the at least one first task; - The radio resources are reserved for the plurality of user entities, wherein, in the reservation, the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity increases during the duration of the first time period relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity, and the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity is higher than the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity during the first time period.

15. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14 is further configured to: after the end of the first time period, reduce the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity again relative to the priority assigned to the at least one second user entity.

16. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14, wherein, The future resource requirements include the service patterns of the radio resources during the first time period, and the resource reservation entity operates to reserve the radio resources during the first time period in consideration of the service patterns.

17. The resource reservation entity (100) of claim 14 is further operable to: activate a timer at the predetermined start time, the timer expiring at the end of the first time period; and control the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity based on the activation of the timer.

18. The resource reservation entity (100) of claim 14, further operable for reserving the radio resources using weighted reservation, wherein the weighted reservation weights a plurality of factors to reserve the radio resources for the plurality of user entities, the factors including: The first factor is related to the quality of service requirements that are valid for the plurality of user entities, the quality of service requirements depending on the priority assigned to the plurality of user entities; The second factor describes the quality of the obtained radio channel; And a third factor, describing the level of interference among at least some of the plurality of user entities.

19. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 18, in order to increase the priority of the first factor during the first time period, is further configured to: increase the weight assigned to the first factor by a first value during the first time period.

20. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 19, wherein, The first value is a constant value, and the resource reservation entity operation is used to remove the increase of the first value to the assigned weight at the end of the first time period.

21. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14 is further operable to: wherein, The future resource requirements include the maximum possible delay of the control command up to when the control command is bound to reach the first user entity, wherein the resource reservation entity (100) operates to reserve the radio resources taking into account the maximum possible delay.

22. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14 is further operable to: send a scheduling message to the at least one first user entity when the first time period is about to begin, the scheduling message including a UE identifier that allows identification of the at least one first user entity.

23. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14, wherein, The future resource requirements received in the first message involve different tasks in a task sequence executed by one of the at least one first user entity, wherein different time periods are defined for the different tasks, and the resource reservation entity operates to: increase the priority assigned to the at least one first user entity in each of the different time periods relative to the priority of the second user entity.

24. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 23, wherein, For each of the different time periods, the priority assigned to each of the different time periods is different.

25. The resource reservation entity (100) of claim 14 is further operable to: notify the device control entity configured to control the robot device when it is determined that it is impossible to reserve the radio resources during the first time period requested by the future resource demand.

26. The resource reservation entity (100) according to claim 14, wherein, The at least one first task is a repetitive first task performed several times, and the resource reservation entity (100) is further configured to: receive feedback with an accuracy indication indicating the accuracy of failure when the first task is performed for the first time in the several times; and, when the first task is performed for the second time after the first time in the several times, take into account the accuracy indication when reserving the radio resources for the first task, wherein the priority assigned to the first time period when the first task is performed for the second time is higher than the priority assigned to the first time period when the first task is performed for the first time.

27. A computer program product comprising a computer program, said computer program including program code to be executed by at least one processing unit of a resource reservation entity, wherein, The execution of the program code causes the at least one processing unit to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

28. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein, When the computer program is executed on a processor, it causes the processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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